Hy lyk soos 'n nuwe sixpence

[GROOVIE COINS 17]

Good day all

 

Any thoughts as to why good six pence are so few and far between?

Looking at the current Union coin listings gives one an idea of how scarce they are or are becoming, with only 271 listed (the lowest) compared to 350 twoshillings or 680 crowns. A brief view of mintages from 1951 to 60 also shows only 21mil minted vs 22mil one shillings. Normally smaller denominations saw much higher mintages than larger coins with the exception being high mintages on the previous year, so I would think 21 mil would be a low number for such a small coin. Indeed tickeys saw a collective mintage of 47mil over the same period. Ofcourse not taking into consideration how many were melted and reminted, so it could be the 6pence saw more circulation and were reminted more regularly than other silver coins.

Has anybody else picked up how shy 6pence is or is it just my imagination?

 

[jwither 17]

Number of listings on BoB don't have any correlation to scarcity or availability.  It is a much weaker indicator than the population counts at third party grading services which are somewhat indicative of the highest grades but not generically.

I have only bought a few coins on BoB because it isn't practical since I don't live in South Africa.  Since I don't buy South African coins often anymore, I don't pay attention anymore but I suspect the listing volume has decreased drastically along with the price level since YE 2011.

It also depends upon what quality you have in mind.  Your posts indicates any condition whereas I'd say this isn't particularly relevant.  I agree with the consensus that a large proportion were melted but for anyone who is satisfied with a low quality coin, I don't see they would have trouble finding any of the dates except the 1931 because the number of surviving specimens is almost certainly still larger than the collector base.

In higher grades with a few exceptions, all circulation strike Union coinage is at least somewhat scarce.  These exceptions are gold sovereigns and a few others such as the 1959 1/2D.  I still own over 100 MS which I bought in a bulk lot off of eBay over 10 years ago.  I'd guess the average grade is probably an MS-63.

When I was an active collector of Union coinage, I didn't buy any QEII circulation strike 6D.  However of those I did own or try to buy, I don't consider the 6D to be particularly scarcer versus the 1/, 2/ and 2/6.  In my experience, it's certainly scarcer than crowns, farthings and 3D.  Less so versus 1/2D and 1D.

[GROOVIE COINS 17]

Many of the good sixpence listed on BOB have already been graded, so I was referring more to good looking coins EF and above that are so scarce for good prices. Yes I agree the weaker conditions 6ds are plentiful for a pennies, but try getting a good deal on a decent looking coin and it's like trying to find an honest man in parliament! (not to be taken serious). 

Any reason why you ignored QE circulation coins? Was it because they don't hold up well to wear? 

regards Robert

[jwither 17]

My presumption is that better circulated 6D are scarce for the same reason as the other denominations, few collectors at the time to preserve it.  For the better ungraded circulated coins you see, in the past when I was an active buyer, I assumed it was a "problem" coin because any scarcer better coins would have been graded otherwise.  Now due to the much lower price level, not necessarily.

I do and have owned a decent number of QE II circulation strikes, just never a really nice 6D.  I still own most of the 2/- and several of the better 1/- coins. 1956, 1957 and 1958 MS-64 2/- in NGC and PCGS.  1958 and 1959 1/- in MS-66 and MS-65.  I bought most of these coins ungraded and all for relatively low prices at the time.  I never made it a priority to buy a better 6D.

I like this design quite a bit but not below MS-63.  Too many contact marks and poor strikes.

I'd finish the set if I could find coins I like at reasonable prices but I am not prioritizing it (or any other South African coins) over what is now my primary series.  I used to buy a larger number of cheaper though high quality coins in the past.  Now, I buy fewer more expensive but "better" ones, like the one in the link below.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1770-POTOSI-2-REAL-CHARLES-III-PILLAR-ASSAYER-JR-SPAIN-SPANISH-COLONIAL-BOLIVIA/152897966967?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649