Any Thoughts on the Grade of this Sovereign

Discussion in 'World Coins' started by 1934 Wreath Crown, May 18, 2017.

  1. 1934 Wreath Crown

    1934 Wreath Crown Well-Known Member

    Finally got my 1879 London Mint sovereign delivered. The experts on pre-decimal gave it a unanimous thumbs-up for authenticity which was never really in doubt:).

    Any opinion on the grade?? I feel maybe VF or slightly better. If it turns out to be an XF I'd be well pleased as those are going for around 5,000.

    Given recent prices on auctions, I've not done too badly;)

    1879 Sov Obv.jpg IMG_0222 (2).JPG 1879 Sov Rev.jpg 1879 Sov edge.jpg


    I really need to buy myself a better camera :shame:
     
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  3. dlgilles

    dlgilles Member

    Nice coin- you don't see enough warriors fighting dragons on coins.
     
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  4. SuperDave

    SuperDave Free the Cartwheels!

    By what we in America consider the more-conservative European standard, I feel VF is probably the ceiling for this rarity. Left to myself, I'd have it at gF but I'd go along if my betters called it VF.
     
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  5. sakata

    sakata Devil's Advocate

    VF seems reasonable to me. Numismaster says only $2500 for XF so I would expect to get it for less than $2000 in that grade.
     
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  6. GDJMSP

    GDJMSP Numismatist Moderator

    I could go along with a low VF but no better than that.
     
  7. Jaelus

    Jaelus The Hungarian Antiquarian Supporter

    VF as well. Attractive coin.
     
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  8. 1934 Wreath Crown

    1934 Wreath Crown Well-Known Member

    The last VF30 sold at HA for $4935 in September 2016 and they've only seen 3 examples since 1997. So at 1,500 I think I've not done too badly;):happy:.
     
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  9. 1934 Wreath Crown

    1934 Wreath Crown Well-Known Member

    Especially warriors without any clothes on.
     
  10. sakata

    sakata Devil's Advocate

    Very interesting. Numismaster still has it at $850 for VF.
     
  11. SuperDave

    SuperDave Free the Cartwheels!

    At US$1500 you should be enjoying a glass of fine wine and contemplating how the unlucky people manage to get along. Not like you'd know. :D
     
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  12. 1934 Wreath Crown

    1934 Wreath Crown Well-Known Member

    I find the valuation systems quite baffling sometimes. I believe the value of anything is what someone else is willing to pay for it. Given a mintage of only 20,013 and the highest graded by NGC at AU55 (PCGS has its highest graded at AU53), its a very scarce coin and difficult to find.

    So yes I do think Numismaster has it severely undervalued.
     
  13. GDJMSP

    GDJMSP Numismatist Moderator

    Numismaster, unless they have changed in the last few years, does nothing more than list the values listed in the Krause catalogs. And pretty much everybody knows the values listed in Krause are worse than worthless.
     
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  14. sakata

    sakata Devil's Advocate

    Numismaster IS the online version of the Krause catalog. It is useful as a guide to relative value in most cases, but it is not reliable for absolute value.
     
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  15. SuperDave

    SuperDave Free the Cartwheels!

    That's the only effective way to frame the question, "What is this coin worth?" You're not bidding against a price guide.
     
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  16. Zonker

    Zonker Active Member

    Congrats on a very hard coin to obtain. I'd grade it at gF and I would expect a TPG to grade it at VF. I've been looking for one of these for years - you did well.
     
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  17. carpman98

    carpman98 Active Member

    VF ..... can't grade gold the way you grade silver or copper.
     
  18. Zonker

    Zonker Active Member

    image.jpg image.jpg London Coins has one up for auction that is graded VF/gVF. I think the TPGs would grade this at least XF45 possibly AU. I'm fairly conservative in my grading using the English standard.
     
  19. Zonker

    Zonker Active Member

    And here's one graded gF/NVF
    image.jpg image.jpg
     
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  20. Zonker

    Zonker Active Member

    I do not find that London Coins is a consistently strict grader and I do believe that the US TPGs over grade.
     
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  21. 1934 Wreath Crown

    1934 Wreath Crown Well-Known Member

    I suppose it would not be a bad idea to have this graded then!!!
     
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