Victorian Decimal Patterns & Private Strikes

Started by Deeman, January 20, 2023, 01:30:19 PM

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Deeman

Introduction

The first country to decimalise was Russia in 1704 which introduced a currency based on 100 kopeks to a rouble.

The establishment of a decimal coinage has long had its advocates. As early as 1682 Sir William Petty was arguing in favour of a system, but the possibility of making the change did not become a matter of practical politics until a decade later, when the depreciated state of the silver currency made it necessary to undertake a renewal of the coinage. The advocates of decimalisation, including Sir Christopher Wren, saw in the forthcoming renewal an opportunity for putting the coinage on a decimal basis, but the opportunity was not taken and new milled coins were issued in the traditional denominations.

In 1824, the MP for Staffordshire, Sir John Wrottesley, proposed a decimal currency comprising 100 farthings equal to a double shilling and 10 double shillings equal to a pound. i.e., 1000 farthings were equal to a pound which was similar from the existing 960 farthings to the pound, but the idea was rejected by Parliament.

In 1841, the Decimal Association was founded in support of both decimalisation and use of the SI metric system, the international standard for physical measurements which had been adopted by France in the 1790s.

The first decimal coins were not made at the Royal Mint, but by the Birmingham silversmiths Marrian & Gausby in 1846. Although not adopted as a design for circulating currency, the question of a British decimal currency would not go away and within two years the Royal Mint had produced pattern florins (two-shilling pieces), leading to the currency issue of the same in 1849. This resulted in the cessation of minting halfcrowns in 1850 (only to be reintroduced in 1874).

Parliament moved for the appointment of a Select Committee in Apr 1853 to inquire into the subject of decimalisation. Among the witnesses were two representatives of the Bank of England, Thomson Hankey, director and former governor, and William Miller, a cashier. Hankey explained to the Committee that his interest in the subject of decimalisation had been aroused by the 'extremely complicated system of keeping accounts with respect to all transactions in the purchase or sale of bullion at the Bank of England'. When Hankey had been appointed governor in 1851, the Bank's bullion calculations were without decimal simplification. Weight was expressed in troy pounds, consisting of 12 ounces subdivided into 20 pennyweights each of which contained 24 grams. Quality was calculated by carats subdivided into eighths, and value was in terms of pounds, shillings, pence and farthings. For his own private purposes, Hankey explained, he had worked out a simplified system which involved discarding the pound troy and using a decimal ounce. This system had been adopted by the Bank some months before and was now in general use by the London bullion market. It not only saved labour but resulted in greater accuracy. Of course, if a decimal system of currency were introduced, a further considerable improvement would be achieved.

In its report dated 1 Aug 1853 the Committee favoured adopting the sovereign as the unit, divided into 1,000 mils or farthings, in place of 960; the florin as the tenth of a sovereign, a cent as the tenth of a florin, and a mil or new farthing, as the tenth of a cent. They recommended that 1, 2, 5, and 10 mil pieces should be coined and the withdrawal of the halfcrown, threepenny and fourpenny pieces.

The Report aroused much public interest and in Jun 1854 at a public meeting of bankers, merchants and traders it was decided to establish an Association to press for the immediate issue of decimal coins and the early consideration of a system of decimal weights and measures.

In Parliament, in Jun 1855, a motion that the initiation of the decimal system of coinage, by the issue of the florin, has been eminently successful and satisfactory was passed and it was further resolved that a further extension of such system would be of great public advantage.

A Royal Commission followed in 1856. This body consisted of Lord Monteagle, Lord Overstone and John Gellibrand Hubbard, a director of the Bank, who had served his term as governor from 1853 to 1855. Thomson Hankey and William Miller again made submissions in favour of the change.

Responding to the decimal question, during the late 1850's the Royal Mint produced a large number of pattern or trial coins, chiefly in base metal, with a view to the introduction of a decimal coinage which, on latest thinking, was favoured to be based on either cents or a re-based penny.

The preliminary report issued by the Royal Commission in 1857 was followed by a final report in 1859 with the Royal Commission reporting to the House of Commons on the subject, rejecting the idea as 'an experiment of very doubtful result'. The truth is that during Britain's imperial heyday, politicians and ordinary people alike were too closely attached to their national traditions to consider such a radical change.

