Key Events

1714	George I, the first Hanoverian King, succeeds his distant cousin, Anne.
1714	A new Parliament is elected with a strong Whig majority led by Robert Walpole.
1715	The Jacobite rising begins in Scotland intending to place the ‘Old Pretender” James Edward Stuart, heir to James II on the throne. The rebellion is defeated at Sheriffmuir.   The Riot Act comes into force – “An Act for preventing tumults and riotous assemblies, and for the more speedy and effectual punishing the rioters”. Repealed in 1967.
1716	The Septennial Act allows for General Elections to be held
1717	Townshend is dismissed from the government by George, causing Walpole to resign
1719	Daniel Defoe publishes Robinson Crusoe
1720	South Sea Bubble bursts, leaving many investors ruined.
1721	Sir Robert Walpole returns to government as First Lord of the Treasury where he remains in office until 1742. He is effectively the first Prime Minister.
1722	Death of the Duke of Marlborough.
1726	First circulating library in Britain opens in Edinburgh, Scotland.
1726	Jonathan Swift publishes Gulliver’s Travels.
1727	Death of the scientist, Isaac Newton.
1727	George I dies in Hanover, aged 67.

1714 Official Coronation Medal

Eimer 470

Coins

1716 Crown SECVNDO

S. 3639 Bull 1540 ESC 110 (scarce)

Ex DNW Auction March 2020 Lot 233

1719 Farthing Large Obverse Letters

S. 3662

1720 Shilling

S. 3646 Bull 1572 ESC 1168

1722 Shilling Roses and Plumes

S. 3645 Bull 1581 ESC 1174 (scarce)

1723 Crown SSC

1723 Shilling SSC First Bust

S. 3647 Bull 1586 ESC 1176

Slabbed and graded LCGS 55 (NEF)

1723 Shilling SSC French Arms at Date

S. 3647 Bull 1589 ESC 1177 R2 (very rare)

Slabbed and graded LCGS 15 (Near Fine)

1723 Sixpence SSC 

S. 3652 Bull 1612 ESC 1600

Small letters on obverse, O of GEORGIVS open at the top

ex DNW September 2019 Lot 1605

Slabbed and graded LCGS 60 (EF)

The South Sea Company (SSC) famously known for the economically disastrous “South Sea Bubble” (1720) of over-speculation which made the Company go bust, had previously supplied much silver bullion to the Mint in exchange for the right to export money overseas. The silver supplied up to 1723 produced a large coinage of Crowns, Half Crowns, Shillings and Sixpences.

1724 Halfpenny

S. 3660