oldcopper

although if that's the hammer price, once you've paid the premium plus import tax etc, it'll be over 5K. Still worth it - they're >10x rarer than the 1839.

That is a very good price. I'd have bought it.

Prices were as usual very high for many things - the 1730 silver farthing went for $7,500 hammer which is ~£7,000 including premium etc. They are rarer than the George I equivalents but that was still a lot!

A Spink SNC from the 70's or 80's specifically commented on these 1889 proof pennies, saying that they thought from their appearance they were not genuine proofs. I don't know which issue the comment was in, and they may have been mistaken but that was one of their cataloguer's views.

I have seen a similar "marbled" effect on 1850's proof Victoria pennies before - Mark Rasmussen's 1859 proof in list 14: and the 1856 proof penny last sold LCA 2009: The only thing that I would be concerned about with LCA's 1859 proof is the apparent wear ie lighter tone to the highpoints of the hair. But it might look different in the hand.

Coming up in the Feb DNW auction, this bun head penny is described as being on a halfpenny flan. It looks too big for that but maybe I'm wrong. https://www.dnw.co.uk/auctions/catalogue/lot.php?auction_id=625&lot_uid=411115

His mummy's just said he can't go to Peppa Pig World.

Whatever they were drinking they've spilled it all over the coin!

There are various collections in there separately listed, so I think they'll be in there. Not much for me either though.

Very nice - doesn't look as if Spink's die flaw is a die flaw then.

A shilling bust on this pattern halfpenny coming up at Spink. Must be the only time a shilling bust has ever occurred on a pattern for the copper coinage, unless you count those Charles II pattern 1663 "halfpennies" which are probably pattern shillings in copper anyway. https://live.spink.com/lots/view/4-452X7J/victoria-1837-1901-pattern-halfpenny-1859-by-j-wyon-victoria-dei-gratia-no-stops-fille And anyone fancy the no less than 6 1967 pennies, some lustrous, also in that sale! I'm amazed Spink have listed them separately.

Bubbling can be a sign of a cast, caused by trapped air bubbles. if so this would be a forgery. I'm not an expert though, and you should see it in the hand. Also, are you buying it from a reputable source?

Funnily enough I was just looking at SNC June 1987 for something else, and there was an Almost EF one for £140 - so high grade ones do exist. They didn't notice the DFF, but you can see it in the photo.

Yes, it's a fantastic example as they go, but as you say far too marked to justify that grade. It was the jackpot for someone! It would have been nice to get some background info on S. Burchall, whose 200-year-old collection this was. DNW didn't reveal his name when they originally auctioned his coins, so why now? I will ask them the next time I see them.

I think it went for £440 on checking my catalogue, and it went for £900 this time. I quite fancied it but dropped out at £800, beautiful green toning and only one other known according to Martin's survey. Of course I didn't even give it a second glance at that Baldwins sale.