Not have many coins but I have many cabinets. I have view them as furniture 🙂
Nichols cabinets the St Leonard era was a bit of a mix bag. Maybe its the quality of mahogany became inferior after 2004 when there was a worldwide ban on big leaf mahogany. Could also be because of Peter's health just before he sold the business? His best cabinets seems to be from the 90s but I also think the price Peter was selling them for plus the demands influence the quality. I have a medal cabinet from around 1990 and it must be the time when Peter paid attention to evolving his design and it was very well made and the wood was stunning. The Nottingham family version I have not owned one but it looks like QC has been tightened now.
Recently I was deciding what sort of coins I should put in my antique cabinet. I suppose it was'nt too hard, it screams "Roman". This is an auction photo when I first had it, its now cleaned up nicely and I treat it with Renaissance Wax due to the glossy varnish of antique furniture. It is between the size of Nichol's Crozier and Mascle so it is intimate in size but big enough to house many coins. In reality it does not matter one bit but for me I think a cabinet should suite the coins it houses like fine wine should be drunk with the finest glass and not from a paper cup. Imagine an antique cabinet steep in mystery and when you open the tray it reveals rows of Peter Rabbit 50p😱 Victorian and Edwardian cabinets take on a character of its own and for me it should house coins that date either around or before its time. Obviousely I won't lose any sleep havng modern coins in my old cabinet, I still do, but this one is strictly ancient only.