SSC British Coinage of 1723 - South Sea Company
By Coinsanduk | Thursday, 21 March 2024
Letters SSC can be found on a small quantity of 18th British silver coins in the reverse quarters of the cruciform shields. It is a provenance mark, only added to pieces in 1723, and it refers to the South Sea Company.
The denominations minted in Britain with this mark are:
6 Pence
- Composition: Silver
- Weight: 3 g
- Rarity: Common
6 Pence 1723 - Price guide and values
Shilling
- Composition: Silver
- Weight: 6 g
- Diameter: 26 mm
- Obverse: John Croker
- Reverse: Johann Ochs
- Rarity: Common
Variety
At some point during the production process, the engraver punched the C in the wrong place, then put the letters SS over it in the 3rd quarter.
Shilling 1723 - Price guide and values
Half Crown
- Composition: Silver
- Rarity: Uncommon
Half Crown 1723 - Price guide and values
Crown
- Composition: Silver
- Crown: Rare
Crown 1723 - Price guide and values
The South Sea Company was a British joint-stock company founded in January 1711, created as a public-private partnership to consolidate and reduce the cost of the national debt. To generate income, in 1713 the company was granted a monopoly to supply African slaves to the islands in the South Seas and South America.
The Secretary of the Treasury, William Lowndes, who had had significant responsibility for reminting the entire debased British coinage in 1696, was a fouding member.
The South Sea Company was also contracted to supply the silver used to strike coins in 1723. The contract was an attempt by the government to support the viability of the company following their financial crises.
