Another piece of the W/SA mints resolved

[Rob 3,002]

Yesterday was a good day. A chance observation shows that the 'Cannonball' halfcrown (Allen obv. H) was recut to make obv. C. Behind the right hand horse's rump is a series of incuse lines above the tail where the previous die has not been completely erased. Below the horse is a circular area. Compare this to the left hand image of the excellent 'Cannonball' halfcrown from the National Museum of Wales collection, illustrated in Besly's book on the Civil War. The various features align, with the H obverse hoof showing as a weak line immediately below the flaw on obv. C. The R of CAROLVS looks to be in the same spot on both dies. However, the two obverses are not exactly to scale with one being a scan from a book and the other a photograph of an actual coin.

Obviously it would mean that the two obverses are mutually exclusive in chronological terms. The question is, where were they struck? As the Cannonball was the result of obliterating the :SA: below mark, I think it likely that it was done to reflect a die movement from Shrewsbury to Worcester. The reverse die paired with the obverse C illustrated is Allen rev. 17, also known to be paired with obverse B which is the 'Tower' marked W below the horse die.

[Coinery 926]

I think the interesting and stand out detail for me is the 'clover' shape that's around the location of the stirrup that you can see on both coins, though clearly it isn't intended to be part of the design on the ob C coin. When aligned with the cannonball it does fit well with the high rump of the horse in the second coin. 

Might be interesting to scale the two coins and draw in some of the key details of the first coin and lay it over the second?

i'm guessing the weak cannonball shape on the second coin in not incuse? 

[Rob 3,002]

No chance of scaling them. Firstly I don't know if the image in the book is to exactly to scale. Secondly, the coins are not even in the same country, so there is no chance of ensuring consistency in size by putting them together. The best I can do is guess (or buy examples of the types on the unreasonable assumption that they are available to buy!).

The clover shape is a spur from a punch common to both (I think)

[Coinery 926]

You could use the cannonball diameter to scale the coins, maybe use the distances between the spur and the rump, maybe triangulate it with the cannonball too?

[Rob 3,002]

I'll have a go at resizing but the biggest problem is still overlaying images and making them semi-transparent. I got a copy of Serif 6 that you used a while back only to find that there isn't anything in the index about overlaying images. Going to need a more appropriate program, or at least one that has clear instructions. I could do so much more with the right tools. Computers - the bane of my life

[Coinery 926]

If you send me the best copies of the images you've got, Rob, I'll have a play for you!