Grading Advice1758 Shilling

[Peckris]

I would have said AVF myself, although I know I tend to be harsh on VF coins and lenient on F (probably because when I started upgrading my Charles II crowns in the late 90s, Spink tended to quote them as £75 F & £450 VF - subconsciously the huge % difference has stuck in my mind!)

Traditionally there was a huge gap between VF and F. The top three grades - based on their descriptions - were quite close together, but F lagged some way behind them, often referred to as "the minimum state acceptable to collectors". Now there seems a more even spacing, which in practice means that the standards for EF and VF have dropped. (and even for F, some would say).

[Gary]

Well here's my 8 string (I think) effort, trying to decide whether the 7 string qualifies for my type collection!

Nice Shilling Paulus, better than mine.

As for the number of Harp strings being a Die indicator Coincraft do state that it is only a possibility that this is the reason for the varying number.

[pokal02]

I'd tend to agree that standards for VF & EF have dropped, it used to be said that a VF coin should 'look uncirculated' at a casual glance. I wish Spink would publish a book on the lines of 'Standard Guide to grading English Coins' going back to 1662 (or better still 1551) - then I'd know whether to re-grade my whole collection! (Have compared the picture of the VF James II crown (shown as a grading example) in this year's Spink catalogue with two graded VF & AVF in Dec 2002 Num circular - I think the earlier ones are very slightly better).

[Red Riley]

I'd tend to agree that standards for VF & EF have dropped, it used to be said that a VF coin should 'look uncirculated' at a casual glance. I wish Spink would publish a book on the lines of 'Standard Guide to grading English Coins' going back to 1662 (or better still 1551) - then I'd know whether to re-grade my whole collection! (Have compared the picture of the VF James II crown (shown as a grading example) in this year's Spink catalogue with two graded VF & AVF in Dec 2002 Num circular - I think the earlier ones are very slightly better).

I seem to remember that being said in the Coin Yearbook maybe 40 years ago, but my hazy memory recalls it as being about EF. I have to say that I would be unhappy with a grading system that graded only the very best coins and left 95% of the available material to fight over the grades from Fine to Dreadful. Apart from anything else it would turn coin collecting into a rich persons' club to the detriment of the vast bulk of collectors.