Red Riley

er... halfpenny

This sort of thing tends to get done to coins from time to time. It was probably just somebody with a bit of time to kill, some kind of tool and an old penny...

I think that due to their relative size and thinness, if that's a word, pennies were always among the most difficult coins to produce and it required a great deal of skill to get a heavy obverse design onto the planchet without damaging the reverse. Plus of course, they were made in far greater numbers than any other coin. I just wonder if, for the reason that future supplies of steel were uncertain, the mint stockpiled worn out but uncracked dies in case they were needed in future and in the case of pennies they were! Don't forget that the reverse in this period could also be pretty shocking. So my hypothesis on why pennies are so appalling in this period is: 1) They were the most difficult coin to produce and were thus most easily affected by skill shortages; and 2) As they were produced in greater numbers than anything else, if there was a complete embargo on the mint acquiring steel, as it was needed for tanks, warships etc. penny dies would have to be used to produce more coins, ergo they were more worn out than those used for halfpennies, farthings etc. I think different denominations revealed the lack of skill which went into their production in different ways, again entirely unscientific, but I have a 1916 2/6d in GEF with a very 'soft' strike and a completely flattened rim on the obverse - once more probably due to a worn die, but in this design the effigy is rather recessed meaning it isn't the highest point and therefore the die wears first elsewhere. Anyway, an interesting subject for somebody else to research!

Yeah, not sure where they've gone. I'm sure they were still there last time I looked (in February). He seems to be opening a new shop and setting up a new website. Not certain why this has stopped him listing on Online Coins though.

It is strange though that despite using the original portrait, the years 1911-13 (but not the 1912H) and 1921-6 rarely show symptoms of ghosting (although 1926 MEs do have other problems). However, between those dates pennies more often than not have the tell-tale halo round Britannia. I would slightly take issue with £400 (puts on crash helmet and hides under table!) in that it did seem to get solved - I have seldom seen anything from 1921 to 1926 with much in the way of ghosting. Most designs seem to suffer from it to some extent and in some examples, but I would suggest that by that stage pennies were no worse than any other contemporary design. The worst years were probably 1915-19 which, allowing for a slight time lag coincided with the First World War and its attendant shortages of materials and skilled manpower. In fact, the pennies produced during this period were amongst the worst-made coins of the modern era. An interesting topic Mr Russ, which us old stagers will be quite familiar with but collectors of more tender years will probably know little about.

Credit where it's due, although I think I've bought very little from Cambridge Coins, I have generally thought their grading stood up to scrutiny. Run by a guy called Dave Allen who, as far as I know, is absolutely no relation!

They look like genuine scratches, so for me no the photo shows no evidence of cleaning. To be honest not far off EF, although these late Young Head 2/6ds are often poorly struck so once again would need seeing in the hand.

Have to say I was thinking GVF, although the second lot of photos look better than the first, but grading is meaningless if you paid the right money.

Yes why not, looks interesting Huss.

I haven't got one, but could do the photography if someone would post it to me.

We're not mental, in a mad world we're the only sane ones - or most of us are, we have had one or two fruit cakes posting on here from time to time! I have two collections amassed in fits and starts over the last 40 years; 1) Date/major variety collection of pennies, initially bronze only but now extending back to 1797 with every available date covered (bar the 1933 syndrome pieces) - 120 bronze, 27 copper - average grade of bronze coins c. EF+. It's actually a nice collection but took ages and a lot of wonga to put together; 2) Everything else. I started out trying to collect one example of every English/British 'type' since 1658. Well I never completed it, and probably never will now. Aside of this I have examples of Roman, Greek, Celtic, mediaeval, tokens, coins from the major European nations and the U.S.A. I am now reconsidering not only my collection but my position within the hobby, nothing decided yet but may post in greater detail when I've had a good think...

Certainly doesn't need cleaning. Leave it as it is.

