My Latest Acquisition

[Michael-Roo 777]

 

I'd say fine obverse (plus a rim knock) and near fine reverse.

Edited May 11, 2017 by Michael-Roo

[UPINSMOKE 456]

Hi Guys just added a few more coins to the collection nothing that special, but would like your opinions on grading and value if you can on the coins below please. Also I noticed that the 1855 Halfpenny the 5s are at an angle should they be like this or do I have something special.

1855 Halfpenny

1887 Farthing

1878 Farthing

1901 Farthing

1929 Sixpence

 

Edited June 1, 2017 by UPINSMOKE

[UPINSMOKE 456]

Anyone can give me their opinions on the coins I have listed above would be appreciated. As I just want to check how I am doing with grades and prices please. 

[mrbadexample 985]

They all look really nice to me Mick. Here's my 1855 ½d date for comparison - looks pretty similar to me.

 

[Leo 91]

They all look very collectable to me. In my opinion, the Victorian pieces are anything between VF (the 1/2d) and EF the others. I find difficult to judge farthings as they are so tiny and sometimes weak - would need to tilt them under the light to detect loss of lustre. And with a loupe.

I suggest that you look into the realised prices section of Londoncoins to get an idea of grade and value, see if yours is better or worse than what they grade as 'AUNC' or 'NEF' etc but don't be too fixated on grade - just compare with your coin in hand. Grades are too subjective, but if you want to go that way, the Rotographic grading book is excellent, and goes hand in hand with Chris Perkins' catalogue for prices. You can get both for £20.

[UPINSMOKE 456]

13 hours ago, Leo said:

They all look very collectable to me. In my opinion, the Victorian pieces are anything between VF (the 1/2d) and EF the others. I find difficult to judge farthings as they are so tiny and sometimes weak - would need to tilt them under the light to detect loss of lustre. And with a loupe.

I suggest that you look into the realised prices section of Londoncoins to get an idea of grade and value, see if yours is better or worse than what they grade as 'AUNC' or 'NEF' etc but don't be too fixated on grade - just compare with your coin in hand. Grades are too subjective, but if you want to go that way, the Rotographic grading book is excellent, and goes hand in hand with Chris Perkins' catalogue for prices. You can get both for £20.

Thanks for the information I do have  Rotographic grading book and Chris Perkins' catalogue for prices. I am finding grading a bit of a challenge so that's why I asked for others opinions as to what grade they would give each of the coins above. Its so I can compare with the grades I have given them. That way I can see if I am getting it right or not.

[argentumandcoins 70]

The 1/2d around VF, farthings 1887 and 1901 probably nudging EF, the 1878 GVF and the 1929 6d A UNC judging by the reverse.

[Colin G. 147]

The farthings can be difficult because the small patches of wear get magnified when blown up on a screen. I agree with John on the 1887 and 1901, although the 1901 could easily be nearly fully lustred, these darkened farthings can be very difficult to grade from just a photo. The 1878 I also think would be a similar grade and it looks like there is traces of lustre in the legends, just some tiny patches of wear.

The 1887 is a tougher date than is often appreciated.

[Leo 91]

Quote

 I am finding grading a bit of a challenge so that's why I asked for others opinions 

But they are just opinions, and it's different how a coin looks in hand than in a photo. Auction prices are in some way more solid: if a coin that is clearly worse than yours sells for £150, and a better one for £200, then you can work out the value of yours.

[Leo 91]

If it's technical grading what you're interested in, there is a book titled 'Coin Grading and Counterfeit Detection' that, although solely focused on the Sheldon scale on American coins, is wonderfully detailed and explains many of the small aspects and intricacies of the grading process and I learnt a good few bits from it.

I wish there was one adapted to the European grading scale.

[IanB 175]

Something I have done a couple of times is to get together the coins from a particular monarch and spread them on the table then pick at random 4 or 5 of them. I then try to place them in ascending order using my judgement and a grading book noting key indicators for wear, weakness of strike or whatever the book tells me is significant for that series of coins. I then place them back in the pack and pick another 4 or 5 at random and repeat the process until I get bored. 

I might then pick another monarch and look for the key indicators for that series and repeat again. 

It might sound labourius but it's actually quite quick.

I don't use the Sheldon scale far too many variables for my brain to wrap around, I just stick with the good old F, VF, EF, UNC and a few inbetweeners such as AUNC.

I also seem to work it out better if I start off by deciding what it is not rather than what it is, that might sound a bit backwards but it's just a case of elimination sometimes it's really obvious and sometimes it's a choice between two grades if thats the case I will go for the lower grade until proven otherwise.

Just the way it works for me, I keep it simple and I am happy with that.

 

[mrbadexample 985]

5 minutes ago, IanB said:

I also seem to work it out better if I start off by deciding what it is not rather than what it is,

I'm with you there Ian: "It can't be UNC because I can see a bit of wear on the eyebrow" etc.