Deeman

Private Strikes

Marrian & Gausby 1846

In 1846 a set of decimal patterns were issued by the Birmingham diesinkers Francis H. Marrian & John Baker Gausby. The denominations were one centum (thought to represent a decimal shilling of 50 cents), 10 cents, 5 cents, 2 cents and 1 cent. The diameters of these are 27.5, 41, 36, 29.5 and 22mm respectively. The hair detail is slightly different for all five denominations, most notably seen around the bun. Execution by Francis' elder brother John Marrian.

Restrikes of the Marrian & Gausby pieces appeared in 1888 issued by E. Shorthouse of Birmingham who discovered the dies in 1888 in the late Joseph Moore's workshop. On that day a total of nine each were struck in silver, bronze and copper. These were struck with the opposite die axis (en-médaille) and on thicker flans to avoid confusion with the originals. The dies were subsequently destroyed.

The initial trial strikes of 10 and 5 cent pieces resulted in an objection from the Royal Mint because of the inscription SMITHS DECIMAL CURRENCY decimal on the 10-cent coin since they had the sole prerogative to strike currency.





Marrian & Gausby then produced a second set of dies. The obverse depicts a 'young head' portrait left with hair bound by a double fillet (ribbon), inscription MARRIAN & GAUSBY D BIRM below except for the one cent. The reverse of the coin shows the value in two lines at the centre circumscribed by SMITH ON DECIMAL CURRENCY with 1846 at the bottom flanked by stars on the one centum and 2 cents, by rosettes on the 10 and 5 cents, and by pellets in the one cent.



1846 dated silver and tin one centum.



1846 dated copper and bronzed copper 10 cents.



1846 dated copper and bronzed copper 5 cents.



1846 dated copper 2 cents.



1846 dated copper 1 cent.


Deeman

Joseph Moore 1854

Private enterprise striking by Joseph Moore as a decimal equivalent of the farthing. The obverse depicts a Gothic bust left. The reverse has the denomination central in two lines, crown above, surrounded by a wreath of oak and laurel tied with a ribbon at the bottom.



1854 dated copper Model mille (farthing equivalent). 19mm diameter.
Obverse inscription is VICTORIA / REGINA.
Reverse inscription is MODEL / MILLE.

Deeman

Patterns

Florins 1848

The florin was a currency issue from 1849 until 1970. The original florins, dated 1849, omitted a reference to God from Victoria's titles as well as FIDEI DEFENSOR which prompted public outrage and it became known as the 'Godless florin'. Some conjectured that the Master of the Mint, Richard Lalor Sheil, an Irish Catholic, was responsible. Actually, it seems like Victoria's husband, Prince Albert, had suggested the legend. Nevertheless, the florin was redesigned for its next issue in 1851 and further moves towards decimalisation eventually stalled.

Many patterns for the florin were submitted in 1848 with a choice of three obverses (filleted head, laureate head, Gothic head) and three reverses (oak wreath, VR cipher, cruciform shields), mixed and matched to various denominations. All designs by William Wyon. Apparently, there are 27 combinations in total.

In 1870 the day-to-day running of the mint passed to the Deputy Master and the post of Master was held ex officio by the Chancellor of the Exchequer. The first new-style Deputy Master was Sir Charles Fremantle and he set about reforming and re-equipping the Mint. Fremantle inherited a major numismatic collection which was somewhat dispersed with coins, dies and trial plates held in three different locations. In Nov 1871 he received Treasury authority to employ a coin dealer, William Webster, to arrange and catalogue the coins. During the course of his work, Webster took it upon himself to identify duplicates and to indicate where he regarded gaps in coins of George III through to Victoria. The duplicate coins he offered to buy and Fremantle received Treasury authority both to sell the duplicates and to produce restrikes from old dies in order to fill the gaps identified by Webster. As to the use of old dies to provide restrikes, this added to the collection a series of pattern florins of 1848.

Filleted head: The obverse depicts a young portrait left, hair bound with a single fillet (ribbon) collected into a knot behind, date below, with an inscription of VICTORIA REGINA divided by the head.

Laureate head: The obverse depicts a young portrait left wearing a laurel wreath with berries. Behind the wreath, the hair is bound with a single fillet collected into a knot behind, date below, 'WW' in relief on truncation, with an inscription divided by the head of VICTORIA REGINA.

