![Mary II & William III, Half Crown, 1689. AU58 [ECM-255] - Image 2](https://colonialcoins.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/ECM-255-1.jpg)
Description
Kingdom of England, Mary II of the House of Stuart & William III of the House of Orange-Nassau, as Queen and King of England 1688-1694 AD, Silver Half Crown (14.93g, 33mm), 1689, no frosting to caul and with pearls to crown type, Royal mint London. Obverse: Jugate busts of King William III and Queen Mary II facing to the right, William III laureate and cuirassed and both draped, legend surrounds, “GVLIELMVS· ET· MARIA· DEI· GRATIA”. Reverse: First-type Royal Escutcheon of the Armorial of the House of Stuart, with the addition of the inescutcheon for Nassau, surmounted by St. Edward’s Crown, no frosting to caul or inside and with pearls to band, date either side of crown, legend surrounds, “·MAG· BR· FR· ET· HIB· REX· ET· REGINA·”. Edge: Inscription in raised letter, “DECVS ET TVTAMEN ANNO REGNI PRIMO”. S-3434. Certified and graded by NGC as Almost Uncirculated 58. A quite handsome 1689 half crown nicely toned with a deep cabinet grey with hints of other shades on reverse and offers sharp and bold portraiture, certainly under-graded by NGC as an AU58.
The Latin legend across the obverse and reverse is the royal titulature of Queen Mary II and King William III, reading unabridged as “Gulielmus et Marīa, Deī grātiā, Magnae Britanniae, Franciae et Hiberniae rēx et rēgīna”, with an English translation of “William and Mary, by the grace of God, King and Queen of Great Britain, France and Ireland”. The edge Latin legend is stated in full and reads “Decus et tūtāmen, annō regni prīmō”, with an English translation of “An ornament and safeguard, first regnal year”.
