Peckris

I did that, and for a split second I saw the incuse effect. Unfortunately, having seen the image first in the correct way, my brain quickly adjusted and the incuse effect vanished again. I usually need to see this effect right at the start, before I've seen it the correct way.

I think it's something to do with work being done at the mint that year. I'm sure I read that somewhere. I might be completely wrong though. Yet strangely that didn't interfere with the bronze issues, nor the threepences and sixpences. In 1925 - a comparable year - it was due to the collapse of prices and wages following the massive inflation in WW1. A big drop in the money supply would naturally affect the large silver more than the small, or bronze.

Maybe it's a trick the brain plays, like on this Quite Interesting clip? I do like Stephen Fry! Talking of optical illusions, that clip was just a blank space in my browser, it would not load. So I replied to ask for the URL so I could watch it, and in the quoted post, there was the URL. So I copied and pasted to another tab and watched it quite happily. When I returned to this thread, the bloody clip was there!! Now it's gone again! Oh shoot, now it's back again! Just like that Einstein mask. Pffft.

and then it all goes streaky 1927-1931 - do you think that's production, or ore? I find ALL 1926s are dark, to be honest. As for streaky, I have pennies from 1921 to 1926 with very streaky lustre. But if you're talking about pennies without lustre, the worst offenders are some of the 1920s and 1921s - they have lots of brass coloured flecks in, which I'm told is due to the use of leftover gun shells in the mix, but some are just plain streaky. I'd not noticed it on the final issue George V though, do you have pictures? Streaky E7's too! Yes, that's true. Especially the middle years.

What do you do here, is there a link, or could you explain? What happens when salt is involved? Danger of disolving the coin! Isn't olive oil and patience the "OK" way to handle verdigris? Yes. But if you haven't patience and the coin isn't too valuable, then a soak in good quality vinegar overnight, followed by a really good rinse, removes the green (turns it permanently into a stable and non-corrosive dark patch). Trouble is, the rest of the coin goes much paler, so don't use it on your very best!

and then it all goes streaky 1927-1931 - do you think that's production, or ore? I find ALL 1926s are dark, to be honest. As for streaky, I have pennies from 1921 to 1926 with very streaky lustre. But if you're talking about pennies without lustre, the worst offenders are some of the 1920s and 1921s - they have lots of brass coloured flecks in, which I'm told is due to the use of leftover gun shells in the mix, but some are just plain streaky. I'd not noticed it on the final issue George V though, do you have pictures?

There's also a vertical gouge in the English arms. Nice G over A in MAG though. The vertical GOUGE looks more like excess material as it's raised running into the arms and is'nt light, there seems to be a small nick at the top of the shield though which is lighter than the GOUGE. The G/A was'nt noted, which was a bonus My apologies AZDA. Sometimes what is in relief looks to be incuse to my eyes. It happens to me too sometimes, and there is no way I can make it look as it should!

Welcome to the forums I'm guessing these are silver proofs, right? Are the capsules the screw-down type, or are they sealed like the proof sets? 1977 silver proof crowns (for example) were sold in unsealed capsules, so storage was very important. Even the early proof sets can tone quite badly and untoned examples command a premium. What kind of box do you store them in? And what kind of environment do you live in - is there a lot of moisture or salt sea air where you are? The spots sound like tarnish - if they were regular silver coins that were BU with the odd tarnish spot, I would recommend dipping for a few seconds to remove the spots, but I'd never suggest that for proofs as you would damage the mirrored fields irreparably. You could certainly try and contact the Mint, telling them you never opened a capsule, and maybe send them a couple of photos of the worst examples? But I wouldn't hold out too much hope they will exchange them, though it's worth checking any guarantee they may or may not have issued.

Very handy for the Vietnamese guy who goes into the local brothel - "I've got a lot of dong here..." A bit tough on the guys with no money though. The Madame will tell them "No dong? Then no dong." :D

Not quite a fair comparison Dave - the penny is a tiny coin and as we all know, tiny coins suffer from a lack of detail; the 4d will show much more, so I wouldn't say those grades were out by very much.

