1797 British "cartwheel" penny t-shirt
This is the reverse of one of the largest coins ever in general circulation -- the 'Cartwheel' penny of George III. It was called cartwheel for its size, and because it had a raised rim with incised letters. At the time, coins were still pegged to the actual value of the metal they were made of, so this represented a pound's worth of copper. At 36 mm and one ounce, you couldn't let many of these jingle in your pocket. There was also a double-sized tuppence version! These coins were minted by Matthew Boulton, the first ever struck with the aid of steam. Though millions were manufactured, they all bear the date 1797. In total, Boulton's workshop struck over £600,000 worth of copper English coinage. That's a lot of pennies! The device on the reverse is Britannia (again), holding a trident and an olive branch. To the left of the coin, level with her shinbone, is a ship on the horizon. You can't quite make it out on my penny. PERMISSIONS: this coin is well over 200 years old.
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