Hi, I bought a 9 carat proof gold pound coin which has a silvery mark on the edge. As this is proof, shouldn't this be solid gold and therefore a uniform gold colour throughout? Many thanks
What, exactly, do you know about this coin? I know that 9k gold coins exist, but a quick search doesn't turn up any for Pitcairn, and silver on the edge seems like a big red flag (to mix metaphors a bit). What's its date? Do its weight and dimensions match published specs for the issue? Can you post clear photos of the coin's obverse and reverse?
It’s only a 9k coin. 24k is considered solid gold. To see silver means the base metals didn’t get covered in that area.
The real 2025 Pitcairn proofs are 999 Gold & denominated in dollars, not pounds. The legend on your coin is also arranged differently, possibly to avoid legal problems. Gold plated silver replica is my guess, hope it wasn't expensive...
In the US it is not considered gold if it is below 10K. for example I have found rings metal detecting that say 10K Mexico, and they are gold but some of them can be 9K. However, if your proof is real gold and actually 9K I wouldn't worry about the discoloration. 9K is only 37.5% gold.
Hello, FYI "Carat" and "karat" are often confused, but they refer to different aspects of jewelry. Carat (spelled with a "c") is a unit of weight used for gemstones, especially diamonds. Karat (spelled with a "k") measures the purity of gold.
This is what the coin was supplied with When a coin is proof, wouldn't it been solid and not plated??? I've just noticed it says plain edged too and this doesn't look like it fits the definition...
A proof coin is the manufacture of method, nothing more. The metal content has nothing to do with the production of the coin. In my area there is an ad for a 24k gold coin that is taken from a Buffalo Nickels design. It weighs 1 full ounce. The coin is 24k plating and there is a limit of 5 per household. $9.95 to ship and the retail price is less than $10.00 per coin. Doing all of the math based on the ad, there is less than $.65 cents of gold on it. But it’s a Proof coin.
You're right. Your coin's edge is reeded, not plain. That alone is a red flag; the coin you have doesn't match the description supplied with it. Please post photos of the coin's obverse and reverse (front and back). At this point, I'm guessing that there will be other signs that it's a fake. Did this come from eBay, by chance?
If you go to numista.com, there are all kinds of Pitcairn coins in different metals (including plated) and denominations (dollar, pound, crown, 50p, etc.). Some labeled as MS, some as proof. Quite the numismatic smorgasbord. Wouldn’t count on them going up in value beyond what might happen with metal prices. It’s another Pacific island hoping to make money by having a bunch of coins made for them and trying to sell profitably. Current population of the island is about 35. Cal
Not ebay. It was from a "reputable" company in the UK called Heritage Coins. They've been around a bit and are linked to various exchanges so would have thought reputable however as others have pointed out there are some red flags. I'll take this to a jewellers at the weekend and see what they have to say about the gold content. I'll take a look over at that site and see whether there is anything about this coin there... In the meantime I'm going to drop the company an email outlining the edge and see what they say
It's not ill reputed to make medals and such and sell them to the public. When it gets disreputable is when you make and sell them as if they are made by the government out of precious metal.
These are small runs, and removed when sold out - your coin isn't now on sale. This is still available, .999(24K) 11mm for £69: VE Day 80th Anniversary 24-Carat Gold Coin | Heritage Coins Based on the current gold spot, your coin at .375(9K) 22mm/2.75g has £82 worth if solid 9K. I'm not sure what yours cost, but add packaging and margin on top.