You may or may not be aware that there are 2 varieties of 1915 Frathing: 1, Freeman 593A, Dies 1+A - a very scarce variety, having the 'TT' in 'Britt' closer together 2, Freeman 594, Dies 2+A (gap between TT of BRITT is wider (previously they almost touched) I am sure the slabbed Frathing you saw was Freeman 593A as Freeman 594 is valued by CGS in VF50 grade at 6,- pounds (= almost worthless as cost of slabbing is 12,- pounds). For your information I found one example of Freeman 593A sold by LCA as a raw coin in Auction 124, March 2009, lot 1374 – in VF grade it sold for 20,- pounds + buyers premium. Considering the cost of slabbing, 35,- pounds seems reasonable (not mentioning the fact that CGS grade VF 55 coin would be considered by many dealers as EF coin ...) I think Peter knows the two varieties of 1915 farthings - but you might like to look at this : http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1915-GEORGE-V-FARTHING-CGS-VF45-/190755678959?pt=UK_Coins_BritishMilled_RL&hash=item2c69ecaaef A CGS slabbed 1915 farthing in VF for £19 - the normal kind. Believe me, a VF Freeman 593A would fetch a lot more than £20, or even £35. Even years ago, before ChrisP took over, a VF example was listed at £60 in CCGB. The coin on Ebay is valued by CGS at 6,- pounds (as anybody can check on their website). It is not their fault that this seller is asking ridiculous price... ebay is full of overpriced raw coins as well. I wasn't criticising CGS here - as you say, it's not their fault that an eBay ripoffer has inflated that by 3x.

Phew, thank God. He's only willing to mail it within the US. That's as good as a minor lottery win for the UK. "You can watch them tone and reage in your collection" - what, you mean, if you haven't got any paint drying?

You may or may not be aware that there are 2 varieties of 1915 Frathing: 1, Freeman 593A, Dies 1+A - a very scarce variety, having the 'TT' in 'Britt' closer together 2, Freeman 594, Dies 2+A (gap between TT of BRITT is wider (previously they almost touched) I am sure the slabbed Frathing you saw was Freeman 593A as Freeman 594 is valued by CGS in VF50 grade at 6,- pounds (= almost worthless as cost of slabbing is 12,- pounds). For your information I found one example of Freeman 593A sold by LCA as a raw coin in Auction 124, March 2009, lot 1374 – in VF grade it sold for 20,- pounds + buyers premium. Considering the cost of slabbing, 35,- pounds seems reasonable (not mentioning the fact that CGS grade VF 55 coin would be considered by many dealers as EF coin ...) I think Peter knows the two varieties of 1915 farthings - but you might like to look at this : http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1915-GEORGE-V-FARTHING-CGS-VF45-/190755678959?pt=UK_Coins_BritishMilled_RL&hash=item2c69ecaaef A CGS slabbed 1915 farthing in VF for £19 - the normal kind. Believe me, a VF Freeman 593A would fetch a lot more than £20, or even £35. Even years ago, before ChrisP took over, a VF example was listed at £60 in CCGB.

Got any pictures? I'd be interested to see those! (Actually, my 1926 is strangely yellow on the obverse - full lustre.) It has got to be to do with the precise alloy used, hasn't it? I always thought Heaton's blanks come out looking blacker than the RM issues, and you see this especially on the 1912H and 1919H pennies. What would be fascinating is if the KN 'mix' turned out to be only very slightly different, but enough to cause the redness. On the other hand, being based in Birmingham, a city known for its engineering, metalwork and jewellery manufacture, as well as a certain stubborn refusal to bow down to the SE manadrins, it could well be that those at Kings Norton simply said "Don't tell us how to make bronze, laddie - we were doing it before the Romans arrived!"

My favourite coins (many of which aren't among my best, by some way) I would never want to part with, for all kinds of reasons including the sentimental. But I have others, which I wouldn't bat an eyelid about parting with. I kind of feel about them, "Ok, got that, seen the film, worn the T Shirt - what next?" Anyone else feel they could divide their collection in two : one lot that they'd never part with, the other that they could part with without too many qualms? And that the first lot doesn't necessarily include their finest specimens?

lol what's a 'Plattipus shiller'? Ask Dave - it's his favourite subject, and favourite person..

Yes indeed - Freeman mentions in his introduction that Kings Norton supplied blanks to the Royal Mint for the whole period from 1912 to 1919. I had often noticed that characteristic 'redness' on pennies of that period. Now I wonder if Freeman was too conservative - you see 'red' pennies quite commonly also between 1908 and 1910, and I wonder if KN supplied blanks for those too?

