2011 Britannia matte finish

SavBear · October 3, 2011 3:52AM

I recently received a mail offer from Govmint.com (the Royal Mint representative to the US if I am correct) for NGC graded limited edition (2337 total) matte finish 2011 Britannia. I don't see them on the NGC site, nor do I see them offered at GovMint.com's website. I can't find them anywhere else on the web. I am a sucker for a limited edition and so considering the offer. Has anyone else seen this?

pendragon1998 · October 5, 2011 8:35AM

I'll admit, I haven't been keeping up particularly with the series this year. Given that, though, I don't see anything about a matte finish issue on the UK Royal Mint website. What was the grade and price advertised?

SavBear · October 5, 2011 9:10AM

Yes, $199 for NGC 69. They mentioned a 70 for $359. I didn't ask how many of each grade they had. I must admit tnat I buoght the 69 yesterday. They also include a 2011 uncirculated Britannia for free with the purchase. So I got that goin' for me!

pendragon1998 · October 12, 2011 9:34PM

I found a set on ebay. Interesting... I was not aware of this issue. I think it looks a lot better as a matte finish than as a brilliant finish. I don't know that I want to pay 400 dollars for a set like that though. 2337 seems like such an odd number for a mintage. Does anybody else know any more about these coins?

SavBear · October 13, 2011 1:27AM

Thanks for the pictures, the coin does look great. I have not yet received mine. The set of two coins as shown is $199 from govmint.com.... only a slight markup. The MS 70 listing is offered an only $699!

TheRaven · October 13, 2011 3:01AM

nice looking coins

tad92 · November 2, 2011 9:47AM

The story is that the 2337 2011 Britannia matte finish coins where the result of a production issue at the mint and not a planned limited edition. Approximatly 800 graded at MS70.

Swampboy · November 2, 2011 2:07PM

<< <i>The story is that the 2337 2011 Britannia matte finish coins where the result of a production issue at the mint and not a planned limited edition. Approximatly 800 graded at MS70. >>

lordmarcovan · November 3, 2011 12:16AM

I don't really like matte finishes all that much, at least not in comparison with brilliant proof surfaces (or better yet, cameo proofs).

DorkGirl · November 3, 2011 1:16AM

pendragon1998 · November 4, 2011 5:48AM

<< <i>The story is that the 2337 2011 Britannia matte finish coins where the result of a production issue at the mint and not a planned limited edition. Approximatly 800 graded at MS70. >>

Welcome to the boards! That's an interesting story. Where did you hear about it?

I'll add that I've seen some photos of 'MS70s' and I saw some minor surface imperfections that in my opinion don't belong on a 70.

SavBear · November 4, 2011 12:07PM

<That's an interesting story. Where did you hear about it? >

I read that story as well on the sales literature that was sent to me. I find it hard to believe they can "accidentally" create a matte finish like that - especially one that grades as a 70!
I will say that I like the finish as much - or even better than the brilliant finish on this coin.

Barry

I've got everything I need - almost.
Britannia, Maple, Osterreich, Eagle, Fantasy coins and whatever else gets in my way

JCMhouston · December 18, 2011 8:41AM

I'll have to own up to buying one of these, just seemed like a really interesting piece, and I quite like the look.

RobP · December 18, 2011 8:58AM

I find it hard to believe they can "accidentally" create a matte finish like that - especially one that grades as a 70!

If you think how a frosted design is produced, an overall matte finish means that the final polishing of the fields wasn't carried out. To frost a design, the die is sandblasted to produce the pitted surface. It is easier to blast the whole die face rather than just the effigy, so if you then don't polish the die to give a cameo effect, the result is a matte finish. Simple, and probably accidental. The grade doesn't come into it. With modern automated techniques, I would have thought that most ought to grade as a 70 with imperfections being the exception.

SavBear · December 18, 2011 9:02PM

I never knew that. Thanks!

coin76 · February 14, 2012 1:51PM

The accidental mintage is just probably one of the fun stories GovMint comes up with in their promotional material. I bet it was an exclusive deal arranged with the Royal Mint. I purchase a few of GovMint's exclusive products and save their advertisements. The also arrange deals with Perth, Pobjoy, and places like Tristan da Cuhna. In the 90's GovMint developed a bunch of cool world coin sets under the Preferred Customer Service name. You can read the company history at the Asset Marketing Services website. The used to provide product development and telemarketing services for other companies like Washington Mint and Calhoun Collector's Society. Very cool background. Their sets in the 90's had some of the finest wood cases you will see. All that is sadly gone.

GolfguyinTX · February 14, 2012 4:25PM

I like it.

Hyperion · October 15, 2013 8:05AM

<< <i>The accidental mintage is just probably one of the fun stories GovMint comes up with in their promotional material. I bet it was an exclusive deal arranged with the Royal Mint. I purchase a few of GovMint's exclusive products and save their advertisements. The also arrange deals with Perth, Pobjoy, and places like Tristan da Cuhna. In the 90's GovMint developed a bunch of cool world coin sets under the Preferred Customer Service name. You can read the company history at the Asset Marketing Services website. The used to provide product development and telemarketing services for other companies like Washington Mint and Calhoun Collector's Society. Very cool background. Their sets in the 90's had some of the finest wood cases you will see. All that is sadly gone. >>

TTT for the poster asking questions about the issue.

2011 Britannia matte finish

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