Sword

It was just an arbitrary decision taken by them in the beginning.

Authentication I guess. You might have a very rare variety with a minor flan flaw for example.

"Rejected" coins still get encapsulated (with a yellow label instead of white). In addition, a grade (UNC details, AU details, EF details etc) is also given but without a number.

I totally agree that a slabbing company should tell you why they didn't slab a coin. That should be part of the service and it's just good manners. However, I think it is right that they charge their fee even if a coin is rejected. You paid for their opinion and not for a favourable outcome. If someone do an operation in a private hospital, they have to pay the fee regardless.

You get charged the full fee regardless. The argument is that the company has to do the same amount of work regardless.

I think if a coin has retoned after dipping, then the original "cleaning" would be very difficult to detect (provided it has not lost its lustre after the dipping).

I think more than half the 1927 sets for sale in the UK are in leather cases. They do look rather smart. E.g. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/203507359175?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=710-134428-41853-0&mkcid=2&itemid=203507359175&targetid=1281240839185&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=1007246&poi=&campaignid=12126078237&mkgroupid=117862863250&rlsatarget=pla-1281240839185&abcId=9300480&merchantid=116637687&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI0cnSsOPW8QIVB-rtCh0O7g2AEAQYAiABEgIte_D_BwE This is a prototype box as the standard all have white inserts. A prototype box for a set of prototype coins make sense to me as the leather cases might only be available later on.

These cardboard boxes are genuine. The 1927 set was issued with a choice of leather case or cardboard box. Sets in cardboard boxes were issued at a price of 15 shillings. Sets in leather cases cost 6 shillings more at one pound and one shilling.

Information from the Royal Mint describes the 1927 box as "leather case" if it helps.

The movie features some heroic sacrifices which are questionable but worked out well later on. Hence the feel good factor. Most people probably thought it was dumb that the team did not escape in the tunnel at half time because they want to play the second half in an attempt to win. However, they did manage an unlikely draw against the biased refereeing. In addition, they managed a very unlikely escape justifying their decision to play in the first place. Pele's goal even got a standing ovation from the German officer who organised the match. That also felt good.

I remember the film well and can still visualise Pele's amazing goal. It is certainly a feel good movie.

Stunning.

Why did Glens mention hairlines when there are in fact none? If it was a mistake, then why didn't the vendor object? Well done in acquiring it in any case. :-) Also, that was 16 years ago when standards were higher. The phrase "cleaned with hairlines" has a somewhat different meaning today...

"Clean" would imply rubbing or polishing to me. I don't think auction houses would mention previous "careful removal of lumps of dirt or grease" as they probably wouldn't know in the first place. "Of bright appearance" would imply likely dipping.

He has indeed. Copied from Baldwin's fixed price list. https://issuu.com/baldwinscoins/docs/baldwin_s_fpl_2014_w_-_for_issuu.co Page 123.

This remains me of a dialogue from the film Inglorious Basterds: Perrier LaPadite: Rats spread diseases. They bite people. Col. Hans Landa: Rats were the cause of the bubonic plague, but that's some time ago. I propose to you, any disease a rat could spread, a squirrel could equally carry. Would you agree? Perrier LaPadite: Oui. Col. Hans Landa: Yet I assume you don't share the same animosity with squirrels that you do with rats, do you? Perrier LaPadite: No. Col. Hans Landa: But they're both rodents, are they not? And except for the tail, they even rather look alike, don't they?

I might try a combination of repellent sprays and ultrasonic repellents. The type which uses solar power in addition to batteries is probably best. I have used them with some degree of success for cats but don't know how effective they are for squirrels. (You can adjust the frequency for different type of pests). Apparently they also work for teenage kids as they can hear higher frequencies than us. I read that some councils have been using them to discourage kids from gathering at certain spots.

I suspect the coins would look OK once they have been straighten out.

My side effect lasted less than a day. I felt like someone was sticking needles at the top of my shoulder periodically. I have also heard that the side effects can be severe for those who actually had covid.

Nearly all hobbies start off as luxuries and indulgences.But some (not me though) do eventually become expert enough to make some money from their interests. Others just do it for the fun.

I have decided to give acetone a go. It's quite a nice George V halfcrown but the dirty mark on the cheek has been seriously irritating me. The result is quite good. There is only a trace of the mark left now which is much less distracting than before.

That's an impressive coin, even for those not normally interested in errors.

There was a thread about his appointment at the time. http://www.predecimal.com/forum/topic/11188-new-managing-director-at-baldwins/?tab=comments#comment-149669

He was appointed MD of Baldwins in 2016 and left the running of Colin Cooke to Lee Brownson.

One problem with cotton gloves is that they don't come in enough different sizes. The gloves I get are usually too big for my hands and this can make handling more difficult. I think there is no point wearing gloves when picking up hammered coins by the edge. There is probably enough "stuff" on the edges since the items have been around for hundreds of years already. The main concern from the video about wearing gloves is the added risk of dropping the coin and causing edge knocks. Surely, this danger can be eliminated by using a decent padded surface when examining coins just in case of accidents? Would you want to handle a rare plain edge proof with bare hands? You probably wouldn't if you consider the edge to be the third surface of a coin. I think it would be a good idea to use a little air blower remove dust or lint from surfaces on lustrous coins.