Help Identifying Some World Coins

Thank you everyone who has contributed here.You have been most helpful.I will most likely hang onto these,as I do with most of my coins worth anything or not.I was just curious if they were worth hanging onto.Thanks for the sites,I will study up more on these coins,it helps knowing what they are :) sn31.

1855 is indeed a likely date for that type. If you thought the date was a challenge, have a go at finding the mintmarks. The main mintmark should be just below the stick the eagle is perched on. During the Second Empire, the mintmarks were:
A = Paris
B = Rouen
BB = Strasbourg
D = Lyon (with "large D" and "small D" varieties)
K = Bordeaux
MA = Marseille
W = Lille.

There are also two "mintmaster's privy marks". These are little pictures on either side of the date. In 1855, the French Engraver General changed halfway through the year, so at least two varieties for each mint appear for that date. Your options are "dog's head" and "anchor".

To clarify the usage of the "privy marks" on 19th century French coinage: there were two bureaucrats who had their marks placed on French coins of this period: the Engraver General, who was in charge of all the mints around the country, and the Mint Director, with each mint having it's own Director. Thus, all coins from all mints in a particular year will have the Engraver General's mark, while the Director's mark will vary from mint to mint.

For B (Rouen) mint, the Director's mark in 1855 was a 'hand',looking like a side-on view of a hand held out like a "Hitler salute".

For BB (Strasbourg) mint, the Director's mark in 1855 should be a 'bee', top view, roughly triangular shaped with antennae at the top.

The Engraver General's mark was outlined above; up to 1855, it'll be a 'dog's head'; 1855 and later will be an 'anchor'. Both marks might occur in the transition year 1855, but not on the same coin.

From your description, it sounds like you've got an 1855 B, with hand and anchor privy marks.

I'll take a look see and hopefully can find some values for you sn31, unless someone else beats me to it.

OK then, I'll give you the values for Fine condition, the lowest grade the catalogue gives. Some denominations haven't been worked out yet; we need to know the size. I've given approximate size comparisons with US/Canadian coins:

Great Britain 1 penny 1907: 50¢.

France 10 centimes 1900: $1.

Belgium: we never did work out the denomination of this one. The denomination number should be to the left of the shield on the "fait la force" side. Here are the possible values for the French-legend silvers dated 1866:
50 centimes (about dime-sized): $2,
1 franc (a bit smaller than a quarter): $2,
2 francs (a bit bigger than a quarter): $7,
5 francs (dollar-sized): 3 varieties from $110 up to $400.

Imperial France: never quite narrowed down the denomination on this one, either. The denomination should be written out, in French, under the eagle. Options for coppers dated 1855B(dog) are:
1 (UN) centime (tiny - smaller than a dime): $10,
2 (DEUX) centimes (about 1¢ sized): $1.50,
5 (CINQ) centimes (about quarter-sized): $2,
10 (DIX) centimes (same size as coin #2): $3.

In post #6 you also mentioned a British 2 new pence 1975. CV on that one in Extremely Fine is 15¢.

Hope this helps. . If you have any other questions about identifying these further, please ask away.

Oh,I'm sure there is not much difference but the Great Brittain penny is a 1906.I assume the 1866 is 2 francs,as it is a bit bigger than a quarter.:) sn31.

In effort for my forum friend Thingee,here is the topic I was telling you to search for.
:) sn31.