When did clipping die out?

9 posts
I have always assumed that clipping stopped around the time of the introduction of milled edges. However, recently I acquired a heavily worn William III shilling that I think shows some evidence of clipping. This is the first time I have seen this on a post-1662 coin from the British Isles. I suppose the damage may be due to circulation wear. It's difficult to see in the photos but it appears as if a small sliver of silver has been cut off the edge of the coin at an angle.



When did clipping die out and what are some of the latest dated clipped coins in your collection?
your assumption is correct with the advent of milled coinage clipping was no longer possible
we do not own our coins, we are merely guardians of them for future generations.
Could what you see as clipping in your milled coin be an adjustment mark? Lots of early US coinage shows adjustment marks to the planchet and sometimes to the struck coin to bring a coin within the lawful specifications.
Library Media Specialist, columnist, collector, and gardener...
Quote: "Oklahoman"​Could what you see as clipping in your milled coin be an adjustment mark? Lots of early US coinage shows adjustment marks to the planchet and sometimes to the struck coin to bring a coin within the lawful specifications.
It could be. It may also be more recent damage as it is slightly shinier than the surrounding metal, but this may be the product of a rough clean. ​
I'm going to check a few cases on the Old Bailey Online when I get the time. I seem to remember that forgers exclusively clipped the old hammered coinage to make fake coins. I remember a case that detailed how the process was carried out. I'll share the case report if I find it.
Could it be a clipped planchet from the minting process? You see them now and again even with modern minting processes.
Quote: "neilithic"​Could it be a clipped planchet from the minting process? You see them now and again even with modern minting processes.
I don't think so. The coin has been sliced at an angle, whereas I'd assume that a minting error would just take a piece of the coin straight off. ​The angled slice seems like it could be a deliberate effort to conceal the clipping which would be painfully obvious otherwise, due to the milled edges.
Just a few interesting cases concerning clipping from the Old Bailey.

https://www.oldbaileyonline.org/browse.jsp?id=t16771010-6-off30&div=t16771010-6#highlight A woman exchanges milled money for hammered money in order to clip it.

https://www.oldbaileyonline.org/browse.jsp?id=t16780411-5-off13&div=t16780411-5#highlight Another case showing the preference for hammered coinage.

I haven't been able to find any cases of clipping past the 1696 recoinage but I didn't do an exhaustive search.

Its worth noting that the amount of coining offenses drastically decreased after the recoinage: https://www.oldbaileyonline.org/stats.jsp?y=year&x=offenceSubcategory&countBy=_offences&render=bar&_offences_offenceCategory_offenceSubcategory=royalOffences_coiningOffences&_verdicts_verdictCategory_verdictSubcategory=&_punishments_punishmentCategory_punishmentSubcategory=&_defendantNames_defendantGender=&defendantAgeFrom=&defendantAgeTo=&_victimNames_victimGender=&victimAgeFrom=&victimAgeTo=&_divs_fulltext=&kwparse=and&fromMonth=01&fromYear=1680&toMonth=01&toYear=1715
I love the Old Bailey, I've used it many times. I've never seen these cases though. Thanks for sharing!

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