Metal Detecting Silver Coin Finds

[Jools Gold 0]

Hi, my name is Alan and i'm a keen Metal Detectorist. Over a period of 2 years i have accumulated quite a few Silver and Copper coins which i'd like to know more about if possible !. I will start with this William III Silver Shilling which i found on a farm only this week, and although i know what it is i would like to start learning about condition and Rarity as i like to have info at hand whilst displaying to my friends. Thank you for taking your time to read this and hope to get to know some of you

[Rob 3,152]

You will have to put up both sides. W3 shillings are the most diverse with 6 mints operating during the recoinage of 1696 and many varieties, so to give you the info you need we need both sides.

You could also do with getting yourself an old copy of Spink Coins of England on eBay as this will help to id your coins. It's the only useful one when it comes to coins for the last 2000 years and you should be able to get one for a couple pounds. You don't need the latest edition.

Edited January 4, 2014 by Rob

[Peckris 579]

Hi Alan, Welcome to the forums

Your shilling is a 1696 issue, but which one depends on the bust, and what - if any - is the letter below the bust. For that reason we would need to see the obverse ("heads") side. Do you have a picture? There are one or two rare varieties but we would need to see the other side.

As for condition, it's not quite Fair which is the very minimum condition to be collected, and then only for scarce or rare dates and varieties. Usually, a coin needs to be the next grade up from Fair - Fine - to have any value listed. Your coin - assuming it's not a rare variety - is really not much more than bullion value, but worth keeping for its historic value.

[Jools Gold 0]

You will have to put up both sides. W3 shillings are the most diverse with 6 mints operating during the recoinage of 1696 and many varieties, so to give you the info you need we need both sides.

You could also do with getting yourself an old copy of Spink Coins of England on eBay as this will help to id your coins. It's the only useful one when it comes to coins for the last 2000 years and you should be able to get one for a couple pounds. You don't need the latest edition.

Thank you for your reply, i do have a Spink book 2011. Only been Detecting over the last two years and have found Multiple coins which i am now hooked on researching their history, i can get most of the basic info but struggle with as you say the Mints and Condition of my finds. I did try posting 3 pics but i failed misserably lol, i will try again and post them from PB. Thank you once again. . Alan . ,

[Jools Gold 0]

Hi Alan, Welcome to the forums

Your shilling is a 1696 issue, but which one depends on the bust, and what - if any - is the letter below the bust. For that reason we would need to see the obverse ("heads") side. Do you have a picture? There are one or two rare varieties but we would need to see the other side.

As for condition, it's not quite Fair which is the very minimum condition to be collected, and then only for scarce or rare dates and varieties. Usually, a coin needs to be the next grade up from Fair - Fine - to have any value listed. Your coin - assuming it's not a rare variety - is really not much more than bullion value, but worth keeping for its historic value.

Thank you Peckris, i will try and post some better photos from PB, i have been told that this coin may have been struck wrong !, but i will leave that decision to the experts out there. I do like to have as much info on my finds as i can so when i Bore people to death when they ask what i've found lately they think i'm a Historical Genius . lol

[Jools Gold 0]

You will have to put up both sides. W3 shillings are the most diverse with 6 mints operating during the recoinage of 1696 and many varieties, so to give you the info you need we need both sides.

You could also do with getting yourself an old copy of Spink Coins of England on eBay as this will help to id your coins. It's the only useful one when it comes to coins for the last 2000 years and you should be able to get one for a couple pounds. You don't need the latest edition.

Thank you for your reply, i do have a Spink book 2011. Only been Detecting over the last two years and have found Multiple coins which i am now hooked on researching their history, i can get most of the basic info but struggle with as you say the Mints and Condition of my finds. I did try posting 3 pics but i failed misserably lol, i will try again and post them from PB. Thank you once again. . Alan . ,

[Peckris 579]

You successfully posted the picture of the reverse. The forum only allows 150k per post, so if you add a separate reply to this topic, it gives you another 150k to play with to post the obverse.

[Garrett 76]

Hi Alan

Welcome to the forum and well done on your finds !

Metal detecting is a hobby I am considering getting into sometime down the track although I am unlikely to ever find a 1699 coin !

I have watched a few YouTube videos and watched a fellow pull a P&M sixpence (might have been a groat) out of the ground. Amazing.

cheers

Garrett.