VickySilver

I have posted on this many times, but in reference to those struck for foreign countries. Mintages are occasionally the following: Authorised limits Number Struck Number released, subtracting returns, etc. These are probably not important for releases that number in the tens of thousands, but more important with scarcer bits. That having been said, I wish they would release net figures for all the unc. and proof Queen's Beasts.....

That Sir, is a very crisp strike. Metal colour a little funky but the stike is excellent and amongst the best I've seen. Notice the lack of ghosting as well!!

I really had near-conniptive fits trying to find one. IMO the 1918 H is also harder to find in well struck condition with hair/moustache detail, etc. and not excessive ghosting. Please show some photos of 1918H and 1919H coins that are well struck of good metal and pleasing appearance if possible.

Yikes, I am scared of xylene and had just a bit too much chemistry to use that one. A possible "treatment" algorithm that I use is: Warm soapy water (with dish detergent) and use of fingers to work it into the crevices and then liberal wash with same tap water (if there are not too many minerals in it) and then tamp dry with a high nap white cotton towel. Acetone works well, but this is what I do: First buy it from Home Depot (or equivalent) - this works out in the States to be about 6-8 quid I soak one of those same high nap white cotton towels and then tamp the surface - NO RUB - and then use a soaked cotton bud (the kind with looser cotton head on it) and use the same tamp method. I then wash liberally with water and detergent and then just water. Tamp dry with towel. If these don't work, or there is oxidation on/in the surface metal, I pull out the household ammonia (the kind without dye) and use the soak method, then follow with the same old cotton bud tamp treatment; then the soap and water, followed by the water. Tamp dry with towel. The next choices are a bit tougher as I don't know what sorts of coin cleaning products are available in the UK now. I use the same tamp application method and always follow with the soap and water, then water and tamp dry procedures.... I have used MS70, Coin Care and Blue Ribbon....

You know, IMO, that the 1919 H if superb and WELL STRUCK of good metal should be considered amongst the best of these branch mint coins of this era. They are nearly always mushy, or of poor colour (possibly as a result of metal mix??) and seem to have problems of some sort. For some reason I have soaked up a few of these over the years and have rather nice 18 and 19 KNs with little sweat involved (and they were about equally priced). I am hard pressed to pick a value for a mint RB (OK that is for Red Brown) with good strike, metal and presentation. CC has about maxed that price IMO.

Thanks Nick and Sword, I am a nincompoop when it comes to pictures technology. I was still shocked when the grade was only 61 with NO HAIRLINES OR MARKS under magnification...

The coin is not tampered with and was a trial/proof strike. The coin came from an odd source and eventually was sourced through Mark Rasmussen. I was also able to get the shilling and florin, but not the sixpence. I would like to do an XRF to at least get a surface alloy read. The strike is superb quite naturally and IMO VERY UNDERGRADED. I think I had mentioned this on another post but the British Museum has an excellent collection of alloy trials from the period of of 1920-1924.....

Under the Pop Report, Great Britain. George V Halfcrowns proof (these are under the currency strikes). The PCGS # is on the Left hand side. If you select that blue number, which is 512833 the coin obverse and reverse photos will appear .

How's this for strike? (please help with image): 1920 Halfcrown PCGS Coin Number 512833

I thought I was the only one that liked these 1920-1926 era silver coins in the middle silver denominations. I really like the Bull specimens of 1920 in these sizes with the so-called duck-tail milling.

I'm on there from time to time, even post occasionally. They allow for a lot more photo info so actually have pictures there.... It's been working for me though.

No. Unfortunately they go to either US or to ??France/European. Numistacker I believe is a submitter to NGC...

I'm not sure but I think also some lots unsold seem to get this "Wood" label.

Yes, you have to make appointments for the coin room by recollection.

I think they are just a submitter. Methinks they then journey to PCGS of Europe.

The BM has a huge run of alloy trials and patterns of the silver or silver-coloured 1920-26 era. I don't remember which alloys they actually had as it was some time ago that I saw these.

I rather fancy off metal strikes of the predecimal 20th C. period, some error and some probably not. One series that interests me are the 1946 "transitional" copper nickel specimens of these - I have not seen actual reference to specimens of them since a 2010 listing picture at Collector Universe of the 1946E shilling in CuNi, which looks rather like a currency version of the 1947. Bull states the 1946E was known from a 1979 SNC listing, but none of the others. Evidently there were 1947E and S struck to proof standard in the old 0.500 silver and Bull claims that he owns (owned?) the former. Can anyone fill out any other information on these coins?

Rob if you PM me I took a screen shot of obverse of the "Collector Universe" specimen, and can send it to you for a comparo post if interested.

Wow, Rob, that is superb. Hard to see any markers besides in the jawline. The obverse has a pattern/presentation look to it?? It could be an optical illusion but the border teeth to 9 o'clock look to be shortened...

I did see a contemporary transcription of parliamentary proceedings where such test coins were described - rather interesting to hear of the economic straits that led to such measures - basically a late sequelae of the Lend-Lease program wherein silver sent by the USA was to be paid back.... The 1946E I saw was not a proof, just a currency-type specimen that was bought in a Belgian auction at 800Euro in 2009-10 era. I'd like to see the SNC coin but don't seem to have that issue (coin given attribute of 1979: 11463). BTW, Bull references refers to the 1946S as an untraced proof with the notation in the index of "reserved"; what on Earth does that mean?

This is a bit of a continuation from another thread, but I am interested in just what the RM is doing with Sovereign Rarities. The last auction had some fabulous pieces that almost reminded me of Baldwin's Basement type coins. Were they sourced from the RM, or just where? Do the RM buy and sell now through Sovereign or other entities, or are these pieces from their "Basement"?

Ah, good. Well, seems a bit curious overall in any case. Those were some very nice coins there in the sale however.

A pet peeve of mine are Wreath Crowns labelled as proof. Besides the 1927 Proof/Specimen Only date, the others are decidedly rare whether one chooses to call them specimen or proof and this has been a controversy since at least the LA Lawrence Sale of 1954. As an example the latest DNW catalogue has lot #995 slabbed by (L)CGS as a 1932 Proof. It is not. Strike is poor, the fields are not struck up how they should and even the rims/denticles, etc. are not right for a proof. I have seen multiples of the 1934 date that also fail most peoples' definition of proof....

I will try to again post some of the Wreaths that may meet proof definition - including the 1936 that came as part of a set. Won't be for a couple of days as they are in safe deposit.

A couple of the larger ones appear to be present prior to "sandblasting". I don't understand how this one got a 66 and the other a 63 - matte grading is not a strong point of the TPGs.