Today we got a flat rate box of world coins which for the most part was crap until I saw this strange 1901 Great Britain halfpenny. The coin has two visible holes, one of which permeates the coin. On the reverse side someone has etched "V R" on the bottom side near the date. The tail of the R and the bottom of the V both hit the coin's rim. I am curious what were these used for? I know that they're worthless since they are altered coins.
Before you talk about altered and mutilated coins, especially 19th Century, you need to read about Love Tokens, where the art, skill, and provenance (if genuine) can raise a common coin's value by factors of 10 to 100. See "Google Images" of Love Token. Also, Queen Victoria died in early 1901; this coin may have been an unfinished tribute to her.
