George V (1911-1936)
George V Reverse Gouby a (Freeman Reverse A)
Legend reads:
ONE PENNY
The sea level on right extends to the cross point of Britannia’s legs; her right thumb and index finger are of similar length; the upright limb of P in PENNY points to a tooth; the first upright limb of N in ONE points to a gap between teeth; the upright limb of 1 in date is directly over a tooth; there are 12 teeth from the sea level on the left to the inner rim of O in ONE; the date is 11 teeth wide (from the centres of the first and last date figures)
This reverse was used from 1911 to 1913
164 teeth in border
***********************************************************************************
George V Reverse Gouby b (Freeman Reverse B)
Similar to Reverse a except that the upright limb of P in PENNY points to a gap; the upright limb of 1 in date is directly over gap between 2 teeth; the border teeth are small and almost bead-like in places; there are some additional ripples to the waves just above exergue to right of shield and a small wave to left of shield’s base; there are 14 teeth between sea on left and inner rim of O in ONE; the date is 13 teeth wide
This reverse was used from 1913 to 1926
187 teeth in border
*****************************************************************************
Sub-varieties of Gouby Reverse b (Freeman Reverse B) – H and KN
Small capital letters (H and KN) to the left of the date numerals denote that the coin was minted by Ralph Heaton Ltd (in 1912, 1918 & 1919) or the King’s Norton Metal Company respectively (1918 & 1919) – both in Birmingham
************************************************************************************************
Unrecorded sub-variety of Gouby Reverse b (Freeman Reverse B) – 1922 Trident “dot”
On some specimens of 1922 F192 there is a small raised dot on the central prong of Britannia’s trident – not really a recordable variety in my view but collectable and seemingly quite scarce.
**************************************************************************************
Unrecorded sub-variety of Gouby Reverse b (Freeman Reverse B) – Missing waves
On some pennies dated 1921, some of the waves in the sea to the left of the lighthouse are missing, presumably due to a partially filled die (see also reverse d)
************************************************************************************
George V Reverse Gouby c (Freeman calls it the reverse of 1927 – see note below*)
Freeman never recorded this reverse, although he did record the only instance of its appearance as F192A but incorrectly described this variety as having reverse C (the reverse of 1927 to 1936).
Similar to Reverse b except that Britannia is slightly smaller so that the central trident prong is just short of the border teeth (it previously touched a tooth) and the shield’s base is further from the border; the upright limb of P in PENNY points to a tooth; the first upright limb of N in ONE points to gap; the upright limb of the 1 in the date is directly over a tooth; there are additional waves just above the exergue to the right of shield; the border teeth are longer and larger; there is no small wave to left of the shield base; on her left hand the thumb is strangely thin and horizontal and her fingers are longer; her right thumb is now considerably shorter than her index finger.
*Note: it differs from the actual reverse used from 1927 onwards in that the exergue is less deep and so the date numerals almost touch the border teeth and there are 3 fewer border teeth – in the paperback edition of Freeman published in 2016, I have suggested that this reverse be recorded as Freeman C* (pages 204-5)
This reverse was only used in 1922 on variety F192A – extremely rare
181 teeth in border
***********************************************************************************
George V Reverse Gouby d (Freeman Reverse C)
Similar to Reverse Gouby c (Britannia is smaller and the centre prong of the trident is short of the border teeth; her right thumb is considerably shorter than her index finger*) but the exergue is now deeper (the date numerals are further from the border teeth); Britannia’s helmet is larger; the front helmet plume curves slightly more forwards; the lettering is slightly further from the border teeth which are shorter; Britannia’s hand is closer to the head of the trident and the bulge between her hand and the trident is larger; her left thumb slants upwards (see below)
* – Note that Spink’s “Coins of England and The United Kingdom” has previously described this reverse under reference 4054A Penny as having a “shorter index finger” whereas it is actually her right thumb that is now shorter than on previous reverses. The index finger remains at the same length (see below). I am pleased to say that they have now amended their description in the 2019 edition at my suggestion to “Britannia sl smaller. Shorter right thumb”.
Pre-1927 reverses a & b rare 1922 reverse c 1927-1936 reverse d
Reverse d was officially used from 1927 to 1936 although it has been found on (so far) unique specimens of unrecorded pennies dated 1922 and 1926 (paired with Modified Effigy obverses and listed under 4054A Penny in Spink as “of the highest rarity”), and also on the 2 known proof or specimen pennies of 1922 (paired with the normal obverse C)
184 teeth in border
**********************************************************************************
Possible Proof sub-variety of George V Proof Reverse Gouby d (Freeman Reverse C)
Note: To all intents and purposes this is the “true” reverse of 1927 (Gouby d, Freeman C) except that it does appear to have minor but vitally important differences from the currency reverse and is possibly exclusively found on the proof pennies of 1927 to 1936 inclusive. Its importance is discussed below with relevance to the Pattern or Trial penny of 1926. One key property of this reverse is the thinner trident shaft compared with the currency reverses of 1927 to 1936 and the details around Britannia’s hand on the trident shaft. On this reverse, the border teeth are longer and thinner, her thumb is thinner and fingers are shorter, and her hand is slightly further from the head of the trident. The central prong of the trident is also slightly further away from the border teeth even though the teeth themselves are longer !
