Paulus' XII Continued!

[seuk 85]

Certainly an interesting little shilling! Paulus, have you any means of checking whether it's silver or not? What do you intend to do with the coin?

I'm still amazed at the level of input from the members of this forum! So much information, it's like trying to keep up with Facebook, which i tried for about 3 weeks to see what the fuss was all about, before realising how much meaningless drivel is on it! 'think I might go to bed now!' ...5 comments! 'sleep well'...'think I might too'...'lucky you, I've still got the plates to clear away'...'been a long day'...'me too!' probably 7 thumbs up as well!

I have the coin packaged up at home ready to post back to the seller (I am in Australia until next weekend), he finally told me his address yesterday and has agreed a full refund, all going through eBay Resolution Centre. He claims he has had his own experts examine it and found nothing wrong, but if true they can only have been judging from the photos.

I havent done this before and have a question - he isnt ging to refund me until he gets his coin back, what recourse do I have if he simply doesnt repay me after that, does anyone know? Does eBay step in?

Thanks for any advice!

Also, I have no idea how to check whether it's silver, does anyone know?

I used to collect postage stamps as a kid. Some of the Edward VII (and others probably, but you will have to consul a catalogue) were printed on chalk paper. If you rub such a stamp with a silver coin it will leave a pencil-like mark. Not good for the postage stamp though

[Nick 329]

Certainly an interesting little shilling! Paulus, have you any means of checking whether it's silver or not? What do you intend to do with the coin?

I'm still amazed at the level of input from the members of this forum! So much information, it's like trying to keep up with Facebook, which i tried for about 3 weeks to see what the fuss was all about, before realising how much meaningless drivel is on it! 'think I might go to bed now!' ...5 comments! 'sleep well'...'think I might too'...'lucky you, I've still got the plates to clear away'...'been a long day'...'me too!' probably 7 thumbs up as well!

I have the coin packaged up at home ready to post back to the seller (I am in Australia until next weekend), he finally told me his address yesterday and has agreed a full refund, all going through eBay Resolution Centre. He claims he has had his own experts examine it and found nothing wrong, but if true they can only have been judging from the photos.

I havent done this before and have a question - he isnt ging to refund me until he gets his coin back, what recourse do I have if he simply doesnt repay me after that, does anyone know? Does eBay step in?

Thanks for any advice!

Also, I have no idea how to check whether it's silver, does anyone know?

A relatively simple method which doesn't require any expensive equipment would be to measure the density. This can be evaluated using measurements for the weight in air and the weight in distilled water (see wikipedia page on density for the formula). Silver is 10.5 times more dense than water.

Edited February 16, 2012 by Nick

[Coinery 1,157]

Certainly an interesting little shilling! Paulus, have you any means of checking whether it's silver or not? What do you intend to do with the coin?

I'm still amazed at the level of input from the members of this forum! So much information, it's like trying to keep up with Facebook, which i tried for about 3 weeks to see what the fuss was all about, before realising how much meaningless drivel is on it! 'think I might go to bed now!' ...5 comments! 'sleep well'...'think I might too'...'lucky you, I've still got the plates to clear away'...'been a long day'...'me too!' probably 7 thumbs up as well!

I have the coin packaged up at home ready to post back to the seller (I am in Australia until next weekend), he finally told me his address yesterday and has agreed a full refund, all going through eBay Resolution Centre. He claims he has had his own experts examine it and found nothing wrong, but if true they can only have been judging from the photos.

I havent done this before and have a question - he isnt ging to refund me until he gets his coin back, what recourse do I have if he simply doesnt repay me after that, does anyone know? Does eBay step in?

Thanks for any advice!

Also, I have no idea how to check whether it's silver, does anyone know?

I have to confess I have never had to send a coin back in these circumstances before, I'm as lost as you! I just hope you paid via PayPal? Even with registered post the guy could say 'you've sent me a washer, where's my coin,' so no real protection even with that! I don't think I'd buy a coin off eBay without using PayPal, unless I knew the seller, and received a consistent service from them.

Re the silver testing...people will be bringing a crucifix to my 'van...but a micro-spot of silver testing solution on the edge of the coin, for the second or two it takes to confirm high-grade silver, is what I have done in the past with coins that have niggled me! I am more paranoid than most about even the smallest blemishes on my own coins so, I can reassure you, If you've got that hammered coin ready by a running tap and, the second the micro-spot of solution turns red, you plunge it into the flow and flush it well off, you won't even see a mark where the spot has been, nothing, no clean silver spot, nothing! All you are left with is a coin that you either finally feel happy about, or a potential fake.

Of course there are many other factors, apart from silver content, but knowing whether it's sterling or not is a massive step forward on the Sherlock trail.

Try some on the edge of a nasty old BV coin and see.

I'd happily test a 1k+ coin with this method, if I was remotely unhappy about that aspect of it!

Usual disclaimers, of course...at your own risk, they are acids after all!

[Paulus 1,975]

Certainly an interesting little shilling! Paulus, have you any means of checking whether it's silver or not? What do you intend to do with the coin?

