scottishmoney

I would suggest playing it safe and finding something cheap, but in a similar state, perhaps a junk box item for 20p or something. Then soak it in distilled water not tap water from the faucet. I would first soak it for a week in a covered container, preferably porcelain or bakeware and not plastic. Then I would gently work on it with a very soft, and fine brush, you can find them Vcoins.com to clean the verdigris off. With that suggestion, I would see how it works on the cheap similar condition coin then move on up to the farthing, but taking your time and being methodical. Remember you are being a conservator here, and not Dr. Destructo:) My son and I have played around with some filthy Romans using this method, and it does take time, but you do get results, and should not be disappointed.

I have added notes in Austria, Canada, Ireland, Romania, Laos, and Portugal. The Austrian is quickly becoming a new favourite: A bit pricey for a Scot to afford, but I like it.

Bad idea to have leaders from from security apparatus, or insane asylum.

I have thought of reading it, I imagine one needs a bit of schnapps to help it get interesting though. I wonder if the authorities would take exception if you had one of those 8 M copies from the original printings?

Picture is worth a thousand words, it might be possible that they were struck on tanner blanks.

William Wyon's extraordinary wonderment with Queen Victoria and Britannia on an 1854 Penny, notice that this particular piece has a curious feature in the Reg in the legend on the reverse, the bottom of the R is looped so that it appears to be a B with a tail.

I tried to research this with the lot number, the auction number etc. on their website, url="http://www.cngcoins.com"]www.cngcoins.com but I cannot find anything on this particular lot. I suspect their online information only goes back 2-3 years, unlike Heritage Auctions which goes back into the mid 1990's.

Not particularly beautiful in of in itself, but the sheer 2.5 oz size of this made for a piece which could have been used as grape shot during the Napoleonic wars, a feature which seemingly many of these might have been used for judging their often severe state of preservation these days. Nicer pieces are rather difficult to find. I have heard that patterns were prepared for copper 6d's, weighing an astounding 5 ounces. Matthew Boulton and his wonderful steam powered presses made these massive pieces possible, whereas prior to the advent of the steam press, this would have been practically impossible to produce these with standard screw presses.

I like collecting the coins of passionate ladies in history, Mary Queen of Scots, Queen Christina of Sweden, Queen Elizabeth I. I recently bought a Ryal from 1566 from Scotland, but I really want one of Mary's portrait coins, along with a portrait silver crown from Sweden issued during the reign of Queen Christina.

Coins like this should only be cleaned by a professional, otherwise you just end up destroying any numismatic value of the piece. Unfortunately in one of my collecting areas, 17th century English tokens, I find a lot of what I see are harshly cleaned by either the finder, or someone in the middle. These things are usually found in singles in fields or alongside paths etc. and not in hoards, so they are usually never reportable under the Treasure Trove Act, but get pocketed, bagged, whatever then if the wrong person gets it, harshly cleaned to see what it is. As far as cleaning coins, my son and I have done it with Romans, and cheap ones at that, basically starting with distilled water and a very fine toothbrush and lots of patience. Elsewise, if I had that Ore coin, I would let a pro do it.

The value is going to be dependent on what is underneath the crust. In nicer, unworn or pitted pieces they start out at about £60 or so. These are pieces because of their size and time struck, that often now are pretty heavily damaged when found.

If it was found in the UK it is a bit away from home, it is a Swedish ore coin from the reign of Queen Christina(1632-1654) these are large size coins, about 47mm or roughly 1.75" in diameter, the date on this should be in Roman numerals but I cannot make it out. I think it is 1651. I have a similar coin here:

SCOTLAND, Mary (1542-1567), Silver Ryal, 1566, 29.73g., Fourth period, marriage to Henry Darnley, MARIA & HENRIC DEI GRATIA R & R SCOTORV, crowned coat of arms, thistle on each side, rev., EXVERGAT DEVS DISSISPENTR INIMICI E', crowned palm tree, tortoise climbing up the trunk, DAT GLORIA VIRES (a good name gives strength) on banner; date across field, (S.5425). Coins from the reign of Mary, Queen of Scots are probably the most popular Scottish coins of all, so much of her personal history is played out on her coinage, here, her second husband Henry Darnley's named on her coin.

The price differences are usually based on availability for collectors and demand. For instance with the florin, the 1953 was the first coin issued in Elizabeth's reign, and lots of people saved them then for souvenirs. The 1954 even with a larger mintage was just viewed as a coin to use and not save. So not many saved them, so they are accordingly higher priced. Similarly the 1953 pennies were largely saved, and from circulation coins, I have only ever found one in an accumulation of pennies.

Oh my mother would have loved it, she hated my coin hobby and only saw it as a source for loans. Gram on the other hand has encouraged it so, taking me to coin shops when I was a kid etc. Still even ask about my coins and tells good stories about coins she had whence she was a girl in the 1920's.

They are my bane, since I look for Bay City stuff, but have to put -rollers on the search They have only played in the city they named themselves after just once.

I didn't know you had TV up there. Up there as you spake, they just have angus cow tipping for entertainment. But they do have radio, or so I have been led to believe by having given an interview on Scottish coins on the BBC's Scottish service. BTW you will just love some of the scenes here in this vid:

Adding to what CP said, the coins don't look like something I would even bid £1 for, as they are tampered with, ie cleaned etc.

I do wish the BBC would show more sport here, and more stuff like Top Gear and good shows instead of Cash in the Attic and stuff like that.

Never buy farthings unless you can find them in quantity, I still haven't. Out of 6000+ predecimal coins, I have a mere 28 farthings. They didn't stick around long enough in circulation, being phased out in 1956, that they didn't make it to D-day to get demonetized and hoarded.

Enough with all the fooforah about the attribution, I like the piece. Very well executed, especially the monarchs portrait.

Oh, English coinage is so much easier to research where some record exists, or contemporary accounts, than Scottish. whole issues of Scottish coins are more conjecture than known.

Hopefully they will get internet there soon

And to think upon it, I just sent one out Tuesday for another collector for their type set of British coins. Didn't even sell it, let alone ask even a mere £10 for it. Nay even a quid!

One real problem with many available Henry I coins is that they are often rather crudely struck, though notably better than the further deteriorated pieces of Stephen. So legends etc. are often blundered, coins struck off of centre, and weakly. I have a Henry I cut farthing that came in a larger hoard of cuts, that is remarkably well struck with all legend, well what is on the small piece, clear. Too bad it got cut up.