[Leo 91]

5 minutes ago, mrbadexample said:

I'm with you there Ian: "It can't be UNC because I can see a bit of wear on the eyebrow" etc.

I was thinking that! Which is quite difficult sometimes as there are loads of contact marks, bag marks, clogged dies, weak strike, polished die marks, etc that can be mistaken for wear.

[UPINSMOKE 456]

On 6/7/2017 at 1:33 PM, argentumandcoins said:

The 1/2d around VF, farthings 1887 and 1901 probably nudging EF, the 1878 GVF and the 1929 6d A UNC judging by the reverse.

Thanks for your grading it is a help the 1887 farthing was sold to me with a AUNC description the rest are as I expected. So my grading is getting better.

 

On 6/7/2017 at 4:05 PM, Colin G. said:

The farthings can be difficult because the small patches of wear get magnified when blown up on a screen. I agree with John on the 1887 and 1901, although the 1901 could easily be nearly fully lustred, these darkened farthings can be very difficult to grade from just a photo. The 1878 I also think would be a similar grade and it looks like there is traces of lustre in the legends, just some tiny patches of wear.

The 1887 is a tougher date than is often appreciated.

Hi Colin thanks for your input much appreciated. With the 1887 Farthing did you mean they are harder to find in good condition.

[argentumandcoins 70]

On ‎07‎/‎06‎/‎2017 at 9:36 PM, Leo said:

But they are just opinions, and it's different how a coin looks in hand than in a photo. Auction prices are in some way more solid: if a coin that is clearly worse than yours sells for £150, and a better one for £200, then you can work out the value of yours.

Sadly that is not a very reliable guide to anything unless you take an average of multiple salerooms and the same coin/grade during the same 6 month period. I have seen some prices inflated way beyond the value of the coin due to inexperienced or uneducated buyers and other coins slip through at ridiculously low prices for reasons beyond me.

[Colin G. 147]

On 08/06/2017 at 10:10 PM, UPINSMOKE said:

Thanks for your grading it is a help the 1887 farthing was sold to me with a AUNC description the rest are as I expected. So my grading is getting better.

 

Hi Colin thanks for your input much appreciated. With the 1887 Farthing did you mean they are harder to find in good condition.

Yes, they are surprisingly hard to find in good condition, which can not be said for many denominations with this date. They are out there...but not as plentiful as many people may expect

[UPINSMOKE 456]

9 hours ago, Colin G. said:

Yes, they are surprisingly hard to find in good condition, which can not be said for many denominations with this date. They are out there...but not as plentiful as many people may expect

Thanks @Colin G.  much appreciated did not realise they are not that common so you learn something everyday

[1949threepence 3,366]

On 6/6/2017 at 9:17 PM, UPINSMOKE said:

Anyone can give me their opinions on the coins I have listed above would be appreciated. As I just want to check how I am doing with grades and prices please. 

1855 halfpenny - solid VF

1887 farthing - a/UNC 

1878 farthing - EF/NEF

1901 farthing - GVF

1929 sixpence - a/UNC

Would be my estimation, Mick. 

 

[UPINSMOKE 456]

On 6/30/2017 at 7:17 PM, 1949threepence said:

1855 halfpenny - solid VF

1887 farthing - a/UNC 

1878 farthing - EF/NEF

1901 farthing - GVF

1929 sixpence - a/UNC

Would be my estimation, Mick. 

 

Thanks Mike pretty much as I had graded them. Although I had graded the 1901 Farthing at EF.

[Paulus 1,942]

On 03/07/2017 at 2:52 PM, UPINSMOKE said:

Thanks Mike pretty much as I had graded them. Although I had graded the 1901 Farthing at EF.

You've come on in leaps and bounds in both your grading and purchasing decisions Mick imo, great to see

[UPINSMOKE 456]

12 hours ago, Paulus said:

You've come on in leaps and bounds in both your grading and purchasing decisions Mick imo, great to see

Thanks I do try and buy the best I can afford now. And am getting more picky on the coins I choose. The advice I have been given on the forum is starting to pay off.

[UPINSMOKE 456]

Haven't posted for a while as have limited fund of late. I have added the last coin in the jigsaw of my 1888 Jack the Ripper set a 1888 Florin. I now have all denominations except perhaps the Maundy Set which I will still look for, but not worried if I don't get one as am just pleased with the set I now own. Below is pictures of the Florin. Would appreciate your opinions on this with perhaps your vies on the grade again please.

[mrbadexample 985]

Very nice Mick. AUNC? 

[Leo 91]

Looks uncirculated or near so... I would need a loupe

[Paulus 1,942]

From the pics, GEF for me, a trace too much wear, allbeit slight, for AUNC imo - very clean in terms of rims and bag issues in the fields