Is it worth checking bullion sovereigns for errors?

[ZRPMs]

A big thank you to everyone that's answered. I just gone through the answers. Lots to think on and will probably make a start soon. Knowing my luck though all I'll find is either tooling marks or polish.

[CazLikesCoins]

1 hour ago, ZRPMs said:

@James32 has them securely on his Ireland, Not sure exactly but the west coast of somewhere. Handy for the boating accident when needed.

I keep hearing about the mysterious boating accidents but don't understand how so many people who are land locked buy boats, get them on the open sea and somehow lose all their gold during stormy weather. Is this a thing? What does it mean? How is it done? Do I need a boat? Do I need some gold? What's the secret?

Edited May 28, 2023 by CazLikesCoins

[Darr3nG]

3 hours ago, CazLikesCoins said:

don't understand how so many people who are land locked buy boats

Won them on Bullseye

[ZRPMs]

14 hours ago, CazLikesCoins said:

I keep hearing about the mysterious boating accidents but don't understand how so many people who are land locked buy boats, get them on the open sea and somehow lose all their gold during stormy weather. Is this a thing? What does it mean? How is it done? Do I need a boat? Do I need some gold? What's the secret?

No secret, Its a tragedy really. Just when you get a nice collection going the accident happens. BAM. All your shiny gone. Then, through teary eyes and with the deepest of regrets we have to inform the powers that be of the boating accident that claimed all the shiny and nearly our lives. Leaving us penniless and broke. Unable to pay any duty, customs or excise or tax on a sale that never happened. Sad really, but there you have it. Davey Jones claims the bounty again. You think we'd all learn but a life on the open sea (for that weekend) for me.

[CazLikesCoins]

1 hour ago, ZRPMs said:

No secret, Its a tragedy really. Just when you get a nice collection going the accident happens. BAM. All your shiny gone. Then, through teary eyes and with the deepest of regrets we have to inform the powers that be of the boating accident that claimed all the shiny and nearly our lives. Leaving us penniless and broke. Unable to pay any duty, customs or excise or tax on a sale that never happened. Sad really, but there you have it. Davey Jones claims the bounty again. You think we'd all learn but a life on the open sea (for that weekend) for me.

Makes sense. Though I don't have to worry. My collection could fit in a matchbox with room to spare. I don't need a boat to lose mine, just an egg cup I can float my gold in along Blackpool shore on a day out at the beach. It's my gold and if I want to take it on a day out I wlll  

[CazLikesCoins]

12 hours ago, Darr3nG said:

Won them on Bullseye

You get nothing for two in a bed ...

... echoing husbands throughout the land.

[ZRPMs]

Spending the evening looking through the first few sovereigns. Not very hopeful but will keep you posted on progress.

[dicker]

1 hour ago, ZRPMs said:

Spending the evening looking through the first few sovereigns. Not very hopeful but will keep you posted on progress.

Feel free to post up any images for us to look at.  Sovereign errors are of interest to quite a few of us!

[Foster88]

3 hours ago, ZRPMs said:

Spending the evening looking through the first few sovereigns. Not very hopeful but will keep you posted on progress.

 

1 hour ago, dicker said:

Feel free to post up any images for us to look at.  Sovereign errors are of interest to quite a few of us!

I also echo dicker’s comment.

Make sure to look at both the obverse and reverse closely, paying particular attention to ‘A for V’ in the earlier Victoria sovereigns and double stuck or error numbers in the date which are just two examples.

Of course, many errors lay unknown so ask here if you think you may have found one.

[SidS]

In answer to your original question, I would say yes, definitely worth taking the time to check.

I'd start at the earliest date and just do a date (or two) at a time. Be that checking a date per day or per week. Don't try and do a whole load at once, because:

1) You'll stop concentrating and noticing things.

2) You'll get frustrated that it's taking so long.

I'd check everything up to 1893 without hesitation. So many minor varieties. Overdates, WW incuse/relief, die cracks, over lettering, long tail/short tail, JEB varieties, distant and near colons, wide date and narrow dates. The list is inexhaustible no doubt.

[dicker]

I used to think Jubilee heads had very few noteworthy errors outside of the DISH ones - the below is for sale on eBay. Letter ‘O’ instead of numeral ‘zero’.  
 

It’s a good example of why you shouldn’t let your own bias and preconceptions get in the way of close examination!

 

Edited June 1, 2023 by dicker

[SidS]

17 minutes ago, dicker said:

I used to think Jubilee heads had very few noteworthy errors outside of the DISH ones - the below is for sale on eBay. Letter ‘O’ instead of numeral ‘zero’.  
 

It’s a good example of why you shouldn’t let your own bias and preconceptions get in the way of close examination!

 

That's a new one on me.

