How best to verify half sovereign?

[meb]

Hi all, I hope everyone is doing well! I had a quick question - I recently purchased my first half sovereign (1914) and would like to double check that it is genuine. How would I be best going about doing so? I'm London based, and know that some coin dealers and jewellers may have XRF machines but dealers seem unwilling to assist unless you are looking to sell...

Thank you!

[harrygill111]

Look to sell it with a dealer/jeweller, they will test it. Of course you can change your mind last minute.  

Our family jeweller (not being flashy, it just happened my grandparents and parents shopped with him) tested for free under that general understanding we'd buy jewellery from him. I didnt purchase jewellery from him, usually cheap bullion at spot +2% on the off meeting, becuase people would sell to him and he didnt need it. Maybe find someone local to you and build a mutually beneficial relationship?  

It'd be great if someone could set up a testing service on the forum, but I don't think the economics work out.

Would you pay for testing, (posting a coin out, the test, post back), how much do you think is reasonable out of interest? 

 

Edited October 29, 2022 by harrygill111

[harrygill111]

Or would people pay to loan a mail delivered tester? 

Say £60 for the weekend? 

The numbers need to make sense to cover postage, packing (foam and a hard shell box) and risk of damage. Non returns, chargebacks, insurance, etc. 

Edited October 29, 2022 by harrygill111

[watchesandwhisky]

Id pay to rent a sigma for the weekend, maybe £50 all in. 

[Tn21]

If your in London take it over to Hatton Garden Metals good bunch of lads there. With a simple toss in the air the guy will tell you whether it is genuine or not. 

 

Maybe phone HGM first to see if they could do this for you. 

Edited October 29, 2022 by Tn21

[Darr3nG]

5 minutes ago, Tn21 said:

If your in London take it over to Hatton Garden Metals good bunch of lads there. With a simple toss in the air the guy will tell you whether it is genuine or not. 

 

Maybe phone HGM first to see if they could do this form you. 

Ring...ring... "Hello. Is that HGM? Will you toss my coin for me?"

[meb]

@harrygill111that sounds like a great arrangement! I'll have a look around and visit some of the local coin dealers. A testing service would be great if there was someone trusted, and they would be able to recoup some of the costs of the machine too. I'm not too sure what price would work, but I wouldn't want to pay more than grading costs.

 

@Tn21thank you very much, I'll take a look at them! The only other service I was looking at was Baldwin's, who apparently do free valuations (which I would expect would include a quick metal test), but I think they normally deal with coins with a few more zeros...

[meb]

On a slight side note, I know that there are some users here that submit coins to NGC/PCGS for grading. Is anyone able to recommend any coin dealers that offer the same service (NGC/PCGS) at a reasonable price by any chance please?

[Darr3nG]

2 minutes ago, meb said:

On a slight side note, I know that there are some users here that submit coins to NGC/PCGS for grading. Is anyone able to recommend any coin dealers that offer the same service (NGC/PCGS) at a reasonable price by any chance please?

@GoldDiggerDave

[LawrenceChard]

2 hours ago, Tn21 said:

If your in London take it over to Hatton Garden Metals good bunch of lads there. With a simple toss in the air the guy will tell you whether it is genuine or not. 

Maybe phone HGM first to see if they could do this for you. 

2 hours ago, Darr3nG said:

Ring...ring... "Hello. Is that HGM? Will you toss my coin for me?"

Do you think they can tell the difference?

😎

[meb]

For reference, this is the coin in question (to be extra cheeky, any thoughts on authenticity or grade are welcomed!)

[Tn21]

25 minutes ago, LawrenceChard said:

Do you think they can tell the difference?

😎

Yes through a toss of a sov 

[LawrenceChard]

2 hours ago, meb said:

For reference, this is the coin in question (to be extra cheeky, any thoughts on authenticity or grade are welcomed!)

Looks perfectly OK to me.

No charge. Not even for postage!

Although you could try cropping your photos before uploading.

😎

Edited October 29, 2022 by LawrenceChard

[LawrenceChard]

5 hours ago, meb said:

@harrygill111that sounds like a great arrangement! I'll have a look around and visit some of the local coin dealers. A testing service would be great if there was someone trusted, and they would be able to recoup some of the costs of the machine too. I'm not too sure what price would work, but I wouldn't want to pay more than grading costs.

