jelida

Looks like it’s based on this type of portrait penny of John, but different moneyer and mint. https://www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/collections/coinsandmedals/78186 But it looks a ‘wrong un‘ to me. I’ll be interested in what others think; if genuine it would have been grossly undervalued. Jerry

Please. I would dearly wish to be able to take my own...... Jerry

It looks as though I may have lost a rare penny now 2 weeks overdue posted in the UK, I will post its pics for your site Richard in due course. However I wonder whether we shouldn’t have a dedicated topic on this site in which to post pics of these coins and a short history of the loss. This would alert other collectors and might aid claims or litigation for return should the coin turn up in the future, as rare coins tend to resurface at auction or on dealers lists eventually. Recoveries could also be subsequently listed. If members consider this useful, I will start the topic with my coin. Jerry

I’m with Paddy here. I looked at it too, and thought it looked like a blob of corrosion, especially in the slanted picture. And Lukas has a long history with this sort of thing. Jerry

What on earth is this? Some sort of Chinese knock-off, I presume. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Great-Britain-1898-One-Penny-Bronze/224143734971?hash=item343001f8bb:g:ppYAAOSwENVfUsAK Jerry

Here it is. https://www.jncoins.co.uk/Shop/pennies/626-george-v-bronze-penny-1926.html Jerry

Don’t be tempted...I’ve seen this coin for sale recently at several grand, this guy has just stolen the pics. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1926-ME-Penny-George-V-Uncirculated-NGC-MS-63-RB-Extremely-Rare-F-195/333710807341?hash=item4db2b6d12d:g:F-4AAOSwUKRfU67~ Jerry

“R&B” is likely “Roberts and Belk“ silversmiths of Sheffield. Jerry

These are “pseudo hallmarks “ on silver plate, not official hallmarks. Some can have meaning, for example the “S” may refer to Sheffield, and the “R&B” will be the manufacturer but others are simply ornate. Most Sheffield plate has marks similar. This seems a good reference; http://www.silvercollection.it/dictionarysilverplatepseudohallmarks.html Jerry

This knackered 1862 B over R in BRITT that I was bidding on was pulled today, presumably for an off EBay sale. I am not too aggrieved, as I have one nice one and two other poor examples but it is so annoying when it happens! https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/One-Penny-1873-and-1862-England-Queen-Victoria-S-SS-/283985223175?item=283985223175&ViewItem=&nma=true&si=7jacaEOIZzM%2F9i4INN2leXJtvjs%3D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557 One for your site Richard, and I have one yet to photograph. Jerry

That started as an ordinary auction, starting price £25. It was then pulled, reposted as a b-i-n, and sold. Someone I suspect made a behind the scenes deal for the coin at £100 , to be listed at a pre-determined time. Bargain for some-one. Jerry

Thanks for this Richard. Jerry

That’s the way I use to distinguish them, you can tell in an instant, even on some fairly blurry Ebay photos. Jerry

There is always the issue of different camera lenses and angles in these photos, so I have scanned my 3 best 1898 8 bisects on one image and edited it below to make the digits directly comparable. not great image quality, but might help. I think there might be subtle differences in font. Jerry

I was hoping someone would ask that. Both of mine are straight, I think. Jerry

You guys are all so bright! I got as far as 1, 2.....then got stuck as my shoes have laces! Jerry

I seem to have a sense of ‘deja vu’ again........ http://www.predecimal.com/forum/topic/12193-penny-acquisition-of-the-week/?page=54 see May 14th. Jerry

Must be double insulated....certainly I’ve never had a shock from mine. 🙄 Jerry

It’s washable, that will probably get rid of the bits. I hope so, I’ve been waiting for ages for my £1.30 offer, which came today. I will be very upset if my subsequent expenditure of £3.05 doesn’t match my massively raised expectations. I also see there is an offer on Brasso....... Jerry

True, indeed experimentally from the mid nineteenth century though specialised equipment such as triple colour projectors and special screen viewers was needed to view it. It seems that the first commercially successful method of colour photography was the product Lumiere Autochrome in 1907, which could be printed but was still very expensive compared to Black and White. As I said, the 1904 catalogue will have been tinted; but it does seem to be high quality photography of real coins, rather than of plaster-casts or line drawings more usually seen in publications at that time (when illustrated at all) and is exactly the sort of material needed to confirm provenance. Would I pay more for a well provenanced coin? I would still buy the coin rather than the name, but might go 10% higher than without. Jerry

Don’t be too influenced by the colours! In 1904 this would have been a black and white (or sepia) photo hand tinted for the catalogue. Does look nice, though! Jerry

I can’t get over the situation in the USA, a wealthy, advanced country that should have been able to lead the world in managing this crisis, but because of a few idiots in government they have thrown it all away in the cause of the self-aggrandisement of the chief idiot, and at the expense of tens, potentially hundreds of thousands of additional deaths. I do hope the nation sees sense in November. Jerry

I see that Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury, is now questioning whether Jesus, the son of God, should no longer be viewed as White. From the figures above, one can only conclude that if there was a God, he is both White and vindictive. And hypocritical, in begetting a son of colour, if Justin were right. Surely we should be told the truth? Like many species, humans are territorial and aggressively defend their Tribe and their patch. There is no God. But Covid 19 is made in his image.

I would go for blocked die, the lower limb of the ‘E‘ looks too attenuated to be the serif of an ‘F’, and why would he have an ‘F’ punch in his hand anyway? Jerry

Beautiful coins and wonderful pictures, Pete! Jerry