Today, while waiting for my train into Boston, I spotted what looked like a dime on the platform. When I picked it up, though, it didn’t feel quite right, and a closer look revealed it wasn’t a dime after all.
Though it was well-worn with much handling, I could still make out a profile that had never graced any U.S. coin. The reverse showed a lion atop a crown and, at the bottom, the word: “SIXPENCE”. I could just make out the date, too: 1925.
Now, what on Earth was a 1925 sixpence doing on a railway platform in Massachusetts? Perhaps it has been passing as a dime for many years.
Or perhaps some poor devil has lost his/her lucky piece. Tomorrow I shall put up a “Found” poster at the station, and see if anyone claims it.
Forgive me if this is a dumb question, but is that an English coin?
When I was a kid me and a friend found a leather pouch full of 10ps in my garage. £3 worth. Not much now but at the time we felt like we’d won the lottery!
Could have been dropped by that poodle-haired plank-spanker out of Queen, Brian May - I have a vague memory of him appearing on “multi-coloured swap-shop” in the UK (no, I don’t know why I wasn’t watching TISWAS, with Sally James in her tight leather… er sorry where was I…) asking kiddies to swap any remaining “tanners” for signed Queen albums. He used them as plectrums (something to do with the milled edge and the size), and was running low due to decimalisation - he’s probably bought up the entire remaining world supply by now.
I’ve got a “thrupenny bit” somewhere - my personal favorite coin, twelve sided and quaint as you like.
Well, in my case all I got from my train going to dowtown Boston is some sticky gum under my shoes on the sunny summer days. Damn Brandeis students !
Don’t forget to play Massmillion, you seem to be on a good streak
Finders keepers! Especially where it comes to sixpences.
Also see the phrase “you look like you dropped a sixpence and found a penny”. I found a Victorian one in my grandfather’s rosebed when I was a child. I still have it.
I believe (samclem will be able to confirm) that a 1925 sixpence would be solid silver.
That’s cool! It’s been a long time since our coinage was pure metal, hasn’t it?
Yesterday midday I put up a sign at the railroad station about it, with contact info, on my way into work. When I got off the train that night, the sign was gone. We’ll see if anyone calls me today.
And the cat had its revenge…