Trials, Proofs and Anomolies

[hazelman]

Help ! Going through Michael Gouby Specialised Penny Edition it has a section on Trials,Proofs and Anomolies. Well I think im comfortable with proofs which if im correct tend to be created with polished dies giving an almost mirror like field, but what is a Trial? or rather how would you identify a trial? Traditionally in the sense of trial id think this would be carried out in the design period and post design it would be put into production so even the 1st coin would end up in circulation?. Oh and what is are anomolies? 

[1949threepence]

45 minutes ago, hazelman said:

Help ! Going through Michael Gouby Specialised Penny Edition it has a section on Trials,Proofs and Anomolies. Well I think im comfortable with proofs which if im correct tend to be created with polished dies giving an almost mirror like field, but what is a Trial? or rather how would you identify a trial? Traditionally in the sense of trial id think this would be carried out in the design period and post design it would be put into production so even the 1st coin would end up in circulation?. Oh and what is are anomolies? 

Trials are explained in Freeman's book at page 144. Here is a photo of it, in case you've not got the book. Anomalies are anything else different to the norm, which isn't a trial or proof - such as tonnage numbers scratched onto coins by Royal MInt staff.

 

   

[Rob]

A trial would be from a run of strikings that were used to test out a particular feature. An example of this would be my trial halfcrown struck from halfpenny dies. See below. However, during a conversation with Graham Dyer a few months ago, I learned that they were not interested in either halfpennies or halfcrowns, but rather the metal (steel). Therefore, trials can be unrelated to the die size or design.

An alternative would be a striking of a single die in lead or tin in order to assess the state of work in progress, an example of which would be the Moore penny uniface below. This is probably made from the P2135 obverse die, which developed a major crack and would have been reworked. This die was not to be found when Shorthouse visited Moore's workshop following his demise, but combined with the known die breaks and a hint of undertype on this obverse, is likely to mean this was the same piece of diestock. It is struck in >90% tin, with the balance mostly lead.

Anomalies could be things such as coins struck on the wrong blank, or the wrong coin struck on a particular blank depending on viewpoint.

[hazelman]

thanks to you both this has clarified all my concerns.

[secret santa]

A different kind of Trial is the trial 12-sided £1 coin that was produced for coin-in-the-slot machine manufacturers to design changes in preparation for the new £1 coin. These trial £1 coins (clearly marked Trial)  fetch about £100 at auction.

[VickySilver]

Yikes, I was getting excited as 20th C predecimal trials and patterns, esp. silver my thaang...

[Mr T]

Is there anywhere to get better images of the coins in the plates in Freeman? Does Peck have better images?

[azda]

On 12/31/2018 at 6:50 PM, secret santa said:

A different kind of Trial is the trial 12-sided £1 coin that was produced for coin-in-the-slot machine manufacturers to design changes in preparation for the new £1 coin. These trial £1 coins (clearly marked Trial)  fetch about £100 at auction.

They are also illegal to sell as they belong to the mint. eBay auctions have been pulled previously at the request of the RM

[secret santa]

10 hours ago, Mr T said:

Is there anywhere to get better images of the coins in the plates in Freeman? Does Peck have better images?

Peck's images are still relatively small, low resolution and also black and white although he has a greater number of partial enlargements.  You may be better looking through auction sites' archives for photos of actual specimens that have been sold. That's one of the reasons that I created my varieties website, to provide better images than the various reference books.

[Mr T]

22 hours ago, secret santa said:

Peck's images are still relatively small, low resolution and also black and white although he has a greater number of partial enlargements.  You may be better looking through auction sites' archives for photos of actual specimens that have been sold. That's one of the reasons that I created my varieties website, to provide better images than the various reference books.

Oh thanks - I actually did try searching some auction sites - I was looking for a Freeman 768 I think - 1*+A farthing anyway - but couldn't find any sales or images.