JLS

With the obverse damage that’s really a net fair to me...

Interesting that it's also in BHM - will have a look when I next get a chance. Definitely not a filled die, and hard to see it as damage to the die from normal use when the rim and inner circle are unaffected, although it's impossible to completely rule this out,. My theory is that someone tried to replace the "Pope" on the original die with something (it looks vaguely like "PAID" to me; would make sense if this is really a 1/4d token as presumed by Withers) but damaged the die in the process so that the tokens struck were unsatisfactory.

Recently was pleased to pick up an example of the very rare W860 1/4d issued by the coiner T Pope & Co. of Birmingham. Later noticed that the name of "POPE" appears to have been crudely obliterated from the die - replaced by a random series of raised marks. I don't think this is merely damage to the token because the raised marks left look nothing like POPE. Alternative explanations most welcome !

I did some measuring using image editing software. It seems that the upright bars of all three letters are roughly the same thickness - and height. The lower bar of the second L is significantly shorter (about 10%) than the lower bar of the first L/E though.

The second "L" actually has a very strange shape - I compared my other 1700 and 1701 specimens and all have the usual wedge shaped bottom, even the well worn ones. Suspect I'm not going to find out what was going on with this die unless another coin with this obverse die turns up.

Recently picked up this 1701 halfpenny. The obverse legend appears to read GVEIELMVS with an E replacing the first L. Any thoughts ? Not listed in Peck.

I don’t think they’re really needed for most of the British series. For the French series though, where rarity of mintmarks etc. in the 19th century coinage is pretty decoupled from prices they can be quite useful.

People seem to be willing to pay a lot more for coins with lustre in this series for some reason. Here’s a nice brown one on eBay at a sensible price: https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F382649170075

Yeah - if you dipped it would still be a problem coin. The AT on the obverse looks disgusting though. Doesn’t look like she’s getting any better with practice.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/123867267564 People are actually bidding on Marlybob's "toned" junk....

Lovely condition too ! Have you sent these photos on to Paul Withers ?

The W4640 is great - nice to see it for the first time ! Do you have examples of any of the other ones the Withers couldn't find ? I don't own any "RRR" pieces yet, although I have a few "RR" tokens.

Nice piece - I like the swan ! That's a plausible theory. My piece does have gilding inside the stamped initials on the reverse. Don't know if that precludes the letters having been stamped after the piece was gilded.

Here is another item from my "unofficial farthing" collection - actually probably a gaming counter. I've seen the same obverse die used for a "To Hanover" token. Anyone familiar with these blank reverse/initialed pieces ?

Please do !

I've not been collecting the unofficial farthings for long but I have a fair few now. I agree that it's really difficult to find perfect specimens of any of these - I don't want to buy the common gilded tokens unless they have complete and unworn gilding, which is starting to look like an unreasonable expectation ! My main areas of interest in British numismatics are 18th century tokens and countermarked/engraved coins from the 18th and 19th centuries, so it's a natural continuation. Most of my coin budget goes on thalers so it's nice to collect a field where rarities aren't too expensive yet ! Do you collect the series ?

Recently picked up this unofficial farthing token - W.B. Reeves of Birmingham, 1867 dated type (Withers 870). Not the nicest grade but tough to find.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/254319712890 "Authentic coin", countermark described as "fantasy". Why anyone would pay anything for this I don't know. It's not even a good fantasy - the S.F. Maria Theresa thalers have only been minted since 1853 - looks like a 20th century Vienna coin. The guy is selling a lot of other countermarked "fantasies". Wonder where they come from... ...ah.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/264303363972 Not old and not "mixed continents" either...would be a welcome addition to my tourist fake collection if the vendor would budge on price a little...

Beyond the ludicrous price, it either is overcleaned or fake.

Another Spence piece... rare "Coaly Tyne" token struck with the broken obverse die ! Sadly with a bit of PVC residue on it - anyone got any tips for professional conservation in the UK (I know about NCS stateside) ? I don't like the idea of cleaning a token this pricey myself.

You could try strong acid on them - I had a similarly ugly billion coin of 18th century Italy which was cleanable. There will still be heavy pitting on the surfaces though.

Another recent Spence purchase... (2/5+)

Ah, that's a book I'd really like - just don't like the price-tag. I will have a look in a library copy if I get a chance.

That’s also a Spence token, I believe - it exists in farthing-sized format.