found two coins in gramps tin box

[Guest sarah-jane]

I've found two coins in my gramps tin box, ones copper in colour dated1806 and has britannia on one side and what looks like a roman emperor on the other and is 28mm, the other one is heavy and not perfectly round, 1757, copper coloured with george slaying a dragon an one side! and a crest with a crown on top and what looks to be laurel garland and is 31mm, I would really be grateful for the help, thanks.

[mitch91 0]

The 1806 one sounds like the 1806 penny I have one of them

[Peter 615]

Blimey you,ve actually found it..the treasure is buried ahhhhhhhggggg.

the smaller coin is most likely a halfpenny and the Roman chap is Georgeoceasurus 111....the 57 coin sounds more interesting though.

[mint_mark 9]

I've found two coins in my gramps tin box, ones copper in colour dated1806 and has britannia on one side and what looks like a roman emperor on the other and is 28mm, the other one is heavy and not perfectly round, 1757, copper coloured with george slaying a dragon an one side! and a crest with a crown on top and what looks to be laurel garland and is 31mm, I would really be grateful for the help, thanks.

OK, the 1806 is a George III halfpenny (halfpenny is 28mm, penny is 33mm)

The 1757 is confusing... the classic George slaying the dragon design didn't appear on British coins until 1817 and it always has a monarch's portrait on the other side. Lots of designs have arms, crowns and garlands but again, always with the monarch's head on the other side.

It might be a foreign coin... can you read any writing on it?

[Guest Sarah-Jane]

Thank you for your replies, more info on the 1757 coin ; edge of coin has a plaited design and on the side with the dragon being slayed is a banner below with the markings AB---KOIIE N OR M K-- or thats what it looks like to me!!!!!!!It's fairly heavy as well. Is the 1806 one a commonly found coin? theres also a 4 pfenning scheide muntz 1794 cionwith what I think is is a saint on it. thanks again, sarah-jane

[kuhli 0]

ДBБ KOПEИKИ is Russian for 2 kopecks. From the reign of Elizabeth I. And, yes, you are correct, it is St. George slaying the dragon.

There are 2 types of this coin, one with the writing above St. George, the other with it below. The below type is more common.

The 4 pfenning scheide muntz is from a German state, I just am not sure which one, yet. Will try to look it up later.

[kuhli 0]

Found the German state piece. Some interesting history with it.

From the German state of Brunswick-Lüneburg, issud 1792-94. Issued under the authority of King George III, King of Great Britain, Elector of Brunswick-Lüneburg (1760-1807). In 1807, Napoleon ousted Geo III from the German possessions, but was returned in 1813, and shortly afterwards, Brunswick-Lüneburg became the Kingdom of Hannover.

[mint_mark 9]

That sounds exactly right Kuhli... "scheidemünze" means "token coin" and appears on lots of German states' coins. The tell tale sign is the saint with his X shaped cross... who is of course St Andrew.

Great, that's two saints out of three coins so far

[Guest sarah-jane]

thanks again to you all, I've been given some more so if I get stuck I'll be back. This is getting to be addictive, so heres an apology to all you coin buffs out there as I rated coin collecting as plankish as train spotting but from a girlie point of view I'm hooked with the history side of it, just wish I'd of taken an interest before my gramps died, be in touch soon, sarah-jane

[Chris Perkins 228]

I rated coin collecting as plankish as train spotting

Oh there are plenty of planks out there S-J.

I think most of us here are non nerds.

I'm the coolest though

[kuhli 0]

Okay, I hate to change the subject here, but since we have answered the original questions, I guess I can get away with it.

Somebody please explain to me what the hell train spotting is?? I have heard it mentioned several times on this board, but never understood what it is about.

[Emperor Oli 0]

Standing by railway lines, looking at trains.

[mint_mark 9]

thanks again to you all, I've been given some more so if I get stuck I'll be back. This is getting to be addictive, so heres an apology to all you coin buffs out there as I rated coin collecting as plankish as train spotting but from a girlie point of view I'm hooked with the history side of it, just wish I'd of taken an interest before my gramps died, be in touch soon, sarah-jane

History is great, and I think coins are a good way to appreciate it... every major thing that happens to a country or continent is reflected in the coins. They are much smaller and cheaper than antique furniture or paintings so anybody can collect them!

And to those of you who can, do talk with your grandparents.... what stories they can tell! When I'm older my stories will about black and white television and manual typewriters

Edited March 16, 2005 by mint_mark

[mint_mark 9]

Standing by railway lines, looking at trains.

Ummm, I really am not a train spotter, but I do understand that there is more to it than that!

How to describe it... a sort of blend of the interested enthusiast with the "must have them all" collecting obsession. The enthusiast side learns all about the railways... how they operate, the technology, what they are used for, their history etc. The collector side goes out taking photos, observing (spotting) and wanting to see or record all aspects of the railways... the trains, the stations, the signals... any and all of it.

It's not just railways... people are interested in aircraft, ships, busses, trams. It's not that different to birdwatching, or looking at wildlife and trees. In many ways, the only difference compared to coin collecting is that we get to own the coins.

And don't forget, transport has history too... my local bus garage is being replaced by a supermarket soon. I read in a hstory book that the site was where the first horse drawn trams in Southampton were based, followed by electric trams and then busses. So when it goes that will be the end of 150 years of transport history in that place.

I think the sad reputation that train spotters have comes when the collecting obsession drowns out everything else and they don't know why they're doing it any more... and as Chris hinted, you can get that with coin people too.

Maybe we should call ourselves coin enthusiasts

[Chris Perkins 228]

You've gone and ruined it now, with your concept and in depth grasp of trainspotting!!

Young Miss S-J will be back here, take one look at that, and start to think once again, along the lines of her first insticts!

(S-J, he's not with me. I don't know who he is, he just wandered in one day.)

[Master Jmd 80]

Modern trains are all the same nowadays...what are the Stephenson's Rockets of today? - Electric powered buses that run on rails!

my local bus garage is being replaced by a supermarket soon.

The bus station nearest to me is also being replaced by a supermarket (the one featured in the opening scenes of sitcom: The Office)...it is a shame really...

Edited March 16, 2005 by Master Jmd

[mint_mark 9]

You've gone and ruined it now, with your concept and in depth grasp of trainspotting!!

Young Miss S-J will be back here, take one look at that, and start to think once again, along the lines of her first insticts!

(S-J, he's not with me. I don't know who he is, he just wandered in one day.)

I was only trying to explain it for Kuhli and Oli.

The coin collectors I don't like are the ones who think they're buying a commodity as an "investment"...

all the others, especially on these forums, are the most normal, well adjusted individuals you could possibly hope to meet anywhere...

[Emperor Oli 0]

I was only trying to explain it for Kuhli and Oli.

Yeah I was saying it slightly tongue in cheek, hoping to out any trainspotters!