Some amazing George V coins

[shirohniichan]

Heritage has some beautiful George V commonwealth coins at auction.

 

I would have loved to have had this set, but I wasn't paying attention to the bidding and didn't have the funds anyway.

 

It would have been great to have had lots of extra cash right now, but it seems prices for scarce George V silver (e.g. Cyprus and East Africa) are still fairly high. I wonder how much the recession will affect future prices.

[physics-fan3.14]

There was a lot of really good British stuff in the Heritage auction. I really wanted some of those shillings, but I just don't have any money.

[shirohniichan]

The good news for East Africa collectors is that shillings in high grade from the mid-1920s are fairly inexpensive. If you like the design you can pick up a type piece without making a huge dent in your wallet.

 

The 1920 and before pieces are another matter in high MS grades. This also goes for George V silver coins from Cyrpus (except for the 45 piastres) and British Honduras. I've been looking for AU coins and have had trouble finding decent ones over the years.

 

Maybe my collection can be the topic of my next Numismatist article.

[JCM-Houston]

I collect mostly British not the colonies, I thought some of the early British copper was going very cheap so got these while the getting was good. The Ch. II 1/2d is in a PF58 holder. The William and Mary 1/2d is in an MS62 holder and the obverse is the best I have seen on one of these, almost no porosity and nicely struck. While the reverse is not as nice it's still above average.

 

The Charles II P-404 is one of the official patterns engraved by John Roettier. The figure of Britannia on the reverse is considered by some to be a likeness of Francis Stewart Duchess of Richmond, although there is no real evidence for this. The revese legend reads 'I Claim the 4 Seas', this was removed for the regular issue coins. Population is 2/0, and it sold really cheap I thought.

 

 

Dies for this issue were engraved by either James or Norbert Roettier and although rolled and cut blanks were specified cast blanks were often used, I think this one is a pop1/0 coin and was really surprised at how cheap it was.

 

 

 

For Silver I picked up the 1811 18 Pence in 66 for my Geo. III type set:

 

 

1819 Shilling in 66 for my date set of Geo. III Shillings:

 

 

 

1824 Shilling in 64 for my type set:

 

 

It was a funny old auction, some of the pieces went for moon money, even some that were not top pops, and some went cheap, all of the above I got for quite a bit less than my maximum bids.

[physics-fan3.14]

Mmm, love the shillings. Especially that 1824. Wow.

[World Colonial]

Heritage has some beautiful George V commonwealth coins at auction.

 

I would have loved to have had this set, but I wasn't paying attention to the bidding and didn't have the funds anyway.

 

It would have been great to have had lots of extra cash right now, but it seems prices for scarce George V silver (e.g. Cyprus and East Africa) are still fairly high. I wonder how much the recession will affect future prices.

 

I do not follow any British Commonwealth except for South Africa Union. Some of the shilling (1/, 2/ and 2/6) are more available now that prices are much higher than they used ot be, but only for the more common dates.

 

There were not very many collectors in South Africa during or even after 1936, so few have survived especially in better grades. My assumption is that there were (and still are) even fewer collectors of other Commonwealth coins outside of South Africa excluding Canada, Australia and New Zealand. From this, I would expect that the coins are equally scarce or maybe in some instances scarcer but I would also expect that the prices are and will remain lower.

 

As to how economic conditions will or do impact pricing, all we can know is that a weak economy on balance is a negative. For any coin which is essentially never available for sale, it is more important who the owners along with their willingness and financial capacity to keep them.

[physics-fan3.14]

This one really isnt' anything all that great, but it is my George V. I might upgrade it someday - but it has the distinction of being my very first shilling. I got it for a dollar:

 

[shirohniichan]

Once you start looking at all the variety among commonwealth shillings, you may get hooked like I did.

 

The 1819 and 1824 shillings are impressive indeed.

[HiHoAudio]

That 1811 18-pence is simply amazing.

[JCM-Houston]

shirohniichan , I have been sorely tempted by some of the commonwealth/colonial coins. I think a lot of the portraits on the colonial issues are much better than the UK coins. The only one I succumbed to so far is a Ceylon 1893 dime in MS66 with amazing toning. I really do like the designs on a lot of the colonials, just can't afford to buy everything I like. Maybe I'll finish my Shilling sets one day and then I'll be ready to branch out.

 

[shirohniichan]

You can't afford not to collect commonwealth coins!

 

I agree with you on the better designs they offer. E.B. MacKennel's portrait of George V looks far more regal than the bare-headed portrait on Britain's coinage of the period. Percy Metcalf's design comes in second.

 

It's been a while since I've purchased a 1936 Canada silver dollar, but I remember them as being inexpensive in choice unc. A big commonwealth crown with a beautiful design for a lot less than a British crown sounds like a deal to me! Get the 1935 to get Metcalf's portrait of the king, also. You'll be on your way quickly for not a lot of money.

[World Colonial]

The KGV portrait on South African (silver and bronze) and several other commenwealth countries is my favorite 20th century design. I do find it much better than the British portrait or even the crowned potrait from places such as New Zealand.

[shirohniichan]

NZ used Percy Metcalf's design (as did Fiji, Mauritius, and some others).

 

Fun fact: The 1927 Australia commemorative florin used a unique portrait of KGV (the regular issue coins used the standard E.B. MacKennal version).

[World Colonial]

Southern Rhodeisia was another place to use that portrait. If I collected other commenwealth outside of South Africa, that would be my next choice.