ozjohn

Like buying a coin buy the coin not the grade buy the music not the medium it’s recorded on.

1915 Silver Florin, NGC MS63, Scarce | eBay The listing is a very nice coin but the price is on the heavy side especially after freight and GST charges which bring the total cost to about GBP 200. I'm tempted but for the cost. Any thoughts?

Thanks. If the seller does not sell this coin he may relist at a more reasonable price. We shall see.

Take 2. I think the black background gives a better result.

Just a very quick try with your technique. Coin on a slope with overhead light ( LED mounted in ceiling) and camera on tripod with macro lens and sloped to suit. Seems a reasonable result will try to refine.

Obverse:Glory be to God on high and peace on earth to men of good will Reverse: To 15 Paris workers who have skillfully represented their French colleagues at the London peace congress 22,23 & 24 July 1851 https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-british-studies/article/abs/richard-cobden-and-the-international-peace-congress-movement-18481853/DEADE50EA37DB5668A4BFC2921EEAAF5 An interesting medal.

Thanks for that. That's basically what I have used in the past other than the wedge shaped wooden block. I have always thought the secret is in the lighting. This is where the angled block will help. I assume you adjust the camera angle as well to ensure it is normal to the coin's surface. I will try that . Many thanks, ozjohn

I was looking at my duplicates and found this 1923 half crown although a common date a nice coin with the king's ear well struck also now an antique as it's a 100 years old.

Snap. Your photographic technique is much better than mine as per my recent post "Another Find in my Coin Cabinet" that featured the coin below. It was photographed with my iphone although I have a Sony mirrorless camera with a macro lens all mounted on a tripod. The results are disappointing and any tips would be welcome

Of interest for Blakeyboy

Yes it’s a member of the pea family. It needs a sub tropical to tropical conditions to grow. I saw one at the Eden Project a few years ago.

I was looking in my coin cabinet and noticed this 1920 halfcrown I had forgotten about. While not trying to compete with Vicky Silver's example it is still a reasonable example with the tip of the King's ear well struck and the lions faces on the reverse although there is some weakness at the top of the shield. I think some people are attracted to te1920 issues.,including myself as it represents a major change in UK coins. The marks on the reverse are not scratches but dirt.

Not Ebay's worst offering as it's a nice coin but well overpriced. https://www.ebay.com/itm/404224094893?mkevt=1&mkpid=2&emsid=e90001.m43.l1123&plmtId=700008&mesgId=3024&mkcid=8&ch=osgood&bu=43193207259&trkId=06645903-51fb-49f0-9ef0-77b0b1488673&cnvId=700003&recoId=404224094893&recoPos=1

Very nice.

Most of the coins I collect are under GBP 250 and I have found the mail service between the UK and Australia pretty secure. As long as you keep under the $AU 1000 things seem to arrive without any issues. The other week I received a coin from the UK that was opened by customs claiming biological protection . They resealed the package and sent it on its way. On ebay you see some very high freight costs sometimes more than the article in question and you have to think this is not helping E commerce.

*MINT* PF63, 1911 King George V Silver PROOF Coronation Florin / 2 Shilling, NGC | eBay The coin's not too bad but GBP 70 plus 10% GST to send it to Australia. That's why I like to buy directly from a dealer as you do not pay Australian GST up to $1000 coin value and you can negotiate on the freight.

The Ebay listing shows a 1905 halfcrown for sale. Looking at the I in QUI it looks very similar to the example of a forgery from these forums although the Ebay screenshot is low definition due to restrictions to image size on these forums. Any opinions would be useful given the price for this coin. Caveat Emptor

I also contacted the seller and received a similar reply. I think its a case of someone buying the coin in good faith not realizing the possibility of it being a fake.

I looked at Ebay's complaints procedure. I think you have to find the listing from its Ebay listing # 255868114069. I am happy to contact the seller along with the Predecimal picture as evidence. I am not accusing the seller as trying to sell a fake coin as he may well be unaware of the possibility.

Is there anyway Predecimal can notify Ebay of doubt concerning this listing as I would hate to see someone taken in by this coin as a member of this forum was in the past. I’ve tried in the past but Ebay ignores these complaints and may take more notice from an organization such as the Predecimal Forum

This 1913 halfcrown has been in my collection for some time and was put away in a box. When I recently looked at it the coin had taken on a tone where very little existed before. More importantly the tone has improved IMO the look of this coin considerably. There seems to be some flattening to the Kings ear but the hair close by seems to be fairly intact suggesting strike rather than wear. Overall I think a pretty good example for this date. PS the picture was taken on my Iphone that seems to produce better results than my camera with a macro lens and my new flat bed scanner.

The top coin is graded PCGS MS 64 while the bottom coin is ungraded.. IMO I think the top coin is the better example although there are a couple of light scratches on the obverse but overallI think a better struck coin. Any opinions would be appreciated It's interesting to speculate what grade the coin on the bottom would be given if submitted to PCGS.

Thanks everyone for your comments. Sorry about the confusion in my first post. Like most posts i think my ungraded coin is better than the PCGS MS 64 coin.

Quite right I got my tops and bottoms mixed. Just to be clear I thought the bottom coin (un graded) was the better coin. Sorry for the confusion. In my defence when I posted the images I though they would be horizontal but instead they were in vertical order and I had to edit the post and made a mistake mixing my tops and bottoms.

Royal Australian Mint., Denison St., Canberra, ACT,* 2600 *ACT Australian Capitol Territory