1838 VICTORIA SIXPENCE – YOUNG HEAD
£40.00
1838 Victoria Sixpence in .925 silver. Young Head obverse with crowned wreath reverse around denomination SIX PENCE and date below. First‑year wreath‑reverse type.
1 in stock
The 1838 Victoria Sixpence marks the first year of Queen Victoria’s reign and the first appearance of the wreath reverse that would define the denomination for decades. Struck in sterling silver (.925), this early‑Victorian issue combines William Wyon’s celebrated Young Head portrait with the elegant crowned wreath reverse introduced in 1838.
This reverse — a crown above a laurel‑and‑oak wreath encircling the denomination SIX PENCE, with the date below — replaced the short‑lived shield reverse used only in part of 1838. As such, the wreath‑reverse 1838 is a desirable transitional first‑year type, sought after by collectors of Victorian silver.
The obverse shows the refined Young Head portrait of Queen Victoria, facing left. Legend: VICTORIA DEI GRATIA Date does not appear on the obverse (correct for this type).
The reverse features a crowned laurel‑and‑oak wreath encircling the denomination SIX PENCE, with the date 1838 positioned neatly below. The crown sits prominently above the wreath, giving the design a balanced and elegant early‑Victorian character. This layout marks the first year of the wreath‑reverse style, which replaced the shield‑and‑crown type used only briefly at the start of Victoria’s reign.
Specifications
- Country: United Kingdom
- Year: 1838
- Denomination: Sixpence
- Metal: Sterling Silver (.925)
- Weight: 2.83g
- Diameter: 19mm
- Edge: Milled
- Obverse: Queen Victoria, Young Head (Wyon)
- Reverse: Crowned wreath around SIX PENCE; date 1838
- Classification: Early‑Victorian milled silver; first wreath‑reverse type
- Catalogue References: Spink 3852; KM 733.2
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