Colin G.

I am in the die flaw camp. I think it is the early stages of a die crack

I could give you the relevant numbers and letters, but to assist I have a page which highlights the Obverse varieties if you pick out the right Obverse, I will tell you the reverse!! Victorian Obverses

I think it is just the way the photo is lit, it is surprising how many freaky things can appear when a coin is lit from different angles. Even if it does resemble a 1 it is more likely to be a missing serif off the I rather than a 1 in the legend and proving otherwise would be extremely difficult.

Yep they definitely had some problems with quality this time around, got to love that moustache

The Obverse

Yes there are very few people who ever end up making money out of it. I have found a few bits over the past few years, and managed my first Roman denarius (Emperor Trajan)recently, but it had a nice chunk missing

It seems to resemble a George II Irish halfpenny to me

It turns out my latest acquisition is actually the same die as the 1843/2 sovereign. As shown in Marsh. Which leaves my previous example requiring further examination, oh well at least I get to keep both

All, I have within my collection an 1843/2 farthing which can be seen magnified here Magnified View I have now acquired another 1843/2, but it is definitely a different die (I will upload images when I can get my microscope working!!). The 2 is in a completely different location. I am trying to figure out which one matches the 1843/2 sovereign so that I can determine which one has been struck from the sovereign dies. The trouble is both coins are very rare, so it is difficult to get images to do a comparison. This means that the other one is either from a different sovereign die, which may suggest another 1843/2 sovereign variety may be out there, or this is an 1842 sovereign/farthing die which has later been recut with a 3. Does Marsh have any magnified images? If so I might grab a copy. Help!!!

On a separate issue, there is a really good detecting forum, which is detectorist.co.uk, they make everyone welcome, and being a member I can recommend it. It is a fantastic hobby, I only wish one of my two were in the slightest bit interested in detecting....but hey ho thats the way it goes!!

You can copy and paste the number into the search bar on Ebay and it will bring the item up.

Russ, I think you would do well getting £20 for them. Worth having a look at the Obverse of the 1875h and 1880 just to check for Freeman 530 or 1880 3 berries, but the chances will be very slim!!

1949 are you casting aspersions on my website!! Farmer Palmer, the link you have provided is from my website. They are a very much unknown item, but I genuinely believe that the information on the site is as accurate as you will find at present. They are collectible, but not as much as you would think. They generally fetch about £3 - 15 on Ebay, but will go higher for a nice grade. They are very scarce in higher grades. If you need any more info let me know

I knew the hammered god would come along soon

That sounds just like me!! I think that is one of the reasons for the die comparisons and variety chasing because the project will inevitably always be endless.

I would never have stopped at it anyway, never got the cupronickel/silver bug Oh apart from the hammered farthings But in response to the principle of the question.....if for example I had an amount to spend on coins, I would always look for a single coin to fit in my collection for that price rather than a handful of more modern ones, my reasoning has always been that I can always fill the later gaps in at a later date, because they are plentiful, but finding the right looking earlier farthing is not so easy. I have recently obtained a small farthing collection and compare the later BU dates with my own to see of they are that bit better/stronger strike, because each collection obtained tends to have the later dates in better grades, it always seemed mad to me to actively purchase a 1956 farthing, when I know I will come across many over time, and will just keep replacing them with the best one I come across......does that make sense?

Chris, I love that penny, how can you be so disappointed with it!! That is a fascinating piece, and if you want to part with it let me know

Its a fascinating read, I wish I had not parted with my copy now

I thought that at first, but then the design only tends to be weak on one side, and the line would be straighter, I am still convinced it has been stitched.

Looks to me like the coin was in two pieces at some stage and has been pieced back together, whether it is associated with that fact I don't know

As many of you may have gathered, it is farthings for me, I think they are a collection that can started at a reasonable price, and I do love the designs. I had an interest in British Colonial coins as well, but I am slowly clearing these out other than a couple of series and colonial farthings which for some reason kept me fascinated, they are: Guernsey predecimals - I just love the simplicity of the design, and there is some correlation to farthings with the 1 & 2 doubles British West Africa 1/10 penny - This really is a gap filling exercise in UNC coins, but for some reason an addiction I can not give up. Regarding the farthings, I love studying die varieties, that are a clear indication of the fallibility of both man and machine, but when considering the numbers prodcued, and the small percentage of errors, it is quite astounding. I collect anything to do with farthings (Love tokens, encased farthings, unusual farthings) and have gradually worked my way back on the currency issues, but the George II variety collection starts to get a bit expensive, so I moved onto the farthing Tokens of Charles I and James I, and thanks to the coins constantly shown by Clive from Historic Coinage, I now have my first couple of hammered farthings - I could not resist!!! Proofs just don't so it for me, but I may get tempted to bag a couple of proof farthings one day when the budget allows!! Re-reading this I think I have noticed I may need mental help!!

Perhaps a relative then

Chris...my thoughts exactly does have the appearance of Mr Work!!

Peter, Thats what I did with my last lot, scrap merchant was not interested (I believe it was something to do with the scrap leaving the country to be processed, which incurred costs or had restrictions) so I dropped them at a local charity shop.

BU is brilliant uncirculated, which means the coin should be as struck with full lustre. FDC is Fleur de Coin and describes a proof coin in its perfect state. This should not be used to describe coins other than proofs.