 

@Tn21thank you very much, I'll take a look at them! The only other service I was looking at was Baldwin's, who apparently do free valuations (which I would expect would include a quick metal test), but I think they normally deal with coins with a few more zeros...

I don't think Baldwin's would need to use a metal tester on your coin.

😎

[meb]

@LawrenceChardthank you, that's reassuring to hear! That was cropped but I'll have to crop more next time for a more photogenic finish.

 

I suspect you're right about Baldwin's too, hopefully I can drop by and they can work some more reassuring magic for me

[James32]

8 hours ago, harrygill111 said:

Look to sell it with a dealer/jeweller, they will test it. Of course you can change your mind last minute.  

Our family jeweller (not being flashy, it just happened my grandparents and parents shopped with him) tested for free under that general understanding we'd buy jewellery from him. I didnt purchase jewellery from him, usually cheap bullion at spot +2% on the off meeting, becuase people would sell to him and he didnt need it. Maybe find someone local to you and build a mutually beneficial relationship?  

It'd be great if someone could set up a testing service on the forum, but I don't think the economics work out.

Would you pay for testing, (posting a coin out, the test, post back), how much do you think is reasonable out of interest? 

 

It's cost prohibitive tbh.

Postage both ways by special delivery could be £13.70-£22 depending on insurance value 

Now factor in someone has to repackage and drive to post office, what fee would be suitable? £25? So you could already be at £47 on a £1600+ coin, not a large amount for piece of mind... but imagine that fee was due on top of you just being told your coin is fake 🤔

I've tested items for members that I've dealt with for free, they just covered post. Which I've no issue in doing again for someone in need, but if it became a regular occurrence, then it would get pretty old pretty fast.

 

[LawrenceChard]

1 hour ago, meb said:

@LawrenceChardthank you, that's reassuring to hear! That was cropped but I'll have to crop more next time for a more photogenic finish.

 

I suspect you're right about Baldwin's too, hopefully I can drop by and they can work some more reassuring magic for me

Was I not magic enough?

😎

[Darr3nG]

2 minutes ago, LawrenceChard said:

Was I not magic enough?

😎

Making postage disappear...

[LawrenceChard]

10 hours ago, meb said:

Hi all, I hope everyone is doing well! I had a quick question - I recently purchased my first half sovereign (1914) and would like to double check that it is genuine. How would I be best going about doing so? I'm London based, and know that some coin dealers and jewellers may have XRF machines but dealers seem unwilling to assist unless you are looking to sell...

Thank you!

9 hours ago, harrygill111 said:

Look to sell it with a dealer/jeweller, they will test it. Of course you can change your mind last minute.  

Our family jeweller (not being flashy, it just happened my grandparents and parents shopped with him) tested for free under that general understanding we'd buy jewellery from him. I didnt purchase jewellery from him, usually cheap bullion at spot +2% on the off meeting, becuase people would sell to him and he didnt need it. Maybe find someone local to you and build a mutually beneficial relationship?  

It'd be great if someone could set up a testing service on the forum, but I don't think the economics work out.

Would you pay for testing, (posting a coin out, the test, post back), how much do you think is reasonable out of interest? 

 

The average jeweller would file the edge, acid test it, ant then concuded it looks about right for 22ct gold, but that still doesn't tell you it is genuine.

Perhaps I am being a little harsh about jewellers, but if so, they must have improved a lot!

😎

[James32]

38 minutes ago, LawrenceChard said:

Perhaps I am being a little harsh about jewellers

Not at all Lawrence, just harsh in general 😆 

[LawrenceChard]

2 minutes ago, James32 said:

Not at all Lawrence, just harsh in general 😆 

Just direct!

😎

[harrygill111]

3 hours ago, LawrenceChard said:

The average jeweller would file the edge, acid test it, ant then concuded it looks about right for 22ct gold, but that still doesn't tell you it is genuine.

Perhaps I am being a little harsh about jewellers, but if so, they must have improved a lot!

😎

My jeweller has a sigma style tester, but good point on genuine metal vs genuine coin