South African Pennies - Coin Community Forum

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Author	Replies: 4 / Views: 1,381
Nightparrot New Member Australia 31 Posts	Posted 04/26/2013 05:46 am I notice the first pennies and halfpennies produced by the Union of South Africa (1923 on....) have a blackened appearance, apparently part of the minting process. For example, see http://www.ebay.com/itm/25126154645....m1423.l2649 Does anybody know anything about this? Report this Post to the Staff

sel_69l Bedrock of the Community Australia 21788 Posts	Posted 04/26/2013 08:27 am I have a couple of uncirculated South African pennies of George V as well, and they are also very dark. I also have some uncirculated British farthings, late Victorian and of Edward V11. In the case of the farthing, they were artificially darkened with Sodium thiosulphate, to distinguish them from the sovereign. The obverse dies were first used when new, to strike sovereigns. After a little use, were then used to strike farthings. I don't know why the South African pennies would need to be artificially darkened. Report this Post to the Staff
enworb Pillar of the Community Australia 4411 Posts	Posted 04/26/2013 09:36 am Ive looked at that listing a few times. Its one heck of a coin! Report this Post to the Staff
Sap Moderator Australia 16837 Posts	Posted 04/27/2013 05:32 am To the best of my knowledge, only farthings were artificially blackened at the mint, to prevent their confusion with gold sovereigns - a tradition inherited from the practice at the London mint from 1897 to 1918, and continued in South Africa long after gold coin production ceased there. Don't say "infinitely" when you mean "very"; otherwise, you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite. - C. S. Lewis Report this Post to the Staff
Nightparrot New Member Australia 31 Posts	Posted 04/27/2013 7:08 pm Thanks for responses, very interesting..... Report this Post to the Staff
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