Richard2

Well I’m still learning myself, maybe I got lucky with the two I’ve put up here but it can be a bit hit and miss I’m afraid. The method I’m using at the moment is a heat source, I’m using the wife’s creme brûlée torch, a pair of tweezers and a bowl of water. Firstly though try and get the bent coin clean of mud using distilled water and cotton buds, if you can run a soft wet cloth between the joint if folded right over. Dry it. Darken the room, this makes it easier to see when the coin reaches cherry red when you heat it. Next I set the flame on the torch, I’m still playing around with that setting at the moment. I’ve read if you have it too fierce it’s not good and that you need a slight green flame to heat the coin. So then using the tweezers pick the coin up and play the flame over the coin from about 3 inches away. Keep the flame moving and don’t heat at one area. When you see the whole coin turning dull red, drop it into the cold water straight away. Now comes the part where it can go horribly wrong, so don’t blame me. I suggest you have a go on some grotty looking hammereds to start with. Then using an assortment of different diameter round wooden sticks like chop sticks or kebab skewers, starting with the smallest first, I use a small wooden tapered wedge, slowly push the stick between the two sides of the coin. The coin should start to part quite easily, if it doesn’t you haven’t annealed it properly and so will have to go back and reheat it again. Basically you keep doing this , slowly opening the coin a little at a time using slightly bigger diameter sticks, each time heating and quenching till the coin is nearly flat . The last bit I put the coin between two bits of soft wood or lead and squeeze together in a vice. And with a bit of luck the coin stays in one piece. Here endeth the lesson Good luck

I thought I would have a go at trying to flatten a couple of hammereds that have been sitting in my coin cabinet for ages. I brought the coins up to cherry red and quenching to anneal them to make it easier to very slowly unfold them. Here’s one that I’m particularly pleased with. I haven’t been able to pin it down to a class, I’m thinking class 2. Any help would be appreciated. Richard

Thanks Dave, you make it seem simple, but years of studying I presume makes it seem so. Yes really pleased with the way it unfolded, slight stress cracking as can be seen but the Kings head detail must be one of my best Edward pennies I’ve dug. Spurred on by this success I had a go at another folded penny, this time a John short cross. This one has,I think, came out better than the Edward. I will post up pictures later if I get time. thanks again Dave, Richard

After buying BCW ‘s book on the silver coins of Elizabeth I at the tower mint I thought I would go through all my Lizzie coins and try and ID them as per the book. This one had me unsure on the reverse Privy mark. Clear enough Ermine on obverse but the reverse is either a blundered Ermine or an over strike , but I can’t make out of what. Can someone enlighten me please.

Not so unusual then Michael

Both of you are probably right, the second picture of yours Stuart ,although a bit blurred ,does look like mine. Maybe another one for Chris Comber to look at. Thanks

I agree,you guys nailed it. As you say it will be good to get his insight, and he might make me an offer I can’t refuse💰😁

I went along to the Worthing numismatic society meeting this Thursday as a guest which is pretty local to me, interesting evening with some members displaying their collections of numismatic items of interest. It wasn’t till the end of the evening ,when he had gone,that I found out Chris Comber had been there. I think he’s a life long member. Next month he is giving a talk on the pattern shillings of Elizabeth I at the society ( 3rd Thursday of the month) So this will be the ideal time to take my Lizzie 3d along for him to see. Will update you after. Richard

Hi, can anyone help with the ID of this coin please. My research has only lead me to the 1819 coins of Joannes not having VI after his name and this one clearly does. Thanks in advance, Richard

Thanks David, does your catalogue show the 1819 with or without the VI

Pretty standard on the early bun heads ?

Hi all, picked this up for next to nothing at my local coin club meet recently. I know it’s pretty rough but I noticed something wrong with the lettering. What do you think Richard

Thanks very much to the both of you for your replies, it will go back in the box for now with a ticket stating probable contemporary forgery

Probably not, I’ve been looking on eBay, a few on there ,with one or two 1819’s with the VI after Joannes . Can’t be any profit for the counterfeiters in such a low value coin surely.

It is too heavy for my accurate scales so used digital kitchen scales, 40 grams, size was right, although was just using a ruler

No I haven’t checked the weight, will do tomorrow. (What should it be) Doesn’t look or feel like a modern forgery, more likely contemporary, if it is one. I bought it a couple of years ago from a dealer at a local coin and collectors fair.

Does look different doesn’t it

Hi, thanks , Krause is where I looked. Quite a low mintage at 422,000. So what would be the difference then between km#365 and km#370, apart from date.

About time I changed my profile picture. So here is a rather pleasing detecting find I made the other month on a friends permission. Don’t think he was too pleased, although he said otherwise. Treaty period. I’ve since flattened it a little, but there’s a couple of very small bends that might require more experienced hands

Utter disbelief when I turned the plug of turf over , there it was just looking at me, all of about 2 inches down

Cheers, here’s to a bigun

No, the side depicting the Angel has no B. Is that what your asking? withers is showing weights with a B either next to the S or next to the S for Briot dies and non Briot dies. Work that one out. My head hurts and I need a drink.

Referring to withers again,” the round weights bearing the portrait and titles of James I were struck after his death in 1632, or later.” It could also be a B next to the S as you pointed out, w960 also has a long serif on the right inner foot of X

The marks before and between the numerals are lozenge punctuation marks I believe Rob. According to Withers, it’s the second coinage revaluation 1612. He goes on to say that no quarter Angels are known for James I. And it’s probable that the weights were made for weighting the Elizabeth quarter Angel

Hi Will, yours is a James I quarter angel (2s 9d) . Briot dies again.The B below the denomination is for Briot. The legend will read I R M BRIT . From the Galata book of English coin-weights, yours is I think W765