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Grading British Coins;Victorian obverses 1837-1901


Guest Stujoe

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Guest Stujoe
An attempt at a grading guide for Victorian coin obverses. Please note that due to limited coins available for scanning, it's not always possible to be pinpoint accurate, but it should give you the general idea of what to look for...

 

 

 

 

YOUNG HEAD 1837-1887

 

Issued on Gold from 1838-1887

Issued on Silver (except Florin) from 1838-1887

Issued on Copper from 1838-1860

 

The young head was designed by William Wyon, and came to grace the coinage up until the Queen's Golden Jubilee in 1887. By which time it is probably safe to say the portrait no longer bared a resemblence to the Queen.

 

FINE - issues such as the one illustrated below, there is often wear evidence across the whole coin, the Queen's hair and the bands in her hair usually show some considerable wear;

 

yhf.jpg

 

 

GOOD FINE - notice that more is visable than on the previous image. The hair showing less wear and the bands in the hair are more clearly visable;

 

yhgf.jpg

 

 

VERY FINE - the overall wear of the coin is much less noticable than on the previous pictures. The hair detail is much more pronounced and so are the bands and ribbons. The one below is about AVF but it's the closest one i've got... :roll:

 

yhvf.jpg

 

 

EXTREMELY FINE - shows signs of circulation but almost all fine detail will be clear, the bands are full, the hair will show only wear on the very highest points.

 

UNCIRCULATED - full details, can occur with numerous bag marks, the less the better though!

 

 

 

 

 

GOTHIC HEAD 1847-1887

 

Issued on silver crowns 1847 and 1853

Issued on silver florins 1849-1887

 

 

Designed by William Wyon, initially making it's appearance on the Gothic Crown of 1847, presumably as a test piece (all 8000 pieces minted) for the new design for a new coin. The florin, at 1/10th of a pound to be introduced two years later as the frst step towards decimalisation.

 

GOOD - very little detail visable, but all lettering intact.

 

(pic to follow)

 

FINE - considerable wear, showing mostly on the portrait of Victoria. Crown and Queen's facial features will show the most wear. Particular attention to the wear on the crown ornamentation, should distinguish this from a VF.

 

VERY FINE - less wear than a Fine, Queen's facial features will be far more visable, but there will still be wear evident upon particularly the hair in front of the ear, which may be lacking in some detail, and wear evident upon the crown ornamentatin. Coin pictured is AVF.

 

gothicvf.jpg

 

 

EXTREMELY FINE - wear will be limited to only the highest points, namely the hair infront of the Queen's ear, and the highest points of the crown ornamentation.

 

gothicef.jpg

 

 

UNCIRCULATED - No signs of wear, but bag marking may be evident on such a big coin.

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Guest Stujoe
BUN HEAD 1860-1895

 

Used on bronze coins from 1860-1895

 

GOOD - much detail missing, all lettering visable. Extensive overall wear.

 

gbunng.jpg

 

 

FINE - overall wear evident, most wear evident on Queen's head and dress.

 

bunnf.jpg

 

 

VERY FINE - slight wear eveident, mostly on Queen's dress and upon the hair, bands often not entirly visable, but can be distinguished without much difficulty if incompete. Slight wear on head above the ear, and on the ribbons behind the head. Lustre not impossible.

 

bunnvf.jpg

 

 

EXTREMEMLY FINE - wear only visable on the highest points of the Queen's head, notably above the ear. Bands virtually complete, and ribbons showing virtually no signs of wear. Lustre possible.

 

UNCIRCULATED - no wear visable, odd bag mark as is expected. Lustre not unlikely.

 

BRILLIANT UNCIRCULATED - as uncirculated but with full lustre.

 

 

 

 

 

JUBILEE HEAD 1887-1893

 

On gold from 1887-1893

On silver from 1887-1893

 

Designed by Joseph Boehem was rather unpopular at the time due to the Queen wearing what was considered a ridiculously small crown.

 

FINE - coin shows overall signs of wear but main design is visable, with major details evident.

 

 

VERY FINE - coin shows limited wear but most is confined to the area above the ear, the ruffledarea from the front of the crown running down into the folded area of the Queen's head dress that goes behind the ear and down to the base of the Queen's effigy. Limited wear will also show on the Queens 'medal' or garter, and the star toward the front. (Coin pictured is AVF).

 

jubvf.jpg

 

 

EXTREMELY FINE - only wear visable will be slight and focused on the Queen's head dress, and on the garter star at the front and 'medal' (also a garter star at the back...confusing eh?).

 

 

jubef.jpg

 

Another EF coin...

 

jubef2.jpg

 

 

UNCIRCULATED - no wear visable, odd bag mark may be evident depending on size of coin.

 

 

 

 

OLD HEAD 1893-1901

 

Used on gold 1893-1901

Used on silver 1893-1901

Used on bronze 1895-1901

 

 

(will follow shortly)

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This thread is extremely helpful, Stu ... Thank you for posting it :ninja:

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Just rescued it off the old CP Archive. It was originally done by Sylvester. ;)

Well, thanks for the rescue then !!! :ninja:

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  • 1 year later...

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