Opinions on the grade of this 1916 half crown please

[artalien]

Hello TSF,  I think this is an EF or VF, what do you think? I am very new to coin grading so would love your opinion. There is an edge knock at 4 oclock. Has the coin been cleaned? What might this coin be worth? Thanks in advance for any input.

[Mrpound]

I think your in the right ball park with it being a low grade, I can’t really help on uk stuff, American I’m abit better, I found a image of a ms64 1916 1/2 Cso as you can see a hell of a lot more detail, I’m sure someone else would be able to help more 👍

[artalien]

8 minutes ago, Mrpound said:

I found a image of a ms64 1916 1/2 C

Lovely image as well @MrpoundI wonder if the detail in the 64 isn't that much better but looks much better with the toning. Thanks for posting mate. I suppose then the coin I posted above has been cleaned? Not sure.

[Mrpound]

6 minutes ago, artalien said:

Lovely image as well @MrpoundI wonder if the detail in the 64 isn't that much better but looks much better with the toning. Thanks for posting mate. I suppose then the coin I posted above has been cleaned? Not sure.

I wish I could help more I’m not used to looking at these coin in much detail so I wouldn’t be a good authority on it, I think shouldn’t doesn’t look right like it’s been cleaned in some way.

[artalien]

4 minutes ago, Mrpound said:

cleaned in some way.

Pity as otherwise it's a lovely coin. I'd guess maybe a dip but I dunno. Maybe I could summon @SidS- for an opinion 🤔

Edited February 25, 2023 by artalien

[Mrpound]

Just tagged you in my guess the grade 🤣 from a while ago, someone will be able to say for definite ☺️

[MickD]

Grading British Coins is less than a tenner on Amazon, I’ve always found it useful.

 

Allen and Perkins, Coin Publications

Edited February 25, 2023 by MickD

[artalien]

3 minutes ago, MickD said:

Grading British Coins is less than a tenner on Amazon, I’ve always found it useful.

Good book mate, thanks.

Edited February 25, 2023 by artalien

[artalien]

Currently looking through my wee stash hoping for a windfall 😃

[Bruce06]

I would go for VF.  Apart from the edge knock mentioned, teeth on reverse side showing its circulating status.  For the cleaning issue, it's hard to tell from photo due to lights etc, but if I guess, I would say yes if there is no toning on the coin.

[artalien]

8 hours ago, Bruce06 said:

I would say yes if there is no toning on the coin.

Thanks Bruce for your post, the coin has some light toning mostly nearing the edges. From the replies so far I think I can go forward using the book mentioned in this thread. The 1/2 C is doing well for the 100 years it has been around.

[Silverlocks]

On 25/02/2023 at 19:13, artalien said:

Hello TSF,  I think this is an EF or VF, what do you think? I am very new to coin grading so would love your opinion. There is an edge knock at 4 oclock. Has the coin been cleaned? What might this coin be worth? Thanks in advance for any input.

It may have been dipped at some point - you'd expect to see toning on a silver coin of that age, but it's not necessarily a given.  Graders may or may not ding it for that, but it's not a strike against the grade if there's no damage to the surface of the coin.

On the obverse, the mint finish looks like it's largely worn away, and there's a little bit of visible wear on George's ear, but no major handling marks or scratches.  On the reverse, the lion's faces are usually the first thing to go on shields, and the detail is still visible in these.  There is a minor edge knock in the rim at 4:00.  This would grade something like aboutEF, I think.

Also, I second the suggestion of getting Allen's Grading British Coins.  

Edited February 28, 2023 by Silverlocks

[artalien]

5 minutes ago, Silverlocks said:

14 hours ago, artalien said:

It may have been dipped at some point - you'd expect to see toning on a silver coin of that age, but it's not necessarily a given. 

Thanks Silverlocks for taking the time to reply. I do like an old coin that has extensive toning, like the MS64 above.

[SidS]

I'd say it's probably been cleaned (dipped) at some point. The colour across a circulated coin should vary somewhat, darker around the lettering or in recessed places. This coin looks all one tone, thus most likely cleaned.

Grade-wise definitely VF. The tip of George's moustache has gone, flattened facial hair where the tash and the beard meet. The upper part of the ear is also showing wear. On the reverse you can see the 'I' in HONI is worn, as is the Y and P on the opposite side. There's also wear above the lions top left where the shield meets the crown. Slight wear around the edges of the shield - which always wear first on these slightly concave coins. All indicative of a solid VF grade.

