Great Britain Sixpence, Shilling, 1/2 Crown and Crown (Fakes are possible) 1694 to 1701

Wow, I really like this old crown from Stack's. Isn't it gorgeous? Of course, I'm a sucker for toned coins. To me, the rainbow of natural colors (toning) that have formed on the surfaces of this coin make it extra special. It sold at auction for about $300. A terrific price for such a nice looking coin.

BTW, I am the exception. Most collectors do not like toned coins. They would rather have plain silver color, not rainbow. Perhaps this is the reason the price is so low.

Here are some typical catalog values for the silver coins of King William (Gulielmus) the third. Sixpence, shillings, half crowns, and crowns all carry the same pattern, but differ in size.

SIXPENCE (21 mm diameter)
worn: $50 US dollars approximate catalog value
average circulated: $220
well preserved: $500

SHILLING (25 mm diameter)
worn: $50 US dollars approximate catalog value
average circulated: $300
well preserved: $1000

HALF CROWN (32 mm diameter)
worn: $100 US dollars approximate catalog value
average circulated: $500
well preserved: $2200

CROWN (40 mm diameter)
worn: $300 US dollars approximate catalog value
average circulated: $1200
well preserved: $4000

These values are very approximate. If you have a nice looking example of these coins, take it to a knowledgeable collector or professional coin dealer for an in-person appraisal.

CoinQuest thanks Stacks Bowers for use of their coin photo.

Because these coins are so valuable, counterfeits abound. The enlarged image below shows a side-by-side comparison of Stack's genuine coin and the one Kris found. (Thanks, Kris, for sending your image.) The difference in surface patina is an immediate give-away that something is amuck with Kris's coin. With a little close inspection it is easy to see there are marked differences in the pattern as well. 'Replica' is a polite word for 'counterfeit.' Such coins are worth zero.

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