Owner Comments:
As noted in the set write-up, these coins nearly destroyed the machinery at the Soho Mint and, to some extent, reshaped the way Boulton approached the minting of future contracts. The issues presented even gave rise to the second Soho Mint. The Soho Mint revolutionized the minting process with the application of steam power. The result was a coin of uniform diameter, thickness, weight, and overall quality. However, it took considerable trial and error to achieve this lofty goal. The 1797 Twopence were the first coinage ordered by the government, and their sheer size (i.e., 40mm) and thickness (i.e., 5mm) made them a force to be reckoned with. Beyond the deafening noise produced by the machines, the violent recoil produced after each strike threatened to destroy the entirety of the operation. Despite these hardships, the bulk of the Twopence encountered today are relatively good quality, and serious errors are seldom encountered. Occasionally, one might find an example with extremely minor doubling that often requires magnification to appreciate, but dramatically double-struck examples are truly rare. One must wonder how something so dramatically doubled found its way out of the Soho Mint. This is especially odd given how meticulous Boulton was when filling this order, which makes sense given how much effort he exerted trying to secure it.
Obverse: This coin is very well circulated, so it is difficult to say for sure whether the obverse die corresponds to KT1a or KT1b. I will provide the general description for KT1a in lieu of describing the exact details of this particular example. The obverse portrays the draped bust of George III facing right. The wreath has ten leaves and
four berries of equal size tied with a riband of 2 loops and one loose end. There is a curl on each shoulder, and the majority of the hair hangs in curls behind the neck. A brooch of 6 jewels catches and holds the drapery. Please make a note of the "K" indicating Kuchler's initial followed by ·: on the lowest fold of the drapery. The legend GEORGIUS III · D: G · REX. is contained within the sizeable broad rim. One surely does not need magnification to appreciate the extreme doubling within the legend. In fact, this is apparent upon a cursory glance.
Reverse: Again, the provided description here relates to the general reverse design and not necessarily an exact match to the current piece. The reverse portrays Britannia seated left. Her right arm is extended to the left, holding an olive branch with 11 leaves, all attached. Her left arm is down with a trident clasped in her hand. An oval shield with the crosses of St. George and St. Andrew (heraldically colored) is to her left side. Below Britannia, there are two rows of waves. Under the right side of the shield is a rock with SOHO. In raised letters (note there is no stop after Soho). The most extreme wave-crest on the right points to the "H" in Soho. The three-masted warship bears a Union flag at the stern and a smaller, indistinguishable flag at the bow. The legend BRITANNIA. occurs within a sizeable broad rim, with the date "1797" appearing at the bottom. Much like the obverse, the reverse is also dramatically double-struck.
Edge: Plain
Notes: I have viewed thousands of these coins in varying conditions over the years. I have only seen two examples with a dramatically double-struck obverse and reverse. My example is the more extreme of the two. A borderline uncirculated example with a double-struck reverse appeared at auction several years ago, but I missed the opportunity to acquire it. As is often the case, the severity of the error will dictate the price. Pieces with more extreme doubling will command stronger prices, but the market for these pieces is also relatively small, given that only a handful of collectors seek such errors. Nonetheless, such errors on the 1797 Twopence coins are extremely rare.