in 1816, the British had "The Great Recoinage". In 1817, the 5-shilling silver Crown, and the 20-shilling gold sovereign, when into circulation, Both featured Benedetto PISTRUCCI's sculpture of St George & the Dragon. Upto & including 1820, that image was surrounded by a "Garter", with a legend in Old French. King George III died in 1820. The only coin featuring the new King in 1820 was the half-crown. In 1821, the full range of denominations were issued, featuring KG4, but the Garter was omitted from the designs. So, your coin was the first year of that new design.
Co-incidentally, or by design, St George was the patron saint of England. King George was the King of England, and later of the United Kingdom. I have heard it asserted that St George was a metaphor for England, &/or the King; and the dragon was a metaphor for Napoleon; and the whole image represents the end of the Napoleonic Wars - successfully, from the English perspective. And, it's a beautiful piece of art.
Disclaimer: While a tremendous amount of effort goes into ensuring the accuracy of the information contained in this site, Coin Community assumes no liability for errors. Copyright 2005 - 2026 Coin Community Family- all rights reserved worldwide. Use of any images or content on this website without prior written permission of Coin Community or the original lender is strictly prohibited. Contact Us | Advertise Here | Privacy Policy / Terms of Use