1927 currency 1927 Proof
********************************************************************************
Variation of Reverse Gouby d (Freeman Reverse C) ?
This reverse was found on a (so far) unique specimen discovered by Michael Freeman and paired with Obverse Gouby D (modified effigy) and is an unrecorded die pairing for 1926 which I have recorded as 1926 Trial-1. In an article in the Spink Numismatic Circular of May 2010 (pp74-75)* Freeman states that he would record it as F196A if he were to update his book “The Bronze Coinage of Great Britain”. He also describes it as “although not exhibiting the flan of a proof, the strike on both sides is sharp and shows more detail than appears even on uncirculated 1927 specimens with these dies”. Although to all intents and purposes it is Reverse Gouby d (Freeman C), it is a sharper strike than normal reverse d strikes and the trident shaft is thinner than other reverse d specimens. It appears that the date figures may have been altered although London Coins, who examined it for Freeman, stated that there was a trace of another number beneath the 6 but definitely not a 7 ! (Freeman thought that it might be a 4 or 5). It has been slabbed by PCGS as “Genuine – Altered Surface”.
Given the equally sharp striking of its obverse, it may have been a work in progress strike or pattern while the Royal Mint was preparing for the change of obverse and reverse to Gouby D and d respectively.
* part of Freeman’s article is reproduced here:
Update: I have recently seen a picture of a 1927 proof penny (see above) and Britannia’s hand, the border teeth and the thinner trident shaft on this proof (and also 1928 to 1936 proofs) are exactly like the 1926 trial penny ! I think that this mule was struck from an early version of the reverse used on proofs of 1927 and later pennies, but possibly using a die dated 1924 or 1925 and then altered to 1926 !!!!
|
1926 Trial-1 |
1927 currency |
1927 Proof |
Michael Freeman’s own comments on the 1926 Trial
“Below is the full text of the description I sent Heritage, but which they did not use. I write too much!
*1926 penny, OBV.4 + REV.C – the Modified bust AND Modified reverse. UNIQUE. S. 4054A. Ex M.J. Freeman.
After many years of striking pennies which had ghosting (a faint unintentional impression of the king’s head showing through on the reverse around Britannia), the Royal Mint found the solution.
The high relief of the head had caused ‘suction’ of metal from the reverse, so, in 1922, a new reverse was re-engraved. A few specimens were struck that year, and circulated. These still bore the old obverse; but there is also a so-far unique penny of 1922 with a completely re-engraved OBVERSE*, in low relief, paired with the new reverse. Both seem then to have been shelved for 3 years.
No penny was struck in 1923, 1924, or 1925. The halfpenny and farthing were struck during these years, and in 1925 coins with both the old style and the new, modified, dies are found; but it was not until 1926, when penny striking resumed, that the new, modified head, was introduced on this denomination. Both the high relief (Freeman obverse 3) and the low relief obverse 4 – usually referred to as the ‘Modified Effigy’ – occur for 1926, although the latter is much the scarcer.
On 1926 pennies, both types of obverse are paired with the same, earlier-style, reverse – B – with the exception of THIS coin.
The 1922 modified reverse has been revised in slight detail, with Britannia’s head a little larger. This reverse – C – remained, unaltered, on all pennies from 1927 until the end of the reign in 1936.
From 1928, the modified effigy was significantly reduced in size, so the original, larger, modified effigy is found only on a small number of 1926, and ALL of 1927.
On this coin there are traces of another numeral inside the ‘6’; but 1927 was the ONLY year known to have obverse 4 + reverse C, and it is definitely not a ‘7’; so the alteration was to the DIE, not the coin.
This conclusion is reinforced by traces of an exergual line below the level found on reverse C, in fact where it used to occur on reverse B. My guess is that the reverse was engraved with the date ‘1925’ but, as it was not used until this coin was struck, the ‘5’ was overstruck with a ‘6’.”
*************************************************************************************
Unrecorded George V Reverse (Pattern ?)
This unrecorded reverse was found on a (so far) unique coin paired with Obverse D (modified effigy) that I have recorded as 1926 Pattern-2. It has the larger figure of Britannia (with longer right thumb) that is found on Gouby reverses a & b (Freeman A & B) but has 184 longer border teeth, similar to Reverse Gouby d (Freeman C). The exergue is shallow (like Reverse Gouby c) with the date figures almost touching the border teeth and the exergual line. Given that border teeth are often added to a die as the last stage before striking coins, it is possible that this die was prepared from an old reverse Gouby b (Freeman B) die; possibly in error ? There is a very thin line visible inside the border teeth, possibly used as a guide for the re-engraving of new teeth (over the right hand trident prong).
********************************************************************************************
Britannia’s Left Hand
|
1922 rev b |
1922 rev c |
1922 rev d |
1927 rev d |
|
1926 Trial |
1926 Pattern |
1922 proof |
1927 proof |
It is interesting to compare the border teeth, Britannia’s left hand (thumb & fingers), the size of the bulge just below the trident head and the distance between hand and bulge on the above coins as a clue to the origins of the dies
***********************************************************************************
Sub-variety of George V reverse d (missing waves)
Note: Most of the waves to the left of the shield are missing (found on pennies dated 1921,1929,1931 and 1934 so far) almost certainly due to filled dies.
*************************************************************************************
pennyvarieties 