Elizabeth II SIxpence Advice

[rpeddie 119]

ive been focusing on collecting sixpence the last few months and i have run into a snag by the look of things, believe it or not i cant seem to get high grade elizabeth II coins as easily as i would have expected.

what i am looking for is any advice on getting these coins in a high grade?

i have bought quite alot of labeled "UNC/aUNC" and they all fall well short

thanks for any advice

[Coinery 1,153]

ive been focusing on collecting sixpence the last few months and i have run into a snag by the look of things, believe it or not i cant seem to get high grade elizabeth II coins as easily as i would have expected.

what i am looking for is any advice on getting these coins in a high grade?

i have bought quite alot of labeled "UNC/aUNC" and they all fall well short

thanks for any advice

You'll have run into the same problems that a lot of people face trying to get G6 as well. And that is the major Auction houses don't bother with them accept in bulk lots (so you have to be there, really), and eBay is useless for such things because, forgetting the fact the images are never good enough to decipher an EF from an UNC (at best), the postage generally makes buying them at book price a prohibitive thing, unless you are going to buy a number of coins from the same ebayer (and good luck with that).

The only way, is to buy a number of coins from the same dealer [to save on post], or attend a coin fair (and turn a blind eye to fuel costs).

There's no easy answer, unfortunately, as it's not like say a Victorian coin, where a rubbish image on eBay can have you speculate a VF bid, whilst you're suspecting the coin might be VF and better. With E2 & G6, if an EF arrives, when you were hoping for an UNC, you've thrown your money away, as you will never be able to sell it on and get your money back.

Here's where you've just got to have a dealer who's judgement in grading you 100% trust! Nothing else will do!

[Gary1000 41]

ive been focusing on collecting sixpence the last few months and i have run into a snag by the look of things, believe it or not i cant seem to get high grade elizabeth II coins as easily as i would have expected.

what i am looking for is any advice on getting these coins in a high grade?

i have bought quite alot of labeled "UNC/aUNC" and they all fall well short

thanks for any advice

You'll have run into the same problems that a lot of people face trying to get G6 as well. And that is the major Auction houses don't bother with them accept in bulk lots (so you have to be there, really), and eBay is useless for such things because, forgetting the fact the images are never good enough to decipher an EF from an UNC (at best), the postage generally makes buying them at book price a prohibitive thing, unless you are going to buy a number of coins from the same ebayer (and good luck with that).

The only way, is to buy a number of coins from the same dealer [to save on post], or attend a coin fair (and turn a blind eye to fuel costs).

There's no easy answer, unfortunately, as it's not like say a Victorian coin, where a rubbish image on eBay can have you speculate a VF bid, whilst you're suspecting the coin might be VF and better. With E2 & G6, if an EF arrives, when you were hoping for an UNC, you've thrown your money away, as you will never be able to sell it on and get your money back.

Here's where you've just got to have a dealer who's judgement in grading you 100% trust! Nothing else will do!

I was lucky and picked up a date run in UNC. They are not easy to find in high grades because dealer haven't really caught on to E11 yet. I actually managed last week to upgrade my 1955 F to gap after looking for a year or two.

[Coinery 1,153]

ive been focusing on collecting sixpence the last few months and i have run into a snag by the look of things, believe it or not i cant seem to get high grade elizabeth II coins as easily as i would have expected.

what i am looking for is any advice on getting these coins in a high grade?

i have bought quite alot of labeled "UNC/aUNC" and they all fall well short

thanks for any advice

You'll have run into the same problems that a lot of people face trying to get G6 as well. And that is the major Auction houses don't bother with them accept in bulk lots (so you have to be there, really), and eBay is useless for such things because, forgetting the fact the images are never good enough to decipher an EF from an UNC (at best), the postage generally makes buying them at book price a prohibitive thing, unless you are going to buy a number of coins from the same ebayer (and good luck with that).

The only way, is to buy a number of coins from the same dealer [to save on post], or attend a coin fair (and turn a blind eye to fuel costs).

There's no easy answer, unfortunately, as it's not like say a Victorian coin, where a rubbish image on eBay can have you speculate a VF bid, whilst you're suspecting the coin might be VF and better. With E2 & G6, if an EF arrives, when you were hoping for an UNC, you've thrown your money away, as you will never be able to sell it on and get your money back.

Here's where you've just got to have a dealer who's judgement in grading you 100% trust! Nothing else will do!

I was lucky and picked up a date run in UNC. They are not easy to find in high grades because dealer haven't really caught on to E11 yet. I actually managed last week to upgrade my 1955 F to gap after looking for a year or two.

I did take a quick scout around the forum dealers, and certainly noted a few UNC's for sale!

