Top 5 iconic pre-decimal coins?

[HeavyT]

Hi,

I’ve been thinking about what might be the top coins of the pre-decimal era that ought to be in every collection.

I know tastes vary and some people only collect certain types of coins, but is there any kind of consensus about what might be the must-have coins of the pre-decimal era?

I think we should exclude coins that will always remain outside of the reach of ordinary collectors (e.g. 1937 Edward VIII Sov). Let's maybe only consider those that can be picked up for under £1000.

Using my very limited knowledge, here are some possible suggestions:

1714 Queen Anne Farthing

1797 Cartwheel Twopence

1847 Gothic Crown Undecimo

1887 Jubilee Sovereign

1950 Penny

What do you guys suggest?

[Rob]

Maybe a Cartwheel Penny or Twopence. You won't pick up an Anne farthing or Gothic Crown in suitable grade to rate as an iconic piece for under £1K.You might also include an example of an 1860 bun head bronze coin; an example of the last pre-decimal issue; a Saxon or medieval penny and finally a pre-recoinage shilling.

The problem with iconic coins is that they tend to cost more than £1K because of what they are. Chickens and eggs spring to mind.

[Coinery]

Maybe a groat? Liz, or more iconic still, Henry VIII?

[Coinery]

I'd definitely go penny for the cartwheel.

[copper123]

No the twopence is more impressive a great big lump,1797 although it is the first penny to me is not as iconic.

A 1935 crown could well be in there , even though its cheap, its a classic one off design.

Anne farthings and gothic crowns are considered patterns , so although they circulated I am not sure if they count.

[Peter]

I would have to include a spade guinea a 1717 farthing and a pair of 1698 farthings (I have them all) William and Mary coins with clear dates are also up there (cu I have a few)

[scott]

W&M are overpriced

Charles II copper coinage, being the first really.

[DaveG38]

Edward VII Florin with Britannia standing for one. Victorian Gothic florin for another. Then a Cartwheel penny or twopence. Finally, a William IV halfcrown, just for the curtains, and maybe a George III shilling, to show how ugly he was.

[Peter]

Edward VII Florin with Britannia standing for one. Victorian Gothic florin for another. Then a Cartwheel penny or twopence. Finally, a William IV halfcrown, just for the curtains, and maybe a George III shilling, to show how ugly he was.

A 1835 2/6 has been on my wish list for a long time...at the right price.

I also have a YH 1887 2/6 which floats my boat.

I bought a PCGS MS65 1893 slabbed florin from CC and would like to get the year set.

This interests me as I have the cu and a complete year set is kind of a back burner target.

Any George 1 cu is a must Mr Croker I salute you.

[hazelman]

Everyone of you have listed coins that i believe are iconic with the exception of the 1887 Jubilee Sovereign.

Am i the only one that has never been impressed by this design ?

[azda]

A Vicky florin would Have to be in amoungst this for me

Also a George IV halfcrown, love the REV design, it's so busy

[Rob]

Looks to me like anything will pass the audition.

[Nicholas]

Idea then Rob

What if we adjusted the question from

"the top coins of the pre-decimal era that ought to be in every collection"

to :

"the top coin of the pre-decimal era that ought to be in every collection by monarch"

and limit by £1K per coin

Then choose the top 5 from this group

Edited March 29, 2015 by Nicholas

[Coinery]

I'll kick that one off for Elizabeth I if I may?

I think we'll have to go for an imposing shilling, one of the fine silver (.916) series, bearing the iconic Lis!

Of course, 1k won't buy us a top flight wire-line coin, but we can have a reasonable wire-line AND beaded inner-circle Lis shilling for a grand.

So, we'll have a Lis shilling with perhaps bust 2A or 2B!

That's my 1k proposal for Elizabeth I

[Rob]

Strikes me that it would be easier to assemble one of every monarch for yourself, than it would be to agree on the chosen coin as determined by the forum members. If you do it from the Norman Conquest onwards, only W2, Ed5 and Ed8 would cost more than £1K though others would come close.

[azda]

Choices should be obviously in the eye of the poster surely, regardless what others think, each have their own arguements. A certain Limit on purchase Price for reasons of normality should be in place, 1000GBP for each coin listed. So a 5k Limit? Excluding patterns

Edited March 29, 2015 by azda

[Rob]

That was putting a limit on it of £1K. I'd lurve to get a British Ed.5 or Ed. 8 for less than £1K. W2s don't come up below £1K either unless seriously impaired.

[azda]

Which in turn Rob, means they can't be added

[Paulus]

Really hard to limit it to 5, as I mainly collect milled silver I will vote (on the basis of iconic-ness) for:

• William & Mary conjoined heads 1891 series crown/half crown
• George IV 1821 series half crown (reverse)
• William IV 1834 series half crown (reverse)
• Victoria Gothic crown or half crown
• Edward VII florin (reverse)

which of course ignores many other iconic milled silver which is very worthy of inclusion!

Edited March 29, 2015 by Paulus

[Benny who]

George III Crown

George IV Half Crown

William IV Half Crown

Victoria Godless Florin,quite like the later Florins also.

Rocking Horse,or Churchill tied fifth,just for the complete wild card factor(most people know what these are even if they don't collect coins),so in terms of being iconic I would list them.

[Paulus]

The old head florins are beautiful, not sure they achieve 'iconic' status that's all, for me!

[RLC35]

The old head florins are beautiful, not sure they achieve 'iconic' status that's all, for me!

I like that one also Paulus. Another I like is the Edward VII Florin (Especially the Reverse).

[Rob]

Iconic is generally accepted to represent something that the layman would recognise. Irrespective of the artistic merits of the ornate/draped G4 and W4 reverses or any other design familiar to ourselves, Joe Public wouldn't recognise them.

It's likely to boil down to a few popular designs such as the wren reverse on the farthing, the Soho cartwheel or the bronze penny featuring the Britannia reverse, a George and Dragon reverse coin, an Elizabeth 1st obverse, and something like a Cromwell obverse. Basically all something the public could identify with relative ease for many people.

[Paulus]

You're right Rob, more like our favourites than recognisable iconic coins for Joe Public ... but food for thought nonetheless ... not sure a layman would recognise a Cromwell obverse either!

Perhaps 'iconic' to the coin collecting community is what's intended by the OP? Of course that depends on an individual's collecting focus, but I have given 5 of perhaps 20 circulating English milled silver, for me!

Edited March 29, 2015 by Paulus

[Guest Kay Chapman]

I have a 1821 George IV half crown, can anyone tell me what it is worth please?