Description

A piedfort is an unusually thick coin, often exactly twice the normal weight and thickness of other coins of the same diameter and pattern. Piedforts are not normally circulated, and are only struck for presentation purposes by mint officials (such as patterns), or for collectors, dignitaries, and other VIPs.

The Royal Mint has launched (24th January 2022) a dynamic and ambitious new numismatic collector series that focuses on the 1,000-year-old kingdom and the sovereigns who have played a pivotal role in shaping the realm. Some of the most legendary monarchs have worn the English or British crown and the newly launched “British Monarchs Collection” uniquely celebrates these iconic kings and queens by providing a numismatic snapshot of their reign and chapters of history they represent. This five-year series features 21 monarchs in total, including iconic kings and queens from four royal houses: Tudor, Stuart, Hanoverian and Windsor, formerly known as Saxe-Coburg-Gotha.

The British Monarchs Collection continues its exciting exploration of numismatic and royal history with its third coin. Dedicated to George I, the first British monarch of the long-reigning Hanoverian dynasty. Resulting in Jacobite uprisings and political unease, George I’s arrival in Britain signalled the end of the Stuart dynasty. At the dawn of the new Hanoverian era, the coins of George I’s reign were those of a nation struggling to adjust to their new European king and a country on the cusp of long-lasting change for both its monarchy and parliament.