1887 Shield Sixpence Varieties
As with many other denominations, the sixpence's obverse and reverse designs were updated in 1887. The sixpence's reverse design ultimately received two major updates as the first new reverse (a shield) was similar enough to the half sovereign's design that, coupled with the similar sizes of the sixpence and half sovereign, there were attempts to gold plate the new sixpences and pass them off as half sovereigns (Gouby, http://michael-coins.co.uk/sx1887%20JH%20var.htm). As a result, the shield obverse was short-lived.
Two different obverse and two different reverses were used for the 1887 shield sixpences: on Davies obverse 1 the designer's initials JEB are on the truncation of the portrait and on Davies obverse 2 the designer's initials JEB are below the truncation of the portrait and on Davies reverse A the tail of the Q in QUI is missing and the loop above the buckle between the date is incomplete while on reverse B (not recorded by Davies) the tail of the Q in QUI is visible and the loop above the buckle between the date is whole.
Not all obverse and reverses were paired with each other: 1+A coins (Davies 1150) exist, Davies 2+A coins (Davies 1151) exist and 2+B coins exist. 1+A coins are quite scarce, 2+A coins are common, 2+B coins appear to be mostly or entirely proofs and 1+B coins are not known but may exist.
