Description
William IV (1830-1837), Coronation Proof set issued in 1831, comprising of gold Two Pounds, Sovereign and Half-Sovereign, silver Crown, Halfcrown, Shilling, Sixpence and Maundy set, copper Penny, Halfpenny and Farthing, all plain edges [14] within a modern maroon fitted case embossed with William the Fourth 1831 Specimen Coins (S.PS2).
A rare opportunity to obtain a greatly desired proof coronation set. Virtually as struck.
At present the official Spink price is £120,000 for an FDC set.
William IV born 21st August 1765 at Buckingham Palace, the third child to George III and Charlotte of Mecklenburg- Sterlitz. He ascended to the throne on the 26th of June 1830, aged 65, making him the oldest Royal to accede the British throne; the penultimate Monarch in the House of Hanover.
Work shortly began on the production of the King’s numismatic series of coins, in 1831 the fourteen coin Proof sets were issued in limited numbers. The simple but effective bare headed portrait of the king designed by William Wyon, with plain fields and a sharply diagonally struck truncation. The reverses of the copper coins feature Britannia seated on shield with trident and rose, thistle and shamrock ornaments below exergue. The silver and gold denomination reverses exhibit the elaborately crowned quartered Hanoverian shield within a robed mantle, or alternatively the mark of value within a wreath, for the smaller denominations.
The proof set contains the largest gold coin issued during his reign, the Two Pound piece. (With the exception of the 1831 Pattern Gold Crown, also by Wyon after Chantrey’s model – Wilson & Rasmussen 270, pp 323, L&S 2.)
Perhaps his most significant contribution to the nation, during his brief seven year reign was his involvement in the First Reform Act (or Great Reform Act) in June of 1832.
Many of the old disenfranchised boroughs were essentially replaced by wider representation for the towns and larger counties, this led on to a uniform borough franchise and ultimately an extension of the vote in the larger county seats. Reflected in the first general election adhering to the ‘new’ rules in December of 1832, which resulted in further gains for the reformers.
Later in Queen Victoria’s reign, we see a continuation if not evolution of William’s policies. 1867 marked the Second Reform Act, and by 1885 the ‘Redistribution of seats Act’ removed the distinction between boroughs and counties. Ultimately William’s initial work in the mid 19th century, it could be argued, manifested or came to its natural fruition in 1918, the vote being extended and available, generally, to all adult males (some limitations were in place), with equal constituency sizes also in place. By 1928 all women adults were firmly placed into the electorate also. In this sense, he contributed heavily to the foundations of what we now consider our modern Liberal Democracy.
