VickySilver

I too will weigh in on this: acid bath, and have a couple as well.

I can scarcely manage to actually take more than a glance of the upcoming Spink auction and the paucity of offerings. Sad to me even though I know this is not a big sale. I was just looking at some older sales of theirs dating to the later 90s and Wow, what a difference.

I have seen TPG services downgrade for dieclash, but sometimes I am not sure if they recognise in individual case that is what is going on with the coin (ie it should NOT affect the technical grade of a coin). And ocassionally the ghosting of Britannia can highlight George V's bust with a pleasant interplay with the "carwheel" lustre as the coin is rotated.

Well said, I concur. That farthing is IMO definately a case of clashed dies. One of the wonderful things about those copper farthings is that they come lovely and I always like to think of them as "Poor Man's Sovereigns" given the origin of the obverse dies. Overall, I tend to deduct value for ghosting as it detracts from the appearance of the coin; unfortunately, this is hard to avoid with such coins as the 1918-1919 pennies.

Hey now, that pierce free is TMI (too much information)!!

Thank you as I see nobody else seem bothered by the piercing attempt. Wonder what a legitimate GEF (ie slabbed PCGS 63 or 4) would go for at a major auction? I have just seen one on the PCGS site in MS63RB that I seem to recall from a St. James auction...

Mat check the World And Ancient section on the message boards on the www.PCGS.com site for an huge blowup of the Glens coin

I believe the Glens piece superior, but don't have a pic of "Danny's" coin as I do vaguely recall about 2 or three other pieces showing up incl. Spink, and that the Colin Adams Sale had a proof that was conjectured to be currency; also Rasmussen had one of these...I assume you have seen the C. Adams Sale Catalogue? PCGS cert number is: 18522635 BTW Rob is a great source for much of this related information.

PS - I bet that one would cost a fair bit!!!

The A3 1839 2/6 graded by PCGS MS64 - - www.PCGS.com in the census is ex-Glens and is the real thing. I might be able to get the cert number so you can look it up as it may be amongst the finest out there.

Before this gets dismissed as anecdotal, experience with a particular house (W&W anybody - LOL!!) might generate a bit of circumstantial evidence in that if all winning bids are mysteriously at the maximum over a 20 year span that perhaps, just perhaps, there is a bit of funny business going on...

Yes, and to name names I believe Stack's in New York City has and does do this. Anybody else brave enough to "out" anybody. I even have my suspicions about Heritage as well.

OK, but just looking for how we might be able to give them some simple facts and statistics that might enrich the GB listings in their catalogue. Sometimes even though an exact evaluation is not possible it can give at least a "ballpark" idea of rarity and value. I do appreciate your inputs as I do want to try to help.

Pcture please!!!

Recall that it ended up being about 25%, but has been about 5 years. Should not have let those proof Wreaths go....Oh, well ce la vie!

Yes, CGS is pretty much of an "also ran" in the USA, and not really known or respected because they are not. They do not have the same cache value as PCGS or NGC. And that is not to say they are not relatively conservative graders either. Edge problems are not an issue now as both US TPGs use platic tines within the inserts to hold the coin. IMO, they would not be necessarily that great for hammered coinage, and as Rob says are a bit problematic with some of the earlier milled. I had issue with some of their grading of matte proofs as well, but usually relatively consistent graders of Vicky and up (more recent). I am wondering if lots are only a few hundred pounds each if slabbing is worthwhile though. I should think if you are moving some tens of thousands worth of coins that the house you choose would not bargain a rate for you to fill their sale??I am thinking if it comes to selling some choicer bits that I might not choose Heritage as I have not had all the much luck with Spink. Doubtless there are sellers with much more experience on these boards though. Good luck regardless of which avenue you pursue.

Yes, though this coin worth maybe a tenner, 15 max and NOT in demand particularly.

We would of course need pictures, but Maundy 3d coins were struck during these years. Best guess as they are NOT Maundy however as they are relatively scarce and most trapped in four coin sets.

Maundy 3ds certainly are found later than 1945 and these are silver.

Very little, pretty much bullion only. Maybe 3 pounds pretty much max. I think this may be the wrong forum.

Yes, steer clear of them unless you like the desings and at that pay not a lot above bullion for the silver and gold issues. I must confess that in the original Patina Sale that I bought three of the gold pieces at 500 pounds each, but they have about 40gm. of gold each!!

Well, this may represent (the Sale, that is) an opportunity for those that go. I have often found some esoteric bits of interest but not so in this case. Buon Chance to those bidding!

NO. Not even price independent.

As I understand it, the values listed are essentially mildly low estimate averages and not based on any one sale necessarily but with some correlation also to prices reached for other similar bits. I too think some of the salesroom prices are unrealistically high; this was not always the case as in the mid-90s I bought many a piece from Spink and the SNC at seemed rather fair prices. Spink used to even bargain just a bit on occasion, but only to a tune of maybe 5% in the rare instance they would. Baldwin, with all due respect (and I am a fan of theirs and esp. their famous basement), seem a bit high unless a coin one simply has to have. A difficulty for me is what, for example, a matte proof 1927 florin should go for. This is a prohibitively rare coin which there apparently are no sales auction or otherwise of it for at least 10 years, but demand is not that high either; however, if even two people wanted it that had some budget play, it might go for silly money. If there was only one bidder that day, it might not even reach a reserve or go very low. How then to set, or even attempt a catalogue value? Many say to just leave it blank but apparently users are put off by "Extremely Rare" or other such punts, and they like values listed. With regards to this coin, I like to think I know at least as much as the average joe about rarity and value and yet must give pause. If you stuck me for a quote today, I think I would say 2500 pounds or equivalent; and then the coin might come up for auction next week, and sell for 5k and critics would be hollering about inaccuracy, so no winners. Still, I think it worthwhile and will give it a stab. Here is another non-GB example: the infamous Franklin Mint struck legal tender coins for a number of countries, many of them from the Caribbean and quite a few issued in sets. However, they apparently also struck coins for circulation to the tune of tens of thousands in many instances and these coins did/do see usage. So in 1982 they struck a mule, possibly inadvertently with the obverse of one year and the reverse from the year before ($10 uncirculated coin). This coin did not go in a set and was evidently released through the Central Bank of Belize. Mintage: 3 only. So not a special proof, or silver, or gold, definately a currency bit and even (Sacre bleu!!) analagous to the famous 1893 Jubilee Head Sixpence. Little demand, but almost no supply. Krause has this listed at 25USD. I would have to think such a coin should be listed at 10x that amount even conservatively, but no sales record & what to do. The point is that it is quite difficult to determine value in many instances, and I have not even broached the thought of copper with "Red" , "Full Lustre", etc. What in the world might a reasonable suggestion be with regards to them (ie how about value for a full lustre gem or mint state 1926ME with very light toning)? I think I am beginning to see how it might be difficult to put out a catalogue!

Just a quick note and request. I think it good that Krause be a good catalogue (despite all the detractors), and especially for the 19th and 20th C. versions and note an aqcuaintance will be shortly submitting recommendations to them for the pre-decimal series. Do provide suggestions either through me, or him over on the PCGS boards in the Foreign and Ancient section - 7Jaguars is the poster, complete with rationale(s) and noting that their catalogue is for worldwide usage and not just the UK if that makes any sense. I will note that their section on patterns seems much more complete than any other current source although sadly lacking pictures (IMO), but how prices can be determined for them would seem a bit more than just the usual challenge & the numbering seems to be candidate for improvement. I wish they would use ESC but seems they won't budge on that.