Chris Perkins

Hello Bob, Hard to assess the grade with the discolouration and the photo not being that sharp but I suppose it could be around a 'Fine' grade coin. The catalogue value for a coin like that as Fine is currently GBP75.00. The 1783's look to be pretty rare. I'm not sure how the colourings would affect it's market value, I suppose some collectors that go by eye appear may be turned off, while others that crave authenticity (as most do) may be turned on to it and it's history. What do you think about a Kylie Avatar? Chris www.predecimal.com

Dear Kate, Thankyou! Actually I have to make a little amendment to the info stated above. The value is GBP8.00 in VF, GBP35.00 EF and GBP75.00 UNC. I didn't realise the book values started at VF not F. If it really was put there when it was new I would keep it and just put the pound up there! And i tell you what would be another great idea to put up there...Last years One off Golden Jubilee Crown (5 pound coin). It so happens I have one on the site for GBP6.00 and could also throw in a plastic capsule for it. I'm really not sure what a farthing would have bought back then. I'm sure it would have been far more than we would consider a quarter of a penny these days. The highest denomination coin or note circulating in 1799 was a Guinea, valued at One pound and One shilling (GBP1.05 decimal) so if we compare that to the highest denomination of today...The fifty Pound note then perhaps the Farthing was worth around 50 x 0.25 which is 12.5p....Then you have to take into account 204 years worth of Inflation/deflation, so really I have no idea. By way of hard evidence I do own an 1810 London Newspaper and it's price in 1810 was 6 and a half pence and it looks like a posh one! The farthing stopped being produced in 1956 because it was seen as such a small amount that it wasn't needed. (Like the Half Pee in 1983). Thanks for using the Forum again! Chris www.predecimal.com

Dear Kate, Thanks for adding a new and interesting paragraph or two to the site. New content keeps people coming back and I need to get this forum filled! The 1799 Farthing was a 1 year type, the farthing before it was dated 1775 and the next one after it 1806. That farthing was made in the Soho area of Birmingham by a very good coin maker called Boulton who at that stage was still perfecting his new steam powered coin press. The coin you have is basically one of the first that was struck with a machine and of far superior quality than anything that went before it (with regards to lower values certainly). What you have represents one of the earliest ancester of the modern British coinage. There are 2 varieties concerning the number of berries on the branch Britannia is holding but it's very difficult to tell them apart unless the coin is in super condition and they're both worth the same anyway. The book values are currently GBP8.00 in Fine, GBP35.00 in VF and GBP75.00 in EF so if it's a nice example i'd certainly think twice about making it part of your house! Worn examples are common and worth very little. So you want to ensure it stays the way it is for 200 years! All of the products offered for coin storage on the site are free from chemicals and won't do it any harm but they certainly haven't been tested over 200 years yet! I would recommend a plastic coin capsule and perhaps you could seal it closed with something. The coin you can put with it is obvious...A one pound coin. Because the design changes every year making each one a one year type at the moment (I believe) and the 2002 One pound coin had the reverse design representing England. I'm not sure where you are in the UK but if it's England then there couldn't be a more ideal modern cousin. Chris www.predecimal.com

If you're still reading to this point, well done! This was my reply to the humans email: Dear Tora, Firstly it's wonderful to actually know that the ebay beast does actually have some human servants! Secondly, you are an internet company and like all companies that use the internet and create web pages etc as I do, you will have a daily back up and I'm sure can quite easily restore my listing with a little effort so that I can change them to comply with your rules. I did once get an email before telling me my auctions had been cut off and was then careful to comply with your rules. However I often re list itmes and clearly in advertantly re listed an item that went against your rules. I have never recieved any warning about the way my listing link to my site and have only just had my auctions cut off twice! Like I say, If a warning was forthcoming I would have no trouble changing the auctions normally within a couple of hours. To qoute your email with it's automatically placed footer: 'We appreciate your patience and understanding regarding this matter, and wish you continued success on eBay.' I am NOT patient, NOT understanding and right now want nothing more to do with eBay! Put the items into my 'Auctions ended' area so that I can relist them....pretty please. Take off your eBay hat for 10 seconds and ask yourself what the fair thing to do would be. Chris Perkins www.predecimal.com

The next day I got an email in return from a real human: Hello Mr. Perkins, Thanks for writing to eBay's Customer Support. I realize that this situation would be frustrating, and appreciate the opportunity to help you resolve this issue. We understand it can be worrying to have an auction removed from the site, but eBay does have strict policies and guidelines which protect our community. Unfortunately, when eBay ends a listing for its failure to comply with eBay policy, it is automatically removed from the site and is not saved. According to our records, you were issued a procedural warning on 23 May, 04 July and 01 Sept, stating that the item you were offering was in breach of our policy on Links, but your auctions still contained the violating link. For more information on our listing guidelines, please visit our policy page at the following URL: http://pages.ebay.co.uk/help/policies/listing-ov.html We appreciate your patience and understanding regarding this matter, and wish you continued success on eBay. Best wishes, Tora Larson eBay Trust and Safety ______________________________ eBay Your Personal Trading Community

