Coinery

I've a funny feeling this CGS thread is going to be around for a very long time, it'll all come down to whether you can get a week off work to read it!

So they acknowledge the existence of Cabinet Friction, they just mark it down for wear, which we all would do! Can anyone further clarify the 6 thing as, comparing Paul's to Rob's, it isn't leaping out at me?

Go careful buying gothic ANYTHING, especially crowns! With only a couple of month's under your belt, I'd read around a lot! I'm not sure who your dealer is, but there are well-known 'dealers' who have been picked up by the members of this forum for 'knowingly' selling fakes! So, here's my advice...read the gothic content on this forum, and whatever material you can lay your hands on, until you know what a gothic is not! Don't get burned at that level, as cleaned coins will pale into insignificance by comparison. Now, about cleaning...I 100% agree with you that there is good and bad cleaning. I have no issue with certain lightly dipped coins, provided they are big or full lustred to begin with, as it is only these coins that ever look 'right' in my opinion. Shiny bright unlustred silver never looks good! I confess to dipping an uneven-toned aUNC 1916 halfcrown the other day, but it was for 2 seconds, and still left a decent amount of extremely pretty golden tone behind. The coin now looks a million dollars I think. Of course, the coin will now need proper storage, as you will not be able to 'patch' coins up indefinitely. Welcome aboard, have a good read around, you'll be pleasantly surprised by the threads you'll find!

But aren't those lovely old toned-uncirculated coins, with the toning lightened at the high spots, but not worn, isn't that cabinet/storage friction/wear?

I've recently aquired this HA-2:b Sixpence. Does anyone have any thoughts on the reverse legend? Is this IPOSV, or just die rotation, possibly explaining the rounded O-like bottom of the P? My other thought was a broken foot on the P punch, and a botched attempt at repairing it on the die? Anyone?

And, of course...

A very interesting contemporary counterfeit Elizabeth I shilling here. It rings convincingly, is appropriately thin, and is hammered from home-fashioned dies! It's very well done, and a happy addition for me! Some of the issues: Lions and Lis (and, of course, letters) are not to type for TUN and are primitive. The bust is an attempt at Bust 3A (with some decent detailing, such as veil pointing at the forehead, and decent replication in hairlines and embroidery), which never of course appeared on the TUN coinage. The nose and other facial features are missing on account of a gouge, which isn't so clear in the image. It's around 1 gram under weight, but not so shocking a difference, given the grade. Cost me as much as the genuine article, wasn't expecting that!

Yes, but neither an artwork nor an antique is housed in a plastic slab, which was my point. Unless you're Damien Hurst, of course!

Greater knowledge leads only to greater questions!

That's where they're at for me!

Ahh, now once again, you see, this is where I come unstuck with the phone, which I'm back on now, after only just managing to upload the image link from Rubbish-bucket before flattening the battery...a totally wasted hour trying to upload images, and I didn't even fully succeed!! Time to look for a new image host I think! Will definitely check out the https one recommended earlier!

Just spent about an hour trying to get these onto photo-Bucket! I was wondering about the obverse mark, what do you think? It looks as possible an overmark on your obverse too? I'm not completely sure, would be good to have the full res images of this coin too, as my '66 PC obverse may be the same die as your's. I even thought the reverse might be too, just for a small while! Whoops! Thought that was resized! There is definitely something wrong with PB, I've uploaded images that show in the number count, but aren't displaying in my library...so I can't add the reverse tonight, sorry!

I've never seen one finer! If only to stick to examples like that, I'd only have about 4 in my collection! I will always remember where I've seen the finest sixpence of its rare type! Well done for plucking that one! If you die before me, can you let someone know I'd like to have it! Can I have some high-res images? PLEASE! Lol, someone's got the 'I wants' ! Loveliest sixpence I've seen in ages! Would be amazing for any MM but, a considerably rarer type as well, you'll not see a comparable example! ! I can't even conceive of a better one! Eye-wateringly pretty! I have a hunch that Rob's collection is full of such exemplary pieces! What's great about coins like this, is the detail you don't ordinarily get to see on lesser examples, such as the broken shield punch, showing as a fracture in the top right corner! I want to chop that shield out! It's also the rarest of the acorn die-pairings according to BCW, as if being a nice coin wasn't enough! I'm sure if you ask Rob nicely he will send you other pics of his Lizzy I coins, then you will really be in trouble!!! Yes, too many coins and not enough time to chop!

