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rmw

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Journal Entries posted by rmw

  1. rmw

    1672 farthing

    By rmw,

    Here is an example of the first farthing in the milled series, from 1672. 
    These were often not produced with quality control in mind but this one came out very well for the type.
    It is made from copper and after 345 years i still has some original mint red on it!


  2. rmw

    1746 Proof Halfcrown

    By rmw,

    This is one of about 100 pieces made of the proof halfcrown of 1746. It was originally one of a 4 piece set, sixpence to crown. Of the 100 pieces, many have been impaired over the last 271 years. This one has not.
    I have a matching shilling as well but not the sixpence. the crown in this condition Im afraid is too expensive for me so I would be content to get an original unimpaired sixpence. Although special proof strikes were made earlier, this 4 piece set is reputed to be the earliest proof set for collectors produced anywhere in the world.


  3. rmw

    1773 farthing

    By rmw,

    A century after the production of the coin I posted last, the method of production for the 1773 farthing here was little changed. That was to come in the next generation with the innovations of Boulton and Watt with their Soho Mint operation and the first application of steam power. this piece was produced the old way.


  4. rmw

    1804 Dollar

    By rmw,

    The Bank of England issued emergency currency during the Napoleonic Wars in the early 19th century.
    Here is an example of a Bank of England 1804 Dollar.


  5. rmw
    In 1812, Great Britain was still at war with Napoleon and also was involved in a skirmish with the US called the War of 1812. Neither side particularly wanted to fight it, but it still had significant consequences for the future of North America.
    Emergency conditions still applied with respect to Britain's coinage and so , in addition to the 1804 dollar shown last time, here is a 3 shilling Bank Token piece.


  6. rmw
    Here is a pattern British farthing, from the Boulton Family Holdings. Matthew Boulton was a partner with James Watt at the Soho Mint, which produced the first steam powered coin strikings in the world. The Soho Factory, also the first of its kind in the world, was able to use steam power for all kinds of industrial applications. The descendants of Boulton kept many patterns and trial pieces for over a century and a half until a relatively recent sale. This is one of the pieces kept by the family but is a restrike of the original pattern produced at Soho.


  7. rmw
    You can see the difference in production standards here, between an FDC 1730 Proof farthing and an MS 65 1739. Hopefully you can note the detail to the portrait on the 1730 versus the comparative lack of it on the 1739. Often, the reverse to the currency pieces lacks detail to Britannias head on the reverse (comes out flat due to lack of striking power or deterioration of the dies), although this one has more than most.
     
     




  8. rmw
    Here is a British 1723 SSC shilling. This is often found in good condition despite its age. The story is that somewhere around 2000 were found in an old bank vault in London around the 1820s. I chose this one for its color and excellent eye appeal.

  9. rmw
    Here is an example of a memorial medal issued in commemoration of the death (he was beheaded) of King Charles I of England, issued around 1670, I think, about two decades after his death. You can note the symbolism of the design on the reverse with  the arm (of God) coming out of the clouds with a crown, meaning that the King was given sovereignty by God alone, and that therefore he was not answerable to any other individual or group in his kingdom.
    So he was able to tax his subjects but not be answerable to them. His opponents said no taxation without representation. I think we heard that in America over a century later. Hence the American Revolution.
    So it is ironic that the British government of 1776 did not learn the lessons of their own history. We know what happened after that.
    This example still has red after several centuries which is nearly a miracle.


  10. rmw
    Last time we looked at George II Young Head copper pieces and noted that many currency pieces were not fully struck up. There are exceptions to that, one of which was available some years ago before I was aware of its rarity.
    Here are two Old Head Halfpennies (1744 and 1751)which, unlike the Young Head piece, are fully struck with almost complete detail as the designer envisioned. This seems to be more common with Old Head pieces, although these are unusually well struck. Both were graded Ms 65 by NGC.




  11. rmw
    Here is another piece previously posted on the old journals but I am reposting it because of its design. Someone said that the design of the older pieces put the more recent ones to shame. I agree.


  12. rmw

    Changes to come

    By rmw,

    Changes and updates to come
    Several coins will be converted from PCGS to NGC in the next few weeks which will strengthen some of the registry sets, and about 20 coins will be submitted to NGC for grading, which will accomplish the same.
    Some coins to be converted are 1836 shilling lustrous and well toned Ms 66, 1881 Halfcrown Ms 65, 1672 farthing MS 64 RB.
    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  13. rmw
    For those armies of Anglo Saxon coin enthusaists out there, here is an example available for sale to me of a Harold I of England (1035-1040) penny, from Lincoln Mint.
    the moneyer, whose name is on the reverse, Im told is known to have produced coins for Harolds predecessor, Canute bit not for this king.
    Any comments as to what to do? Are there better ones out there? Is this moneyer (Mathan Balluc) rare for this king?
    As no response, maybe some explanation is in order. 
    We are used to taking coins in change for transactions not because of the value of the metal in the coin was equal to the denomination (a nickels worth for a 5 cent piece for example) but because the government told us so and we have accepted it. This was not the case for over two thousand years where if you were to get. say, a penny in change, you wanted to make damn sure you  got a pennys worth of silver or other metal for it, otherwise you would be prone to rejecting it.
    This however created many problems of its own. Rulers as well as people making the money (moneyers) could profit by cutting the silver in a penny with another cheaper metal and take the difference in profit for themselves. It got so bad during the reign of Henry VIII in England for example that the pennies produced later in his reign were so cut with other metal that he was called "old copper nose". Not to his face of course. Your head would be removed from the rest of you in short order if you did. Moneyers could be tempted to do the same thing on their own. So during this period in England they were required to stamp their name on the coin as a kind of certificate attesting to its value. If there was consistent shortchanging of silver in the coin it theoretically would be easy to spot the culprit. This step did not put a stop to the pracrice if the king got  cut of the difference or if a coin were counterfeited using the name of the moneyer.
    All coinage could also be rendered obsolete overnight if there was inflation or deflation in the price of silver. And there were many other issues as well I wont get into here.