I'm still amazed at the level of input from the members of this forum! So much information, it's like trying to keep up with Facebook, which i tried for about 3 weeks to see what the fuss was all about, before realising how much meaningless drivel is on it! 'think I might go to bed now!' ...5 comments! 'sleep well'...'think I might too'...'lucky you, I've still got the plates to clear away'...'been a long day'...'me too!' probably 7 thumbs up as well!

I have the coin packaged up at home ready to post back to the seller (I am in Australia until next weekend), he finally told me his address yesterday and has agreed a full refund, all going through eBay Resolution Centre. He claims he has had his own experts examine it and found nothing wrong, but if true they can only have been judging from the photos.

I havent done this before and have a question - he isnt ging to refund me until he gets his coin back, what recourse do I have if he simply doesnt repay me after that, does anyone know? Does eBay step in?

Thanks for any advice!

Also, I have no idea how to check whether it's silver, does anyone know?

I have to confess I have never had to send a coin back in these circumstances before, I'm as lost as you! I just hope you paid via PayPal? Even with registered post the guy could say 'you've sent me a washer, where's my coin,' so no real protection even with that! I don't think I'd buy a coin off eBay without using PayPal, unless I knew the seller, and received a consistent service from them.

Re the silver testing...people will be bringing a crucifix to my 'van...but a micro-spot of silver testing solution on the edge of the coin, for the second or two it takes to confirm high-grade silver, is what I have done in the past with coins that have niggled me! I am more paranoid than most about even the smallest blemishes on my own coins so, I can reassure you, If you've got that hammered coin ready by a running tap and, the second the micro-spot of solution turns red, you plunge it into the flow and flush it well off, you won't even see a mark where the spot has been, nothing, no clean silver spot, nothing! All you are left with is a coin that you either finally feel happy about, or a potential fake.

Of course there are many other factors, apart from silver content, but knowing whether it's sterling or not is a massive step forward on the Sherlock trail.

Try some on the edge of a nasty old BV coin and see.

I'd happily test a 1k+ coin with this method, if I was remotely unhappy about that aspect of it!

Usual disclaimers, of course...at your own risk, they are acids after all!

Thanks for all the advice guys, the coin will however have been returned to the seller by Royal Mail Special Delivery by the time I return home, and yes I did pay by PayPal - excuse my ignorance, but what difference does that make? (If for example the seller does not have sufficient funds?)

[azda 979]

Certainly an interesting little shilling! Paulus, have you any means of checking whether it's silver or not? What do you intend to do with the coin?

I'm still amazed at the level of input from the members of this forum! So much information, it's like trying to keep up with Facebook, which i tried for about 3 weeks to see what the fuss was all about, before realising how much meaningless drivel is on it! 'think I might go to bed now!' ...5 comments! 'sleep well'...'think I might too'...'lucky you, I've still got the plates to clear away'...'been a long day'...'me too!' probably 7 thumbs up as well!

I have the coin packaged up at home ready to post back to the seller (I am in Australia until next weekend), he finally told me his address yesterday and has agreed a full refund, all going through eBay Resolution Centre. He claims he has had his own experts examine it and found nothing wrong, but if true they can only have been judging from the photos.

I havent done this before and have a question - he isnt ging to refund me until he gets his coin back, what recourse do I have if he simply doesnt repay me after that, does anyone know? Does eBay step in?

Thanks for any advice!

Also, I have no idea how to check whether it's silver, does anyone know?

I have to confess I have never had to send a coin back in these circumstances before, I'm as lost as you! I just hope you paid via PayPal? Even with registered post the guy could say 'you've sent me a washer, where's my coin,' so no real protection even with that! I don't think I'd buy a coin off eBay without using PayPal, unless I knew the seller, and received a consistent service from them.

Re the silver testing...people will be bringing a crucifix to my 'van...but a micro-spot of silver testing solution on the edge of the coin, for the second or two it takes to confirm high-grade silver, is what I have done in the past with coins that have niggled me! I am more paranoid than most about even the smallest blemishes on my own coins so, I can reassure you, If you've got that hammered coin ready by a running tap and, the second the micro-spot of solution turns red, you plunge it into the flow and flush it well off, you won't even see a mark where the spot has been, nothing, no clean silver spot, nothing! All you are left with is a coin that you either finally feel happy about, or a potential fake.

Of course there are many other factors, apart from silver content, but knowing whether it's sterling or not is a massive step forward on the Sherlock trail.

Try some on the edge of a nasty old BV coin and see.

I'd happily test a 1k+ coin with this method, if I was remotely unhappy about that aspect of it!

Usual disclaimers, of course...at your own risk, they are acids after all!

Thanks for all the advice guys, the coin will however have been returned to the seller by Royal Mail Special Delivery by the time I return home, and yes I did pay by PayPal - excuse my ignorance, but what difference does that make? (If for example the seller does not have sufficient funds?)

Paypal will simply take the money from his PP account and next time anything goes into it, it will then be deducted. It will be taken and you will get your cash back, so don't worry about that. As has been stated, just make sure the return is traceable.

