Peckris 2

And today's "Fun With Flags" is being presented by a special guest, Secret Santa...

Yes, that's the book I meant. The actual Check Your Change hasn't existed since predec days, though I believe Chris did borrow the title for the first few years of his decimals book?

I'd rather recommend Chris Perkins' Check Your Decimal Change - Spink are absolutely way out in their decimals pricing.

It's possible that perhaps one was produced but never used at the time? Remember that in 1858, having unexpectedly found they needed to continue copper for a while longer than previously thought, they must have been scrabbling around for old dies to use up which would explain the huge number of varieties for the year.

They can order CURRENCY coins in sealed bags, but not collector coins.

I don't think you do, except for unusual stuff like the Brexit 50p?

Not all outrageous - there's an AU 1907 shilling for £75, and an UNC 1910 halfcrown for less than it's been in Spink for years.

Yes, I was only being strict and technical. I've even received coins in change from a shop that I'd personally class as BU. However, I'd still rate banks as the best bet.

Technically, a coin is 'circulated' as soon as it leaves the conveyor belt and shovelled into a Mint bag for distribution to the banks. However, banks are the place to ask about coins that have just been taken from a Mint bag.

I've got a feeling that George III was affectionately known as 'Farmer George'?

Shakespeare didn't have a clue about cats. "Tabby, or not tabby?"

I think you're confusing him with George IV who was utterly detested and reviled, and had been bailed out by George III several times.

Very very nice! Your picture problem would be resolved in an instant if you crop out all that unnecessary background - it must be using well over half the image size. This took me a few seconds:

Yes, the more important thing is the lighting, and the stand, than the precise camera - having said that, digital zoom isn't brilliant so you need to have your phone sufficiently near to the coin.

Apologies for raining on your parade Mike, but that obverse is barely VF (too much wear on the hair, and generally). The reverse is better but I wouldn't rate it much higher than VF.

Persist. I tried a few years running to get the 1946 ONE' penny, and the 1920 redesigned silver obverses both included. It was including documented expert evidence that finally tipped the scales, probably. As for the bronze bun pennies, I think they decided to "do a Freeman", which meant all or nothing. That's my guess.

It seems the change to bronze was originally planned for 1858, but there were so many problems they had to continue with the copper series. That's why there are so many overdates for 1858 - they were pressing old dies into service to meet demand. 1859 may be a case of preparing dies ahead (in 1858) as they knew they still wouldn't be ready. Logic says the changeover was rescheduled for 1860, but they still weren't quite ready, so a small number of 1860/59 coppers were struck. Note that the issue of bronze dated 1860 is massively outnumbered by the 1861 - 1863 mintages, indicating that it may well have been quite late in 1860 that they finally began striking bronze? Otherwise you would expect an equally huge mintage for 1860, being the first year of bronze.

It's the same reason why the same point is so often flat on the reverse of George V pennies - it's the high relief of the obverse, especially at that part - that 'sucks' metal away from the other face. Nothing to do with a worn die.

In a similar vein, the World Health Organisation has found that obesity worldwide is caused by the consumption of meat and veg encased in pastry. They tried to discourage the practice, but were ignored, so they bought all the offending items and distributed them among themselves. To be clear, WHO ate all the pies.

probably resin of some kind? if genuine it would have been worth a lot more than that. sad, though.

VERY strange. Blackened considerably.

I was in Birmingham in the 70s and much of the 80s. I remember M&B, Ansells, and Banks's - of which Banks's was by far the best. I don't remember ever seeing Bathams.

Better than Banks's?

Oh come on! Trump has never made a sandwich in his life - he has minions aka family to do that.

I think it would have been funny if they HAD put it in 'Junk'.