VickySilver

All in the lighting as has been said/beaten on, but personally I also like the more golden shade of the brighter first picture. Those are not bad at all, and better than my efforts, certainly!

Well, yes, indeed if you must ask...

Goodness, methinks you may need an outlet there.... Have to say I once went out with a neighbour lady and though good for a bit, did not sort out well.

Yes, Marsh not quite the end-all in expertise on many of these. I think Spink removed the '54 half sov from their listings in the yearly.

I have seen this coin, the 1854 half sovereign referred to by Marsh who seems to not clearly state that he had seen one. I have not, nor has anybody I know. It has been variously listed in Coincraft many years ago, and even in Spink. I wonder if anybody can confirm seeing one, or even go one better by posting a picture of it?

Very nice there, Catherine. Like to remember the old Spink and this evokes that. Once I had the above, I did briefly pester Accumulator about his currency bit some time ago.....

In hand, quite a decent specimen though & bit hard to get a better one.LOL.

Always liked those wrens. This is a vestige of Liz and Margaret's great adventure to the mint in 1937, when the director had special bits struck up with model reverses that showed "wildlife". Don't know which others than the farthing were struck, nor if this particular piece had any provenance besides Norweb. Neighbours as in same metro area....

Honestly, the fact that other specimens are not known even after 60 years does NOT preclude other specimens being in private hands. By recall, the 1862 half sov went unknown for 117 years!!!!

Yikes, please don't! I obviously like Vick silver but die numbers is over the top. On a few pieces, I have noted that there may only be one or two die numbers that come up (i.e. 1869 6d), but otherwise who cares. 1872 is a more common date, but would have its value if exceptionally preserved.

Caveat emptor! I agree, appears too good to be true...

Hmm, I'll vote EF although there likely are hairlines, etc. that at least I can not see from photos. That still seems like a good price, however.

thanks Bernie. That 4's position quite wonky.

Nose of lion usu. weak due to incomplete strike, but this has plenty of "bag marks" as we like to say. Dipped, and this may or may not be market-acceptable. I'd rather have a more fully struck specimen with a bit of pleasant NATURAL toning. Like the larger denominations, strike and wear issues also reveal themselves in Eddie's hair & mustache, amongst other areas.

49 3d - That is a very nice bit of information, and I think one would have to keep it in mind prior to spending a fortune on a specimen at the potential for others to be about remains. Without pirating the thread, I wonder in the recent ESC by Bull as to on what authority there is now a SECOND currency 1952 half crown?

No it is in private hands, and is a currency strike; the sole 1952 a proof. I can't say as I've seen the -54 personally but seem to recall that Mark Rasmussen had it it stock at one time. Don't see any reason to doubt the veracity of these pictures....

Swanny, I just don't think that is other than a decent piece and has a presentation consistent with many others I have seen in hand, if admittedly this from the photos.

Might not yet though. Really good book, though have found a couple of faults and even some unlisted bits if mainly patterns and proofs.

Aye, you've caught on. Let some other sod take the hit....

Yikes, not much imagination on my part there....Older than I thought.

I finally popped for this one and feel it overall an admirable effort and a good book. The provenance section is especially a good bit. There still are of course some minor errors (i.e. a 1929 proof florin would NOT be "N" in scarcity as I have NEVER seen one, or the matte 1943 and 1944 bits that are really specimen). Also, some coins are put in on speculation of their existence - such as the 1920 satin specimen 6d given a catalogue number based on the similar florin and half crowns being known. Actually he got it right that there is a shilling of said date that was unknown to him and given a number. When they state "BM" as provenance, does that mean the author's specimen (Maurice Bull)?

Wow, I was looking through the latest Croydon sale & not much of interest. I noticed with some alarm that of the coins pictured many in the GEF/aUNC level looked from their own pictures to have suffered from a wipe (or two or more). I certainly hope they did not contribute....

OK, I have a bounty out on the groat! LOL. That currency version is really a bear.

I will pay well above Spink for higher grade specimens - as a collector I need but one of each. PM me with details if you should have such or lead to such. Thanks in advance!

Hmmm, that could have been struck through some debris IMO.