[Orpster]

Here's another example

 There are three variants of the 1881M G&D in Marsh

Small B.P., intermediate tail rated as Normal
Small B.P., long tail rated as Scarce 
No B.P., Short Tale rated as Rare

Below are two small tails, but in addition one has incuse WW and the other has WW in relief - not a thing mentioned in Marsh as a variant but enough for me to want both  

 

 

[Orpster]

And another, the below look like three standard 1857 shield backs, but there is a difference that makes one (or two ) a variant and rated as Rare instead of Normal

[Zhorro]

1 hour ago, Orpster said:

Here's another example

 There are three variants of the 1881M G&D in Marsh

Small B.P., intermediate tail rated as Normal
Small B.P., long tail rated as Scarce 
No B.P., Short Tale rated as Rare

Below are two small tails, but in addition one has incuse WW and the other has WW in relief - not a thing mentioned in Marsh as a variant but enough for me to want both  

 

 

Superb pictures.

[ZRPMs]

I started By looking through The Gold Sovereign series book for hint's on what to look for. I looked over 7 Victoria young head. Didn't really see any errors but picked up on the 2 X 1844 being scarce. Both looked to be the spread 4 4 in the date. This got me thinking that I'd like to make note of the ones I have. To this end I've started to make an excel sheet with the dates, variety and the rating.

Only issue I foresee is that I would also like to add the condition. For example one of the 1844 is a real nice coin, not that much wear on it at all. however the other looks to have been buffed up. It's quite shiny. As you look at it under the magnifying lens you can tell its got quite a few circulation dints, scrapes, scratches and then the brightness of the coin hits you. Not sure if an ultra sonic cleaner has been used to clean the coin. It tests ok and good on the sigma but it is quite bright.

As suggested I think I'll add a few date's to the excel sheet then check over the coins.

Once again many thanks for all the encouragement from everyone. If any rare coins crop up I'll take some pic's and post them. Big thanks to @dicker and @Orpster for their pictures. Not sure if I'd have noticed the O against the 0. Now you point it out I will check. Is the letter O rounder than the number 0? As for the 1857, I can't quite make it out but, Is the bottom one the variant. Partial bar in the A's in GRATIA? or have I messed that up as well?

[Orpster]

9 minutes ago, ZRPMs said:

As for the 1857, I can't quite make it out but, Is the bottom one the variant. Partial bar in the A's in GRATIA?

Spot on Zac  

[dicker]

8 hours ago, ZRPMs said:

I started By looking through The Gold Sovereign series book for hint's on what to look for. I looked over 7 Victoria young head. Didn't really see any errors but picked up on the 2 X 1844 being scarce. Both looked to be the spread 4 4 in the date. This got me thinking that I'd like to make note of the ones I have. To this end I've started to make an excel sheet with the dates, variety and the rating.

Only issue I foresee is that I would also like to add the condition. For example one of the 1844 is a real nice coin, not that much wear on it at all. however the other looks to have been buffed up. It's quite shiny. As you look at it under the magnifying lens you can tell its got quite a few circulation dints, scrapes, scratches and then the brightness of the coin hits you. Not sure if an ultra sonic cleaner has been used to clean the coin. It tests ok and good on the sigma but it is quite bright.

As suggested I think I'll add a few date's to the excel sheet then check over the coins.

Once again many thanks for all the encouragement from everyone. If any rare coins crop up I'll take some pic's and post them. Big thanks to @dicker and @Orpster for their pictures. Not sure if I'd have noticed the O against the 0. Now you point it out I will check. Is the letter O rounder than the number 0? As for the 1857, I can't quite make it out but, Is the bottom one the variant. Partial bar in the A's in GRATIA? or have I messed that up as well?

Yes - the letter o is rounder.  Easy to miss!

[ZRPMs]

Might have found a 1863, 3 over 3 in the date. However its not in my book. Please excuse the poor picture I only have my phone camera.

 

[Orpster]

And the 1 Zac

Still a variant, maybe not a recognised one (by Marsh anyway) but that's an overstrike OK

[ZRPMs]

4 minutes ago, Orpster said:

And the 1 Zac

Still a variant, maybe not a recognised one (by Marsh anyway) but that's an overstrike OK

Wow. I missed that under the magnifying glass. 

[paulmerton]

Just now, ZRPMs said:

Wow. I missed that under the magnifying glass. 

I did a similar thing looking for die clashes on 50p coins and found it was much easier on the eyes (and easier to spot certain things) to use one of those £20 USB microscope things plugged into a laptop. 

[ZRPMs]

5 minutes ago, paulmerton said:

I did a similar thing looking for die clashes on 50p coins and found it was much easier on the eyes (and easier to spot certain things) to use one of those £20 USB microscope things plugged into a laptop. 

Will look for one for sure. I have discovered that my master eye is my left eye using magnifying glass, but it is difficult.

[paulmerton]

2 minutes ago, ZRPMs said:

Will look for one for sure. I have discovered that my master eye is my left eye using magnifying glass, but it is difficult.

The nicest thing about having the whole coin appear up on a big screen is that you can use both eyes so it's less strain. And you can easily take photos/videos of what it's seeing, too!

[Orpster]

3 minutes ago, ZRPMs said:

Will look for one for sure. I have discovered that my master eye is my left eye using magnifying glass, but it is difficult.

I take a picture of my coins on arrival using the light tunnel I got from @DrDave, I find it much easier on a screen than trying to use a loupe or magnifier