Colonial Acres Coins
SKU: SKU:WC-6738
Great Britain 1797 George III 2 Pence Almost Uncirculated (AU50) (L)
Great Britain 1797 George III 2 Pence Almost Uncirculated (AU50) (L)
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Great Britain 1797 George III 2 Pence Almost Uncirculated (AU50)
George III (1738–1820) was the British monarch who ruled from 1760 to 1820, overseeing a period of great change and challenge. His reign is particularly noted for the American Revolutionary War, which led to the loss of the American colonies, as well as the Napoleonic Wars, during which Britain emerged as a major European power. Despite his initial popularity, George III’s rule faced significant political turmoil, economic strain, and conflicts within Parliament. In his later years, he suffered from recurrent bouts of mental illness, likely due to a condition such as porphyria, which eventually left him unable to rule. His son, the future George IV, served as Prince Regent from 1811 until George III's death, marking the onset of the Regency Era in Britain.
The 1797 2 pence coin, often called the “Cartwheel” twopence, was a large copper coin issued during the reign of King George III. Struck at Matthew Boulton’s Soho Mint in Birmingham, it was revolutionary for being one of the first coins mass-produced using steam-powered machinery, ensuring consistent quality and weight. The coin was enormous—twice the size of the already hefty 1797 penny—because it contained its full value in copper, weighing a full two ounces. Its distinctive size and raised rim gave it the nickname “Cartwheel.” Although impressive, it proved impractical for everyday use due to its bulk, and production was limited to just that year, making it a fascinating and iconic piece of British coinage history.
Obverse: Laureate and draped portrait of George III facing right, with the legend around on a raised rim.
Reverse: Seated figure of Britannia facing left, with a trident in her left hand, an olive branch in her raised right hand, a shield bearing the Union flag resting on her left, with a seascape featuring a ship in the background to the left, mint mark below the shield, and the legend above and date below.
Specifications:
Monarch: George III (1760-1820)
Engraver: Conrad Heinrich Kuchler
Composition: Copper
Weight: 56.7 g
Diameter: 41 mm
Edge: Plain
Die Axis: ↑↓
Mint: The Soho Mint, Handsworth, United Kingdom
Mintage: 722,100
George III (1738–1820) was the British monarch who ruled from 1760 to 1820, overseeing a period of great change and challenge. His reign is particularly noted for the American Revolutionary War, which led to the loss of the American colonies, as well as the Napoleonic Wars, during which Britain emerged as a major European power. Despite his initial popularity, George III’s rule faced significant political turmoil, economic strain, and conflicts within Parliament. In his later years, he suffered from recurrent bouts of mental illness, likely due to a condition such as porphyria, which eventually left him unable to rule. His son, the future George IV, served as Prince Regent from 1811 until George III's death, marking the onset of the Regency Era in Britain.
The 1797 2 pence coin, often called the “Cartwheel” twopence, was a large copper coin issued during the reign of King George III. Struck at Matthew Boulton’s Soho Mint in Birmingham, it was revolutionary for being one of the first coins mass-produced using steam-powered machinery, ensuring consistent quality and weight. The coin was enormous—twice the size of the already hefty 1797 penny—because it contained its full value in copper, weighing a full two ounces. Its distinctive size and raised rim gave it the nickname “Cartwheel.” Although impressive, it proved impractical for everyday use due to its bulk, and production was limited to just that year, making it a fascinating and iconic piece of British coinage history.
Obverse: Laureate and draped portrait of George III facing right, with the legend around on a raised rim.
Reverse: Seated figure of Britannia facing left, with a trident in her left hand, an olive branch in her raised right hand, a shield bearing the Union flag resting on her left, with a seascape featuring a ship in the background to the left, mint mark below the shield, and the legend above and date below.
Specifications:
Monarch: George III (1760-1820)
Engraver: Conrad Heinrich Kuchler
Composition: Copper
Weight: 56.7 g
Diameter: 41 mm
Edge: Plain
Die Axis: ↑↓
Mint: The Soho Mint, Handsworth, United Kingdom
Mintage: 722,100
