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I finally got around to taking better images which represent my coin. Still cant get my head around finding this as cheap as I did unattributed. As I have not been posting here about my finds I now have a backlog of finds to add to my collection taking photos and sharing here found some amazing coins unattributed.

Happy Days. I think I will have a few pints in the local tonight. Given their pricing, it is clear evidence of the cost of nationwide advertsiing in papers and TV is not insubstantial - or someone has run off with the bank account funds. I would go further than no great loss, as it removes a source of overpriced material sold to people with a limited grasp on coin prices, and as an afterthought, maybe the recent IHT adjustments for pensions etc has led to the wealthy gullible reviewing their methods for passing on things to the descendants.

I rather think the silence may be more down to the sheer flood of posts and pictures you've made just recently? I got halfway through yesterday and then gave up.

It was often said if you took all the pieces of the true cross from around the med and you could build a boat out of them

Dead right Paddy. Anything for a quick buck.

Update the seller said I can return the coin if not happy so Im going to go for it.

What is the American MS64 - our GVF?

I am working on a colonial coin type collection which includes many foreign coins, including British. Recently I found a small book titled 'The Coins of Colonial America' which basically listed and illustrated coins found when the grounds of our colonial Williamsburg were dug up. My current collection has the George III embossed 8 Reale and 4 Reale coins (oval stamp) and i thought that was it. However, the book showed a set of 4 coins: 1 Reale, 2 Reale, 4 Reale and 8 Reale each with the oval embossement. My copy of the 'Coins of England', 2025, does not show the two lower denomination coins. So, i'm asking here: why not? what is the story? the photo shows the book's illustration.

It really annoys me that the slabbers call the coin a 1/2 p for gods sake its a 1/2 D

Yes, that coin now resides with me! Jerry

Full House, Queens over Kings... 😎 Five generations of this coin from the Netherlands. 38 mm, 25 g .945 fine silver Willem II - 1848 Willem III - 1874 Wilhelmina - 1898 33 mm, 15 g .720 silver (the cost of 2 world wars) Julianna - 1959 But even that couldn't be sustained in the modern world... 29mm 10 g 100% Nickel which at least gives it a decent look and feel. This was the the last Rijksdaalders as the Euros came in. Beatrix - 2001 I still need an 1840 2 1/2 Gulden of Willem I to complete the set.

Spink are offering an Historical Documents auction to their clients which features, among selected rarities, two important collections: The John Webb Collection of Important English Civil War Documents – A collection some 50 years in a ever-so-careful and judicious making… How absolutely fabulous is that? I’d love to have some of those documents!

Buy some! I will only be interested in any that correlate to troop movements which ties in specific issues of coins.

Washing works with silver but not with bronze unfortunately. You could try bathing it in light olive oil for a few days but not for too long.

It's an acceptable example, but shame about the green.

I have recently acquired x3 "True Cross" Terracotta Pilgrim Tokens. They are reported to have been commissioned by Emperor Heraclius to commemorate the recovery of the True Cross from the Persians in C630 AD. It has been reported that a small piece of the True Cross was cut off and burnt, and the ash mixed with the Clay. Although this could be a good selling pitch at the time?? The two figures beneath the Cross are supposed to be Constantine and his Mother Helena. Other reports state they are Peter & Paul? The backs are plain. One is 18mm Dia. The other two are 15mm. The two smaller pieces both have an X over both arms of the Cross. All in VGC

Your coin is not the "normal pairing" apparently (from those pictures), but shares the same pairing as the I over T - which suggests that more than one die was used for that pairing.

Not sure, but I don't think Indian. The writing appears to be using Roman letters but the style is crude for Roman Imperial. Maybe Roman provincial?

Yes there is a documented 1860 2+D variety BP1860JB V over inverted A.

Was not my intention to mislead, and for that I'm sorry. The coin is 1860 2+D.

