I found 1.5 ancient pennies! (pics)

[Sheizenhammer]

Long story short: I got bored, went screwing around in my loft and found what I can only guess was my dad's old coin collection when he was about 10 years old (he's 53 now). Man, I thought I had the record for old-ass coins with my 1947 shilling I found years ago. Not any more...

I have a penny here from 1897. I also have what looks like a half-penny (yes those things did exist), that's probably older still, but it's so badly worn the date has all but rubbed off, along with everything besides a silouette of who I'm guessing was queen Victoria.

I'm trying to guestimate the date of the half-penny with a USB microscope. From the silouette, though, you can see the person depicted on the half-penny is a lot younger than the one on the 1897 whole penny (lol Victorian economy), so it may be well over 150 years old.

I wonder what I'd get on eBay for pawning my dad's old coin collection...?

Oh yeah, pics:

[therealanimator]

first off don't sell it on ebay. go to an auction house and see what you can get for it.

[Sheizenhammer]

(Stupid one pic per post rule...)

Other side of them, just for completeness:

[STEM]

You can identify exactly what kind of coins they are here http://www.coinfacts.com/
Will give you a better idea of what to search for when looking for selling prices

[Headshot777]

That's pretty damn awesome.

[STEM]

Just found a site that does price guides for old coins though I'm not sure if they're absolute
http://www.numismedia.com/fmv/fmv.shtml

[Racoonmario]

Should ask your dad first imo.

[halen1]

it actually could be an old counterfeit, which could sell for a lot... but the most you'll get for it is $5-$20...

[tarahloveshentai]

I'm not the only one that read the title as "Penises" am I?

Those are crazy, I'd almost say don't sell them and keep them instead. It's not every day you have a coin that old in your hands.

[Jinx-Studios]

Damn!

[GiantDouche]

Why would you do that to your dad? Even I think that's a dick move.

[Sheizenhammer]

At 11/7/09 02:48 PM, STEM wrote: You can identify exactly what kind of coins they are here http://www.coinfacts.com/
Will give you a better idea of what to search for when looking for selling prices

Kudos for the start point, but these are old English coins (as the queen Victoria thing may or may not have suggested - I don't really know). And I'm sure their worth is entirely dependant on who wants them and how much money they have to spend on them (I'm thinking coin collectors here).

Anyway, USB micoscope pics are looking interesting, although I still can't make out the date. I DO know that queen Victoria was the queen from 1837 to 1901, so what's left of the date could signify anywhere from 1838 to 1899, judging by the tops of the numbers.

Or the tiny possibility that this thing is from the previous female monarch. O_O

[HeavyMetalGuy]

Pretty interesting. If you can find the right coin collector, you could get a ton of cash.

[ArmouredGRIFFON]

Keep them so they get older.

[Sheizenhammer]

At 11/7/09 02:55 PM, GiantDouche wrote: Why would you do that to your dad? Even I think that's a dick move.

My dad moved out (read: was thrown out) some 12 years ago, and he left a ton of stuff in and around this house when he left. He has no intention of ever coming back for any of it, so anything left here is fair eBay fodder IMO.

Speaking of eBay fodder, I think this worn one is from 18 - something - 2.

[therealanimator]

its 1892 it has to be.

[Sheizenhammer]

At 11/7/09 03:22 PM, therealanimator wrote: its 1892 it has to be.

Yeah, as much as I'd like to think I've got a 167 year old coin here, I'm inclined to believe the same. This other coin from the collection shows that old-style 3's had flat tops, and old 6's were tapered off at 45 degrees. The remaining number fits neither of those, and it's too different to the 8 next to it to be an 8 itself either.

Still, 107 years old is pretty damn cool. Maybe I'll keep 'em, I dunno. These are just the 2 oldest ones; there's loads from 1908 - 1919, which isn't bad, and would likely fetch much more than their original worth, older ones or not.

I'm now going to put them all away so I don't lose the fucking things. :D

[therealanimator]

ask your dad if your allowed to sell them..you don't want him chasing you with a fucking baseball bat now do you?

[chainsawmurderer53]

Don't Ebay them, sell them at a proper auction. You'll get more money most likely.

Also ask your dad, they are his.

[Wegra]

Kick ass dude!

[walterwagner]

first put them in coke for about 6 hours then sell them thell be clean as a nipple :D

[Sawke]

WAIT! lick them, then you can say you sucked on something from 1897!!!

[Sheizenhammer]

At 11/7/09 03:49 PM, therealanimator wrote: ask your dad if your allowed to sell them..you don't want him chasing you with a fucking baseball bat now do you?

Look, even if the worthless skidmark had the sense to so much as figure out which end of the bat he should be holding, I highly doubt he even remembers what he's left here. He was physically removed (by police) from this house 12 years ago, and is not actually allowed back in. The guy's a 53 year old with a fucked knee; trying to bully a 22 year old with no physical impairments is just not going to go in his favour, OK?

Even if he did want them back, it's his own damn fault he lost half his stuff for ruining his marriage and family life by screwing several of his employees. And since all this crap is going to be either shit-canned or made useful within a year (mum moving house; not taking it all with her), why not?

[Orange-Jews]

Imagine all the history that coin has been through, all the pockets it's seen... aaaMAZING.

[Sheizenhammer]

At 11/7/09 04:11 PM, walterwagner wrote: first put them in coke for about 6 hours then sell them thell be clean as a nipple :D

I would, but the older one is worn perfectly smooth. If it weren't for the oxidation patterns, it'd be just a blank circle of copper. It also gives 'em a kind of authentic-ness as well. ;)

At 11/7/09 04:13 PM, Sawke wrote: WAIT! lick them, then you can say you sucked on something from 1897!!!

No friggin' way am I putting these in my mouth! They feel mouldy. HOW THE FUCK DO YOU MAKE A COIN GO MOULDY!? I don't want to know.