1954 penny for sale on ebay?

[Marc]

Is this a fake or some kind of scam? I notice she says a 1954 "copper" penny and not bronze. From her other coin listings it appears she "knows" about coins.

See here

[Peter]

Is this a fake or some kind of scam? I notice she says a 1954 "copper" penny and not bronze. From her other coin listings it appears she "knows" about coins.

See here

There are 2 known examples and one of those is in British museum.You just wouldn't put it on ebay.

Edited March 8, 2011 by Peter

[Marc]

Is this a fake or some kind of scam? I notice she says a 1954 "copper" penny and not bronze. From her other coin listings it appears she "knows" about coins.

See here

There are 2 known examples and one of those is in British museum.You just wouldn't put it on ebay.

It went for 122.99 LOL I watched the last few seconds of the auction. At four seconds it went from 40 to 100 to 122.99!

[argentumandcoins]

The altered date example in the London sale on Sunday made about £240 I think, so if it is an altered date forgery somebody got it fairly cheaply?

If it is one of the copies they have paid 10 times the price they could buy it for!

[Peter]

Rasmssen sold one in 2006 £37,500.

probably a doctored 1951 so £122 is a lot pay for this.

[SionGilbey]

Seen this listing when it first came out - decided on fake pretty much instantly.

Seems an alright fake... is it a modified date? Or a tidy fake?

[Peckris]

Rasmssen sold one in 2006 £37,500.

probably a doctored 1951 so £122 is a lot pay for this.

Not! It has the bead reverse of EIIR pennies, not the teeth of a 1951. That wouldn't be easy to fake compared to the date. Looking at it REALLY close-up, it's the '5' that looks a bit suspect. I'd say it could be a doctored 1964? But also, look at the '1' - it's much smaller than it should be. The whole date is probably suspect.

[Coppers]

Is there really an example of this penny in the British Museum collection?

Edited March 9, 2011 by Coppers

[Accumulator]

Yes, there is one in the BM, it's recorded in Peck's "English copper, tin & bronze coins in the British Museum" as a specimen retrieved from circulation that "escaped the melting pot" despite the Mint records stating that a small number were made for die-testing purposes but all were destroyed.

[Beebman]

Yes, there is one in the BM, it's recorded in Peck's "English copper, tin & bronze coins in the British Museum" as a specimen retrieved from circulation that "escaped the melting pot" despite the Mint records stating that a small number were made for die-testing purposes but all were destroyed.

I've just done a little research and I've found that the 'famous' 1954 penny was sold in the USA in 1967 for about £10,000 and then again by Spinks in November 1991 for £23,100. Is the British Museum one a second example, or is it a proof one like the 1952 penny?

[Bernie]

Yes, there is one in the BM, it's recorded in Peck's "English copper, tin & bronze coins in the British Museum" as a specimen retrieved from circulation that "escaped the melting pot" despite the Mint records stating that a small number were made for die-testing purposes but all were destroyed.

I've just done a little research and I've found that the 'famous' 1954 penny was sold in the USA in 1967 for about £10,000 and then again by Spinks in November 1991 for £23,100. Is the British Museum one a second example, or is it a proof one like the 1952 penny?

No, there is just the one, not in the british museum, but in a private collection in the UK.

[Accumulator]

Yes, there is one in the BM, it's recorded in Peck's "English copper, tin & bronze coins in the British Museum" as a specimen retrieved from circulation that "escaped the melting pot" despite the Mint records stating that a small number were made for die-testing purposes but all were destroyed.

I've just done a little research and I've found that the 'famous' 1954 penny was sold in the USA in 1967 for about £10,000 and then again by Spinks in November 1991 for £23,100. Is the British Museum one a second example, or is it a proof one like the 1952 penny?

No, there is just the one, not in the british museum, but in a private collection in the UK.

Sorry, my mistake! Of course Bernie is correct. Peck indeed records the 1954 penny, as detailed above, but a side note shows it was in the hands of Spink & Son at the time of his writing (1958-60) rather than in the BM collection.