Gothic head: The obverse depicts a young, crowned, draped portrait left, hair braided. The crown is St Edward's Crown, her shoulders clothed in sumptuously detailed robes, the design maximising the field within the beaded border resulting in the date forming part of the inscription VICTORIA REGINA 1848, 'WW' to right of truncation before date.

This portrait was used on the Gothic crown first issued in 1847, recycled to fit a reduced diameter of 30mm.

Wreath: The design features two sprays of oak leaves with acorns tied with a bow at the bottom above which resides trident prongs. The main denomination is central with equivalents above and below.

VR cipher: The design features 'VR' intertwined with rose, thistle and shamrock, Prince of Wales plumes below, all within an ornamented quadrilobe, Gothic arches in angles, circumscribed by denomination.

Cruciform shields: The design features four crowned shields forming a cross around a Tudor rose. The crowns are a stylised version of St Edward's crown. Two shields feature the three lions passant of the arms of England with the other two emblazoned with a lion rampant within a double tressure flory for Scotland and a harp for Ireland. Between the shields are the national emblems to the left of their respective shield; roses, a thistle and a shamrock all contained within double tressured angles. Denomination circumscribed between crowns.

This reverse design was used on the Gothic crown first issued in 1847, with the central arms of the Order of the Garter being replaced by a Tudor rose.

Deeman

Filleted head florins



1848 dated silver pattern one centum, wreath reverse, 100 MILLES / ONE CENTUM / ONE TENTH OF A POUND.



1848 dated silver pattern one decade, wreath reverse, 100 MILLES / ONE DECADE / ONE TENTH OF A POUND.



1848 dated silver pattern one florin, wreath reverse, ONE FLORIN / ONE TENTH OF A POUND.



1848 dated silver pattern one centum, VR cipher reverse, ONE CENTUM / ONE TENTH OF A POUND.



1848 dated silver pattern one florin, VR cipher reverse, ONE FLORIN / TWO SHILLINGS.



1848 dated silver pattern one decade, VR cipher reverse, ONE DECADE / ONE TENTH OF A POUND.



1848 dated silver pattern one florin, cruciform shields reverse, ONE / FLORIN / ONE TENTH / OF A POUND.

Deeman

Laureate head florins



1848 dated silver pattern one centum, wreath reverse, 100 MILLES / ONE CENTUM / ONE TENTH OF A POUND.



1848 dated silver pattern one decade, wreath reverse, 100 MILLES / ONE DECADE / ONE TENTH OF A POUND.



1848 dated silver pattern one florin, wreath reverse, ONE FLORIN / ONE TENTH OF A POUND.



1848 dated silver pattern one centum, VR cipher reverse, ONE CENTUM / ONE TENTH OF A POUND.



1848 dated silver pattern one florin, VR cipher reverse, ONE FLORIN / TWO SHILLINGS.



1848 dated silver pattern one florin, VR cipher reverse, ONE FLORIN / ONE TENTH OF A POUND.



1848 dated silver pattern one dime, cruciform shields reverse, ONE / DIME / ONE TENTH / OF A POUND.



1848 dated silver pattern one florin, cruciform shields reverse, ONE / FLORIN / ONE TENTH / OF A POUND.

Deeman

Gothic head florins



1848 dated silver pattern one florin, wreath reverse, ONE FLORIN / ONE TENTH OF A POUND.



1848 dated silver pattern one decade, VR cipher reverse, ONE DECADE / ONE TENTH OF A POUND.



1848 dated silver pattern one florin, VR cipher reverse, ONE FLORIN / TWO SHILLINGS.



1848 dated silver pattern one florin, VR cipher reverse, ONE FLORIN / ONE TENTH OF A POUND.



1848 dated silver pattern one dime, cruciform shields reverse, ONE / DIME / ONE TENTH / OF A POUND.



1848 dated silver pattern one florin, cruciform shields reverse, ONE / FLORIN / ONE TENTH / OF A POUND.

