I am trying to find out how much a ring I was given by my great grandma - it has the VICTORIAN DEI GRA BRITT REGINA FID DEF IND IMP Coin in the middle and its a mans ring gold... however I am trying to see if it is a fake or real??? Any ideas?
Without a picture no one can really help. Is the ring hallmarked? Does it look like real gold? Have you got a magnet? Do you have an acid test? Have searched Google for a sillier coin? Maybe you need to take it to local coin dealer to ask if the coins is real? Though a coin in a ring would have lost all If no coin dealer a jeweller to see if the ring is real at the minimun.
Sounds like an 'old head' or veiled or widow head victorian sovereign 1893 - 1901?. Measure the coins diameter (could also be a half sov). Bear in mind that "jeweller's copies" were sometimes used - lower gold content fakes, effectively. You may be able to catch a glimpse of the reverse of the coin if the ring is hollow. Approximate weight of a full sov is 8g, so the ring weight is easy enough to judge if you have good scales, and a hallmark should tell you gold content - the coin will be 22 caret. Coins set in rings will usually be only worth melt value as they have been polished and may have damage from the setting. The rare exceptions are if the coin itself is unusual, and without access to the reverse you can't tell AFAIK (date, mintmark, St George only). Don't try to remove it yourself, you'll probably stuff it up. Don't use an acid test - it will add visual damage. A jeweller should be able to give you some idea and may have an XRF tester.
Hi folks. Am a total novice but stumbled onto this in the attic of my house. It's a small ring albeit a bit dirty. Any ideas as to a value. It does say pretty much same as what the original person posting has said Many thanks Source: Source:
