IanB

If it is acid the etched surface will probable look grainy, also as it etches the vertical sides may start to undercut as they are exposed to the acid but I imagine it was not left in to long as the etched surface still has plenty of detail. If they did a good job on it they would have put resist around the circumference of the coin as well otherwise that may show signs of etching also.

The 1 pence looks like it has been etched with acid, the unexposed bits had a resist painted on and then the coin placed in a solution of whatever acid will eat away the unprotected parts. left in just long enough to strip away the first few microns.

I have a question regarding the dot on my 1897 penny. I have been following the thread so decided to have another look at my example and noticed what I think is the start of another dot just to the right of the upper serif of the N. Anyway I wanted to compare my coin with other examples so typed in a search and ended up on the London Coins website where I noticed that some 1909 pennies had a dot in the same position next to the N, there is also a picture of a 1909 with what look to me like a 1897 and a 1909 dot. http://www.londoncoins.co.uk/?page=Pastresults&auc=142&searchlot=2725&searchtype=2 Anyway my question is was the same die used on both coins and as one dot became weaker did the other dot become stronger? I also noticed a dot on the serif on the other side of my N but I figured that may have more to do with damage to the serif than anything else. I think I am going dot crazy. Your thoughts please even if its to tell me to stop looking at dots!

Thanks Azda, I can see what you mean on the 1841 penny, very bright and looks polished but the original quote was for the 1853 penny. Is that bright as well?

As a bit of advice to a novice, could you give some indication as to how you can tell it has been cleaned?

Hi Liam, If you reply back to your own message you will see a text box and in the bottom right hand corner a tab with "insert other media" click this and you should be able to download from your desktop or wherever else you store your photos. There is a 500kb limit so you may have to resize to make it fit. Otherwise create a Flickr account and post the URL in your message. Hope that all makes sense. Also welcome to the forum. Ian

I have the 2015 edition and it works on my iPad no problems. Read it through the Kindle app.

It might just be eyes but the pictures look more like a drawing rather than a photo, maybe photoshop?

My first attempt at Flickr and one of my first attempts at photographing a coin https://www.flickr.com/photos/29132520@N02/?

I am going to take a guess and say they were probably minted by the millions and there are still a lot of them around.

Thanks Frank they look nice. Sorry cannot comment on their value or your other questions. Like your self I am new to collecting but there are lots of helpful people on here who will be able to give you the answer. Again like yourself I have been buying off eBay but have made a promise to myself to start buying from reputable dealers and fairs. If you follow the messages you soon start to see dealers names popping up frequently and its good to view their sites and compare the quality against some of the stuff on eBay. Having said that it's still worth checking eBay for the occasional gem. good hunting. Ian

Hi Frank can you put a link to the coins please so we can have a look.

Thank you once again Nordle for pointing me in the right direction. Happy New Year to you

Hi guys Any chance of explaining what exactly is die clashing and why is it it happening only at this place on the coin and not on other parts? Thanks

Thank you Nordle, that makes a lot of sense. I guess whenever machinery is involved in any form of production then small bits of dirt and grease will find its way onto the item no matter how clean they try to be

I have a 1855 half penny that has some serifs missing on the I in BRITANNIAR. The top one looks like there is a dent on the upright with perhaps the smallest trace of a serif, the bottom one is just not there. Is this a fault in stamping or can serifs just break off over time? Does a missing serif make it rare?Missing serif.pdf

Had another go. Using a mobile phone and photographing through a magnifying glass

I will try and get a better picture with a bit of an angle to it rather than straight on

Second picture of penny. Thank you

Just got hold of this penny. The question is, is it a 1897 penny with a spot between the O and N? It is quite small but I have had a look at some other examples and it looks like it is in the right place. I will send a second picture on another message as the one on this post is near the 500kb limit

I am trying to have a go at grading and identifying any issues before purchasing and this coin has caught my eye on Ebay http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/151909645381?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT I have looked at the Rotographic book Collectors Coins (Ihave the 2014 version) also checked some of the auction sites and I think it is the standard 1897 penny. However it just looks too clean, does it look like it might have been cleaned? I can see some fine line in the bottom right hand corner of the reverse. Also the description mentions it is stained on the obverse, is that something I should be wary of? I am going to estimate its grade at VF on the obverse but slightly better on the reverse. If I am right, its not an expensive coin but I want to start sorting the wheat from the chaff. Any help and guidance gratefully received.

Thank you Nordle, the link to their site is very useful for future reference. I can see how getting their grading can increase or decrease the value of a coin. So far the price is £127 and climbing.

Thank you for getting back so quickly on this. So when the seller states that it has been graded by CGS as EF, they are not being truthful?

I have been keeping an eye on this coin on eBay http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Extremely-Rare-Victoria-2mm-Penny-1895-CGS-EF-/321939588551?hash=item4af51845c7:g:R90AAOSwAKxWYcef&autorefresh=true With the intention of bidding on it but it looks like there is a lot of interest in it, so probably will not get involved in an expensive bidding war particularly this close to Christmas. Anyway in an an attempt to learn a bit more on the subject I notice that the coin has been graded by CGS but it has a reject verdigris tag on it could anyone explain what this means and how it effects the price one might be expected to pay for it. Do they reject for any other things? I have had a look on some other selling sites and there are a couple of examples on a site called Colin Cooke coins. 2mm. GEF traces of lustre £875 & 2mm. Unc Good Lustre/BU Almost Full Lustre (Slabbed CGS 75) £995. At some point I would like to start purchasing some high quality coins but I understand I have a lot to learn. I am happy to make some cheap mistakes but would really prefer not to make any expensive ones.