Weird 1773 farthing

[TerryT]

Being unable to lay out the money for a variety book, (sorry to the webmaster)since my UK collection is just too small, I'll post a strange one I found. This 1773 farthing has the 3 joined to the base. There is no separation; the 3 continues up into the base, not just pushed up to it. As well, the 7's look much different from the other pictures I've seen. The 7's are fat and the tops don't point up at an angle. Any thoughts?

[Rob]

It could be just a flaw from a damaged die or a tiny piece of trapped metal which has been incorporated into the coin. The grade is too low to show the detail properly. you really need a minimum amount of disturbance to the original design to say for certain what it is and even then it is not always obvious. You need to look for an example in good VF or preferably better.

[Peter]

I found collecting varieties in less than GVF a dangerous game.....even Peck and recently Cooke stood by this.

See P Lawrence's collection which were often questioned by Colin Cooke.

[Teg]

P Lawrence's collection which were often questioned by Colin Cooke.

Hi,

sorry to drag this up from the past!

I don't think Peter and Colin disagreed on much. If P.L. thought a particular variety was correct he called it x over y - or whatever. If the jury was still out - or Peter did not believe it himself, he called it x over y type.

BTW the 1773 farthing could be a contemporary counterfeit.

Teg