May I ask a stupid question about a British piece?

MSD61

What is a Coronation model half farthing or a model half farthing?
Thanks,
Micheál

lordmarcovan

"Model" coins are sort of fantasy issues (but contemporary). Sort of like play money from the period, I guess. I don't have too much of intelligence to say about 'em, since my knowledge is rather sketchy, but I did sell a nice set of 'em from Aethelred's collection, once (back when he was bowing out of numismatics pretty much).

A "Coronation" model would be a model coin made to commemorate somebody's coronation, obviously.

There is one really common model coin called the "Prince Of Wales Half Sovereign", which is struck in brass.

I'm not sure what use model coins had, if any, beyond play money. Perhaps they saw service as counters or gaming pieces, as well.

I'm sure somebody else has something smarter to add about them.

MSD61

Well that explains why I can't find them in my Krause It was this that caught my interest and my question.

Link

lordmarcovan

Neat piece. Dunno how "rare" it is, but it's the first I've seen, at any rate.

Most of the model coins I have seen were Victorian, but an Eddie 7 doesn't surprise me. Maybe these were the successors of the imitation half-guineas and other gaming counter-like pieces of the late Georgian era?

They ain't true coins, but they are collectible. Interesting exonumia. Too bad I know so little about them.

lordmarcovan

Speakin' of Eddie the Seventh, exonumia, and half-farthings, I just came across a tiny little piece with his portrait, while going through some of my bulk stuff last night. I think it also has the coronation date of 1902 on it. It's obviously copper, though brown and not red like that piece. It has a loop at the top with a ring for attaching it as some sort of small watch fob or pendant, I guess (it was made that way- the loop is not an afterthought.) I guess it is about half-farthing size. The reverse has the Lord's Prayer on it in tiny letters. Anybody familiar with this kind of thing? SSP: Anybody interested? Do I hear two bucks and a self-addressed, stamped envelope? A swap? PM me!