Diaconis

the mast is too flat here more differences on the reverse. Would you put this down to photographic quality or is there something to it?

Rob, I bid on this coin in 2016 so I was interested to see it resurface. Why do I think it's fake? It seems to have lost relief detail and sharpness and tbh it doesn't look right - it even looks cast to me. Here are but a few examples on the obverse, see what you think: Obv. ding missing on ebay example Obv. Ebay example, Sword flattened, Bridge of nose missing, hair detail gone, groove above crown deeper.

Obverse

Here's a fake with pedigree. Someone has spent a great deal of time copying this half-ryal even down to the damage. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Edward-IV-1461-1470-Half-Ryal-first-reign-one-of-four-known/233191371531?hash=item364b49f30b:g:4jwAAOSwXdlcphHP Provenance is exceptional: Ex. Lord Stewartby, Spink 2016 Ex. Senior 1998 Ex. Lockett 1960 sold £7.10.0 Ex. P Carlyon-Britton 1937 Faking coins with provenance is disconcerting to say the least especially if the genuine article is not photographed.

Also here at Coinweek 4/4/19 https://coinweek.com/auctions-news/numismatic-auction-site-sixbid-com-alerts-collectors-to-fake-invoice-scam/

Rather ironic that the gentleman’s name is Richard Bird. One would have thought he’d be inclined to stay schtum.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/163677710506?ul_noapp=true £215, 3 hours to go and he even says it's a 'restrike' which it's not.

The mark on the arm looks to be the tab of a staple, perhaps not in direct contact with the coin, through paper maybe.

thanks Rob, it’s a James I laurel, mm trefoil. Originally mentioned as trefoil on ticket but later struck through and noted incorrectly as lis.

Rob, I guess my ex. Carlyon-Britton didn’t make it to the Seaby bulletins, no matches in codes with descriptions , some descriptions matched down to mm but pricing was often out or code bore no resemblance. Couldn’t find a combined match. It’s also not a particularly good specimen that would indicate a ready buyer. I’ll check C-B auction catalogues, father and son, could it have been handed down? P.W.P. C-B tickets are different and not sure if R.C cross-referenced inherited pieces on his tickets (as the Boyds), ‘No.XI 460’ perhaps? or more likely his own tray reference id.

Surely coal fires and candles were instrumental in spotting many coins. Collectors of old poring over their collections by candle or lamplight in a room with a coal fire. All recipes for disaster. The soot particles from all those fossil fuels in in our collectors living room are a mix of metal oxides, minerals which may can be coated with weak sulphuric acid. Nutty slack and precious metals are not good bedfellows. Regarding the coin in question, contamination must’ve occurred during slabbing. I’m not even sure if it is verdigris but the contaminant definitely contains a reactive agent all the same. Would be interesting to have it analysed. I’d certainly crack it out of that slab and remove the offending object before it causes more damage. It’ll only get worse.🙈

I understood carbon spots to be a misnomer as they are caused by sulphur deposits, car tyre dust, some old paper sources etc. Verdigris is produced by an acidic reaction, salts in wines, urine, sweat skin etc. Bearing in mind that Verdigris can turn black over time. Verdigris was made as a pigment in past times.

Marleybob should also give her scales a good clean too, looks like she’s using them to weigh flour or some other white and powdery commodity.

Very well spotted Holmes🧐

Will, just sent you a PM

The obverse denotes the coin to be weighed, the Gold 1 Real of std. wt 5.32 g. Fonck made weights for English, Dutch, Portuguese, French coins, quite prolific.

There are so many of these who’s makers are unknown but I believe this It’s a weight for a Dutch 1 Real / Keizers-real / Konings-reaal - (1521 - 1598) - goud - 5,3gr. If you check the weight it should be 5.3gr??

There are so many of these who’s makers are unknown but I believe this is Hans Fonck 1577-1603.

Here's one from Scarborough with Leopard head (Nelson)

Just read this interesting article in Coin news and was fascinated by the history of the coin in question and impressed by the commendable act of Auction house Künker in returning same to the cabinet in Weimar. https://www.coinsweekly.com/en/News/Alchemical-Gold-Coin-Back-in-Weimar/4?&id=5985 I must say that, having purchased several coins from them them in the past, their packaging and service is also second to none.

Great aren't they.😀 It's the only auction house where I actually keep the packaging. I think this is the packaging you are referring to? A pound of packaging to ship a 5 gram shilling, quality.

Rob, not much information but it may be of some interest. I'm sure you'll find the site most interesting if you don't already know of it. https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/worcs/vol3/pp408-412

I got the date wrong AZDA, 1897. Here's an excerpt from Stacks; "Commissioned in 1897, the Heaton mint produced a series of six coins, five silver and one brass, as proposed patterns or trial strikes of the eventual adopted design for the Nanking mint. A full set of dies and a small number of proofs were sent along with the minting equipment after completion. Upon arrival the Nanking mint began production using the supplied dies.

Design by Heaton mint in 1870's for Nanking province, dies were shipped over to China.

i stand corrected😉