William IV Farthings

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.

1831 Farthings.

W431. 1831  Standard Issue  Farthing grades reverse & obverse extremely fine.

W431A. 1831 Normal Issue  I have listed this as the toning is so pretty, farthing nearly extremely fine.

1834 Farthings.

W434. 1834 Small 8 over Large 8   Ive seen many on a complete date re punch but not so many with just a single 8 re punch, farthing grades reverse good very fine / obverse very fine or better.

W434A. 1834 Completely re punched date  farthing grades reverse good very fine / obverse very fine.

1835 Farthings.

W435. 1835 Large 8 in date  farthing grades reverse good very fine / obverse very fine.

W4351. 1835 5 over 3 in date  Graded and encapsulated by CGS Variety 03 23246- FA.W41835.03 VF. To be honest his example is not 100% convincing, im assuming they know something i don’t. The word BRITANNIA is very blundered, and a better example or at least an earlier strike would be needed to confirm this farthing.

1836 Farthings.

W436. 1836  Normal issue  No doubt an uncommon date, farthing grades reverse good extremely fine with weak breastplate strike  / obverse extremely fine.

W4361. 1836 Low re-entered  UM in GULIELMUS, 636 also re-entered, farthings extremely fine with some luster.

1837 Farthing.

W437.  1837 Normal issue Farthing grades reverse nearly extremely fine / obverse good very fine.

W437A.  1837 Double struck date  Farthing grades reverse good extremely fine / obverse  extremely fine.