[Nick 329]

ive been focusing on collecting sixpence the last few months and i have run into a snag by the look of things, believe it or not i cant seem to get high grade elizabeth II coins as easily as i would have expected.

what i am looking for is any advice on getting these coins in a high grade?

i have bought quite alot of labeled "UNC/aUNC" and they all fall well short

thanks for any advice

You'll have run into the same problems that a lot of people face trying to get G6 as well. And that is the major Auction houses don't bother with them accept in bulk lots (so you have to be there, really), and eBay is useless for such things because, forgetting the fact the images are never good enough to decipher an EF from an UNC (at best), the postage generally makes buying them at book price a prohibitive thing, unless you are going to buy a number of coins from the same ebayer (and good luck with that).

The only way, is to buy a number of coins from the same dealer [to save on post], or attend a coin fair (and turn a blind eye to fuel costs).

There's no easy answer, unfortunately, as it's not like say a Victorian coin, where a rubbish image on eBay can have you speculate a VF bid, whilst you're suspecting the coin might be VF and better. With E2 & G6, if an EF arrives, when you were hoping for an UNC, you've thrown your money away, as you will never be able to sell it on and get your money back.

Here's where you've just got to have a dealer who's judgement in grading you 100% trust! Nothing else will do!

I was lucky and picked up a date run in UNC. They are not easy to find in high grades because dealer haven't really caught on to E11 yet. I actually managed last week to upgrade my 1955 F to gap after looking for a year or two.

Do you mean F to bead? F to gap is much the easier of the two for that date.

[brauereibeck 1]

ive been focusing on collecting sixpence the last few months and i have run into a snag by the look of things, believe it or not i cant seem to get high grade elizabeth II coins as easily as i would have expected.

what i am looking for is any advice on getting these coins in a high grade?

i have bought quite alot of labeled "UNC/aUNC" and they all fall well short

thanks for any advice

My theory is that UNC G6 and EII coins don't (with a few obvious exceptions) attract big ticket prices and therefore collectors don't bother putting them into auction or onto ebay preferring to hold on to their UNC specimens. Furthermore, in my experience, dealers over-grade their G6 and EII stock, often describing an aUNC as BU and not bothering to put up a photo. I collect brass threepence and from my experience the G6 years are generally easier to find in true UNC than the EII.

[Gary1000 41]

ive been focusing on collecting sixpence the last few months and i have run into a snag by the look of things, believe it or not i cant seem to get high grade elizabeth II coins as easily as i would have expected.

what i am looking for is any advice on getting these coins in a high grade?

i have bought quite alot of labeled "UNC/aUNC" and they all fall well short

thanks for any advice

You'll have run into the same problems that a lot of people face trying to get G6 as well. And that is the major Auction houses don't bother with them accept in bulk lots (so you have to be there, really), and eBay is useless for such things because, forgetting the fact the images are never good enough to decipher an EF from an UNC (at best), the postage generally makes buying them at book price a prohibitive thing, unless you are going to buy a number of coins from the same ebayer (and good luck with that).

The only way, is to buy a number of coins from the same dealer [to save on post], or attend a coin fair (and turn a blind eye to fuel costs).

There's no easy answer, unfortunately, as it's not like say a Victorian coin, where a rubbish image on eBay can have you speculate a VF bid, whilst you're suspecting the coin might be VF and better. With E2 & G6, if an EF arrives, when you were hoping for an UNC, you've thrown your money away, as you will never be able to sell it on and get your money back.

Here's where you've just got to have a dealer who's judgement in grading you 100% trust! Nothing else will do!

I was lucky and picked up a date run in UNC. They are not easy to find in high grades because dealer haven't really caught on to E11 yet. I actually managed last week to upgrade my 1955 F to gap after looking for a year or two.

Do you mean F to bead? F to gap is much the easier of the two for that date.

Sorry your correct. I had also upgraded my to gap recently from about GEF but that was more from not looking. My F to bead was only about EF. Just leaves the 1965 Davies 2503 which I have in VF.

[Nick 329]

Sorry your correct. I had also upgraded my to gap recently from about GEF but that was more from not looking. My F to bead was only about EF. Just leaves the 1965 Davies 2503 which I have in VF.

There might be quite a bun-fight if one ever appears listed as such. They must be pretty darn rare, your VF is the only one that I've ever heard of.

[Gary1000 41]

Sorry your correct. I had also upgraded my to gap recently from about GEF but that was more from not looking. My F to bead was only about EF. Just leaves the 1965 Davies 2503 which I have in VF.

There might be quite a bun-fight if one ever appears listed as such. They must be pretty darn rare, your VF is the only one that I've ever heard of.

It's the only one I've ever come across as well, it actually came from Davies himself.

