ozjohn

Only ever brought the silver proof versions and not many of those either.

Xmas day forecast for Brisbane, 30 deg. C and sunny.

Merry Christmas to one and all from Australia. May your collections grow in 2025.

Just reached Alotau, PNG on a cruise from Brisbane. Very hot and humid. Back in Brisbane 5/12.

Saw the coins on Google headlines. An impressive hoard.

Another coin with similar damage. They seem to come in single marks and twos or threes in a line and are far too regular for bag damage. I've seen these marks on both George V and VI coins and as far as I can remember on the obverse. This example was dated 1924.

Another coin with similar damage. on the king's forehead. From what I have noticed the marks come in 3s approximately in line.

I think this one is a bit more than bag damage more like a metal flaw or intentional damage on the reverse by the A in half-crown. Probably down graded due to this but still attracted a fairly high grade from NGC along with PGCS who seem fairly tolerant to damage. To be honest I probably wouldn't brought the coin If I had noticed it earlier.

Exactly. However I've seen marks similar the ones described on several coins over the years and I think they are a bit more than bag marks. caused by coins knocking together. I was looking about cleaning on the PCGS site the other day and it seems that they do not consider dipping as cleaning.

The attached photo shows a coin graded NGC MS 64. I have no issue with the grading other than the coin has been damaged with digs around the King's effigy from the forehead to the tip of the King's nose. I get the feeling that these digs occurred during the minting process but it is hard to be sure. The question is should a coin be judged as MS if the damage happened at the mint or should be noted on the grading as PCGS does with cleaned coins or should the coin be downgraded if judged as post mint damage? In any case it would be a better coin without any damage. Any thoughts.

After photographing some half crowns graded by PCGS and NGC I've noticed the reverse of the coin in the holder seems orientated with the shield turned to the right. Probably because they align the obverse when placing the coin in the holder. However, CGS seem to get the right orientation. A minor irritation I know but it would be better if they got it right.

Cup of gold photos taken at Brisbane Roma St Gardens today. I was just passing the plant and thought you may be interested to see it in situ. As you can see it has a large yellow flower growing on a rampant vine. I think it flowers late winter/ early spring.

Common name is cup of gold a very vigorous climber of the tomato tobacco family Solanaceae. I haven't room for it although you can buy the plants in Brisbane and I grew one at my last place. It's a very hardy plant. Flowering at the moment is Angel's trumpet, brugmansia suaveolens another in the Solanaceae family.

A 1911 proof coin I have. In hand it looks good but the photo I took shows evidence of much cleaning. Just goes to show how you can be deceived. The coin didn't cost a lot that probably reflects its condition. Caveat Emptor.

Very good Goddards seems to work in a similar way with a different process to the Al foil process. I think Swords observation is true leave coin alone if possible. I do find it difficult to to believe that a 100 year old high grade coin can remain untarnished when left undisturbed in a draw or similar for most of that time as the other silver items I have start to tarnish after 3 months of so unless wrapped in sulfur free tissue paper.