numismatist

Slabs are to me an hated word. Unless your Coins are far better than EF or Proofs, very little harm will be done by handling them. After all many may have been handled of hundreds of years and have not suffered much and in fact may have built up a superb tone by being handled now and again. Coins in slabs are so impersonable and detached from reality that I feel we would be just as well off collecting photographs of Coins, that way we can all own the very best that exists and can in fact see them in better detail than we can ever do in a slab. I say smash the slabs !!

I've managed a photo at last thats kind of clear by holding a 10 x loupe over the lettering and taken the photos with the camera held over that. First is what I now think is " R over I " Second is what I think is " R over V "

Wow ! so at least 3 x " R " over another letter , must be a load around waiting to be discovered as I found 2 out of 3 in a small lot of coins. Some great Photos there, must try and get better skills as I always seem to take 20 plus photos to get one good one and even failed and gave up on the one I asked about,after taking 50 , but on looking at the " declanwmagee " photo it seems to be same as mine , so fits in as an " R over I " as " peckris " suggested. So think I found a " R over V " and " R over I " thanks all for the info....

Many thanks " Peckris " that would fit very well, and I never knew it existed. Great Forum that we all learn something everyday from Regards Michael

The other day I bought 3 x Jubilee Sixpences 1887 and with all the interest these days in overdates and overstamps I looked at them closely . One was normal one was a very clear R over V ( see Photo )and the other had no trace of the V but the R has an identical double pieced top bar which I assume is the left top bar of the V but no other trace of the V . Ive tried a good 50 Photos of that one (must try getting a USB Microscope ) but not got a decent one. Not having seen one before I wondered if the clear R over V is a particularly good strike and the other one a much later die strike with only the top bars of the V present or visible ?

Thanks again for all the great unput. I will try and find a couple of same date (1924) and try and see if the sounds differ. I see the point about the thicker rim, it certainly give more protection to the design . I think the up to date scrap dealers have a sort of lazer device to tell the grade of scrap and sort it out. I wonder if they can also test silver (without damage) may be worth just checking the silver content that way I suppose ?

Thanks, tried my magnet and its not magnetic. Strange that the smaller denominations are very silvery in top grades, whilst the large coins always look the usual .500 pre 47 colour. Its all very useful learning new things . Never knew nickle was magnetic.

Thanks all, my rim is a bit weak at the bottom. The " Bole " one said silvered finish. How can you test Nickle Rob ? Dont suppose easy to test .925 Silver from .500 ?

Close up photo of my Obverse...Finish seems rather strange ?

First is the Bole Specimen it says GRAINED edge, is that differant to the milled edge ................... Second and third are mine. Its colour is a .925 silver colour quite unlike the normal .500 colour of pre 1947 coins Any imput much appreciated .... thanks Michael

Thanks all, ever hopeful !, Coin not really badly worn-- so a pretty well blocked date I was hoping it to be a 6 over 2 - thanks for advise.. Best Regards Michael

Not sure what you're looking at? the 2 and 6? I'd say good honest wear in the 1st picture Worn die/worn coin. It isn't 6/2 if that is what you were hoping.

Just found this..First picture mine..Second shows a normally found one Appreciate any input- thanks

Nice Charles II Crown 1666 Elephant below DNW 16 June 2010 Lot 664 Estimate £1200.00-£1500.00 Fetched £1700.00..So Buyer paid £2125.00 and the poor seller got £1394.00.Thats 65.6% !!! It looks a nice coin

I think the only Silver Coins are the CHARLES II Crowns, Halfcrowns and Shillings which are found the Elephant alone, and also with the Elephant and Castle and a WILLIAM III Halfcrown with Elephant and Castle. over VF you will find they can cost £2000.00 to £10000.00 plus. You may find a POOR Crown of Charles II around £200.00. Gold Coins turn up for all the reigns you mention and are easier to find. To find outside of the large London Auctions will take some hard searching !and most will be vastly overgraded.

Very nice and interesting coin. Been looking at my ESC for 40 years and never ever noticed it. Great posting by davidrj, with superb crisp photos in that listing.

I have always looked upon them as Proofs, but they never seem nowadays to be refered to as Proofs, though the odd one that is very "frosted on the portrait" is sometimes refered to as "prooflike" which all seems to indicate they are no longer thought of as proofs by the likes of Spinks and DNW , so I wondered why this was so ?

Are GOTHIC CROWNS with Undecimo Edge PROOFS ? I ask because Spinks and DNW etc no longer call them Proofs but ESC (1968 all I have ) Quotes Royal Mint Ex Chief Clerk Mr Stride as stating that ALL were struck in Proof state and were never issued for circulation. Why are they no longer refered to as Proofs if not the Plain Edge Type ? Anyone know why ?

Thanks Rob, I was a bit unsure as I could not make out a letter that would fit the flaw

The E in DEI would appear to be struck over something ? The " E " in " DEI " in other Charles II Halfcrowns always seems to be pretty clear . Any ideas on what its struck over if thats the case .

One thing I noticed is the vast number of Dealers Adverts (none in my old 2007 Spinks) .I'm surprised Spinks allow that because they must lose some good Coins being sold to other dealers who advertise in there.

Just got hold of mine, some big price rises since my last one (2007 so to be expected ) I see the 1841 Sovereign up from £7000 EF to £17500 EF , but I see Bonhams just sold one 14/12/2011 Lot 272 they called virtually UNC for £34800.00. Wonder what it would have fetched if Gold had not risen like it has ?

Is it out soon ? , I asked locally and they thought it would be during January 2012

I would have said FINE but it appears to have an attemped piercing between D and E of DEI and knocks across the Queens Head . With no markings your GOOD FINE would have been pretty well spot on I think .

Suppose one good thing is Fake Coins dont kill you, like all the fake medicine thats coming out of China does and even the NHS in the UK cannot normally tell that from the real thing.