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Posted 08/25/2017 9:49 pm
@lsb25, yep those are great pics. I'll try to answer your questions, but will leave final determination up to someone here with more experience.
Anyway, that looks like the first issue of coinage from Henry III (1509 to 1526 AD). I say that because the hair goes all the way to the collar, whereas on the second issue, the hair is much shorter and the third issue features a nearly face-on view of the king. The missing nose is definitely odd (the portrait is actually of Henry II, and he definitely had a nose). The obv inscription should be something like hENRIC VIII DEI GRA REX AGL, although that last L is blundered. The mintmark looks to be a star, so consistent with #23 in Spink. The rev is quite dark and I'm guessing that someone has treated this side to make it darker (sorta like they probably did with the front, only they wiped off most of the tarnish on the front to really bring out the high points on the coin. A dip in acetone probably will do nothing to improve this coin, but it would be worth a try. I would NOT recommend dipping this in silver polish. Anyway, the rev inscription should be something like CIVI TAS + EBO RACI, which suggests that the coin was minted in York. It is a little too dark for me to be sure, but below and on both sides of the shield, I think that I see a key. That would mean that this coin was minted under the authority of Archbishop Bainbridge (1508 to 1514 AD). There should be a small bird (a "martlet") in the inscription somewhere too, but your coin is too dark for me to see it. There are a few varieties of these half groats, but that is my best guess based on what I see. If I'm right, then the attribution is Spink 2323.
Of course, you also asked if it is a fake. With that question, I can't help out so much. I note that your coin was about 19 mm and 1.6 g when minted, but the edge has been trimmed slightly so it wouldn't surprise me if your coin was a bit smaller and lighter. It shouldn't be significantly different from these values. Obviously, you should confirm that your coin won't stick to a magnet. Next, I'd work to clear off some of that heavy tarnish (hopefully someone here can make a good suggestion about how to safely do that). Nothing about this coin screams fake to me, but the tarnish could be hiding all sorts of things. Finally, the value of this coin in Spink is about $150, so if you picked this up at a flea market in Toledo Ohio for $5, then that could be a sign.
Feel free to post a pic if you end up conserving this coin!
Anyway, that looks like the first issue of coinage from Henry III (1509 to 1526 AD). I say that because the hair goes all the way to the collar, whereas on the second issue, the hair is much shorter and the third issue features a nearly face-on view of the king. The missing nose is definitely odd (the portrait is actually of Henry II, and he definitely had a nose). The obv inscription should be something like hENRIC VIII DEI GRA REX AGL, although that last L is blundered. The mintmark looks to be a star, so consistent with #23 in Spink. The rev is quite dark and I'm guessing that someone has treated this side to make it darker (sorta like they probably did with the front, only they wiped off most of the tarnish on the front to really bring out the high points on the coin. A dip in acetone probably will do nothing to improve this coin, but it would be worth a try. I would NOT recommend dipping this in silver polish. Anyway, the rev inscription should be something like CIVI TAS + EBO RACI, which suggests that the coin was minted in York. It is a little too dark for me to be sure, but below and on both sides of the shield, I think that I see a key. That would mean that this coin was minted under the authority of Archbishop Bainbridge (1508 to 1514 AD). There should be a small bird (a "martlet") in the inscription somewhere too, but your coin is too dark for me to see it. There are a few varieties of these half groats, but that is my best guess based on what I see. If I'm right, then the attribution is Spink 2323.
Of course, you also asked if it is a fake. With that question, I can't help out so much. I note that your coin was about 19 mm and 1.6 g when minted, but the edge has been trimmed slightly so it wouldn't surprise me if your coin was a bit smaller and lighter. It shouldn't be significantly different from these values. Obviously, you should confirm that your coin won't stick to a magnet. Next, I'd work to clear off some of that heavy tarnish (hopefully someone here can make a good suggestion about how to safely do that). Nothing about this coin screams fake to me, but the tarnish could be hiding all sorts of things. Finally, the value of this coin in Spink is about $150, so if you picked this up at a flea market in Toledo Ohio for $5, then that could be a sign.
Feel free to post a pic if you end up conserving this coin!
"If you climb a good tree, you get a push."
-----Ghanaian proverb
"The danger we all now face is distinguishing between what is authentic and what is performed."
-----King Adz
-----Ghanaian proverb
"The danger we all now face is distinguishing between what is authentic and what is performed."
-----King Adz
