Peckris 2

It seems like a microscopic difference really. However to me, the 1 on the variety looks thicker than it does on mine. That might be enough to account for the "just about over a bead" versus "exactly over a bead"? So, same die, but the 1 recut perhaps.

Is this one also? The second 1 is pointing to a tooth.

It seems to have a wider rim than usual?

Saxon Roman? He's certainly hedging his bets! Surprised he didn't include Greek, Persian, and plumber's mate too...

Agreed. I'd struggle to give that obverse even VF, though the reverse - as so often for this series - is a grade or so higher.

the caption is the best bit!

Nice find!

Shouldn't those be in wood not stone?

I was hospitalised for a couple of days after the first jab BUT... without MS I'd just have had a day off feeling extra tired and weak, nothing worse the second day in hospital I was fine but they wouldn't discharge me until they'd set up home help for a few days After the second jab, virtually no ill effects.

Ah, that explains it. That was during my absence from this forum.

I'm way out of date..

"Cooper" is about right, with all those holes..

Neil Paisley is now MD of Baldwins? Wow, I missed that. When did he leave Colin Cooke?

Yes. It's weird, the actual mintage is only small (19m) compared to 1969, but I guess people put the 1969s aside but not the 1970. Your average Joe would have wanted the first year I guess, and mintage figures were only relevant to collectors.

Apparently France converted from copper to bronze from 1848.

A lot of that - the tonnage data - is way over my head! However, do consider all the circumstantial evidence: I read somewhere (sorry, I don't have the source) that the changeover to bronze was originally to have happened in 1858, but there were so many problems with the thinner dies that it was pushed back. This makes sense if you then take into account all the very many varieties of 1858 penny - that they decided to use up existing dies resulting in several overdates. At greater leisure they produced dies for 1859 (very few varieties), which then got pressed into service again in 1860 when 30k pennies were needed in a hurry. If the changeover didn't happen until late in 1860, that would reinforce the 'low mintage' rationale. Meanwhile, if they didn't experience the same problems with the two smaller denominations, they would have gone ahead with minting those bronzes. The 1860 copper halfpenny and farthing - much rarer - could indeed have been mementoes not intended for circulation.

Ah, but they managed fine from 1861 - 63!

Yes - the same auction lot that had a few UNC 1981 10p's also had a handful of UNC 1970 50p's. Luckily there was little competition for them in the 90s.

I agree with the notion that there was a small but urgent demand for pennies earlier in 1860, so the 1860/59s were minted in a hurry and issued - maybe, as Mike suggests - only to a few banks. I've said more than once before, and no doubt I'll have to say it again, the bronze issue for 1860 was VERY LATE. Why do I say this? Because the mintage, for a completely new issue, is way below what it should have been to replace copper pennies. Look at the huge mintages for 1861/62/63 - you'd expect something similar for the first year too, but not so. The 1860/59 copper s no doubt met an urgent need that may have been relatively small, but clearly there. I simply cannot believe there was never an intention to strike those coppers for circulation.

I was playing Scrabble and had just 4 letters left - O V N R Sadly, this means nothing to me.

And VERY common.

What hump?

Do you actually know what a troll is?

It's not just Labour who throw names at the PM. Those who know him well say there's a quite nasty, very egocentric, often incompetent person behind the superficial eccentric bluster. I said "often" duped, and I'm talking mainly about England, and the northerners who've been ripped off for decades by all parties. Not the "public at large" - please, read my posts properly before replying. The government have made terrible and costly mistakes during the pandemic: late to the first lockdown despite clear warnings from Italy; some sleazy double dealing over PPE contracts; and late to the second lockdown, especially the fiasco about Xmas. "What Labour lack is a clear idea of a constructive way forward. Like some original ideas which capture the public imagination. Not to mention a charm offensive to net floating voters." I agree 100% "All Labour's (and the MSM's) efforts to smear the government with the low level stuff about Boris's flat etc, fell on deaf ears because the vast majority are just not interested." Yes, and that's the problem. And has been all along, long before the Big Red Bus with its lies. People just don't see through him, or else they do, and still forgive him because of his (carefully managed) scruffy hair, 'hail fellow well met' manner. He's really a piece of work, but does 'dupe' so many people.