OK,I finally figured out the lighting thing on my camera so from now on,my silver coins won't look yellow (I actually read the manual) so I'm taking the occasion to show a BIG silver coin and ask a question. It is the Golden Jubilee (50th year of reign) of Victoria,slightly smaller than a Peace or Morgan dollar. My question is,what was the denomination of it..pound,crown what??
As an aside, the coin was commonly known as the `barmaids ruin' due to its similarity in size to a crown. Although smaller, as the common name suggests, it sometimes was passed as being a crown to the unsuspecting.
Ian,the Double Florin (4/-) was also known as the 'Barmaid's Curse',because it was so easily mistaken for a Crown (5/-) in the dark or in a crowd of people in a pub.It is not really to make a mistake,as these 2 coins have different designs. Aidan.
Aidan, You say `curse', most numismatists in the UK say`ruin'. Regardless of the term, the sentiment expressed remains much the same. That is, that barmaids were said to mistake these 4/- pieces for the 5/- piece. Whether the mistake was made through working in dim lit surroundings or whether they themselves were just too dim to check is a matter for conjecture. The `ruination' factor would presumably be when they were expected to make up any shortfall in the takings for their mistake. However, whether this event actually happened frequently ( or at all) is actually lost to us. Perhaps it was just a scenario generated by people who were against the introduction of decimal currency (1/5th of a pound). Perhaps you can provide reference one way or the other? What isn't lost to us is that there were very strong sentiments that a coin with a value of 1/5th of a pound would never catch on. Strong enogh to scupper the double florin. We know that the sentiment was mistaken given that one of the most successful coins in the UK has been the 20p...1/5th of a pound. Hope that clarifies sufficiently for you. Ian
Ian,I thought that the most successful British coins were the 1/- & 2/- pieces,as you would have had them in change right up until 1990,as the 1/- circulated as a 5p. coin,& the 2/- circulated as a 10p. coin. The 20p. has only been around since 1982. Aidan.
Aidan, I was talking in `present day' terms and in relation to the irony of the 20p having met the same kind of initial resistance as the 4 /-. If I had been talking in terms of `all time successful' it would have to be a coin that hadn't been mentioned by either of us until now....the humble penny. In present day terms there are a number of factors which have helped create the popularity of the 20p / 1/5th of a pound coin, not the least of which is machine purchased services / utilities. Maybe a few years from now when the coin devalues a bit more its popularity will wain, but for now it is one of the UK's most successful coins.
That is correct, you are doomed when you finally find parking and the meter works with 20p and £1 coins and you don't have any 20p and don't want to put a whole £1 as you are not going to be that long... So to stop that happening I always make sure I have a good bunch of 20p coins!
Am I right in thinking that the Dear old Penny is in fact the longest running coin?? I know it has changed format many times but I think it goes back to at least Anglo Saxon England if not earlier I seem to recall a story recently about the discovery of a Gold Penny?? De Orc :high5: Ps It was mine I am sure I recall loosing it :whistle:
The penny is indeed the longest running coin denomination (AFAIK). That is, in terms of a denomination that is still in use today. Ian
Gold 1d. De Orc,there was a gold 1d. issued during the reign of King Henry III.This was undervalued at 20d.Since then,an Anglo-Saxon gold 1d. has been discovered.This sold at auction early last year. Aidan.
Thanks guy's I remember reading that the Heritage Dept had put a ban on selling it to a overseas collector due to its scarcity, I think the same thing happend with a Celtic coin found here in Kent a bit earlier in the year as it brought to light a new previously unknown King 'Sam' As for the Penny I do have a few nice silver pennies in my collection and will be happy when they give me back my lost Gold one LOL (I Wish ) De Orc :kewl:
