Paddy

Certainly looks like transfer of newsprint to me.

Definitely odd! As a "one-off" it is only ever going to have curiosity value. I wonder if it could be a blank from another country with reeded edges that has got jammed into the UK 1p dies? How do its dimensions and weight compare with a regular 1p?

Ah, but I asked AI and it confirmed I am Spartacus! So it must be true!

Very interesting items! Not something I would collect, but definitely intriguing. I suspect when they were made unscrupulous dealers were rooking credulous pilgrims. Nothing has really changed!

Not sure, but I don't think Indian. The writing appears to be using Roman letters but the style is crude for Roman Imperial. Maybe Roman provincial?

@coinkat's OP mentioned "blue book" so I assumed the blue folders were what we were talking about. I have encountered the posher Bookshelf albums that @Bronze & Copper Collector refers to, but I don't recall the colour of those? They were an improvement in storing coins, but seem to have been much less popular - possibly much more expensive? The blue folders were a great way for a young collector to get started, particularly when many of the coins could still be picked up in circulation.

They were certainly popular in the UK and still turn up at auctions here occasionally. I have seen all the way from farthings to Half Crowns, with the earliest catering for coins back to 1860 I believe. I can't say they were a great way to store coins, frequently losing their grip, and I have seen many coins sticky taped into place! I don't believe they ever went decimal, so I guess they ceased in the early 1970s.

I'm not the expert on these, but that looks like Lauer toy money.

Site seemed to be down most of the morning - only just got back in. Any ideas what caused the issue?

I got my first Charles III 5p in change today - 2023.

I don't have Gouby and I haven't really got into these date width varieties, but I get from the above that mine is Ba?

There are hole drills without the centre drills - like these: A hole punch would leave different damage and would certainly have deformed the reverse.

Someone has started drilling it with a hole drill and given up. Or maybe it was being used as a backstop when they were drilling something else.

Now I know how non-coin people feel when they see our conversations on varieties!

I messaged them too and have just had a reply - thanking me and saying they have taken the item down.