BRITISH COINS

[Aquagility]

Help! Could some enthusiast please identify a small gold coin, dated 1893. Obverse: Queen Victoria (old), reverse: crown with laurel wreath and large figure 4 between 3rd and 4th digits of date. Diameter approx 17.5mm (i.e. smaller than half sovereign).

[Milvus]

It sounds like a Maundy groat, but there are some differences. Groats are silver, the 4 should be in the middle of the date (between the second and third digits), the laurel wreath was earlier than 1893. 1893 had a draped cloth over Victoria's crown. I would start checking out groats though, as the groat is the only British coin that shows a 4 on the obverse

[Aquagility]

Thanks for your answer, Milvus. My mistake, the 4 is indeed between the 2nd and 3rd digits. And Victoria's crown does have a draped cloth. But the laurel wreath is real enough, the date is 1893 and the coin is gold!

[vulcan]

I think Milvus is correct, on the link scan down to the last Queen Victoria coin.
http://www.ukcoinpics.co.uk/fourd.html

[Milvus]

I wonder if someone has guilded the coin. The only gold groat was one in the reign of Henry III (very rare now), all the others (with a couple of base metal exceptions) are silver

[Aquagility]

You're both right. The website quoted by vulcan42 shows the exact coin, laurel wreath and all.
It could have been gilded - it has been drilled (for setting on a watch chain?). Or could it be a proof coin? - I see that in at least one (later) year a gold proof coin is listed. How can I tell without destroying it?

[Milvus]

The gold proof groat was the 2002 Golden Jubilee set I think.
These are really done for collectors. Victoria coins are all silver. I'm pretty sure you have one that has been gilded for jewellery. The drilling and gilding will have destroyed its value as a coin (which is only about £25 as a perfect uncirculated coin). Your local jeweller should be able to tell whether it's plated or not

[heathfield]

Or weigh it. The Maundy 4d piece (silver) for that date was 1.9 gms, (less the drilled out bit). If it were gold, it would weigh considerably more...

http://www.maundymone...key*=*session*id*val*