Some one not a fan of Cromwell

I bought this Commonwealth shilling recently. It has a sun mintmark and the date is 165? I do not mean the final digit is a question mark! It is difficult to read. Any suggestions? I just thought it was worn but if you look at it carefully it has been deliberately damaged on both sides. The legend around the edge is in quite good condition. 

Most Commonwealth coins must have been recalled after the Restoration. This one was deliberately damaged by a Royalist. One shilling would have been a significant amount - perhaps two days’ pay for a craftsman. There are examples of ancient roman coins that deliberately damaged but I have not come across one like this. Damnatio memoriae is the Latin phrase for those coins.

Penny for your thoughts – penny quiz with answers

The letters KN and H stand for King’s Norton and Ralph Heaton Metal Co.  

They were used on Twentieth Century pennies in 1912, 1918 and 1919

No pennies were minted in 2018-19. The last year that no 1p coins were produced was 1972.

Edward VII faces left and George V and George VI face right on pennies.

The change to the inscription of pennies in 1983 was from New Penny to One Penny

Pretty penny means something which is costly.

The main design on reverse of Australian, New Zealand and South African pre decimal pennies is Kangaroo, Tui (a bird) and the Drommedaris which was one of ships that Jan van Riebeeck 

When was first copper penny struck in England was 1797.

Penny for your thoughts – penny quiz

The theme this month is the penny. Here is a short penny quiz. No prizes!

1. What do the letters KN and H stand for on pennies?  

2. What dates were they used on Twentieth Century pennies?

3. No pennies were minted in 2018-19. When was the last year that no 1p coins were produced.

4. Which way do Edward VII, George V and George VI face on pennies?What was the change to the inscription of pennies in 1983?

5. What word comes before the penny when something is costly?

6. Why is there a ship on South African pennies?

7. When was first copper penny struck in England?