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William & Mary Halfcrown 1689HalfcrownsChard 24 Carat Home Page
1689 Halfcrown Obverse
Obverse of 1689 Halfcrown
William & Mary Halfcrowns
Reverse of 1689 Halfcrown
Reverse of 1689 Halfcrown
William & Mary
Many people are fascinated when they see their first coin featuring conjoined portraits. I can still remember the novelty of seeing a William and Mary coin for the first time over 35 years ago, and I still retain a soft spot for this attractive design. I presume that it provides an extra level of challenge for the engraver, also, although there were certainly a number of Roman coins featuring conjoined portraits.

Obverse:
Conjoined busts of King William III, and Queen Mary II facing right. First busts type.
The obverse inscription reads:
GULIELMUS ET MARIA DEI GRATIA

Reverse:
Second shields type. Large crown surmounting a quartered shield, the upper left and lower right quarters are each quartered again, bearing three fleurs de lys, and three lions. The main quarters contain a harp for Ireland, and a lion rampant. In the centre is superimposed a shield shaped inescutcheon, also bearing a lion rampart, being the arms of Orange.
Caul and interior of crown frosted, with pearls.
As frequently seen on coins of this period, there is a large file mark on the reverse, where the blank was filed to adjust its weight prior to striking. This adjustment mark was not intended to be visible after striking, but unfortunately, it all too frequently is. In one sense, the presence of an adjustment mark adds an extra dimension to the sense of history inherent in the coin itself, especially when compared with many bland modern designs, which are emasculated by the needs of mass production in hard metals.
The reverse legend reads:
MAG BR FR ET HIB REX ET REGINA

Edge
The edge is inscribed in raised letters:
DECUS ET TUTAMEN ANNO REGNI PRIMO

Price & Availability
DateDescriptionCatGradeAvailabilityPrice £Price $
1689Conjoined Portraits3435really good Very FineSold£350$625

The photographs don't really do justice to this coin, so much depends on the lighting! I'd like to describe it as almost EF, and it has an attractive tone.

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