1860 F8C (Gouby B+b; Freeman 1*+B) – Bronzed copper Proof
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strikings, it is now thought that coins with obverse A and B (Freeman 1** & 1*) were intended for circulation but withdrawn because Queen Victoria demanded some changes to her image (eye and nose) although a few specimens found their way into circulation.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.
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 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*)
The key identifiers for this variety are obverse B as described above and (for reverse b), the crosses of Britannia’s shield being edged by 3 incuse lines with her thumb touching St George’s cross.
In the original edition of his book “The Bronze Coinage of Great Britain”, Freeman recorded this variety as a pattern F765, but later reclassified it as F8C in the 1985 edition, recognising that it was struck from the early unadopted dies.
Example 1
Sold by Spink (USA) in June 2014 as part of the Gerald Jackson collection
ex-Michael Freeman sale (Christies October 1984; lot 235 described as Pattern penny F765)
Example 2
Held in a private collection
Example 3
Sold by Spink in July 2003 as part of the Colin Adams collection (Lot 201)