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COIN CLUB
The 1918 Date variety - or anomaly !
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ST 1918 B - Rev.
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ST 1918 B - 9
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ST 1918 B - 18A |
ST 1918 B - 18 B |
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ST 1918 B - 18 C |
ST 1918 B - 18 D |
Davies lists in his book "British Silver Coins since 1816" (published1982) the
variety in the silver threepence section - under 1919 - last '9' over '8' [D. 1933].
Over the years I have examined over 1000 silver 3d of 1918 & 1919 and have never
come across this variety. The closest I have come to finding this variety is with the
above coins.
In 20 plus years I have found only these FOUR examples of what I think he might
have considered as last '9' over '8' but to my mind they are NOT an example of
9 over 8 or even 8 over 9.
I would suggest that they are an example of a small "foreign matter", i.e. a tiny piece
of grit, dust, dirt, etc. that has got embedded in the outside right centre section of the 8.
Over a period of die strikings the "foreign matter" has been added to. I am fortunate to
have what I consider as ST 1918 B -18 A, an early example where the "matter" is small
and then to have progressive examples where the "matter" builds up ! I notice that
ST 1918 B - 18C & 18D have a faint die crack that runs from the foot of the 1 (one),
along the field and into the lower part of the 8 and eventually out the other side.
If this were ever to be consider this variety as 9 over 8 or 8 over 9 one only has to look
at the picture of a 9, that I show above, to see that if it were an over or under a 9 the
LARGE bulbous tail of the 9 would have to show within the inner lower section of the 8
and there is nothing extra within the lower left section of the 8.
Davies also lists that the reverse die for 1918 and 1918 ONLY is with reverse C
and that in 1919 the reverse die, in fact, reverts back to the use of reverse B only.
Therefore if the variety last '9' over '8' were to be correct then the reverse for this
variety would have to be with reverse C , which it is, whereas Davies lists this variety
with the 1919 reverse B !
I would therefore suggest that the variety of last '9' over '8' be considered as "unseen"
and that this variety is simply a minor Royal Mint anomaly and should be listed as an
"infill to the outside right centre section of the 8".
However, if a genuine example of last '9' over '8' were ever be discovered I will be
happy to list it as such - with picture !
As to how many collectors would be interested in this anomaly only time will tell.
As I have have found only 4 examples in over 1000 examples suggests that it is scarce.
As for pricing !?
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