Question for the Hammered boys

[Coinery]

Found this laying on top of the foreshore last year. Obviously uncleaned. My absolute favourite Monarch, so was delighted with it.

In my heart of hearts, mine too, my first ever coin was Her's!

Edited May 22, 2012 by Coinery

[Debbie]

So patience is not a virtue of mine. I bought this common type Venetian Soldino from the 1400’s, simply because I liked the look of it and it has an interesting history. it wasn’t expensive (£14) and I wanted to see a hammered coin.

It came today and I can’t believe how small and thin it is! No wonder you could drop them – they would float to the ground!

[TomGoodheart]

So patience is not a virtue of mine. I bought this common type Venetian Soldino from the 1400’s, simply because I liked the look of it and it has an interesting history. it wasn’t expensive (£14) and I wanted to see a hammered coin.

It came today and I can’t believe how small and thin it is! No wonder you could drop them – they would float to the ground!

Nice little coin. Michele Steno is it? Apparently these circulated illegally as halfpennies! Cool bit of history Debbie!

http://finds.org.uk/medievalcoins/denominations/denomination/id/170

[Debbie]

Thank you Richard. Always nice to get approval from someone who knows what he's talking about!

[TomGoodheart]

Thank you Richard. Always nice to get approval from someone who knows what he's talking about!

Ah. I can only claim to be someone who sounds as if he knows what he's talking about!

[Peter]

Richard

You would of been a top bloke to sit next in class.

At college I had an architect who was useless at maths, his father and grandfather were architects.I dragged him through and was rewarded with loads of ale and many trips out in a Triumph Herald...trouble is he couldn't pull himself around a room.

[Coinery]

I've just snatched a raggy-edged penny, but with a very nice bust for £5!

Wouldn't mind seeing that Stuart.

Will put it up the moment it arrives!

As promised but, brace yourself, it's a bit of a shocker! I bought this just for the bust, but it's turned out to be a bit too pitted in all the wrong places for what I want...guess you can't win 'em all! Not such a good buy after all!

[Debbie]

Still its good to see anyway, thanks Stuart. Is pitting quite common then? As a novice I may have mistaken that for casting bubbles. Anyway now you have the perfect coin for experimenting with your engraving kit....never come accross an engraved hammered

[Peckris]

Still its good to see anyway, thanks Stuart. Is pitting quite common then? As a novice I may have mistaken that for casting bubbles. Anyway now you have the perfect coin for experimenting with your engraving kit....never come accross an engraved hammered

The big difference is that casting bubbles are often raised, i.e. in relief (depending on whether the casting is used for a die, or for the coin itself), whereas pitting always shows as indentations, i.e. "pits". Also, pitting is usually irregular in size and spread, where casting bubbles are often found in little clusters, of roughly the same size.

Edited May 25, 2012 by Peckris

[Coinery]

Still its good to see anyway, thanks Stuart. Is pitting quite common then? As a novice I may have mistaken that for casting bubbles. Anyway now you have the perfect coin for experimenting with your engraving kit....never come accross an engraved hammered

The big difference is that casting bubbles are often raised, i.e. in relief (depending on whether the casting is used for a die, or for the coin itself), whereas pitting always shows as indentations, i.e. "pits". Also, pitting is usually irregular in size and spread, where casting bubbles are often found in little clusters, of roughly the same size.

Also the pits can be caused, as I think is the case with this coin, by impurities in the flattened ingots, which allows the silver to delaminate, or creates micro-thin flat pockets to be more accurate. Whilst it's not that clear in the photo, there are light creases along the pitting line, which will of course stressed the surface and caused the delaminated silver to quite literally pop off as the coins surface has worn thinner. The bottom of all the pits appear flat'ish' under close inspection, whereas external corrosive attacks on the silver would have left a more irregular bottom, for want of a better word!

Edited May 25, 2012 by Coinery

[Debbie]

Very informative - thanks both. What was the percentage of silver used in hammered coins then?

[Peter]

It varied...old copper nose (Henry V111)

Fine silver issue coins of Edward V1.

Generally our coinage was the finest and even imitated and accepted by many nations.

worth a google

[Geordie582]

Yes! The quality of English silver in Edward Ist reign was the best in Europe so the Europeans were fast at imitating English coins. Here's a couple of examples.

http://www.omnicoin.com/coins/963292.jpg Robert of Bethune (Flanders)

http://www.omnicoin.com/coins/899184.jpg William count of Namur (Belgium)

Quite good forgeries!

[azda]

Quoted as AEF, your opinions..

[Coinery]

Quoted as AEF, your opinions..

Had a similar grade coin, without the 'edge,' struggled to come even close to a VF price on sale! Too common, everyone who wants one has one and, those who haven't, know too little, and aren't playing at that level YET! IMO

If it's to resale, which I'm sure it is, only if it's being given away!

[azda]

Its not for buying, i was nust smiling at the European grading and ridiculous price of €450

[Coinery]

Its not for buying, i was nust smiling at the European grading and ridiculous price of €450

Wow, £350+ translated, could be a long while waiting! With a full flan, probably a fair price, and considerably more, as a collector!

Edited May 27, 2012 by Coinery