Numismatik-Cafe

In September I am heading to the UK and now I think I will be visiting the Royal mint in Wales again. Today I received from the ANA library a photocopy of " The most Beautiful coin in the World" by David Thompson Ainsworth Press Colorado Springs 1990. In it is stated that in 1953 the London mint cut new dies and returned to a 1-3-1 tail formation on the Reverse. This is the first reference to this I have found. In the work there are a number of other contradictions to commonly held views on the MTT that seem to be wrong...........eg the article states the Brussels mint coin is identified because it has only 8 pearls around the Brooch. So I suspect the Articles Author may have confused the 1953 Striking at Birmingham as a London mint strike.

Thank you for the information!

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Das Leben ist viel zu kurz um schlechten Wein zu trinken.

Hi Austrokiwi,

I read your notice about MTT London and Birmingham but sorry, the Brooche has always nine pearls and not eight.

What is the coin which has eight pearls?

thanks,

Juan

Sorry I didn't make my self clear I think the Author of the article confused the Brooch with the diadem............in other words was wrong!

Additional comment: My major frustration at times is so much of the literature written on the MTT is contradictory. For example: One economic historian in a Journal article on the MTT in Africa criticised another historian for publishing mistakes on the coin Then he wwent on to publish serious errors himself.

Another case. One classic error is the belief that Birmingham mint may have produced MTTs in the 19th century. I tracked back through the Journal articles. First mistake that has occurred in this story: was the first paper mentioning the 19th century Birmingham strike never actually named the Birmingham mint. Later readers just interpreted the paper that way. I then went to the colonial records that were the basis of the claim. Those records make no mention of the MTT rather they note fake Spanish dollars were being supplied from Birmingham for use in Lagos........My best guess is it was one of the numerous die sinkers in that City not the Birmingham mint.