secret santa

Mine appears to have straight bottomed E and normal die axis Terry, I've just checked that penny and it does seem to have the 15 degree axis rotation like you describe. I don't know whether to add that to the description. I'm not sure whether it makes it more interesting. Richard

Take Care !!! - yesterday I started to install Serif and it installed something called From Doc to PDF which hijacked my browser and I've spent today trying to get rid of it (not totally successfully yet !) with anti-malware software. Not sure what I did wrong but if you're thinking of using this BE CAREFUL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Many of my own coins were bought at CCA, particularly when Laurie was alive, but I haven't been there for quite a while now.

Well done, Jerry.

I've just counted those teeth and despite falling asleep halfway through I make it 163 on both Jac's penny and my own 1895 1mm penny. Matt - I think you deliberately counted 162 to get everyone peering at border teeth all pm ! R

Just a 1mm with a lump of crud on the tail of the 9 I think.

Yes, I should have bought this - went for about £127 I think. Reasonable for a nice 1867. Not my fingers !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, I should have bought this - went for about £127 I think. Reasonable for a nice 1867.

Another crow's foot - this time 1867 penny

I'm finding it hard to believe all this stuff about Semra - she always remembers my name at the auctions and lets me takeaway expensive items by leaving a post-dated cheque. Am I just lucky or endowed with more charm than you guys ?????? Answers on a postcard...........

Dave, can you open and re-use these slabs or are they permanently sealed once slabbed ? R

Hi Bluebenz - looks like a normal 1863 to me. The 3 is a little further to the right than usual maybe but sadly nothing to get too excited about in my view.

Lovely ME portrait (no stops after B & M and BRITT & OMN further apart) R

I bought my example in 2002 where it was just described as having 3 lines emerging from the queen's neck but then a similar coin but dated 1878 was sold on Ebay in 2013 (again by Topcarp I think) described as the "crow's foot", and that's all I've ever seen about it, plus Topcarp's current listing. So I think JJ may have christened this flaw but may have never formally documented it.

Thanks Pete. Here's the link to that penny (I follow Topcarp he always has great coins), and that's MUCH more like a birds foot than the GV exmaples.. Didn't know it extended to Victorian series too though, is there any literature on it? This must be a die clash too, it's a lot more obvious where it came from on this type. I've got a very similar 1877 example on my website and when you see the obverse and reverse side by side, you can easily see how it's caused by a clash with Britannia's robes from another penny's reverse. (Topcarp is John Jerrams I think ?)

Just looked at my 1880 F99 and there is definitely the trace of a slanted 8 under the second 8 and the O of ONE also shows signs of rework !

Good spot Terry - Michael Gouby's Victorian Penny book does picture a narrow 1880 and it's difficult to see whether your date is even narrower than his - there's not much in it. Even so, he'd only heard of 1 such example so it's not at all common. Richard

Hear, hear - great coin (or should it be here, here ? I've never known which is correct)

Jerry, I sent Michael pictures of yours and Terry's coins and he was very interested and has read all the posts on the subject. He doesn't seem to think that there's any other significant differences between the 2 obverses but with the caveat that he's only seen photos and much prefers to look at actual coins before making judgements. Richard

Just checked mine and they're the old 2 (D).

That's interesting. Gouby's "cannonball" penny is a wide date 1875 with the dot in a slightly different position in my opinion- see thumbnail. However his dot by the I of VICTORIA penny which is just like yours is also a wide date penny

I have 1903 open 3's with wavy bottoms (!)

The curved/flat based letters occurs on Victorian silver too, as well as Australian pennies. I think it's got to do with metal flow, possibly during working die production. It's a smokescreen to lure people away from looking for that new obverse D !!!!!! There's a new obverse? Not a new Edward obverse - I was referring to the new Victoria D obverse.

It's a smokescreen to lure people away from looking for that new obverse D !!!!!!

Looks like I might have a rarity !!!!!