Sylvester

Indeed Rendal Ingram sells them! You can buy blanks that are both parts and with the edge lettering/milling already done! But why the gold paint? If they hadn't done that then it might have passed as the real thing? (unless they were trying to hide something)

You know, i'm not actually sure, what i thought they had done was to mint the coin in cupro-nickel and to paint the outer part with gold paint. But looking at it, they might have gone the whole hog and actually produced a true bimetallic coin. I think they must have used some blank dies! Probably already had the edge lettering and milling? Although the D in shoulders looks poorly executed when compared to the real thing, but the rest are good!

HAVE ANOTHER LOOK AT THE LINK ABOVE!

i could try for nothing, but that's what it might be for... NOTHING!

You should see the edge lettering! Fantastically crafted.

Yep! See here... http://www.coinpeople.com/forums/album_per....php?user_id=36 It's well labelled! See what you think, the scan didn't highlight the gold paint look quite as much, but the obverse lettering, particularly around the DEI bit...

Scarily well Chris, i notice it straight away because of the gold paint look rather than the brass look. The edge lettering is superb, the coin looks totally real apart from the weak struck obverse lettering, and the gold paint look. It was obvious to me, i knew what it was as she handed it over to me, but i was more interested in examining it thoroughly than refusing to accept it.

Also please be aware of the increasing number of £2 coin forgeries, it appears they are on the rise. I got one myself the other day.

Yes, I don't know if you know but it was Isaac Newton who said it. I think it was in a letter to Robert Hooke when he said "If I see further, it is because I stand on the shoulders of giants," Ineed it was, and Mr Newton was also behind the silver reconage of 1696 and the elimination of the hammered stuff. Also master of the mint for several years during Anne's reign. Very fitting i thought.

William, The first bit was German and asking for a cup of tea minus milk and sugar... The French bit was stating 'i don't speak French!' (in fluent French nonetheless!) Fun hey? Syl.

Oooh yes I'm sure loads of people would apprecate all those heavy coins jingling around in their pockets! Btw, they [the general public] probably wouldn't appreciate the sheer brilliance of the Gothic series. The £2 has become quite popular though, many people hoard them... I also think that that coin's design is also a work of brilliance, it's so well thought out and carries lots of historical meaning. I also like way the edge lettering 'standing on the shoulders of giants' stands upon the very edge of the brass ring, which stands on the achievement of all the others. Pure genius that coin. Pity about the obverse.

It's a shilling!

Yeah my dad got given a ruler to pick it up with... (those were the days!) Now your grandfather sounds like the kind of Chemistry teacher most kids would have wanted! I bet the attendence rates would go up, and so would the chemistry pass rates! (probably the school mortality rates too!)

Could be one of three things, a halfcrown, a shilling or a sixpence. But you'd have to give me the size in diameter before i can tell you which of those it is. It's sterling silver, but sounds as if it has been mounted at the top and thus collector value will be near nil. But it'll still hold its bullion value.

What did the teacher say? Mind you my father once knocked over a nice big jar of mercury whilst he was at school...

I'll PM you with an email address!

It's just that the wear shows more on the obverse, and the overall quality of strike of the piece is also most evident on the obverse. A little faded sounds fairly promising... quite often you can only figure out the outline of the portrait, or less!

Indeed. Buy your 20th Century BU Farthings from Chris Perkins in future - the best guy in town! plug I bought some scrap silver from Sharpclaw, talk about acid dipped... yeuk, you couls see where the surface was patchy due to being eaten away at by the acid... Pretty cool coins none the less, but not what i was expecting! (ha the evils of dipping... i dunno what they used, but it must have been aqua regis! )

That side doesn't look too bad, slightly uneven creased flan, v chip on one side, some other small chips. All in all not too bad, i've seen a hell of alot worse! I'll have to reserve judgement though till i've seen the other side... the important one! I'm sure Chris will be along later, and he might know what to do!

Yes, never a dull moment! I like Terry Pratchett books! Also like to read the odd Dickens book. In fact i tend to collect books, i've got some dated 1793 somewhere, also collect first editions, even got myself a Charles Dickens first edition taking pride of place on the shelf... and that cost a fair bit too, i could have bought a nice gold Guinea instead of that book. Also got some other old paper documents, one from 1750ish, it's fun just trying to read it. Also collect pocket watches on and off, and general silver, got some Georgian spoons somewhere. And i spend time with my friends. Oh and i like the Simpsons!

Sharpclaw, that name rings a bell! I think i've come across him, not good if i remember rightly.

Ah you could say that! It's caught me out once before...

I might be around on here later, but i've got some stuff to do first, if i get back then i'll give you a rough idea of the value.

Ah that site closed down a few days ago, but you might want to try here instead... I think that's the right link, it'll take a while to load... i really went to town. And i've got another pic to add. http://www.coinpeople.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=2210 conversely it might be quicker to look at some of those pics on here instead... (plus there's less to read!) http://www.tclayton.demon.co.uk/pics/six1.html

Have you got an obverse pic to go with that? Obverses being the area where most wear occurs. Looks a decent grade though...