British Cartwheel Penny (George III) Issued 1797

British Cartwheel Penny (Issued 1797)

The Cartwheel penny was struck in 1797 by Matthew Boulton at his Soho Mint in Birmingham, under government contract, to relieve a chronic shortage of official copper coin. It was the first British penny produced by steam-powered machinery, and it contained a full ounce of copper, making it a large and heavy piece around 36mm across. Its most distinctive feature is the broad, raised outer rim with the lettering sunk into it — the incuse legend that gives the coin its “cartwheel” nickname and helped protect the design from wear.

On the obverse, the coin shows the laureate bust of King George III facing right, with the legend “GEORGIUS III·D·G·REX” set incuse into the raised rim, abbreviating his Latin title as George the Third, by the Grace of God, King. The heavy beaded rim frames the portrait within the sunken border.

On the reverse appears Britannia seated on a rock facing left, holding an olive branch in one hand and a trident in the other, with a ship sailing on the sea behind her and waves at her feet. The word “BRITANNIA” and the date 1797 are inscribed incuse on the raised rim, with the small word “SOHO” beneath the rock marking Boulton’s mint.

If you have a British Cartwheel Penny to exchange, Webuyallcurrency.com takes it as part of its leftover currency service, combining your British Pounds coins with other world coins and banknotes in one easy payout.

• Indicate the quantity of British Cartwheel Penny coins you want to exchange
• Click the ‘Add to your account’ button
• Your online account now shows the exchange value

From leftover holiday money to inherited collections, Webuyallcurrency.com will exchange or buy your British Pounds coins and other foreign currency, handling old and withdrawn pieces in the same simple process.