The William IV Crown (1831) — The Great Engravers

The Forgotten King's Coinage

William IV reigned for just seven years (1830–1837), sandwiched between his brother George IV and his niece Victoria. His coinage is among the rarest in the British milled series — not because of low circulation mintages but because so few proofs were struck. Only around 200 proof sets were produced in 1831, making original examples nearly impossible to obtain.

Jean Baptiste Merlen's design for William IV represents the transition between Georgian and Victorian numismatics. The reverse features the crowned Royal arms in elegant neoclassical style — simpler than the ornate designs that would follow under Victoria, yet more refined than the Georgian pieces that preceded it.

Merlen's English Career

French-born Merlen came to The Royal Mint in the 1820s after working at the Paris Mint, bringing continental neoclassical sensibilities to British coinage. Often overshadowed by Pistrucci and the Wyons, he was responsible for many of the finest reverse designs of the George IV and William IV eras — a brief but elegant chapter in British numismatic design, a calm before the Victorian decorative storm.

Reading the Design

The Shield of Arms

The quartered Royal arms — England, Scotland, and Ireland — with the escutcheon of Hanover, arranged with neoclassical clarity and restraint.

National Emblems

Rose, thistle, and shamrock placed in their proper heraldic positions — the same trio of kingdoms celebrated in Wyon's Three Graces fourteen years earlier.

Neoclassical Restraint

Merlen's composition favors balance and clean lettering over ornament — a deliberate contrast with the Gothic exuberance Victoria's reign would soon bring.

The Transition

Struck between the Georgian and Victorian eras, the 1831 crown captures British design at a hinge of history — the last great coinage before Wyon's Victorian masterpieces.

The 2026 Release

As the final coin in the Great Engravers series, the 2026 William IV Crown completes a journey through 1,100 years of British minting history. Released in February 2026, it celebrates the neoclassical elegance that characterized the brief William IV period.

The 2026 version includes a special Plain Edge Matte Proof variation of the 2oz Gold offered exclusively to Royal Mint Mint Marque customers — a fitting tribute to the rarity of the original 1831 proofs and a continuation of the series' tradition of exclusive variants for dedicated collectors.

This release closes the Great Engravers series by honoring a lesser-known but historically significant period in British coinage, ensuring that even the short-lived William IV era is represented in this comprehensive celebration of British numismatic artistry.