George IV Help ID Please

[coppercop 0]

If somebody can ID these coins I won, I would appreciate it...kind of a shoot-from-the-hip purchase.

Thanks!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140657233793#ht_500wt_1202

[Generic Lad 25]

Well, the 2 coins with Britannia and the lion are farthings (1823, 1822 by the looks of it), honestly beautiful coins, some of my favorites and seem to be in decent condition. The God Save the King is some sort of token, don't know anything more about it other than it isn't a Royal Mint coin. The one with the shield appears to be a half-crown dated 1820. The smaller bronze looks to be a fractional farthing, I think it is a half farthing, but I suppose it might be a third farthing? The other coin is called a "coronation crown" in the description but I don't really know anything about it, other than it can't be a crown in the traditional sense, its much too small!

I don't have my Spinks book up here with me at this time, so I can't really help you with the value. But for only 31 pounds, I'd say you made out alright.

[coppercop 0]

Thanks--sounds great.

[Peckris 579]

If somebody can ID these coins I won, I would appreciate it...kind of a shoot-from-the-hip purchase.

Thanks!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140657233793#ht_500wt_1202

It may be just the photograph but when you get them check if they have been lacquered, and return them if they have. Otherwise they look a reasonable purchase.

[Peter 615]

Put your pistol away and take a better shot at quality rather than quantity.

They look as if they have been cleaned.

[Colin G. 147]

Put your pistol away and take a better shot at quality rather than quantity.

They look as if they have been cleaned.

The two farthings do look as though they have been cleaned, although the third farthing looks in reasonable condition. The half crown looks like it may be a contemporary fake due to the colour (base metal rather than silver) but that may just be the orangy light used for the photo

[coppercop 0]

I'll update when coins i...pistol is in storage...thanks all who chimed in.

[Peter 615]

I'll update when coins i...pistol is in storage...thanks all who chimed in.

Next time you are out dining what will it be....6 portions of boiled rice OR steak au poivre?

& ebay is like McDonald's...everyone uses's it but questions themselves why afterwards.

[declanwmagee 122]

A good rule of thumb on ebay, which wipes out a lot of the gamble, is not to buy anything that you haven't seen both sides of the coin. I stick to that rule religiously now, after having had too many disappointments in the past.

[Generic Lad 25]

A good rule of thumb on ebay, which wipes out a lot of the gamble, is not to buy anything that you haven't seen both sides of the coin. I stick to that rule religiously now, after having had too many disappointments in the past.

Unless the coin is in a well known holder or you are buying it for less than scrap value. I managed to pick up a Britannia for less than melt because the guy took a low-resolution pic of it in the Littleton coin holder. Most people didn't know what it was so they didn't bid, however I had bought a few Britannias in those holders from my coin dealer (and not Littleton! Their prices are absurd!) and so I knew what to expect.

But yes, for coppers, if they don't photograph both sides of the coin, there is usually a reason why!

[coppercop 0]

Yes..I agree..I do not buy my beloved Esienhower Dollars, and others, without pics of both sides...I got carried away...simple as that. Lesson learned.

Thank You.

[argentumandcoins 70]

A good rule of thumb on ebay, which wipes out a lot of the gamble, is not to buy anything that you haven't seen both sides of the coin. I stick to that rule religiously now, after having had too many disappointments in the past.

Not just on the bay Declan. I had bought 2 cracking Lima Halfcrowns from an auction house (that will remain nameless) for £240 on a £180-£220 estimate. They were photographed side by side with an obv and reverse showing and graded as "high grade". They looked to be very nice coins so I was a happy bunny. Imagine my bubble bursting when the best of the 2 was flipped over in my hand to reveal 2 very large engraved initials in the field, worse still, the other one had 2 lumps of solder....BUGGER! Coins sent back and pennies returned to my account. Needless to say said auction house (where I had spent over £10k that year alone) has not had business from me again.

[Peckris 579]

A good rule of thumb on ebay, which wipes out a lot of the gamble, is not to buy anything that you haven't seen both sides of the coin. I stick to that rule religiously now, after having had too many disappointments in the past.

Not just on the bay Declan. I had bought 2 cracking Lima Halfcrowns from an auction house (that will remain nameless) for £240 on a £180-£220 estimate. They were photographed side by side with an obv and reverse showing and graded as "high grade". They looked to be very nice coins so I was a happy bunny. Imagine my bubble bursting when the best of the 2 was flipped over in my hand to reveal 2 very large engraved initials in the field, worse still, the other one had 2 lumps of solder....BUGGER! Coins sent back and pennies returned to my account. Needless to say said auction house (where I had spent over £10k that year alone) has not had business from me again.

You would have thought - where they had had good business from you - that a quiet warning about those coins would have gone out to you when they got your bid. Almost as if they didn't WANT your business.

[argentumandcoins 70]

A good rule of thumb on ebay, which wipes out a lot of the gamble, is not to buy anything that you haven't seen both sides of the coin. I stick to that rule religiously now, after having had too many disappointments in the past.

Not just on the bay Declan. I had bought 2 cracking Lima Halfcrowns from an auction house (that will remain nameless) for £240 on a £180-£220 estimate. They were photographed side by side with an obv and reverse showing and graded as "high grade". They looked to be very nice coins so I was a happy bunny. Imagine my bubble bursting when the best of the 2 was flipped over in my hand to reveal 2 very large engraved initials in the field, worse still, the other one had 2 lumps of solder....BUGGER! Coins sent back and pennies returned to my account. Needless to say said auction house (where I had spent over £10k that year alone) has not had business from me again.

You would have thought - where they had had good business from you - that a quiet warning about those coins would have gone out to you when they got your bid. Almost as if they didn't WANT your business.

