Had a couple of my favorite pieces pro shot.

[coinpictures 0]

Photography by Mark Goodman.

These are some of my favorite pieces, that I've never been able to capture to my liking

despite hours of repeated attempts... so I finally gave up and sent them to a pro.

I'm so pleased, that not only have I preordered his forthcoming Numismatic Photography

book, but I'll be sending my entire fractional farthing collection to him for imaging.

These aren't necessarily the highest graded pieces in the world, but they're my favorites.

(split over multiple posts due to limit of 2 images per post)

Farthing 1806. NGC MS62 BN. I'm a fan of purple/blue copper moreso than red,

and I love the repunched digits in the date.

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1/2d 1799. NGC MS63 BN.

1/2d 1770. NGC MS64 BN PL. While I'd been able to capture the details of the

coin, any shot that conveyed the "liquidity" of the surfaces and the prooflike aspects

of the coin had utterly eluded me. Nice diebreak on the reverse, and doubling of the

first 7 in the date.

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And lastly, the jewel of my fractional farthing collection. This is a case where (1) I think

PCGS missed the boat on the grade (probably because of the tiny size of the coin)...

if this were a U.S. copper of the same era, it would grade at least 2 points higher, and

(2) even so, numerical grade has no bearing on the eye appeal of the coin. I bought

it sight unseen and lucked out beyond my imagining...

1/4 Farthing, 1839. PCGS MS64 RB.

[scottishmoney 29]

Sweet Love those nice natural tones too. The 1770 Halfpenny is my favourite though, an early and hard to find a such nice example of.

Isn't the detail in the quarter farthing amazing for such a pecuniary coin? Look at the detail in the Mayflower on the reverse. I have a BU Half Farthing from 1842 that has the Mayflower, Thistle, and Shamrock on, just amazing.

[coinpictures 0]

Sweet Love those nice natural tones too. The 1770 Halfpenny is my favourite though, an early and hard to find a such nice example of.

Isn't the detail in the quarter farthing amazing for such a pecuniary coin? Look at the detail in the Mayflower on the reverse. I have a BU Half Farthing from 1842 that has the Mayflower, Thistle, and Shamrock on, just amazing.

Yeah, the 1/2 farthings offer a slightly larger canvas and details to enjoy, but the 1/4 and 1/3 farthings are my favorites just because they are so diminuitive.

I have an 1854 1/2 farthing in NGC MS66 BN with lovely purple-blue toning. That will be going to Mark for imaging later this year. While not as vibrantly colored as this 1/4 farthing, the surfaces are wonderful.

That 1770 1/2d is wonderful to ogle. It used to be the highest of 3 graded PL for the entire series until last year when someone made a 65 RD PL. I like mine better though, as the 65 had some spotting, not to mention it cost 10x what mine did... and I paid strong money for mine (it languished unsold in dealer inventory for quite some time, and then they put it on eBay and I was the only bidder... maybe I overpaid, who knows, but I love the coin).

The coin below is interesting. It was sold in an NGC PF64 BN holder, but the dealer said he believed it was incorrectly holdered, and is actually a prooflike MS strike. I sent it back to NGC, and they concurred... it is now certified as MS64 BN PL.

Considering that prooflike examples from this era are infinitely more scarce than proofs (in my experience at any rate), it was a very nice pickup for $250.

[Art 0]

Great coins and outstanding pics. Thanks for sharing.

[Peter 615]

MMMM....Don't like the toning.....none of mine are like that and I don't often see this at UK coin fairs.

Must be a American thing....not for us Brits.

Artificial toning Kits are a BIG NO NO.

[Rob 3,152]

MMMM....Don't like the toning.....none of mine are like that and I don't often see this at UK coin fairs.

Must be a American thing....not for us Brits.

Artificial toning Kits are a BIG NO NO.

I go along with that because I don't like AT either. The only coins you would expect to see multicoloured hues such as those on the fractional are on proofs or prooflike coins, and then only in the field when held against the light at the right angle.

[coinpictures 0]

"None of mine are like that, therefore it must be artificially toned."

I'll hand it to you, that's a novel approach.

As far as the contention that the only time you ever see multicolored hues on coins is on proofs or prooflike pieces, as one who collects worldwide coins (not just U.K.), and specializes in toned coins, I can say without reservation that you are completely wrong.

Now, you are certainly within your rights to not like the color from an aesthetic standpoint, in the same way that I don't like bright red copper, but the assertions as to artificial toning are off the mark...

[Peter 615]

Previous generations have enamelled coins,stuck gold guineas in mounts & the Chavs love their sovereign rings......I have been collecting UK coins for 40 years and visiting Coin Fairs for 25 years. The toning isn't natural and mine (including future purchases) will not have it.

[Rob 3,152]

The 1770 looks more natural on the CoinsGB forum and doesn't look AT here either. The ones that don't look natural are the fractional and to a lesser extent the 1799 1/2d and 1806 1/4d. Both of which look as if the blue filter has been turned up too much. If the red around the edge of the 1/2d is original colour as it appears, then the whole coin is too blue. The 1806 penny looks good.

Edited January 21, 2008 by Rob