TOY COINS

[DrLarry]

Half Crown small letters #642 ?  In Rogers 3 types are listed with small to large lettering 

Edited February 18, 2023 by DrLarry

[copper123]

It would be really interesting to know what dates appear on the european lauer coins .

While the golden age for Lauers minatures was  1885-1902 in the uk this might not have been the case abroad its fair to say the first world war must have stopped the trade here and brought it to a halt.

It might be interesting to know the last dates on the Lauer coins i would hazard a guess at ther mid thirties but i could be wrong .

Assuming Lauers production stopped around 1944 it would be a reasonable assumption  they would have stopped at least 5 years b4 then with them helping  in the war effort

[DrLarry]

3 hours ago, copper123 said:

It would be really interesting to know what dates appear on the european lauer coins .

While the golden age for Lauers minatures was  1885-1902 in the uk this might not have been the case abroad its fair to say the first world war must have stopped the trade here and brought it to a halt.

It might be interesting to know the last dates on the Lauer coins i would hazard a guess at ther mid thirties but i could be wrong .

Assuming Lauers production stopped around 1944 it would be a reasonable assumption  they would have stopped at least 5 years b4 then with them helping  in the war effort

I certainly know that other medalets were made onwards for the 1930's by Lauer the toy coins I dont think continued.  It is quite possible that the age of the "mistress of the House" in terms of keeping and learning the house economics was gradually eroded over time in Europe in a similar way as it did in the UK.  You would think that there would be a democratising of house keeping and an increase in buying power of the poorer members of society.  But along with the end of the age of the nursery in grander houses  may have led to a reduction in the age of the Dolls and dolls money  but we would have to think about it. 

I wrote recently a few days ago to the Toy Museum in Nuremberg  to ask many of the questions like yours and to enquire if there was a national collection of Toy Coins in Germany (specifically Nuremberg) I have not located one online as yet.  A lot would be wrapped up in the industrial development of the city in a similar way that Birmingham was the centre of toys and trinkets made of metal in the UK.  For Germany there is a metallic toy money issue in 1910 and up to 1919.  The Weimar republic issues are dated 1925 and third Reich issues made with a date of 1937 and 1938. Post war issues  dated 1950. 1888 for Denmark and Belgium.  Austria has a OESTERREICH dated 1937.  Almost all the later issues seem to show  no real  quality attached to the production the closest to the Lauer quality come from issues for Swiss markets by A G Sigg Frauenfield made in 1948 1970 and 1979 .  

Perhaps post war toys maybe were considered frivolous as teaching devices in metals,  in the UK we see the growth of the cardboard teaching sets then of course by the 70's plastic.  

Edited February 18, 2023 by DrLarry

[DrLarry]

On 2/18/2023 at 12:52 PM, DrLarry said:

Half Crown small letters #642 ?  In Rogers 3 types are listed with small to large lettering 

The reverse of the second one I own shows a slightly different design and position of the lettering of the legend as well as having the larger lettering the small lettered version is not listed in Rogers so there is a spare number #639 and I have listed it below 

[DrLarry]

here is the second half crown Large letters on the obverse and variation in the legend on the reverse the lettering being larger 

Edited February 22, 2023 by DrLarry

[DrLarry]

The Two reverses show the differences in the design 

Edited February 22, 2023 by DrLarry

[DrLarry]

The Bavarien Penny I only have one of this one is in copper but appears to be larger than normal 13 mm or so small lettering on the obverse 0.6mm and small # on the reverse #676 in Rogers RRR

 

 

Edited February 22, 2023 by DrLarry

[DrLarry]

interestingly there is an error in the legend which would suggest either a prior positioning or could simply be a setting error 

Edited February 22, 2023 by DrLarry

[DrLarry]

Ihave two examples of half Pennies Rogers lists  3 ~# 686 ;687;688 

#686 is brass large letters on the reverse with the HALF touching the helmet and small letters on the obverse 

Edited February 22, 2023 by DrLarry

[DrLarry]

The second HALF PENNY is copper the legend lettering seems to be smaller than 686 and further away from the portrait  and SPIELMARKE begins much further back and has no E.  again the HALF sits in between the Trident and the Helmet the lettering is again small.

