Sixpence Source

hookooekoo

I'm interested in getting some Sixpence coins for a friends wedding. For various reasons, what I'd like to do is find a 1885 and 1908 in something of a grade of about F to VF condition. What price lists I can find seem to indicate that these types of coins should cost about $10-30 each.

But the only simple source for them that I can find is ebay... but I see too many of what appear to be deals too good to be true (like a coin claiming to be XF for a price in the area of $20 when the price guide I can find says it's a $70 coin).

Can some dark side collectors provide some education to a fellow collector from the 'other' side? (and some suggested reliable sources for purchasing a few coins)?

This is what I've learned so far with some Internet research.

Sixpence have been minted for hundreds of years and are functionally equivalent to 6 pennies. Coins minted before 1920 were about 90% silver while those minted from 1920 to about 1947 were 50% silver. The coins continued to be minted of cupro-nickel until about 1970 and were legal tender in the UK until 1980. I've found a few web sites providing various examples of what the different years of the sixpence look like. I've also found this web site for sixpence prices (they are in UK pounds, so you have to double them to get approximate U.S. dollars).

Other

farthing

I looked through my collection of sixpence but I have neither of the dates you mentioned.

7Jaguars

Like US coins to an extent, the market for less than Unc. coins of these dates fall away and they can be had for less than catalog on many occasions. I think that the amount of money is relatively low. so look at the pictures and see if it is at least somewhat presentable and close to what you are looking for.

cladking

These coins are pretty common in these grades. I'm sure many people would be happy to get $20.

Krause prices can be too high or too low. They tend to be high especially for popular midgrade silver.

British coins were mostly sterling (.925) in those days.

wybrit

Many US sellers have sixpences in those types of grades. The problem is getting the specific dates. Farthing, is "Shakespeare Coins" still selling (I've been out of MN for 16 months now)? He might have the dates in that type of grade.

hookooekoo

I guess the sort of thing that worries me is some of the coins I'm finding (at least on ebay) are from sellers that seem to have a bad rep here in the message boards, or are in holders I'm unfamilier with (i.e. not PCGS, NGC, ANACS) or both.

But I take it that what I'm hearing is that it's not going to be a big deal for a one-time purchase for one of these items.

As an example, I can find an ebay auction for 1885 6 PEN in an AU-50 NNC holder. Now granted the coin looks something more like a cleaned xf-40, as long as I'm not getting it for it's collector's value and maybe even over-pay... I'm at least still going to get a REAL 1885 6 PEN that looks nicely precentable to a non-collector.

Am I heading down the right track here?

7Jaguars

Yes, I think you would do well to just relax and see what comes on the 'bay. I would hold off of NNC as they are not too reliable and will overgrade as you have seen. Just check out coins available to the US section of ebay. You do not necessarily need to get PCGS or NGC encapsulated pieces.

Unfortunately I just unloaded a number of Vicky and Eddy pieces or you would have been in business, but good luck and will try to keep you in mind.