1776 Great Britain Guinea, KM # 604, NGC MS61. This Mint State 1776 British guinea shows original mint luster within the devices on both sides of the coin. It is a well struck piece with full details on the Kings hair, the laurel wreath, and the crown at the top of the shield. The surfaces are original and clean for the grade with no notable abrasion marks or other distractions.

The obverse shows a laureate head of King George III facing right in profile. He is surrounded by the inscription GEORGIVS. III. DEI.GRATIA. The reverse shows the crowned four-fold coat of arms, for England and Scotland, France, Ireland, and Hanover surrounded by the legend M.B.F.ET.H.REX.F.D.B.ET. L.D.S.R.I.A.T.ET.E with the date below. The inscription stands for King of Great Britain, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, Duke of Brunswick and Luneburg, Arch-Treasurer and Elector of the Holy Roman Empire.

The guinea is a coin that was minted in the Kingdom of England, Great Britain, and the United Kingdom from 1663 to 1814. It was the first machine-struck gold coin, originally worth one pound sterling and equal to twenty shillings. Over the years, the value fluctuated to as high as thirty shillings. From 1717 to 1816, the value was fixed at twenty-one shillings.

Like many European gold and silver coins, the guinea circulated in colonial and post-Revolutionary America. It was granted legal tender status by the Second Continental Congress and circulated until 1857 when all foreign coins were demonetized. The Rochester City Directory, Coin Conversion Tables for 1849 to 1850 show that a guinea had a value of $5.00.

In its population report, NGC shows 2 1776 KM # 604 guineas in MS61 condition with 5 higher.

Specifications:
Weight: 8.3500 grams
Composition: 0.9170 Gold
Net Weight: 0.2462 troy ounces AGW