The Half Sovereign Imposter

[detectordave]

In 1887 new coin designs were released.Unfortunatley the sixpence was a good likeness for the gold half sovereign a coin worth 20 times as much.

There was a great celebration in 1887 for the fifth year of queen victoria's reign and this included a complete redesign of the coinage.The sixpence now featured a sheild containing the royal coat of arms with a crown above and the date below.

The only problem with this design was that it bore a striking likeness to that of the half sovereign.These 2 coins have exactly the same diameter,the same thickness,and also had the same portrait on the obverse.

Certain unscrupulous people spotted an opportunity by gold plating a sixpence you could make it look convincingly like a half sovereign and net yourself a 2000% profit.Passing off the sixpence would have been quite easyin the dark taverns or the badly lit streets of the nineteenth century.

The mint had to act swiftly by the autumn of 1887 just a few months after its issue this sixpencewas replaced by a new design.Not only is this coin difficult to find it is also in high demand becaused it is one of britains shortest lived coin types issued only in the summer of 1887.

I have never found one but you never know they must be about.

[Richy]

Interesting post Dave. I've just looked in Spinks (No.3928) and it's value is given as £100 ef compared to £30 ef for its replacement.

Richy. 

[Yankee]

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