Coinery

Yes, I don’t think halfpenny harp strings are a thing I’m planning to get sidetracked by…very happy to read about Gaz’s upcoming discoveries though

Having said that, the strings are likely added separately from the harp punch itself, so anything is possible I guess?

Hey, Gaz, I did take a look at my own example but, even under the loupe this morning, I couldn’t confirm the number of strings on mine, due to strike weakness. There is this post… …where Rob’s and Jelida’s examples show 5 strings. I did notice however that Coys’ Penny, shown in the same thread, displays a harp with six strings. I can’t imagine that the 1d harp punch hasn’t at some point been shared across the denominations?

As you say, this is a short-cross London penny of Henry II…minted by PIERES ON LVND

Despite numerous refreshes, both last night AND today, I just can’t get the reverse to load beyond what you’re seeing here!

That’s a VERY valid point…

I really don’t see the date, for example, holding such a clear, crude form after submersion, myself…and especially for all the other devices to be so poorly positioned, if it were really the genuine article!

Definitely…wot Rob said!

My thoughts on the German forgery is that I reckon they had bigger fish to fry in 1945, than to bother themselves with bronze pennies

I’m hoping your packaging will deliver something slightly more round, Clive 🙏

I absolutely LOVE this one, and you only get to see the reverse, too…maybe they’re just being kind! Kind of Knight-like in shape, quite the piece of art https://ebay.io/m/Mck7Te

Interesting and educational read, here, on the counterfeiting of these shillings by Gary Oddie, just in case anyone’s interested! https://britnumsoc.blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/188-cft-commonwealth-oddie.pdf

Nice one, Stu, thank you 🙏

I know the mint was closed for relocation and reworking of the dies to improve quality in 1650, but there were coins minted for other denominations…were there definitely no shillings? I’m 99% certain this is a 6 that’s drifted off flan, but thought I’d ask, just in case someone had heard of a random die that may have been used as part of a trial?

I think this is standard for the hobby, Rob

Makes my wobble at a 7hr round trip to Heaton Norris pale into insignificance

Nice find, Clive…in our own archive t’boot! 🙌🙏

You could very well be right, I’m open to any suggestions on this one…I really don’t know, truth be told! 🙂

It’s meant to represent a groat, by the way.

Contemporary with the times, I’d say, as in intended to be spent. I’m basing the above solely on the fact my own example looks like it has been in the ground for some years. However, that’s not to say someone didn’t beat my piece up to make it look like an old coin? This has been known, but I suspect it would not have been worth it to beat any modern copy up this much, in the hope of making a few quid? Value? I wouldn’t have expected to get more than a tenner for my coin when it sold, so I likely didn’t even get that much. People do collect genuine (😊) counterfeits, so you may get lucky on eBay, but don’t expect too much.

I felt like I recognised it from something I had around 20 years ago, so been digging around my images. Here’s one I used to have, which was pewter (or not silver at least). They are identical and, given the similarity of ‘strike,’ and the fact mine looks like a genuine field-find, I’d say they were both contemporary cast counterfeits (cast, rather than hammered from dies).

That’s a super-crude counterfeit, surely? Would a Scottish coin have English titles on it, I can’t say that I’d know?

Good evening, and welcome to the forum. Of course you can use the images in any way you wish, no credit necessary. As I’m sure you’re already aware, this is currently understood to be a single die, though many examples exist of it, courtesy of the Colchester hoard. Only one single specimen was known before the find, so there are likely not too many detector examples remaining out there? Good luck with all your research, please share it with us when it’s completed. Very best regards, Stuart

That’s really kind of you, Rob, such a generous invite. I can’t for a minute imagine I’d be able to make it, but when is your next meeting?