George III 1813 'Military' Guinea, AU55, final year of denomination

George III (1760-1820), gold "Military" Guinea, 1813, sixth laureate head right, legend surrounding, GEORGIVS III DEI GRATIA, rev. quartered shield of arms within crowned garter, French legend on garter HONI. SOIT. QUI. MAL. Y. PENSE, date below, legend commences upper right, BRITANNIARUM REX FIDEI DEFENSOR (Schneider 613; Bull EGC 737; Farey 1390; S.3730). Toned with an underlying brilliance, has been slabbed and graded by PCGS as AU55.

PCGS Certification 206860.55/41694066 - please note the coin has rotated within the slab by a quarter turn to the left so the King is looking up at the label!

The Guinea in popular culture immediately puts forward twee evocations of Hanoverian London, perhaps more accurately Hogarth's 'A Rake's Progress' [1732-34], or neo-classical Georgian stately homes. We have seen it cross referenced in plays, poems, art and costume drama. Famously in Dicken's 'Great Expectations' Miss Haversham had paid Joe the sum of twenty-five Guineas for Pip to commence his apprenticeship. The pound note was officially the currency of the time and the penultimate Guinea had been struck in 1799, before the "Military" Guinea made its appearance in 1813, fourteen years later as the last Guinea ever struck.

Challis in the 'History of the Royal mint' mentions the following in relation to Gold at the time "Domestic demand for gold coin remained negligible with the continuing suspension of cash payments - a few half and third guineas were coined in the closing months of 1811. No Gold was struck in 1812, but the following year saw a demand for more than £500,000 in Guineas - to meet the needs of the allied armies advancing against Napoleon." Hence the byname of 'Military' Guinea. The 1813 Guinea ultimately was only struck for this reason, to pay for and assist Wellington's army.