Material: Bronze (95% copper, 4% tin, 1% zinc)
Diameter: 30.8 mm
Mint: Royal Mint, London (no mintmark)
Obverse: This bronze penny of 1926 features the bare head of King George V facing left on the obverse, with the Latin legend GEORGIVS V DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX FID: DEF: IND: IMP: encircling the portrait. The effigy was designed by Bertram Mackennal, whose work defined much of the king’s early coinage.
Reverse: The reverse, designed by Leonard Charles Wyon, depicts Britannia seated with trident and shield, a long-standing symbol of British maritime strength and continuity, with ONE PENNY above and the date 1926 below.
Circa: 1926
Condition: Circulated. Surface wear.
Notes:
The 1926 issue is particularly notable for its two distinct portrait varieties. The earlier “Normal Obverse” continues the style used from 1911 to 1925, characterized by broader lettering and more open spacing, while the “Modified Effigy,” introduced later in the year, presents a sharper portrait with tighter legend spacing and became the standard for pennies from 1927 onward. This example shows the wider lettering consistent with the earlier Normal Obverse type. Historically, 1926 marks the closing phase of the first George V bronze penny series, with the experimental modified dies of this year setting the pattern for all subsequent issues of the reign.