@Coinery At first blush, it may appear unrealistic. However, it really depends on how you go about collecting, what you collect or even might consider collecting. Most collectors can and should develop a numismatic point of reference based on experiences… which include the coins seen, the state of preservation, and how often they are offered for sale in the condition desired. Frankly, the best coins I own are the ones I really was not actively seeking at the time I decided to buy them. This really turns into recognizing opportunities but not everyone wants to buy a straw hat in January.

Ok thanks for this information. I hear you. All opinions can't be taken as truths for sure. I value your objective approach to my questions and thank you for taking the time to awnser and explain.

It could certainly be a die flaw. If a developing crack in a working die has only a surface ‘gape’ then the ridge on the struck coin will be shallow and appear to run under the letters. If the crack is more advanced with a deeper gape, deeper than the incuse letters on the die, then the flaw when struck will appear to run over the letters. Statements on Facebook and other forums are just opinions, not necessarily truths. Perhaps that includes mine? Jerry

If you check my ebay listings, I have an F-275 Last 1 over 1 listed. I also have an F-275 HIGHER F OVER F in F:D: listed. I have never seen another and had questioned Iain Dracott about it, but as he had not seen the purported F/P, he could not be sure whether my coin was actually what was identified as the F/P. See attached image

Interesting page on Heritage Auctions UK comparing NGC grading to PCGS. This has been up for several months at least, it's dated 2015, and the unsigned writer clearly states his views. The link (heritageauctions.co.uk) doesn't seem to post so I've c&p'ed and compressed the paragraph spacing: HERITAGE AUCTIONS The grading of quality and rare coins is a highly specialised skill which can impact tremendously on coin values.signed There are 2 main international grading companies - NGC and PCGS both primarily based in the USA. As they both claim to work according to the Sheldon Scale of grading , one imagines that there should be a high degree of uniformity and consistency in the grading of coins, notwithstanding that sometimes human objectivity may sometimes be compromised if a grader is having an " off " day, for instance. However, levels of consistency can be compared when coins are submitted for " cross-over " grading which is where one of the 2 main companies undertakes to grade the coins at the same existing or other specified grade and will only encapsulate that coin in it's own plastic slab if the coin meets the minimum grade specified by the person submitting the coin. Otherwise the coin is returned intact in the original plastic slab and the submitter is told that the coin did not " grade ". My own experience of crossover is one where the great majority of my PCGS graded coins have failed to cross-over into a NGC slab at the same or a higher grade. I will be providing statistics as time permits. This surely is disturbing? This is why I buy as many NGC graded coins as possible from Heritage Auctions in Dallas, USA. It will be seen by looking at any of their coin auctions that a large proportion of the slabbed coins that they sell are in NGC holders, and given that they are the largest Auction house in the world that must surely say something! OldCopper now: So for older slabs at least, an interesting take. Perhaps things may have changed since.

Coins of the year 1887 are really common, just be discerning and not in a rush, I must admit unc and a/unc are harder to find but they are out there don't fall for these con merchants

Agreed!

less than EF

Sent you a message.

The lack of credibility (perceived or imagined), stemmed from the conflict of interest of the owners given the connection to LCA, through which many coins were sold at auction. Grading of their slabs in my opinion was rarely an issue, which given their association with GB coinage is as it should be. They were more familiar with British coins than the US TPGs will ever be. As ever, caveat emptor.

I have their pics of it if that's any use? Also gives the grade.

London Mint Office has now gone bankrupt. Sad for those who have lost their jobs, but no great loss otherwise.

Nice if you can get them, but Hobson's Choice requires my collection to have more than a few dogs hidden away. Still, mustn't grumble as I've done ok over the years.

Its come a long way already, I have been leaving the coin in direct sunlight with fresh air flow sat on a manilla envelope. In less than 6 months it has already taken on alot of toning.

