Coin varieties/error - rarity or just pointless!?

[fmadmarq]

In 2016 I bought two The Last Round Pound UK £1 Brilliant Uncirculated coins in the presentation pack (images attached). 

 

While inspecting them carefully I saw that the inscription at the rim of the coins (DECUS ET TUTAMEN) had been minted in two directions (also images attached). 

In the 2022 Spink - Coins of England book (J38 page 65) and I cannot see any reference to those variants minted and potential rarity/valuation?

Does the inscription on the side constitute an error/rarity? Is it possible to know how many of those coins were minted with the inscription in two directions?

I also have a £2 Shakespeare - Tragedy coin with the side inscription also in both directions...

It would be great to hear the feedback from more expert collectors in the forum...!

 

[Shep]

51 minutes ago, fmadmarq said:

In 2016 I bought two The Last Round Pound UK £1 Brilliant Uncirculated coins in the presentation pack (images attached). 

 

While inspecting them carefully I saw that the inscription at the rim of the coins (DECUS ET TUTAMEN) had been minted in two directions (also images attached). 

In the 2022 Spink - Coins of England book (J38 page 65) and I cannot see any reference to those variants minted and potential rarity/valuation?

Does the inscription on the side constitute an error/rarity? Is it possible to know how many of those coins were minted with the inscription in two directions?

I also have a £2 Shakespeare - Tragedy coin with the side inscription also in both directions...

It would be great to hear the feedback from more expert collectors in the forum...!

 

When I went on the Royal Mint VIP tour they actually addressed this very thing. 

While I’m no authority on this and don’t want to be the bearer of bad news, the tour guide stated that there is no prescribed right or wrong orientation for the inscription on the rim of the £2, and previously the £1 coins. 

I will add they didn’t specify whether that applied solely to circulation coin, or whether it is also true for BU and proofs.

Edited October 14, 2022 by Shep

[Bruce06]

I asked same question for the 1953 5 Shillings before, and it's commented as random in another forum.

[Happypanda88]

I suspect the minting of the obverse/reverse and side inscription must have been a two stage process ie. Coins were struck with obverse and reverse completed on one machine then transferred onto another machine for inscription.

Whichever process was done first, in order for the inscription to read in a certain direction, then someone would have to turn all the coins the "right" way up for the second stage process.  I think this would be far too labour intensive for mass produced coins. So the Mint must have decided not to bother and let them be random. 

[LawrenceChard]

11 hours ago, fmadmarq said:

Coin varieties/error - rarity or just pointless!?

In 2016 I bought two The Last Round Pound UK £1 Brilliant Uncirculated coins in the presentation pack (images attached). 

 

While inspecting them carefully I saw that the inscription at the rim of the coins (DECUS ET TUTAMEN) had been minted in two directions (also images attached). 

In the 2022 Spink - Coins of England book (J38 page 65) and I cannot see any reference to those variants minted and potential rarity/valuation?

Does the inscription on the side constitute an error/rarity? Is it possible to know how many of those coins were minted with the inscription in two directions?

I also have a £2 Shakespeare - Tragedy coin with the side inscription also in both directions...

It would be great to hear the feedback from more expert collectors in the forum...!

 

I had to read your description about 3 times, and look at the photos a few times before I understood what you were trying to say.

At first it sounded like you had a coin which had its edge inscription going both ways, which would be rare. Some of this was derived from your title, so I was expecting to see an error or variety.

It turned out you had 2 coin, which you did state, and that each one has its edge inscription in goind in a different direction.

As others have already informed you, this is perfectly normal.

The edge and the main striking are done separately in two different processes, and why wouldn't they be.

While it is easy to get a grained (reeded) edge on a coin by striking it in a suitably grained collar, to create edge lettering at the same time as the main strike would require a very complicated piece of heavy machinery, which would almost certainly be prone to misfunction, damage, and constant repair. Hust try to imagine yourself designing the equipment. If you were pressing or moulding designs onto chocolate, it would be easy, but striking coins requires many tons or force. Simultaneous edging would also require similar horizontal force applied though all 360 degrees at the same time as the vertically applied forces.

The word "pointless" in your title is puzzling.

One potentially good thing that has some out of this is that you have learnt something about numismatics and coin production whihc you did not know before...

... and you get all that free of charge, here on TSF, and no postage charges!

😎

[SidS]

They strike the edges first I believe.

[paulmerton]

15 hours ago, Happypanda88 said:

I suspect the minting of the obverse/reverse and side inscription must have been a two stage process ie. Coins were struck with obverse and reverse completed on one machine then transferred onto another machine for inscription.

Whichever process was done first, in order for the inscription to read in a certain direction, then someone would have to turn all the coins the "right" way up for the second stage process.  I think this would be far too labour intensive for mass produced coins. So the Mint must have decided not to bother and let them be random. 

For circulating coins at least, the edge inscriptions are added to the blanks during the rimming process, so that happens first. They're all chucked into a hopper, so by the time a rimmed blank is struck, it's 50/50 which way up the edge inscription is.

[fmadmarq]

Thank you all!