VickySilver

Yes a picture would be essential and would "up the pike" of my interests as well.

Nice picture! Mine has a distinct dot just to the clockwise of that of the first over struck "I"

The usual caveats about coin in hand not withstanding - the coin is simply not a proof and can't see how except in the most ignorant of circumstances that a well-respected TPG slabber would certify it as such. I would gladly buya nice example of the 1963 in proof for about that amount. This coin I would not buy for a quid.

Yikes, if he WAS a respected dealer, s/he lost points on this NON-proof. P-L-E-A-S-E!!!!!!

A bit of an update: there are confirmed instances of both the 1997 and 1999 sets, as I have had a communication with an individual who has one of the latter and sent pictures (the crown is a millennium ), and referred pictures of 1997 set with a World Wildlife Crown. Has anybody heard of a Royal Mint Collector's Bulletin?

Let me start by saying I have not verified this story. However it does ring a bit scary in the current paranoid environment, combining those "evil" Chinese AND the TPGs! What? Well, I was just yesterday at the Baltimore show (rather small Summer version), and heard a snippet: "Have you heard the latest about the PCGS office in China?" The unnamed dealer proceeded to outline what may be the latest scam. Evidently one of the Chinese graders has been buying [at least] Fat Man Dollars graded MS64, and then having friends submit them whereupon he delivers out "66" and "67" grades... I tried to listen in for more details without appearing to be the nosey that I was, and could only gather that the grader had some sort of nickname with "dragon" in it... OK, I apologise for shameless gossip, but even as a sometime supporter of the TPG concept was a bit disturbed by this - although, not all that surprised and thankful that at least if true that it was not more counterfeits being passed off. All, of which yet again confirms that the buyer should buy the coin first, not the labelled number slab...

I do NOT trust the TPGs when they say they have three graders or seven or whatever...

Don't think that one will quite reach the Proof Cameo 67 designation...

Aesthetics a bit hard to judge between that last coin and the OP coin, but 5500 does seem a relative "bargain". IMO, these Gothics are ballistic on prices and as much as I like Vicky Silver (ha ha), I have so far passed and been contented with the florins. Think I would take a '51 florin before either of those heaps of --- -- -- ---.

The OP coin? I am pretty sure it would hold at 50k in the US given the record of some of the other 66 bits. BTW, some years (3 or 4 ) ago, I saw a pristine S65 Mercedes which listed two years previously at 120k go down to 45k!

With all due respect to Chris, this is just way to high a price IMO. Will see if there are two suckers to fight it out. I think the price was probably correct in Australia in terms of value. As was brought out, I would be quite nervous for the future of the Obv. model given that oxidation/rot has now set in. This is the vintage and type of coin I love but it should not reach the value of silver versions. LCA had the matte proof 1951 G6 crown go for 6.5k, and I think that is likely a reasonable value - though certainly higher than what this type of material has gone for previously... Still, interesting to see where the price goes on these bits.

Nope, strange things do happen. I wonder on the shillings how in person the 1854 & the 1882 (which was in a lot including '83 and '84) looked? The '54 went for 2500! Still, a number of his bits looked to be cleaned. Was this the case? And of course, I was wondering how the 1863 florin looked. How greatly I miss mine spirited away by my ex-wife when she left in 2008 - definately is/was mint. I have a proof gotten from Spink only 8 or so years ago for 1250..

Yes, Steve Hill was at Spink and left for Baldwin about 6 (or so) years ago. He is the milled man, and as knowledgeable as any I know of this series (BTW this along with the change of regime was IMO a lot of the reason behind the demise of Spink) and catalogues for both Baldwin and St. James. PM me if you like for more details. Steve Fenton is the principle behind SJ and is VERY business oriented; Steve is not IMO a part of this. Baldwin is owned by another entity, and is controlled by several others, Ian (sp?) and Noble Investments. Their general approach is what determines toward business. And also IMO, leaves them a bit slow and stodgy. I'm on the fence just a bit, and appreciates Rob's words though he might come from a different perspective. I tend to go with the feeling that SJ would be the best venue for a "bigger" coin, say 2k pounds or above. I think they have been known to negotiate terms for perhaps as little as 0% comm. to seller. London Coins seems to have a big audience for mid-line coins 150 up to 1 or 2k, but I have known DNW since they were reformulated & think Chris at the top is quite responsive; the only thing is I can not speak from experience as to what can be negotiated on fees. The others I don't think I would fool with. So if what I gather about your coins is the case (with many of them mid- coins)it was me I would first check out what could be arranged with Chris in terms of seller fees. Don't just take what they have written out. As one final possibility - if you think you have a set that could be presented by Colin Cooke (Neil) in one of those special catalogues. I also do not know his terms but found him quite affable. I would not post what actual details you work out with whomever mainly because I think it is not the proper thing to do but would respond again to any PMs.

