whitedb

Yes, it does look like a fake Bir a poor one at that.

I use FilemakePro with a Template that came with version 5. Did you develop your own?

One reason early circulating coins are becoming rarer is the Coin Reclamation program from the mint. https://www.royalmint.com/corporate/circulating-coin/coin-reclamation/ They partnered with Vaultex to remove 65% of the circulating CuNi coins over three years. See their video here:

Thanks for flagging this up as I had not seen it and will certainly buy a copy. It will make a good stocking filler!

His whole site is full of fakes from China. I was interested in Victorian fractionals and bought a “reference set” from Aliexpress and see him listing some.

I have been buying the silver bullion series along with bullion Britannia’s. They are lovely designs but the realisation in bullion is sadly the smooth shiny finish the mint now favours. They look spectacular as proofs but I am tired of paying the huge mark-ups expected by the mint.

Did you notice that the 1933 penny had signs of verdigris? Clearly they are not looking after it well enough. I volunteer to take car of it for them!

I have a set of fake wreath crowns that are very good, it puts me off collecting them as I am not enough of an expert to be sure of what is genuine. I collect copper pennies and have a set of the pre 1860 imitations and a few later ones. They are good but with these I can spot the fakes easily. I keep them all in a box labelled Chinese Fakes.

Fake Victorian crowns on eBay. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Victorian-Crowns-Coins-1898-1899/323292940557?hash=item4b45c2c90d:g:1x8AAOSwxllbGkn- I’ve seen similar on AliExpress’s website.

More fakes, this time Victorian crowns: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Victorian-Crowns-Coins-1898-1899/323292940557?hash=item4b45c2c90d:g:1x8AAOSwxllbGkn- Described as over 100 years old, probably more like 100 days.

Yes you can. What bowser are you using and what is the operating system?

Zookeeperz, how do you “deal” with the verdigris spots?

1797 Cartwheel Penny - Looks like a fake to me: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1797-Cart-wheel-Penny-Coin-Antique-Old-Copper-King-George-III-Royal-Mint-London/312080411819?hash=item48a9712cab:g:NgoAAOSweRhanEmO The Chinese copies are getting better and better and this coin does not look right to me.

Colin Cooke still list them for sale, £24.99, copper or gold alloy. Your choice.

They are coming from China, you can find them on Aliexpress.com. I bought a wreath crown and the recent 1869 and 1933 pennies ($3 each) from China just to see what we are dealing with. They are getting better and might foool some people. Talking of 1933 pennies, what about this one for £800 item no 263179627692. https://m.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_nkw=263179627692&isNewKw=1&mfs=GOCLK&acimp=0&_trksid=p2053742.m2428.l1313.TR0.TRC0.X263179627692&sqp=263179627692 Funny how they can't take a good photo of the reverse or spell for that matter.

I can confirm that the 1970 proof set was sold in 1971. I am looking at my order confirmation, number A0447, dated 9 Nov 1971. I recall that the price was £3.00. I can't confirm with a receipt but my contemporary notes record this figure. In today's money it would be £42.65 I bought the 1971 -1975 sets in 1975, I think, for £25 for the five sets. They were direct from the mint and came in paper envelopes. Given that £5 in 1975 would be £47.90 today they were not a good "investment"

I had seen it, put the first bid on it and was watching it for a bid later. I had not realised you could end an auction with active bids. It was stopped 5 days early. There is always the possibility it was a honey trap ....

Don't waste your money. The royal mint have just announced a 2016 two coin pound set with a BU round pound and new one for £55. http://www.royalmint.com/shop/u/uk16d2bu

Ozjohn, Thanks for the suggestion. IrfanView is an amazing piece of software, I have been using it for over 10 years now. In this case I had used Photoshop to reduce the size of the images. The issue in the end was not the size of the photos, I had been able to make them small enough. Rob identified the problem correctly, once I had tried the initial photo that was too big it "remembered" it and would not allow any others even though they were correctly sized. I logged out and back and then there was no problem attaching the smaller pictures.

Thanks Rob, I did as you suggested and was able to upload the photos. I appreciate the help.

Thanks, I saw it on eBay for £12 last year and took a punt as, whilst the picture was small, it looked different and was described as prooflike. I can't decide if it is a proof, the fields do have a mirror like finish, but it was a nice find. I had been meaning to post it for a while. Here is the eBay picture.

It is not just beginners. Whilst in your own area of expertise you can "see" something wrong but as a novice or new to that particular field you don't. I wanted to make a collection of Silver Crowns, with one example of each type and was looking to buy a wreath crown. I have to say that I start to fear that a large majority on eBay are fakes. I have been looking at the magnet test to check for silver but they even do 90% silver versions. It is really putting me off buying.

Here is a clogged die with more missing waves. A 1937 Penny with the horizon missing to the left of the lighthouse and waves also absent. Similarly on the rhs near the rim. I am still experimenting with the photography and will do better next time! Regard, Dave