I can confirm that my own, original, hopefully, and unworn example
bears no, "makers or repro. mark". What I have noticed is that the
smoke emanating from the chimney is reversed in direction on the
reproduction. Which makes me wonder how the reproductions are made
and also whether there may be variations of the original, as indeed
is true for most of the token coinage issue.
I am also puzzled, as Mark points out this is not a particularly
scarce token, usually selling for less than ten pounds in its worn
condition; thus I wonder why anyone would think it worth reproducing
at all. The market in original tokens let alone copies doesn't appear
to be extensive, or am I missing something?
Pete Challis
On 27 Apr 2006, at 07:45, [log in to unmask] wrote:
> Robert
> I think these are the makers marks of the modern/repro die sinkers.
> I'm sure that none of these markings appear on the original
> Birmingham minted Tavistock pennies of 1811. The original pennies
> are not that rare but normally turn up in fairly worn condition
> compared to many of the other 1811 series of commercial pennies.
> It is common for repros. such as the ones being made by Bidbury to
> have some form of makers or repro. mark on them to stop them being
> passed off as originals (as can happen).
> Regards
> Mark Smith
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