sidney

Straits Settlements Queen Victoria Denomination : 10cts Year : 1883 Composition : Silver .800 fine Mintage : 165,000 Grade: VF+ ~ XF (In my opinion) This is one of the scarce coin I acquired many years back. Not sure how much I paid for it. Apparently it's the second most expensive year of the 10cts series. The most expensive piece is the 1883H (Heaton & Sons Mint, Birmingham, England) even though at 610,000 mintage.

Thanks. I have seen it earlier. Could not make it out as to whether it is a Raised "B". The wear is very high similar to the one I posted above. Even the dot near the artist signature is not verifiable. Not worth the risk buying it and sending back if it is not. Importantly at the least the Raised "B" must be prominent. Nice lots of coins in your collection.

Thank you. All shots are taken with a macro lens with top lighting from at an angle.

Another coin acquired recently. Straits Settlements Queen Victoria Denomination : 20cts Year : 1897H Composition : Silver .800 fine Mintage : 185,000 (About one of the lesser mintage for the latter years) Grade - XF+ (In my opinion)

Apart from Queen Victoria and Kg Edward VII, the next series in the Straits Settlements is that of King George V. He reigned from 1910 - 1936. Surprising there was no coins minted until in 1916. The coins minted were the 1/4, 1/2, 10 & 20 cents coins after a lapse of 7 years to his enthronement. Silver coins from years from 1916 to 1919 in high grade are fairly quite hard to find and moderately expensive. The most expensive being the silver 1920 5cts, 50cts "Dot", then the 10cts. No in my hands yet. Dreaming about for the moment. One piece of the 5cts 1920 MS66 recently sold for approximate $15,000 Wish I had that kind of money. Here is one in my collection. The cheaper ones of course. Straits Settlements King George V Denomination: 10cts coin Year : 1918 Composition : Silver .400 fine Mintage : 7,500,074 Graded : My personal grade Hopefully - MS61. To be graded and advise.

I'm no expect, I just love this era. It's an era reigned by Queen Victoria, King Edward VII and King George V, at the height of the British Empire. Its a difficult and expensive area to collect but a worth while. Hope those collecting this area will share their pictures of their coins.

As follows: Straits Settlements Queen Victoria Denomination: 50cts coin Year : 1894 Composition : Silver .800 fine Mintage : 52,000 Graded : My personal grade would be XF45. Will sent it in for grading and thereafter advise.

This one of the bronze coin I have in hand. I am not so much into collecting bronze coins though they are a beauty too, it's just that I find it rather hard to keep as they tend to get oxidized as years goes by. Maybe its the way I have been storing previously prior before having them slab. Straits Settlements Kg Edward VII Denomination: 1ct Year : 1903 Composition : Bronze Mintage : 7,052,556 Graded : MS63 (6 pieces recorded certified by NGC)

Straits Settlements Kg Edward VII Denomination: 50cts Year : 1905B "Raised B" Composition : Silver .800 fine Mintage : 497,630 Graded : XF45 (Only 3 pieces currently certified by NGC) Mintage was rather high for this coin when compared to the 1902 & 1903 at 148,000 & 193,00 respectively, yet I do not see many on offer. I believe many of these coins were melt down during the hike of silver during the 1917 - 1920 period when silver prices rose. This coin was not cleaned. Should one have it cleaned so we can see its details?

Another addition to my collection. Straits Settlements Kg Edward VII Denomination: 50cts Year : 1902 Composition : Silver .800 fine Mintage : 148,000 Graded : EX Details (Cleaned & Edge Filed) Coin was sold off. Most of the 50cts coins in the Kg Edward's series in AU to UNC are rather hard to acquire, lightly due to the high circulations of the coins. Hope to get hold some UNC pieces.

My latest silver in hand. A beauty. Hope to win to more from auctions. Straits Settlements Queen Victoria Denomination : 5cts Year : 1888 Composition : Silver .800 fine Mintage : 590,000 Grade - UNC / BU

A Queen Victoria silver coin. One of the few in hand that is slab. Will need to sent the rest in. Straits Settlements Queen Victoria Denomination : 50cts Year : 1900H ("H" Ralph Heaton & Son Mint) Composition : Silver .800 fine Mintage : 40,000 Graded : Only 4 pieces in record graded by NGC at XF40

This is my other 1902 20cts coin in hand with traces of luster. It is slab and graded at AU58. 5 pieces were recorded slab by NGC.

Hi, Nice coin. I would probably grade it between AU53~58. Mintage 160,000 pieces. A piece slab XF detailed and cleaned was auctioned of around $260 not to long ago. However the rarer coin would be the 1883H, eventhough the mintage is 610,000. This during the same auction, sold a piece for approx. $2050 (slab XF45) What a difference! Happy collecting!

