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I'm late to this thread, but here's a bit more info about my own job and background. I did Maths and Sciences for A-levels but then did a Law degree. I really enjoyed the study of Law, but didn't think that working in the legal profession would interest me enough (although at that time, virtually all the interesting work was in London and I didn't want to live in London). So I graduated from Cambridge and took a job as a cashier in a betting shop 😀 This rekindled my love of probability and statistics, and I then took a job training as a Chartered Accountant with one of the big firms, in Bristol. Again, the study was interesting but I left as soon as I qualified, and got out into the business world. I have spent the last 20+ years in a variety of companies and roles, but always as a forward-looking analytical problem-solver. These days I am an interim and have been in and out of work rather than having a secure and stable job. But I solve commercial business problems with data, logic, algebra and creativity 😄 I have retired from several non-work lives too. I used to represent GB at Orienteering at under 21 level, used to be a national standard athlete on the track and the road until my body gave up aged 37, and am probably retired from being a comic performance poet (although I was brought out of a 4-year slumber earlier this year when I was booked for a music festival. Toyah was in one tent, I was in the other!). I won the UK Allstars Poetry Slam in 2012 which was the biggest event of its kind in the UK in terms of a paying audience. This is what I used to do...

This one amused me today:

Perhaps the intended use of the die at the time of its design and manufacture is what is relevant here, it was not designed to be used with the earlier reverse die, though it was, and presumably intentionally, in the penny in question. That does raise the question, which can never be answered I suspect, of how many of our 1860 and 1861 pennies are in fact mules, to go with the 1862 obv 2 and 3 coins which clearly are ‘intentional mules’? Better not get into semantics or we may all end up asses. Jerry

Here's one of my Coventry ones, Edge: COVENTRY TOKEN. D&H 295

If not mules 🐎

I wonder if there was a shortage of pennies in 1926 due to hoarding - think about industrial unrest and the Great Strike. That certainly wasn't planned by officialdom and a normally functioning economy would need to be seen, if only as a psychological tool. Anyone with a mint report for the year which can identify the reason for the 26 issues? Running out of first effigy dies is a distinct possibility if the perceived demand was satisfied by existing stocks of dies. i.e. an adequate number of coins in circulation, with a few dies in reserve to cover emergencies.

I rather like this theory, it does have an air of practicality about it, and would as you say suggest that the term ‘mule’ is appropriate for the 1926 ME. Have you had correspondence with the RM museum for their view? I wonder if the appropriate annual report might also give some clues. Jerry

A little more info for you from 'The building Medalets of Kempson and Skidmore' by R. C. Bell page 36/7 ''D&H War.297'' (then gives a description of the token followed by) ''The building was originally a hospital founded at the beginning of the reign of Henry II. At the dissolution of the monasteries John Hales purchased the chapel and converted it into a free school.'' Unfortunately it gives no information on edge varieties

OK thanks Will..let's just assume it is an error then and should read COVENTRY TOKEN as Rob says unless there is one that just reads COVENTRY. Many thanks for your help. SO we are searching now for the COVENTRY only edge

really in all honesty I cannot see why I would bother to collect coins, when tokens are so beautiful ...I nearly did not even begin to collect them then I realised the fantastic artwork on many of them and was hooked

I've just checked and I'm sure that it was part of the Trevor Legge collection in Dec 2014.

Love Aretha and was lucky enough to see her live three times, but Prince Buster takes the crown on this track:

I didn't realise it was Richard's site either. I assumed his address was what he has as his signature with .co.uk or .com after it.

I only have D&H as a reference, if of any use or relevance, this Birmingham Kempson token is correctly documented by D&H as having an edge inscription of "COVENTRY TOKEN"

Garrett, Thank you for your expression of appreciation for my collection. Cathrine

I managed to get this nice coin, and it filled a gap too.

Planned for early retirement began last year. Before that, 30 years working in publishing as an illustrator, mostly children's books. Before that, making a racket with electric guitars.

Quite pleased with this one as an upgrade. I am now happy that I have all the 20th century pennies that are achievable in an acceptable grade for me. (Which means I can focus more on all the other upgrades I need to achieve!)

Coins went for: 1838 gold threepence 16.8k USD plus 20% = 20.15k 1927 gold half crown 72k USD plus 20%!! juice = 87k Broke my heart to not be able to compete, but WAAAAY too Rich!