| Author |
 Replies: 15 / Views: 2,411 |
|
|
New Member
New Zealand
17 Posts |
Does anyone have any idea what this is. It says on the coin that it is an 1886 great Britain penny but it is not brass or bronze coloured. It looks to be silver. The Maundy pennies are silver but this has the standard reverse. Did they mint any silver pennies this year?  Moved to British Coins forum - Sap |
|
|
|
Pillar of the Community
 United States
5953 Posts |
You are correct about maundy Pennies they have a 1 with a crown above for that year. I don't know of any regular silver strikes for Pennies that year. Whats the weight of the coin?
|
|
New Member
 New Zealand
17 Posts |
definitely not brass or bronze. Looks to be silver.
Dated 1886 with Britannia on reverse and Victoria on obverse
31mm and approx 9 grams
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
5953 Posts |
Thats the correct weight and size for the standard bronze penny. Its possible the Tin might have leached out of the coin, or its been plated
|
|
New Member
New Zealand
17 Posts |
I am not sure. It came with a collection of pennies and farthings I just bought. It bears no resemblance to the other bronze and copper coins though. If it has been coated I wonder why as it is such a worn example.
Real mystery to me?
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
2490 Posts |
I'll have to try and find it, but I've also got a "silver"penny. In fact it's a standard penny that spent over 40 years in a PVC envelope.
|
|
Moderator
 Australia
16846 Posts |
Perhaps it was silvered in an attempt to pass it off as a florin or halfcrown.
Another alternative is that it's a fake. I don't know why anyone would go to the trouble of making a fake penny, but it would be far more probable than a genuine "silver penny".
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
|
|
New Member
New Zealand
17 Posts |
I agree, if someone was going to make a fake coin surely they would pick something of value?
This coin is very circulated so it must have been spent a few times as a general coin.
If it has been silvered somehow, it must have been done after it had circulated.
But why do it to a rough circulated coin?
Edited by retired44
01/10/2010 1:29 pm
|
|
Moderator
Australia
16846 Posts |
I'm thinking that whatever process was used to cause the silvery colour (Paint? Some crude plating process? No idea) also caused at least some of the damage.
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
|
|
Valued Member
United States
125 Posts |
Quote:
if someone was going to make a fake coin surely they would pick something of value?
It also could be, that whoever did it, was using the coin to test their system before they used it on a coin of value. |
|
New Member
New Zealand
17 Posts |
|
|
Pillar of the Community
Turkey
870 Posts |
To my eye, it seemed like silver plated, using old techniques.. I used to have a large copper Ottoman coin just like it. I think it is either silver plated or painted, using low alloy silver or tin.. British pennies are very thin, making them almost impossible to pass them as florings or even halfcrowns I think. And I eliminate the PVC option, since I think if it had stayed in an envelope with PCV on it, it must have gone sticky and greenish.
|
|
Valued Member
Bulgaria
474 Posts |
You can take from the edge with sharp knife and I am sure that bottom will be bronze.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
2490 Posts |
|
|
Pillar of the Community
Poland
3201 Posts |
I received this in a lot consisting mostly of junk  Is there any significance to this half penny being plated?   |
|
Pillar of the Community
Turkey
870 Posts |
It's a well-circulated half penny that is obviously plated. The "I" like marks both on obverse and reverse might be the holding point of the coin, while it is being dipped or electroplated. Unfortunately, this much of "tampering" kills most of its' colelcting value, but owing to the old age, I am sure it has stories to tell to us..
|
| |
Replies: 15 / Views: 2,411 |
|
Posted 01/10/2010 06:19 am
