OBVERSE:

Young laureate head of George II, facing left; E.I.C below head; surrounded by a Latin legend. Legend: GEORGIVS·II·DEI·GRATIA·, meaning ‘George II by the Grace of God’.

REVERSE:

Large crowned quartered shield with garnish; the crown divides the date; surrounded by a Latin legend. Legend: M·B·F·ET·H·REX·F·D·B·ET· L·D·S·R·I·A·T·ET·E·17 29· , which reads ‘Magnae Britanniae Franciae et Hiberniae Rex Fidei Defensor Brunsviciensis et Luneburgensis Dux, Sacri Romani Imperii Archi-Thesaurarius et Elector 1729’, meaning ‘King of Great Britain, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, Duke of Brunswick and Lunenburg, High Treasurer and Elector of the Holy Roman Empire 1729’.

EDGE:

In raised lettering in Latin, ·DECVS·ET·TVTAMEN·ANNO·REGNI·TERTIO· The f irst part, ·DECVS·ET·TVTAMEN·, means ‘an ornament and a safeguard’ and was used as a warning against ‘clipping’, the practice of cutting small pieces from the coin;1 the second part, ANNO·REGNI·TERTIO· , means ‘third regnal year’, that is, 1729.