Coinery

I quite like the G over inverted G hypothesis myself...for both coins.

I've always found that the acetone evaporates from the surface so fast that it leaves a smear at its periphery. Hard to explain but if you put a small drop (only as an example) onto the field of the coin, it (I'm guessing) forces any surface residue/grease to the periphery of the acetone 'bead' and then quickly evaporates to leave a circular ring/smear in its place. Of course, putting a flood of it on the coin replicates this to a greater degree, at least in my experience. i genuinely salute you if you can pull it off, I'd love to be able to. I've long since given up with decontaminating high-mirror proofs, preferring to leave them to someone else, you perhaps? no, I have one very strict rule with mirror proofs, and that is I have to like them as they are, or walk on. don't get me wrong, I'm brave enough to play around with anything currency, and always do, even with hammered. Though with hammered it's generally nothing other than an exercise which says 'I love you, coin'!

I 100% agree with this! Leave the proofs alone unless you like what you see...you'll never artificially make a better coin of them. Lovely phwoar coin, by the way. I do hate the fragility of proofs, you can never EVER touch them. You can't even degrease them with acetone, as it smears horribly. maybe some of that stuff from over the pond might do a better job? ?

What a difference a re-shoot makes!

A lot of the stops/no stops of even modern coinage are spurious it's true...would be interesting to see the coin that Withers used to mark this punctuated Canterbury variety. Makes me wonder whether it might be a flattened example of the raised dot I have in this coin? I wonder if they used a coin from the North collection for this? Anyone for a quick browse in SCBI 39 for me? He couldn't have had too many Canterbury Class 11s around, maybe I can match dies?

It has slowed me up, TG, I've gotta say! ...crack me up, Mr P!

But I still manage!

This is how it is still looking on an iPhone!

£22 delivered...quite pleased with that, a nice quality flan. I was particularly interested in this one because of the distinctive reverse die (rim fragment punched into die, and interesting O in CANTOR - probably a C punched twice [normally and reversed to form an O of sorts - the C overlies it quite nicely using software]), and also for the possible punctuation mark after HYB? Apparently there is a Canterbury variety that has said punctuation, anyone for a vote on this one? It would've very much looked like it had the coin been slightly more worn, and the mark flattened somewhat????? Clogged, maybe, cruddy die??? In the exploded view it looks a little more shallow, though it's actually only just below the height of the letters. It looks bolder if you look at the full coin image here.

Yes, I've been having android and iPhone issues, as per above, since the adverts went in a couple of days ago, not just since catawiki.

Falling clearly short of UNC for me too! Bag marked and over exposed, preventing a good assessment of any lustre (if any)!

There would have to be a snapped off spur from the casting somewhere? Just thinking out loud!

No, it would've been legal tender, right up to the recoinage in William III's reign. After Elizabeth's reign all shillings were produced with XII in the fields, maybe to rectify the possible confusion that unmarked coins had had in Elizabeth's reign? So my theory is people began marking the 'unmarked' Elizabeth shillings with an X to ease identification, especially many decades later when people had gotten very much used to the XII coins. You have to remember, with clipping, worn sixpences, and unmarked Elizabeth groats, it probably wasn't easy for a lot of people. Holed? My guess is a piece of jewellery, maybe contemporary? In the 17th century, as today, there was great respect for Elizabeth so, even though the coin was still valid currency at the time, it was starting to become an antique. An old hammered coin around your neck, when milled coinage was now the norm, which you could still spend in an emergency (a credit card), must have had appeal?

Such a simple yet brilliant design that it remains unchanged today!

I know nothing about these things, but the first thought that came into my head was bottle stopper? Either used as it is, to stop insects from entering, or maybe even more functional if little holed discs of leather were passed over the lump at the end to form a cylindrical tube of leather, much like you'd thread on a tap washer?

I wouldn't say it was a love token, personally. Great find, though!

Superhero, Mick, what a musical journey that man has had, wonderful! Nearly as flamboyant as you were in the 70's!

What triangle do you mean?

I still believe the crosses so often scratched into the Elizabeth shillings were there to bring them into line with the new XII of later monarchs!

Nice easy going thread! Can't wait for the day that I can contribute with a find or two of my own!

Oh, and one of these, please! Nice choice, M!

The gold half pound of Elizabeth with bust 3C always did, and still does, float my boat in high grade!

Peace and big blessings upon you for 2016, Peter! Truly, truly! ?

You too, TG! Our paths haven't crossed so much this year, but I'll always remember you fondly for that generous offer, and also for your mediatory good sense in your sensitive and generous postings! happy new year! And the same to all of you! blessings from me and my lovely family! (Who I barely deserve I grant you)

Welcome aboard, Frank! Rob's one of the go-to chaps on here, and a gentleman to-boot, a gentleman and a scholar!