Deeman

Dual currency 1857

The obverse depicts a portrait left variously adorned within an inner beaded circle circumscribed by 'Victoria, by the Grace of God, Queen of the British Isles, Defender of the Faith' with 1857 at bottom. The reverse depicts Britannia seated right in beaded inner circle, draped, wearing a Corinthian helmet pushed back to reveal her face, seated with right hand resting on a Union shield behind, left hand holding a trident, right leg extended, circumscribed by denomination above and decimal equivalent below.



1857 dated bronze pattern five farthings, 10 centimes.
Obverse inscription is VICTORIA D G BRITANNIAR REGINA F D, colon stops, diademed head.
Reverse inscription is FIVE FARTHINGS / 10 CENTIMES, separated by mullets.





1857 dated bronze pattern decimal halfpenny, 5 centimes.
Obverse inscription is VICTORIA D G BRITANNIAR REGINA F D, colon stops, wreath of thistles.
Reverse inscription is DECIMAL HALFPENNY / 5 CENTIMES, separated by rosettes.





1857 dated bronze pattern one farthing, 2 centimes.
Obverse inscription is VICTORIA D G BRITANNIAR REGINA F D, colon stops, wreath of banksia.
Reverse inscription is ONE FARTHING / 2 CENTIMES, separated by rosettes.





1857 dated bronze pattern half-farthing, 1 centime.
Obverse inscription is VICTORIA D G BRITANNIAR REG F D, colon stops, hair bound with a double fillet (ribbon).
Reverse inscription is HALF FARTHING / 1 CENTIME.

Deeman

Diademed head & Britannia 1857

The obverse depicts a diademed portrait left within an inner beaded circle circumscribed by 'Victoria, by the Grace of God, Queen of the British Isles, Defender of the Faith' with or without date at bottom. The reverse depicts Britannia seated right in beaded inner circle, draped, wearing a Corinthian helmet pushed back to reveal her face, seated with right hand resting on a Union shield behind, left hand holding a trident, right leg extended, circumscribed by denomination(s) with some having date in Roman numerals.



1857 dated bronze pattern decimal penny, one tenth of a shilling. 32 mm diameter.
Obverse inscription is VICTORIA D G BRITANNIAR REGINA F D, colon stops, date flanked by oval ornaments.
Reverse inscription is DECIMAL PENNY / ONE TENTH OF A SHILLING, separated by rosettes.





1857 dated nickel-bronze pattern ten cents, one tenth of a shilling.
Obverse inscription is VICTORIA D G BRITANNIAR REGINA F D, colon stops, date flanked by oval ornaments.
Reverse inscription is TEN CENTS / ONE TENTH OF A SHILLING, separated by rosettes.





1857 dated bronze pattern decimal halfpenny.
Obverse inscription is VICTORIA D G BRITANNIAR REGINA F D, colon stops, rosette flanked by pellets at bottom.
Reverse inscription is DECIMAL HALFPENNY / MDCCCLVII, separated by rose between thistle and shamrock either side.





1857 dated bronze pattern five cents.
Obverse inscription is VICTORIA D G BRITANNIAR REGINA F D, colon stops, rosette flanked by oval ornaments at bottom.
Reverse inscription is FIVE CENTS / MDCCCLVII, separated by rose between thistle and shamrock either side.
 




1857 dated bronze pattern two cents.
Obverse inscription is VICTORIA D G BRITANNIAR REGINA F D, colon stops, rosette flanked by oval ornaments at bottom.
Reverse inscription is TWO CENTS / MDCCCLVII, separated by rose between thistle and shamrock either side.





1857 dated bronze pattern one cent.
Obverse inscription is VICTORIA D G BRITANNIAR REG F D, colon stops, oval ornament at bottom.
Reverse inscription is ONE CENT / MDCCCLVII, separated by oval ornaments.

Deeman

Diademed head & Britannia 1859

The obverse depicts a diademed portrait left within an inner beaded circle circumscribed by 'Victoria, by the Grace of God, Queen of the British Isles, Defender of the Faith' with 1859 at bottom. The reverse depicts Britannia seated right in beaded inner circle, draped, wearing a Corinthian helmet pushed back to reveal her face, seated with right hand resting on a Union shield behind, left hand holding a trident, right leg extended, circumscribed by denomination.



1859 dated nickel-bronze pattern decimal penny, one tenth of a shilling.
Obverse inscription is VICTORIA D G BRITANNIAR REGINA F D, colon stops.
Reverse inscription is DECIMAL PENNY / ONE TENTH OF A SHILLING, separated by rosettes.