Colin, not to poison you but I have sold a couple through Spink a couple of times and they were just over a thousand each. I was under the impression (from them) that they would be in the Coinex sale but instead they bumped them into the November sale.Ultimately I felt this cost me, but also the overhead seemed excessive. Suffice to say any future sales will not be through them. I must admit that I would likely go to Baldwin as well, not to mention that Steve there is a consumate professional.

I must be rather lucky as some years ago I got some VERY nice pieces but haven't tried recently. Consensus is with Coinery these days.

Hardened steel in modern times.

Yikes, that coin has been stripped down to bare copper!

Hmm, if that's a fine, please show me which coins you might have on sale. Conservative is good!! I recall Glendining's having VF piece is later milled appearing GEF/AU.... IMO fields are just far too "clean" for a F or even plain VF rating, and think signs of actual wear as opposed to soft strike on higher obv. points actually scarce on this specimen. Even has lustre residual in the lettering and amongst curls to right.

I'll vote gVF for the obverse. Well centered, possibly not fully struck up to high points with just a bit of wear. Fields and rim look nice; has an "honest" feel to it and not like the hoards of specimens that seem to show up at auction over the years - many of these IMO seem to be struck and either sequestered at time, or possibly more likely restruck. I have always wondered if it was something of a cottage industry post facto O.C.'s passing....

Well, they certainly appear to have a different collecting "culture" and I know of the one crown collection held by family members as the original collector died. They hold to a price (VERY high) and will not budge, seeming not to care if the coin goes unsold. I often wonder what impact this has on the market - if, say, a very rare crown comes up that may be one of two or three known but is on offer for 10x catalogue, then what should the catalogue price be after such? Higher, same, or? Anyway, they have long been attracted to dominant women, so issues of Victoria popular. On a humorous note, some 10-12 years ago, there was a pole amongst Japanese men as to the sexiest woman in the world. The answer? Oh, get this.......... Janet Reno!!!! Yikes..

However, as a marketing ploy they (the PM) played many games. One year of the Viking on Horseback sovs, they gave a baby basinet (sp?) privy and then I believe used a ship or such...They also used to sell different one pound coins by varying the mint "officinae" - i.e. AA, AB, BB, AC, etc. IMO shameful tactics that ultimately probably led to their own downfall.

THere was an example of the 1846 pattern in the HEG Paget sale of 1950 that really did not look like the coin sold when I compared pictures. Also, in some of the angles it looked as though there was a faint design in the dress below the bodice on some of the sellers pictures (look at the second row of pictures). Also, the "wear" spots were a bit curious when you look at the different pictures - all a bit blurry at least on my computer. This coin needs to be seen in hand definately. I was scared to bid but put in a lesser one anyway which was blown out of the water.

Yes, quite right there Rob. I don't see a lot other than a narrower rim to the one and the specimen on Right having more sharply struck hair details. I must confess that other than checking the edge (incuse vs. raised or jumbled/missing) I might have passed that one by...

Rob's first figure a bit low as I would pop for that at 1k all day long even though I already have a specimen.... I do not think the 1300-1400 figure unreasonable for top range. I also have seen a number of 1936 florins struck well, will try to get a picture by the weekend of an actual 1936 proof 2/-

Not to mention the "crew" being occasionally a sensitive lot, not letting on as to what they might be up to! LOL! I have been rather glad to not have consistent competition on proofs and patterns in the 20 th C. silver series, but even these have been drawing some unwanted competition (read prices)... I think, as has been pointed out, that when the simple currency issues are not that interesting that there is a bit of a lean toward scarcer varietals. I like to think I DO NOT collect these, but that would be untrue as I got up in edge varietals on the crowns....Darn.. So are there are a couple of hundred out there collecting such, it would not surprise me...