It's a nice coin nonetheless and I have many, many examples just like it. I really love this design.

Edited February 26, 2023 by SidS

[artalien]

4 minutes ago, SidS said:

I'd say it's probably been cleaned (dipped) at some point. The colour across a circulated coin should vary somewhat, darker around the lettering or in recessed places. This coin looks all one tone, thus most likely cleaned.

Grade-wise definitely VF. The tip of George's moustache has gone, flattened facial hair where the tash and the beard meet. The upper part of the ear is also showing wear. On the reverse you can see the 'I' in HONI is worn, as is the Y and P on the opposite side. There's also wear above the lions top left where the shield meets the crown. Slight wear around the edges of the shield - which always wear first on this slightly concave coins. All indicative of a solid VF grade.

It's a nice coin nonetheless and I have many, many examples just like it. I really love this design.

Thanks SidS for that extensive reply. I live and learn and you folks are helping me to do so. Brillant post mate.

[Stuntman]

I would agree that the coin is VF or thereabouts and is likely to have been dipped.

Still a very nice coin, though.

Value-wise it's perhaps £10-£15.

Here's one for sale from a reputable dealer for £22 in perhaps a slightly better grade:

https://www.thecoinking.co.uk/collections/halfcrowns/products/1916-halfcrown-george-v-british-silver-coin-very-nice-10

 

[artalien]

54 minutes ago, Stuntman said:

Value-wise it's perhaps £10-£15.

Here's one for sale from a reputable dealer for £22 in perhaps a slightly better grade:

Thanks Stuntman, that one is gorgeous 😍

[JTerry3]

My 1915 one bought a few weeks back:

[SidS]

6 minutes ago, JTerry3 said:

My 1915 one bought a few weeks back:

These and the lion on crown 1902-1926 shillings are probably my favourite Late Milled coin designs.

[JTerry3]

2 minutes ago, SidS said:

These and the lion on crown 1902-1926 shillings are probably my favourite Late Milled coin designs.

Can see why. I don't do date runs of any denominations but if I did I think I'd probably do these George V 1/2 Crowns and, just to shake things up from your suggestion, the Edwardian Florins.

[SidS]

25 minutes ago, JTerry3 said:

Can see why. I don't do date runs of any denominations but if I did I think I'd probably do these George V 1/2 Crowns and, just to shake things up from your suggestion, the Edwardian Florins.

Oh yes and those too!

[Bruce06]

1 hour ago, JTerry3 said:

My 1915 one bought a few weeks back:

This is gorgeous, thanks for sharing.

 

44 minutes ago, SidS said:

Oh yes and those too!

The standing Britannia Florin is one of my favourite predecimal coins as well.

 

[SidS]

1 hour ago, Bruce06 said:

The standing Britannia Florin is one of my favourite predecimal coins as well.

I don't know how I forgot those to be fair. Shame they ditched it for the rather insipid cruciform shield design.

If you want another good looking pre-decimal silver, the oft forgotten Britannia groat is a gem too. Tiny little things, same diameter as a threepence, but oh so wonderful.

[Stuntman]

Britannia Groat, you say?  Here's the last of the line, an 1888 specimen.

The only one I have!

I agree about the shilling, florin and halfcrown designs mentioned but I also have a soft spot for the 1927-36 florin design too.

In fact, florins are a really nice denomination for the type collector because there' aren't too many different types and many of them are attractive designs.  Godless, Gothic, Veiled Head, Standing Britannia etc.

[SidS]

15 minutes ago, Stuntman said:

Britannia Groat, you say?  Here's the last of the line, an 1888 specimen.

The only one I have!

I agree about the shilling, florin and halfcrown designs mentioned but I also have a soft spot for the 1927-36 florin design too.

In fact, florins are a really nice denomination for the type collector because there' aren't too many different types and many of them are attractive designs.  Godless, Gothic, Veiled Head, Standing Britannia etc.

A lovely specimen!

I too like florins. I thought about sticking a date collection together once. A lot of money for the gothics though. Although, I do have a full date set of circulated florins from 1887-1967. Nothing to write home about though being F-VF grades.

I have tried being a type collector. I always end up chasing the dates though.