1859/7 dated bronze pattern decimal penny, one tenth of a shilling. Date flanked by oval ornaments.





1859 dated bronze pattern half decimal penny, one twentieth of a shilling.
Obverse inscription is VICTORIA D G BRITANNIAR REGINA F D, no stops.
Reverse inscription is HALF DECIMAL PENNY / ONE TWENTIETH OF A SHILLING.

Also exists with colon stops on the obverse.

Deeman

Reverse wreaths 1859

The obverse depicts a diademed portrait left within an inner beaded circle circumscribed by 'Victoria, by the Grace of God, Queen of the British Isles, Defender of the Faith' with 1859 at bottom. The reverse depicts Britannia seated right in beaded inner circle, draped, wearing a Corinthian helmet pushed back to reveal her face, seated with right hand resting on a Union shield behind, left hand holding a trident, right leg extended, surrounded by oak wreath joined at the bottom to a small rose.



1859 dated cupro-nickel pattern for a decimal penny, no denomination.
Obverse inscription is VICTORIA D G BRITANNIAR REGINA F D, colon stops.





1859 dated bronze pattern for a decimal halfpenny, no denomination.

The halfpenny also exists with different diadem.



Another design exists with the same obverse as the diademed head of the 1859/7 penny (shown in the previous post), but with a reverse inscribed DECIMAL PENNY in two lines between a ten-leaved ornament and St. George and the Dragon, ONE TENTH OF above and A. SHILLING below, all within a beaded circle surrounded by an oak wreath.



The obverse depicts a diademed portrait left within an inner beaded circle circumscribed by 'Victoria, by the Grace of God, Queen of the British Isles, Defender of the Faith' with or without date at bottom. The reverse has the value central within a beaded circle surrounded by a wreath.



1859 dated gilt bronze pattern one decimal penny.
Obverse inscription is VICTORIA D G BRITANNIAR REGINA F D, colon stops.
Reverse inscription is ONE / DECIMAL / PENNY, wreath of oak and palm tied with a ribbon at the bottom.

Also exists with a wreath of laurel and a wreath of oak and laurel.





1859 undated bronze pattern five cents.
Obverse inscription is VICTORIA D G BRITANNIAR REGINA F D, colon stops, rosette flanked by pellets at bottom.
Reverse inscription is FIVE / CENTS, wreath of alternating oak and laurel leaves joined at bottom.



The obverse depicts a diademed portrait left with a circumscription, divided by the portrait, of 'Victoria, by the Grace of God, Queen of the British Isles, Defender of the Faith' and 1859 under bust. The reverse shows the value in three lines at the centre, crown above, surrounded by a wreath of oak and laurel tied with a ribbon at the bottom.



1859 dated aluminium-bronze pattern one decimal penny. 27mm diameter, 2mm thick.
Obverse inscription is VICTORIA D G / BRIT / REG F D, colon stops, 'JW' (James Wyon) on truncation.
Reverse inscription is ONE / DECIMAL / PENNY.

Deeman

Filleted head & Britannia 1859

The obverse depicts a portrait left hair bound with a double fillet (ribbon), within an inner beaded circle circumscribed by 'Victoria, by the Grace of God' with 1859 at the bottom. The reverse depicts Britannia facing right within an inner beaded circle, draped, wearing a Corinthian helmet pushed back to reveal her face, seated with right hand resting on a Union shield behind, left hand holding a trident, right leg extended, within a circumscription that continues the Queen's titles with 'Queen of the British Isles, Defender of the Faith'.



1859 dated bronze pattern for a decimal halfpenny, no denomination.
Obverse inscription is VICTORIA DEI GRATIA, no stops, date flanked by oval ornaments at bottom.
Reverse inscription is BRITANNIAR REG FID DEF, colon stops, combined Tudor rose, thistle and shamrock flanked by oval ornaments at bottom.





1859 dated bronze pattern for a decimal halfpenny, denomination denoted by '½D' flanking Britannia, date flanked by oval ornaments, combined Tudor rose, thistle and shamrock flanked by oval ornaments at bottom of reverse.





1859 dated bronze pattern for a decimal farthing, no denomination, date flanked by oval ornaments, cinquefoil at bottom of reverse.



