1949threepence

I suppose the obvious answer would be receipts from reputable auction houses, e bay, PayPal etc. Surely they would pass muster. Although it's not always possible to produce a receipt or other provenance for every coin.

Or even shilling a shilling.......

You're probably right, Chris. Yes Peter, it was bought - £14.50 I think.

Thanks Chris. As I've noted before the trick with this series is getting a good strike. Not easy, and you need to buy as soon as you see one for any given year. I feel lucky to have got two decent KN's (1918 & 1919).

It's been very quiet for a couple or so weeks, but it's all set to kick off again on Monday - just to break you in gently

Hold on........I shouldn't be able to see the sea through the shield on this penny Is it me or an optical illusion?

Although I'm spent up after Christmas, I really felt that with two recent price reductions to 71% of the original asking price, I just had to get this 1919KN penny from Lee at Colin Cooke, so cracked open a savings account to get it. Very pleased. It's GEF both sides in my opinion, although Lee described it as a/UNC. In hand it's actually still got that UNC sheen though, with the merest trace of lustre remaining in the obverse devices. It's a fairly good strike, with only very faint ghosting to the reverse, and some moderate hair detail. There are a couple of very minor edge knocks at about 2 O' Clock and 4 O' Clock on the reverse. Also what looks like a die crack extending from about 12 O' Clock on the obverse, South South East across the King's head to the top of the ear. That apart it's completely issue free. Unusually for a KN it seems to have toned dark. Or at any rate would have toned properly dark had it remained in circulation.

Very interesting - and I assume recognised many years ago, as the accompanying note has clearly been typed on an old fashioned typewriter, and the paper now yellowing slightly. Precisely how these anomalies occur is anyone's guess.

Although with that said, CC do sell standard coins as a matter of course, so no reason why all of Gary's collection couldn't be lumped into one (as I see it any rate). Maybe Neil could give us a heads up if he reads this thread.

Lee Brownson.

I'm zeroing in on a couple, and I just wondered if anybody had any thoughts as to how scarce they are, given the extreme commonality of their non recessed counterparts? What, 1 in 10, 1 in 20? Obviously Freeman makes reference to them, but no quantitatively. Thanks in advance gents.

Yes, very much so. In the pre internet era, such magazine articles would probably have been forgotten very quickly, whereas today, of course, there would be considerable follow up as the articles get reproduced internationally, and gain much more exposure on different platforms. That would undoubtedly have generated a lot more interest. As it was, and as you rightly point out, in those days, collectors and budding collectors would have been much more strongly drawn to the glamour pieces of the day, which would most likely not have included George V pennies, bar the H's KN's and ME's of this world, and probably date fills of any other type going. Nonetheless, at least the article kindly reproduced by @AardHawk shows that there was awareness of this variety, and probably had been for many years prior to that. It would be very interesting to read some of the relevant Royal MInt annual reports.

There's tons of quality there, Pete, quite apart from the pennies. Gary's halfcrown collection is superb, and includes a high end 1905. There's also a 1934 crown. Right across the board Gary has painstakingly assembled virtually every type and sub type. Something there for everyone interested in this era, I'd venture. I'm sure even if the ordinary specimens were included, most of them would also go, albeit for lower prices, as collectors hone in on those gaps in their own collections. I can say for sure there are a number of Gary's pennies I'd be most interested in.

Not only Tony Crocker, but also Bernie Workman, the Copthorne collection and the Alderley collection. Plus others. I'd say Colin Cooke was exactly the right place for a 20th century collection. Most would go. Then maybe e bay for the unsolds.

Thanks for that Aardhawk. Very interesting. Clearly the numismatic community had the low down on these pennies before Freeman wrote about them. Obvious when you think about it, as the recessed or "depressed" ear types are very noticeable, so it would have been strange if they hadn't been picked up beforehand.

Trials are explained in Freeman's book at page 144. Here is a photo of it, in case you've not got the book. Anomalies are anything else different to the norm, which isn't a trial or proof - such as tonnage numbers scratched onto coins by Royal MInt staff.

I quite like these wooden watches:-

I agree with all the above. DNW are by far the best. Very smooth, professional organisation. Also very pleasant to deal with when you contact them by phone - you get an intelligent, coherent person with whom you can have a normal conversation with. Increasingly rare these days.

Great Photography lol

Indeed. Another point that comes to mind is the grade. I'd strongly bet that the 5 bob bags of pennies you got from the bank did not have any high grade specimens from those years. Given the usage and wear of over 50 years, there'd have been a vast majority of VG to fine, with the odd good fine, and the very occasional VF, but nothing better. The high grade examples that collectors gravitate towards now would have come from prior collections or the odd few from the inside of settees, old long forgotten purses and the like. Probably, they did not include anything deliberately set aside because of what look like a stoved in ear. Although as you rightly say Chris, it's a real unknown. A mystery we can never crack.

Well yes, although if you look at David's post, which is as follows:- I'd venture to say that there wouldn't have been too much rarity distortion on the recessed ear varieties, as I don't think they would have been extensively known about or collected prior to withdrawal on 31st August 1971. Although I stand to be corrected on that as I know Freeman was first published at some point in 1970. So there might conceivably have been some collected in the year or so that the book was out, before pennies were withdrawn from circulation.

That again is a good option worthy of strong consideration.

That is true of course. I must admit I was thinking more of the recessed ear specimens.

Awesome. Fantastic detail, and amazing collection. Although one of your 1922 shillings is a mirror image, rather than a true representation.

Neat idea, and one I will consider.