My favorite coin in my collection.

[King Kenny]

By way of introducing myself let me tell you about my favorite coin in my collection.

I had been collecting bronze penny coins since I was a young boy. Then, in 1975 I rode my brand new motorbike the nine miles to the Somerset town of Frome. In a junk shop on Catherine’s Hill I saw two coins displayed in the window. I thought that the smaller one looked like an old penny. I did not know what the larger coin was as I had never seen the like before. 

They were offered as two Victoria copper coins from 1858. They were priced at £6.50 and £7.50 respectively, a lot of money in those days. I decided to buy the smaller, cheaper penny sized coin. When I got home I looked it up in my 'Check Your Change’ book and found that at 28.4 mm in diameter the coin was in fact a half penny. I got straight back on my bike and returned to Frome for the other coin which proved to be a penny at 34mm diameter. 

On closer inspection I realised that the number 8 was struck over a number 7. At the time I thought that I had discovered something special. It turns out that I had not. They were very nice coins though, and kindled my interest in copper pennies, halfpennies and farthings.

Edited 1 hour ago by King Kenny

[Sword]

Welcome to the predecimal forum! It's really nice that you have kept the coins from your early collecting days. £7.50 was indeed a lot in those days. Having one of those blue Wellington fivers made me felt rich when I started secondary school in the 80s. 

I collect silver rather than bronze but have brought a few pennies and half pennies as type examples. I think the first bronze I have brought was the same YH type: 1853 half penny. I then got a bun penny and half penny as I am fond of that portrait and it's a shame that it was never used on silver coinage.

 

[copper123]

My fav at the moment a 1902 crown  will put pic on soon