Matt Finish 1887 Sixpence?

[Arganto]

Hello all. 

Is this a thing? I cant find a reference to it after a bit of searching. Was going to ask the seller as they appear to be a coinshop but thought I'd probe here first.

Lost it's lustre evenly? Camera making it appear more matt-like and the seller is leaning into it as a selling point? 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/335083140069?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=3lu86khdqkq&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=pyFb3npiRtS&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

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[Arganto]

A thought; Numista has a note that says they dropped the 'shield in garter' sixpence because some opportunists gold plated them to pass off as half sovereigns. I wonder if this is one of those and the plate has worn?

[Bruce06]

I am not aware there is any matte finish jubilee head sixpence, or at least i haven't seen before.

[Stuntman]

I don't think there are/were any matte ones either.

EDIT: looking at the pictures of the coin in the link, that's just a normal currency sixpence of the withdrawn type, worth about £10 to no more than £15 maybe.  Plenty around in similar or better grade.

Edited October 25, 2023 by Stuntman

[Britannia47]

@Arganto I agree with the comments above. The fields of the ‘87s are in fact rather shiny! so I suggest it’s the lighting of the photo making it appear Matte. My photo also shows an 1817 sixpence guilded to look like a 1/2 sovereign. Not the most endearing image of George III……

 

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[Bruce06]

19 hours ago, Stuntman said:

I don't think there are/were any matte ones either.

EDIT: looking at the pictures of the coin in the link, that's just a normal currency sixpence of the withdrawn type, worth about £10 to no more than £15 maybe.  Plenty around in similar or better grade.

Agree

[Arganto]

On 25/10/2023 at 19:31, Stuntman said:

I don't think there are/were any matte ones either.

EDIT: looking at the pictures of the coin in the link, that's just a normal currency sixpence of the withdrawn type, worth about £10 to no more than £15 maybe.  Plenty around in similar or better grade.

I have no doubt this isn't anything special, its just odd that if it were merely a camera effect why would the seller lean on it as a selling pont (rhetorical as it's eBay)? I wonder if it really is matt to the eye what may have caused it.

Ill ask 'em for a laff

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[Arganto]

The seller got back to me quickly, he claims it was part of a "high end job lot" from one of the "biggest sellers" on eBay. It was labelled as matt on the coin flip it came in says he, but he said he would chase up the seller he bought it from and query it as he wasn't sure himself...

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[SidS]

I'd argue that it's a run of the mill 1887 sixpence and it's been cleaned. A coin should have either natural toning or original lustre. It appears the field, legends and designs all have exactly the same tone, and there's wear on the shield on the reverse. When coins are used they will pick up little bits of grime which get into the nooks and crannies (legends etc.). A coin that isn't FDC or crisp mint that has one overall colour is a dead ringer for a cleaned coin. This would give the coin a lifeless, flat look about it, which some unknowing sellers might consider matt (although matt should of course mean flat and not glossy/shiny).

Edited October 30, 2023 by SidS

[Arganto]

46 minutes ago, SidS said:

I'd argue that it's a run of the mill 1887 sixpence and it's been cleaned. A coin should have either natural toning or original lustre. It appears the field, legends and designs all have exactly the same tone, and there's wear on the shield on the reverse. When coins are used they will pick up little bits of grime which get into the nooks and crannies (legends etc.). A coin that isn't FDC or crisp mint that has one overall colour is a dead ringer for a cleaned coin. This would give the coin a lifeless, flat look about it, which some unknowing sellers might consider matt (although matt should of course mean flat and not glossy/shiny).

I've seen cleaned coins go extra shiny all over but this does make the most sense with regards the apparent overall consistency. Possibly a chemical of some kind was used in the process.

The listing ended and he hasn't gotten back to me, probably the last we'll hear of it but who knows.

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[SidS]

5 minutes ago, Arganto said:

I've seen cleaned coins go extra shiny all over but this does make the most sense with regards the apparent overall consistency. Possibly a chemical of some kind was used in the process.

The listing ended and he hasn't gotten back to me, probably the last we'll hear of it but who knows.

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Yes dipped most likely. They can be really shiny at one angle and flat and dull at another. I've had a few dipped coins over the years, it looks very much like one. You don't get the hairline scratches, so a lot of people don't realise.