During America’s pre-independent time as a colony of the British Empire, only one of the colonies in North America was allowed to strike its own coinage under British law. The colony of Virginia, one of the oldest in North America, produced a copper halfpenny and a Silver Shilling. The 2 oz Virginia Shilling Silver Round reflects that original design from 1774 and is available to you today for purchase online from JM Bullion.
Round Highlights:
- Arrives in a protective plastic flip, with quantities of 10 arriving in a tube.
- Based upon the Silver Shilling for the Virginia colony!
- Contains 2 Troy oz of .999 pure silver.
- Obverse depicts the bust of King George III.
- Reverse includes the Crowned Arms of Virginia.
- Artwork by Mark Bogani.
Part of the Colonial Tribute Series at Intaglio Mint, the 2 oz Virginia Shilling Silver Round celebrates the designs found on the only coinage legally authorized for production and distribution by an American colony of the British Empire. The law allowed Virginia to produce its own coinage, and the copper halfpenny was the most widely circulated among them.
A rarer piece, the Silver Shilling was introduced in 1774 with a design based upon the gold guineas produced within the British Empire as a standard gold currency of the day. Today, only 5 proof specimens of the original Virginia Silver Shillings exist. These 2 oz Virginia Shilling Silver Rounds accurately reflect that historic design.
On the reverse of each Virginia Shilling Silver Round is the design of the Crowned Arms of Virginia, a coat of arms used on the silver shillings of the day. Despite the use of “shilling” in the denominational label of the Virginia coin during this period, there is no evidence to suggest the coins actually bore that denomination.
The obverse of the 2 oz Virginia Shilling Silver Round includes a right-profile bust of King George III. One of Britain’s longest reigning monarchs, George III lived until the age of 81 and oversaw both the continued rise of Britain as a dominant global power, and embarrassing military defeats such as the kingdom’s loss in the American War of Independence.
Intaglio Mint is the definition of a small, private mint. Founded by Mark Bogani and located in Waco, Texas, the mint has just three employees in total! Bogani leads coin design, with the passion of his fellow coin designers Timothy Grat and Anthony Grat helping the boutique mint roll out some of the finest new silver pieces you’ll find.
We encourage JM Bullion customers to contact us with questions. Feel free to call us at 800-276-6508, chat with us live online, or email us directly.