Are British Maundy coins a different Type?

MyWorldCoinTypeSet · October 4, 2010 11:31AM

There are a number of years where the design of Maundy coins is the pretty much the same as the regular business strike coins, most often with 3 Pence and at times with the 4 Pence denominations. For most of these years (all?), a seasoned collector can differentiate between the Maundy and non-Maundy coins. Given that, does that make a Maundy coin a different Type than the non-Maundy of the same (very similar?) design?

Thanks for helping out this Type collector.

7Jaguars · October 4, 2010 12:39PM

Post 1927 all Maundy have a different reverse on the 3d, and except for some Victoria circulation silver 2ds all the rest of the Maundy are their own type.

Where there are problems is with the currency vs. Maundy 3ds from about 1830 onward. For some of the rarest years the currency bits are essentially unknown and unsrcurpulous sellers have passed the Maundy 3ds as currrency in order to achieve a much higher price (ie 1840-43, 1846-48, 1852-3). Some of these have even been encapsulated by TPGs - no names mentioned - and even been sold by the likes of Spink. These are very controversial to say the least.

Gazza · October 5, 2010 2:18AM

I only collect 1900 onwards and the maundy issued pieces from this date are proof like so have a much better strike than the currency 3d, which is not a maundy coin. As far as I'm concerned there is no such animal as a maundy coin, they are just a collection of coins traditionally given by the monarch on Maundy Thursday, but were just normal coins of the realm. By the end of the Victorian era the 1d, 2d and 4d (groat) had dropped from general circulation just leaving the 3d. It does annoy me when just about every silver 3d appearing on fleebay is discribed as maundy.

Steve27 · October 5, 2010 5:34AM

The answer to your poll is yes and no. There was a good article in Coin World a couple of months ago, and if I recall correctly, prior to 1840 (I'll have to check the date) there was no difference between regular coinage and Maundy coinage.

7Jaguars · October 5, 2010 8:31AM

Please see my answer above. The designs were the same but the "finish" was different as the Maundy sets were generally struck to PL standard, but some had more of a satin strike. That was true up through 1926, and then the following year the reverses became different between Maundy and non-Maundy.

I was trying above to discuss the problem especially in the 1840s and 1850s with Maundy 3ds which are more available in Maundy format being passed as the more rare (or even non-existent) currency bits.

wybrit · October 5, 2010 10:40AM

I was trying above to discuss the problem especially in the 1840s and 1850s with Maundy 3ds which are more available in Maundy format being passed as the more rare (or even non-existent) currency bits

Most of those early dates were issued to the colonies only, so finding nice examples of currency 3ds is a huge challenge. The problem is that sometimes the currency 3ds have a bit of a prooflike look to them as well. Maybe not as much as maundy money, but certainly without a direct comparison I suspect most "experts" would be deceived. I sure hope one particular so-called expert, who might be lurking and posts once in a blue moon is reading this, because said expert certainly isn't.

MyWorldCoinTypeSet · October 5, 2010 11:05AM

Some excellent replies ... thanks everyone.

Gazza · October 6, 2010 4:04AM

I wonder if the dies used to strike the coins for maundy issue were then used for the currency piece giving the early strikes a finer finish.
Gary

bosox · October 6, 2010 10:02AM

In researching my books on the Victorian cents of Canada, I came across references to a miniature coin press in the press room at the Royal Mint used for maundy coinage.

7Jaguars · October 6, 2010 12:57PM

Gazza, we have speculated that this might be the case. We do know that the obverses were used for repeated years and one of the reasons that even on Maundy bits that the obverses from the 1840s-1850s and even later are weak with poor hair detail (also because this is a high point requiring most metal movement). My tendency for what it is worth is to require the coin to "prove" it is NOT a Maundy; that it must not be struck, and esp. on the reverse, with sharp imaging and prooflike character - whether reflective surfaces in the field or satiny - with the edge NOT as cleanly struck up. Hard to put it to words but there is a look that one can learn to recognize with some difficulty and I could show with numerous specimens.

coinkat · October 7, 2010 10:26AM

I buy Maundy sets- I have never had a really attractive 3d other than Maundy

Are British Maundy coins a different Type?

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