[rpeddie 119]

thanks for all the help really appreciate it looks like ill have to go to a fair to get my problem sorted(no easy task living in scotland)

would i also be able to rack your brains as where the best place is to look for the GV and E2 sixpence would be?

so far i have been looking just to the top of their heads( the further their hair goes back the better) whereas on the back i cant find a simple method

i don't have any books yet but am about to break my virginity and get my first one this week

[rpeddie 119]

these 3 areas

[rpeddie 119]

and for the GVI i look here, any improvements are helpful

[Nick 329]

thanks for all the help really appreciate it looks like ill have to go to a fair to get my problem sorted(no easy task living in scotland)

would i also be able to rack your brains as where the best place is to look for the GV and E2 sixpence would be?

so far i have been looking just to the top of their heads( the further their hair goes back the better) whereas on the back i cant find a simple method

i don't have any books yet but am about to break my virginity and get my first one this week

If you are looking for wear, you should look everywhere. Wear is general, although the highest points will show wear first.

On the EII portrait I always look for flattening on the edges of the laurel leaves and the berries. I also look for good definition on the strands of hair. For the reverse, I look for any flattening on the edges of the leaves and the rose petals.

For GVI coins, I usually concentrate on the obverse. If the rim of the ear is intact, with good definition in the hair and no flattening of the cheekbone, then it's usually a decent piece (dependent on edge knocks, rim nicks and bagmarks). Another issue that is common with GVI coins is a 'cloudiness' that is visible on the obverse (as in your example coin). I tend to try and avoid coins exhibiting this.

[Coinery 1,153]

On G6 I'm always pleased if I can find the horizontal flick of hair, just above the ear, coming to a nice sharp triangular ridge!

[Rob 3,152]

thanks for all the help really appreciate it looks like ill have to go to a fair to get my problem sorted(no easy task living in scotland)

would i also be able to rack your brains as where the best place is to look for the GV and E2 sixpence would be?

so far i have been looking just to the top of their heads( the further their hair goes back the better) whereas on the back i cant find a simple method

i don't have any books yet but am about to break my virginity and get my first one this week

Grading Coins, Davies, ESC & Groom if you are looking at silver/CuNi only.

[Coinery 1,153]

thanks for all the help really appreciate it looks like ill have to go to a fair to get my problem sorted(no easy task living in scotland)

would i also be able to rack your brains as where the best place is to look for the GV and E2 sixpence would be?

so far i have been looking just to the top of their heads( the further their hair goes back the better) whereas on the back i cant find a simple method

i don't have any books yet but am about to break my virginity and get my first one this week

Grading Coins, Davies, ESC & Groom if you are looking at silver/CuNi only.

Do you think ESC has anything to add to Davies in the 20thC?

I haven't been won over by the micro-stuff (yet), but always take a quick scan through Groom to make sure I'm not giving any micro-rarities away, as we all know there are collectors out there looking for them!

[Rob 3,152]

thanks for all the help really appreciate it looks like ill have to go to a fair to get my problem sorted(no easy task living in scotland)

would i also be able to rack your brains as where the best place is to look for the GV and E2 sixpence would be?

so far i have been looking just to the top of their heads( the further their hair goes back the better) whereas on the back i cant find a simple method

i don't have any books yet but am about to break my virginity and get my first one this week

Grading Coins, Davies, ESC & Groom if you are looking at silver/CuNi only.

Do you think ESC has anything to add to Davies in the 20thC?

I haven't been won over by the micro-stuff (yet), but always take a quick scan through Groom to make sure I'm not giving any micro-rarities away, as we all know there are collectors out there looking for them!

No, nothing, but if you collect anything before 1816 there isn't an alternative.

[Stockportjohn 0]

thanks for all the help really appreciate it looks like ill have to go to a fair to get my problem sorted(no easy task living in scotland)

would i also be able to rack your brains as where the best place is to look for the GV and E2 sixpence would be?

so far i have been looking just to the top of their heads( the further their hair goes back the better) whereas on the back i cant find a simple method

i don't have any books yet but am about to break my virginity and get my first one this week

Grading Coins, Davies, ESC & Groom if you are looking at silver/CuNi only.

Do you think ESC has anything to add to Davies in the 20thC?

I haven't been won over by the micro-stuff (yet), but always take a quick scan through Groom to make sure I'm not giving any micro-rarities away, as we all know there are collectors out there looking for them!

No, nothing, but if you collect anything before 1816 there isn't an alternative.

I presume Groom is a book?

Can somebody please let me know the full title as i liked to have as much reference material as possible.

I think i must have spent £300 to £400 on books and magazines in the last twelve months.

If you had a wish list of books that are a must to own, what would they be?

[Coinery 1,153]

If you look up the post title 'Mr David Groom' you'll be able to PM him and get the book at forum member rates!

