Red letter day!

[Geoff T 3]

"You'll remember the day you did this" said Colin Cooke as he took the envelope marked, with characteristic understatement, "more difficult date" out of the box. I've handled original manuscripts and letters by Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Grieg, Elgar and several others, but there I was holding THE 1952 half crown.

He was more than happy to show it to me. I think I was expecting a fanfare of trumpets and a velvet cushion, but it was the real McCoy nevertheless. Colin told me that in all the twenty or so years he's owned it the number of visitors who have seen it in the flesh was barely in double figures, but that was only because most feel they daren't ask! I felt more than honoured. It felt very strange buying the latest Coin News afterwards, seeing in the price guide to half crowns "1952 - only one known" and knowing that only half an hour earlier it had been in my hands.

Yours from Cloud 9...

[Chris Perkins 228]

Heart warming Geoff, I wonder if he'll ever sell it. I don't suppose he needs to. Do you know how he ended up with it?

[Geoff T 3]

There's quite a bit about its history on his website www.colincooke.com

Geoff

[mint_mark 9]

There's quite a bit about its history on his website www.colincooke.com

Geoff

Geoff,

Thank you so much for posting about this. I went to Colin Cooke's website and found the information about the 1952 halfcrown... a fascinating story!

I wonder if we'll ever see an opportunity to find a similar rarity in our change one day?

[Chris Perkins 228]

I've looked at it too, thanks Geoff, and of course thanks Colin.

I suppose the modern equivalent is the error 1983 2p....But of course the 1952 Half Crown is even far rarer than those!

[mint_mark 9]

I've looked at it too, thanks Geoff, and of course thanks Colin.

I suppose the modern equivalent is the error 1983 2p....But of course the 1952 Half Crown is even far rarer than those!

... and the 1983 2p wouldn't normally circulate. Maybe they'll make some pound coins with the wrong reverse when the design changes?

When you think about it, with all the new designs and special issues these days, I'm surprised mistakes don't happen more often. The inspectors at the mint must be very thorough!

And even if they do make a mistake or change a design mid-year it might not be discovered for ages. For example, my 2004 coin year book lists an enhanced effigy variety for a 1992 20p... never seen that before and wouldn't know what to look for!