Author: BNS Blog Coordinator

The 1943 East Africa Shilling – Gary Oddie

This article looks at the shilling coins issued by the East African Currency Board struck at various mints between 1921 and 1952, and especially the scarce 1943 pieces struck at the Bombay mint. The existence of contemporary counterfeits of the 1943I shillings confirms that the pieces circulated and also highlights the poor state of the circulating medium at the time.

Two Unusual Counterfeit Victorian Shillings – Gary Oddie

Contemporary counterfeits of Victorian silver coins are typically cast from pewter-like metals, more rarely silver plated brass and very unusually silver. This note presents two shillings dated 1863 and 1882 which are of good weight and good silver and struck from hand engraved dies. The pieces also share the same obverse die. Being rare dates it is speculated that they are not contemporary but were manufactured in the third quarter of the twentieth century. This issue is compared with the halfcrowns that have been noted with dates 1861, 1866, 1868, and 1871 which were first discovered in the 1960’s during the change checking that accompanied decimalisation.

A Mid-Nineteenth Century Hoard of Counterfeit Silver Coins – Gary Oddie

A small hoard of counterfeit silver coins with dates ranging from 1816 to 1845 will be described. All of the pieces fall into the category of cast white metal, tin, pewter or lead-alloy counterfeits and many have been mutilated by cutting, sometimes into pieces. That many of the fragments of the broken pieces have remained together suggests that this group might have been together since the middle of the nineteenth century.

Henry III Long Cross Pennies – Analysis of the Use of the Letter “H” for an “N” – Robert Page

Throughout the Henry III long cross series one often sees the capital letter “H” used for an “N”.  This usage is not consistent, in that many coins have a mixture of “H” and “N” in their reverse legends. In this small study I have analysed the proportions of different usages of H/N for several mints and moneyers.  This has allowed various conclusions to be made about the die preparation process, and has highlighted some rarer lettering combinations that collectors may wish to look out for.  I would very much welcome feedback on the observations and conclusions presented.

An Addition to the Sylloge of Coins of the British Isles 35: Scottish Coins in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford and the Hunterian Museum, Glasgow – Cameron Maclean

This brief note serves as a record of one of William Hunter’s Scottish coins that was not included in the Sylloge of Coins of the British Isles 35: Scottish coins in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford and the Hunterian Museum, Glasgow. The reasons for its exclusion will also be discussed.