Coinery

I couldn't resist! Weak strike, but I really like the 'feel' of this one!

You'll never guess what I found in a hammered lot after buying it? Exactly the same, but even better grade (sharper)! I left it with W&W, for their 'coin man' to look at, as I only spotted it after winning the lot! Not sure how I stand with fakes in lots, we'll see? I'm not entirely unhappy, as I bought the lot for a superb Elizabeth threefarthings that wasn't highlighted, despite being the best coin in there! Neither was the amazing Edward penny with lustre (pics later)

They're good on here, aren't they!

They're good on here, aren't they!

Boats and the dreams of self-sufficiency, or at least a system of simple trading? You have a great time, Peter! Many happy return to Mrs P, best wishes to you both! I'm half p****d in a pub in Warwick, waiting for my better half to pick me up! Christ, it's rained a lot, but I'm pleased with Warwick!

The magic of macro! I stand down from the large 4, small 4 speculation! One for the denticle boys now I think! It is undoubtably high though, even if the left component is contestable!

It's all about being a completist. As soon as a variety is found, everyone has a gap in their collection to be filled. As Peck says, they're not that rare (VR Court estimates 6:1 in favour of the more common variety) so can be picked up by the eagle-eyed at a very reasonable price. There's always a good feeling from paying standard money for a rarer variety. I guess a lot of the overdates and die-repairs of modern milled can boil down to little more than a few microns on occasions, even blocked dies count, if the run's long enough! It always comes down to how common or not they are, and how many accumulators there are out there with big black circles in the middle of their very fine cabinets who want one!

Another new variety... Go pies!

Good on yer, Pies! Fair play!

You'll be in a minority of one then!

It doesn't. It's a sixpence. I love this forum! I remember innocently entering around a year ago now, just after the debate about whether you could legally smelt English coinage had finally wound down! Without knowing about the fire of the recent bullion debate, I entered enquiring into 'the smelting of English silver'! I always think of you Nick! fondly, of course!

Yes. The lots of coins I purchase are mostly low grade coins. Being a variety seeker, this does not bother me. Thus, I make sure that differences are not caused by post mint damages and significant enough to be keeped. When I can not find information on it on the web, I post it. The pictures that I post can be used so others can come up with their own conclusion. The sample I have for 1940 is 30 coins so I do not think this is rare unless I am very lucky. Hope someone else finds one ... happy hunting. 1 in 30 is quite a small number, especially if none were found in the next 30! Stick around, I think your findings would be the focus of some good debate!

I guess that would depend on the comparative rarity of the one 1940 against the other! I think the modern micro-collector is a growing animal, and books like David's can only fuel the fire! For example, if you HAD one, and I didn't...well, you could still keep it anyways!

Yes, this one's in D Groom's book! He also adds that one has the wave ON the exergue line, and the other above, which I can see is the case in your images! Groom, D., J., (2009) The Identification of British 20th Century Bronze Coin Varieties. Whitstable: DJG ISBN: 978-1-4092-8550-2 I think you're going to like it!

Just a thought, but I wonder whether it would be better described as a 'large 4' and 'small 4' variety? It'll be interested to see what accumulator, and anyone else comes back with, I don't have anything after G5 myself, apart from QEII pound coins, that is! I agree there certainly appears to be a difference, sharp eyes, let's see it duplicated and you're home! You know the author D J Groom frequents this forum, he's obviously spent a lot of time on things like this! A big welcome, a good post to enter with!

Wholeheartedly agree, horrible!

Someone's probably offered them a couple of grand off the 'bay, thinking they've got themselves a bargain! Well played by the seller though... 'box of collectables' 'think I need some help' 'found something similar, but this has some weird writing on it, Sinnon, or something' ! Nicely baited!

Not often you see a £60,000 coin on ebay, cast copy? Only needs to X 100 and it'll be there! Over £600 already!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/120964068724?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

Not the actual inner circles, though they are often helpful when comparing the position of other elements of the design, like the mark of value or legend. However there are occasions where additional beads appear in the legend. They occur during certain types, but also on 'unusual' coins, such as those struck from Welsh silver and also some 'fine work' coins. I'm therefore tempted to think that they had some significance beyond aesthetics, but I'm not aware that there are any records that describe their purpose. What is a 'fine work' coin, you ask? They appear to have been carefully struck on specially prepared flans to a (generally) high standard. Such as this: Sometimes, but not always, the privy mark is unusual suggesting they were produced before other coins of that type. I guess there could be examples where beads could be used to assist in identification with good effect. I'm thinking, particularly in that second image, that the 'Privy' mark is in such close promiximity to the beads that it could be used as a 'xxx points to bead' etc? Interesting stuff!

I've always admired Iron Maiden, and absolutely love D Gilmour, what a stunning album that 2006 'On an Island' was!

Thanks, Mongo, that's very decent of you!

Emails delivered into the hands of Chris Comber who, I'm assured, will pass it on to Messrs Brown & Wilkinson...result! Many thanks to Paul Withers and Richard 'The Thinker'!

No significance really, as very few coins have clear beading to begin with, plus the bead numbers would vary for each die! Also, double-strike, even by a half a degree would change the orientation of the beads altogether (and numbers, of course)! I guess if you had a couple of extremely well-struck coins from the same die you could certainly utilize the beading in those instances but, on the whole, i don't think you'd convince very many people in the hammered world that your coin was X on account of a point to bead etc., so I'm avoiding that marker altogether...unless there's nothing else left to go on! I keep praying now that all the mint workers were pi**ed on die preparation day, as the misaligned legends are undoubtably the best friend! Ironically, the larger denominations are more difficult, as there are far fewer misalignments and errors, or the cramming in of letters, because they quite literally ran out of space. Also, lest we forget, that blessing of letters encroaching one upon the other! All very interesting if you're a nerd/spotter, I mean collector!