Maundy Fourpence

The Maundy Fourpence is the highest-denomination coin in the traditional Royal Maundy set of four (1d, 2d, 3d, 4d), and its face value echoes the historic groat, a coin that once circulated widely in medieval and early modern England. Today it exists solely as a ceremonial piece struck for the Royal Maundy service.

Collectors value the fourpence both on its own and as the largest, most detailed piece within a complete Maundy set, and its connection to the medieval groat gives it a particular appeal to collectors interested in the long history of small English silver denominations.

The groat, or fourpence, has deep roots in English coinage reaching back to the 14th century, and it was eventually folded into the modern Royal Maundy tradition as the highest of the four ceremonial denominations alongside the penny, twopence, and threepence. This four-coin format was standardized over the 17th to 19th centuries and has been issued with only minor design changes since.

Because Maundy coinage is tied strictly to the annual royal ceremony rather than commerce, mintages of the fourpence, like its companion denominations, have always been modest, making complete date runs a genuine long-term collecting challenge.

The obverse shows the reigning monarch's portrait matching the general coinage style of the period, while the reverse bears a crowned numeral '4' within a wreath, with the legend and date around the border, following the same design formula as the other three Maundy coins.

At approximately 18mm in diameter, the Maundy fourpence is the largest of the four Maundy denominations, making it comparatively easier to handle and examine. Its size and the '4' on the reverse are the clearest ways to distinguish it from the smaller penny, twopence, and threepence.

As the largest and often most detailed Maundy coin, the fourpence can carry a modest premium over the smaller denominations in comparable grade, though overall value still depends heavily on date rarity and condition. Early or short-reign issues are typically the most sought after.

Complete Maundy sets in original cases generally bring more than the sum of individually sold coins, and the fourpence is a key component of that total. Individual pieces in typical collector grades often sell in the range of roughly $25 to $90, with exceptional or historically notable dates exceeding that range.