RobJ

I think that I may have found the item in question. I'm not sure if it is the same one but the inscriptions seem to fit. British Historical Medals 1760-1960 Volume I #1396 - Death of George IV. Hopefully another Forum Member may be able to shed more light on it if it is the correct one.

Interesting stuff! Thanks for that Red.

That just about sums up the 'Rarity Scale' on E-Bay. lol

Hi Katelyn, Welcome to the Forum. From your description it sounds as if it may not be a coin at all, but rather a Commemorative Memorial Medal for George IV. I have no knowledge of medals, commemorative or otherwise, so I may very well be wrong. lol However I am sure that another Forum Member will be able to assist you further. A picture would really be very helpful in this case, so if at all possible try to upload one if you can.

When I was at School we used to 'Sing' our Times Tables three times a week. Then on a Friday at the end of the final lesson, we all had to stand up and the Teacher would ask us a Multiplication question. If we answered correctly then we were free to go home, if not, then we had to sit down and wait until everyone else had answered their questions. Then we were asked questions until we got one correct before we could leave. lol Thinking back it was quite harsh, perhaps even slightly Draconian, but we all knew our Times Tables. lol

I do think something that should be taken into account is that the Decimal System for counting is not a new thing, not by any standards. Chinese Mathematicians were using a Decimal System over 2000 years ago in the form of 'Counting Rods.' This in turn eventually developed into the Abacus. Also if you think that Base 10 System is inappropriate for counting, spare a thought for the Mayans as they used a Base 20 System. And the Babylonians had it even worse as they used base 60 System! I tend to agree with Rob on this, as long as you are numerate the system that you use is irrelevant. Some Systems will be easier to understand than others, some Systems will be more complex than others. In the end I do not think that it really matters as in 100 years time, we may all be using a different System for counting anyway. lol I do however agree with Accumulator, in that it does make for interesting discussion.

I am looking to purchase the George V 1920 Debased Silver coins for my 'Type' Collection and I was wondering if anyone could help me with how to differentiate between the Deeply Engraved Portrait and Recut Shallow Portrait. Are there any easy pointers to look out for to differentiate between the two different types? Any help and information is as always greatly appreciated.

These coins are rather common and as there is low interest in Modern Decimal Issues unless it is in 'Mint' Condition, ie, in a Royal Mint Year Set or Royal Mint Commemorative Issue Pack, then it will only really be worth face value. If however it is a 'Mint' Specimen it may be worth around 2 to 3 times face value. As long as it is in its original packaging.

I am sure that they would be worth something, but just how much would depend on the Grade of the coins. If at all possible it would be helpful if you could upload some images of the coins. That way it would give a better idea of the Grade and hence the value.

I believe that is a £1 Coin from Gibraltar. You can often find other £1 Coins in your change, I have seen examples from Gibraltar, Jersey and the Isle of Man.

Hi Dagz, Welcome to the Forum.

I must agree with what has been said here regarding cleaning coins with 'Baby Wipes.' I do think personally think that it is a silly idea and I think that he may regret it in the long run. I know that the Dealer also thinks that it is a silly idea, which was highlighted to me when he told me that this Customer had once brought in several coins to sell to the Dealer. The Dealer said that they were actually rather nice coins, many of them in high Grades, but that he wouldn't touch them with a foot long stick as he knew what had been done to them!

I think that it certainly would have made more sense if Britain had gone Decimimal when it was first proposed. It makes a lot more sense and certainly is easier to count and work out money using a Decimal System. I think as you say, it comes down to fear of change and 'The Unknown.' I imagine that many people then, as they are still today, would have been 'Set in their ways' and the proposition of change would have horrified them. Much as it did for many people when Britain finally did go Decimal in 1971. I can also imagine that the Florin would have been an unpopular coin when it was first introduced due to the fact that it was also intended to replace the very popular Half Crown. A similar thing happend with the proposition to do away with the Sixpence, there was much Public outcry due to its popularity and it remained with us until 1980. The 50p Coin was also very unpopular with certain members of the Public when it was introduced. Some even called for it to be withdrawn. I guess that even though the years pass us by, some things never change. lol

Duplicate Post.

Oh I see! lol That was very clever of them wasn't it? lol Its not like your Image and information didn't make it clear enough for them. Talk about not being able to see something as clearly as if it were on the end of your nose! (Sorry, I couldn't resist. lol)

How did they manage to do that? lol

Thank you very much indeed for all of the information and detailed image Peckris. Once you look at the two different OBV. and take into acount what you have said, it is quite easy to differentiate between the two types. This is exactly the information that I was looking for.

I am sorry to revive this old Topic, but I was going to Post a Topic on a very similar subject but thought it needless as this one already existed. I have found reading it most interesting and insightful. I was speaking to a Dealer friend of mine very recently on this exact subject. He was telling me that certain coins, as already discussed here, are genuinely rare, some are genuinely scarce and others which are believed to be rare or scarce simply are not at all. He also mentioned, as also discussed here, that certain coins are only rare or scarce in the very highest Grades, where as the same coin in a lower Grade is not considered rare or scarce at all. Something that I did find most interesting was the issue of Mintages. He was telling me that most of them should be ignored entirely, as it is one thing to state the known Mintages but another to know exactly how many of each Denomination with a known Mintage actually survive. He was telling me about how at certain stages during the past Century that hoards of coins had been melted down (In some cases, the metal had been reused to create new coins.) During the War Years and after Decimilisation being the more obvious times that he stated. Thus leaving the known Mintage figures practically useless. Also taking into account the recent rise in Silver prices (Around 35x face value for Pre 1920 Silver apparantly.) He was wondering just how many coins now were being 'Scrapped' for their Silver content, thus taking out of the market many coins that up until now had been considered common, and thus actually making the ones that remain scacer in the lower Grades and rarer on the higher Grades. I found it all most interesting.

Thats right. I had read about it being the first stage of an intended Decimalisation of British Coinage. It wasn't greeted too warmly either if I remember correctly. lol However, I did not know that was why there wasn't any Half Crowns Issued between those two dates. Thanks for that information Peckris.

That is a really excellent find from circulation Red.

My thoughts exactly Marc. It does make sense that if there was some grease or something blocking the Die, then the effects would appear gradually with the first coins being unaffected, then as the Die was slowly blocked, coins such as my example would appear and then finally coins such as yours would appear after the Die was fully blocked. I do not know if that is what happened in the instance, but it does make sense to me.

I totally agree with you there Red. The Florin is a very nice and I think very under appreciated coin. The were not too big and not too small, but I think that they were just right. I do think that it was important to introduce them aswell as there was a 'Gap' in the Denominations between the Shilling and Half Crown. I also think that the later Generations would have had to introduce a coin to 'Fill the gap' between Denominations at some stage, as even if there wasn't a huge demand for it at its time of introduction, there certainly was in later years. The Godless and Gothic Designs are truly beautiful Designs. It is a shame that they were not continued further. I really like the Standing Britannia Design. It was very fresh and original, for the time, it is a shame that it was around only briefly. I do think that Design could have been carried forward, but sadly when George V asscended the Throne, I personally think that the coinage Designs became rather more austere. Although, I do rather like the 1927/8 Threepence and Sixpence Designs.

Very nice coin Palves.

lol! I think anemic by the time that he reached Durham and certified 'DOA' by the time that he reached Berwick.

That is one of the harder things when starting new in this Hobby. Knowing which Dealers to request lists from or not and knowing which ones to trust or not. I am sure that there are a great many Dealers out there who are very good and would appreciate some new customers, it is just the newcomers can't tell them apart from any other Dealer out there. lol