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COIN CLUB
1879 Obverse normal & re-engraved hair
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ST 1879 A - Obv. 3 (normal) |
ST 1879 C - Obv. 3C Heavily re-engraved hair |
ST 1879 A - Obv. 3 (normal) - Victoria's hair has become less distinctive with a soft focus.
ST 1879 B - Obv. 3B (as above) but with nostril missing (due to die weakness !?)
ST 1879 C - Obv. 3C * - An attempt has been made to make the lines in Victoria's hair far
more distinctive. This has been achieved with adding many incuse lines.
Check the two pictures shown above for the differences the incuse lines made.
All of Victoria's hair has been re-cut - The top or back, the front and centre part,
her 'Bun' as well as her nape hairs. This re-engraved die is very recognisable
even in very worn coins.
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This is an enlarged the picture of Victoria's nape hair as this area is normally still clear even when the rest of the hair is completely worn as in a Fair graded coin. Note the 3 long curls at the top, closest to Victoria's ear. |
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ST 1879 C - Incuse nape hair |
* There appears to be a fairly equal amount of coins struck with the obv. 3C dies
as with the normal Obv. 3 die. Neither types are particularly scarce.
ST 1879 D** - Obv. 3C - with the re-engraved hair but with missing nostril as per Obv. 3B
** ST 1879 D - It appears that whilst they were considering re-engraving Victoria's hair
the engravers still had not noticed that Victoria had lost her nostril !
I have had 1 example of the obv. 3B die with the unaltered hair and the missing nostril
and 1 example of the missing nostril with the re-engraved hair ! Which suggests that
several obverse dies had the hair re-engraved.
# In the following year, 1880, the Royal Mint decided that re-engraving Victoria's hair
was not the answer and a new obverse die was made - obverse 4.
This obverse die 4 gives Victoria a good strong nostril amongst other changes that will
be shown with the details for 1880 threepences.
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