Independent Book Review for leading UK Metal detectorist magazine.

Collectors Coins: Great Britain: 31st Edition by R J Marles. Publisher: Rotographic.

This 80-page booklet lists every non gold coin of Great Britain (quarter farthings to decimal five pounds) issued during the reigns of George IV, William IV, Victoria, Edward VII, George V, Edward VIII, George VI and Elizabeth II (up to 2003). What's more, each issue merits a clear illustration, and all variations are accurately described. For a mere £4.50 (US$7.43) that would surely be sufficient useful information to encourage any potential buyer to add a copy to his/her library; but there's more. The author has painstakingly combed the advertisements, lists and auction catalogues of numerous dealers, averaging their selling prices to give each entry in the booklet an authoritative price guide for coins in F, VF, EF and UNC/FDC grades.

I am therefore doubly impressed to find squeezed onto many of the fact-packed pages interesting numismatic snippets such as an explanation of the difference between the terms pattern and proof ; elucidation of the phrase low tide when applied to Edward VII's 1902 pennies; and accurately drawn diagrams to illustrate differences in the crosses found on Britannia's shield as depicted on George IV pennies. I leave you to discover the many other snippets as you turn the pages.

From a detectorist's point of view, this A5-size booklet is ideal for slipping into a coat pocket before setting forth on any detecting trip likely to yield coins from the past two hundred years. A quick rub of your find, followed by a two-minute skim-reading of your Collectors Coins booklet, and you'll know at once whether or not your find is a high or low value discovery.

I'll just mention that the company produce a range of other booklets dealing with the coins of many monarchs. They sent me a fascinating review copy dealing with the coins of Ireland from 997 AD to modern times. It makes just as interesting reading as the book reviewed above, and I certainly recommend it to coin collectors interested in Irish coinage. However, since detecting even for modern money is outlawed in the Irish Republic, I'll say nothing of its usefulness to detectorists.

To find out about the full range of titles contact the publisher. Their web site can be found at www.rotographic.co.uk

Ted Fletcher (Freelance author) 1st November 2003