Lauer Model Half Farthing - Victoria

http://aboutfarthings.co.uk/catalogue/how-to-use-this-website/what-is-a-model-farthing/
Model farthings were unofficial "trial" pieces produced by coin manufacturers to advertise the quality of the products they were manufacturing. They were also in some cases intended as a suggestion for possible future coin designs.

Many of the official trial pieces, or the scarcer varieties can command a premium and are extremely collectable due to the lower mintages involved. There were however a few series produced that were more common and can be readily found and collected. Due to the unusual designs, sizes and denominations their origin and purpose tends to cause confusion.

Rogers (https://en.numista.com/catalogue/catalogue.php?id=2901) identifies 10 types (Rogers #580-589):

#580 Small &; ・*・widely spaced; six pointed star; plain letter font; pellet touches R; copper

#581 Small &; ・*・closely spaced; six pointed star; letters have decorative fishtails; copper

#581 Small &; ・*・closely spaced; six pointed star; letters have decorative fishtails; copper

#582 Small & with broken or filled die; ・*・closely spaced; six pointed star; letters have decorative fishtails; copper

#583 Normal size &; ・*・closely spaced; six pointed star; pellet touches R and often touches the dress; copper

#584 Normal size &; ・*・closely spaced; six pointed star; pellet touches R varies and often touches the dress; aluminum

#585 Mule between #586 obverse and #584 reverse; plain letters; die breack running through A of FARTHING to the ground under the dragon

#586 Normal size &; ・*・widely spaced; five pointed star; pellet touches and is below the foot of R; copper

#587 Normal size &; ・*・widely spaced; five pointed star; pellet touches and is below the foot of R; aluminum

#588 Normal size &; ・*・widely spaced; five pointed star; pellet after R is missing or filled; copper

#589 Normal size &; ・*・widely spaced; five pointed star; pellet after R is missing or filled; aluminum

Rogers #588 :

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