How to Identify the British Crown

What This Coin Is

The crown was a large British coin valued at five shillings, struck in silver from the mid-16th century through the mid-20th century, with commemorative crown-sized coins continuing to be issued afterward in cupronickel. It is one of the largest regularly issued denominations in British coinage history.

Obverse Design

The obverse shows a portrait of the reigning monarch, with a Latin legend giving the monarch's name and titles, commonly including phrases like DEI GRATIA REGINA or REX (by the grace of God, Queen or King).

Reverse Design

Reverse designs vary significantly by era: many 19th and 20th century crowns feature Benedetto Pistrucci's famous Saint George slaying the dragon design, while earlier and some later issues show crowned shields arranged in a cruciform pattern, and modern commemorative crowns often depict special anniversary or event-related imagery.

Size, Weight, Metal, and Edge

Pre-1920 silver crowns are struck in .925 fine sterling silver, weighing about 28 grams, with a diameter around 38mm. Silver fineness was reduced to .500 in 1920 and silver crowns ceased after 1936, with later crowns struck in cupronickel. The edge may be plain, milled, or lettered, with some issues carrying the motto DECUS ET TUTAMEN (an ornament and a safeguard).

Mint Marks and Where to Find Them

British crowns generally carry no separate mint mark, since they were produced solely by the Royal Mint; the date is the primary tool for identifying a specific issue, along with subtle design variations across a monarch's reign.

Telling It Apart From Similar Coins

The crown is easily confused with the smaller half-crown denomination, which shares similar imagery at a reduced size, and with crown-sized coins from other Commonwealth nations or colonies that adopted similar large-format silver or cupronickel coins. Checking the diameter (around 38mm) and the specific monarch and date in the legend helps confirm a genuine British crown.

Judging Condition

Examine wear on the monarch's portrait, particularly the hair and facial features, and on the horse and rider in the Saint George design, which are usually the first high points to flatten with circulation.

Authenticity Red Flags

Cast fakes typically show soft, blurred detail and a visible seam line around the edge. Because pre-1920 crowns are sterling silver while post-1920 issues are lower-fineness silver or cupronickel, a coin claimed to be an earlier date but with a dull, gray, or overly light appearance inconsistent with sterling silver should be examined carefully, as should any example that appears to have been silver-plated to mimic an earlier, more valuable type.