[Peckris 579]

thanks for all the help really appreciate it looks like ill have to go to a fair to get my problem sorted(no easy task living in scotland)

would i also be able to rack your brains as where the best place is to look for the GV and E2 sixpence would be?

so far i have been looking just to the top of their heads( the further their hair goes back the better) whereas on the back i cant find a simple method

i don't have any books yet but am about to break my virginity and get my first one this week

Grading Coins, Davies, ESC & Groom if you are looking at silver/CuNi only.

Do you think ESC has anything to add to Davies in the 20thC?

I haven't been won over by the micro-stuff (yet), but always take a quick scan through Groom to make sure I'm not giving any micro-rarities away, as we all know there are collectors out there looking for them!

No, nothing, but if you collect anything before 1816 there isn't an alternative.

I presume Groom is a book?

Can somebody please let me know the full title as i liked to have as much reference material as possible.

I think i must have spent £300 to £400 on books and magazines in the last twelve months.

If you had a wish list of books that are a must to own, what would they be?

Dave Groom is member of this forum (DaveG) and published two useful books on the 20th Century varieties in silver (etc) and bronze. If you PM him I'm sure he will supply you with copies at a very reasonable fee.

As for wish list, it all depends where your interest lies. Gouby, Freeman, Peck, Davies, ESC .. these are all "must"s if you want to specialise in the particular area they cover. Then there's tokens, hammered, ancient - each has their specialist publication, but you don't need them all.

[Paulus 1,975]

If you look up the post title 'Mr David Groom' you'll be able to PM him and get the book at forum member rates!

And if you ask him nicely you might get a signed copy!

[Coinery 1,153]

If you look up the post title 'Mr David Groom' you'll be able to PM him and get the book at forum member rates!

And if you ask him nicely you might get a signed copy!

[rpeddie 119]

thanks for the help it was exactly what i was looking for

as to what book to get would the groom one be better than the "THE STANDARD GUIDE TO GRADING BRITISH COINS" that i have seen being sold here?

also any ideas where to get the freeman book(the 1558-1958 one i think it is) that explains die types and rarities and stuff?

the misses will no doubt be even happier about my hobby after the books start rolling in

[Rob 3,152]

thanks for the help it was exactly what i was looking for

as to what book to get would the groom one be better than the "THE STANDARD GUIDE TO GRADING BRITISH COINS" that i have seen being sold here?

also any ideas where to get the freeman book(the 1558-1958 one i think it is) that explains die types and rarities and stuff?

the misses will no doubt be even happier about my hobby after the books start rolling in

The Grading book is a completely different beast to Groom. It shows you how the various types wear down through the grades. If not familiar, it is invaluable. Groom is a reference book which lists the various types seen in what ever year, including varieties. One book is for silver and the other base metal.

The 1558-1958 book is Peck and will set you back over £100, being last printed in 1970. Depending on what you want to collect, it may or may not be appropriate. If you collect before 1860 then you need it, but if only later than this then you don't. Freeman which covers bronze from 1860 onwards, was reprinted in 2006, but has the same variety information as the 1985 (2nd) edition as only the pricing was updated - leading to immediate irrelevance.

[Stockportjohn 0]

thanks for all the help really appreciate it looks like ill have to go to a fair to get my problem sorted(no easy task living in scotland)

would i also be able to rack your brains as where the best place is to look for the GV and E2 sixpence would be?

so far i have been looking just to the top of their heads( the further their hair goes back the better) whereas on the back i cant find a simple method

i don't have any books yet but am about to break my virginity and get my first one this week

Grading Coins, Davies, ESC & Groom if you are looking at silver/CuNi only.

Do you think ESC has anything to add to Davies in the 20thC?

I haven't been won over by the micro-stuff (yet), but always take a quick scan through Groom to make sure I'm not giving any micro-rarities away, as we all know there are collectors out there looking for them!

No, nothing, but if you collect anything before 1816 there isn't an alternative.

I presume Groom is a book?

Can somebody please let me know the full title as i liked to have as much reference material as possible.

I think i must have spent £300 to £400 on books and magazines in the last twelve months.

If you had a wish list of books that are a must to own, what would they be?

Dave Groom is member of this forum (DaveG) and published two useful books on the 20th Century varieties in silver (etc) and bronze. If you PM him I'm sure he will supply you with copies at a very reasonable fee.

As for wish list, it all depends where your interest lies. Gouby, Freeman, Peck, Davies, ESC .. these are all "must"s if you want to specialise in the particular area they cover. Then there's tokens, hammered, ancient - each has their specialist publication, but you don't need them all.

Being new to coin collecting i like to read as much as possible so that i can soak up as much information as possible.

I will buy these books.

Thanks

John