Sadly Peck it's a sign of the times (plenty more buyers in the sea would appear to be the attitude).

The conversation with the Director/Auctioneer was quite entertaining. The gist of it was that he would refund me because I had bought from them before (implying that if I was a new customer I was out of luck). When I asked why only one side was photographed and why that side was the good side I was told that they employed school children to take the pics and it was nothing to do with him!!!! I didn't even bother going into the lack of relevant detail in the lot description

[Peter 615]

A good rule of thumb on ebay, which wipes out a lot of the gamble, is not to buy anything that you haven't seen both sides of the coin. I stick to that rule religiously now, after having had too many disappointments in the past.

Once bitten twice shy with me.

However I have taken a punt on awful pictures that SOMETIMES have paid off.

A few years back I bought "green" coloured coins from a seller for very little...yep it was his photographic skills...the give away and why I had a punt were the farthing specialist envelopes visible stating reasonable grades.

[Rob 3,152]

A good rule of thumb on ebay, which wipes out a lot of the gamble, is not to buy anything that you haven't seen both sides of the coin. I stick to that rule religiously now, after having had too many disappointments in the past.

Once bitten twice shy with me.

However I have taken a punt on awful pictures that SOMETIMES have paid off.

A few years back I bought "green" coloured coins from a seller for very little...yep it was his photographic skills...the give away and why I had a punt were the farthing specialist envelopes visible stating reasonable grades.

Me too. The 1820 I/S shilling a page or two back in the acquisition thread was listed with a fuzzy picture, but the larger blob for the I and the obviously decent grade from the hair detail made it worth bidding Spink book price at the time for an EF or better. The prooflike qualities were icing on the cake converting a conventional and common 1820 listed as high grade into an EF+ rarity with superb toning and a decent 3 figure value.

[Peckris 579]

Sadly Peck it's a sign of the times (plenty more buyers in the sea would appear to be the attitude).

The conversation with the Director/Auctioneer was quite entertaining. The gist of it was that he would refund me because I had bought from them before (implying that if I was a new customer I was out of luck). When I asked why only one side was photographed and why that side was the good side I was told that they employed school children to take the pics and it was nothing to do with him!!!! I didn't even bother going into the lack of relevant detail in the lot description

I shudder to think how many laws they could be breaking there!

[declanwmagee 122]

Sadly Peck it's a sign of the times (plenty more buyers in the sea would appear to be the attitude).

The conversation with the Director/Auctioneer was quite entertaining. The gist of it was that he would refund me because I had bought from them before (implying that if I was a new customer I was out of luck). When I asked why only one side was photographed and why that side was the good side I was told that they employed school children to take the pics and it was nothing to do with him!!!! I didn't even bother going into the lack of relevant detail in the lot description

I shudder to think how many laws they could be breaking there!

And I bet they didn't tell them to only take pics of the best side of the coin...

[argentumandcoins 70]

Sadly Peck it's a sign of the times (plenty more buyers in the sea would appear to be the attitude).

The conversation with the Director/Auctioneer was quite entertaining. The gist of it was that he would refund me because I had bought from them before (implying that if I was a new customer I was out of luck). When I asked why only one side was photographed and why that side was the good side I was told that they employed school children to take the pics and it was nothing to do with him!!!! I didn't even bother going into the lack of relevant detail in the lot description

I shudder to think how many laws they could be breaking there!

And I bet they didn't tell them to only take pics of the best side of the coin...

Of course not..... It's just like the ebay sellers who only show one side, it just happens to be the good side by coincidence.

[coppercop 0]

Coins arrived now...I believe this is why online sales can be so dreadful....the Half Crown is a base metal fake(13.46 grams, old "silver" toning worn away to reveal base metal-bronze of some sort)---the 1822(4.64 gr.) & 1823(4.70) Farthings are spray-painted gold, and the 3rd Farthing may be a copy, as it weighs a scant 1.31 grams, but has original patina.......not off to a good start...time to crawl under a boulder and hide now........should I request a refund? Seller stated coins were "unknown", so, it's a grey-area as far as truthfullness or not...may have to chalk this up to the "educational expenses"...1 possible redeming feature--the 1823 Farthing seems to have an issue with the 8..I call it an overdate on coins I have seen with this, as a Morgan Dollar, or, some call this a re-punched date..It has a partial loop coming over, and on top of the upper loop, and a thin curving line inside------can shoot if interested.

Calvin

[RLC35 288]

Calvin, Is the attached pic like your farthing? This is a 1826 that I have.

[coppercop 0]

Here's a closeup of the numerals on the 1923(normal, not "Roman" 1)--the 8 may be of interest..you folks will know...now, how do I remove gold plating?

It also has a nice die clash both sides, near George's cheek, in field, and, on the staff of the trident..I would guess coins this old with heavy clashes as this are not uncommon...if I can add them here, Last Pic is the small Coronation coin has 2 neat die cracks, both sides, and has such a rough rim, it may be a fake also...very thin(3.72 grams), and very poor quality strike..with chopped letters, missing letters(the 8, in 1821, the UL in JULY, etc...I need a freeman# to learn more of this specimen.

The Malta-usage 3rd Farthing is very cute...I think I want to complete that set..I usually don't go for small copper, but, these intrigue me(maybe because it may be the only genuine coin in the lot!!!)

Cheers

Calvin

[coppercop 0]

Here's the Coronation coin, with die cracks both sides...not sure if contemporary counterfeit. 3.72 grams.

[coppercop 0]

Here are the 1822 & 1823 "Gold-Plated" Farthings...perhaps tried to be sold as "Gold" at some point to an unsuspecting buyer?

[coppercop 0]

Next is the 1820 Half Crown..notice the washed out "Silver", leaving base metal today--weighs in at 13.47 grams.