Old Coins, worth anything?

[hillsbro]

Just to set the record straight, the so-called "Cartwheel" coins all have the date 1797. They were so large because they were worth their weight in copper - a cartwheel penny weighs one ounce and a cartwheel twopence two ounces. During the Napoleonic Wars the price of copper rose and people started melting them down....As jmdee correctly wrote, they are worth very little in worn condition. Cartwheel halfpennnies were never issued (though a few were struck as patterns) but earlier/later George III halfpennies were quite large and can be confused with true "cartwheel" coins. An example of this confusion was recently sold via eBay - it is probably a badly worn 1806 halfpenny. Here is a web page about true cartwheel coins: http://www.currencyhelp.net/british-cartwheel-penny.html

[LaurelCanyon]

Just to set the record straight, the so-called "Cartwheel" coins all have the date 1797. They were so large because they were worth their weight in copper - a cartwheel penny weighs one ounce and a cartwheel twopence two ounces. During the Napoleonic Wars the price of copper rose and people started melting them down....As jmdee correctly wrote, they are worth very little in worn condition. Cartwheel halfpennnies were never issued (though a few were struck as patterns) but earlier/later George III halfpennies were quite large and can be confused with true "cartwheel" coins. An example of this confusion is currently on offer via eBay - it is probably a badly worn 1806 halfpenny. Here is a web page about true cartwheel coins: http://www.currencyhelp.net/british-cartwheel-penny.html

Here's the two we still have obviously they're just plain Half pennys.

[hillsbro]

Here's the two we still have obviously they're just plain Half pennys.

Yes - they are larger than our pre-decimal halfpennies and smaller than the "pattern" cartwheel halfpennies. The City Museum in Weston Park used to have some fine cartwheel coins on display, including pattern halfpennies and farthings.

[jmdee]

You're right, on further inspection the date is 1797. That's how badly worn mine is.

 

Just to set the record straight, the so-called "Cartwheel" coins all have the date 1797. They were so large because they were worth their weight in copper - a cartwheel penny weighs one ounce and a cartwheel twopence two ounces. During the Napoleonic Wars the price of copper rose and people started melting them down....As jmdee correctly wrote, they are worth very little in worn condition. Cartwheel halfpennnies were never issued (though a few were struck as patterns) but earlier/later George III halfpennies were quite large and can be confused with true "cartwheel" coins. An example of this confusion was recently sold via eBay - it is probably a badly worn 1806 halfpenny. Here is a web page about true cartwheel coins: http://www.currencyhelp.net/british-cartwheel-penny.html

[zepstox]

Elsecar Heritage have a bloke called Carl on 07771896365, they have coins, doubt they'll buy unless they are extra special but might be worth a bash.

[hillsbro]

Here's the two we still have obviously they're just plain Half pennys.

Hi LaurelCanyon - I just noticed a 1799 halfpenny for sale on eBay at £20 - see here. The condition is quite nice, as is evidently the condition of your coins - they are in what a collector would term "fine" condition (as opposed to poor, fair, good, very fine, extremely fine or uncirculated). Although from my experience the eBay seller is perhaps being a little "optimistic" in pricing the coin at £20, it might be interesting to see if it finds a buyer..

[Parkwood]

Here's the two we still have obviously they're just plain Half pennys.

I wonder if they were placed there when the windows were fitted to mark the date, 1799 wow.

[le-joker]

Old half crowns, they`ve got silver in them. I bought one from a guy in Chesterfield market, and when I asked him how much, he said, thirty pence,

as though I should have known. So I bought it and as I walked away I realised from my old times tables that thirty pence is two and sixpence and of course a half crown is two and six.

Sorry but only oldies will understand this one.

[Banker]

Old half crowns, they`ve got silver in them.

This depends on the date. Halfcrowns dated 1947 onwards don't contain any silver. Those dated 1920-1947 are 50% silver and those minted before 1920 are 92½% silver - see here...

[okismoki]

Old half crowns, they`ve got silver in them. I bought one from a guy in Chesterfield market, and when I asked him how much, he said, thirty pence,

as though I should have known. So I bought it and as I walked away I realised from my old times tables that thirty pence is two and sixpence and of course a half crown is two and six.

Sorry but only oldies will understand this one.

 

Wrong,I`m afraid,the 5p replaced the old bob coin,the 10p replaced the 2 bob coin,and the old tanner became a 2 and half pence,therefore,your two and six(half crown) became 12 and half pence.

I think you have got confused with the 30 old pennies making half a crown,12 old pennies made a bob(shilling)