InforaPenny

In retrospect, it now seems that it would have been a great idea to collect sovereigns by date and mint mark starting around the year 2000, when many of these could be obtained near BV. I guess everything seems clear in a rear view mirror… Best Regards, InforaPenny

I find it very interesting that you also collect the penny sized bronze French 10 centimes (1852-1921). It is my understanding is that the composition of the British bronze coinage beginning in 1860 (a devilishly hard alloy of 95% copper, 4% tin and 1% zinc which was the cause of so many problems with early dies) was simply copied from the French. The "French Bronze" alloy as specified by the law of 6 May 1852 as 95% copper, 4% tin and 1% zinc, itself was apparently not due to any metallurgical studies, but evolved from the incorporation of melted church bells (which had a very high tin content) seized after the French revolution, mixed with copper. Best Regards, InforaPenny

My collecting plan has evolved over the last 30 years or so. While I previously collected US coin series up to about 1964 to a limited extent, it was British pre-decimal bronze pennies (1860-1970) by date that really captured my attention. After collecting circulated coins by date, I started going for Freeman die varieties and worked on upgrading to EF-Unc where possible. As this became increasingly difficult, I turned to the corresponding Commonwealth coinages (Australian, South African, New Zealand, Irish, Jersey, etc.). Of these only the Australian pennies display the complexity of the British, with a substantial number of different die pairings. I've also been working on British (and Australian) halfpennies by variety the last few years and to a lessor extent on the British farthings. My most recent affliction has been to add British West Africa to the mix (including 1/10 d’s). In other words, a complex and bottomless pit, with a theme… Best Regards, InforaPenny

I'd agree about the 1864 (both types) and the 1875H from the Victorian era. Even 1869 is easier to get in a very high grade than those two. Also, I agree with earlier comments about the fallibility of the Freeman rarity estimates. Obviously they were never really any better than inspired guesswork. Nonetheless, that doesn't really explain why there are so few 1926ME's in high grade. For a coin a lot younger than the buns I referred to, and only 45 years old at demonetisation, it is hard to explain IMO. If I had to put a guess on how many of the original mintage were modified, I'd say 15-20%, something of that order. Again though, pure guesswork. No real way of knowing. Thanks for all the comments & opinions, chaps. In 1926 there had been no pennies issued for 3 years. Then demand must have increased enough to warrant an issue, even though the modified effigy must have been close to readiness. Assuming the normal run of casual collectors who habitually put a BU penny aside, the first run of 1926s must have satisfied that urge. By the time the ME came along (at the end of the year?) would people have readily seen the difference between the two types anyway? By the time they did, the 1927 pennny would have emerged in large quantities so those got put aside instead. I'm really thinking the 1926ME 'slipped beneath the radar' as far as being noticed. I'd agree about the 1864 (both types) and the 1875H from the Victorian era. Even 1869 is easier to get in a very high grade than those two. Also, I agree with earlier comments about the fallibility of the Freeman rarity estimates. Obviously they were never really any better than inspired guesswork. Nonetheless, that doesn't really explain why there are so few 1926ME's in high grade. For a coin a lot younger than the buns I referred to, and only 45 years old at demonetisation, it is hard to explain IMO. If I had to put a guess on how many of the original mintage were modified, I'd say 15-20%, something of that order. Again though, pure guesswork. No real way of knowing. Thanks for all the comments & opinions, chaps. Surely rarity figures are all nonsence now due to decimalisation. I would guess only 10% of pennies exist now and all the so called rarities were stripped for circulatiion beforehand. The playing field is much levelled now a days and H and KNs are as common as 1967 pennies. That's a very good point, though I'd hardly claim parity between H & KNs with 1967!! We're on the same wavelength here Derek. As a schoolboy it took me a year to suss that my first-ever 1926 penny from change, was the ME ! Back in '26, I'm wondering how many people actually noticed, especially considering how few there were anyway? It would be interesting to get some coin magazines/annuals from around that time to see whether or not they are mentioned. The best we are likley to get are the studies of coins undertaken by various heroic numismatists in the early to mid 1970s when surveys of coins in circulation were being carried out and the results reported in Coin Monthly. I've got most of them, so if I find a spare hundred hours, I'll see what was being reported at the time. However, as has I think already been said, they were probably already taken from circulation by then. The best information I’ve seen is from the survey by V. R. Court (Coin Monthly, October 1972, page 42-43) who found 20 M.E. out of a total of 835 1926 pennies, giving an estimated mintage of 107,750 (i.e. about 2.4%). The reason these are so difficult in high grade, may be due to the existence of the M.E. coins not being noted until about 1960 (in Peck’s book). That is, there is no mention in Seaby’s 1949 book on copper coins, which provides coverage of many bun penny varieties. This may have allowed the M.E. pennies to circulate for 35 years or more, before collectors began looking for them. Just my 2 cents, or approximately one pre-decimal penny’s worth. Best Regards,

I'm a new forum member and my primary collecting interest is pre-decimal British and Australian bronze with a focus on varieties. While bun pennies are probably my favorite coins, I also like the halfpennies and farthings, and my collection runs up to the changeover to decimal. I started with the pennies by date, then variety, and as this became more difficult, turned to the corresponding Commonwealth coinage (Australian, South African, New Zealand, Irish, Jersey, etc.). Of these only the Australian displayed the complexity of the British, with a substantial number of different die pairing varieties. I've also been working on halfpennies by variety the last few years (more challenging than the pennies in my opinion) and to a lessor extent on the farthings

Other than books covering the copper and bronze coinage (Peck, Bramah, Freeman etc), there are no specific farthing books that I am aware of. It is a project I am looking into at the moment. The Colin Cooke catalogues are the only other literature that used to have features on varieties etc. The Colin Cooke collection sale catalogue of May 2006 itself provides a fairly detailed listing with many varieties (well illustrated in colour) from the earliest types through 1956. It also includes fractionals. Since this collection was probably the most complete ever assembled this constitutes good coverage of the series, although I noted a few items missed the sale such as the 1953 varieties, Colin's 1860 and 1864 copper farthings, etc. (I assume either held back from the sale or sold privately). You might check with the Colin Cooke website to see if the catalogue might still be available. Also, the website itself has a section on collections which documents this sale and the Oxford Collection sale.