I very recently purchased 4 Indian coins (3 - 1/12 Annas and 1 - 1/2 Pice) that are purportedly struck in cupro-nickel and not the normal bronze. The dealer is an established dealer from Austrailia, and a write up of two of the coins can be found here: http://www.jfcampbell.us/india/george5/cn01.htm Does anyone know of a way I can confirm the metal content of the coins without causing any damage? Would a grading company be able to do that easily? I'd be interested in reading your thoughts and comments as well. I don't expect to have the coins in my possession until after the New Year.
congrats on the coins .... one crude way would be to compare that coin with a 25paise cu-ni coin.. i would think they would be of similar size/wt and perhaps composition. Other way would be to send it to a chemical lab. This probably may cause changes to the coin.. how many of these were minted? were they meant for circulation or some kind of proof for changing from cu to cu-ni?
Thanks! You're guess is as good as mine... To the best of my knowledge, these coins are completely undocumented which (as I'm sure you already know) would not be the first time for an Indian coin. I doubt they were actually considering a change from bronze to cupro-nickel for these coins, nor could they be struck on the wrong planchet because of the size and shape. I have a few coins that don't show up in the Krause guide or my other books (don't have a copy of Pridmore's YET ), so coupled with that and the fact that it was an established dealer, I went for it. My biggest concern is that it may be some sort of toning or discoloration, since the weights are very close to their bronze counterparts. Either way, the dealer guarantees they are authentic and accepts returns so I can return them if they are not to my liking. I'm just wondering what PCGS or NGC would do if I sent them in...
interesting... all the best on getting yur copy... thats a acclaimed guide on brit india coins... btw is there a digital copy in public domain? heard that the copyright will be expiring soon or may have already done... u know anything of that? IMHO... dont... aren these supposed to be american coin grading companies? may be save the $ for more indian coins
Maybe you could write to Mint Error News A bit off topic, but this older thread might be of interest to this current thread: Finest Known Indian Head Cent Struck In GOLD On A $2½ Planchet
Considering you can't find a used copy around for under $100, I'm surprised no one has made an attempt to republish it. I'd settle for a digital copy, but we probably won't see that happen until the copyright expires. If you see one around, let me know!
