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 Replies: 19 / Views: 6,093 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3499 Posts |
How would you grade this 1878 British Penny? It still seems to have a bit of mint luster (though this is unfortunately not that obvious in my poor scans) and has a lot of detail. So how would you grade this one? Thanks!   |
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Pillar of the Community
Luxembourg
588 Posts |
I would say high AU.
There are some incrustations between the letters.
Very beautiful coin
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
3499 Posts |
maudry- thanks for your assessment! I must say that the detail on the Britannia side is just great, but I feel as though Victoria's hairlines are kind of weak. This has to just be due to strike considering that the laurel wreath is quite sharp.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2669 Posts |
It's beautiful Archraz.. if I knew how to grade these better I'd be trying. I've been back about 10 times already just to have another look  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3499 Posts |
xshift- thanks! I must say that British pennies are such beautiful coins, but they are not that appreciated in the States, which is rather sad, but at the same time it causes many nice ones to be discounted or tossed in junk boxes. So more for us, I suppose.
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Moderator
 United States
23731 Posts |
Very nice coin with nice toning and detail. I would grade it at AU-55.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3499 Posts |
echizento- Thanks!
Also, what kind of value would you guys assign to this coin in AU? My krause jumps from EF to Unc, and since there is quite a difference between the values for these two grades, it can be rather hard to assign a proper value.
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Moderator
United States
23731 Posts |
I'd say right around $125.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3499 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2669 Posts |
2009 Spinks jumps between 80 for EF to 475 for UNC, in pounds. I tend to lean towards Spinks pricing more than Krause for Great Britain coins.. so $125 USD would probably be a bit on the low side for an AU55.
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Valued Member
United States
148 Posts |
As far as I remember in GB there is no such a grade as AU. Just EF and UNC, but then again...
I wasn't active for a long time, and things might changed?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3499 Posts |
xshift- Yeah, I saw that too, but I have never been quite sure how to interpret British prices. In the US British coins rarely bring full book values, and in my neck of the woods I get laughed at for buying British coins (even when I get amazing deals). By contrast, whenever I am in London I am just amazed/ horrified at the pricing of coins. I see 1962 British pennies in EF, for example, selling for ridiculous prices. In fact, I remember seeing British Indian Rupees from the 1880s in VF-EF, which book for $10-$12 in Krause, selling for 100-200 pounds. Be it as it may that the shop I visit most frequently is across the street from the British Museum, which may mean that this store really jacks up it prices since tourists are lurking about, but none the less those prices are absolutely outrageous.
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Valued Member
United States
148 Posts |
Arc, if I remember right you just blocks away from Spinks?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2669 Posts |
Well, I certainly won't laugh - I'll just be jealous Bring on the amazing deals! Yah, that shop sounds like a tourist trap. I wonder how much lower the prices would be elsewhere? That's interesting. Do you see a lot of people buying them when you're there? As for the AU grade - I don't know if a strict grader in GB would give an AU, but the TPGs here certainly do. I've heard of coins graded with the qualifiers "nearly", "almost", or "about", as in "about Fine" or "nearly Uncirculated". Of course, I've also seen "good Fine" but that may have been on an Australia coin, I can't remember. In any case, since coins *can* be graded AU, it becomes a price point that really ought to be included in pricing catalogs, but unfortunately isn't. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3499 Posts |
leprecoin- Honestly, I have never been to Spinks, so it is possible.
The last time that I was in London I actually asked around on the forum whether or not Seaby was an active shop in addition to an auction house. And everyone was not quite sure. So I dropped in to the address listed in the London phone book. And I must say that they were surprised to see me since it turned out to be their offices. haha But one of the guys who works there was very nice and directed me to the shop across from the Museum. It just seems like in London demand may be so high that there are so few coins to be found. I remember that at that shop a few circulated pennies from the 1960s were in the glass case with prices around 10-20 pounds a piece. One of the store employees said that Bronze and copper pennies, half pennies, and farthings are VERY hard to ever even have in stock. So do you think that this is indicative of extremely high demand in London or due to some other mystery factor?
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Valued Member
United States
148 Posts |
Maybe its time
Edited by leprecoin
05/15/2010 4:49 pm
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Replies: 19 / Views: 6,093 |
Posted 05/13/2010 6:09 pm