Now for your next coin, where did you get that Northumberland Shilling? Ebay?

Edited February 17, 2012 by azda

[Paulus 1,975]

Certainly an interesting little shilling! Paulus, have you any means of checking whether it's silver or not? What do you intend to do with the coin?

I'm still amazed at the level of input from the members of this forum! So much information, it's like trying to keep up with Facebook, which i tried for about 3 weeks to see what the fuss was all about, before realising how much meaningless drivel is on it! 'think I might go to bed now!' ...5 comments! 'sleep well'...'think I might too'...'lucky you, I've still got the plates to clear away'...'been a long day'...'me too!' probably 7 thumbs up as well!

I have the coin packaged up at home ready to post back to the seller (I am in Australia until next weekend), he finally told me his address yesterday and has agreed a full refund, all going through eBay Resolution Centre. He claims he has had his own experts examine it and found nothing wrong, but if true they can only have been judging from the photos.

I havent done this before and have a question - he isnt ging to refund me until he gets his coin back, what recourse do I have if he simply doesnt repay me after that, does anyone know? Does eBay step in?

Thanks for any advice!

Also, I have no idea how to check whether it's silver, does anyone know?

I have to confess I have never had to send a coin back in these circumstances before, I'm as lost as you! I just hope you paid via PayPal? Even with registered post the guy could say 'you've sent me a washer, where's my coin,' so no real protection even with that! I don't think I'd buy a coin off eBay without using PayPal, unless I knew the seller, and received a consistent service from them.

Re the silver testing...people will be bringing a crucifix to my 'van...but a micro-spot of silver testing solution on the edge of the coin, for the second or two it takes to confirm high-grade silver, is what I have done in the past with coins that have niggled me! I am more paranoid than most about even the smallest blemishes on my own coins so, I can reassure you, If you've got that hammered coin ready by a running tap and, the second the micro-spot of solution turns red, you plunge it into the flow and flush it well off, you won't even see a mark where the spot has been, nothing, no clean silver spot, nothing! All you are left with is a coin that you either finally feel happy about, or a potential fake.

Of course there are many other factors, apart from silver content, but knowing whether it's sterling or not is a massive step forward on the Sherlock trail.

Try some on the edge of a nasty old BV coin and see.

I'd happily test a 1k+ coin with this method, if I was remotely unhappy about that aspect of it!

Usual disclaimers, of course...at your own risk, they are acids after all!

Thanks for all the advice guys, the coin will however have been returned to the seller by Royal Mail Special Delivery by the time I return home, and yes I did pay by PayPal - excuse my ignorance, but what difference does that make? (If for example the seller does not have sufficient funds?)

Paypal will simply take the money from his PP account and next time anything goes into it, it will then be deducted. It will be taken and you will get your cash back, so don't worry about that. As has been stated, just make sure the return is traceable.

Now for your next coin, where did you get that Northumberland Shilling? Ebay?

Ah, yes, The Northumberland Shilling ... is with me here in Melbourne where I happen to be on business, and I am taking it to Downies in Melbourne tomorrow who auctioned it to my seller back in October. And yes, I got it from eBay on a BIN, I wont be doing major purchases on eBay ever again, way too worrying and stressful! So I am going to see what they think of it, and whether they have any extra provenance that can be provided. What do you think of it from the pics Dave?

[azda 979]

Enlarging the pix, to me it looks a bit casty. 2nd thing is any seller can say i bought it from X auction. 3rd DNW i think it was Late Last year also Sold a fake as genuine.

My advice is, when you get back to blighty, send it to one of our dealers on the forum (if they arr willing to help) and get clarification, its a Bit of money to lose if its junk and you only have so much time to claim your cash back on ebay.

Bear in mind just because irs come from an auction house does'nt make it legit (if thats where it came from) i saw 1 Last year in an OZ auction that was also a fake.

[Peter 615]

Buying from eBAY is OK if from a reputable seller with a returns policy.

Know your subject and caveat emptor.

There are pitfalls/fakes/idiots on eBAY but sometimes some nice coins.

[Paulus 1,975]

Buying from eBAY is OK if from a reputable seller with a returns policy.

Know your subject and caveat emptor.

There are pitfalls/fakes/idiots on eBAY but sometimes some nice coins.

Here is the eBay BIN ad. Rob was kind enough to verify for me that it was the exact same coin Downies auctioned, but I except that that is no guarantee of authenticity!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/330679474782?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2648

[Colin G. 147]

Know your subject

That is the most important bit in my opinion!!

[Paulus 1,975]

Buying from eBAY is OK if from a reputable seller with a returns policy.

Know your subject and caveat emptor.

There are pitfalls/fakes/idiots on eBAY but sometimes some nice coins.

Here is the eBay BIN ad. Rob was kind enough to verify for me that it was the exact same coin Downies auctioned, but I except that that is no guarantee of authenticity!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/330679474782?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2648

Further update under the Northumberland Shilling topic