WILLIAM IV HALFPENNY
Name: King William IV
Full Name: William Henry
Born: August 21, 1765 at Buckingham Palace
Parents: George III and Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Relation to Elizabeth II: 3rd great-granduncle
House of: Hanover
Ascended to the throne: June 26, 1830 aged 64 years
Crowned: September 8, 1831 at Westminster Abbey
Married: Adelaide, daughter of Duke of Saxe-Meinigen
Children: Four none of whom survived infancy, plus several illegitimate by Dorothy Jordan
Died: June 20, 1837 at Windsor Castle, aged 71 years, 9 months, and 28 days
Buried at: Windsor
Reigned for: 6 years, 11 months, and 24 days
Succeeded by: his niece Victoria
William was the third son of George III and not expected to become king. He was sent off to join the Royal Navy at 13 years old, and saw service at the Battle of St Vincent against the Spanish in 1780 and in New York during the American War of Independence. He was created Duke of Clarence and from 1791 set up home with Dorothea Bland, an Irish actress known as ‘Mrs Jordan’.
They lived contentedly together for 20 years, and had 5 sons and 5 daughters given the surname Fitzclarence. William was 64 years old and the oldest person to date to succeed to the throne when he became King on the death of his brother George IV in 1830. He was nicknamed ‘The Sailor King’, distrusted foreigners and was noted for his informality. He regularly invited his friends for dinner,William died in 1837 aged 71 of heart failure. He had no legitimate children and was succeeded by his niece Victoria.
WILLIAM IV
Engraver William Wyon,the size and weight are the same as George IV 9.2-9.5 grams and size is 28mm. William IV Halfpennies was a short coinage with no real errors known to me there for i have listed the three years that were minted all dates are plenty full.
William IV Halfpennies
WIVH31. William IV 1831 Halfpenny standard issue Halfpenny weighs 9.46 grams & 28mm in size. Halfpenny grades reverse nearly extremely fine / obverse extremely fine.
WIVH34. William IV 1834 Halfpenny standard issue Halfpenny weighs 9.47 grams & 28mm in size. Halfpenny grades really good very fine or better.
WIVH37. William IV 1837 Halfpenny standard issue with small 837 over larger 837 Halfpenny weighs 9.56 grams & 28mm in size. Halfpenny grades reverse nearly extremely fine / obverse about extremely fine.
WIVH371. William IV 1837 Halfpenny standard issue with small 7 over large 7 Halfpenny weighs 9.52 grams & 28mm in size. Halfpenny grades reverse nearly extremely fine / obverse about extremely fine.
WIVH372. William IV 1837 Halfpenny standard issue with small 7 in date Halfpenny weighs 9.38 grams & 28 mm in size. Halfpennies by now were all about the same in weigh, and with the introduction of the Soho coinage had wiped out copper counterfeit in the British isle`s. Halfpenny grades good extremely fine with an attractive tan tone.