I have four 1951 'proof like' crowns. However, if the coins are 'proof like' how can you distinguish them from the actual proofs? I'm curious more than hopeful as I believe my coins are the bog standard variety, though I've added pics below. Also can anyone explain to me if there is any difference between the coins in green or burgundy boxes? I have two of each, I assume it was simply to offer a choice? Answers.com gives the following values: A British 1951 cupro-nickel Crown (Five Shillings)(George VI) - Festival of Britain (proof like), uncirculated and in absolute mint condition could fetch up to £15 GBP. If it has been circulated but still in good condition, it might fetch up to £5 GBP. A British 1951 cupro-nickel Crown (Five Shillings)(George VI) - Festival of Britain (Frosted "VIP" Proof), uncirculated and in absolute mint condition could fetch up to £675 GBP. A British 1951 cupro-nickel Crown (Five Shillings)(George VI) - Festival of Britain (Matt Proof FDC), uncirculated and in absolute mint condition could fetch up to £4,000 GBP. A British 1951 cupro-nickel Crown (Five Shillings)(George VI) - Festival of Britain (Plain edge - Proof FDC), uncirculated and in absolute mint condition could fetch up to £1,000 GBP.
I wasn't hawking, though I've fixed the post I'm just curious about how to distinguish 'proof-like' from actual proof.
I posted one here in October 2009: http://www.cointalk.com/t75285 Supposedly the color of the box is not significant.
Thanks. The relief (cameo?) is certainly pronounced, better than any of the other crowns I've possessed.
In actuality, all 'normal' strikings of the 1951 crown are Proofs - Unc versions were not minted at all. That being said, there are several varieties that command significant premium, as mentioned in the OP: - plain edged proof (unintentional minted from unedged blanks) - VIP proof - distinguished by 'frosting' on designs. More info on this can be found in the excellent reference work British Silver Coins from 1816, by Peter Davis. This coin is listed as #2020, and footnotes 2 and 3 refer to the special proofs above. Footnote 1 denotes the edge lettering "* MDCCCLI Civium Industria Floret Civitas MCMLI'.
(Cited from: https://www.cointalk.com/threads/1951-festival-of-britain-crown-x-4.169466/) Is there a raised edge lettering 1951 VIP proof? I know there is for the 1935. Jumping the gun a little as I am awaiting the post and I should know better thant read anything from photographs. But I purchased a 1951 purely because from the visual all the lettering is raised. If it is i'll pop some pics up. Just interested to know if any were made? thanks Rich
Not as far as I know. Although this is an old thread, the story I heard about the different colour boxes was that the burgundy ones were sold in the US and the green boxes were sold in the UK. Or I may have that the wrong way round. I have a vague recollection that there was some sort of exhibition in New York that year and that is where the US ones were sold. An alternative explanation is that one colour box came from Royal Mint orders, the other was for coins sold at the 1951 Festival of Britain, which is a similar sort of idea.
the new York exhibition was 1960,crowns were issued for that year.the festival of Britain 1951 was to buck people up after the war years,put a bit of fun into their lives.
Most of what I remember of the Festival of Britain was people's waists, as I was only about 3 1/2 feet tall. It was pretty crowded, for my family only a half hour train journey to go and see it, as it was for most Londoners. The actual exhibits are a bit blurred now but I clearly recall the Skylon and the Dome of Discovery. When you are just turned eight years old pretty well anything unusual is impressive. Bread rationing had only finished 3 years before and it was another two years before sweets and sugar were no longer rationed. Meat was rationed till 1954. Fat people were considered freaks at that time. Not surprisingly.
I've got 20 all in original boxes Proof with paper work. There are 9 varieties....I 'm to investigate this. (I've never paid more than £6)
Reviving a necro-post... How do you tell the difference between a proof and a proof-like strike for this particular coin? I know that there's a reflection-readability self-test, but I believe the same dies on the VIP and proof strikes were used for the proof-like strikes. So, the very first proof-like coin may look like a proof (right?). Were all proofs issued in boxes (green or burgundy), or were they issued in something else? If the proofs were issued in boxes, then how were the proof-like ones issued? And, how do you differentiate a proof from a VIP? I saw an image of the VIP strikes, and they have ultra/deep cameo. But, some of the proof strike ones do, too. Were the VIP ones strike three or more times, so the relief height differences are noticeable when seen in-hand? Or maybe the difference is an increasing amount of cameo as you move from proof-like to VIP strikes. Thanks in advance!
I've read about distinguishing cam levels by reflectivity as well in a few places. However, I was just reading the ANA grading book. In the glossary CAMs are mentioned and I got the impression it was saying that the level of CAM is controversial and not well grounded. The reflectivity test is not mentioned. Maybe the level of attention given to the topic was minimal but perhaps they believe not much more is needed.
