Hello Everyone, Another question was raised by my fine combing my extras. What do you do when you get a coin that is not listed in Krause's Standard Catalog? I have just found a couple of coins that kind of fit one catalog number and kind of fit a second catalog number but somehow the dates don't match the book. (I would post them here but apparently my pictures don't come through well yet...I am working on that too.) How does one go about validating a coin prior to spending a mint of money to send it off to NGC or otherwise? I hate to spend the lot for a worthless coin. Thanks.
Agreed, I had the same problem a while back on some world coins. Google what information you can see on it and look at images of what pops up. I'll watch this thread for photos (both sides, please) and maye the elders here can help. Good luck.
NGC World Coin Price Guide Numismaster Find my coin Numista All of the above links can be used for free for basic look up information, which is all based on the KM books. Sites like Numismaster withhold some of the details, which they reveal if you subscribe, but it's all the stuff you'd find in KM books. Sometimes KM numbers are changed (revised) depending on the edition you have, somethings are not even correct in KM (sloppy editorial typos), and some coins truly are "Unlisted" in KM if they are indeed that rare. You can also try sites like Sixbid, Coin Archives and even search Heritage Auctions' Archives, as they provide KM numbers among other cataloging info in their descriptions. If you provide photos of the piece here, you can get free info from the forum members who will know it or look it up for you too.
Great.. I always use Numista.. I kind of wanted to figure it out for the OP if they gave us the info, then I give them the website
Also try the supplemental Krause book "Unusual World Coins". An e-version is available for free in entirety on Google Books: https://books.google.com/books?id=j...IMDAA#v=onepage&q=unusual world coins&f=false Many unofficial, fantasy and/or medallic issues that are not listed in the main volumes can be found here.
Thanks for the quick replies. The first coin is a 1901 Queen Victoria Farthing. The book says with blackened finish. It is catalog #788.2. The coin is XF but not blackened at all. (I do have a few of those so I know what it looks like.) This looks exactly like #788.1 but the date doesn't fit. The second coin is from Mexico. It is a 1977 10 Centavos catalog #434.x. It has a sharp end and a narrow date like #434.4 but again the date doesn't match.
The "blackening" was a technique to prevent people from passing the coins as half sovereigns. Sounds weird, I know, since the design was not the same and the farthings had the denomination on the coin, but apparently it was a thing. There are blackened and unblackened versions, with the unblackened ones usually being less common. As for the Mexican coin, pretty sure there were varieties for every year in that range. Krause is notorious for crap editing.
I want to share this image with you from the Numista website - Also - http://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces3157.html
Thanks again for the Numista link. I use them too, but as I mentioned earlier the coin is a 1977 and is not listed as having a sharp end and narrow date. So, where do I go from here? I can't possibly believe the odds that I would have the only one.
Hi: With the information I have available, the blackened Farthing began to be minted in 1897. Some were blackened and some were not due to timing that year. (Both types available in 1897) From 1898 to 1917, all were blackened. In 1918 the blackened Farthing was changed again to bright with both types minted in the year of change (1918). Someone or body decided it was no longer necessary to make a black Farthing. (Maybe the population become smarter) From 1919 forward, only the bright Farthing was minted. Your coin might appear to be the bright version but it is really blackened, in my opinion. My guess is that they were oxidized so oxidized (circulated) bright Farthings were also dark in finish in the "bright" years. Collectors of Farthings also have trouble distinguishing both types on auction sites by the photographs. You my have to purchase what you think is the correct one and judge for yourself or ask an expert in Great Britain coins. Krause lists both KM numbers in 1897 and also in 1918. If these is still a problem, try a older or newer Krause reference. Hope that helps. CW
Hard to argue with a 1940's Fiji florin used as the plate coin for an 18th century Austrian thaler lol
Try to suggest that they fix it sometime. Or perhaps you can just scratch that: I've been THERE before with suggestions to glaring factual errors in the 1901~2000 SCWC. That was 3 years ago. I have yet to hear back.
