Paulus

Hi Gary, I have PM'd you

It looks for all the world like "Hmmm". The one I don't 'get' is this one : (the description of ph34r doesn't help one little bit!) ph34r = Fear ......I assume = A disapproving hmmmmm I would guess Fear! Interesting - I'd always guessed (a bit wildly) that it was someone going incognito, or being a spy, or covering up something or other, or just being mysterious. I'd never have guessed fear. (Wouldn't "f34r" have been better than "ph34r"? Or perhaps we will never know... ) You are now trying to get into the mind of the person who came up with that smiley.......a very dangerous area to be I would guess I thought that meant 'I'm being a bit of a coin nerd here'!

Interesting, do you have a theory as to why this might be the case? I can't think of any reason why one side of a normally circulated coin might experience more contact or bag marks than the other!

Yep, it gets an aUNC from me too

Happy birthday!

Blind? Assuming there is no silver content, and the £5 coins are still legal tender, £35

Good, thanks Peter - that makes me feel better - I only paid a fiver for it. GVF money would have made me feel guilty! Ignore our resident pessimist - those aren't so much 'knocks' as 'faint taps, almost inaudible' I have to confess it never leapt out at me either. In all honesty i don't think I'd be unhappy if I'd bought GVF blind and your coin arrived! I'll give you a fiver for it, Declan, then you won't have to feel guilty about it anymore! A deformed rim/edge is an imperfection, however obvious. I'm on Peter's side. Me too, the eye is drawn to it, so a negative in the eye appeal stakes, still a bargain though!

What do the assembled intelligentsia think of this one? All and any comments welcome!

I've just come to the end of my first year of 'more serious' collecting (4 years in all) and I actually think I have been quite lucky! But perhaps I am in a minority of 1! The previous pic was taken in very bright sunshine, perhaps exaggerating the mirrored appearance from a previous clean and casting shadows around the lettering etc. This one may be a better likeness: I get all my coins costing over around £50 from dealers Peter, this one is from Bucks Coins I think the 'blue cast' to your photos doesn't help, Paulus - polished coins acquire a kind of blue sheen as well as the mirroring. However, I still think it does look cleaned, but couldn't give a proper assessment without the coin being in hand. But as you say "previous clean" anyway, then no harm done if there was a reduction in price. Paulus, I think that the main issue is the photo. The light appears to be coming from too shallow an angle. In theory, the light source should be as close to perpendicular to the surface of the coin as you can manage (allowing for the camera itself getting in the way). Another issue is the white balance, which is what gives a color cast to the photo (usually blue, yellow or green) dependent upon the type of lighting used. It may be worth experimenting with some of your camera's settings. Here is a photo of the best 1908 halfcrown that I have seen. I don't know if it will help, but ALL of my photos are taken under artificial lighting (my only option presently). I bought a couple of £4 flexi-lamps from Ikea, and put 'daylight' bulbs into them, these you can get cheaply from just about every craft shop out there! I set one above and from the right, and the other I hold free-hand for whatever gives the nicest view (I do have a tripod, though, so have a hand spare for the camera...you might be 'setting' both lamps instead, if you don't have a stand!)! Good luck! I use a single 'daylight' compact-fluorescent bulb right next to the camera lens and calibrate the camera to the light source using a blank sheet of white paper (your camera may or may not have this capability). Thanks gents, can I ask what cameras you have?

Ah, thanks. Is there an up-to-date reference book that covers this? I have a copy of English Silver Coinage but it doesn't seem to go into that sort of detail. I can thoroughly recommend David Groom's book: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Identification-British-Century-Silver-Varieties/dp/1445753014/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1358043194&sr=8-2

I am still in if postage, customs and slabbing charges are less than 10% of the realised price - it looks pretty clear to me that slabbed high grade English silver is getting a huge premium in the States at the moment, from almost any era! Others still in?

Another gorgeous 'High Grade' gem from Dave's faves: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1859-Gothic-Florin-better-grade-Rare-/271133528492?pt=UK_Coins_BritishMilled_RL&hash=item3f20d151ac

I've just come to the end of my first year of 'more serious' collecting (4 years in all) and I actually think I have been quite lucky! But perhaps I am in a minority of 1! The previous pic was taken in very bright sunshine, perhaps exaggerating the mirrored appearance from a previous clean and casting shadows around the lettering etc. This one may be a better likeness: I get all my coins costing over around £50 from dealers Peter, this one is from Bucks Coins

I just bought the wee fella ... can anyone tell me what Spink number / mint mark it is? My guess is 2679 Lion passant??? Thanks for any help!

