1720 Or 1720/17

[DaveG38 405]

Hi all. Here's a close up of the date of my latest purchase, a 1720 halfcrown. Is this a 1720 plain or a 1720/17? Any ideas?

Edited March 6, 2014 by DaveG38

[Rob 3,152]

I'd say it's probably over 17, but I'm not sure you could see anything clearly in the hand other than the base of the 0 which isn't really conclusive.

Edited March 6, 2014 by Rob

[Peckris 579]

I only see a plain 20.

[DaveG38 405]

Well, I bought it as a 1720 not 1720/17, but from a foreign dealer, so I wasn't sure. The shape of the '0' is somewhat irregular perhaps suggesting it is over something else. However, since I posted I have checked out London Coins archive and had a look at web images using Google Images and it seems that the 1720 does have an odd shaped '0' whereas the overdate seems to have a much more regular one. I'm coming to the view that mine was correctly attributed by the seller as a plain 1720. Either way, that's another gap filled!!

[Rob 3,152]

I thought there was a possible lump at 2pm on the 0 which would be right for a 7. The top bar of a 7 is ascending to the left, not horizontal, so the 7 upright would be under the rhs of the 0.