The Bee

Bother ! Many thanks Terry, I thought I'd managed to upgrade my current small date 1905 - I'll have to try again Very Best Regards

Last but not least (I think) another circulated 1905 Penny with the smaller 0. An upgrade on my previous circulated example !

Many thanks copper123. Its circulated and a bit worn, but I'm pleased with the 1849, as I am with 1844 (previously shared), 1851, and 1859, but my sole 1852 in the tray will need upgrading I wondered if there is something under the 4 in 1849 ? There is something sticking out under the foot of the 4, which should be blank I think. Of less interest, I also spotted a repair to the A in GRATIA (A next to A) which someone has kindly pointed out with the ding ! Very Best Regards

This is my 1849 Farthing which I bought a while back (just arrived today). Its a new date and I realistically it completes my Queen Victoria date run for Farthings (Copper and Bronze). Only upgrades and possibly varieties to add when I can spot them .. Also my "okay" 1867 Penny (I have far worse in my date run !) . Not intending to upgrade this one Very Best Regards

Many thanks to Jerry, Terry, and Richard, for confirming its F78 the ribbons are close together Anyway I am very pleased with it. If it had been identified as "ja" reverse then it would have been well out of my reach. Given the prices pennies go for it is probably the only "ja" I will own Incidentally it was one of the lots sold very recently a part of the John Hill collection by Gorringes, who I've bought the odd newspaper from occasionally .. but this was the first time bidding with them on coins. (I'd originally aimed to try to upgrade either of my 1864 pennies !) Very Best Regards

Many thanks again Richard for confirming it was ja and if the photos are helpful, please do use them. It came with what I believe is an 1875 Gouby Lk (so normal penny variety for 1875) in the same condition. Very Best Regards

Hi Jerry, It was described as "1874, older head, small date, Fr. 72, Gouby dies K/j, about UNC, much lustre." Which would be F72 Here is the Obverse

Many thanks Richard for confirming, even with the website and "The British Bronze Penny", this is one that still confuses me. It is a 1874 with the description " j " and I thought it might be a "ja" Very Best Regards

Reverse j or ja ? Hi, I have great difficulty in telling the difference between reverse j and reverse ja Great to get your thoughts ! Very Best Regards

Many thanks Martin, Always worth asking and confirming - but terminal moraine is very appropriate ! It still amazes me how easily the surface of bronze can be displaced in this way Very Best Regards

1938 Halfpenny Reverse - Post Mint Damage ? Wondered if this was another incidence of post mint damage Great to get your thoughts - especially on the "E" in Penny Very Best Regards

What an amazing repair ! (some kind of partial letter punch) Very Best Regards

Hi I had a read of Iain Dracott's 2021 article "New Varieties" in Coin News [many thanks Gary] In it he mentions an 1860 Halfpenny, 1 + A, "E" over L I wondered, does anyone have an example of an 1860 Halfpenny, 1 + A, "E" over L, or a photo of an example ? Very Best Regards

Many thanks Peckris 2 2) sounds a good hypothesis which would drive 3)

Hi Bob, Is there something sticking out of the curve of the B ? Very Best Regards

1860 Halfpenny Reverse "REG" 1 A Hi, I think this is an E over E (in REG) ??? Best Regards

1861 Halfpenny F or E ? I'd like it to be an, F but the angles look to more closely match an E ? Best Regards

F and E over B in Britt on 1861 Halfpenny Out of curiosity, I was comparing in a very basic way, the normal upper limb of the F and E (which is the "bit" we can see in the F and E over BRITT. Apologies if I've missed something but I do think they are quite different - for example the angle of the end of the upper limb \ . I wondered if we could use this to evidence that we have an F over B and an E over B ? Best Regards

Hi, Here is the obverse and reverse of 1861 Halfpenny along with the previously posted E over B. Bob kindly suggested I post it here for comparison purposes - I would have been a bit quicker but I've been side tracked reading some of the many informative halfpenny posts. There is so much that I couldn't find the E or F over B post history (which I know I've seen before!) - best therefore to tag it on the end. Halfpennies may be a bit less collectable than pennies - but the upside is of course (as everyone knows) that they are more affordable - or at least I've been finding them so ! I will try to identify some more from my trays and post any that I struggle with for feedback from the experts What does puzzle me though - given the immense variety in QV Bronze pennies and Halfpennies - I would expect a similar number of varieties with Farthings - possibly even more so, maybe I'm wrong but this doesn't seem to the the case. I guess fewer were produced and possibly the dies needed fewer repairs Best Regards !

And another minor one ... 1881 Farthing H mint, which I think its an H next to H (rather than damage). Fairly common I would expect but still nice to find as I re-order all my Bronze Victoria Farthings Best Regards

1865 Farthing - Victoria ? Hi I was started sorting out some more Farthings , finding (not a surprise) a few repairs that were new to me This is from an 1865 Farthings I wondered - is it post mint damage or something else ? Very Best Regards

Many thanks the feedback Peckris 2. On checking further all of the obverse legend has a similar "offset" as if the die slightly rotated. Possibly QV head is slightly rotated too For example on the right hand side you can see the same for G R A and the teeth again show "die bounce" while on the Left Hand Side Victoria's Nose and Lip etc is probably best evidence And many thanks to Bronze and Copper Collector for the 1854 Penny date, which I'd not seen before Very Best Regards

1853 Halfpenny - Wondered if this was damage or an attempt to repair Victoria's Nose ? Hi Hope all's well I have working through my pre 1860 copper halfpenny's and noticed this for 1853. It looks as if it might be a repair to her nose and lip ? Victoria Dei Gratia doesn't look as if it is "doubled" in a similar way - maybe it was mint damage as I can see a trace of what I think is the shield from the reverse "hanging down" from her ribbon at the back of her head Any thoughts ? Very Best Regards

1854 Halfpenny I quite often seem to find up repairs to the numbers in dates pre 1860 I think this is first time I've found all the numbers in the date moved slightly to the right (what looks like) the same amount I wondered if the date had been doubled rather than repaired ? Very Best Regards

Many thanks Rob, So there is a Master Die, made out of particularly tough material that is used to create further dies, which need the last two digits added, to mint the halfpenny So, if I check my other 1850's Halfpennies, I should find the same "tooth" on other dates Here is my 8 over 6 / R over R in GRATIA (I think that there is a blob at end of the foot of the E in DEI) Very Best Regards