Born George William Frederick in London in 1738, King George III was the King of Great Britain and Ireland from 1760 and King of Hanover from 1814 until his death in 1820. He lived and ruled longer than any other English or British king and this year marks the 200th anniversary since the end of his record-breaking reign.
While George III’s reputation as “the mad king who lost America” prevails, he was a committed and conscientious leader who provided background stability in a thriving Britain undergoing industrialisation. He also oversaw the reform of gold coinage, which was no mean feat, and few people have acknowledged his valuable contribution to numismatics as we know it.
