1804 dollar/five shillings (Geo 111)

[Guest blitz]

Have been reading up about coins(newly acquired interest) and am puzzled by the 1804 saga and the dollar/five shillings.

Exactly what are they and circa current value.

Thanks in advance.

[Chris Perkins]

They are Spanish/Spanish colonial 'Pieces of Eight' that the British acquired (most captured) and over struck with George III/Britannia etc. They had a face value of 4s 9d at one stage and were produced as an official issue by the bank of england to relieve shortages of normal regal coins.

I quite like them actually. Values, like with all coins, depends on condition and variety. They were incidentally struck with the same date up to 1811.

[Guest blitz]

Thanks for the information. I was more struck by the size of the coin than much else. It was interesting to read your 'potted ' history...many thanks.