2009 English Penny?

 Posted 05/18/2012  10:40 pm

My wife is always coming home with foreign coins that people use at her place of business and usually asks me what does she have. So today's offering was no more unusual than normal. However, it is way different.

To start with I cannot post a picture because we do not own a camera that is working order. So I will will have to offer the best description that I can. So here goes.

As far as size comparison is concern it is smaller than a US nickel and larger than a US penny. It weighs in at 37 grams and appears to be made of copper.

The obverse has a portrait of Elizabeth II and is circled with the notation of Elizabeth II Reg F D 2009. The reverse has one penny accross the top third of the coin and the remaining space is split between body of an old style lion on the right and something looking like a the front half of a fish skelton with what looks like a harp growing out of the head. The real unusual thing about this coin is that there is no country of origin named on it at all.

However, if had to make a wager as to what it is I'd guess that it is a British penny.

If this is indeed a British one penny coin it is the first British coin that either of us has seen.

Any opinions?