(the letter is included in the sale), so this set will raise and split opinions! The description on the label is as such : A Trial Piece is a coin that has been issued as a specimen or sample for new or revised coinage.
Coins may be released to show a new portrait, pattern design or shape. The trial piece can be made for a variety of reasons, e.
To test the structure of the coin, to test the metal composition of the coin, to ensure that the components of a coin fit securely, to test coin dies, to demonstrate the details of a new portrait or coin design, to be approved by officials such as The Queen, the Chancellor and other important executives, or for commercial or industrial testing and familiarity. Often, trial pieces are struck in lead or a similar soft metal so that minor alterations may be made before the dies are completed. There may be a number of stages to a trial piece as further changes may be made. This enables the mint to make alterations & get approval before commencing the production run of the new coin or coins. A number of variations of the trial piece coin may be produced until it is ready for approval. Once the trial piece has been approved, they will be struck and distributed, ending up if you're lucky, or you have deep enough pockets, in your Collection. This item is in the category "Coins\Coins\British\Decimal Coinage (c. The seller is "uk_coinshop" and is located in this country: GB. This item can be shipped to United Kingdom, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Republic of Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Australia, United States, Bahrain, Canada, Brazil, Japan, New Zealand, Israel, Hong Kong, Norway, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Bangladesh, Bermuda, Bolivia, Barbados, Brunei Darussalam, Cayman Islands, Ecuador, Egypt, Guernsey, Gibraltar, Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Iceland, Jersey, Jordan, Cambodia, Liechtenstein, Sri Lanka, Macau, Monaco, Maldives, Martinique, Nicaragua, Oman, Pakistan, Peru, Paraguay, Reunion, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, Chile, Bahamas, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Kuwait, Panama, Philippines, Qatar, Trinidad and Tobago, Vietnam.