British Half Crown

The British half crown was a large silver coin worth two shillings and sixpence (2/6), or one-eighth of a pound sterling. The 1928 piece shown here belongs to the reign of King George V (1910–1936) and carries his bare-headed profile facing left on the obverse, with a crowned heraldic shield on the reverse.

By 1928 the half crown was struck in 50% silver rather than sterling. It was a workhorse of everyday commerce, one of the higher-value silver coins most people handled regularly, and it remained a familiar denomination until decimalisation in 1971 rendered the sum of 2/6 obsolete.

The half crown had a long history in British coinage, circulating in silver for centuries before George V's reign. Under George V the design saw several changes: the silver standard was reduced from .925 (sterling) to .500 fineness in 1920 as a wartime and post-war economy measure, so 1928 coins are half silver by weight.

The reverse seen on this 1928 coin is the crowned quartered shield introduced in 1927, work associated with the designer George Kruger Gray, replacing the earlier ornate crowned-shield reverses used earlier in the reign. The obverse portrait of George V was engraved by Bertram Mackennal. The half crown continued through the reigns of Edward VIII (pattern only), George VI, and Elizabeth II until it was withdrawn ahead of decimalisation in the early 1970s.

The obverse shows the bare head of George V facing left, encircled by a Latin legend beginning "GEORGIVS V DEI GRA BRITT OMN REX" and continuing with his titles as Defender of the Faith and Emperor of India. The reverse displays a crowned shield bearing the quartered royal arms (the lions of England, the lion of Scotland, and the harp of Ireland), with the date 1928 in the field.

The coin is a substantial silver piece, roughly 32 mm across and about 14 grams, noticeably larger than a florin (two shillings) and smaller than a full crown (five shillings). Because 1928 falls in the .500 fineness era, the metal has a slightly warmer, less bright tone than earlier sterling issues and often tones to grey.

The George V half crown of the late 1920s and 1930s is a relatively common date and is usually valued modestly. In well-worn condition it typically trades not far above its silver content, with a small collector premium.

Condition drives price sharply upward: coins with sharp, unworn detail on the king's hair and the shield, and especially uncirculated examples with original lustre, command significantly more than circulated pieces. As a .500 silver coin, its bullion floor is lower than a sterling-era half crown of the same size. Exact values vary with the silver market, grade, and eye appeal, so treat any single figure as a guide rather than a fixed price.