1874 Halfpenny 10+J

[wybrit]

I recently purchased an 1874 (no H) halfpenny and, comparing it to my 1874H halfpenny (Freeman 10+J), see exactly the same obverse and virtually the same reverse. There is absolutely no sign of H removal on the coin, even under 30X microscope. The 1874 obverse can not be 7, does not appear to be 8 (which is similar to 4) and is different from 9. Please review and comment.

1874 Halfpenny, 10 + J?

[wybrit]

Comparison #1: 1874H Halfpenny (10 + J)

[wybrit]

Comparison #2: 1874 Halfpenny, 9 + I

[azda]

The 1st compared to the 3rd is completely different, lighthouse, date width and shield, the tridet on the 1st is also much closer to the rim than it is in the 3rd

Edited January 24, 2011 by azda

[Rob]

Looks like 10+J to me. Te only differences I can see are a slight variation in the size and extent of the gap between shield & drapery and possibly on the drapery detail above the 74. The berries aren't the clearest on the top image, but appear to agree. Different thickness numerals isn't important.

Presumably the Heaton dies were made at the Tower mint, in which case this would be either one they forgot to add the H or maybe they had made sufficient dies to serve Heaton and this stayed at the Tower for future deployment. Maybe it's the only no H reverse die, but can't answer that.

[azda]

Just 1 quick question on the REV of the 1st picture. Why is the rim silver, has it been filed? The 2nd picture REV also looks the same but the 3rd has the copper look on the rim. Is it the scan or does it look like that?

Edited January 24, 2011 by azda

[wybrit]

Just 1 quick question on the REV of the 1st picture. Why is the rim silver, has it been filed? The 2nd picture REV also looks the same but the 3rd has the copper look on the rim. Is it the scan or does it look like that?

The first coin is slabbed (NGC), so the rim is partially encased.

[Gary]

Yep, 10 + J

I have overlayed the two reverses and they are identical except that the date numerals are different and of course the H

as you can see there is a slight shift in the legend but i can attribute this to the two pictures not exactly matching in size other than that its a pretty clear overlay.

[wybrit]

Thanks folks! Nice overlay Gary.

[Mal]

The Obverse on your halfpenny is not Obverse 10, but Obverse 11 and it is paired with an early version of Reverse J. Freeman did not identify this pairing, but it was been identified by Iain Dracott in his articles in Coin Monthly a few years ago. Note that the hair line overlaps the forehead, which it does not on Obverse 10 and the nose is hooked. Reverse J first appeared in 1874 and was later modified slightly with changes to the visor and eye on britannia. Hope this is of some help

[Gary D]

Is that a bit of distortion to the outer circle where the H would be?

[wybrit]

Is that a bit of distortion to the outer circle where the H would be?

I don't have the coin in hand now (in safekeeping), but I checked it out under a 30X scope view and saw nothing suspicious about that area.

[wybrit]

The Obverse on your halfpenny is not Obverse 10, but Obverse 11 and it is paired with an early version of Reverse J. Freeman did not identify this pairing, but it was been identified by Iain Dracott in his articles in Coin Monthly a few years ago. Note that the hair line overlaps the forehead, which it does not on Obverse 10 and the nose is hooked. Reverse J first appeared in 1874 and was later modified slightly with changes to the visor and eye on britannia. Hope this is of some help

Thanks for your comments. I've looked at my Obv 11 1875 halfpenny and the 1874H in this posting and I'm not convinced that the 1874 is Obv 11. The features of the '74H and '74 are so close but the 1875 is different. Perhaps you can take the pictures and draw where you see the distinctions.

[Bernie]

I recently purchased an 1874 (no H) halfpenny and, comparing it to my 1874H halfpenny (Freeman 10+J), see exactly the same obverse and virtually the same reverse. There is absolutely no sign of H removal on the coin, even under 30X microscope. The 1874 obverse can not be 7, does not appear to be 8 (which is similar to 4) and is different from 9. Please review and comment.

1874 Halfpenny, 10 + J?

After long consideration and communications with halfpenny experts it is my opinion that your coin pictured is an obverse 12 with reverse J.

The difference between obverses 10 and obverses 11,12 is that 11,12 have a slightly protruding hair line on the forehead. The difference between obverse 11 and 12 is the front upper laurel leaf is longer and more pointed on obverse 12 than that of obverse 11

[Bernie]

I recently purchased an 1874 (no H) halfpenny and, comparing it to my 1874H halfpenny (Freeman 10+J), see exactly the same obverse and virtually the same reverse. There is absolutely no sign of H removal on the coin, even under 30X microscope. The 1874 obverse can not be 7, does not appear to be 8 (which is similar to 4) and is different from 9. Please review and comment.

1874 Halfpenny, 10 + J?

After long consideration and communications with halfpenny experts it is my opinion that your coin pictured is an obverse 12 with reverse J.

The difference between obverses 10 and obverses 11,12 is that 11,12 have a slightly protruding hair line on the forehead. The difference between obverse 11 and 12 is the front upper laurel leaf is longer and more pointed on obverse 12 than that of obverse 11

And here is a picture of 1874 obverse 12, showing the longer, more pointed upper front laurel leaf

[declanwmagee]

Gorgeous photos, Mr Wybrit, by the way. Any tips for the amateur?

I've got a little tripod, a decent camera (not a DSLR), a selection of lights, and I'm quite pleased with my efforts but nothing as good as that.

[Peckris]

Gorgeous photos, Mr Wybrit, by the way. Any tips for the amateur?

I've got a little tripod, a decent camera (not a DSLR), a selection of lights, and I'm quite pleased with my efforts but nothing as good as that.

My first attempt involved fixing the tripod with the camera pointing downwards in Macro mode, as near to the coin as possible before it cast a shadow. The coin was resting on a table top on a brown cloth with sun shining in through the window and onto the coin. The coin nowhere near filled the screen (getting any closer would have cast a shadow) so I hoiked it into an image editor, selected the coin with oval marquee, inversed selection and deleted all but the coin. Due to shooting at 5MP setting the image was still plenty large enough.

But probably those halfpennies were the result of much more experience and expertise

[Mal]

The Obverse on your halfpenny is not Obverse 10, but Obverse 11 and it is paired with an early version of Reverse J. Freeman did not identify this pairing, but it was been identified by Iain Dracott in his articles in Coin Monthly a few years ago. Note that the hair line overlaps the forehead, which it does not on Obverse 10 and the nose is hooked. Reverse J first appeared in 1874 and was later modified slightly with changes to the visor and eye on britannia. Hope this is of some help

Thanks for your comments. I've looked at my Obv 11 1875 halfpenny and the 1874H in this posting and I'm not convinced that the 1874 is Obv 11. The features of the '74H and '74 are so close but the 1875 is different. Perhaps you can take the pictures and draw where you see the distinctions.

Are you sure your 1875 Obverse is 11..........12 is very similar and is found with reverese J as well as L.....Another Dracott listing. I can supply large hi-res pictures of all if you require.......Mal

[SionGilbey]

I have a 12MP which is great for detail however it's not DSLR...

However I have just realised I've got a Sony a DSLR downstairs for photographs... may just use that in future!

[Peckris]

I have a 12MP which is great for detail however it's not DSLR...

However I have just realised I've got a Sony a DSLR downstairs for photographs... may just use that in future!

Frankly if you've got a DC with a good lens that can take macro pictures of coins, the MP is utterly irrelevant anyway (in fact, the higher it goes, the worse the image quality is a reasonable rule of thumb). That's not to decry your Sony, which will have a good sensor size, a far more reliable indicator of quality than MP. But I'm prepared to bet your compact takes good close-ups?