Jersey Proof Set (1980)

[Bimat]

Got this proof set couple of days back. It's very much similar to proof sets issued by Royal Mint in 80's for number of commonwealth countries. (Sri Lankan proof sets can be seen here while Zambian one can be seen here).

Not a great set of coins in terms of design but the striking quality is excellent. The 35 years old set looks as if it was struck yesterday.

Obverse:

Reverse:

Aditya

[<k>]

A fine set and an important one. 1980 was the last year when the coins carried the legend "NEW". By then, the decimal system - and its pence units - were no longer new, so in 1981 the legend was altered, and the dates on the new coin reverses were rearranged.

Before decimalisation, the highest denomination in Jersey (and Guernsey) was the threepence, or "one fourth of a shilling" as it was called in Jersey. Why the islands did not issue a sixpence, shilling, florin and half crown, is a question that I have not been able to find an answer to. Of course, tokens (not coins) did circulate with higher values.

[Bimat]

A fine set and an important one. 1980 was the last year when the coins carried the legend "NEW". By then, the decimal system - and its pence units - were no longer new, so in 1981 the legend was altered, and the dates on the new coin reverses were rearranged.

Thanks, didn't think of that! It makes this set even more interesting for me now.

Aditya

[Alan71]

I've always assumed that the reason the 1980 Jersey coins still had the "New Penny/Pence" reverses is because the Royal Mint didn't have the new dies ready in time.  As there was apparently a 1977 trial piece of the 50p with the 1981-style reverse, presumably Jersey wanted to go with it for 1980 but in the end couldnt wait for the dies to be ready.  The Royal Mint got them ready in time for the 1981 set but as sufficient quantities of 1980-dated coins had been issued, the 1981 issue was fairly small.

Just 50,000 of each of the 1981 coins were issued, compared to up to three million of the 1980 coins (in the case of the 1p anyway).

An excellent website to check out is Harold Fears' Jersey Coins and Banknotes:
http://jerseycoins.com

[Bimat]

Thanks Alan! Much appreciated additional information!

Aditya