King George IV was made Prince Regent in 1811 during the Napoleonic Wars, but he only ruled from 1820-1830, so his coinage was rather short-lived. After his coronation in 1820, and in times of peace, it was more important for the king to build and that's exactly what George IV did! He was notoriously known for being an outstanding builder and collector, some would call him extravagant - but the King's fondness for pageantry helped to develop the ceremonial side of the monarchy. And although he wasn't a coin collector (we all have our flaws...) he certainly held an impressive amount of works of art across different fields including: paintings, sculptures, decorative arts, prints in vast numbers, books, and even jewellery. His charm and culture earned him the title of 'the first gentleman of Europe'. The coin on offer is his sterling silver shilling issued between 1825-1829 all in Fine. You have the King’s head facing left and the reverse has a lion standing on a crown. They were only issued in 1825, 1826, 1827, and 1829. So all coins are now over 180 years old. When you joined the army or navy you were said to take the King’s shilling but in times of peace, it's important to be a gentleman. So take one or more of these shillings of George IV, a king that helped shape our traditions, and let them serve you as a reminder of the importance of being a gentleman!
