ozjohn

.Correction the coin was PCGS MS62 not NGS MS 62 as previously advised. Sorry if there has been any confusion

Hi Blakeybou, I guess you would expect the coin to look different if it is cleaned. The real question is. Has it damaged the coin in some way? The images show a NGC MS 62 coin I cleaned using the bicarb Al foil method. I think I prefer the cleaned version. Like I say cleaning is something that should be approached with caution. In addition when you think about it toning is really a form of corrosion that has already effected the coin's surface. PS how did those seeds go? Regards, Ozjohn

I've seen small ultrasonic jewelry cleaners in Aldi here in Australia. no doubt there are similar in the UK. Don't know how effective they would be for cleaning coins but I suspect they wouldn't inflict any damage as they are low power devices. However any attempt to clean coins should be approached with caution, Personally I still think the bicarb of soda and Al foil in hot water is the best method as it does not attack the coin's surface and the silver sulfide is converted back to silver metal.

I remember going to Barnstable Pannier market when visiting the UK and brought a pair of binoculars for 10 quid not expecting much but they turned out to be very good with excellent optics. Also remember seeing a coin stall there..

https://www.coingradingservices.co.uk/index_org.php They still seem to be in business. like all grading services they can be patchy with their appraisals. Personally I have never used a TPG'er but have acquired coins that have been slabbed by these companies NGS , PCGS and CGS. IMO judge the coin not the grade TPG'ers assign to the coin. If you are new to coin collecting I suggest that you obtain a copy of the excellent book The Standard Guide to Grading British Coins published by Rotographic available from Amazon in book and Kindle formats.

Date of my 1903 florin. Looks about the same as the previous example.

Poor grading by TPGs is not unknown as witnessed by the many examples I have posted on these forums. To the coin in question. I noticed the marks on the queen’s neck and they are definitely old as they are toned into the mark which is probably damage sustained during the minting process or circulation.There does not seem to be any evidence of deliberate alteration of this coin and TPG’ers should take account of this during their appraisal process. Better that the mark be noted on the slab.

So why did the RM advise that the 1927 set was in a leather case when plainly it was issued in at least two formats?

I've seen some cardboard 1927 specimen set boxes on Ebay similar to the 1950 proof set box. An example is below. Possibly its a fake but it seems to have some age. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/162915958842?hash=item25ee8c403a:g:nF8AAOSwQYZWxiTC

Just finished watching Robson Green's Hadrian's wall walk. Apparently there are 56 phallic symbols on the wall. This time it was described as a good luck charm and used to ward off the evil eye.

IMO still looks like wear to me especially the obverse. The highest points are all worn with the only detail on the lower parts of the hair where contact wear is minimized. In my experience lightly struck coins of this era are for the most part are patchy. For example a George V first type florin. On the obverse the King's ear, and the hair just above are the most likely affected with the lions on the shield on the reverse corresponding to the same area similarly affected with the rest of the coin remaining fairly sharp As for technical grade I think PCGS etc. should in their opinion note that the coin is a lightly struck example. I have and old set of encyclopedias called The Children's Encyclopedia by Arthur Mee that shows the operation of the Royal Mint in the 1930s. One thing that struck me, pardon the pun was the visual inspection the freshly minted coins shown as part of the process. You would hope that most of the really badly minted coins would have been culled at this stage of production.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/224490919818?hash=item3444b3978a:g:QOoAAOSwYjReLcLD Saw this one on ebay.uk a PCGS slabbed coin graded AU-55. Also included a screen shot of the PCGS photo. I think this coin is badly over graded and think F-15 would be a more accurate grading as there is considerable wear on the obverse that cannot be putdown to a light strike. The reverse although appears to be less worn is not anywhere near to AU grades. Again I do not thing these professional graders are producing a constant product. I know you should buy the coin not the assigned grade but new collectors can be badly miss lead by this sort of miss grading. A PCGS AU-55 grading example is included for comparison.

Had the first AZ shot in May. No side effects at all. Second shot due in July. Vaccination hesitancy rife in Australia but the recent Victoria cases have focused people’s minds and vaccination rates have accelerated.

Saw this one in Pompeii on a trip to Italy. According to the guide it was pointing the way to a brothel.

The other thing .There doesn’t seem.to be any shortage of 1927 proof florins.I now have two. The one posted was brought as it was a slabbed example at a good price and I am also trying to assemble a 1927 proof set apart from my date collection . I take your point about the halfcrown but I think there is some thought, perhaps wrong, that the new design of the halfcrown was issued as currently issues along with 6 million odd old design coins. Perhaps this accounts for the higher price commanded by the proof 1927 florins