newheart

No I am not sure how to check if it is silver (I don't want to damage the coin). But I did just find this site http://opencurrency.com/3-quick-ways-to-help-tell-real-silver-from-fake-silver/ and did the 3 tests: Ring test, ice test, magnetism test. I compared 3 coins: very worn old 1819 British crown (presumed silver); 1953 commemorative QE2 crown (not silver); and the Maria Theresia Taler. The results were inconclusive to say the least! Ring test: All 3 coins to my ears had a long pleasant bell-like ring when flicked in the air with my thumb nail Ice test: The ice cube began melting the moment it was put on each coin with no appreciable difference. Magnetism test: none of the coins were at all magnetic (I have a very strong large neodymium magnet) Will look for other tests!

Hi Rob, You said "30g is too much. Should be 28g or a midges over. 41mm is the correct diameter. " Too much for what - a non sliver copy? btw Wiki says "The thaler is 39.5–41 mm in diameter". But everywhere I look I get different specification for this coin! I am not too worried about its provenance; it is a pretty coin and I like it. But I am curious to know more.

Hi Leo, yes that can work but some coins just will not budge! But perhaps I am squeezing them into pockets that are too small.

Ah but Rob, researching a coin, trying to estimate the coins value and then bidding on it is half the fun! To me, buying coins that have been professionally assessed and priced is not so much of a hobby (though perhaps one I would pursue if I had deeper pockets!). Plus the dealers have added their ~50% commission plus VAT. But point taken - eBay is a big risk and disappointments abound. Yes I want to visit some coin fairs when I can :-)

Thanks - I will do that!

For anyone interested, I just found out that they do still mint these https://www.muenzeoesterreich.at/eng/Produkte/Maria-Theresa-Taler-proof

Having read all this, I am scrutinising coins more now. I had been watching this rather nice shilling on ebay, but one quarter of the reverse looks like it has been cleaned.

For any fellow newbie reading this, the Numis albums are very good. The only downside to them that I can see is that it can be quite hard to remove a coin once inserted into the pocket (I need to buy some sort of soft tipped tweezers), and the double later of plastic over the coin does obscure the coin a bit. The eBay seller referred to earlier in this thread has been excellent.

Thanks for the replies, I am learning a lot. I am guessing you would not expect to see much remaining of any raised features (relief marks/ Planchet striations) if the coin had been well circulated?

Yes but a mint one of what? I must admit it is the prettiest coin I have, and I would love another in mint condition, but I would have no idea how to tell if it would be worth more than bullion. Are these all over 100 years old or are some much more recent? I have been looking online but it is pretty baffling! One web site seemed to imply these are still being minted? I think I have a 'modern copy' but how modern is modern? Not expecting you to answer any of these questions Rob, just thinking out loud :-).

If it is silver! Is there an easy way to tell? The coin is 40mm and weighs 30g.

Something like this (from a current eBay listing)?

Thanks for the replies. Good to learn I got it about right and have not made a huge mistake :-)

Got this coin on our favourite marketplace(!) and I am having trouble as a newbie trying to grade it. I took a bit of a gamble on this because the seller photos were terrible. The book I have (the standard guide to grading British coins) only covers coins from 1797. Is there a similar book covering the earlier period? Here is the coin, as a complete newbie I would optimistically rate it VF/VF (obv/rev) but it does have abrasions on the reverse and to a lesser extent on the obverse. As a newbie, I cannot tell if it has been cleaned. Cost me the price of a decent meal so be honest.... (strewth the 1/2 mb image allowance is low!) TIA, Pete

Thanks Rob. That makes sense, I have noticed some coins seem to have a lot of parallel marks.

How many coins in a denomination set? I guess they all have to be UNC?

Out of interest, what is "the next step"?

For the benefit of a newbie, how can you tell? I mean, you can see surface abrasions, but how can you tell this is due to cleaning and not due to circulation?

I was bidding on this little beauty on eBay, but could not find anything like it online. Could it have been a proof/test coin? Seller told me it was about 20mm diameter. The final bids went way over my bid. Even though I did not win, I would love to know what it is! Full credit for the photos go to the eBay seller. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GB-Queen-Victoria-1845-Beautiful-Token-/232501192157?item=232501192157&autorefresh=true&ViewItem=&nma=true&si=WuDieSOGqeng7G0DBI2qnJ23jN0%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

So it does, well spotted!

Thanks Flash. I just found this http://home.golden.net/~eloker/token02.htm which has a few later examples of this jeton. An interesting piece for my new collection, I am quite pleased :-)

I have found a similar later French political token online "Original Louis XIV propaganda jetton struck circa 1654. On reverse: a porcupine (i.e. the king) who is "feared from all sides" as the legend says. ".

Copper123 the thinness of the coin would fit in with a Jetton (I am new to coin collecting and had to Google Jetton!). Thanks for the suggestion.

I think the text on the reverse is latin and says OMNIQUE or OMNIQVE PARTE TIMENDA. Google translate says this is either EVERY or GLIMMER and DREADED.

Newbie question - when buying a silver coin such as the double florin, should the colour be bright or blackened? I understand silver blackens with age, so does that mean bright old silver coins have been cleaned/carefully stored/preserved in some way? Persoanally I like the blackened coin, it looks older and more 'antique'. Images borrowed from eBay, all credit to the photographers, I hope they will not mind. Thanks in advance, Pete