Sword

LCA photos of 1888 halfcrown (described as UNC with colourful tone and some very light contact marks)

Now these are CGS photos (later graded as CGS 85)

I do think CGS photos somewhat better than LCA photos. I will give two random examples. These are LCA photos of 1902 matt proof crown (graded as nFDC)

Charles II portrait punch. It was used as a master tool to make dies. Reverse punch of Charles II.

Trial plates were used to test the purity of coins. These are the Commonwealth and Charles II Plates.

I spent a day in the Tower of London recently and was impressed by the coins they have on display. Firstly, the Petition Crown. Simply an amazing coin.

There was a little blue colour around part of the edge when I brought it. It has been getting bigger since. Likewise the brown colour has been developing from the rim inwards.

Oh, it is inside of the window. I would never dare to leave a coin outside!

Initially I covered it loosely with the lid of a coin capsule. However nothing happened for ages. Then I took away the capsule lid and use a blower to remove the dust on the coin once in a while. That window gets the sun in the afternoon and it must have helped.

Since "cleaned and retoned" has been talked about lately, I will post my example of such a thing. It was one of the first coins I brought (from an auction house in Warwickshire). It was described as "1902 crown AUNC". I was very inexperienced at the time and didn't realise that the description should have been "1902 matt proof crown, cleaned". It has been toning on my window sill for several years now and is gradually looking better.

Thanks for your advice guys. I am into halfcrowns at the moment and will try out Quadrums / Everslab as the coins will fit perfectly in 32mm holes.

I know this have been discussed before but I still need some advice. What is the safest way to store a high grade coin so that it can withstand some “rough handling”? We all know the conventional wisdom is to use a coin cabinet, wear gloves, don’t talk and control humidity. However, I am just not the careful type and have picked up some bad habits from my childhood days when I was collecting modern proofs sealed in plastic. I have a habit of looking at my coins during TV adverts and sometimes even on the garden table when the weather is nice. Initially I tried coin capsules but immediately realised that even with less than 1mm of extra space, the coins can rattle a bit and might pick up high point friction. I have read some nice things about quadrums. However, the foam holes also come in 1mm increments and so in theory the coins won’t be held totally tight either. I confess to using CGS when I was buying high grade coins from LCA. However, we all know what happened to CGS and it is no longer an option. Currently, I am using 2x2 self-adhesive coin holders. I like the way the coin is sealed in. However, the problem is that the coin stands proud of the card holder and I am worried it rubbing against surfaces. So to be safe, I would cut up another coin holder, remove the plastic windows and stick the two halves on the original holder. This way, I have double the thickness of the card and the coin is no longer proud. Am I just paranoid about friction? Are coin capsules and quadrums 100% safe even if there is a tiny bit of movement?

Many thanks for your expertise gents.

My understanding is that you can access photos, population reports, CGS valuations etc. once you have paid the £99. In addition, you can also apply to be a grading member if you pay a £499 deposit upfront (unless you have slabbed enough coins with them in the past) If you don't want any more coins graded but simply want to access the CGS data such as photos, then they intend to charge £49 for it. However, this level of service is not currently available and you will have to wait. http://www.coingradingservices.co.uk/lcgs_menu/price.php You might want to consider trying to take your own photos instead.

You can no longer download CGS photos from the London Coins site unless you have paid unfortunately.

My Charles I halfcrown has been delivered today and the weight is 15.09g. Can anyone tell me what is the acceptable weight range? Thanks.

GF examples are indeed very common in auctions. Thanks for the link. Looks like I might want to aim for better than just VF. This particular coin type loses its appeal for me if one of Edward's eyes is not showing well (as in GF examples)

Just to add that Guy (The Coinery) has also been super efficient when it comes to delivery. I brought the coins on Friday afternoon and he posted it on Saturday morning by royal mail special delivery. Guy even took the trouble to PM me the tracking number immediately afterwards. P&p was also included in the purchase price. The plastic slabs themselves were in excellent condition too. I am very happy with the coins. He certainly has my recommendation!

Thanks!

It is 26020 for the halfcrown, 12776 for the florin

Unfortunately, the photo loophole was closed before I could download higher resolution photos of the 1935

Sure. Here they are. I was lucky and was able to view photos for a couple of hours before London Coins closed this loophole for ever. The toning makes it rather difficult for to see the details in the hair and beard in the photo.

Oh, nothing special. Just two common George V types that I wanted. (1923 Florin CGS 82 and 1935 halfcrown CGS 82) The 1923 has a nice gold toning. The 1935 is BU.

I have just brought a couple of coins from Guy and am really pleased with them.

Many thanks for the advice Tom. I confess that I have never handled a hammered coin before and so your tips are really appreciated. I totally agree that eye appeal is even more important for hammered. (I really won't enjoy owing a near mint coin that has weak king's feature for instance) I have been looking at coins from the DNW, LCA and Lockdale websites for quite a while to get an idea of the sort of coins available. I think I will need to save up for an Edward VI shilling next. Having said I am aware that a VF problem free example is pricey.