Description
George III of the House of Hanover, King of Great Britain 1760-1820 AD, Silver ‘Northumberland’ Shilling (6.02g, 25mm), 1763, Tower mint, London. Obverse: First, young laureate head of King George III facing to the right, legend surrounds, “GEORGIVS· III DEI· GRATIA·”. Reverse: Cruciform Shield of Arms of the House of Hanover as the sovereigns of Great Britain (1714-1801), each surmounted by St. Edward’s Crown, Irish harp of 8 strings, 7 hearts to semée of Luneburg shield, Garter Star at centre, date either side of top crown, legend surrounds, “M· B· F· ET· H· REX· F·D· B· ET· L· D· S· R· I· A· T· ET· E·”. Bull-2124; Spink-3742; ESC-1214. Deeply toned each side with a lovely display of olive grey cabinet toning, the obverse awash with underlying brilliance at each rotation, trifling contact marks to obverse, a scarce and most collectible example of the well-known shilling type, Extremely Fine.
The Obverse Latin legend reads “Geōrgius Tertius, Deī Grātiā”, with an English translation of “George the Third, by the Grace of God”. The Reverse Latin legend continues from the obverse and reads “Magnae Britanniae Franciae et Hiberniae Rex, Fideī Dēfēnsor, Brūnsvīcēnsis et Lūnebērgēnsis Dux, Sacrī Romani imperiī Archīthesaurarius et Elector”, with an English translation of “King of Great Britain, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, Duke of Brunswick and Luneberg, High Treasurer and Elector of the Holy Roman Empire”.