For All You Decimal Fans

[davidrj 194]

pattern 2 cents 1857 and a pattern 5 cents 1857 both way beyond my budget!

[Rob 3,152]

They aren't the best examples. Make an offer for £500-550 for the 2c and £600 for the 5c if that makes the budget easier.

I don't need either having better examples of both, but thanks for the heads up.

[TomGoodheart 403]

Interesting. I've not seen the like before. What was their status? Were they officially released to gauge reaction .. and do we need to now start pre-decimal at 1856 rather than 1971? That'd give Spink a bit more to put into Vol 2 of Coins of Britain, wouldn't it?

[scott 144]

they look like the french issues ofthe time as well.

the florin was brought in for similar reasons wasn't it, it was probably to do with currency in Europe.

[Rob 3,152]

There was a considerable amount of interest in decimalisation in the 1840s, 50s & 60s of which the 'Godless' florins were the first issue proper. There were also a number of florin patterns which you will be aware of and other cent(s) pieces. Then in the 1850s, John Wyon became involved with the production of a series of decimal patterns struck in bronze, of which these were part. A decade later there was again a move to instigate a Europe wide currency resulting in patterns for 1 Ducat etc produced by the Royal Mint. There are some really nice designs hidden away within the output which those who restrict themselves to currency will never encounter. With the exception of the florin, no decimal currency was ever released, but thankfully a handful of all the different designs survive.

[Peckris 579]

Interesting. I've not seen the like before. What was their status? Were they officially released to gauge reaction .. and do we need to now start pre-decimal at 1856 rather than 1971? That'd give Spink a bit more to put into Vol 2 of Coins of Britain, wouldn't it?

The decimal system was begun - after the French introduced theirs - in 1849 with the florin ("one tenth of a pound"). Shortly after, the halfcrown was phased out, though presumably the shilling was kept as "a twentieth of a pound". Public demand brought the halfcrown back in 1874 but probably it was intended to be a temporary move until the double florin took over (haha).

The lowest denominations took a lower priority but there were decimal patterns produced like this, not for release but as tryouts, presumably to test production methods, especially as there was also a changeover from copper to bronze (a much much bigger project).

[Colin88 54]

Good luck with anyone making an offer....the selller is French....in my experience of buying antiques and coins in France is that they would rather starve and put their families out on the the street than reduce the price by 1 euro...probably the least entrepreneurial people to deal with......yup, I know it's a generalisation but thats my experience......

[Rob 3,152]

Good luck with anyone making an offer....the selller is French....in my experience of buying antiques and coins in France is that they would rather starve and put their families out on the the street than reduce the price by 1 euro...probably the least entrepreneurial people to deal with......yup, I know it's a generalisation but thats my experience......

Surely the fact that the pieces are not the best should be a good negotiating tool? TBH, I would be surprised if anyone wanted them at all with the obvious corrosion/wear. I'm not saying the decimal point should be shifted, but a hundred or two off the price would not go amiss.

[Accumulator 52]

Both listed in Freeman (F-678 and F-679) rated R18.

[Rob 3,152]

Both listed in Freeman (F-678 and F-679) rated R18.

Forget the R numbers. All are guesses when it comes to populations. Nobody has done a proper study in most cases, with everyone relying on what has been written before. i.e. they may, or may not, be R18.

Edited to add that in this case R18 is probably correct. They are certainly commoner than R19, but I don't have sufficient records to make them R17.

Edited December 29, 2013 by Rob