Hi all. Because of another thread elsewhere, I dug out this coin I have had for many years. It is slightly larger than a US half dollar, I`m going to guess 31-32 millimeters. It has 2 cud die breaks ubove Queen Victoria`s head. What is it?
I'm looking it up as we speak, Im a wizz on google. Ive also posted this link to another coin collecter friend of mine.
You have a good eye for trees. Have you seen the forest? In 1888, the world was enjoying a long-running high water mark of relative peace and prosperity. Victorian homes were stuffed with knicknacks because people had disposable income. Science was expanding our frontiers of knowledge in new and exciting ways -- and those discoveries (new elements! The Michelson-Morley Experiment!) were in the newspapers. Telegraph and telephone were linking the world. Railroads crossed continents. The first Sherlock Holmes story was published in 1887. (Watson was wounded in Afghanistan.) Not only that -- but was the "half crown" not struck to provide a decimal staging to Britains LSD (pounds-shillings-pence) coinage? Just as America was experimenting with a $4 coin and "golloid." These were taproots of internationalism, spreading out to unite the world in trade and commerce. ... but it all went away... leaving us with the 20th century and this nice coin with its light honest wear.
My knowledgeable coin collecting friend said....and im quoting him here. "It looks like its got a few dings...I would imagine a dealer would sell this for £10 to £12" $17.5 to $21
Thanks eddyk, GDJ, and mmarota!!! I get the trees metaphor......mm I am relatively new to CT. I post alot. I try my best to answer all questions that I possibly can, on subjects that I believe I know something about. I give my take on the philosophical questions of the day. I love this place. Yes mm, you are telling me that I see the technical aspects of the 1/2 crown I have, and that I should just enjoy it for the coin it is. You are absolutly right. I love this coin. I don`t know if it is common or rare, but it is so pretty, I would never part with it.
You're new? I joined last night Any other british coins that you have got? Ive always seen our coins as the coolest
Kinda new here, June. I like this place. I got a few of those large pennies (Edward?) that I am sure are just common stuff. I think I have some 3 pence silver. Tiny coins.
There hasnt been a king Edward for a long time so a coin from his time would be great. But you may be mistaken, if the coins you are on about are big brown things with Britannia on them...they wont be Edward but one of 4 differnt people...Queen Victoria, King George V, King George VI or Queen Elizabeth II. These are very common, I have a box beside me right now with about 50 of them in it.
I dunno, We have some real corkers out there Of course Britain was around when coins were first invented Spend a few hours in any random field with a metal detector you have a good chance of finding one. And even our regular present day coins are great. Our tender is leagal in the British Dependent areas aswell, and theirs is leagal here, finding a £1 coin from Gibraltar or wherever is common, our money is very diverse...which is also cool.
Yeah George. I see you mention George V, and VI. Was there a George IV? Of course some of us here in the colonies remember George III. He went bonkers or somesuch after a bit, no?
Ha, I wish, one will set you back a few 1000 dollars. Hmm, didnt realise I spelt legal wrong twice earlier. Remeber the pennys? 1933 Penny, Britains most famous rare coin, Its the most we known but there are many equally rare or more rare. A 5oz gold coin or that copper penny....I would chose the penny. With only 7 known specimens (one in the British Museum, One in the Royal Mint Museum, one under each of the foundations of the University of London, the St Mary's Church in Leeds and the Church of St Cross Middleton and the last two being in private collections),
No that'd be the florin you're thinking of. Up until 1849 the coinage was as follows; Sovereign (20 shillings, Or £1) Half Sovereign (10 shillings, ½ of a pound) Crown (5 shillings, ¼ of a pound) Halfcrown (2 ½ shillings, 1/8 of a pound) Shilling (12 pence, 1/20 of a pound) Sixpence (1/40 of a pound) Groat (fourpence, 1/60 of a pound) Threepence (1/80 of a pound) Penny (1/240 of a pound) Halfpenny (1/480 of a pound) Farthing (1/960 of a pound) In 1849 a new coin of two shilling (1/10 of a pound) was introduced as the first step towards decimalisation and the halfcrown mintage was reduced and eventually production ceased for several years (as the halfcrown was not decimal friendly), by the 1870s how the idea of decimalisation had been shelved and the halfcrown re-entered production. When decimalisation was finally back on the agenda and due to occur in 1971 the halfcrown had to be removed before decimalisation day arrived, and thus was demonetised in 1969. The florin survived decimalisation and circulated extensively till the size reductions in the early 1990s. And did someone say medieval coins could not beat a Morgan Dollar? Oh no?? Here's one i had from 1422, Henry VI gold noble, which is the same size as a Morgan dollar.