Question about a bucket full of Half Pennies that I found at my mother-in-law's house...
Longacre
Posts: 16,717 ✭✭✭
I was at my mother in law's house, helping her clean out the basement because they are moving soon. I found a green tupperware bucket that contained about 500 coins (maybe even more), which were all the same. I have never seen these coins before, but I will try to describe them:
On the obverse is a picture of Elizabeth II, and surrounding the picture is the text, "Dei Gratia Regina F.D Elizabeth II". On the reverse is a picture of a three masted ship, and on the top it says "Half Penny" and on the bottom is the date, which is 1964.
Almost every single coin in the bucket was dated 1964 if I recall correctly. Also, I was amazed at the quality of the luster on the coins. A lot of them were "brown", but many of them had really nice luster and original mint red (probably technically red/brown, but attractive). I asked my mother in law where she got them, and she could not remember. She said "they don't use those coins anymore", and she used them as poker chips. She said it has easily been about 30-40 years since she last saw this bucket of coins.
Can anyone tell me what these are, other than telling me they're half pennies? I assume they are from England. Is it true they are not used anymore? Do they have any value? Because there are so many of them, I wonder if it makes sense to try to sell them to a local dealer for use in a junk box or something. Thanks.
On the obverse is a picture of Elizabeth II, and surrounding the picture is the text, "Dei Gratia Regina F.D Elizabeth II". On the reverse is a picture of a three masted ship, and on the top it says "Half Penny" and on the bottom is the date, which is 1964.
Almost every single coin in the bucket was dated 1964 if I recall correctly. Also, I was amazed at the quality of the luster on the coins. A lot of them were "brown", but many of them had really nice luster and original mint red (probably technically red/brown, but attractive). I asked my mother in law where she got them, and she could not remember. She said "they don't use those coins anymore", and she used them as poker chips. She said it has easily been about 30-40 years since she last saw this bucket of coins.
Can anyone tell me what these are, other than telling me they're half pennies? I assume they are from England. Is it true they are not used anymore? Do they have any value? Because there are so many of them, I wonder if it makes sense to try to sell them to a local dealer for use in a junk box or something. Thanks.
Always took candy from strangers
Didn't wanna get me no trade
Never want to be like papa
Working for the boss every night and day
--"Happy", by the Rolling Stones (1972)
Didn't wanna get me no trade
Never want to be like papa
Working for the boss every night and day
--"Happy", by the Rolling Stones (1972)
0
Comments
I just recently picked up a circulated 1962 (at the fleamarket) with is (poorly) shown in this thread 3rd set of pics, middle coin...
It was ID'd as: KM 896 Great Britain 1962 Half Penny, Bronze, (value of $.10 in XF)... but mine got a dollar in a "junk box"
more as copper than currency though. It's an exceptionally common date and easily
found in unc. Mintage was north of 78 million. I doubt they'd be worth fooling with.
From experience I can tell you that nice choice gems are quite tough and there is sig-
nificant collector demand for British pennies and half pennies. It might be worth the
effort to go through and pull out any gems if there are any.
These list for $1 each in unc in Krause but it's unlikely you'd find a retail buyer. Whole-
sale buyers will have scant interest in these and they'll probably end up in low grade
poundage ($4 to $7 per pound).
Oh yeah, The halfpenny (pre-decimal like you have) ceased to be legal tender after 31 July 1969.
Create a YN giveaway (maybe a handfull in each lot).
On a side note, I hope that, as a certified tax and tax-related lawyer, you scolded her for conducting potentially illegal games of chance in her domicile, and insisted that she go back through her records and report any winnings as income.
<< <i>FWIW, Wybrit sells them at 15 cents each.
Oh yeah, The halfpenny (pre-decimal like you have) ceased to be legal tender after 31 July 1969. >>
Actually, in all fairness, that's only what he's selling the 1966 dates for; the others he has priced higher:
1957 EF, have several $0.40
1957 UNC, much lustre, have many $1.00
1958 BU full lustre, have 3 $2.50
1966 Red UNC, almost full lustre $0.15
The 1964s may be worth more or less...
1/2 Cents
U.S. Revenue Stamps
Halfpennies 1959-1965 are catalogued at $2 in BUFL, but they are not worth much in any lesser condition. Like with the '66 and '67s, they are easy to find for cheaper than that.
Earlier dates are much spendier. For example, the 1958 is $4 in Spink, so $2.50 is relatively cheap. '57 and earlier are even more expensive.
BTW even the new halfpenny has been demonetized (12/31/84), and it was worth 2.4 old halfpennies.