jelida

Here is mine, and nice tone in the hand. Auctioneer’s photos. Jerry

I spotted two nicely struck and very acceptable Commonwealth halfpennies at the MCF last Sunday, asking price about £225 in both cases. I bought my own one from a European auction early this year, fully struck up and less than £180. There are nice examples out there but one on a Timeline Auction went for over £500 IIRC. Jerry

Yup, that’s another one. Jerry

Looks like a standard Freeman 22 to me, though as you say the indicators are not all clear. The ‘N’ is just bruised and worn. Jerry

Hi Brodie, I’m afraid that this is a normal 1863 penny and not one of the rare varieties. In this condition it is worth scrap metal value only. It’s not so much the position of the ‘3’ as the actual design of the ‘3’ digit that governs the rarity. Keep searching and good luck! Jerry

My thought’s exactly! There seems to be an influx of fake Lizzie halfpennies at the moment, I wonder about this one too with the key over woolpack facing the wrong way and a very uneven border. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/287335422050 Jerry

Good pictures, nice coin. It will tone well on a sunny windowsill , turned from time to time . Jerry

Try to take some clear photos of both sides of the coin, it’s difficult to comment on the images you give. There are some very good Chinese replicas available now and looking at the finish we need to rule those out first. Doubling in the strike would be a possibility, if we are dealing with the genuine article. Jerry

I suspect it may be related to the Irish obsidional currency , this article may give you a lead. https://oldcurrencyexchange.com/2015/09/03/obrien-rare-coin-review-confederate-catholic-rebel-money-coinage-of-1642-44/ Jerry

It really isn’t reasonable to expect us to influence decisions as to how you spend your money where the facts are not clear cut, and the perspective of other parties photographs is notoriously unreliable when making size or thickness estimations. Some you will get right and some wrong simply because the image does not reflect reality, but it has to be up to you whether to take the plunge. It’s great to hear of a successful rare find or new discovery when it is definite and in the hand and when correct weights and measurements and clear photos can be taken, but we don’t need to be party to your thought processes before the actual facts can be ascertained. And please don’t be so quick to take offence when it is largely not intended, which is in itself offensive and unhelpful. The sources you quote are excellent, and with the addition of Gouby are exactly my primary sources. You are clearly a quick learner, but experience can only be gained over time , often by trial and error which is where you are at now. Jerry

You need to get it in the hand and take clearer photos. It isn’t a recognised variety of penny, halfpenny or farthing, and you haven’t made clear the denomination or date. The proportions aren’t quite right for a ‘T’ and the right arm is missing, but it would be a remarkable find and needs to be clarified. It could also be a die flaw or dig to the left of the upper serif of the ‘E’ - as I said, better photos and a close look at the actual coin are required. If cheap enough, it’s the sort of thing I would buy just to be sure one way or another. Are you going to the Midland Coin Fair on Sunday? Jerry

Better than EF for me, contact marks aren’t so much of an issue as scratches and other damage from circulation. You can always be caught out by photos, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it was graded MS 62ish. Price at auction is so unpredictable, you could offer it at a fixed price of somewhere midway between EF and BU in the catalogue but be prepared to wait, or nearer EF price for a quicker sale. Jerry

Thanks Mike, it is good to have a name and know a little more about you - we do get some odd types on the forum occasionally, people join for various reasons but it’s good to know you are a genuine collector. Your latest find of the F14 is also a good one, you see them occasionally on EBay and in the auctions but not often and the circumstances of the find show that your run of luck continues! The next coin fair that I will attend - I almost always do - is the Midland Coin Fair on the second Sunday of each month, details online. It would be good to meet you and talk rarities - I have had many penny rarities unrecognised at the MCF over the years, and of course on eBay and also from foreign dealers and auctions - a look at Richards site will show that - and yes indeed they are still out there and you clearly put the hours in. If you do want to build up a representative penny collection don’t forget the commoner coins too, and the coin fair is an excellent place to find those, often at very fair prices. Jerry

You seem to be talking about this coin on two threads , it really only needs one. How about photos so it can be verified and included on the database, which will make it more attractive. It really is quite hard to believe that you have found all these great rarities in only a couple of weeks when hundreds of highly knowledgeable collectors are looking out for them - you haven’t just bought someones collection? Are you a collector or a dealer? Most of us on this forum know a fair bit about each other (including in many cases our actual names) as members of quite a small community. At the moment you are just a moniker. Jerry

Now you’ve got it, how about a photo?