How much is this Sovereign worth?

[Vitamin]

I have this George V 1911 Sovereign - apparently it is 'Canadian struck', it looks like it's in pretty good condition but I haven't had it graded (yet). Anyone have any idea what it should be worth?

it's here:

http://quornlondon.tripod.com/1911sovereign

[Geoff T]

The Ottawa mint 1919 sovereign is a little scarcer than the other mints, so you're looking at up to £125 if the coin is UNC and around £85 in EF.

[Vitamin]

Thanks for that - what makes it scarcer? Were there less made? or have more been 'lost'?

How much does it cost to get a coin 'graded' officially? and where would I go to do that? - is it worth doing?

[Master Jmd]

Thanks for that - what makes it scarcer? Were there less made? or have more been 'lost'?

it usually matters on mintage, not how many were 'lost', the mintage is only 171,042 - whereas other 1919 sovereigns were in the million minted amount.

[Chris Perkins]

Thanks for that - what makes it scarcer? Were there less made? or have more been 'lost'?

How much does it cost to get a coin 'graded' officially? and where would I go to do that? - is it worth doing?

It's generally not something that is done with British coins, the only grading services are based in America, and to be perfectly honest I don't like the idea of getting a coin officially graded and sealed in a holder. And I think it would be expensive (and risky) to send your coins to America to be sealed in.

Different people have different opinions, so post a picture of the coin here in order to gauge an average opinion, or take it to show coin dealers face to face, who will also give you opinions. An opinion from a good coin dealer is just as reliable as a plastic holder.

[Half Penny Jon]

I would only get my coins graded if they were really rare or really valuable. Otherwise, it is just too expensive. I don't mind buying slabbed coins though because they give me an accurate valuation.

[Geoff T]

I'm not convinced that slabbing is that good an idea. It's redolent of an approach which wants to categorise and label everything and say "this is the definitive solution, therefore all others are deemed wrong" - whether it's the grading of a coin, the definitive diet, the "true" religion or the perfect self-help manual guaranteed to bring you happiness. Things are generally too complex to be divided along either/or lines, whether you're talking coins or good guys/bad guys. So treat slabbing with a healthy suspicion and use your own judgement.

[Master Jmd]

I'm not convinced that slabbing is that good an idea. It's redolent of an approach which wants to categorise and label everything and say "this is the definitive solution, therefore all others are deemed wrong" - whether it's the grading of a coin, the definitive diet, the "true" religion or the perfect self-help manual guaranteed to bring you happiness. Things are generally too complex to be divided along either/or lines, whether you're talking coins or good guys/bad guys. So treat slabbing with a healthy suspicion and use your own judgement.

sorry, but what's 'slabbing'?

[Chris Perkins]

sorry, but what's 'slabbing'?

It's what Americans do to coins, in order to help them measure their personal wealth more accurately

Basically it is the process of sealing a coin into a plastic holder (called a slab as a nickname). The holder is marked with the grading company's name, and the grade of the coin according to them. The coin cannot be broken out without damaging the slab.

In my experience slabbed non US coins are often graded questionably, from the British slabbed coins I have seen.

[Master Jmd]

sorry, but what's 'slabbing'?

It's what Americans do to coins, in order to help them measure their personal wealth more accurately

Basically it is the process of sealing a coin into a plastic holder (called a slab as a nickname). The holder is marked with the grading company's name, and the grade of the coin according to them. The coin cannot be broken out without damaging the slab.

In my experience slabbed non US coins are often graded questionably, from the British slabbed coins I have seen.

so like a capsule but a bit more protective...thanks

[Half Penny Jon]

I didn't know that they don't sometimes grade UK coins accurately. Mind you, I have seen a few coins which I was a bit suspicious of because they did seem a little undergraded.

[Coppers]

Slabbing is one of the reasons I gave up on collecting American coins. Does anyone truly believe that the grading services can accurate distinguish between eleven grades of mint state? I've seen too many examples of VF's in AU-58 slabs and EF's in mint state slabs to put any faith in the grades they assign.

[Chris Perkins]

Slabbing is one of the reasons I gave up on collecting American coins. Does anyone truly believe that the grading services can accurate distinguish between eleven grades of mint state? I've seen too many examples of VF's in AU-58 slabs and EF's in mint state slabs to put any faith in the grades they assign.

Yes, I had a VF British 1915 Half Crown once (maybe even VF was pushing it, it was perhaps even AVF).

It was slabbed and graded by I can't remember who, but it was one of the big companies, as AU55! It had loads of wear on both sides. I'm sure they look at them through powerful magnifiers etc, and I'm sure they mean well, but at the end of the day, they too are human. I had to break the coin out.

And a respected human coin dealer who specialises in the coin you are showing him, would probably let you know what grade he thinks it is for free.

[william]

And a respected human coin dealer who specialises in the coin you are showing him, would probably let you know what grade he thinks it is for free.

Now I wonder who that is....