1. I don't think you will find many if at all on these forums 2. Grading isn't a precise science anyway - even professionals would differ by up to half a grade I do agree with your 'live and let live' attitude to slabs, but please don't assume that a professional grader is necessarily any better than a serious collector who's been learning it for years. Let me put it to you gently - I'd sooner trust the judgement of Rob and Derek (to pick just two) than a TPG who is mainly in it for the money, to sell slabs. I suspect lot of members on this forum just don't understand CGS grading process. Yes, a professional grader is not necessarily any better than a serious collector - but the difference is, that in CGS 2 graders have to refer to the extensive benchmark set of coins (I have seen some of these benchmark sets - they are stunning), each of which is allocated a unique number. When looking at such factors as striking, lustre, problems (for example, contact marks, stains), hairlines, haymarking, adjustment marks, cabinet friction etc, each grader compares the coin being graded to the relevant section of the benchmark set. When the benchmark coin that matches the aspect of the coin being graded is found, its unique number is fed into a computer. When all the factors have been entered, a programme that weights the numerous factors produces the numerical CGS UK grade. That is why their grading is so consistent and I exactly know what I can expect from coin graded UNC80, 85 or 88. Obviously nothing is perfect, however IMO this is by far the best attempt to reduce subjectivity when grading coins I have come across.. The sad fact is that most of the coins described by professional dealers as UNC will never make even the basic UNC80 grade... With the plethora of faked coins coming from Far East, the fact that CGS guarantee that the graded coin is genuine (or to pay the submitter the full market value of any non genuine English Milled coin that they may encapsulate) is quite reassuring for me as well. Thanks for that Mike - I bet I'm not the only one here who didn't know CGS went through a process so thorough!

Nice example. I was going to point out that it was surely a sideways N not a Z, but Coinery beat me to it. However, if you were to write a sideways N it would certainly look like a Z, and a lot less to write! So N over Z is good enough I guess

You can do much better with the 1887 shilling - they are common in high grade. Your 1674 farthing looks around Fine to me, and the 1799 halfpenny I'd rate as GF. I'm afraid I know "nar-thing" about hammered so would leave the Edward penny to others. Of those three I've mentioned, the 1674 farthing is by far the most valuable, though I don't have the latest Spink (in 2005 it was rated at £50 - there's one like yours on eBay, BIN £51).

Agree. Keep as is. The coin is honest. Note also the broken serif at the bottom of the 1 in the date. And on the obverse you can see quite clearly the "honi" on the queen's shoulder - honi of honi soit qui mal y pense i.e. "Shamed be he who thinks evil of it", which seems appropriate? Almost! "Evil be to him who evil thinks" (Or "Shame", as you say, for a literal translation). Thanks Peckris. I preferred the use of "shame" in this instance to go with the theme of it being a shame to dip etc the coin. Too right! Though I wonder - has anyone actually dipped a copper? Wonder what effect it would have...

Agree. Keep as is. The coin is honest. Note also the broken serif at the bottom of the 1 in the date. And on the obverse you can see quite clearly the "honi" on the queen's shoulder - honi of honi soit qui mal y pense i.e. "Shamed be he who thinks evil of it", which seems appropriate? Almost! "Evil be to him who evil thinks" (Or "Shame", as you say, for a literal translation).

Actually, I believe it's now been established that these are not "doubled linear circle", but ghosting of the bottom of Victoria's bust?

1. I don't think you will find many if at all on these forums 2. Grading isn't a precise science anyway - even professionals would differ by up to half a grade I do agree with your 'live and let live' attitude to slabs, but please don't assume that a professional grader is necessarily any better than a serious collector who's been learning it for years. Let me put it to you gently - I'd sooner trust the judgement of Rob and Derek (to pick just two) than a TPG who is mainly in it for the money, to sell slabs.

Very good Hello17. What is the hobby of polishing? A hobby of polishing coins would be fantastic. What is it that interests you about collecting coins? Good luck with the exams. Astronomy and polishing - perhaps Patrick is the guy who makes the stars twinkle! Maybe it's something they teach them in Year 10 which is also Year 11 weirdly...