Hussulo

It could be a struck through fragment error. Where a small piece of metal fragment has been struck onto the planchet and merged with the coin.

Yes I saw it. It is an error a brockage infact. "A brockage occurs when a coin is struck and then sticks to usually the bottom die. Then a new planchet is fed in and struck. The original coin that was stuck then acts as a sort of die and leaves an incuse reverse image on the other side of the second coin. Brockages can be found which are miss-aligned and partial. The most sought after type are the "full" or "mirror" brockage, where the image is fully centred and a mirror of the opposite side." Is it worth £595. Well it was to the bidders bidding on it but personally I wouldn't have paid that much for it. I have got two now a Penny which I paid £220 (eBay) for last year: and a gothic florin which I bought for £250 (Lockdales) not long ago:

You're welcome, Hus

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Nice coin Gary, You haven't pictures of a normal 1911 6d for comparison by any chance?

The over date seems so obvious, I wonder how they missed it! It must have been friday late afternoon coming up to clocking of time when that sailed through NGC. A rare and lovely coin, nice catch Rob.

If only I had that kind of money to spend on a coin I would have quite happily bought it.

A lot of dosh for a gothic crown. Personally I think the one in Baldwin's sale last year was nicer, albeit a bit more expensive. On the collecting side of things, I thought the 1839/41 proof halfpenny was a lot more interesting. Nice proof Rob, Good price too. You weren't the lucky bidder by any chance?

$36,800 (including buyers fees) realised for Gothic Proof Crown at Heritage. Link to coin

Dentist oh no! That should be cutting it close. Good thing your not going to the emergency dentist in the UK I’ve heard a couple of horror stories locally. People going into get fillings done and getting their teeth pulled out instead, as it is quicker and cheaper for the emergency dentist. Plus it’s quite hard to get on a dentists list here. I had a lot of trouble getting back with a local dentist after I left the Royal Navy as I was no longer on my local dentists books. So are you back to the UK for business or pleasure?

All 1658/7 Cromwell crowns show this flaw at some stage of development so this shouldn't be a worry. The flaw on this coin is at a relatively early stage. If you look in Spink 2007 it shows the flaw in a later stage. I'd worry about the MS64 grade though. It looks as if there is obverse wear at the eyebrow, to the hair in front of the ear and lower down. The laurel leaf edges look a bit devoid of toning as well which would indicate light wear. The reverse has light wear to the lion and at the top right of the shield. There is also a possible rim mark at B& in the obverse legend. I'd give it good EF at best (which in US grading company parlance means MS62-64 bearing in mind that MS60 is typically no better than EF). In NGC's favour, at least they gave it the PF prefix applicable to patterns and proofs which is technically correct as they were never circulated and so remain patterns. Sometimes these Cromwell patterns are given MS prefixes which is wrong. It seems NGC have graded some Cromwell half crowns as business strike ie MS**. Link to NGC census Rob I'm sure I have read somewhere that there is on going debate into whether or not the Cromwell coins are patterns or just rare. I remember reading that a contemporary account of the day said that there where quite a few Cromwell coins circulating but that they were quite worn. Is it possible that these coins were at some point melted to be used in other monarch's reigns, thus making the remaining Cromwell pieces rare? Edited to add: Having never had the chance or privilege to examine one in hand, I cannot pass judgment. In your experience does the strike and legend etc. make the balance sway for these coins being patterns? They were never proclaimed legal tender by Parliament as Cromwell died before production got into full swing, so technically must be considered patterns. I'm sure some limited numbers will have circulated unofficially because you come across pieces that are really worn from time to time and there is nothing to suggest that people had any more scruples then than now. The short time between production and the accession of Charles II would mean only limited opportunity to circulate these and certainly would have been frowned on post-1660. Most Cromwell pieces are not particularly rare. Thanks for clarifying that for me Rob. Indeed you make a valid point "the accession of Charles II would mean only limited opportunity to circulate these and certainly would have been frowned on post-1660". As far as I can gather the public were behind Charles II and 59 signed the Death Warrant to execute his farther Charles I. Oliver Cromwell was the third.

