This piece obtained in a Belgian auction about 15 years ago. It is a 1946 copper nickel trial for the upcoming 1947 issues and is the only recorded pattern - it is not a proof and is of the ESC 1470A type. I would be interested readers have information of others, or any of the other denominations in this metal and year. This coin may or not be the coin sold at Spink SNC in 1979. No other citations of other denominations according to Bull. Probably should have opted in shillings posts.
I'm not up to speed on the documentation for this period, so one query I have is whether it is documented as a Cu-Ni trial strike by the mint. Yes, it is convenient in that the following year saw the introduction of the base metal shillings, but you also have the possibility of an inadvertent strike on the wrong flan. There are regular strikings made on flans that shouldn't be there. Is the weight correct? That would help the case for a trial.
5.65 gms. Actually the metal change should be the other way - logically there would not be off metals of prospective alloys but rather the opposite in that coins can be of the previous issue metal content. No other flans of this alloy and weight in 1946 to my knowledge.
Interesting - I've only read about them and didn't realise there were any recent sales. Interesting that it's not uncirculated either. Was there a provenance?
