 Shillings were minted during the reign of every English monarch following Edward VI, as well as during the Commonwealth, with a vast number of variations and alterations appearing over the years.The Royal Mint undertook a massive recoinage programme in 1816, with large quantities of gold and silver coin being minted.Previous issues of silver coinage had been irregular, and the last issue, minted in 1787, was not intended for issue to the public, but as Christmas gifts to the Bank of England's customers.