1860 F8A (Gouby B+a; Freeman 1*+A) (R19)
Although originally thought to be early pattern strikings, it is now thought that coins with obverse A and B (Freeman 1** & 1*) were intended for circulation but withdrawn because Queen Victoria demanded some changes to her image (eye and nose) although a few specimens found their way into circulation. Michael Gouby refers to them as being from “unadopted” dies.
I have never seen a Freeman 8A penny either pictured or sold at auction.
Obverse A has the larger shamrocks (to use Freeman’s description) with the 2 upper leaves on a stalk that comes from the right of the rose. Obverse B (this variety) has the 2 upper leaves meeting at the top of the lower shamrock and the rose much further to the right.
Obverse A (Freeman 1**) Obverse B (Freeman 1*)
Reverse a (this variety) has the crosses on the shield edged by 2 close raised lines with Britannia’s thumb short of St George’s cross (see below).
As stated above, a few specimens of F8A (catalogued as F764 in Freeman’s original edition of The Bronze Coinage of Great Britain) reportedly found their way into circulation. Freeman gives a rarity of R19 (2 to 5 specimens).
The coins below were sold as F8A varieties (obverse B pennies) but they are clearly obverse A, i.e F760/F761 types.
“Example 1”
Sold in March 2009 by London Coins as F8A but actually F760 (Gouby A+a) bronzed proof
“Example 2”
Sold in September 2010 by London Coins as F8A but actually F761 (Gouby A1+a)