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Help Deciding Between these Two British Coins

inkdiverinkdiver Posts: 55 ✭✭
in World & Ancient Coins Forum

I am being offered both of these coins for $37 USD/each. I have zero knowledge on British coins, but I think they are beautiful.

Both are British Fourpence. One is from 1702, and the other from 1834.

Which would be the better choice between the two?

Thanks in advance :)

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    BjornBjorn Posts: 529 ✭✭✭

    I think value wise there is not a whole lot in it, but both are fairly good deals. I would lean towards the 1702 as I see William III pieces less often than William IV. Also, it looks slightly more attractive to my eyes, despite being lower grade. How original is the William IV coin?

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    StellaStella Posts: 689 ✭✭✭✭

    Buy both and start a set of as many rulers as you can accumulate. ;)

    More seriously, choose the coin that you enjoy more. I personally do not care for the spot on the 1834, but pick the coin you would be happier with.

    Coin collector since childhood and New York Numismatist at Heritage Auctions.
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    inkdiverinkdiver Posts: 55 ✭✭

    @Bjorn said:
    I think value wise there is not a whole lot in it, but both are fairly good deals. I would lean towards the 1702 as I see William III pieces less often than William IV. Also, it looks slightly more attractive to my eyes, despite being lower grade. How original is the William IV coin?

    Thanks for your reply. Interesting to know that coins with William III are less common than William IV coins. As to originality, I do not know on either. Comparing both to online pictures of other coins, it seems both are original, and don't see any red flags (I am no expert though on British coins).

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    inkdiverinkdiver Posts: 55 ✭✭

    @Stella said:
    Buy both and start a set of as many rulers as you can accumulate. ;)

    More seriously, choose the coin that you enjoy more. I personally do not care for the spot on the 1834, but pick the coin you would be happier with.

    Yes, I think I have just sunk into a rabbit hole with these British coins. Most of my stack is with bullion/constitutional silver, but these older numismatic coins are beautiful and have so much history :)

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    Namvet69Namvet69 Posts: 8,673 ✭✭✭✭✭

    The 1702 is my choice. The other has carbon spots which are bad, IMO. Good luck. Peace Roy

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    deepblue30deepblue30 Posts: 70 ✭✭✭

    The 1702 fourpence is a circulation issue and the 1834 is Maundy issue one of a set. Apart from that both are nice coins. :)

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    jgennjgenn Posts: 738 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Starting a set from coins offered to you is not the best way to proceed. If you really want to do this then make your own selections. I like older coins but I prefer that they have better details in the key areas than the portrait on the 1702.

    Amazing 8s * Silver Dollars of '60 * My World Crown Affair
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    ashelandasheland Posts: 22,694 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I'd go with the 1702

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    NapNap Posts: 1,705 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I don't really recommend either coin, and you should look around a little before you commit. Even though it's not a hugely expensive purchase, before you spend $37 on a coin, I'd advise you to buy a copy of "Coins of England and the United Kingdom", published by Spink, and sometimes referred to as "Standard Catalog of British Coins", "the Spink book" or "SCBC". It sells for about $50 new, but you can easily buy a used copy from within the last 5 years for $10 or less. Listed prices are helpful, but really you are buying it for its utility as a guide to identifying British coins. Even if you decide not to collect them, it's a cool book to have.

    If you decide to get serious about British coins, there are a number of collectors active on the forum who are very enthusiastic about English and British Isles numismatics, and I'm sure can offer some advice.

    My medieval coin collection
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    inkdiverinkdiver Posts: 55 ✭✭

    @Nap said:
    I don't really recommend either coin, and you should look around a little before you commit. Even though it's not a hugely expensive purchase, before you spend $37 on a coin, I'd advise you to buy a copy of "Coins of England and the United Kingdom", published by Spink, and sometimes referred to as "Standard Catalog of British Coins", "the Spink book" or "SCBC". It sells for about $50 new, but you can easily buy a used copy from within the last 5 years for $10 or less. Listed prices are helpful, but really you are buying it for its utility as a guide to identifying British coins. Even if you decide not to collect them, it's a cool book to have.

    If you decide to get serious about British coins, there are a number of collectors active on the forum who are very enthusiastic about English and British Isles numismatics, and I'm sure can offer some advice.

    This is wise advice. Rushed decisions usually lead to regrets later on. Thanks for recommending me this book. It has great reviews and I will probably end up finding a used one. Cheers.

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    SwampboySwampboy Posts: 12,886 ✭✭✭✭✭

    For $37 I'll take the coin a Royal handled

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    JWPJWP Posts: 17,700 ✭✭✭✭✭

    My choice is the 1702. However, I would check the value of each and take both for $64 If the is enough meat on the bone after the purchase. Nice coins. :)

    USN & USAF retired 1971-1993
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    inkdiverinkdiver Posts: 55 ✭✭

    @Swampboy said:
    For $37 I'll take the coin a Royal handled

    Would that be the 1834 coin?

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    SwampboySwampboy Posts: 12,886 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @inkdiver said:

    @Swampboy said:
    For $37 I'll take the coin a Royal handled

    Would that be the 1834 coin?

    Yes sir.

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