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 March 1 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

[Peckris 2]

Nice to see another Liverpool supporter on here!

[wlewisiii]

Favorites are a fun thing. Mine is very likely my 1818 Crown. Bit of rim damage (ex jewelry?) but that kept the price where I liked it. 

[copper123]

Mine 

[King Kenny]

Nice coins.

Sorry, but I am not a Liverpool supporter.

[Sword]

12 hours ago, wlewisiii said:

Favorites are a fun thing. Mine is very likely my 1818 Crown. Bit of rim damage (ex jewelry?) but that kept the price where I liked it. 

Is the damage two small holes at the edge? I think quite a few were into swivel mount brooches. 

[copper123]

Interesting coin the 5 shilling piece the old age pension was introduced in about 1905 or 6 and all over seventies got five shillings (A crown) to live on .

Over the years inflation increased its value to approx. where the old age pension is now £200 .Almost a eight hundred percent increase

Funny enough £200 was about the amount I paid for the coin about a year ago , it might fetch £250 now if i was lucky.

Lots of strange coincidences there though.

[wlewisiii]

That would make sense - hadn't thought of a swivel mount before. 

[Sword]

This is an example currently on ebay

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/286858256262?_ul=GB&rb_itemId=286858256262&rb_pgeo=GB&ff=11&mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=710-53481-19255-0&campid=5339059258&toolid=10044&customid=EAIaIQobChMIw4mbmJKCkwMVNZFQBh1XmwlQEAQYASABEgJPmfD_BwE&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIw4mbmJKCkwMVNZFQBh1XmwlQEAQYASABEgJPmfD_BwE&wbraid=CkEKCQiA5I_NBhCCARIwAMgyZG8xxosq4BPX_CPxcGrxjS_UTjJ9HmTKiqjU2kNd9LefuQ78iABAQGBdF3BnGgLBPw&gbraid=0AAAAADA7Q_KTN7L5aJF6e68c0HDcbcgrU&adtype=pla&loc_physical_ms=9045836&loc_interest_ms=&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=20511325147&gbraid=0AAAAADA7Q_KTN7L5aJF6e68c0HDcbcgrU

 

 

 

 

[Peckris 2]

3 hours ago, King Kenny said:

Nice coins.

Sorry, but I am not a Liverpool supporter.

So what's King Kenny all about???

[Peckris 2]

[Paddy]

My favourite coin in my collection would be the Gothic Crown, but I have posted that many times before.

Second favourite is much more difficult as there are many candidates, but this one is high on the list - 1723 SSC Crown. You see the shillings all the time, but the Crowns are much scarcer.

[King Kenny]

"So what's King Kenny all about???"

For some obscure reason my friends called me that when I was at Chippenham College in the early 1970's. My first name is Kenneth but I prefer Ken. Not very interesting but hope this helps.

[copper123]

On 3/3/2026 at 3:03 PM, King Kenny said:

"So what's King Kenny all about???"

For some obscure reason my friends called me that when I was at Chippenham College in the early 1970's. My first name is Kenneth but I prefer Ken. Not very interesting but hope this helps.

Not moved far have you LOL