COIN DIES

[colliewalker1]

I would be interested to know the significance of specific coin die numbers when attributed to particular coins - are some dies regarded as superior to others and how can the die from which a coin is stamped be known?

Does anyone know how many dies would have been used by the Royal Mint to produce a given coin over the past[ simaltaneously and during that coin's lifetime] and did they wear out quickly?

The production of a coin die must have been very demanding for the engraver - particularly as the metal would obviously have been very hard.....

[Emperor Oli]

I thought there was just one master die, which the engraver made, and the rest were just cast from it?

[custard1966]

With the introduction of bronze coinage in 1860 they went through dies at a frightening rate.

The Satin reference lists over 60 varieties for 1860-1865 for pennies alone.

They had problems with the design (leading to the change from beaded to toothed border for example), problems with dies wearing out - all sorts.

They also seemed to be hand punching the dates onto the dies - leading to misalignments, wrong numerals being used etc.

There were also 'sloppy' repairs leading to double-punched numbers/letters and the N over sideways N in ONE variety as a specific example.

I suspect things are less chaotic now though.

[Half Penny Jon]

With the introduction of bronze coinage in 1860 they went through dies at a frightening rate.

The Satin reference lists over 60 varieties for 1860-1865 for pennies alone.

They had problems with the design (leading to the change from beaded to toothed border for example), problems with dies wearing out - all sorts.

They also seemed to be hand punching the dates onto the dies - leading to misalignments, wrong numerals being used etc.

There were also 'sloppy' repairs leading to double-punched numbers/letters and the N over sideways N in ONE variety as a specific example.

I suspect things are less chaotic now though.

If they were not sloppy, collecting wouldn't be as fun!

[custard1966]

With the introduction of bronze coinage in 1860 they went through dies at a frightening rate.

The Satin reference lists over 60 varieties for 1860-1865 for pennies alone.

They had problems with the design (leading to the change from beaded to toothed border for example), problems with dies wearing out - all sorts.

They also seemed to be hand punching the dates onto the dies - leading to misalignments, wrong numerals being used etc.

There were also 'sloppy' repairs leading to double-punched numbers/letters and the N over sideways N in ONE variety as a specific example.

I suspect things are less chaotic now though.

If they were not sloppy, collecting wouldn't be as fun!

Or as expensive

I'm not complaining though. You're right, it's what makes this era one of the best.

[Sylvester]

Date runs would have been easier to complete without all the sloppiness.

I hate coming across date runs where there are tons of minor types varieties (it's what makes me lose interest), yeah you could ignore them but i can't seem to, somehow the collection feels incomplete without them...

[Sylvester]

So i hate them but i feel compelled to collect them for the sake of completeness, and i always always loose interest.

Who want 20 types of a coin all of the same date?

[Half Penny Jon]

I wouldn't dream of even trying the 1860-1894 halfpenny series. If I could not fill a date or variety, then I would feel that my collection is incomplete, and I wouldn't appreciate it as much............

[custard1966]

I've got 10 different 1860 pennies and still quite a few to go...

[Sylvester]

I wouldn't dream of even trying the 1860-1894 halfpenny series. If I could not fill a date or variety, then I would feel that my collection is incomplete, and I wouldn't appreciate it as much............

I'm totally hearing you!

[colliewalker1]

I wouldn't dream of even trying the 1860-1894 halfpenny series. If I could not fill a date or variety, then I would feel that my collection is incomplete, and I wouldn't appreciate it as much............

Are you saying that for any given coin you aim to collect one for each year of issue? Quite a job for Queen Victoria coins!

[Sylvester]

Are you saying that for any given coin you aim to collect one for each year of issue? Quite a job for Queen Victoria coins!

That is the general idea.

Some collect by type, some by date.

For my sixpence collection i'm collecting them by date from 1674-1787, all dates.

(Admittedly the Victorian copper/bronze collector has far more on his hands than i do!)

[Half Penny Jon]

I think that I will miss the early victorian bronze, I might just struggle through the copper in years to come!