The 2005 film "The Greatest Game Ever Played" is a film about three golf champions who play in a 1913 golf tournament, the U. S. Open. Two men are from the British island of Jersey and play for Great Britain, and the other is a young American man from Brookline, a suburb of Boston, Massachusetts. The film title and credits sequence displays a British Isle of Jersey 1/12 of a shilling coin dated 1877 and a United States half dollar dated 1900.

In 1879 a boy named Harry Vardon lives with his family on the Isle of Jersey, one of the Channel Islands located between Great Britain and France. One day he sees four men in black and asks them what they are doing. One of the men tells him that they are surveying land for a golf course.

The man tells Harry that golf is a game for gentlemen "not like you", and tosses Harry a coin. The coin is an Isle of Jersey bronze 1/12 of a shilling (equivalent to a British penny) dated 1877. Although the Isle of Jersey belongs to Great Britain, it has had its own currency based on the British Pound since 1834. At the time the scene was set (1879) Jersey minted its own coins equivalent to the British penny, halfpenny, and farthing. Jersey's coins were struck at the Royal Mint and the private Heaton Mint. All of the 1877 circulation coins were struck only at the Heaton Mint. The coin is shown flying through the air before Harry catches it.

The Jersey coin obverse is shown with Queen Victoria.

The Jersey coin reverse is shown with a shield and date of 1877.

Bronze, 30.5 mm, 9.41 gm
Obverse: Queen Victoria facing left, VICTORIA D.G. BRITANNIAR. REGINA F.D.
Reverse: Shield with three lions, STATES OF JERSEY, ONE TWELFTH OF A SHILLING, 1877
This coin has the mintmark 'H' on the obverse as it was struck at the Heaton Mint,
a private company located in Birmingham, England, and later known as the Birmingham Mint.

Next, a United States coin is shown, a half dollar dated 1900-S (San Francisco Mint).

The reverse of the half dollar with the 'S' mintmark at the bottom.

The obverse of the half dollar with the Charles Barber head facing right and the date.

By 1900 Harry Vardon has become a British golf champion and a golf celebrity. Another Jersey man, Ted Ray, has also become a champion.

Francis Ouimet was born in Brookline, a suburb of Boston, Massachusetts in 1893. He lives with his parents in Brookline which happens to be the home of "The Country Club", a major golf course. Around 1900 Francis' father Arthur explains the value of money to Francis.

Arthur tells Francis that one should work for money and then save it.

United States one and two dollar bills are shown. Francis begins working as a caddie for the golf course. The caddie (or caddy) carries golf clubs for the players but also serves as an assistant, cleaning golf clubs, balls, shoes, and other items. Francis becomes fascinated with golf and a fan of the British champion Harry Vardon. One day Francis' mother Mary Ouimet takes him to Boston where Harry Vardon is appearing.

Vardon appears at a simulated golf course and shows Francis how to hold a golf club. By 1913 Francis is 20 years old and has become a local golf champion. Francis' father believes that playing golf is for gentlemen only and that Francis should go to work. Francis begins working for a sporting goods store. Francis is invited to play in the U.S. Open golf tournament and attends a party where he meets a pretty society girl named Sarah Wallis.

Sarah's family does not like Francis because he is not "society" but Sarah becomes a fan.

Francis now needs a caddie of his own and a 10-year old caddie named Eddie Lowery volunteers.

The British send their champion professional golfers Harry Vardon and Ted Ray to the tournament.

Accompanying Harry is Ted Ray, whose background in Jersey is similar to Harry's.

Ted Ray is a very large strong man. One time he is ready to play when a ladybug lands on the ball.

Fortunately, the ladybug flies off and survives. Sarah is attending the tournament as a spectator.

The gift is "Good Luck Piece."

The piece has a horseshoe design with a pin for attaching it to clothing. The three men finish the regular tournament with the same top score and the next day the tournament holds a playoff round.

The three men play and then Ted hits a ball into the trees and drops out. Harry and Francis are tied to the last hole.

Francis finishes one ahead of Harry and wins the tournament. A crowd gathers to congratulate Francis and some men begin handing him money. Francis refuses the money and suggests that they give it to his caddie Eddie. Francis sees his father in the crowd.

Harry is doubly happy with winning the tournament and his father's support of his golf efforts.

The film ends with Francis and Eddie leaving the course.

Shia LaBeouf as Francis Ouimet
Josh Flitter as Eddie Lowery
Stephen Dillane as Harry Vardon
Stephen Marcus as Ted Ray
Peter Firth as Lord Northcliffe
Elias Koteas as Arthur Ouimet
Marnie McPhail as Mary Ouimet
Peyton List as Sarah Wallis
Director: Bill Paxton
Writers: Mark Frost
Based on the 2002 book The Greatest Game Ever Played by Mark Frost