One Penny Cartwheel		Twopenny Cartwheel

CARTWHEEL

The huge unwieldy penny and twopenny pieces were issued in 1797 and familiarly known as 'Cartwheels'. They were minted for two years but all bore the same date 1797 and were manufactured by Boulton & Watt of Soho mint Birmingham. The obverse shows the legend, GEORGIUS 111 DG REX and the bust of the King with the letter K for Kuchler, the designer. The word Soho is visible on the rocks below Brittania and on her shield.
The twopence contains 2oz of copper, the coins intrinsic metal value. Cartwheels were discontinued because of Boultons insistance on the coin containing its full metal value, for as the price of copper rose, people found it profitable to melt the coins and resell the metal.