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Bit of a tragic tale, that!

The collection was sold through DNW in conjunction with Stephen Mitchell, who was a favourite dealer of John's with many supplied through that channel. Apparently a box was dropped when picking up the collection. It isn't impossible that it was lost at that point, even falling through the drain grid. A metal detector around chez Hulett (decd) might be of use, but a bit of a bummer though, if it was lost at that point.

Without the ticket I wonder if it may even be in unknowing hands? It would only take one local deceased-estate sale for it to lose its identity and fall into ignorant hands.

Variation on a theme here. One lot I had won in the Hulett sales came with a ticket that was for Brooker 613 (6d mule with the obverse mark Crown over Bell over Portcullis) and to my knowledge is the only one known. I had marked that as a buy when it appeared, but the ticket (613) was for a different coin to the one I bought, so dutifully sent it back to be reunited with the right coin. However, the coin I really wanted didn't appear in any sale as far as I could see, so where is it? I know John had Brooker 613 because I saw it when visiting on one occasion, hence the interest. Humpf.

I've experienced both sides of a "lost ticket". In 2014 bought an ex-JP Mass collection (#1275) short-cross penny from eBay and it was delivered with the wrong ticket. The seller said he'd send me the correct ticket so I returned it to him, at which point he told me he couldn't find the original ticket. I do have Mass 574 & 1241 with their original tickets though.

I wonder whether Gundry relates to the "Bridport Gundry" rope and netting company? I visited them with my father, when he was on business there, in the early 70s, but I believe they are no longer in operation. It was fascinating to see the rope making process and the number of different uses rope and netting could be put to!

Agreed, though I do presume there is some bias in our views. Taylor restrikes are over a hundred years old by now and have their own history in their own right. Similiarly, Tanner pieces for Cromwell coins are desireable for it. It is possible that the Edward VIII fantasy pieces in some a hundred years or so are viewed in a similiar light - though I am uninclined to think so as the Taylor/Tanner pieces were derived from original tooling and modern fantasy pieces are pretty accessible nowadays. Only time will tell their desireablility I suppose, though I am doubtful they will be as loved. TLDR: Maybe as they get their own history they'll be interesting.

I found this £1 note ticket in with a coin lot I recently bought. Absolutely nothing to do with my items, and always sad, especially when someone has gone to such troubles to document an item in this way!

I do like those restrikes by taylor, so will handled and such beauties ,you get nothing like that in say the edward viii fantasy patterns of recent years

now THATS a real beauty

Do you have the 1805 twopence? I know they are all restrikes but I still love them

Industrial rev - Coal fires - Sulfur dioxide?

Copper + Aluminium and water = galvanic corrosion, how do I know; my fuel filter head on my Landrover is Alu with copper sealer washers and galvanic corrosion ate away the ports on the fuel filter head. Its a slow process going by how long it lasted.

The heavily gouged parts of the reverse are presumably where it was in contact with or in very close proximity to a different metal to set up the electrical circuit. Despite that, you can still see your own reflection clearly in the unaffected parts of the field, which remarkably, are still like mirrors (both sides). Of far greater importance is the context. i.e. It is a missing link which logically should exist given the existence of the copper analogue. As a coin which fills the gap, it is more important than the condition.

obverse aint bad but reverse , oh dear

Only halfpennies as it is a legacy collection. Basically I couldn't bring myself to do too much pruning as they were (mostly) too nice to throw out. And I couldn't see much point in getting rid of the unique dogs, such as the attached. An R24 in Aluminium - one that should have existed based on Peck's groupings, but he failed to locate an example. I suspect this was with a group of related aluminium die pairs at Spink when their building was bombed during WW2 and the corrosion is from water/electrolysis, as others within this group and struck in aluminium are similarly affected by water damage, albeit not as badly. See the Glens sale in the 60's or Selig's collection for other group examples. I picked it up on ebay in 2009 from the US - surprisingly nobody wanted it given its id but thankfully the condition eliminated the number chasers, so cheap as chips. . Happy days. Pennies, farthings and twopences are satisfied by an example of each type of style, rather than the nuclear option. Funds are too limited to go ballistic on all fronts.

Heh. I just stick to one per year of my shillings and florins. That's enough to keep me poor 🤣

I used to collect halfpennies and shillings as denominations, so the accumulation of Soho patterns was inevitable. I have however tempered my habits and now only 'need' an example of each Peck die pairing in whatever metal, as opposed to all die pairings in all metals.

WOW that is a gorgeous one!! I love Soho Mint pieces. And... a tray of patterns you say? 👀

Silver is always going to be better than gold for toning, due to the latter's relative resistance to chemical reaction. Toned gold is usually due to the copper mixed to produce the correct fineness. As you will be aware, left to its own devices and in a fairly clean environment, it will mostly turn black from silver oxide. Establish what the chemicals responsible for the colour scheme were and you probably have a good indicator of London's atmospheric constituents since Victorian time, though the toning stripe that looks like Britannia let one go, is probably from the fabrics found in a mint set. Though as always, a lot depends on the angle of the shot relative to light source. 15 or 20 years ago, I posted a picture taken one sunny day when I had a tray of Soho patterns on the desk, and the various colours reflected onto the ceiling enabled me to individually identify all the pieces using colour alone. There was a mixture of copper, bronzed, gilt and silver, but all were distinctively coloured. I think I lost the image a few years ago when photobucket went dysfunctional, so will have to wait for the sun to make another appearance unless someone can locate it on the forum. Having said all that, the one below is an oil painting in most lights and from most angles. Apologies to those who have already seen it.

Often when Una and the Lion's are mentioned, you first imagine gold! For me, it will always be this gorgeous silver pattern piece I had the chance to photograph. Stunning rainbow toning, never seen anything like it.

So, I can confirm that all the S’s are serpentine and belonging to 9b with no star on breast. There is no perforation of the flan, and the rust on the reverse was not part of the coin, and has for the most part flicked off. North did not identify any ANL errors for Class 9, though Wither’s, as Coys pointed out, has recorded a London 9a piece, but also a 9b1 (which this coin is) for York (but not London). Therefore, to the best of my knowledge, this is an unrecorded obverse for London. Interestingly it arrived with a Spink ticket with 9b on it, but no mention of the legend error! Only a phone image for now!

Minor update to this list. Some 1862 Halfpennies have a die LETTER to the left of the lighthouse. Additionally, there exists a much rarer die letter combination with the die letter A to the right of the lighthouse.