Sword

Every coin collector has dreamt of owing a 1933 penny since his early days. I don't even collect pennies but would love to own a 1933 if I win the lottery. The coin is so famous and would be a great talking point. Since there are only 3 1933 pennies (2 currency and 1 proof) legitimately in private hands, even some the most serious pennies collectors have to live with gaps in their collection.

The description is clearly wrong. That purse is not silver and the "hallmarks" are actually letters "EPNS" or electroplated nickel silver.

I don't collect pennies but I would have no hesitation in choosing the 1933 over the 1954. The 1954 might be unique but the 33 is just so famous to the public at large.

I do like the simple elegance of the cruciform shields design. I am somewhat puzzled why both the Roman I and Arabic 1 were used for 1887 double florin. There is the theory that the Roman I was used by "mistake" and they switched to Arabic 1 once they have released the "error". However, that theory is not convincing since the roman I was used for florins for years afterwards.

Looks like VF to me but the edge knock between 5 and 6 o'clock on the observe is serious. The edge looks a bit dodgy at 8 o'clock too (and there is a dig on the neck too). Personally, I won't buy coins with such edge problems.

"CoinTrackers.com has estimated the 1983 D Lincoln Penny value at an average of 1 cent, one in certified mint state (MS+) could be worth $0" http://cointrackers.com/coins/13700/1983-d-lincoln-penny/ It is probably best to try finding things out for yourself using Google.

I only have a small collection which grows by 2 or 3 coins per year. Quadrum suits me perfectly as there is no movement. I house my quadrums in a three-tray lighthouse wooden box which cost ca £50. I have another which houses slabs rather than quadrums. If I have a larger collection, than a cabinet would be more sensible as having a number of these boxes would take up too much space.

According to Wikipedia "Fourteen complete or nearly complete copies are known, all on paper, plus many fragments and single leaves from vellum copies, which have survived because they were used in the bindings of later books". I think it would be totally unthinkable for anyone wanting to break up a complete version now. Sotheby's sold a leaf of the 36-line bible for $112K in 2016. The 42-line Gutenberg bible was the first major book in Europe printed using movable type 1455. The 36-line bible was printed ca 1458. The movable type was invented in China no later than the 11 century.

I visited Belgium recently and was very pleased to see one of the 14 surviving copies of the 36-line Gutenberg Bible in the Museum Plantin Moretus. Printed in 1461. I was amazed by the quality of the printing and the print is still jet black today. The colours had to be added on by hand.

Hermetically sealed just mean the slab is airtight. But I don't think the coin was sealed in vacuum. So I think in theory, the air (+ contaminants in the air) inside the slab can react with the copper content of the coin and produce verd. VS' 1935 specimen crown in a CGS slab is a good example to look at.

No, the X is on the originals as well. Here is another link: http://www.theresia.name/en/svergleich.html

Sometimes it is quite difficult to tell (for me anyway) if a green spot is actually verd or something else (surface junk, "dirt" etc etc). The coin is 90% silver with presumably 10% copper and so I guess verd is possible but not that likely. I agree with Pete that it is best to leave it in the slab. No point wasting the slabbing fee. And if you want to upgrade in the future and sell it, there are plenty of buyers just interested in PGCS grade numbers anyway.

I think it is worth following this up and ask Ebay for their reason in removing the negative feedback. The seller has wasted too much of your time and you will at least get some satisfaction with a permanent negative feedback.

"usually not to go by photographic evidence"?! Unbelievable! Glad it worked out.

He probably meant brilliant uncirculated. http://www.royalmint.com/discover/coin-collecting/striking-standards There is no frosting and so it can't be a proof coin to begin with.

Good idea. Nice way to get someone started with coins.

It is ironic that the seller used the CGS conversion table and graded it as AUNC and MS60-61. The coin is an ex NGC AU58 and LC itself graded it as GEF when it was "sold" in 2016. (I am inclined to think it might not have made the reserve on that occasion) Few can argue that Paulus' example has much better eye appeal. To be honest, I prefer the example I brought recently (which was also not as good as Paulus')

As I am only prepared to allocate a modest budget for my hobby, I try hard to avoid buying a coin just to “tick a box” or that is a low grade rare date or that is not visually appealing (either design or condition). This is precisely because if I do buy such a coin, I won’t get a big buzz or that “radiance feeling” as you put it. (Personally, I find it difficult to get excited with this QEII halfcrown design, no matter how rare the variety might be.) On a different note, I hope you will soon resolve this issue with the dealer.

They are not unfortunately. List of BNTA members: http://www.bnta.net/index.cfm?do=members&Title

The 1834 penny made me smile. He obviously learnt his grading from yestodtom.

Do post photos of your hammered coins if you have any doubt. Hopefully they are all genuine but it is nice to get some reassurance.

I wouldn't bother trying to tone the obverse side if I am going to sell it. Toning takes too long and the two sides of the coins will always look (very) different. I brought a coin described as 1902 crown AU from W&W when I first started collecting. It turned out to be a cleaned matt proof. It has been toning for six years on my sunny window sill and this is what it currently looks like.

Very good advice! I too would return the coin if the option is available. But it's no big deal if you can't. A decent example would cost about twice the price you have paid and so £85 sounds OK. The obverse is less than UNC IMO after the coin has been cleaned like that. The person probably realised he has damaged the coin after cleaning one side and so refrained from cleaning the other?

For me, I am quite certain they were 1947 florins and shillings. I remember putting aside George VI coins during my early teenage years . Never came across any "silver" coins in circulation. The George VI I got from circulation were always fine or below.

Didn't get anything this time and was under bidder on one lot. There were a couple that sold for less than what I would have paid. Might be should start attending auctions rather than just leaving commission bids...