1952 Half Crown Revisited, Or Facebook Madness

[Martinminerva 279]

7 hours ago, VickySilver said:

Back to the OP:  the 1956 2/6 discussed is absolutely top notch and graded Proof 68 Deep Cameo at PCGS and is available for viewing on their site.

Mark R. confirmed that the 1952 2/6 is the real deal from the famed Baldwin's Basement and is known in proof ONLY from this specimen,

Can someone post pictures of both in this thread, please? Especially the 1952 so one can see the clear difference from it and the numerous prooflike copies out there...

[VickySilver 804]

Reverse 1952 2/6

[VickySilver 804]

I am having trouble downloading the rest. 

[Martinminerva 279]

2 hours ago, VickySilver said:

Reverse 1952 2/6

Thanks very much. The key differences I can see immediately is that this genuine one has a wide rim and the L of HALF is to a bead. The copy on the previous page has thin rim and L to gap. But the quality of the copy is pretty damn good (worryingly). Fortunately the obverse and particularly the portrait of Eddy VIII on the copies are crap!!

[secret santa 2,096]

On 7/23/2023 at 2:22 PM, mick1271 said:

There is also a guy on one of the predecimal FB sites "showing off" an 1863 proof penny

This same person also advertised a (non) 1862 8 over 6 and another spurious dot coin recently - avoid him like the plague.

[copper123 1,426]

9 hours ago, Martinminerva said:

Thanks very much. The key differences I can see immediately is that this genuine one has a wide rim and the L of HALF is to a bead. The copy on the previous page has thin rim and L to gap. But the quality of the copy is pretty damn good (worryingly). Fortunately the obverse and particularly the portrait of Eddy VIII on the copies are crap!!

Edward VIII? surely it should be George VI to make it a even slightly believeable forgery

[Martinminerva 279]

23 minutes ago, copper123 said:

Edward VIII? surely it should be George VI to make it a even slightly believeable forgery

Whoops! My bad! I was also looking at equally poor 1937 copies of all denominations that are now all over ebay... Clearly produced by the same "artist" and so similarly rubbish you can understand my error!

[Peckris 2 2,091]

 

This is the currency example - as you can see it seems to have had limited circulation; CuNi halfcrowns reached that grade in only a few years.

Edited July 28, 2023 by Peckris 2

[copper123 1,426]

On 7/28/2023 at 10:26 PM, Peckris 2 said:

 

This is the currency example - as you can see it seems to have had limited circulation; CuNi halfcrowns reached that grade in only a few years.

Halfcrowns did circulate quite a lot that coin shows all the signs of being taken out of circulation in about 1960 or so it looks like less that vf but to be sure I would have to have it in hand and i am pretty sure that will never happen LOL

[Martinminerva 279]

2 hours ago, copper123 said:

that coin shows all the signs of being taken out of circulation in about 1960

Apparently it was found in circulation in 1967, so assuming it was actually released in 1952 that would be about 15 years of circulation. Certainly no better than A.V.F. for me.  Wonder how many hundreds or thousands of people handled it in those 15 years not knowing what was passing through their fingers!  Similar would appear to be true of the 1954 penny, also found in circulation I believe in the late 60's !! Oh to have been a change checker then!! (But child of the 70's unfortunately so no predecimal for me as a kid - though I did find a 1920 shilling in my change as a 5p as late as 1983 !!)

Edited July 30, 2023 by Martinminerva

[copper123 1,426]

17 hours ago, Martinminerva said:

Apparently it was found in circulation in 1967, so assuming it was actually released in 1952 that would be about 15 years of circulation. Certainly no better than A.V.F. for me.  Wonder how many hundreds or thousands of people handled it in those 15 years not knowing what was passing through their fingers!  Similar would appear to be true of the 1954 penny, also found in circulation I believe in the late 60's !! Oh to have been a change checker then!! (But child of the 70's unfortunately so no predecimal for me as a kid - though I did find a 1920 shilling in my change as a 5p as late as 1983 !!)

I found a 1942 florin in 1986 or so .

I suspect the 1952 halfcrown spent a long time in a piggy bank or forgotten about in a drawer well it would have been in fine or good fine with normal circulation after 15 years

[VickySilver 804]

Interesting. I do find it amazing that somehow the Royal Mint let this currency piece out but with regards to the proof specimen how in the world did it let a designated VIP get out without saving an example for themselves, the Royals or the British Museum? 

So that was inexcusably careless on their part; I wonder if it was to come up for auction if they would be a "player" in trying to retrieve it? I really don't know about the two 1950s pennies, the 1952 proof and the 1954 - did they end up with them? I seem to recall that in the case of the 1954 that there are specimens retained....Must check Richard's site...

[Peckris 2 2,091]

9 hours ago, copper123 said:

I found a 1942 florin in 1986 or so .

I suspect the 1952 halfcrown spent a long time in a piggy bank or forgotten about in a drawer well it would have been in fine or good fine with normal circulation after 15 years

Agreed. It's AVF/VF+ and as I say CuNi coins are usually no better than F after 15 years.

[copper123 1,426]

On 7/31/2023 at 11:16 PM, Peckris 2 said:

Agreed. It's AVF/VF+ and as I say CuNi coins are usually no better than F after 15 years.

I would say thats about right ,smaller coins like sixpences and shillings tend to circulate less freely and seem to remain in better condition than halfcrowns after 15 years or so, a shilling would prob be in NVF grade

[Peckris 2 2,091]

On 8/5/2023 at 12:59 PM, copper123 said:

I would say thats about right ,smaller coins like sixpences and shillings tend to circulate less freely and seem to remain in better condition than halfcrowns after 15 years or so, a shilling would prob be in NVF grade

I think also that especially with 6d's, they are far more protected by their rims than 2/6's and 2/-'s.

[copper123 1,426]

14 hours ago, Peckris 2 said:

I think also that especially with 6d's, they are far more protected by their rims than 2/6's and 2/-'s.

they were considered more as small change a bit like a 10p is these days , funny enough theres not a lot you can buy with a 10p