There has been some fake Straits Settlement coins been posted for sale on eBay earlier, and I feel for those who buys them not knowing. One sold recent for $78 with 8 bidders going after it. The seller in no way committed to it been genuine but just lists it as “1904 Silver???” and commented not knowing much about it. (Just selling off his old coins) So it is left to the buyers to decide. Well, he could be ignorant and been a victim himself along the way, and now a buyer cum seller. Anyway, so much on that; my intention for posting is in the hope to share some points in identifying a fake Straits Settlement King Edward VII Dollar coin from a genuine so that collectors in this forum will not fall victims. I have yet to come across a fake Kg Edward Dollar close to the genuine coin to-date other than these coins seen circulating. It will be delight getting hold of one high grade fake. Followings first two illustrating images are the visible flaws which one can be easily identified at first glance from the images posted by a seller. The other flaws can only be verified if you have the coins in hand. Illustration 1: Obverse face of the coin The rim of the fake is thicker from the edge to the teeth compare to the genuine which is narrower, as indicate by “Arrow 1” This will be much more obvious on the reversed face. “Arrow 2” The artist's initials “DES” (George de Saulles) below bust is missing “Arrow 3” The face are uneven and sunken (Visible in hand) Illustration 2: Reverse face of the coin Again, you will see the thick rim (“Arrow 4”) when compared to the genuine and the edge looks and the face area is likewise sunken (“Arrow 5”) Illustration 3: Side view of the coin’s edge (These is visible if you have the coin in hand) The thickness of the genuine coin’s edge is constant all around whereas the fakes are inconsistent. They are narrower also. The field of the genuine coin is even, whereas the fakes, its field is uneven Silver coins do not attach itself to a magnet, but the fake does as it is made of ferrous (iron) materials. Hope this posting is useful and a help to some Happy collecting!

Another addition to my collection slab and graded Straits Settlements Kg Edward VII Denomination : 20cts Year : 1902 Composition : Silver .800 fine Mintage : 1,105,000 Graded : Only 4 pieces in record graded by NGC at MS63

Attached is the slab with the serial numbers. The coin is genuine, however not a "Raised B" and I paid $2000+ for the it. If it was a " "Raised B" it would be a steal.

One of the coin that I had it slab and graded. Acquired the coin from eBay. Straits Settlements Kg Edward VII Denomination : 1 Dollar Year : 1904 Composition : Silver .900 fine Mintage : 20,564,664. Graded : MS63. Total of 16 pieces graded by NGC at 63

Figure 1. Straits 1903 "Raised B" Figure 2. "Raised B" ???? Worn off Cross Figure 3. Slab coin graded MS63 (Serial Numbers blanked) I was very excited when I recently bought a Straits Settlement 1903 King Edward VII 1 Dollar Silver. Graded MS63 "Raised B" However upon receiving it and verifying it, to my disappointment it was not a "Raised B". To me an "Incused B" Attached 2 images for cross reference. One image of the coin received authenticated MS63. Serial Numbers blanked without prejudice. Grading the coin at MS63 is serious high mark, and there should not be any wear or minimal. But contrary-to that, the high point showing the "Raised B" which should be visible is completely worn down making it not visible or verifiable. There are 2 distinct markings to look for when authenticating the coin as a "Raised B" type against the "Incused B" The unmistaken "Raised B" on the crown that stands out A dot after the DES below bust, which is the marking the artist's initials (George de Saulles) No other known markings or points have surfaced to help in verifying the coin other than the above. If there is, can someone help out here? It would be a great help. I would have gladly accepted the coin if the "Raised B" marking was visible without the dot, or vice versa. If the above are the only verifying marks, how can such wrong authentication be made? These mistakes will be costly to the buyers having them ending up with a wrong coin 5 times more expensive. The seller is not to be blamed unless one is aware of it. Feedbacks great appreciated.

Straits Settlement Kg Edward VII 1903 "Raised B". Denomination : 1 Dollar Year : 1903 Variety : Raised "B" Composition : Silver .900 fine Mintage : Unknown (Included together the "Incuse B" totaling 15,009,891 pieces) Graded : AU53 Currently 4 pieces in record graded by NGC at AU53 This is one of the two I have in-hand, both in AU53. I am still in the hunt for a piece in MS condition and I understand it will be very expensive with many a collectors eyeing for one. These series of coins are rare and about 5 times more expensive over the incused series. No record of the number pieces minted between the two is avail, but it is numbers are definitely small. A few months back I did bid and won a piece slabed MS62 by NGC, however to my dismay it was "Incused B". It's clearly a mistake by NGC and will be a costly piece for anyone who is to buy it unknowningly. Will put a write-up on that soon.

Next in hand, Queen Victoria 1899 50cts sent for slabing but graded XF with excessive surface hairlines. It's a disappointment , just have to keep looking. High grades coins are scarce and expensive but worth the hunt.

A slab coin that got graded with AU Details only. Straits Settlements Kg Edward VII 50cts 1908H. Mintage: 2,869,177 (Total Mintage included with the year 1908) Mint: Heaton & Sons (Mint), Birmingham, England, Why with some surface hairlines scratches, NGC is not able to give a grade? How much difference will it make if it were not slab? Would one pay equal?

Tnx Art, will give it a consideration.

New addition within my area of interest. Straits Settlements King Edward VII, 1908 50cts - AU58. Mintage - 2,869,177 Looking forward to get one with a grading of MS62 onwards for my collection.

Yes! Will get it slab.