I like black farthings

wybrit · April 30, 2006 6:11AM

Even if they come from South Africa...

oldshep · April 30, 2006 6:59AM

From the coal mines??????
Shep

wybrit · April 30, 2006 7:02AM

Probably blackened to distinguish them from half sovereigns, like in Great Britain? I don't know about the reasons they did it there...

cacheman · April 30, 2006 7:08AM

I like....

AuldFartte · April 30, 2006 8:52AM

Man, that one looks pristine !!!

Garneteye · April 30, 2006 10:44AM

Aethelred · April 30, 2006 11:13AM

Pretty darn cool!

Sapyx · April 30, 2006 11:53AM

That's darned peculiar. I don't think they were issued like that - sovereigns were obsolete by 1938.

Sure it's not a trial strike in zinc?

wybrit · April 30, 2006 12:08PM

I think all of the dates were issued black up until late in the G VI reign.

I have a 1923 proof, also dark.

Are there any South African coin experts out there willing to explain why they were darkened?

spinaker2000 · April 30, 2006 12:19PM

The SA Mint continued the darkening of bronze coins until 1942, and for the same reason as Tom mentioned earlier.

wybrit · April 30, 2006 12:50PM

Thanks Terry!

Gazza · April 30, 2006 5:02PM

You occiasionally see bright Edward VII farthings on the bay, I bought one before I was aware that they should be black

It is on records though, that the odd coin did miss the process but I doubt if you could tell if it was genuin or cleaned. You could imagine an ebay seller finding a EF+ black farthing and thinking that a good clean would improve it.

rhound1977 · April 30, 2006 8:40PM

Nice one Tom

I have a black one as well....

Madame · April 30, 2006 11:44PM

Nice One

ccrdragon · May 1, 2006 2:46AM

I currently have about 20 of the blackened 1942 farthings - they are among my favorite coins! I really like them when they are so black they look almost blue!

Steve27 · May 1, 2006 10:36AM

So if the mint did it, are they NT or AT?

MacCrimmon · May 1, 2006 11:15PM

<< <i>So if the mint did it, are they NT or AT? >>

Then they are Mint-Toned (MT).

SYRACUSIAN · May 2, 2006 12:29AM

<< <i>You occiasionally see bright Edward VII farthings on the bay, I bought one before I was aware that they should be black

It is on records though, that the odd coin did miss the process but I doubt if you could tell if it was genuin or cleaned. You could imagine an ebay seller finding a EF+ black farthing and thinking that a good clean would improve it.

>>

True bright farthings of that period (Edward VII and Victoria veiled head) that escaped the blackening process exist, they're very rare but their cost is not prohibitive. Many are listed in Colin Cooke's upcoming sale, if you do a search, you'll find spinaker's thread on that very interesting and unique sale. Colin Cooke was a British coin dealer and was considered the expert on farthings, his private collection that is going to be sold is one of a kind and many coins in it have not seen the light of day for the past 20 years at least. This brilliant man unfortunately passed away about a year ago,before I had a chance to meet him in person in one of my visits to England.

I own two black BU farthings in my British type set, a 1902 from Cooke and this 1901,which indeed looks more blue than black:

AuldFartte · May 2, 2006 1:01AM

oooohhhh ... that 1901 is just ... well ...

I like black farthings

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