All 1658/7 Cromwell crowns show this flaw at some stage of development so this shouldn't be a worry. The flaw on this coin is at a relatively early stage. If you look in Spink 2007 it shows the flaw in a later stage. I'd worry about the MS64 grade though. It looks as if there is obverse wear at the eyebrow, to the hair in front of the ear and lower down. The laurel leaf edges look a bit devoid of toning as well which would indicate light wear. The reverse has light wear to the lion and at the top right of the shield. There is also a possible rim mark at B& in the obverse legend. I'd give it good EF at best (which in US grading company parlance means MS62-64 bearing in mind that MS60 is typically no better than EF). In NGC's favour, at least they gave it the PF prefix applicable to patterns and proofs which is technically correct as they were never circulated and so remain patterns. Sometimes these Cromwell patterns are given MS prefixes which is wrong. It seems NGC have graded some Cromwell half crowns as business strike ie MS**. Link to NGC census Rob I'm sure I have read somewhere that there is on going debate into whether or not the Cromwell coins are patterns or just rare. I remember reading that a contemporary account of the day said that there where quite a few Cromwell coins circulating but that they were quite worn. Is it possible that these coins were at some point melted to be used in other monarch's reigns, thus making the remaining Cromwell pieces rare? Edited to add: Having never had the chance or privilege to examine one in hand, I cannot pass judgment. In your experience does the strike and legend etc. make the balance sway for these coins being patterns?

Any pictures josie? I think it was probably done after minting, unless it is a double struck coin.

Thanks Tom I'll second that. Nice to see you are a modern man. It wasn't many years ago that the father was expected to and was kept well out of the way during the birth of their children, women's work and all that. Have you thought of a video phone, best of both worlds Thanks Gary. A video phone now that’s an idea! but she would like me to hold her hand as well and I draw the line at cutting my hand off just to go to Coinex.

Thanks Tom

Hi James, I collect coins as a hobby first and investment second. I am trying to complete a couple of separate collections 1/3 farthing set, Shillings, always collecting British errors and lately siege coins. It would be great to think that my collection goes up in value and I have something to leave the kids. So In that sense I am in your boat too. Regards, Hus

You'll be fine, the first one's always late. I'm happy to take the gamble, but the baby is due on the 6th of October so there isn't a chance my bread knife would let me attend. Joking aside before you all think I'm a bad dad I wouldn't miss my baby’s birth for all the tea or coins in China.

I would love to go, but that's when my first baby is due!

Just a guess, but probably the fine work pieces of James 1st should be considered proofs as some of these and the subsequent Charles 1st fine work pieces have highly reflective fields and are struck on as round a flan as could be expected from hammered issues. Similarly for the patterns of this era which are struck on obviously specially prepared flans. It is possible that there were a few made to similar standards in Elizabeth 1st 's reign too. In terms of milled, the 1662 crown (ESC 16) is a good contender. Thats great thanks for the info Rob. You wouldn't happen to know when the first mirrored field/ polished die proofs where produced would you?

Just out of interest what was the first British proof to be produced?

Oh never Not normally, luckily my wife’s dad is a coin nut so she has been brought up round them. Although I'm not as lucky as Rob because she won't encourage me either. She just lets me get on with it. James I know the Hydro well it’s a nice hotel.

In my honest opinion its two coins joined together. If it was original the edge would be normal and you would not have a join. What they have done in this example is to file or sand down the reverses of two coins and join them. I bet you the weight isn't correct. I have an example the same and one were the reverse has been machined out and even though the edge is ok you can make out a small line around one of the border. If I have time over the weekend I will take pictures of them to compare. These forgers/pranksters were quite fiendishly good at their work.

NICE !!!!!!!!!

Interesting link, thanks josie. Now where did I put my metal detector?

Yes I too have a Vicky one. The only real way you can tell is to look at it through magnification. That's not to say real ones don't exist however they are quite are rare and valuable. I have only seen genuine British examles on more modern coins from the 1970's. I have got a two tailed coin but it's not British.