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@bosox said:
Leonard C. Wyon, the engraver who designed it. His initials are on the neck truncation. At least one very lightly used 1870 die did not have the initials and produced a very scarce variety. PCGS calls that the "No LCW" variety. The No LCW die was likely a trial die that was later used up coining business strikes.

There is also a possibility that if unsigned it could originally be the work of Thomas Minton. With the RM producing the dies, the fact it is Canadian has little bearing on the subject unless evidence be produced dividing the colonial workload.

According to records, the diademed head obverse pattern pennies dated 1862 through to 1870 for Britain was from a model by W Theed. That much is agreed. As these are given to Minton, with no reference to LCW, it is possible that the former was given the job of making a set of denomination obverses, with LCW doing a finishing job once agreement was reached on the design. LCW was the chief engraver of dies at the time, but with Thomas Minton credited with producing the diademed head obverse, it begs the question. The larger denominations are truncated at the neck, whereas the base coins cover the bodice in addition, but both are strikingly similar, and possibly the work of the same hand.

Proof one way or the other would be good, but I suspect may only come from a contemporary lead splash.

An 1870 pattern penny below which I bought in the last Sovereign Rarities sale is here.

1992 Northern Ireland, Silver ECU Piedfort Proof, 1.48 oz, .925, 1,000 minted, 38 mm

My first Ch MS ancient.

The edit button does not work so I will add here: The differences between the no LCW 1870 50 vent effigy and the later version with Wyon's initials on the neck are very, very minor. Wyon took three months and charged 54 pounds, a substantial sum in those days, for the 25 and 50 cent tools. This all leads me to believe that Wyon, not Minton engraved the effigy for the Canadian coins. That said, I see your point on the similarities, so perhaps Wyon copied and/or modified an existing Minton effigy.