davidrj

Museums use Renaissance Wax on ancients Dunno whether anyone has done controlled trials on modern BU bronze Some discussion here

Call me old fashioned but that stikes me as plated. I saw that one and convinced myself it was plated, but then CuNi can go that horrid yellow colour

I think the central hole would part of the original blank preparation, rather than a two stage process. Bit I'm happy to be corrected if anyone knows the actual mechanics of holey coin production

Wouldn't BWA blanks have the central hole prior to strtiking? Trying to think what blank it could be, Kings Norton didn't do Jamaica pennies (only outsourced to Heatons and Ottawa) George V pennies get more and more interesting

you would need a serial number (like a banknote) for that, a date is meaningless

I suspect the real answer is "tradition"

Yes, really helpful that one!

the font is different - look at the final 8s in my composite above - the variant 8 is neater and symmetrical So, although it may be very hard to spot, and invokes little interest, it is as significant as the open 3 for 1903 whether the change for either year was deliberate, or a busy mint worker accidentally used a numeral punch designed for a different coin, we will never know. the variations of 3 in 1863 pennies may actually be due to where the coin was struck (by the Royal Mint, Watt or Heaton???) interesting question, why are coins dated anyway? or more to the point why are the dies dated, as there is no guarantee as to when a coin was actually struck?

it took a lot of searching for me to find the two wide date varieties, and was totally confused by finding the wide date normal 8 first (not in Gouby) this is a case where a scanner comes in handy, you can image say a dozen coins in one go and blow up areas of interest on screen Impossible (for me) to spot the difference naked eye

Very difficult to spot, took a while to convince myself there was any difference, nothing like an open 3 (1863 or 1903) - so I would think demand to be so minimal as not to attract any premium. some pictures to follow from top - 1898 Aa "normal" 8 over gap, 1898 Ab "normal" 8 over bead, 1898 Bb "variant" 8 over bead

Very difficult to spot, took a while to convince myself there was any difference, nothing like an open 3 (1863 or 1903) - so I would think demand to be so minimal as not to attract any premium. some pictures to follow

Do you still have the link? Did you mean this one?, he's been trying to flog it for some time, NOT an open 3

"HAND POLISHED, BY SPECIAL COIN HANDLERS" link

and another note the triangle shape on the neck, but I of BRITT to a bead is the clincher

Here's a "hollow neck" 1911 Gouby X

I see what you mean link Could be fun to sort through though

I pressed the "like" button on your post and got an error message - "You have reached your quota of positive votes for the day"

New format appears to be working with firefox on my machine

For this read "The Royal Mint is delighted for the exciting opportunity to issue shedloads of overpriced commemorative crap"

I'm back too, great county!

Just off to Norfolk for a week's holiday. Any recommendations for local dealers and museums worth a coiny visit? David

I had the same problem from my laptop (using Firefox) tried later on my desktop machine (also using firefox) got in but wouldn't let me log out - very odd Still getting the same! both machines using Windows 7 and Firefox 22.0 - bu**ered if i know what the difference is, but the site refuses all input on the laptop, but I'm in on the desktop machine

I had the same problem from my laptop (using Firefox) tried later on my desktop machine (also using firefox) got in but wouldn't let me log out - very odd

ditto