Guernsey 8 Doubles of 1864: obverse and reverse dies

This page displays illustrations for Guernsey 8 doubles 1864 obverse and reverse dies. All images are taken by myself. Descriptions are from Sealy and Exley works (see bibliography). Grey squares mean that I don't have the coin with given die and cannot make an image. See also the main page dedicated to my Guernsey collection.

Short identification guide

To understand this guide, please read die descriptions below. Obverse die properties are in rose color, reverse die property is in light blue color.

Obverse dies

Obverse dies are mostly distinguished by arrangement of leaves (L) and berries (B) in a wreath. Reading of leaf and berry groups is from top to bottom.

	Obverse 1. No berries at bow. Leaves 3-4-4, berries 2-2 both sides. Bow deep, and leaves on shield on a single stalk.
	Obverse 2. Leaves and berries as 1, bow shallower; leaves at top of shield on 3 stalks.
	Obverse 3. Two berries at right of bow and one at left. Extra leaf in wreath at left. Left L.3-5-4, B.2-2-1. Right L.3-4-4, B.2-2-2
	Obverse 3A. A variety of the above lacks the berry at left of bow. Left L.3-5-4, B.2-2. Right L.3-4-4, B.2-2-2. There are very slight traces of the stalk of the missing berry.
	Obverse 4. One berry each side of bow, twelve leaves in Left half of wreath. Left L.3-5-4, B.2-2-1. Right L.3-4-4, B.2-2-1.
	Obverse 5. As No. 4, but only eleven leaves in left half of wreath. Left L.3-4-4, B.2-2-1. Right L.3-4-4, B.2-2-1.
	Obverse 5A. Same as obverse 5, but in deteriorated state. This is clearly noticeable on fields and letters GUERNSEY.

Reverse dies

Reverses are classified on the form of the triad of leaves at right, nearest the S of DOUBLES.

	Reverse A. Centre leaf of triad on top, Bar of 8 in date weak.
	Reverse A*. A second state of die A, which shows marked deterioration in the outlines of the letters, which are blurred and irregular. This is particularly noticeable on the BLE of Doubles. The bar of the 8 in date is generally missing.
	Reverse B. Left leaf of triad on top. Bar of 8 in date is weak and right lace of bow extends further.
	Reverse C. Right-hand leaf of triad on top. The triad is irregular, with the tip of the right-hand leaf out of line and lower than the others. Coins from this die are usually not fully struck up, and bow is different to B.
	Reverse D. Right-hand leaf of triad on top, and the tips of all 3 leaves are at the same level, the leaf immediately below S is well spaced from it.
	Reverse D1. The right leaf in triad on top and slightly out of line, the left is not so far out as Rev. C. The bow is deep, the space inside the right loop and above the wreath stem is larger than on any other Rev.
	Reverse E. As D, but the leaf immediately below S is almost touching it. The date spacing is the closest of all the dies.
	Reverse E*. Same as reverse E, but in deteriorated state.