Next club meeting Monday 9^th January 2017.

• Subject - Short Talks by Members

Notices

· Due to a great response to the call for short talks, the meeting will be starting earlier at 19-50.

· Please continue thinking about Auction lots for March. All lots should be given to Ian Pratt at the January or February meeting.

December Meeting

The December meeting was given over to our Xmas bash, with Mick Martin’s buffet. It was a very good turnout, and with several members having tables there were a lots of coins to see and purchase. Also with no speaker this month there was ample opportunity for members to chat to each other and seek advice on various coins that were a bit of a puzzle.

Five members bought along items of interest, which mid way through the evening they spoke about for a few minutes:

· John Quinn talked about his trip to the ‘Royal Mint Experience’ in Llantrisant, where he was able to mint his very own 2016 £1 coin. He also had a display of three Belgian 1Fr coins. Two of them were the familiar ‘French’ and ‘Belgium’ versions. The third was a ‘Belgium’ version but with the obverse and reverse at 90⁰ rather than 180⁰. Clearly this is an error coin. However it raised a question about the medallic alignment versions of these types listed in K&M. Since he had never seen any of these, it seems possible that all such are actually error coins.

• Neil Beaton then spoke about the 17^th century farthing from Bideford which he had recently purchased. In remarkably good condition Neil was able to get some of its recent history from the vendor.


• Gavin Scott’s item was a countermarked halfpenny of John Wilkinson, which he is currently researching. So far he has found out the named individual was a cutler in 1846.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Graham Kirby had some round things from the Daily Mail under the title ‘Its a Fact’. Typical examples were facts such as Julius Caesar was the first to depict a rulers head on a coin (wrong it was Alexander the Great)) and each £10 note is handled by 594 persons. Did you know England holds the record for executing counterfeiters? In 1817, 33 of them were hanged. Graham also bought along a tin of coins of dubious origin for which he was seeking opinions as to their authenticity. Happily all turned out to be considered genuine.
• Finally, Michael Gouby brought along the first slabbed coin – a 1750 shilling encapsulated in the base of a glass tankard. In the days of the press gang one ruse to get the target to take the ‘Kings Shilling’ was to secrete it in a drink offered to him. With the final gulp he then found the said shilling – and he was in the Navy. Perhaps this happened to the recipient of Michael’s shilling and so later in life had it encapsulated as a reminder to the hard navy life he probably endured.

This year the infamous quiz was banished. Instead Gavin produced a slightly easier version with just a few harder questions thrown in. One question that caused much debate was whether the answer was £1 or £1 of Northern Ireland. Nevertheless the winner with 15 out of 20 was Mick Martin who won the wine he had bought along as the prize – so it went back home.

Overall it was a very pleasant and convivial evening.

Xmas Dinner

The December dinner was a return to the Cunning Man where 19 members and partners enjoyed a sumptuous meal, accompanied by fine wines and plenty of entertaining conversation. Well done to Peter for organizing such an excellent event.

Obituaries

It is with great sadness that we report the death of John Dunkerton. Well known in the trade and a fount of knowledge at our meetings with son Dennis. He will be sadly missed.

We have also heard that Brian Edge of the Crewe coin club and token congress fame passed away earlier this month. Some of our club members knew him, he will be sadly missed by many in the token and numismatic world.

Gavin’s Quiz (answers in the next issue)

1. How much does a 1797 penny weigh?

2. Who issued the last English coins at Calais?

3. Coins with the legend QUOCUNQUE JECERIS STABIT come from where?

4. What country issued a 1/48 shilling?

5. What is “breeches money”?

6. When was the British Florin introduced?

7. Young head farthings were issued in 1895 – true or false?

8. What is a bodle?

9. Which mint is represented by D on US coins?

10. Black finish farthings were introduced in 1896 – true or false?

11. Who designed the portrait on the first issue of George IV crowns?

12. Silver coins of Queen Victoria with a value of 1½d were used where?

13. When were the first milled gold sovereigns issued?

14. When was a 50 pence piece commemorating the Victoria Cross issed?

15. When did the mintmark H first appear on British coins?

16. What was the last date displaying the French arms and title on British coins?

17. Which British coin depicted Macneill’s Egyptian Arch?

18. When were round silver farthings introduced?

19. Scottish shillings were issued dated 1938 – true or false?

20. When were copper regal farthings introduced?

Future Events.

• Midland Coin Fair - National Motorcycle museum – 8^th January

Past Events

• The December meeting has traditionally been the Xmas party.

Finally a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year to All Our Members.

Club Secretary.