The 1903 and 1905 went west ages ago, can't afford to be a date collector! I wondered what you thought of the grade? Difficult. The reverse looks like it's unworn but definitely polished. The obverse looks less polished but has some rubbing so I'd say EF or GEF at best. So... GEF/UNC cleaned ? I still have so much to learn, I think I can spot cleaned and dipped (sometimes!) but not necessarily polished! I need more tell-tale signs to go by if anyone has them? EF/GEF, was my grading ... Yes, your grade is probably more realistic, though it's hard to spot any wear on the reverse. Quick guide to the difference between polishing and dipping : POLISHING - makes the coin artificially shiny, and reflective. (Do not confuse with lots of 19thC UNC early strikes where the FIELDS are highly reflective, but the DESIGN - while not frosted - isn't.) DIPPING - removes tarnish and other toning, but actually has the opposite effect to polishing - it makes the coin an overall dull appearance, i.e. as if no lustre is present (the chemical reaction probably removes lustre, in fact). Very brief dipping - such as Dave did on that ugly-toned 1913 halfcrown - can improve the look of a coin, but it has to be a few seconds only. A long dip makes it dull dull dull. Do also bear in mind that people use the term "dipping' in two different ways. Some mean any chemical that cleans, which includes stuff that can make a coin look polished. Others (as I do) mean "silver dip" which is a specific type of chemical compound, that always imparts the dullness I spoke of, if done to excess. That's brilliant Peck thanks! How about CLEANING? I always look for faint 'brush-strokes' but I don't know what else to look for?

The 1903 and 1905 went west ages ago, can't afford to be a date collector! I wondered what you thought of the grade? Difficult. The reverse looks like it's unworn but definitely polished. The obverse looks less polished but has some rubbing so I'd say EF or GEF at best. So... GEF/UNC cleaned ? I still have so much to learn, I think I can spot cleaned and dipped (sometimes!) but not necessarily polished! I need more tell-tale signs to go by if anyone has them? EF/GEF, was my grading ...

The 1903 and 1905 went west ages ago, can't afford to be a date collector! I wondered what you thought of the grade?

Best tribute band I have seen, anyone know better?

Plenty of Floyd fans on this great forum then!

Aye (With one eye, that is) ! Happy New Year, Declan! Happy New Year everyone here, agree with Declan, better starting point than my suggestion, and thank goodness we don't start counting back from Decimals, or where would it ever end!!!!!

This is John http://www.argentumandcoins.co.uk/ RP and Chris you know Derek: http://www.pennycrowncoins.co.uk/ Michael Michael Gouby (http://www.michael-coins.co.uk/ All of which are highly recommended, and there are others on here ...

Very good advice and interesting take Stuart, for my part I started 4 years ago and was only interested in coins with silver or gold content ... If I was starting now I think for learning G6 is an excellent place to start, and for small money you will have coins that shouldn't depreciate, I have seen the decent G6 pre 47 half crowns double on eBay in the last 2 years regardless of the silver price, it is still a fun low-risk hobby unless you get interested in high grade coins!!!! Then it is the same but expensive!!

That would sure fool me! Any clues?

Him, I was thinking for the time being, possibly around £50-£100 per month as a starter if I continue getting carried away. Purely personally I would go a lot older, then it would depend if you prefer silver or bronze/copper coins ... my own advice would be the best pre-1920 silver coin you could afford each month as a starter, or better still, wait for 6 months and buy a medium-high grade Charles II - George II coin. a joy to own!

Personally I think it is 'Sellers beware' on eBay, tons of protection for buyers, and sellers dread negative feedback ... beware high grade coins without lots of hi-res pics, expensive historic coins without provenance, anything from China and certain other known replica exporting locations, and much more to be found on here. There are still bargains to be had for sure. I never thought of it that way. I think for the time being I'd rather stick with well known people away from eBay. That's a good approach, there is no rush, stay patient (I am not!), and seek advice from here whenever you want, it is the best, free, and normally very quick!!