CHARLES 1

[RICHARD]

RECENTLY PURCHASED A CHARLES 1 SHILLING ON E.BAY, MAINLY FOR ITS PORTAIT, RATHER CLIPPED BUT NICE, ON VERY CLOSE INSPECTION IT APPEARS TO BE SILVER PLATED ON COPPER? NEVER SEEN THIS BEFORE.

ANY IDEAS.

RICHARD

[Peter]

Whiffs of forgery.

Whether Charles 1 or modern.

Can you post a picture or give a link to the Ebay item.

[RICHARD]

THESE ARE THE PICS OFF E.BAY

I THINK THAT IT IS SPINK S2793 AHS SMALL SPECKS OF VERDIGRIS ON THE REVERSE, SEEMS A LOT OF EFFORT TO GO TO FOR SUCH A COMMON COIN IF IT IS A MODERN FORGERY.

[RICHARD]

ANOTHER PIC

[Peter]

A great obverse.

Geoff T will no doubt give you his opinion.

I would of bid on the pictures supplied ...looks nice.

[Rob]

RECENTLY PURCHASED A CHARLES 1 SHILLING ON E.BAY, MAINLY FOR ITS PORTAIT, RATHER CLIPPED BUT NICE, ON VERY CLOSE INSPECTION IT APPEARS TO BE SILVER PLATED ON COPPER? NEVER SEEN THIS BEFORE.

ANY IDEAS.

RICHARD

The verdigris will be from small inclusions of copper in the silver. Don't forget that the silver used was never pure and always had another metal (frequently copper) added to give the appropriate purity. .925 silver has 7.5% impurity This may or may not be evenly dispersed within the silver depending on whether the adduct was fully melted prior to being poured from the crucible. Copper is the usual material used as it is a natural impurity in silver and vice-versa. In fact, if you plate copper, silver or gold with any of the other two elements, over time you will get migration of one material into the other at the interface between the two metals due to their chemical compatibility. It is therefore quite common to see spots within silver coins which are either green or black depending on the oxidation state of the copper. i.e.Nothing to worry about unless the whole flan appears to be copper underneath the silver. If you are not happy, ask for a refund but personally I would be happy with it if there are only one or two spots.

[Geoff T]

A great obverse.

Geoff T will no doubt give you his opinion.

I would of bid on the pictures supplied ...looks nice.

I'm flattered, but Charles I isn't my area and I don't feel I'm in a position to comment.

One of these days I ought to grasp tbe nettle and learn about the complexities of Charles I coinage, but in general my knowledge of any hammered coins is pretty limited.

Sorry to disappoint - Geoff