Hi, I will never sold the half penny because it is best George II halfpenny in my collection; About 1849 penny - I can not send coins to most of the world because rules of Bulgarian mail (I can receive but can not to ship), UK and Germany are also forbidden countries this year for coins and other valuable items. So I will open maybe BiN with offer option on US-ebay . Thanks... Not certain I agree re the Brasso - doesn't look like it to me; of course, having the coin in the hand would confirm it but Bulgaria's a long way away... The 1849 penny really isn't much more than Fair but they are saleable in any condition. A couple of years back I bought one in similar condition (but without the bend) for £220 just as a filler. On that basis, would recommend a 'Buy it Now' of maybe £180-200.

Hi Billie, I think you might have mis-read 'r's for 'x's which makes this an 1872 florin - actually the commonest of the bunch, but having said that, in decent condition they all have a reasonable value. Obviously would need to see the coin to give an opinion. There are various wheezes to restore that lost patina - if you have all the time in the world, leave it on the window sill for a year or two to catch the full sunlight with perhaps a gentle rub with a licked finger on the affected parts. Across the Atlantic, collectors often bake them in potatoes - I just say that for what it's worth, I've never tried it! An interesting (well to me anyway) point about these coins is that they have a tiny die number just below the bust - some are said to be worth more than others.

So you must have a rear wheel drive BMW or Merc. All that weight in the boot improves grip no end, especially in the snow.

There is much more detail in the crown though, to the extent that they are almost two different designs. In my view the gothic crown is an all-time great and a 'must have' for collectors of great coin designs worldwide. Whereas the bulk of wreath crowns are likely to still be in the UK, I have a feeling that gothics will be widely scattered, and this in itself may have an affect on the price.

My gothic in GEF+ cost £575, a few years ago mind. I'm not complaining, I think it's probably beaten the stock market. Personally, I think Gothics are dear not because of the mintage, but because they are that good - nothing else comes close.

I'd give it GF/F.

Its a polished GF To my mind it's one hell of a bi-grade. The obverse seems to be seems to be weakly struck and GF, whilst the reverse is nearer GVF. UNC it ain't.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but unless they are in stunning condition then apart from the 1919 3d (which is 92.5% silver and has a scrap value), everything else is to all intents and purposes worthless - there are literally millions of this sort of old coin kicking about and demand is zero. Can't unfortunately comment on the Spanish coins but suspect the same applies there too.

Look, I don't think posting such things is a good idea. There are plenty of American members of this forum and many of them are extremely knowledgeable. I know it may have been thoughtless rather than malicious on your part, but perhaps you ought to think a little before making such comments. Some people may well take offence.

Right, let's see what we can pick out of that: Coin A is a 'Bull Head' halfcrown. Condition? Phew... erm... probably around VF but the quality of photos is such that this really is a stab in the dark. Cash-in value, maybe £20-£30. Coin B is a 'Small Head' halfcrown, produced later in the year, not in such good condition as A, say £12. Coins I & J are respectively a shilling (larger one) and a sixpence from Queen Victoria's Jubilee Year. This is a very common year and a lot have survived. I am really struggling to grade them on what I can see, but probably not much more than £5 for the two. The other sixpences, value almost zip although the George V one has a silver content and therefore a small scrap value. Coin K could be a 1/4d, 1/2d or 1d from 1806-7. No idea of condition based on the photo, but I think probably a 1/4d on what I can see. Value probably negligible especially since you struggled to read the date! I know nothing of medals unfortunately. Hope this helps a bit.

I am going to ignore that.

The weight is usually the giveaway - the genuine article should be approx. 28.35g but if you inherited it or got it from an unimpeachable source then the chances of it being a duffer are slim. The photo shows the type of toning I would have expected from the genuine article but you can never be absolutely certain based on a photograph. I don't know whether any 'genuine' marked reproductions have been made but most are 'genuine forgeries' and emenate from the Far East, made with the sole intention of defrauding collectors.

Nope, it's a Gothic crown as Rory surmised in what looks like at least EF condition. Value some way north of £1k as long as it isn't a forgery which is quite possible.