1758 Sixpence

[Red Riley]

I have had this 6d for over 40 years, but being low grade and common as muck I have never looked at it in great detail before. On examination, the 8 is clearly struck over something but what? ESC only lists one overdate for this year i.e. 8 over 7 but the line in the lower loop of the 8 seems to be veering off at the wrong angle and the left side seems to contain a large bulge, in fact the only evidence for it being a 7 is the small projection to the upper left hand corner of the 8. I'm foxed. Any ideas?

Apologies for the poor quality of the photograph which is just a modified stock photo.

Edited June 4, 2011 by Red Riley

[Rob]

I think it could be 8/7. From the image there is a slightly descending feature across the top loop of the 8 which is aligned with the top LHS protrusion. There is also a (slightly raised?) feature on the bottom of the lower loop of the 8 which would be commensurate with the tail of a 7 if the die had been filled and recut.

[Red Riley]

I think it could be 8/7. From the image there is a slightly descending feature across the top loop of the 8 which is aligned with the top LHS protrusion. There is also a (slightly raised?) feature on the bottom of the lower loop of the 8 which would be commensurate with the tail of a 7 if the die had been filled and recut.

Thanks Rob. I had a feeling that was going to be the answer but in filling the die they seem to have produced a whole lot more than just the appearance of an 8 over a 7.

[Rob]

I have shillings of 1758 with both clear and blundered 8s of a similar form. I wonder whether there was only one 8 punch which if not easily found resulted in making up an 8 from other punches.