ozjohn

The coin attached is not the prettiest coin in the world with the speckled toning. Nevertheless it's in the higher grades and a brief dip in Goddards may improve its apperance. Any thoughts?

Half way along Route 66 also the weather in Arizona. Much cooler in Brisbane being the middle of winter 22 deg C or 71 deg F.

The tsunmai warning ruined the last day in Waikiki.

Sorry posted in the wrong thread.

A light strike perhaps? For the most part 1913 half crowns are much better than the ones minted in WW1.

Have trouble is accepting a grade of MS 64 for this coin.

Finally reached the end of Route 66 in Chicago. Back to Australia via Hawaii.

Before and after using cloudy ammonia that I had to hand. Cloudy ammonia in Australia is 25% with detergent added. I think it has improved the coin marginally but it has removed the green verdigris by the G in GRA. The coin looks better in hand but a very light strike. When I did chemistry at uni it was called Redox, Reduction, Oxidization depending on which way it was going.

Are you talking about clear household ammonia for cleaning that seems to be 25% ammonia or further diluting this product? With regard to your comment the 1918 half crown is a very nice coin but I struggle to accept it has remained without any sign of toning after over a hundred years.

Attached picture is of a 1911 proof set as advertised by Coins and Medals, Brisbane. As you can see the coins are toned after being left somewhere possibly over a hundred years. This is the condition I would expect to find coins of this age to be in. However the amount of coins for sale of a similar age that are bright makes me wonder how they remain in that condition over a similar age as with the 1918 half crown? Anyone who has silver objects will note the only way of keeping them shiny is frequent cleaning Perhaps it may be useful what toning of silver is. It is the equivalent of rust on iron and steel. In other words corrosion where silver metal is attacked by the oxygen and sulfur in the atmosphere to form oxides and sulfides of silver. Some will argue that toning is attractive and I am sympathetic to that view but not all toning is of that nature. Again the colors produced by toning are as a result of constructive and destructive interference where the incident and reflected light interact with each other. Again I still wonder how silver coins retain their shiny status? Some coins certified by TPGs as cleaned while some it is obvious due to signs of abrasion while others I have been stumped by this verdict. Having said that I can only make that judgement from the photographs of the coin and not in hand.

A long way from Brisbane but we can get a selection of bottled UK beers here. Hook Norton, Adnams Broardside , Speckled Hen, Theakstons , Spitfire to name a few.

Very nice coin.

A previously discussed buy the coin not the "grade" Having said that the aim of PGs should be to provide consistency. Strike quality is one of the points in accessing the higher grades and the the upper shield on the MS 65 graded coin should have downgraded this coin.

An NGC MS 65 and PCGS MS 64 for comparison and my best 1920 ungraded florin. If I was given the choice of the PG coins I think the MS 64 is the better coin on the photographs and my one ain't too bad either. I'll be interested to see how much these two coins sell for.

Sorry I put this one in the wrong place.