Jump to content
British Coin Forum - Predecimal.com

50 Years of RotographicCoinpublications.com A Rotographic Imprint. Price guide reference book publishers since 1959. Lots of books on coins, banknotes and medals. Please visit and like Coin Publications on Facebook for offers and updates.

Coin Publications on Facebook

   Rotographic    

The current range of books. Click the image above to see them on Amazon (printed and Kindle format). More info on coinpublications.com

predecimal.comPredecimal.com. One of the most popular websites on British pre-decimal coins, with hundreds of coins for sale, advice for beginners and interesting information.

sound

Why Don't People Collect Halfpennies ?

Recommended Posts

Well of course they do. I suspect more collect pennies.

But thinking about this just wondered by denomination right down to threepences what is collected most? I thought the range of views on here would be interesting. I think there may be a bias toward pennies. Any thoughts?

Mark

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Well of course they do. I suspect more collect pennies.

But thinking about this just wondered by denomination right down to threepences what is collected most? I thought the range of views on here would be interesting. I think there may be a bias toward pennies. Any thoughts?

Mark

I do! I have LOADS of 1/2ds. Love 'em. Particularly 1672-1754 (with a big emphasis on the William & Marys/William III).

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I collect all milled silver denominations, and a smattering of copper and bronze for added interest (and colour)!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I like shillings because I remember spending them. If I had a lot more money I'd probably have continued with milled ones as well, but budgetary constraints meant I needed to specialise and Chas I is where I ended up.

Hammered shillings are a nice size (almost that of a bronze penny) and come with a good variety of portrait designs. Plus you can pick them up, breathe on them or drop them in your tea without causing much harm. I'd worry about copper and bronze in better condition getting finger marks or verdegris ...

Halfcrowns I quite like, but they get pricier than shillings as you go back in time.

I did own a nice hammered sixpence once. But milled ones are too tiddly for my taste. Shillings are .. just right.

.

Edited by TomGoodheart

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I do, 1860-1901,

I wish to buy any rare varieties ! especially in high grade !!! :rolleyes::D :D

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Bernie,

What denomination do you collect?

M

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Bernie,

What denomination do you collect?

M

Bernie Workman collects pennies, you can see his son' small collection that was sold by Colin cooke a few years back on the coole website

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I think HP's are very much underrated, they're an extremely elegant denomination! I love them, can't understand those that pass them by?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I just collect bronze pennies and halfpennies. Pennies were getting far too expensive for the ones that I required. The new collectors are willing to pay much more than me. I think the final straw was for a Die number 5. I believed that my bid of £3850 would have secured it, but it sold for ~£20,000 (yesterdays man!) :( :( :( :(

Bronze halfpennies are my long term challenge. I don't lose sleep when I fail to get one in auction. Luckily for me, many collectors of halfpennies have been selling up in recent years, making these rare high grade halfpennies available to buy. :) :) :D

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I have a nice load of Halfpennies. I think the issue is the Variates atm are too specialist

Halfpennies come up often in William III :D

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I have some across both hammered and milled. I've offloaded about 40% in the last 5 years and am now down to less than 400.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I certainly collect halfpennies - I find them more interesting and varied than copper/bronze pennies, which after all only go back to 1797, whereas the humble halfpenny is good back to 1672. On top of that you've got the interest of the tin series, plus a whole range of errors or whatever in the William/George eras. Beats pennies any day for me.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Ive always favoured the penny, and the farthing to the halfpenny, but I am starting to aquire more of them nowdays as I noticed that there was far too many gaps! and as im a sucker for die types the halfpenny is bloody confusing at times to tell between differences.

I still love my silvers as well! Half Crowns to 3d's I got date runs from late Victoria to present with a few gaps, mostly in the lower grades with some top grades also. For some reason I favour the little 3d's, probably cos they are cheap :lol:

I don't have that many Crowns though. And Ive got 2 Double florins :) I also like the brass 3d when lustrous they are beautiful, I have a date run of them and i need the four scarcer dates in high grade, but surprisingly the early Elizabeth years (apart from 1953) are difficult to get lustrous.1957 + 58 being the culprits for me.

