I found this some time ago on a friend’s farm that once had a ‘pub’ on it in the 1800’s.
Seeing as I’m not going to Detectival 2019 to dig up Roman treasure from Oxfordshire, this might inspire some to OUR treasures and history…
Silver coin; Denomination: Groat
Royal Mint, London
Queen Victoria (1837-1901)
A groat is a 4 pence coin. There were two forms of groat, the currency issue like this piece with Britannia on the reverse, and a special piece for the Maundy Thursday ceremonies witht the numeral 4 on the reverse. Although the last circulation groats were struck in 1856 (the threepence coin had become more popular), they remained part of the general currency until 1887.
This issue was produced for circulation in both Great Britain and British Guiana
History (from Wikipedia)
The prospect of the introduction of a general circulation fourpence coin was raised in 1835, when the MP Joseph Hume spoke in Parliament in favour of its introduction. His reasoning was that the coin was convenient for paying cab fares.[2][3][4] The coin was first introduced in 1836, but proved unpopular with cab drivers as they now simply received a fourpence as payment, whereas previously they would often receive a sixpence without the demand for change.[5]
The threepence was introduced in 1845 to “afford additional convenience for the purpose of change”.[6] This new coin proved much more popular than the fourpence, and by the early 1850s it was decided there was no need for both coins. The final regular issue of groats was made in 1855, although proofs were minted in 1857 and 1862. In 1888 a special request was made for a colonial variety to be minted for use in British Guiana and the British West Indies. The groat remained in circulation in British Guiana right up until that territory adopted the decimal system in 1955.[7]
Design
The original reverse of the 1836 version of the coin, designed by William Wyon, is a seated Britannia, holding a trident, with the words FOUR PENCE to each side. Two different obverses were used during the mintage of this coin. Wyon’s likeness of William IV appeared in 1836 and 1837, surrounded by the inscription GULIELMUS IIII D G BRITANNIAR REX F D.[8] Groats bearing the likeness of Victoria were issued from late 1837 onwards, also designed by Wyon, with the inscription VICTORIA D G BRITANNIAR REGINA F D. Those fourpences minted in 1888 bear the “jubilee head” of Victoria, designed by Joseph Boehm – the reverse is unchanged.[9]
There also exists a pattern coin, dated 1836, which bears the same obverse as the William IV issue coins, but has a different reverse, designed by William Wyon, which has the inscription 4p instead of the words FOUR
