Bronze & Copper Collector

No harm in asking at all. An open 3 is a very rare variety of 1903 where the 3 in the date has its top and bottom strokes pointing to the left (as in normal writing). The common type has a stylised 3 where the top and bottom strokes curl towards each other, and the whole effect looks like an 8 more, but with a little piece missing from the left hand side. (Very hard to explain in words - there are plenty of threads in this forum where members have put up comparison pictures). I'm 90% certain (from the picture you put up) that your 1903 is the regular variety, not the open 3. It is the normal 3....

Mal Lewendon is a member of this forum if I am not mistaken. I seem to remember getting my copy of the disk from him via this forum. Last seen sunning himself in France I believe Agreed, invaluable but I feel there is room for improvement. Sorry Mal. There is ALWAYS room for improvement..........

But to give proper credit, I believe his disk and some of the information within, is based upon the research of Iain Dracott who published 3 part article on the Victorian Bunheads several years ago in Coin News (? not at home right now, and I'm not sure if that is the name of the monthly magazine)... I have expanded my collection to include the Dracott varieties and even some newer prior undiscovered varieties... (i.e. Gary Bretts 1861 R/B in BRITT, my 1873 obv 7 rev c#, etc) That being said, it is an invaluable reference disk to have... a tool that no Victorian Bunhead collector should be without...

£260 now....

Item Removed.... I WISH I had that ability... LOL.... I meant that I had looked to see what the listing was, and I got a message that the item was removed..... how did you do that?

I've got a few of the milled edge specimens.... All from the mid 1890's... I'll check my 1919 KN's when I get home.....

Item Removed....

just as a basic start... Freeman Gouby Peck Bramah Batty Satin (Jerrams) Bressett Seaby Spink Krause World Haven't even started to list US books

Agreed. After all, it's not only a piece of history but it is also the history of the piece. An EXCELLENT turn of words...... and very true....

I started to make a list and it has become a project.... I didn't realize how many reference books I had.... I'll try to post as I get them listed..... Started as a text list, decided to put it in excel....

Certainly at least one.....

What a fascinating and most interesting piece of history. Thanks for sharing that with us. You're quite welcome.... Often the hunt for information regarding an unusual find, is the real fun of collecting.....

I thought the Ladies Loo theory was more interesting It was... But now we also have an insight as to security measures that were taken at the time....

I have found them to be extremely helpful when they have the information......

Other thread has information from Royal Mint that the token posted in THAT thread was from there.... This item was post mint

I've only found the 2 in the past 8-10 years or so..... So they definitely are UNCOMMON.... especially with so few acknowledged

Response from the Royal Mint fairly confirms my suspicions that this is indeed a post mint abomination....

I received a response from the Royal Mint today, as follows: Thank you for your enquiry of 26 January. Your Royal Mint token is an obsolete pass-out check used by the industrial staff at the old mint at Tower Hill in London between 1925 and 1945. The system is explained by the attached Office Notice of 4 July 1925 and as you will see a distinguishing letter was used for each of the rooms or sections of the factory. In the case of your specimen the distinguishing letter is the ‘L’ which relates to what was known as the Inland Revenue Department where postage embossing dies, dating plugs and plates for stamps were made. But we can offer no explanation for the incuse letter ‘W’. We do have one of these pass-out checks in the Royal Mint collection. It bears the distinguishing letter ‘A’ to denote the Melting House but there is no incuse letter. If you ever decide to dispose of your specimen, you might like to think of us as we would be interested in obtaining additional examples. With respect to the other piece, we are inclined to think from the photographs that this is not a brockage and, indeed, does not emanate from the Royal Mint. Yours sincerely Joseph Payne Assistant Curator The Royal Mint Page 1 of Office Notice Page 2 of Office Notice

The Triple F was obvious.... I was going to place a low bid on it, but it slipped my mind as I had some other pressing obligations to take care of..... I did not notice the other oddities....

WELL DONE!!!!!

Tempting.....

The mont? I hope they said "Good moaning" to you! That's what happens when I don't stop and proof read what I type......

Just got am email back from the mont... Said that they would do some research and try to get back to me within a weeks time.... Will keep you all posted....

If you can find one with the W replaced by a C, P or S, then your answer lies near your feet. Just inform us BCC what is the reply of tne mint. W weight C, coin cents P penny pence S shilling,star,sol,sun? L ladies lad men Libra unit of weight. Just a comment. Just got am email back from the mont... Said that they would do some research and try to get back to me within a weeks time.... Will keep you all posted....

Hi Gary, got that one unfortunatly its not exactly square to the camera and if you do have a pic of the one you sold then that too will be useful. Hi Gary, I have emailed you the images of the coin that I sold.... It's dark, but it's all I have..... I will try to take a better image of the specimen in my collection later today.... Regards, Gary