Thanks ! In the hammered coinage there must be some varieties that command the higher premiums? For this coin I think it was mostly right place right time with alot of luck. It kind of fell into my possesion. Initially I did not find the variety, I found the coin then researched the varieties for the type. This was my first find and possibly the best to date.. You can see why and how I become totally consumed by penny varieties. Then shortly after the 1877 F90. Since then I have found many decent coins but not quite of the same calibre of those two. It was enough to be hooked for life and invest more time to learn all I can. I feel now I have run out of avenues for prospection, I find myself looking over the same coins for sale.

All these pursuits are commonly perceived as a bit eccentric or cranky, and anyone trying to explain what makes their hobby so fascinating might well be in danger of reinforcing that view! I don't necessarily agree. Coins have been a central part of everyday life for centuries. Given a few minutes I am pretty confident I can convince most folks that studying and collecting them can be both worthwhile and cool. The sharp trend away from cash transactions (presumably there's some quantification of this out there) is a dark cloud on the horizon, but the history remains.

That is a particularly good example! Jerry

Worn collars? Reduced striking force to preserve the dies? Different degrees of circulation? Wartime conditions will often lead to slightly flexible interpretation of the rules. Even within nominally identical parts, engineering tolerances can lead to something that looks wrong, even if functionally and usefully ok. Think along the lines of WW1 pennies that were often weakly struck to save replacing the dies so often.

Good points, but on the other hand there are still stamp, postcard, audio cassette, model car, etc, collectors. I think there are many areas of collecting where the object itself is long out of fashion, yet the 'collecting gene' needs to be fulfilled.

I think probably the opposite. People not using actual cash means they are exposed to less of it, or even none of it. So casual collectors who keep the odd shiny coin and perhaps get into coins that way will be far fewer. There will probably always be people who deliberately spend cash in order to get change to check and collect from but I wonder if the younger generation growing up now who have only ever paid electronically are a lot less likely to become coin collectors of any kind.

Hi, Welcome to the forums It would help a lot if we knew the dates of those coins. My own thoughts are 1) the "different" coin may be a high grade compared to the other 3, whose edges look pretty worn. 2) it's even possible that the different coin is a proof (is it dated 1937?), whose edges are sharp and crisp and even (I sound like good king Wenceslas ) compared to currency coins. Picture of the reverse of all 4 coins would be helpful.

I would agree with 9 + K. F317. The underside of the first leaf in the top 2 rows line thru. Date width covers 14 teeth. R16. Well spotted.

Hi Mike To answer your question I personally have only seen four of the Aa type . Below is a picture of the four types I have come across . Top is Ac with the 1 directly over the tooth [ I have seen about six of this type]. Next down is the normal common type Ab with the 1 slightly to the left of the tooth but the 1 its self is almost touching the tooth . Third down is very similar to Ab but the 1 is more to the left of tooth and importantly has a gap between it and the tooth { not listed by Gouby as its to similar to the common Ab type} bottom is Aa with the 1 directly over the gap between the teeth , all three of the rare types have that space between the 1 and the row of outer teeth, as Pete has already said

That picture is much clearer and yes Gouby BP1898 Ba

Did you know it's the 'bisect lines' 2nd numeral 8? Gouby marks as RARE in his latest pages. Looks like a Ba.

I'm more amused by what is allegedly a bronze penny having a fineness of .5 🤣

5 Cents Buffalo & 1884, 1923 Dollars 👍

Nerd indeed! You are paying for the beer Rob. I must admit talking about the die varieties of the 1887 sixpence has often put grandchildren to sleep. There are many unique pieces in the collection including varieties of the 14 pearl sovereign, some patterns by Lauer, and J R Thomas. Plenty of proof varieties that just are not listed anywhere and so many crowns with different rim sizes. OK I will accept slightly off the spectrum but that is what research is all about. This one is unlisted

As you are obviously monitoring this seller, could we arrange a pinned thread somewhere to list the items regularly offered together with a few pictures, or links? This can only be beneficial.

Wonderful magazine even though I haven't bought one for 25 years. My favourite was Buster Gonads and his unfeasibly large testicles. Brilliant.