Bernie

Nice example, better than average !

I agree, I think all forum members should boycott bidding on pennies !!!!

Just one ? Rash,

Happy New Year Mal. Another one to look for. The halfpennies are becoming more of a challenge than the pennies !!

Trichloroethane or similar was a good degreaser but I believe is now banned for many reasons, including, carcinogenic, damages the ozone layer, removes oils from skin. I do believe that we have a chemist on our forum, he may be able to recommend a suitable replacement. The verdigris dissolver mentioned earlier may be a good option, perhaps readers that have used it could explain their findings in greater detail. When removing deep verdigris, submerging the coin in liquid while probing helps remove the deposits. The F69 in the earlier post appears to be a nice example with no destructive corrosion issues.

Firstly I must emphasise that I am not advising one way or another on whether to interfere with coins. Sometimes you could make things worse ! The F90 had corrosion removed by soaking in a shallow container of degreaser, now a banned product, damages the ozone layer !, I haven't got any more. While soaking, I placed under a microscope X10 magnification and picked at the corrosion with a needle. The longer time taken the better job can be achieved. The problem with working under magnification is that it is easy to slip and cause scratches. Again, while soaking, corrosion or dirt between legend can be removed with wooden toothpicks. (if you can find toothpicks made of wood) slightest slips ca cause scratches ! If you attempt any of the above, don't blame me if you are unhappy with the results ! Corrosion is metal loss, it cannot be replaced !

It is such a shame when an extreme rarity turns up with corrosion. When I get such a coin, I access whether the coin will benefit or not by removing the corrosion. My biggest decision was whether or not to remove much shiny deep rooted fluorescent green verdigris from a Fr90. I believed that leaving it there would cause further erosion, so decided to remove it. In my opinion, I did the right thing as I had no intention of selling it. Picture attached, I have no regrets.

Not clean enough for me. I recommend "Solvol Autosol",

Hello Mal, Chomping at the bit here ! waiting to see if you can convince me that there are distinguishable differences ! I cannot open to see your bigger pictures. I too sent pictures of a few 11's 12's to halfpenny collectors, but results came back mostly with different opinions. Please check if you can open the pictures posted. It could be my laptop missing a program.

Hello Mal, Merry Christmas !! I have looked at many Halfpennies that are firmly established Freeman catalogue numbered obverse 11 and 12, but still am not convinced that there are any significant differences. For a variety to be different we should surely be able to pick it up and tell the difference without any doubt. I have quite a few halfpennies in very high grade dated 1874 and 1875, many that I have obtained from long established collectors, claiming that they are of one obverse or another. I pick them up and it doesn't matter how much I examine them, I cannot see any significant difference between any of them, There is just one exception, the obverse coins with reverse L that I have seen have a damaged "I" in BRITT. I challenge anyone to supply me with an indicator that will separate these two said varieties. The angle of the "R" in BRITT does vary slightly on my halfpennies of 11 and 12 but surely there must be more significant differences to make a coin a different variety.

There are examples known of halfpennies with and without H, with obverse 11 and 12

I don't know anything about Shillings. If it's a fake it is a bloody good one ! Most fake coins are made of a cheap metal... try placing a magnet next to it.

I would be 100% happy bidding for the LCA 1882, if I wanted it. It is possible that no H pennies exist with obverse 12 but until a high grade one turns up, I am not convinced. A few have turned up with Obverse 12, with no H showing. I have never been that enthusiastic that I have had the urge to bid.

It's genuine OK, Obverse 11 with reverse N. There were no H currency pennies were struck with this die pairing.

Mr T, Thank you for your input so far. Please would you share your observations on the precise difference comparisons of I in BRITT and alignment of Colon Dots after BRITT. on obverse 11 and 12. I believe that Most if not all Freeman 322's 12+L have a wonkey I in BRITT. I look at halfpennies of said obverse 11 and 12 until I'm blue in the face, but can't find a significant difference identifier.

I paid £380 once for what I and 11 other bidders believed a coin was an 1862 8/6 penny. It was not advertised as an 8/6. When I received the coin is was an 1862 with a stain left of the 8, The layout of the date spacing and legend led us all to believe it was the rarity. I therefore do not have any conscience about buying unidentified rarities cheap. Please stop informing sellers ! I have a lot of making up to do !!!

I wouldn't tell them but at times I believe some smartass has contacted sellers of such coins. On many occassions coins have been withdrawn from Ebay. I have been most disappointed and wondered if punters have told them that they have rare coins or they have offered to Buy it Now.

I would like to communicate with the previous owner of the two 1860 official pattern pennies that were sold in the Spink auction on the 3rd December. Other readers may also be able to help. I would like to establish the provenance of Lot 1145 (Freeman 751) Spink Catalogue had no provenance listed. As far as I am aware, only three coins are recorded for this variety. One in the British Museum, one Ex. Freeman (sold in 1984) and one previously owned by Vigil M Brand. My thought is that the Spink auction coin is therefore probably the Ex. V M Brand coin. Any help in identifying the Spink auction coin would be most appreciated.

It doesn't surprise me that the F7 sold for that price, the image of the coin made it look a superior coin, possibly the best !

I have emailed Richard at Spink, Asking him if he could pass on an email to the seller of the pattern pennies, Pete. Some high prices were achieved on the high quality bronze. I had hopes myself on the very high quality 1672 halfpenny. I was hoping that it might go cheap, but watched it zoom up to about £5K. You have some lovely rare bronze pennies Ian, the 1863 die 4 is one of the best that I have seen, most are just CD's. Very best of luck selling them!! Ian, I recall having a similar problem once with the smilies, I think the code for the smilies maybe ... A1 + b

Thank you for the recommendation, I will give it a try. Coincidently, Ian may be able to through some light on my request, he has been disposing of many pennies lately, perhaps these patterns were his ??

Have a read of Freeman obverse 11 description, then 12, Jerry

Looks like a 12+J to me, could be wrong, halfpennies are so difficult to identify. Especially obverse 11/12. Also this coin may have started life as an 1874H with the H flattened.

Malcolm Peake, Collected bronze Pennies. He was a leading authority on bronze pennies, halfpennies and farthings. He started collecting in the 1960's, one of the first to recognise differences in so many die varieties. Malcolm combined his knowledge with Michael Freeman and Michael Gouby and made contributions to their reference catalogues. The last time that I spoke with Malcolm, he gave me the impression that he planned to live in Thailand. My good friend, he shared all of his knowledge of bronze pennies with me !

My money is on an "A", The sub variety die with "A" nearer linear circle. Just an opinion, could be wrong !