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Very pleased with this 1874 penny - F65 in top UNC grade with probably 90% lustre, ever so lightly toning. Just £250 as a BIN. These are obviously not desperately rare, but they don't turn up every 5 minutes, and definitely not in this grade. Looking back at other sales of similar grade, the price compares very favourably.

Found this beautiful coin today. just having a good look at it tonight and noticed the A in GRATIA is a little strange. Any ideas ?

I completely agree. He was very talented, and created lovely coins. It's a shame he was never involved in the regal coinage. I wonder if it was perhaps because his bi-metallic pennies and halfpennies were so popular that the mint had to make a statement saying they were not official. Perhaps it annoyed the mint enough to not consider Moore?

And the obverse.

I hope this is allowed here - The New Model Crown by Allen and Moore. This one in almost pure silver (XRF tested at 98% silver).

I think now I have dealt with a lot of the "non Lauer types" it is time to be begin the Lauer coins themselves. It is hard to bring the history of the Lauer minting house alive but I did find recently this postcard which shows the mint house in the late 1800's Lauer as a family of minters of tokens and medals began well before the production of the small coins often only referred to as Lauer Toys. Nurnberg was as I mentioned a city built of industries that worked in small metal fabrications and in a way a bit like Birmingham was in England. I am sure the markets opened up once a German Prince sat next to Victoria and the wealth of peoples changed and small present giving became increasingly popular as money was more freely available. So a confluence of timing and opportunity which blossomed mostly in the the mid 1870's to the late 1880's . Yes the factory continued into the early 1930's producing medals and the factory was bombed in the late 30's early 40's . I have written to the toy museum in Nurnberg but as yet have had no communication from them about any history they may know of the production of toy coins.

I’m late to the party having only just seen this so apologies, but I’m a fellow collector of toy and model money, and I’m currently writing an update to Rogers (about 30 pages in).

Portrait is fairly flat, which is typical. Is there any trace of solder from a suspension mount on either side or the edge? Spink ticket and price suggests it will probably be in the Circular, but when? I'd have to plough through them to find out. I can't see any case for it being a touchpiece, as these were typically angels - the combination of saint and king provided the cure and/or protection . The milled Charles II touchpieces were produced later than this coin FWIW, this is my 3rd issue shilling. Again, flat in parts, though the portrait is above average.

No, it is obverse 4 with LC WYON below the bust and obverse 4 coins tend to have quite a narrow rim with short teeth that can appear rounded like beads but true beaded obverses have the circular beads well clear of the rim. Take a look at: https://rarestpennies.wordpress.com/1860-f8-mule/