magp

Hi chaps, a gent I'm working with found this odd-looking thing. Has some republican gone at it with a hammer?? Sam

I learnt the hard way (by using it all over my Henry VIII £5) that even fresh blu tac scratches coins. Pity since it really did lift the tarnish (or whatever) off.

Interesting - think I see this on the best of my 1985s too. Maybe slightly smaller beads and shallower text. Sam

Hi folks - have been enjoying reading your discussion! The gap between the portcullis and crossbar was a new one on me. I started looking at microvarieties a month ago after finding Tony Clayton's website: http://www.coins-of-the-uk.co.uk/coins.html You guys found 110, 113 and 109 beads around the reverse. Here's my 800+ pence-worth of observations on the obverses... 5 obverse border beading microvarieties on the 1p Spink #B1: Second Portrait 1971, 73-76: 111 beads and first D points at bead 77-81: still 111 beads but first D points between beads Sp#B2: Second Portrait, now "ONE PENNY" 1982-84: still 111 beads and first D points between beads Sp#B3: Third Portrait 1985 only: 112 beads 1986-88: 109 beads 1989 only: 110 beads 1990-91: back to 109 beads Sp#B4: Third Portrait, now copper-plated steel 1992-97: still 109 beads Sp#B5: Fourth Portrait 1998-99: 115 beads 2000-08: back to 110 beads I just gotta wonder why...! Haven't found multiple varieties in a year - yet. Will be back with annotated photos and frequencies when I get a chance. Cheers, Sam