Introduction:

After the Great Recoinage of 1817 the silver threepence was primarily produced for the Maundy Ceremony. It was not until 1845, during the reign of Queen Victoria, that the threepence was struck for general circulation in Great Britain and Ireland. In the interim, a short run of silver threepences were minted in London for use in the British West Indies, where the British Administration was trying to increase its influence by introducing a strong currency based on ‘good silver’ in British denominations.

The British West Indies at that time included: Anguilla, the Cayman Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands, Montserrat, the British Virgin Islands, The Bahamas, Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Grenada, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Jamaica (formerly Colony of Jamaica), and Trinidad and Tobago.

Silver Threepence: William IV

• Alloy: Sterling Silver (92.5% silver)
• Weight: 1.41g
• Diameter: 16mm
• Edge: Plain
• Designers
  • Obverse: William Wyon (WW)
  • Reverse: Jean Merlen

1835 GB & Ireland silver threepence (William IV)

Obverse:

• Bare head of King William IV facing right
  
• Legend: GULIELMUS IIII D:G: BRITANNIAR:REX F:D:
  • Full Latin text: GULIELMUS IIII DEI GRATIA BRITANNIARUM REX FIDEI DEFENSOR
  • Translation: William the Fourth, by the Grace of God, King of the Britains, Defender of the Faith

Reverse:

• Royal crown above the number ‘3’, with the date divided to either side.
• A wreath with a bow at the base surrounds the main design

Mintage & Market Values:

1834-1837 GB & Ireland (William IV) Silver Threepence mintage & market values.

Further Reading:

• Sterling Silver
  • O’Brien Coin Guide: GB & Ireland Silver Threepence of William IV
  • O’Brien Coin Guide: GB & Ireland Silver Threepence of Victoria
  • O’Brien Coin Guide: GB & Ireland Silver Threepence of Edward VII
  • O’Brien Coin Guide: GB & Ireland Silver Threepence of George V, Part 1

• 50% Silver
  • O’Brien Coin Guide: GB & Ireland Silver Threepence of George V, Part 2
  • O’Brien Coin Guide: GB & Northern Ireland Silver Threepence of George VI