1893 Crown (D.501) Obv. 1

1893 Crown (D. 506) Obv. 2

 1893 Crown (D.501) Obv. 1

I of BRITT to border tooth 

1893 Crown (D. 506) Obv. 2

  I of BRITT to gap between 2 teeth

1893 Crown (D. 501) Rev. A

Reverse A  (D. 501) 

Reverse A  (D. 501) 

 Rev. A

The streamer from St. George's helmet is the only difference, so far, that can identify the difference in dies for 1893.

The streamer has 3 strands coming from the base of the helmet

The top strand  - is thin & approximately half the length of the one below it

The middle strand splits in 2 - the top one is thin & the longest of all

The lower middle strand - is thick and has 2 thin strands coming from below it

The bottom strand - is also thin and of similar length to the top strand

 Rev. B

 Reverse B (D. 503) 

 Reverse B (D. 503) 

 Rev. B

The streamer has 3 thin strands coming from the base of the helmet. 

The top strand  - is thin at the start to thick at the end - touches the strand below.

The strand in the centre - splits in 3 - the top one is thick in the centre and touches the strand above. The middle strand splits in two and is of medium length. The lower middle strand - is thick and shorter than the middle strand.

The bottom strand - is thin and the end touches and joint the strand above

 Rev. C

 Reverse C (Not listed in Davies)

 Reverse C (Not listed in Davies)

Rev. C

The streamer on Reverse C is slightly similar in Reverse B, but note the large dip in the top strand of reverse C - as apposed to the fairly shallow dip for reverse B. Approximately 5 strands coming from the helmet.

Rev. F

Reverse F (Not listed in Davies) 

Reverse F (Not listed in Davies) 

Rev. F

The streamer has approximately 3 strands coming from the base of the helmet. Bottom streamer kinked to just past half way back.

 Rev. G

 Reverse G (Not listed in Davies) 

Rev. G

The streamer has 3 thin strands coming from the base of the helmet.        The top strand  - is thin & approximately half the length of the one below it

The strand below the top one - splits in 3 - 1 strand above, starting about

half way and is the longest strand of all and 1 very short strand below 

looking as if it a un-joined strand of the 3rd lower strand

The 3rd lowest strand - has a 1 strand off-shoot, just after and above that lower strand. That off-shoot has a strand below it, half way down (not attached.

Rev. H

Reverse H (Not listed in Davies)

Reverse H (Not listed in Davies)

Rev. H

5 Streamers appear to come off from a single hair. Less undulation.

The easiest way is to compare pictures with the other streamers .

Rev. J

Reverse J (Not listed in Davies)

Reverse J (Not listed in Davies)

Rev. J

4 Streamers appear to come from the back of the helmet. Also with less

undulation and thicker clump of hairs at back - close to helmet.

The easiest way is to compare pictures with the other streamers .

Rev. K

Reverse K (Not listed in Davies)

Reverse K (Not listed in Davies)

Rev. K

5 Streamers from back of helmet. The finish of the bottom hair is straight.

The easiest way is to compare pictures with the other streamers .

Rev. L

Reverse L (Not listed in Davies)

Reverse L (Not listed in Davies)

Rev. L

The streamer has 5 strands coming from the base of the helmet 

The easiest way is to compare pictures with the other streamers .

With regret several of the above pictures are not of the best quality and the reason for that is:-

Several of the above are the only know examples of these scarce streamer varieties and some of

the coins themselves are not in top class grade. I am extremely grateful for several of the

above pictures that were missing from my research and they have come from a colleague (Mal L.)

who has been a keen collector of this particular series.

 Some of the above new reverses "C" to "L" were offered for sale in

The London Coin Auction (Auction 153) Sunday 5 June 2016 - Lots 2606 to 2923

(ex. Peter J. Davies collection). These are new varieties that he discovered over the years

AFTER he published is excellent reference book on "British Silver Coins, Since 1816"

and therefore sadly are not in his book.

I have only altered one of Peter Davies's references (lot 2619 Davies 503F - dies 1 + I)

with Peter's permission. That has now become my rev. L as Peter has agreed to remove rev. I

and if any further example are found with this streamer they will be referred as reverse L.

 Reverse A 

 Reverse C

Rev. E used only in 1898 to 1900

Reverse D

Reverse E

Reverse F (new)

Rev. "I" - has not been used

as "I" could easily be confused

with the number 1 !

Reverse G (new)

Reverse H (new)

Reverse I (not used)

Reverse J (new)

Reverse K (new)

Reverse L (new)

Reverse A; B; C  & L

1 points to a gap between 2 teeth

Reverse F & G

1 points directly to a tooth

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1893 Crown:

Davies lists for 1893 with edge: LVI -

Obv. 1 + Rev. A (D. 501) - Common

Obv. 1 + Rev. A (D. 501P) - [ In PROOF condition] - RARE

Obv. 1 + Rev. B (D. 503) - Scarce

Obv. 1 + Rev. C ., F., G., H., J., K., L (Not in Davies's book)

Obv. 2 + Rev. A (D. 505) - Normal

Obv. 2 + Rev. A (D. 505)) - [In PROOF condition] - RARE

Over the last few years I have examined approximately 50 examples of 1893 edge: LVI and have so far found 97% are type (D. 501) 1 + A. Only 1 examples of 1 + B (D. 503), only 2 examples of 1 + G & 1 example of 1 + L. (M.L.) has 1 example, each, of 1 + C., 1 + H., 1 + J.

However, Davies has now found all of the above & including the other missing 'streamers' type F & K.