I've never seen one finer! If only to stick to examples like that, I'd only have about 4 in my collection! I will always remember where I've seen the finest sixpence of its rare type! Well done for plucking that one! If you die before me, can you let someone know I'd like to have it! Can I have some high-res images? PLEASE! Lol, someone's got the 'I wants' ! Loveliest sixpence I've seen in ages! Would be amazing for any MM but, a considerably rarer type as well, you'll not see a comparable example! ! I can't even conceive of a better one! Eye-wateringly pretty! I have a hunch that Rob's collection is full of such exemplary pieces! What's great about coins like this, is the detail you don't ordinarily get to see on lesser examples, such as the broken shield punch, showing as a fracture in the top right corner! I want to chop that shield out! It's also the rarest of the acorn die-pairings according to BCW, as if being a nice coin wasn't enough!

I've never seen one finer! If only to stick to examples like that, I'd only have about 4 in my collection! I will always remember where I've seen the finest sixpence of its rare type! Well done for plucking that one! If you die before me, can you let someone know I'd like to have it! Can I have some high-res images? PLEASE! Lol, someone's got the 'I wants' ! Loveliest sixpence I've seen in ages! Would be amazing for any MM but, a considerably rarer type as well, you'll not see a comparable example! ! I can't even conceive of a better one! Eye-wateringly pretty!

Thanks, Rob! That really is a very special coin!

I've never seen one finer! If only to stick to examples like that, I'd only have about 4 in my collection! I will always remember where I've seen the finest sixpence of its rare type! Well done for plucking that one! If you die before me, can you let someone know I'd like to have it! Can I have some high-res images? PLEASE!

A PROPER one! Not too many Oak Nut coins in that condition! I take it that one won't be hitting your site?

I use chrome, and I haven't found the new PB user friendly at all...much preferred the old version for my uses! Does anyone know of a similar photo storage facility that uses https instead of http? PayPal apparently don't display your logo on their payments pages, unless they are linked to on an https server????

Totally agree! It's impossible to not just read VF, the psychology of it is just too much...especially so if you've sent the raw coin off! It would make good business sense for CGS to make this change (maybe one for you to feed back, Bill?)! My point being, would Paulus use CGS again? Would I? CGS won't have compromised their tough standards in adopting the above suggestion!

If you're thinking milled coins, rather than hammered, I'd go for a monarch set, G6/G5 would give you plenty of experience in .925/.500 silver, copper and brass. Both monarch's are very affordable for most of their coins, and it's always best to make your inevitable mistakes on coins that have cost you very little! There's plenty of scope for grading experience with all the various busts and weaknesses with G5, and also an opportunity to actually get a reasonably-sized collection going quite quickly and cheaply with G6. Another 'older' period that's largely affordable are the G3 coins! My own interest is in Elizabeth I, who can be collected in low-grade fairly cheaply, as can the Edward hammered pennies (a lifetime of learning with these). Whatever you decide to go for, buy the best reference books on the area! Anyone on here can advise you on that once you're ready! Also, there's around 10 year's worth of excellent reading material on this forum, and I can't recommend enough that you sit down for a couple of evenings with a bottle of wine (or three), and go through some of it! Welcome aboard, and enjoy!

If they're going on the 'bay, you could do a lot worse than BIN & BO! You can sit them on eBay for a year for under a fiver! The right buyer will turn up before then! That's where I have knowledge, and where I am leaning, for coins £100-£400 anyway, I think the effective 15% or so sellers' premium and 0% buyers' premium swings it, will ensure it is open to eBay.com too, it's only a few pence ...and if you get an eBay shop for £15 a month, each coin is only 10p every 30 days. I think we're all overgraders now. And that calculates out at a break-even price on 50 coins listed. For every coin listed over the 50 you save 30p per coin! A decent saving if you're listing up on the hundred coins +

Absolutely right, insured postage too! Me too, though it's only 5% in Paulus's neck 'o' the woods! Good old Croydon Auctions, their website is a bit rubbish though! When is the next auction?? Their site IS rubbish, they never update it, and auction dates are very last minute! I generally email them, much easier! Very easy to get caught out with their ambitious grading, so I'd never buy on description from them. However, they're great for a few bargains if you're on the floor!

Would be worth reading seuk's website, especially if you're going to be buying a lot of G3 silver! He's got a few threads on this site re the identification of contemporary counterfeits! Worth having that information up your sleeve! There's also a few G3 halfcrown threads that are enlightening, if you can find them.

Absolutely right, insured postage too! Me too, though it's only 5% in Paulus's neck 'o' the woods!