  14. rmw
    Additional PCGS pieces to convert to NGC
    In order for World coins certified by PCGS t0 be used in registry sets, the current NGC policy is to require conversion to NGC slabs
    (unlike what I understnad for US coins).
    So other pieces to send this week to NGC are:
    1699 proof farthing in silver ex-Terner PCGS PF 65
    1746 proof shilling ex-Terner PCGS PF 65
    1700 shilling PCGS 64
    1804 Bank of England Dollar PCGS 65
    1820 halfcrown PCGS 66
    1825 halfcrown PCGS 65
    1834 halfcrown PCGS 65
    1849 florin ex-Terner PCGS 65
    1902 halfcrown PCGS 66

    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  15. rmw
    Lots more to come
    Other pieces to convert from PCGS or CGS (UK)
    1841 1/2p CGS 85, probably MS 64-65 RB to RD
    1825 1/- PCGS 66
    1923 6P PCGS 65
    1822 1/4P PCGS65 BN
    1830 1/4P PCGS 64 BN
    1904 1P CGS 85 , probably MS 65 RD
    1823 Roman I 1/4P CGS 85 , probably Ms 64-65
    1834 1.5P PCGS 65
    to slab:
    1828 1/4P as struck per Baldwin UK
    1703 6P British Unc or near so
    1901 1/2 sovwereign flat out gem qith prooflike surfaces
    1911 proof 1/2 sovereign gem plus
    1797 2P most likely Ms 65
    1649 charles I death medal maybe MS 64
    1689 william and Mary Coronation Medal Near Mint
    1908 Maundy Set gem plus
    1719 1/4 P GEF most likely Au 58-Ms 62
    1713 1/4P pattern mint
    1887 2/- Proof gem
    1893 2/- Proof gem or near so
    1762 3P probably Ms 64 or so
    I have pictures of most of these to share when the pieces are registered.
    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  16. rmw

    RMW Collection

    By rmw,

    A new British Custom Set for William and Mary and William III
    Here is a new custom set, setup for William and Mary (1688-1694) and William III (1694-1702). It includes arguably the best william and Mary Currency Halfpenny in existence.
    At least three pieces will be added in the coming weeks, including a well struck 1693 shilling (many shillings of this reign are struck flat at the portrait).

    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  17. rmw

    RMW Collection

    By rmw,

    Another cross over coin
    Here is a picture of another PCGS graded piece sent for crossover to NGC. this is a VIP Proof 1938 halfcrown. Somewhere around 20 of these were ever made.

    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  18. rmw

    RMW Collection

    By rmw,

    Another tin piece
    This is a James II farthing of 1685.

    To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  19. rmw

    RMW Collection

    By rmw,

    Here is an example of the very rare 1897 High Tide Penny variety, which I picked up last week.
    I bought it slabbed in England as roughly the equivalent of an Ms 63. It might make 64 , especially given the obverse. This is the first piece of this variety I have seen in good condition.
    So , only one piece to go to finish off a complete type set of Victoria copper and bronze. Only the Heaton Mint halfpenny to go. I saw one in basic Unc today. Looking for a gem.
    I will see if my bud Welsh Dragon would agree on my grading assessment, since he won my contest a while back.


  20. rmw

    RMW Collection

    By rmw,

    I just picked up a nice 1932 British halfpenny in 65 RB today. I'm now about 2/3 of the way towards finishing a nice date set for Grorge V halfpennies.Compared to US pieces, British pieces in nice red from the same period are quite scarce.
    Many of my pieces came from the Baldwin Vault in London, where they were kept in pristine condition since their issue, in some cases well over a hundred years ago.
    Baldwins has been in business as a coin dealer since 1872, but it's only in the last year or so that the contents of the Vault are being sold off.

  21. rmw

    RMW Collection

    By rmw,

    OK, fans of coins from across the pond.
    Or not.
    Its time to
    GRADE
    THAT
    COIN!
    Lets see how everyone grades this in US and in British (which is different).
    A winner gets all of the others to genuflect in his or her general direction.
    Good luck.

  22. rmw
    Ive put together another slideshow, this time for my collection of British Victoria Type pieces.
    There are 62 types I have included. I have another 4 ( Jubilee Head 4 coin Maundy Set) which will be submitted soon.
    Of the 62 pieces, 9 are slabbed as Ms 64. The rest are graded 65 or better and there are about 11 prof pieces included.
    Im trying to figure out why the pictures come out in different sizes. Any comments on how to fix that would be appreciated.
    Cheers.