William IV succeeded his brother on the 26th of June, and an Order in Council of the 22nd Nov., 1830, directed the coinage of a double sovereign, sovereign, and half- sovereign of gold, and the usual silver and copper coins. These were made current by proclamation on April 13th, 1831, but though proofs were struck of the double sovereign, no coins of that denomination were actually issued for currency. No alteration was afterwards made in the gold coins, excepting that a Treasury order of April 14th, 1835, directed that a half-sovereign should be coined, of the same weight and type as the former ones, but reduced in size; but the only half-sovereigns answering this description are those which are dated 1834. SOVEREIGN. Bust to right, head and neck bare, WW (for William Wyon) iucuse on the truncation of the neck. Legend, beginning at bottom and interrupted by king’s head, GULIELMUS 1111 D: G BRITANNIAR : REX F : Rev. Square shield, garnished, crowned, arms as George III’s half-sovereigns, colours not marked; under the shield the date, ANNO 1831, 1832, 1833, 1835. (179) MB. The obverses were executed by Wyon, after a model by Chantrey; the reverses were by Merlin.
HALF SOVEREIGNS resemble the sovereigns, and occur of the dates 1834, 1835, 1836, 1837. All in MB. Those of 1834 are a good deal smaller in diameter than the previous and later ones, though of the same weight. (180) The date 1832, given in Rud. 2 R. 20, is a fanciful one, as no half-sovereigns were struck between 1828 and 1834.
HALF SOVEREIGNS resemble the sovereigns, and occur of the dates 1834, 1835, 1836, 1837. All in MB. Those of 1834 are a good deal smaller in diameter than the previous and later ones, though of the same weight. (180) The date 1832, given in Rud. 2 R. 20, is a fanciful one, as no half-sovereigns were struck between 1828 and 1834.