 

This type is unlisted in Rogers his small lettering everses all the HALF to the left of the trident so this one have no number allocation  there is a spare number Rogers has allowed for  # 689 

Edited February 22, 2023 by DrLarry

[DrLarry]

One Farthing small lettering both sides the G of farthing above the ship The copper content appears to be much lower in the first example again SPIELMARK is spelt without an E  Rogers #693 and 694 has the legend further up the head 

 

#692 has the G overstamped across the ship 

and # 694 may be the first hard to see in the black and white of the print one certainly appears to of a different metal 

#695 s Brass and the lettering on the reverse much larger 

Edited February 22, 2023 by DrLarry

[DrLarry]

just to finish off The Sovereign 

Edited February 23, 2023 by DrLarry

[DrLarry]

I suppose this next little group illustrates that Lauer became the leader in these toy coins.  They eventually begin to be copied but the coins have very crude designs .  They are pretty ugly and of very poor quality  Section 21 b #550 Brass and always holed they are pretty scarce 

Edited February 23, 2023 by DrLarry

[DrLarry]

The rarer variety is nickel silver pretty much the same as the brass version but just in white metal  again Rogers notes they are always found with a hole  #551

Edited February 23, 2023 by DrLarry

[DrLarry]

One example of the white metal version I have an an error again drilled crudely made and off centre likely unique interestingly however the drill hole, whilst misplaced, is still through the crown .  It may well be that this belongs to a second group of copes which read L OUR Laure  MURNEARO if s this is the only one known in silver while metal the others below in brass  from Section 31 Rogers corresponding to #619 ??

Edited February 23, 2023 by DrLarry

[DrLarry]

Rogers places two within #619 but they are in truth different one shows  L CUR LAUER  MURNEARO  the second LOUR LAU/ORE  MURNEARO the second example he shows as a small Loop version in the Royal Mint Collection  this one did once have a loop attached so I think we can say that is how it was issued but should really be reassigned a number other than 619 but nothing is available  

Edited February 23, 2023 by DrLarry

[DrLarry]

This last one I am unsure where it sits in the catalogue details are very poor on it stylistically is is closer to the TRUE #619 described by Rogers in section 31 there is some evidence that a loop may have been removed some file marks where it should sit.  Actually the example in Rogers shows the reverse almost identical in its crudeness and hat I thought to be wear I will try bring in the example in the Fitzwilliam collection to compare it 

Edited February 23, 2023 by DrLarry

[DrLarry]

The Fitz example cat # CM.2735-2003

[copper123]

Just noted that the 1849 half farthing model is not in any of tony barters books must admit I am surprised there must be less than five or six out there.

Must be worth a couple of hundred quid I would think .

By the way if anyone knows tony (Yes I know he has sold his collection) would they like to mention it to him , thanks .

[DrLarry]

9 hours ago, DrLarry said:

The Fitz example cat # CM.2735-2003

the similarity of the two must mean they were pretty much made as bad as this out of the factory either that or I have the the coin from the Fitzwilliam collection and someone has sold it on...  LOL

[DrLarry]

1 hour ago, copper123 said:

Just noted that the 1849 half farthing model is not in any of tony barters books must admit I am surprised there must be less than five or six out there.

Must be worth a couple of hundred quid I would think .

By the way if anyone knows tony (Yes I know he has sold his collection) would they like to mention it to him , thanks .

I had not seen one since you showed this one 

[DrLarry]

apologies for my grammar seemed to make sense at the time ...above 

 

[DrLarry]

I thought it best to carry on with the Balmbergers after that little digression.  Sometimes it is hard on the eyes carrying out the initial selection of these little characters .  Perhaps I just need better lighting 

 

Just one last one f the holed 3 pence I have just noticed that there may be a slight difference in the design on one of the Jubilee head big noses .  One which is brass but has been coated in something seems in a few ways unusual 

 the crown reaches forwards towards the R 

 

at the base of the portrait the cutting seems to show differences the pearls almost touch the veil  the clover and rose are different.  So this may be a slight variation of the type .  The design is much closer to the White Metal version but this one is most definitely Brass. Although there are still differences between these two  

Edited February 24, 2023 by DrLarry

[DrLarry]

It may seem completely off topic in the Pre decimal forum to discuss these toy coins but there is scope to make new discoveries and add to information available on them.  At the time they would have been important teaching aids to children.  Of course you have to have a microscope and search for them and be open minded about possibilities of new variations as the texts are sparse.  

PLEASE add your own examples if you have any ..thanks 

Edited February 24, 2023 by DrLarry

[copper123]

Must admit those balmbergers are not the most attractive coins in the world

Edited February 24, 2023 by copper123