IanB

Very interesting history. Any idea where the "coin sized nickled models" would have ended up. Are these test pieces normally destroyed or are they in some vault somewhere?

As you say a piece of social history. I hope it gave the poor bugger who was holding it in the bottom of a muddy trench some comfort. I also hope he survived and went on to live a long life.

No need to go on eBay for it. Boots sell it in small bottles for a pound or two. Otherwise find your nearest hairdresser supplies company, they will sell it in five litre containers.

Thanks Matt, I must learn to line up my colons a bit better. Ian

I am trying to identify the dies used on this 1921 penny but not having much luck. Would you mind casting an eye over it and letting me know what you think please. Could I also ask if you can point out the indicators to me. Apologies if its not a good quality photo, I had to use my mobile phone Thank you

Thank you Santa, two very useful belated Christmas presents, your hard work is appreciated

I have just clicked on the link and it is telling me that it does not exist

I have a theory on this and it may well be wrong. I think it may be an apprentices test piece. Made oversize as they learn the process of manufacture. Other types of apprentices do similar things but in reverse, furniture makers make half size models to test them. However as a coin is small to begin with it would make sense for the apprentice to make it larger when learning. The double stamping would not have stretched it, if it had Britannia would be double struck with one figure smaller than the other whearas the reverse is clearly rotated by a few degrees. There is more rotation the further away from the centre hence less error at the point where the trident touches the leg. Also both sides would have been effected if double stamping had made it bigger. it is possibly thinner because they somehow used a standard size blank which would have had to have made slightly larger before being stamped. just a theory imo

There is no way that this has gone through a set of rollers. If it had the detail would be stretched. It would also no longer be flat. Rolling tends to curve metals as the pressure changes along the length of the item being rolled. Also the letters would be distorted

I don't think it has gone through rollers, it would be elongated or at least oval.

I would think if one is looking at coins as a long term investment then that person would need a combination of many things; knowledge of the subject, the money to make considered purchases and then be able to have that money tied up in something long enough to see the returns, and a large pinch of luck being in the right place at the right time to buy the right coins. If that person has all of that and possibly other traits I am not aware of then they should go for it. Personally I do not see coin collecting as a money making investment for the future, a £70 coin will probably not be worth huge amounts even after 20 years. However I do believe there is the potential to make short term profits by looking at the trends and buying at the right price along with a bit of luck. Just my opinion, and please do not take it in any other way. Keep enjoying the hobby

£27 what a result, wish I would have spotted it.

IMO it is. The tide is below the junction where the legs meet. hope I have that right

I should clarify and add that I was carrying the capsule around for a couple of days in my bag so there was probably more movement than if it was in a drawer or something similar. However it did annoy me and I will make sure in future that I have a snug fit rather than a loose fit. (No double entendre intended)

Being new to coin capsules the only problem I have found with them and it is a lesson learnt for me which is to get the right size capsule for the coin. I had a coin in a capsule that was probably 1mm bigger than the coin. This small movement was enough for a high point on the coin to rub against the inside of the capsule and remove some of the tone. It put me off capsules and now I put my coins in 2 x 2 flips.

That is a serious looking haul. I thought I had gone a bit crazy buying a couple last night but it looks like you have surpassed me

That's the rest of my evening taken care of then the 4 B+B have a flat edge as per your previous message, the rest of the coin jar has just been poured back over the dining room table so I can re-find the other ones and check them out. As long as it's all cleared away before she comes back home, she will never know what I have been up to. I will probably leave a few empty beer cans laying around along with an empty crisp packet just to make her feel better about going out and leaving me to fend for myself tonight.

Indeed it does, thank you Nuts. A picture paints a thousand words. I was surprised how many 1992 10p I had in the change jar, it must have been a popular year. unfortunatly no dot to dot version but I did find 4 B+B types, the rest are A+A its a wild night in my house tonight, the wife is out so decided to sift through the change, now that's done I am reorganising the coin album. She probably thinks I am up to no good, bless her.

Is there a picture available so I can compare, also are we saying if the L and I line up also then it is an example of one of these 10p?

I thought Pete had a few of those spare that he was going to sell off. £30 including postage

If the decision was go for the higher grade and except some kind of fault, would there be a scale of which fault trumped the other? So for example would verdigris be preferred over cleaning or would corrosion be worse than dipping?

Have you got a picture of the obverse?

I like it.

They sure are pretty. They make my bits of bronze look like the poor relation.

Can we have some pictures please