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Welcome to the predecimal forum! It's really nice that you have kept the coins from your early collecting days. £7.50 was indeed a lot in those days. Having one of those blue Wellington fivers made me felt rich when I started secondary school in the 80s. I collect silver rather than bronze but have brought a few pennies and half pennies as type examples. I think the first bronze I have brought was the same YH type: 1853 half penny. I then got a bun penny and half penny as I am fond of that portrait and it's a shame that it was never used on silver coinage.

By way of introducing myself let me tell you about my favorite coin in my collection. I had been collecting bronze penny coins since I was a young boy. Then, in 1975 I rode my brand new motorbike the nine miles to the Somerset town of Frome. In a junk shop on Catherine’s Hill I saw two coins displayed in the window. I thought that the smaller one looked like an old penny. I did not know what the larger coin was as I had never seen the like before. They were offered as two Victoria copper coins from 1858. They were priced at £6.50 and £7.50 respectively, a lot of money in those days. I decided to buy the smaller, cheaper penny sized coin. When I got home I looked it up in my 'Check Your Change’ book and found that at 28.4 mm in diameter the coin was in fact a half penny. I got straight back on my bike and returned to Frome for the other coin which proved to be a penny at 34mm diameter. On closer inspection I realised that the number 8 was struck over a number 7. At the time I thought that I had discovered something special. It turns out that I had not. They were very nice coins though, and kindled my interest in copper pennies, halfpennies and farthings.

ah another different coin / token appears, Coin distributed by Beecroft & Sons toy shop (Nottingham, United Kingdom) as a means of advertising.

Yes, a stunning grade, there! Lovely cut half 👏👏

Good Fair / Fine + There's not enough hair detail on the obverse to rate as F

That's a stunning half. As struck. You couldn't ask for a better cut. Great find !

I agree that halfs and quarters are often in almost perfect condition because they were easily lost soon after they entered circulation. I too look for nice examples, scarcer mints, errors, etc. and enjoy the challenge of identifying them. This is one of my favourites. Walter (Waltier error) on Northampton, square E's on obverse (round on reverse), class 1a2/1a5 mule, possibly Mass 148, although the X looks different.

In my experience there are 4 different obverse dies which have been altered to 1848/7. These are illustrated in the pictures below. Whilst Bramah does not have any pictures to illustrate his type 10b, he says the following in his 1929 book:- "The die has been altered from 1847. The 7 shows very plainly beneath the 8, its up-stroke dividing the lower loop of 8 into two unequal parts, that on the left being much the smaller." Interestingly, I have found two different obverse dies which fit Bramah's 10b description. These are the top two pictures shown below. Surprisingly, these Bramah 10b types do not appear on Gouby’s website. Bramah 10c / Gouby C (bottom left) is probably the most common of the 8/7’s Gouby D (bottom right), with the 7 at back of bottom loop of the 8, I think is the rarest type……and probably why Bramah has missed this variety. Gouby Ca and Cb are doubled examples of his variety C I believe his Da is simply a worn example of his type D. He actually remarks upon this himself i.e. "Possibly a worn version of D !?" If anyone wishes to see additional detailed legend pictures to support any of the above then please feel free to contact me.

Thanks @Paddy ! @copper123 Thanks! Felt like a movie yesterday night and watched "The madness of king george" ! Was quite an interesting watch and learned many dynamics I wasn't aware of between GIII and GIV and what happened that made Victoria became queen. At the beginning of the movie I thought he was done for but it's interesting that he reigned for another good 20 years! His crowns (1818-1820) with the iconic Pistrucci's design were also minted when he was completely ill and his son was reigning. Didn't know that!

Thanks Martin

Many Thanks for the input, during the early days when I joined the forum I asked about values but now realise establishing what I have and its condition / grade is more important... Its really appreciated that more experienced collectors are helping out as I work through my hoard... this will be a keep. 👍

Standard 8 over 7. Yours looks like type Da in the varieties noted by Gouby in screenshot from his website below...

Nice! 👏 👏👏

That's amazing. Very good spot.

Hi, please can I have your opinions on the 1848 penny over date. It does not look like an over 7 or even a 6.

Agreed. That was one of the first things i noticed about it. The full one i bought just arrived today. The portrait is a bit scuffed but i can't complain as it was cheap. Looks like a match with my half. Slevin 1a5 / Brand 1050. Stu.

I think the half is Brand dies 2540; the offset halves of the O are quite distinctive.

That's a very nice find Stu; I'm really annoyed to have missed that one. I used to check daily for Rhuddlans and picked up about 30, mostly halfs and quarters and one full Halli, but got fed up with the quality and asking prices. I'll definitely start checking again now. Steve.

Fine for me too.

Forgetting the grade, the good thing about it for me is that there are no major digs or edge knocks/bruises, etc., making it a collectable fine too. Potentially your most valuable coin to-date?

I would say Fine, reverse better

I think I would have to give a split grading - "aF" on the obverse but "nVF" on the reverse.

A solid Fine for me.

So the reason of asking is if a coin is rare its condition goes by the side a little... this crown although its seen circulation is in quite good condition.... details are legible and minor rubbing... where would this Crown sit on the grade scale?

on looking through the pages ...I do have a 1840 Groat and others with duplicates😲 ...looks quite good as well. 👍