VickySilver

Rob, what was your take on the quality of the DNW shillings?

I will not be a player in the upcoming sales as nothing of interest, other than maybe the proof 1853 1/2d, but there are a couple (well, three) coins that may be of interest to follow as barometers of the market, and perhaps readers might contribute others they noticed: - Baldwin, 1869 1/2d. This coin is near to EF or EF and is estimated at ?80 pounds? This is a fairly scarce to rare date in quite decent state of presentation, possibly a bargain to be had but will be ineresting for me to see how much interest is shown in a lower to mid-priced Vicky bronze scarcity. - St. James, 1908 2/6. This coin is also quite presentable, and nearing the EF preservation state. A decent, though not mint state coin that is fairly scarce but not rare and it is relatively lower priced as well. How much legitimate interest will be shown in this E7 issue, and possible indicator of interest for barometer of interest in this market. - St. James, 1934 5/-. This coin is an OK GEF or so example of a somewhat rare date but not in supreme presentation. IMO, values for this coin generally peaked a couple of years ago and interest mildly on the wane. Will this bring 3750 pounds? I don't know about others, but despite a posting elsewhere in these forums I feel not really great offerings in the Victorian and later pre-decimal coins. Some controversy about the DNW shillings, certainly. Were any of them cleaned/dipped and retoned? I did not see them in hand so really can't judge, just passing on some "scuttlebutt (sp?)". At least there were some interesting coins in the series, and would like to have had a couple....

No, but www.sixbid.com has all these listed...

Run, Forrest, run!!!! Or so was said in "Forrest Gump" Screams FAKE, this one.

Glad somebody else likes these bits...

Ah that is trick - posting photos - that I need a bit of help on. Maybe Sunday will give it a stab. Not for sale as part of a larger chunk that I've spent sme time and effort on.z

Yes, that is a 1936 proof wreath that was and is part of a 1936 proof silver set. Nice! Coin def. gem and lacking the telltale cabinet friction at the cheekbone...

Well, I wonder how many dies were left over versus how many new 1850 dies were used. I could be wrong but have the impression that each type shows up with about the same frequency (well maybe that's the wrong term!). I wonder this with the half crown 1848 and versus 1848/6 and the erstwhile '48/7....

"There should not be focal wear if this was due to time in a bag or light circulation and in a case where the metal did not fill it may appear flat, esp. with an harder alloy. "Newsweek Stands By its Story".

Deinatey no pat or stock answers as has been elucidated. You really just have to know your coins if you get into esoterica. Another example are the 1887 and 1893 5 sov pieces that have market prices everywhere (including outrageously high for slabbed "wondergrades"). What is the value of an uncirculated 1934 Wreath to bring it back to the OP? Well, depends on where sold, when sold, slabbed and by whom?, individual factors such as the usual lustre and strike and wear and tone, etc. Ouch, it can get a bit complicated. I know that I have on occasion paid prices looked at as very high by outsiders and then have the coin double or treble even on the wholesale side within 5 or so years, and some I could really name my price on...(and then of course, the odd loser that just stagnates or never does catch fire ). Collect what you can afford but study, study, take a few lumps, win a few, etc. I would not, in returning to OP, pay huge prices even for a "certain" proof Wreath of a non-1927 year. There just is not the demand, and the presentation not all that special compared to the currency bits. Also, very difficult to pin exactly what price should be paid. Having said that, I really did stretch for a "certain" 1936 proof some 10 or 12 years ago....Uggh, well, it's not for sale regardless.

Yes, my feeling as well. Perhaps the overdate a bit under graded? Nice date of shilling almost on par with the 1854 florin IMO.

Despite my nomen, and having a bit of experience in the field, I must confess to not ever seeing or knowing certainly of this coin. I am lucky to have the proof, but have never seen this coin. It reminds me a bit of the 1854 half sovereign. The 1853 currency 3d is quite rare and almost always available from Maundy sets and NOT currency.

But may trash your liver. Seriously...

Yikes, we have gotten away from the OP a bit! But, on a slightly related topic to that just broached, I think it interesting how little interest seems to be displayed in Regnal years for the Widow Head series. The 1893 LVII is fairly scarce to rare in GEF and above as an example.

That makes them a challenge, since they are not all that attractive and they need to lose the patriots theme, just like the USA needs to change IMO. Well, I will be a buyer for the 91 or 02 sets. BTW, PM me for a few other dates of sets that I have doubles of...

Ah, Peck, as they say, "My Bad"....I meant that in my estimate these should be R4 or so, more rare than ESC indicates...

Yes, that jibes with my knowledge. Not clear if they are out there or not. Not many, not much demand. That makes them interesting. Do you collect these? I need the 1991 as well, and missed the one on ebay not so long ago...

Amen. One can fluff on the ownership of an ESC R5 but a grain of salt best be swallowed. An example of this type of thing in the opposite : rarity of the 1862 & 1864 2/6s are much scarcer with relatively fewer in private hands.

IMO, this coin is GEF and the softness at the front paw, nose, and G5's hair is strike softness. Technically probably mint state and been in a bag for a while.

Hi all, has anybody confirmation that Jamaica proof sets of 2002 exist? They are listed in Krause, but Bank of Jamaica and Royal Mint where they should have been struck do not offer information. I would be interested in information or even purchase.

Cataloguers are not as zealous as we can be. I (re)discovered the 1937 Norweb matte proof crown that was a part of their set about two years ago....By "A Tokyo Collection" standard that is maybe now a 20-30 coin based on what they have been asking for their other matte proofs!

I agree, very hard to introduce the type of objectivity that we would like into it; for me at least, I would like to know more of this type of thing rather than if there is a varietal micro-shift in date position. I generally have an idea of scarcity of most 1838-1952 pieces in copper and silver (brings to mind the crazy prices fetched for gold 2 & 5 pound 1887 & 1893 currency and proof - these things are out there!). The problem with adding PCGS, CGS, and NGC populations is that on the scarcer bits many have been resubmitted for either a possible higher grade or uniformity of slabbing in a collection. USA collectors, at least some talk about "top pop" coins - those that have the highest certified number grade - and I notice that London Coins does this with CGS in their auctions as well. There also is a competition (not sure of the prize awarded if there is one) for the highest registered set for particular series. Coincraft have an anecdotal note on finding an error edge specimen of 1935 crown in a noted dealer's trays....

Yes, Gary, Good job on the currency especially. I can not get myself to go for a VF - I want Unc/mint but such is not available in my experience....

You know a price I have been trying to calculate would be that of the 1922 rev. 1927 specimen of which there are only two supposedly known? I agree 30k is huge, it may only go 25! LOL....

Please do report. I bid "live" and got beaten down on 7 coins. Might have been the reserves buying back. I did manage to get some of the ex=Pretoria mint pieces there some years ago - not cheaply.