First Victorian--Auld Fartte, This Is For You!

Did you notice the way pence is spelt, with an S.

That's not "pence" as in denomination, that's "pense", a Latin word, part of the motto of the Order of the Garter: HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE, roughly translated to "Shame on him who thinks evil of this".

The four quarters of the shield represent England (top left and bottom right - the pre-eminent positions in heraldry), Scotland (top right) and Ireland (bottom left). Wales is "merely" a Principality, and not represented on the shield.

As for the coin itself, it is indeed a shilling of 1888: KM#761, Spink#3926. The type (Jubilee small head) was only issued for three years 1887-1889. Mintage for 1888 was a total of a bit over 4½ million.

There is an 1888/7 overdate listed in the catalogues, for slightly more than the price of a "normal" 1888. I don't know what it's supposed to look like, but there does seem to be something odd about the last 8 there.

I'd grade your coin a British Fine, American VF. $8 sounds fair enough to me, especially if it is actually the overdate.

When I blew the picture up to 800%, it looks as if the last eight has a bar across the top and an angled line through the bottom loop of the eight, which could form a 7.

Steve

Congratulations on your first Victorian !!!

Sap beat me to all the good information, and he's correct on all counts of course. You got a nice Shilling, and a good price, too. I like it !!!