ozjohn

I should have weighed them as well.

Made the following measurements with my trusty vernier caliper gage: 1888 29,24 mm. 1887 29,24 mm. 1912 29.25 mm. 1945 28.30 mm. 1927 RAM 28.56 mm. 1924 28.55 mm. 1895 28.35 mm. Just a small sample. * gage or gauge I like US spelling it makes more sense like mold for mould. In any case much US English is older English.

Clipboard a is a coin I have had for a while that I brought in Melbourne for about $90. As you can see the toning is uneven and detracts from the coin. Clipboard b is the same coin after sodium bicarbonate and Al foil treatment. The only treatment I know that does not damage the coin as it restores the silver oxides and sulfides back into silver metal. I know many collectors like an even tone to enhance the coin but in truth the toning on silver coins is corrosion that damages the surface of the coin. The colors in the toning are the result of optical interference between light reflected from the metal surface of the coin and that reflected from the oxide layer on the coin in a similar fashion to oil on a wet road. the silver oxide. I think a definite improvement.

delete" the silver oxide" just before the last sentence.

Hi Jelida, I noticed you were interested in vacumm tube HiFi. Many years ago I worked for the MO valve company at Brook Green where they manufactured KT88 and KT 66 beam tetrode tubes. The section I worked in was concerned with UHF low noise triodes and microwave tubes also a CV4085 that was a special version of the more common EF86. When I finished there I had an HNC in electrical engineering and went on the gain an honors degree in electrical engineering in Australia Ozjohn

I've found metho and a wood tooth pick useful for removing verdigris from the lettering around a .500 Ag coin also a cotton bud for removing any remaining debris. I've heard there was some criticism about the dye residue from mauve metho. I don't know about the UK but in Australia you can get metho with out any dye. Also useful as stated above for degreasing a coin.

Next door's bananas from my courtyard while the angel's trumpet (brugsmania https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brugmansia ) is in my courtyard. Next door grows a variety of fruit trees including avocado., citrus, custard apple and papaya.

Heliconia from my courtyard. Heliconia " hot rio nights" which is related to bananas

There' a Big Cheese at Bordalla on the south coast of NSW. Australia has lots of BIG things for example the Big Pineapple at Nambour, Qld, The Big Prawn at Ballana, NSW and the Big Marino at Goulburn, NSW plus many more. Don't forget the Big Gumboot at Tully, Qld. and the Big Cane Toad at Sarina, Qld. If you want something big Australia has it all.

Fruiting bananas, are in most back yards from Sydney northwards with Coffs Harbor a major banana growing area on the north coast of NSW . There is even a tourist attraction called the big banana at Coffs. It's my daughter and grandson in the picture. On a more serious note banana growing is threatened by Panama disease with growers looking for different cultivars of banana to replace the cavendish banana that originated at Chatsworth in the UK.

And PCGS could not grade this one declaring it had been cleaned. I've looked very hard at at this coin through a X10 glass and fail to see any evidence of cleaning. There's even some mint luster around the the legend. As it didn't cost much due to the PCGS grading AU detail I'm not too unhappy but consistency is grading is a big issue

Do you get any fruit from the bananas? We are now into spring that has been cool so far but tomorrow 34 deg.C is forecast for Brisbane.

I remember visiting Spon St. in Coventry on a trip to the UK. The link gives a bit more information https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spon_Street . I also noticed there is a Wetherspoons' pub called the Spon Gate that boasts an Indian restaurant.

Because Will1976 posted a medal commemorating the Spon Gate. 1771

Any Ideas? Some times I think it's mint error. Other times I think it was intentional mutilation.

I think Australia is the only country that has kept the imperial sizes for 6d, shilling and florin coins. Australia never adopted the half crown when their coins were introduced in1910 although British half crowns and other coins circulated in Australia until the 1930s. Probably until the Australian pound was devalued to 15/- sterling in 1932 .

Like buying a coin buy the coin not the grade buy the music not the medium it’s recorded on.

1915 Silver Florin, NGC MS63, Scarce | eBay The listing is a very nice coin but the price is on the heavy side especially after freight and GST charges which bring the total cost to about GBP 200. I'm tempted but for the cost. Any thoughts?

Thanks. If the seller does not sell this coin he may relist at a more reasonable price. We shall see.

Take 2. I think the black background gives a better result.

Just a very quick try with your technique. Coin on a slope with overhead light ( LED mounted in ceiling) and camera on tripod with macro lens and sloped to suit. Seems a reasonable result will try to refine.

Obverse:Glory be to God on high and peace on earth to men of good will Reverse: To 15 Paris workers who have skillfully represented their French colleagues at the London peace congress 22,23 & 24 July 1851 https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-british-studies/article/abs/richard-cobden-and-the-international-peace-congress-movement-18481853/DEADE50EA37DB5668A4BFC2921EEAAF5 An interesting medal.

Thanks for that. That's basically what I have used in the past other than the wedge shaped wooden block. I have always thought the secret is in the lighting. This is where the angled block will help. I assume you adjust the camera angle as well to ensure it is normal to the coin's surface. I will try that . Many thanks, ozjohn

I was looking at my duplicates and found this 1923 half crown although a common date a nice coin with the king's ear well struck also now an antique as it's a 100 years old.

Snap. Your photographic technique is much better than mine as per my recent post "Another Find in my Coin Cabinet" that featured the coin below. It was photographed with my iphone although I have a Sony mirrorless camera with a macro lens all mounted on a tripod. The results are disappointing and any tips would be welcome