Henry VII Groat?

[BigBear 0]

sorry to be dim but if the ref (2199A) says 57,85,33 and none does that mean :- any of them :- all of them or what? 57 is anchor but the others I cant see anywhere?

[Sylvester 15]

Ah right... what that means is the coin will have just one of those mintmarks not all of them.

If it happened to be a muled example (which yours is not), it could be possible to have up to two of them one on the obverse and one on the reverse.

More often than not though there's just the one, so yours will just be anchors.

Another coin might have a rose (33) on both sides (or was that a pansy?)

I hope that makes sense?

[BigBear 0]

Fantastic - if only Spinks came with instructions for lamers like me!!!!

Thanks all you guys for your help you have a great forum here - A Credit +++

Perhaps I will be really cheeky and scan some more coins in for you to help me with!!

[Master Jmd 89]

Perhaps I will be really cheeky and scan some more coins in for you to help me with!!

the more, the merrier

[Sylvester 15]

And when you've done i've got one for everyone else on here to identify... cos i haven't identified it yet.

And Spinks is very hard to use when trying to ascribe hammered coins to a class/type, it's a doddle with Coincraft.

[TomGoodheart 403]

Gradewise... now this is my failing on hammered Tom will shame me probably for getting this wrong.

But top grade is VF, it's not that cos the hair is worn and there is some overall wear... but it's better than VG, i'd say it was AF-F, but grading hammered is a bit of a foreign language to me.

Ooh! I have a reputation?? Actually Sylvester I think you did brilliantly! And I have to admit that, since my main interest is Chas I, which as late as you get for hammered coins, I have no experience of Henry VII groats. I do however have a couple of years back issues of Spink's 'Numismatic Circular' which is handy for comparing like for like. Looking back I'd say Spink might just push this coin to nearly VF though you have to remember that's a seller's grade (the Circular being essentially a sales catalogue). I'd say good F since it looks like a good strike that has worn rather than a weakly struck coin. The key things - a clear mint mark, legible legend and a pleasing portrait are all there to make a collectable coin so you could get more than the 'Fair price'.

Thanks BigBear - show us more please!!!

[Sylvester 15]

pheww i'm glad i did alright there i haven't been dabbling in hammered too long... i'm still trying to figure out if my Stephen is really shaftesbury mint... i just can't read it.

[TomGoodheart 403]

Yes, Stephen seems particularly difficult! I've seen a couple which are clearly identified but I can't make out a thing!.. I think you need to get an eye for it (and a lucky hunch sometimes helps!).

That's why I like Chas shillings, they are larger and more consistent, but even then the worn or weak ones can be a challenge. Then again, that's probably part of the appeal!

Milled are just too, well..., machine made!!

[Master Jmd 89]

Milled are just too, well..., machine made!!

I have never thought of it like that...i prefer the 'machiene made' stuff as the errors are far rarer.

[Sylvester 15]

You wouldn't say that if you've ever studied William III coinage.

Everything from Farthings through to shillings is nothing but errors, especially dated 1696 and 1697

[william 0]

I think JMD means late milled stuff.

[Sylvester 15]

I think JMD means late milled stuff.

Ah he just said machine made though...

well actually he said 'machiene made' so maybe that's something different?

[Edward 0]

What's a "doddle"?

I hope that means Coincraft is easier to use than Spink on the classification of hammered. As much as I value the Spink, the paucity of pictures makes it hard for an American to read! Don't think for a minute anybody ever got that literature for the articles...

Another problem for me with Spink has been identifying an Anne groat that I have (pesky buggers, those groats). Does anyone have a picture of the obverse of S.3595A or B, the second draped bust with hair not re-engraved? I take it that S.3595A has the reverse of S.3595 and that S.3595B has the reverse of S.3595C.

[Sylvester 15]

What's a "doddle"?

I hope that means Coincraft is easier to use than Spink on the classification of hammered. As much as I value the Spink, the paucity of pictures makes it hard for an American to read! Don't think for a minute anybody ever got that literature for the articles...

Another problem for me with Spink has been identifying an Anne groat that I have (pesky buggers, those groats). Does anyone have a picture of the obverse of S.3595A or B, the second draped bust with hair not re-engraved? I take it that S.3595A has the reverse of S.3595 and that S.3595B has the reverse of S.3595C.

Doddle means, easy... dead easy in fact.