1884 Esc 712 Half Crown

[CVarnz]

Hi guys, i'm just going to post a video on photobucket to prove this, i'm not sure whether this is significant or not, however i've found an 1884 half crown that i believe has its reverse upside down. Open to debate as i honestly haven't got a clue, were they made this way?

http://s1274.photobucket.com/user/CVarnz/media/Video3_zps94e1e137.mp4.html

[Nick]

Hi guys, i'm just going to post a video on photobucket to prove this, i'm not sure whether this is significant or not, however i've found an 1884 half crown that i believe has its reverse upside down. Open to debate as i honestly haven't got a clue, were they made this way?

http://s1274.photobucket.com/user/CVarnz/media/Video3_zps94e1e137.mp4.html

They are intended to be like that (coin die rotation).

[Peckris]

Well, if that's the standard of Photobucket videos, I don't think YouTube will lose any sleep

Medals were minted the same way up if you rotate them on a vertical axis, but coins always used to be minted the same way up if you rotate on a horizontal axis. Partway through the 19th Century this changed though not all at the same time. By the 20th Century all coins were minted with the same axis alignment as medals. That's what those symbols ↑↓ and ↑↑ signify in the Spink catalogue - to tell you which alignment.

[CVarnz]

Massive thanks peck, so would all versions of the 1884 half crown be like that, or is there two types ?

[declanwmagee]

The only two types of 1884 halfcrown I know are to do with the type of 4 - plain 4, or 4 with an upper serif. Most dealers don't differentiate and even Davies uses the same number for both, albeit with a footnote. My instinct is that plain 4 is commoner, but my stats aren't comprehensive enough to draw a statistically significant conclusion.

[CVarnz]

I would trust the wise words of most on this forum over any thing my brain told me due to the, good natured and helpful atmosphere it possess'

[Coinery]

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Edit: it's unlike any other societal experience full-stop!

Edited October 13, 2013 by Coinery