Penny Acquisition of the week

[1949threepence]

1 hour ago, Guest Sam_guest041 said:

Shill bidding or is this really worth something

THE COIN'S LINK

I don't reckon it's shill bidding - not enough bids. Moreover, the winning bid is a snipe in the last few seconds of the auction. The relatively high bid for what looks like junk, maybe because it's thought to be a rare die pairing. I'm not 100% sure what the pairing actually is, because the coin is so worn. Pretty sure it's reverse D, but although the obverse doesn't look like 6, there isn't any obvious cut out at the base of the bust, present on all other 1861 obverses with or without an L C WYON, but the lack of which, distinctly hallmarks a 6. So not certain. Hopefully someone else can help. Don't think it can be obverse 6 as the spacing of the letters in Victoria is closer than a 6, and the top of the head isn't as close to the rim as it would be with a 6.

Edited December 3, 2016 by 1949threepence

[Guest Sam_guest041]

Looks like a Rev D as I can see the W of LCW and my belief is further bolstered by the presence of the flying boat. However the Obv is not straightforward, so by elimination it is not an Obv 6 because the leading wreath leaf points to the place where the top colon would have been. Not an Obv 5 because there is no gap where the LCWYON would have been. So it is either an Obv 2, 3, 4. The LCWYON is not clear, the colon dots after F:D:points to a tooth and the rose on bust is complete, which means its not an obverse 2. Leaves obverse 3 and 4 and that's where I am stumped.     

[Bronze & Copper Collector]

I would lean towards an obverse 3...

Buyer was probably looking for an F-21...

 

 

[1949threepence]

Obverse 3 is the logical choice and means the buyer got a bargain.

[Paulus]

I don't often post in here (penny acquisitions) but here is my 1902 F157 penny upgrade acquired today - common or garden I know

Edited December 19, 2016 by Paulus

[azda]

7 hours ago, Paulus said:

I don't often post in here (penny acquisitions) but here is my 1902 F157 penny upgrade acquired today - common or garden I know

Very nice that Paul, even a bit of red felt coming off Britannia' plume there

Edited December 19, 2016 by azda

[PWA 1967]

As you say Paul its a common year but you dont need to look for a better one its quality 

[jelida]

I was pleased to get this in the post today, courtesy of Ebay and some rather blurry images. My suspicion is confirmed, a nice 1915 recessed ear penny, overall toned lustre. I have been looking for a while.

Jerry

[RLC35]

8 minutes ago, jelida said:

I was pleased to get this in the post today, courtesy of Ebay and some rather blurry images. My suspicion is confirmed, a nice 1915 recessed ear penny, overall toned lustre. I have been looking for a while.

Jerry

 

Nice Penny Jerry. The broken tooth is right where it should be! 

[secret santa]

Good spot Jerry - much rarer than 1916.

[RLC35]

34 minutes ago, secret santa said:

Good spot Jerry - much rarer than 1916.

 

And the 1914 is the scarcest of the three! 

[Rob]

27 minutes ago, secret santa said:

Good spot Jerry - much rarer than 1916.

But recessed ears appear to only be collectable in high grade and to penny afficionados. People who just want an example of that year tend not to be interested. Thinking they would have some appeal, I put a pair of recessed ears, both a 1915 & a 1916 in F-VF on for a month (relisted twice and starting for a quid) early on last year and nobody was watching, let alone bidding on them. I eventually stuck them in the melt pile. I think the market for specialist varieties is more rarified than people might think, whatever the denomination or period. Unless it is unbelievably rare, or the vendor is lucky enough to get two specialists chasing a difficult variety, most things seem to languish and maybe sell for a quid, or opening price.

[secret santa]

1 minute ago, Rob said:

But recessed ears appear to only be collectable in high grade and to penny afficionados. People who just want an example of that year tend not to be interested. Thinking they would have some appeal, I put a pair of recessed ears, both a 1915 & a 1916 in F-VF on for a month (relisted twice and starting for a quid) early on last year and nobody was watching, let alone bidding on them. I eventually stuck them in the melt pile. I think the market for specialist varieties is more rarified than people might think, whatever the denomination or period. Unless it is unbelievably rare, or the vendor is lucky enough to get two specialists chasing a difficult variety, most things seem to languish and maybe sell for a quid, or opening price.