The obverse depicts a portrait left hair bound with a double fillet (ribbon), within an inner beaded circle circumscribed by 'Victoria, by the Grace of God, Queen of the British Isles, Defender of the Faith'. The reverse depicts Britannia facing right within an inner beaded circle, draped, wearing a Corinthian helmet pushed back to reveal her face, seated with right hand resting on a Union shield behind, left hand holding a trident, right leg extended, circumscribed by denomination with date in Roman numerals.



1859 dated nickel-bronze pattern farthing.
Obverse inscription is VICTORIA D G BRITANNIAR REG F D, colon stops, rose at bottom.
Reverse inscription is ONE FARTHING / MDCCCLIX, separated by oval ornaments.

Deeman

Imperial crown 1859

The obverse depicts the imperial crown circumscribed by 'Victoria, by the Grace of God, Queen of the British Isles, Defender of the Faith'. The reverse depicts the denomination numeral central flanked by small roses with PENCE or PENNY above and 1859 below.



1859 dated cupro-nickel pattern for a decimal 2 pence. 21mm diameter.
Obverse inscription is VICTORIA D G BRIT REGINA F D, colon stops.





1859 dated cupro-nickel pattern for a decimal 1 penny, rose at bottom of obverse. 19mm diameter





1859 dated cupro-nickel pattern for a decimal ½ penny, rose at bottom of obverse. 17 mm diameter.



The obverse depicts the imperial crown, within an inner beaded circle circumscribed by 'Victoria, by the Grace of God, Queen of the British Isles, Defender of the Faith' with 1859 at the bottom. The reverse shows the value numeral surrounded by laurel wreath tied with a ribbon at the bottom.



1859 dated cupro-nickel pattern for a decimal penny or cent. 19mm diameter.
Obverse inscription is VICTORIA D G BRIT REGINA F D, colon stops.



The obverse depicts the imperial crown circumscribed by 'Victoria, by the Grace of God, Queen of the British Isles, Defender of the Faith'. The reverse shows the value central surrounded by laurel wreath tied with a ribbon at the bottom.



1859 undated cupro-nickel pattern for a decimal halfpenny. 17mm diameter.
Obverse inscription is VICTORIA D G BRIT REGINA F D, colon stops.
Reverse inscription is HALF / PENNY.

Also exists for TWO PENCE and ONE PENNY.



The obverse depicts the imperial crown circumscribed by 'Victoria, by the Grace of God, Queen of the British Isles, Defender of the Faith'. The reverse depicts the denomination numeral in an octagonal compartment with PENCE or PENNY above and 1859 below.



1859 dated cupro-nickel pattern for a decimal twopence. 21mm diameter.
Obverse inscription is VICTORIA D G BRIT REGINA F D, colon stops, rose at bottom.





1859 dated cupro-nickel pattern for a decimal penny. 19mm diameter.
Obverse with small rose at bottom. Reverse octagonal compartment flanked by small roses.

Deeman

Others 1859

The obverse depicts a diademed portrait left within an inner beaded circle circumscribed by 'Victoria, by the Grace of God, Queen of the British Isles, Defender of the Faith' with 1859 at bottom. The reverse depicts a full-length figure of the Queen, as Una, leading the lion to the left, the queen crowned and robed, her right hand outstretched holding a sceptre with an orb in her left hand, inscribed ONE PENNY above and DECIMAL below.



1859 dated bronze pattern decimal penny, Una and the Lion.
Obverse inscription is VICTORIA D G BRITANNIAR REGINA F D, no stops.



Other 1859 penny reverse designs exist:

Lion walking to left under a naval trophy composed of Britannia's shield and trident in the centre of flags and spears both with wreaths round the points, rose, thistle and shamrock between the lion's legs. Above the design the inscription ONE PENNY DECIMAL and below a beehive between an olive and palm branch.

A large trident between two dolphins with scrolls between the prongs of trident, inscribed DECIMAL 1 PENNY below. Probably based on design used on a uniface two-pound coin as shown below, which was struck from old dies in the 1870s.



Lion walking to the left in front of a palm tree, inscribed ONE PENNY / DECIMAL in two lines below. Probably based on design used on the East India Company ONE MOHUR coin as shown below.