Descartes

Hi Clive, Thanks for the reply. I will certainly bare in mind private collections and will be very grateful for any photographic images that people can provide. I'll start the ball rolling by emailing the curators to see what's what. At least then I can plan everything properly. I did a similar project for the Paintings of Ralph chubb (for a biography) a few years back and the museums of Britain were very expensive regarding images. Some charged me over £50. Nevertheless I managed to collect them all in the end! The book is unfinished but I've been gettting emails from curators asking if I can tell them about Chubb for their records! At the moment I dont really plan on making a guide for commercial purposes. If it turns out I get enough information and photographs it might be useful for a guide, it's certainly something I'd happily share with fellow collectors and enthusiasts. Thanks, Darren

That's a great idea

I came a cropper on the African shilling. I got this one wrong too :/ I thought they used dollars in Somalia. Hmmm

The pound coins produced at Oxford during the civil war are 120g, twice the weight of a cartwheel twopence and in diameter go up to 52mm. http://www.petitioncrown.com/CHARLES_I_OXFORD_MINT.html While it might be nice to have one, it wouldn't be very handy for day to day use! Hi Tom, Oh my! This is one beautiful and gigantic coin. Extraordinary!

Hi forum, I was wondering if there were any interesting articles on victorian sixpence 'die numbers' that somebody could point me to? I don't really understand what's what with die numbers and what they really mean and since I've just started to add Victorian sixpences to my collection, I thought I'd get swatting. Many thanks, Descartes

I've never found a definitive answer as to what they were used for, but there is an interesting paragraph in the 1869 book by George Frederick Ansell, published in 1870, who worked in The Royal Mint at that time. He says: "For the past four of five years the reverse die has been made to carry, in addition to its recognised device, a small number, with a view to determine at which coining press, and on what particular day, the numbered die was used, that bad work might be traced to an individual. It need hardly be said that accidents encountered in daily work entirely overcome the object being sought, for a die may last either minutes or days in wear owing to the irregularities of the steel from which it is made, and besides, the boys who work the presses are of necessity changed at irregular intervals." Hi Nick, Thanks for the interesting information. So the Royal Mint were possibly looking at ways to keep tabs on their staff and equipment - a sort of quality control on their coins. I shall certainly have fun attempting to collect all the variations now. :-) D

Hi Peter, Yes, I've heard that William III sixpences are a minefield. I read somewhere that there are over 70 different variations. Would make an amazing collection! Although I do like to pick up a good sixpence from any reign and date, I am beginning to specialise and collect sixpences from the four Georges (I-IV). Regards, D

Greetings, I'm new to collecting sixpences so sorry if this seems like a silly question. I've recently purchased the attached coin and have noticed that it is larger that the other sixpences in my collection. It measures at 23mm and the reverse is upside down! Is this a George IV sixpence or a different coin? Regards, Descartes

Thanks for all the feedback everyone. It looks like I'll be sending the coin back in the morning post then as I only collect sixpences ... I've weighed and measured following your advice and it's most definitely a shilling! Thanks again! Descartes