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Ah, let me hide! LOL! Well, difficult call from the pictures but I suspect some of the conjecture is spot on in that there are obvious alloy mixture phenomena which can be seen on some of the "blotchiness" on the obverse bust, but I have seen such (not necessarily PURPLE) marks be referred to as "palm prints", or basically skin oil. I do hear you Cliff on the artefact nature of the purple appearance. The thought is that differential local alloy mixtures may oxidize selectively and provide subtle colour differences on surface metal. Corrosion arising from deeper metal as is seen in the most severe cases in ancient fourrees (sp?) would be more aggressive & probably not as likely IMO a cause of the reverse appearance. Uh, well, more later...

Been trawling through lots of old threads and picking up lots of info on the way. I picked up a Jubilee head crown a month ago of eBay for £40 not the worst I've ever seen but obviously not amazing either. But feel a bit daft now because if I would have joined the forum first and read the posts, I would have waited and saved up for a lot better coin as opposed to just buying any standard one in order to own one! Read a really good post with a line saying" better to have 10 really nice coins than 500 poor ones" and it really stuck. Lessoned learnt so thank you!!! Will put some photos up when I sus out how to do it.

Ordered this from Rob last night, looks to have some nice toning (halfpenny)

I've had a couple of W4 pennies in the past with similar colouration. I personally thought it contaminants in the metal, or a poor mix? I never properly investigated it however as it was never a series I was collecting, beautiful as they are. Maybe Rob or VickySilver could shed some light? I think I remember VS having some metallurgical knowledge?

Thanks Terry. Pleased to have been of some help

Thank you, 1949 3d. They were very helpful. Below are links to the six pages sent by Fitzwilliam responsive to my request, relevant to the 1877 Proof Farthing. The pages enumerated 1-6 below are: Catalogue cover page, Inside title page, auction listings including lot 174, photoplates including the 1877 Farthing, and two pages of prices realized. Additionally, for 1949 aka Mike, a photofinish of a pair of Brass Threepence (1946 & 1949) along with their sales tag as purchased from Colin Cooke. Colin had a very distinctive handwriting. Thanks to all who helped with information above. Terry / GBIECoins http://gbiecoins.net/images/1877FarthingLot174Christie23Oct1984-1.jpg http://gbiecoins.net/images/1877FarthingLot174Christie23Oct1984-2.jpg http://gbiecoins.net/images/1877FarthingLot174Christie23Oct1984-3.jpg http://gbiecoins.net/images/1877FarthingLot174Christie23Oct1984-4.jpg http://gbiecoins.net/images/1877FarthingLot174Christie23Oct1984-5.jpg http://gbiecoins.net/images/1877FarthingLot174Christie23Oct1984-6.jpg

Any cabinet which causes friction to a coin when you open it should be avoided at all costs - I believe it's actually a myth, or a euphemism for plain old "wear".

Stephen Locket always starts a lot with the phrase "£x is bid" when in fact it's often the reserve price or one bid below, which has actually NOT been bid, but he's looking for a bid at or above reserve. I was originally under the impression that a lot had been sold at the quoted price when I first observed it only to find that it was unsold.

I'll go EF on the OP and agree that there is a bit of softness on reverse but really like the obverse quality. Bit of toning unfortunate but not terrible. The MS63 that Azda posted is mine and better in hand - IMO undergraded and gotten several years ago from St James after a bit of bidding struggle. PCGS photo makes coin look darker than it is and artificially toned which it's not.

I am not convinced the VIGTORIA is scarcer than the F103 1881H Freeman (discovery) coin, yet it sold for close to twice as much. Surely that reveals a lot about how much my personal opinions are to be respected . £1400 (nearly £1650 including premium) is a bit for a coin in such a nauseating grade, yet I must concede that the LCA description is not off the mark especially when a narrow date 1877 went for a similar sum albeit 7 years ago. " probably rarer than the 1877 Narrow date coin, of which an LCGS Fine 20 example realised £7020 in our June 2010 auction " - YUCK YUCK YUCK

Actually, it didn't sell. The one i was looking at was a sixpence, a late night and eyes half closed at the time of posting

She has a lot to learn. I haven't spoken to the missus in two decades, let alone two days

I guess we are all completionists, as much as it's possible to be, depending mostly on the extent of our collecting parameters. When coming to the end of a 'basic' run of Freeman pennies, I'm guessing there'd likely be a temptation to expand it further into the more recently published micro-varieties? Equally, one might opt for the pleasure of closing a lid on something, and beginning instead a new Davies run of shillings? It's human nature, particular the nature of males, to want orderly boxes, for everything, so a micro-varietal penny collector is no less diseased (well, maybe, lol) than the collector who 'closes the lid' on a simpler Type Set, only to immediately open the lid on a new box. We just keep going on, for as long as we can suffer the tension that an open-lid box delivers upon our delicate little male brains (and the delicate little brains of some very strange females too, of course ).

Newbie. courtesy of The Coinery (Guy)

If you're interested, you can obtain a copy of the Christie's catalogue for the Freeman sale of 23.10.84, from The Fitzwilliam Museum. Only a copy, but better than nothing - link Scroll down to Christies and you'll see that the sale is there. There is an e mail address you can contact.

I do love the Davies book, I have to say!

Spent the last couple of weeks reading the Groom and Davies books and both strongly recommended. The Groom one was more suitable really for what i was looking for " The identification of British 20th century silver coin varieties ". I just need to find the coins now