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Silver half groats ( 2pence) examples
Half Groat or Silver Twopence
First issued by Edward III in 1351 and still produced today for the Maundy Ceremony.

The design with a facing portrait of the King on the obverse and a long cross on the reverse remained very much the same until 1502 when a profile bust of Henry VII was shown in much greater detail than the stylised portraits of earlier issues.

During the reign of Charles I Briot produced a pattern that in silver saw some circulation.

Charles II continued the use of interlocking C's, while James II had a crown over the roman numeral II which is also a play on his initial the J and I were effectively the same character at that time.

Ever since 1689 the reverse has shown a crowned numeral 2.

The last issues for general circulation took place during the reign of George III, although some may have been struck for colonial use. The denomination is still struck as part of the Maundy coinage.

The present Maundy coin weighs 0.9 g and is 13 mm diameter.

Henry IV 1399 - 1412 Heavy coinage Type F London mint hammered silver half groat

1434- 1435 Henry VI hammered silver half groat - 1.78g, 20.39mm

HENRIC DIN GRA REX ANGL Z FRANC HYB - leaf mascle type - Calais mint

1464-5 Edward IV hammered silver half groat-

Quatrefoils by neck- standard F type

obv EDWARD DI GRA REX ANGL Z FRANC HIBERINE

rev CIVITAS LONDON - London mint

18.50mm,1.11g
1485-90 Henry VII hammered silver half groat

One jewelled, one unjewelled arch Type 3c

rev CIVITASCANTOR (Cantebury mint)

 

1508 Henry VII hammered silver half groat - York Archb Bainbridge

1509- 26 Henry VIII hammered silver half groat - first coinage - two arches unjewelled

rev CIVITAS CANTOR (Canterbury mint) POSUI DEUM (Archbishop William Warham)

1.11g, 18.83mm

 

1526-44AD Henry VIII hammered silver half groat 2nd coinage Archb Warham

1.18g, 18.34mm Canterbury mint

1554 Queen Mary hammered silver half groat
1590-2 Elizabeth 1st hammered silver half groat
1603-4 James 1st hammered silver half groat (2 pence)
1604-5 James 1st hammered silver half groat (2 pence)
1639-40 Tower mint Charles 1st hammered silver half groat (2 pence)
0.96g, 16.19mm
1649 Commonwealth hammered silver half groat
Milled silver
Early 1660 -2 Charles II milled silver half groat - this legend CAROLVS.II.D.G
1679 Charles II milled 3 pence ( groat same design)
James II 1687 milled silver one pence ( groat same design with II)
1689 William and Mary milled silver maundy 3 pence ( groat same design with 2 )
1701 William III Maundy milled silver one pence ( groat same design with 2)
George II 1753 silver one pence.( groat same design with 2)
1784 George III milled silver one pence Maundy set 0.44g, 11.44mm ( groat same design with 2)
1763 George III milled silver 3 pence ( groat same design with 2)
1772 George III milled silver two pence
1834 William IV milled silver three halfpence for Colonial use ( groat same design with 2)
1839 Victorian 3 halfpence milled silver (for use in Colonies) ( half groat same design with 2)
1838 Victoria milled silver Maundy two pence (half groat)
1875 Victoria milled silver Maundy three pence ( half groat same design with 2)
1890 Victoria milled silver Maundy three pence ( half groat same design with 2)
1895 Victoria milled silver Maundy three pence ( half groat same design with 2)