How Far Back Can We Go? Sixth Edition! Ended At 1380 Waiting On 1379

France 1818, 20 francs, Louis XVIII, minted in Lille (W).



Louis XVIII, for the second time restored as king of France after Napoleon's second abdication in 1815 (more about this in a few days ). This is also the second portrait on his 20 francs coins, the first from 1814 was disliked by the king and many others (this portrait is better; again, opportunity to compare in a few days).

1817 British sixpence:

1817 shilling:

Two halfcrowns for Princetane today! This is the first one, with the so-called 'Bull Head', apparently disliked by the King:

Here is the revised version with a more flattering portrait:

After a long period during which very few British coins had been issued, there was an amazing number of new designs placed in circulation between 1816 and 1826. For collectors at the time, it must have been like today's avalanche of commemorative 50p and £2 coins, or like the heady days of the Franklin Mint in the mid-1970s! I wonder if The Royal Mint received any letters from disgusted collectors in the 1820s complaining about the excessive number of new coins?

Lovely coins NumisRob and Pepactonius

I found this letter in my family archive (I have some English ancestors) - Warning he was barely literate and used archaic English (Runs in the family with my typo)

Jan 1ft 1827
Jas. Whiting esq

The Royall Mint
Tower Hill
LONDON

Dear Sir,
I am regiftering my utter difguft with the excefsive number of coine ifsues at the moment. After 65 years of abfolutely nothing, we have a virtual bombardment of overdone and extremely tastelefs defigns showing crowned shield, overfized crowns (For an overfized king!). My poore dear wife who is completely unable to read and write is entirely confabulated with the grete diverfity of the designs and has thrown her hands up in disguft at all.

Since 1816 I have noticed no lefs than 5 (!) different halfcrowns, the people in France and that rebel nation of America have just one defign, why not us.

I feel sorry for any of my defcendants who try to collect thefe infernal things in the future like in say 2026.

It's enough to make one want to migrate to the colonies.

Yours in disguft

Jas Whiting

Great great great great grandfather of the acclaimed future numifmatift Princetane.

Sorry just good for a laugh.

Princetane, you made my evening with that one. Very well written and complete with use of the long S. Bravo! :)

I knew my favorite Bust Half variety would make an appearance :)

1817 Large Cents

Newcomb N-3 (13 Stars) & N-16 (15 Stars)