I totally agree, Rob - this, to me, is one of the most uninteresting penny varieties. I can never actually spot the recessed ear itself and only go by the broken tooth in the border, and so a variety which only appears to differ by half a tooth has to be pretty esoteric.

[jelida]

I must admit that I wouldn't have dreamt of buying one in only Fine to VF as they are not that scarce in low grade. But with a much smaller pool of high grade coins available, I was pleased to find one at a good price. The 'recess' is quite easy to spot in the hand, much less so from a photo, buts that's where the broken tooth helps. Definitely one for the series completist.

Is there really a 1914 recessed ear? If so, does it have the broken tooth or not?

Jerry

[secret santa]

12 minutes ago, jelida said:

Is there really a 1914 recessed ear? If so, does it have the broken tooth or not?

I've never heard of one, although many professional boxers have recessed ears and broken teeth.

[PWA 1967]

A good find and decent one Jerry HAT OFF 

I was just about too post regards the 1914 until i read the above .

I looked in the David Groom book but the 1914 penny does not get listed at all from what i can see ,even if to say just one type.

Edited December 29, 2016 by PWA 1967

[secret santa]

My 1914 comment was a typo for 1916 - sorry to get people excited !

[Rob]

1 hour ago, jelida said:

I must admit that I wouldn't have dreamt of buying one in only Fine to VF as they are not that scarce in low grade. But with a much smaller pool of high grade coins available, I was pleased to find one at a good price. The 'recess' is quite easy to spot in the hand, much less so from a photo, buts that's where the broken tooth helps. Definitely one for the series completist.

That's the point I was making. I wouldn't have bought a coin in F to VF that I knew was available in UNC either, but the complete lack of interest suggests that the number of serious variety collectors is unlikely to be much greater than the number of top grade coins available. It's a small world.

[PWA 1967]

Wish i could find a 1915 BU one 

Edited December 29, 2016 by PWA 1967

[RLC35]

4 hours ago, jelida said:

I must admit that I wouldn't have dreamt of buying one in only Fine to VF as they are not that scarce in low grade. But with a much smaller pool of high grade coins available, I was pleased to find one at a good price. The 'recess' is quite easy to spot in the hand, much less so from a photo, buts that's where the broken tooth helps. Definitely one for the series completist.

Is there really a 1914 recessed ear? If so, does it have the broken tooth or not?

Jerry

 

I have never personally seen one, but I have heard that they exist. Now I am trying to find out where I read it! Ha,Ha.

[PWA 1967]

Think like me Bob we both need our eyes tested 

Be lucky.

Pete.

[terrysoldpennies]

16 hours ago, jelida said:

I must admit that I wouldn't have dreamt of buying one in only Fine to VF as they are not that scarce in low grade. But with a much smaller pool of high grade coins available, I was pleased to find one at a good price. The 'recess' is quite easy to spot in the hand, much less so from a photo, buts that's where the broken tooth helps. Definitely one for the series completist.

Is there really a 1914 recessed ear? If so, does it have the broken tooth or not?

Jerry

Jerry, I have a recessed ear type without the broken tooth , so I would assume that the tooth broke during 1915, and continued in use with the broken tooth into 1916.  Terry   ps  being quite warn it is clearly recessed in the centre .

Edited December 30, 2016 by terrysoldpennies

[jelida]

Thanks Terry, that does make sense. So a hypothetical 1914 example (as per Bob, above) would have perfect teeth. I believe all 1916 recessed ear have the broken tooth, so the liklihood is that only one obverse die was prepared.

Jerry

[Rob]

Thinking out loud, I wonder if this went hand in hand with the reduction in force used for striking coins during the war years in an attempt to make the dies last longer? The less metal displacement there is, the less force would be required (i.e more efficient to operate), and it is clear from the ghosting seen that metal displacement was considerable, so a recessed ear would produce a better struck up coin for less work done.

Edited December 30, 2016 by Rob

[scott]

some pennies I picked up over the last 2 months

this one arrived yesterday, 6+g with 13 teeth date width, never seen one before.

1879 washer

unusual colouration.

the 1899 came with the other 2