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Ive always favoured the penny, and the farthing to the halfpenny, but I am starting to aquire more of them nowdays as I noticed that there was far too many gaps! and as im a sucker for die types the halfpenny is bloody confusing at times to tell between differences.

I still love my silvers as well! Half Crowns to 3d's I got date runs from late Victoria to present with a few gaps, mostly in the lower grades with some top grades also. For some reason I favour the little 3d's, probably cos they are cheap :lol:

I don't have that many Crowns though. And Ive got 2 Double florins :) I also like the brass 3d when lustrous they are beautiful, I have a date run of them and i need the four scarcer dates in high grade, but surprisingly the early Elizabeth years (apart from 1953) are difficult to get lustrous.1957 + 58 being the culprits for me.

The 1958 brass 3d has always had a 'reputation' (Brassy Bertha :lol: ), but you're right - all of them between 1954 and 1958 present difficulties. Having said that, 1939 and 1948 aren't easy either - it was only this year that I got my first BU 1948.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Ive always favoured the penny, and the farthing to the halfpenny, but I am starting to aquire more of them nowdays as I noticed that there was far too many gaps! and as im a sucker for die types the halfpenny is bloody confusing at times to tell between differences.

I still love my silvers as well! Half Crowns to 3d's I got date runs from late Victoria to present with a few gaps, mostly in the lower grades with some top grades also. For some reason I favour the little 3d's, probably cos they are cheap :lol:

I don't have that many Crowns though. And Ive got 2 Double florins :) I also like the brass 3d when lustrous they are beautiful, I have a date run of them and i need the four scarcer dates in high grade, but surprisingly the early Elizabeth years (apart from 1953) are difficult to get lustrous.1957 + 58 being the culprits for me.

The 1958 brass 3d has always had a 'reputation' (Brassy Bertha :lol: ), but you're right - all of them between 1954 and 1958 present difficulties. Having said that, 1939 and 1948 aren't easy either - it was only this year that I got my first BU 1948.

ive had a 1948 for a while now, it is a good strike, and i do have a 1939 cant remember if its full mint lustre though :huh:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I really only collect pennies, though I do have a few thousand bagged-up halfpennies to sort through one day. At the age of 10 a great aunt gave me a 1699 halfpenny, which I still prize.

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Half pennies are not high on the priority list, but I will buy them when the price is right.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Halfpennies are a damned sight harder to get in high grade than pennies. Lots of nearly there pieces, but never quite good enough. I wanted the 15*+O* F343A in London Coins last weekend, until I saw it. EF at best and a carbon spot. :( Keep looking. :)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Perhaps it was the way I started the thread, but every now seems to collect Halfpennies. LOL. Does anyone collect Florins or Half-crowns. Are there any dedicated silver Threepence collectors?

If you were to put money on it outside copper and bronze what would you say is the most collected denomination?

Mark

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I collect 18th Century halfpenny tokens...I guess those don't count. :wacko:

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I have a few halfpenny's here and there.

Similar to Accumulator, my first favourite coin was a beautiful 1899 half-penny (that I still have) from when I was a lad.

It is probably only VF (with eye appeal) but a magnificent specimen to a small boy accustomed to washers.

cheers Garrett.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I think the answer lies in the fact its in the middle. farthings are easy to get in higher grade cheaply, and plenty around, penny is the penny, and what most people probably have many of at the start of collections.

halfpennies are the thing between the 2.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Perhaps it was the way I started the thread, but every now seems to collect Halfpennies. LOL. Does anyone collect Florins or Half-crowns. Are there any dedicated silver Threepence collectors?

If you were to put money on it outside copper and bronze what would you say is the most collected denomination?

Mark

Shillings or hammered

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Perhaps it was the way I started the thread, but every now seems to collect Halfpennies. LOL. Does anyone collect Florins or Half-crowns. Are there any dedicated silver Threepence collectors?

If you were to put money on it outside copper and bronze what would you say is the most collected denomination?

Mark

Shillings or hammered
I'd say halfcrowns, crowns, sovereigns, shillings. In that order.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Don't forget us farthing boys.

I would send everything else to the pot.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

×