Double-headed George VI shilling

[Guest Dan]

Hi,

I have a double-headed George VI shilling in my collection. It's cupronickel so post-1946. I've studied the edge thoroughly and theres absolutely no trace of any join, milling is consistent, and the two portraits are the lined up properly - heads the same way up. Coincraft 2000 lists other double-head/double tail errors in other denominations from around the same period. Anyone else come across such an error?

[Chris Perkins 228]

No i haven't, but have heard about double tailed modern coins. I have a 1928 Halfpenny struck in bronze with a shilling collar (ie it's shilling size with a milled edge!).

How much do you want for it??

Chris

www.predecimal.com

[Guest Dan]

I've priced it at £200 (going with Coincraft catalogue prices for similar specimens) A similar double-headed shilling of Victoria fetched over £500 at the London Coin Auction last March.

[Chris Perkins 228]

Can I see a scan of it? Both sides?

Would you offer a refund if the buyer could prove it was not real?

I have seen some clever things involving the hollowing out of one coin leaving one side and the full rim, then trimming another coin to fit into the hollow part of the first coin.

It's all down to how much someone is willing to pay for it, and I don't think there are many that would go to £200.00

I was offered £75 for my halfpenny on a milled bronze shilling blank.

Chris

[Guest Dan]

Well £200 is quite a bit of a mark-up, but the £75 you were offered sounds pretty reasonable. The price was purely guesswork, and IMO Coincraft 2000 might get it wrong occasionally. I wonder where they get there prices from? Not the most wonderful scan, ( might just as well be obvs from 2 different coins!) but the best way to see the coin for what it is to actually see it. I plan to take it to the British Museum to see what they say.

[Sylvester 15]

Well £200 is quite a bit of a mark-up, but the £75 you were offered sounds pretty reasonable. The price was purely guesswork, and IMO Coincraft 2000 might get it wrong occasionally. I wonder where they get there prices from? Not the most wonderful scan, ( might just as well be obvs from 2 different coins!) but the best way to see the coin for what it is to actually see it. I plan to take it to the British Museum to see what they say.

You know what that could actually be for, (there are other possibilities) but the fact that it is in cupronickel leads me to thinking that it might be a test for striking in the new metal. Don't forget that CuNi is harder than Ag and thus will require more pressure in striking to get the same effect. And the obverse is where it would be most noticable. Possibly also to test the finer milling as well.

Probably struck between 1946/7 before the regular issue began, just to make sure they had got it right.

Then again it could be for unhonest gamblers!

[Chris Perkins 228]

So you think they would go to the lengths of putting two obv dies in the machine just for testing purposes. Possible I suppose.

I'd like to see it, where are you located Dan?

Chris

[Sylvester 15]

So you think they would go to the lengths of putting to obv dies in the machine just for testing purposes. Possible I suppose.

I'd like to see it, where are you located Dan?

Chris

Well i suppose it would be better than minting a whole load of substandard ones that have to go back in the pot!

I believe that they had to recut the dies when the changed from sterling to half silver because the new alloy was too hard for the old design.

Notice the missing serifs on the E's in Georgivs, N.B half crowns dated 1920 with serifs could well be Sterling silver!

[Guest Dan]

I'm based in Isleworth, West London.

[Chris Perkins 228]

That's not a million miles from Kent/SE London. I'll have to see how I'm fixed up, i'd like to see your oddities!

Chris

[Chris Perkins 228]

Dan,

I see your VIP HC has finished. Super price, but to a very new person, so best of luck with it.

Chris

[Guest Dan]

Couple of new goodies now on Ebay: 1790 Gilt copper pattern halfpenny by Droz and an 1868 cupronickel proof halfpenny.

[Chris Perkins 228]

See me things!! Please