1901/1902 Half crown mule reference

[rpeddie]

just reading through ESC and a footnote mentions a 1901/1902 mule halfcrown, Was just wondering if anyone has seen this coin in auction or has any pictures of it?

 

Have scoured the internet for it but apart from being in this footnote i cannot find another reference of it.

[oldcopper]

If it has disappeared, it joins a club of mythical coins unseen since first listed - I mentioned before Peck's addendum in BNJ 1967 with mule gilt Soho pennies, bunhead gold half[penny, etc, some vanished into wherever since being recorded.

Robberies must unfortunately be responsible for some disappearances. DNW had the only known (I think) George IV piedfort £5, which was part of a robbery soon after it's unsold appearance at auction - presumably melted down and now gone for ever sadly.

[Peckris 2]

1 hour ago, rpeddie said:

just reading through ESC and a footnote mentions a 1901/1902 mule halfcrown, Was just wondering if anyone has seen this coin in auction or has any pictures of it?

 

Have scoured the internet for it but apart from being in this footnote i cannot find another reference of it.

Which edition of ESC? There's no mention in Davies. 

It's puzzling to know how there could be a mule of 2 different reigns. A misstrike of both reverses would give each date, though it's not easy to work out how it could have happened. On the other hand, if there's an obverse and a reverse, it would be impossible to date the obverse.

[VickySilver]

Bull? On holiday now so can't check. Some of Bull I have reservations about - I would think such a report would have to have some form of confirmation. I hate having [now new] nightmares about 20th C. half crowns I DON'T HAVE!

[oldcopper]

7 hours ago, Peckris 2 said:

Which edition of ESC? There's no mention in Davies. 

It's puzzling to know how there could be a mule of 2 different reigns. A misstrike of both reverses would give each date, though it's not easy to work out how it could have happened. On the other hand, if there's an obverse and a reverse, it would be impossible to date the obverse.

It's on p88 of the 5th edition - Rayner mentions he picked it up very worn in change during WWII (1901 reverse, but Ed obverse), so he may have spent it again soon after!

[InforaPenny]

Also shows up in my1968  3rd edition (footnote at bottom of page 93). Since the reign of Edward VII began on January 22, 1901 it seems possible that this was produced during testing of the new obverse die sometime in 1901, then escaped the Royal Mint and eventually ended up in circulation...

Best Regards,

InforaPenny

 

[Peckris 2]

On 4 August 2019 at 6:53 PM, InforaPenny said:

Also shows up in my1968  3rd edition (footnote at bottom of page 93). Since the reign of Edward VII began on January 22, 1901 it seems possible that this was produced during testing of the new obverse die sometime in 1901, then escaped the Royal Mint and eventually ended up in circulation...

Best Regards,

InforaPenny

 

I've now checked - it's also at the bottom of p108 of my 4th edition. 

He does say "very worn" so  there's no way to check whether  it was a homemade thing, like cleverly tooled 'double headers'.

[Rob]

A workshop job has to be favourite. Take 2 worn coins and make a die pair, or do the machining and drop in trick.

I also wonder if, alternatively, it is related to the 1861 etc halfcrowns.

A third option would be using an obverse die for the 1902 proof sets if they needed a replacement, as with the 1839 halfpenny obverse die.

[Mr T]

On 8/6/2019 at 7:48 AM, Rob said:

I also wonder if, alternatively, it is related to the 1861 etc halfcrowns.

They were modified dates? That was my guess too.

[Peckris 2]

On 7 August 2019 at 7:54 AM, Mr T said:

They were modified dates? That was my guess too.

Those all had the post-1874 obverse, so yes.