1853 Halfpenny

[azda 979]

I have 2 1853 Halfpennies, both good grades, i'd be inclined to say UNC, but one of them looks more coppery than the other, so just wondering if one is perhaps proof or just a really early strike. I know what people have said about sharp rims etc, but i just can't make mymind up about it.

Advice appreciated

[1949threepence 3,367]

The top bar of the "5" looks palpably shorter on the second (lighter coloured) one.

[Chingford 166]

I have 2 1853 Halfpennies, both good grades, i'd be inclined to say UNC, but one of them looks more coppery than the other, so just wondering if one is perhaps proof or just a really early strike. I know what people have said about sharp rims etc, but i just can't make mymind up about it.

Advice appreciated

There are bronzed currency coins in the Copper series, the colour would be as the bronzed proof, slighty 'watered down', but would have mirrored surfaces but not as highly polished as the proof.

I have attached images of a Copper, Bronzed and Bronzed currency which may help.

[azda 979]

I have 2 1853 Halfpennies, both good grades, i'd be inclined to say UNC, but one of them looks more coppery than the other, so just wondering if one is perhaps proof or just a really early strike. I know what people have said about sharp rims etc, but i just can't make mymind up about it.

Advice appreciated

There are bronzed currency coins in the Copper series, the colour would be as the bronzed proof, slighty 'watered down', but would have mirrored surfaces but not as highly polished as the proof.

I have attached images of a Copper, Bronzed and Bronzed currency which may help.

The 1st 2 look both prooflike to me lol

[Chingford 166]

I have 2 1853 Halfpennies, both good grades, i'd be inclined to say UNC, but one of them looks more coppery than the other, so just wondering if one is perhaps proof or just a really early strike. I know what people have said about sharp rims etc, but i just can't make mymind up about it.

Advice appreciated

There are bronzed currency coins in the Copper series, the colour would be as the bronzed proof, slighty 'watered down', but would have mirrored surfaces but not as highly polished as the proof.

I have attached images of a Copper, Bronzed and Bronzed currency which may help.

The 1st 2 look both prooflike to me lol

You are correct, I should have said Copper proof, bronzed proof, Bronzed currency

[Colin G. 147]

When in hand there is no mistaking a proof in my opinion, unless it has been mishandled or had some degree of wear. they just shout PROOF at you when you see them, photos just do not capture a majority of the proof qualities unless you bounce light off it at the right angle

Standard photo

Angled photo of the same coin

[Peckris 579]

I have 2 1853 Halfpennies, both good grades, i'd be inclined to say UNC, but one of them looks more coppery than the other, so just wondering if one is perhaps proof or just a really early strike. I know what people have said about sharp rims etc, but i just can't make mymind up about it.

Advice appreciated

From a visual inspection, the first example looks to be the 'keeper'. But it would have been better if you'd reduced the image size and put both side by side in the same image - it's quite hard to make a comparison when you keep having to go "NEXT" "PREV" "NEXT" "PREV" etc!

[azda 979]

I have 2 1853 Halfpennies, both good grades, i'd be inclined to say UNC, but one of them looks more coppery than the other, so just wondering if one is perhaps proof or just a really early strike. I know what people have said about sharp rims etc, but i just can't make mymind up about it.

Advice appreciated

From a visual inspection, the first example looks to be the 'keeper'. But it would have been better if you'd reduced the image size and put both side by side in the same image - it's quite hard to make a comparison when you keep having to go "NEXT" "PREV" "NEXT" "PREV" etc!

I take good pix Peck, joining images i have'nt mastered yet unfortunately

[Rob 3,152]

I'm not sure either of them is a proof yet. The first looks a better candidate than the second but neither coin has the clarity of detail of either my coin or John's which you will note come from the same obverse die. The number of dies used is an issue here. You would not expect there to be more than 2 or 3 dies used over the period in which the sets were struck and so any new dies that don't correspond to confirmed proof dies give rise to concerns. Nicholson's proof 1/2d is struck from different dies to mine & John's and neither of your two coins are from either of our confirmed proof dies.

[azda 979]

The 2nd coin was just for cimparisson against the 1sr Rob. Might be that the 1st was a good early strike

[Peckris 579]

I have 2 1853 Halfpennies, both good grades, i'd be inclined to say UNC, but one of them looks more coppery than the other, so just wondering if one is perhaps proof or just a really early strike. I know what people have said about sharp rims etc, but i just can't make mymind up about it.

Advice appreciated

From a visual inspection, the first example looks to be the 'keeper'. But it would have been better if you'd reduced the image size and put both side by side in the same image - it's quite hard to make a comparison when you keep having to go "NEXT" "PREV" "NEXT" "PREV" etc!

I take good pix Peck, joining images i have'nt mastered yet unfortunately

I'm not sure what image editor you use, but the Photoshop method is fairly universal I believe?

Assuming your images are the same size, load the first one.

1. In whichever menu are Image Size & Canvas Size click Canvas Size.., increase the width x2 and click that you want it on the left hand side.

2. Load your second image, Select All and Copy

3. In the first image do Paste - you will now have both images, the second in a new layer

4. Position the second layer so it is to the right of the first

5. Flatten Image (Layers menu)

6. Save it as a new file

Voilà !

[azda 979]

I use Nero lol, but thanks for the tip

[Peckris 579]

I use Nero lol, but thanks for the tip

Absolutely no idea how that works. But if it's a decent image editor it will have those functions somewhere.