Ancient, British and World Coins, Numismatic Books

Victoria (1837-1901), 1860, dies Dd, similar, but o in one imperfect and n in one over sideways n, 9.84g/11h (Gouby K; Satin 11; F – [dies 2+D]; Adams 204; ‘Gregory’ 428; BMC –; S 3954). Small die flaw and toning spot by 1 of date, otherwise virtually as struck with full original colour, extremely rare (£800-1,000)

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Collection of Victorian Bronze Pennies formed by the Late Laurie Bamford.

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This variant was described by Gouby, and hence in the Spink standard catalogue, as n over z sideways; Laurie Bamford always preferred to describe it as n over sideways n (cf. CCA 198, 7 March 2006, lot 25), a premise followed by the cataloguer of the slightly inferior Colin Adams specimen in 2003, but not when the piece was re-offered earlier this year (SNC February 2006, 2775). A specimen in comparable condition was offered on a trade list in 2004 for £1,100 (M. Rasmussen FPL 7, item 463), while the ‘Gregory’ example, perhaps not quite as fine as the present piece, sold for £920 in May 2006. For further observations on this reverse die, see Paul Holland, ‘An unusual pair of obverse die-linked bronze pennies dated 1860 and 1861’, BNJ 2001, pp.175-6