1078446 | GREAT BRITAIN. George III. (King, 1760-1820). 1787 AR Pattern Sixpence. NGC PR63. By Pingo. Edge: Plain. GEORGIVS . III . DEI . GRATIA . Laurel and draped bust, right / M . B . F . ET . H . REX . F . D . B . ET . L . D . S . R . I . A . T . ET . E . 1787 . Shield with semee of hearts. SCBC-3749 variant; ESC-2212 (Prev. ESC-1640).

According to English Silver Coinage, 168 pieces of this Pattern (ESC-2212), the variety with a pattern border of dots on each rim, were struck.


Please use this link to verify the NGC certification number 6318735004




1787 was the first year of issue of the George III Sixpence. The last previous issue had been twenty-nine years earlier by George II in 1758. Due to this, most Sixpence were well worn by 1787, so a large quantity were then minted. After many examples had been struck it was discovered a semée of hearts had been inadvertently left out (ESC-2213, previous ESC-1640a), of the arms of Brunswick in the Hannover shield (to the left, opposite the French arms, there should be hearts around the upright lion located to the right of and above the running horse). The die was then revised. Sixpence were no longer minted until 1816 when George III reduced the size of the coin.

A translation of the highly abbreviated Latin legend on the reverse is, "King of Great Britain, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, Duke of Brunswick and Luneburg, Arch-Treasurer and Elector of the Holy Roman Empire" The 1787 issue was the last larger sized sixpence.