Davies offered for sale in L. C. A. (Auction 153) the following reverses streamer types from the Peter J. Davies Collection. 7 x A, 1 x B, 1 x C, 2 x F, 1 x G, 1 x H, 1 x J, 1 x K and 1 x L.

So the estimation of 1893 Crowns with Obverse 1 and edge: LVI are:-  

(Up to July 2019)  

1 + A = Normal - 150 +   1 + A Counting has stopped on A's !]

1 + B = 9 known 

1 + C = 5 known 

1 + F = 8 known                

1 + G = 8 known

1 + H = 4 known 

1 + J = 7 known

1 + K = 2 known (Rare) 

1 + L = 5 known

It is not possible to determine if some of the above are repeat sightings

2* + A = None known as currency. Only known in PROOF condition.

**  My thanks to my good friend and colleague (M.L.) for keeping an eye out, on a daily basis, on all of the 100's of 1893 Crowns listed, seen or sold on Ebay and in other auctions (with pictures) and recording the amount of B to L reverses that have come onto the market place within the last year. This is very useful information in ascertaining the rarity of some of these unlisted reverses. 

* I have not found a single example of LVI with obverse 2 + reverse A which Davies considers as a normal rarity !?

Does 2 + A even exist for 1893 with edge: LVI ??  in currency (circulated condition). 

The known example so far found of an 2 + A is in PROOF condition. 

I would be pleased to hear of any currency example known or found.

I would also be very pleased to hear if there are any other streamer type reverse for 1893

Are those date types exclusive for those reverses ?

For 1893 with edge: LVII  

Obv. 1 + Rev. A (D. 502)  - RARE - listed by Davies as unknown or seen

Obv. 1 + Rev. B (D. 504)  - Davies lists as unknown or seen.

Obv. 2 + Rev. A (D. 506)  - Normal 

LVII is a scarcer edge type than LVI  (approximately 1 LVII to 10 of LVI). 

1894 Crown

Davies lists for 1894 with edge: LVII -

Obv. 1 + Rev. C  (D. 507)  - Scarce

Obv. 2 + Rev. C  (D. 509)  - Normal

With edge: LVIII 

Obv. 1 + Rev. C  (D. 508) - So far unfound and unseen

Obv. 2 + Rev. C  (D. 510)  - Normal

 Reverse C

1895 Crown

Davies lists for 1895 with edge: LVIII -

Obv. 1 + Rev. A  (D. 511)  - So far unfound and unseen

Obv. 2 + Rev. A  (D. 513)  - Normal

With edge: LIX

Obv. 1 + Rev. A  (D. 512)  - Normal

Obv. 2 + Rev. A  (D. 514)  - Normal

It is very surprising that Obv. 1 dies were not used with the earlier edge: LVII but were used with the later LIX edge die.  Obv. 1 + Rev. A with LIX edge appears to be much scarcer than the obv. 2 die by the coins that have passed through my hands.

Davies mentions that for Reverse D - The cape is closer to the border. Correct, it is by a fraction of a millemetre but virtually impossible to tell unless you compare it with reverse A ! The lower part marked with an arrow - virtually touches the linear circle whereas on the other reverses there is a slightly larger gap to the linear circle.

However, I find it easier to identify reverse D by the lower of the 4 dragon's claws which points to a gap between two teeth, whereas on reverse A, B & C the lower claw points directly to a border tooth.

1896 Crown

Davies lists for 1896 with edge: LIX -

Obv. 1 + Rev. D  (D. 517)  - Scarce

Obv. 2 + Rev. D  (D. 519)  - Very Scarce

* LIX appears to be the scarcer edge. I have not determined which obverse type is the scarcer.

With edge: LX

Obv. 1 + Rev. A  (D. 515)  - So far unfound and unseen

Obv. 2 + Rev. A  (D. 516)  - Scarce)

Obv. 1 + Rev. D  (D. 518)  - So far unfound and unseen

Obv. 2 + Rev. D  (D. 520)  - Commonest

1897 Crown

Davies lists for 1897 with edge: LX -

Obv. 2 + Rev. D  (D. 521) - Normal

With edge: LXI

Obv. 2 + Rev. D  (D5. 22) - Normal

Obv. 2 - The border teeth are long

and the legend is closer to them

Obv. 3 - The border teeth are shorter

and the legend is slightly further away

1898 Crown

Davies lists for 1898 with edge: LXI -

Obv. 2 + Rev. D  (D. 523)  Listed by Davies as unseen - in  fact - Normal to Scarce

Obv. 2 + Rev. E  (D. 525)  Listed by Davies - in fact -Unseen !?   If it exists it will be RARE

With edge: LXII

Obv. 2 + Rev. D  (D. 524)  - Scarce

Obv. 2 + Rev. E  (D. 526)  - Normal

Obv. 3 + Rev. E  (D. 527) - Scarce 

1899 Crown

Davies lists for 1899 with edge: LXII -

Obv. 2 + Rev. E  (D. 528)  - Scarce

Obv. 3 + Rev. E  (D. 530)  - Normal

With edge: LXIII

Obv. 2 + Rev. E  (D. 529)  - I have not found an example - as yet !

Obv. 3 + Rev. E  (D. 531)  - Scarce

1900 Crown

Davies lists for 1900 with edge: LXIII -

Obv. 2 + Rev. E  (D. 532)  - Confirmed and owned by CF (17 Feb. 2016) - VERY Scarce

Obv. 3 + Rev. E  (D. 533)  -  Normal

With edge: LXIV

Obv. 3 + Rev. E  (D. 534)  - Normal

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