In case anyone is remotely interested I replied to the above email in this fashion: Dear Ebay, You really have no idea how long it took me to list those auctions and how careful i was to ensure I complied with all your bloody capitalist rules. Could you not have said in an email 'Dear mr Perkins, please change your listings within 24hrs etc' I would gladly have changed them, but now I can't even see them to change and relist them. That just caused me a major inconvenience, some of the auctions were a friends who was expecting them to end soon, most of them had respectable bids on them already. is there any way you can reinstate them so that I can change them to comply with your rules and at least start them again without having to create the listings again? i really think you've made enough money out of me to give me a break! In the mean time I will seriously look around for another online auction company and probably will be closing my account after these auctions finish. If i can't relist them easily I'm afraid I will probably be closing my account That was very rude indeed!!! Chris Perkins www.predecimal.com

And sorry for taking ages to reply too. I used the name Guest_Chris by mistake myself once or twice and didn't notice your message was a new one not by me! Chris www.predecimal.com

Dear Chris, Yes indeed it is a Farthing and 1891 is not a hugely rare date and the value will depend on its condition. It a worn circulated condition (which I would guess describes it as you were unable to read the 'H' properly) it probably wouldn't be desired by any serious collectors. The picture below is how it would have looked when new and is priced currently at GBP40.00 which shows how the condition factor really dictates the price, not the age. (Thanks for your help Sue, please become a member and help me out in here!) Chris Perkins www.predecimal.com

Thanks for that Bob, I'll get around to doing that when i've finished posting a message containing lots of rude words about ebay!! For those of you that don't know, the Avatar is the little goldfish (or any other) logo that Bob is sporting. Chris www.predecimal.com

Bob, Thanks. You're obviously well versed on forums bob, I'm sure you can help me out as this is the first forum I have installed and run. When I bought the web space I ensured it was UNIX and tested and proven to be able to run php pages and access MySQL in the quickest possible time. The chap at my hosting company (who I talk to daily about one thing or another!) recommended Invisionboard as his personal favourite and the board he considered the best after trying similar stuff. The look of the forum was changed from the default when I found a skin that looked ok, and I set it up and simply promoted it from the index page of the site. I'm just about to try to find out how you gave yourself a Goldfish logo now...That's a good idea. Look forward to hearing about your British coins. Chris www.predecimal.com

Wish I could help you Bob, but as i say, that coin is out of my expertise and not in any of my books! To be honest I don't think this Forum is well enough established to be attracting enough expert people yet but good luck. I'll make sure it never expires so maybe you'll get an answer as the forum grows!!! In fact I have mentioned the forum in the token publishing Coin Year Book 2004 so fingers crossed. Chris www.predecimal.com

JC They may be worth a few quid (up to 5ish) if uncirculated, but if they are normal worn circulated average examples they won't be worth much , and certainly not that desired by any serious collectors. Chris www.predecimal.com

Thankyou! I'm a numismatic pioneer you know! I don't know much about shipwreck coins and I only have books that go back to 1800 covering Spanish coins so I don't know if I can help with them. No problem with the British ones of course. Chris www.predecimal.com

You are most welcome to Kate. I have no problem helping people that try to help themselves first and don't ask questions that are already answered on the site! Thanks for your kind words. Chris Perkins www.predecimal.com

Dear Kate, If it's a chunky 42mm ish in diameter then it is a Copper twopenny but as it's smaller than a crown i'd say it's a 35mm Copper penny, because they look the same as the twopenny. That kind of 'Cartwheel' coin was only made with one date...1797, so that's its date. Maybe you could scrub it gently with a toothbrush but you shouldn't use chemicals on it or leave it damp for any length of time. And it probably isn't worth much if it's very worn under the dirt I'm afraid. Chris www.predecimal.com

Paul, Afraid I don't know. If you register you can upload an image to be viewed in the forum. Can you also provide the size and metal details? Chris www.predecimal.com

Michael, Can't help much without a size, because they all had that written on them. If you look at my British coin identification page under the advice section of www.predecimal.com you can probably answer your own question. Chris www.predecimal.com

Hello again, Good to see you encouraging Forum use! If the coins you have are just general circulated stuff it's unlikely anyone will want them, and most accumulations people have are worth very little. Have a look on my key date page: http://www.predecimal.com/key_dates.htm You'll see the slightly rarer dates listed and if you have any of those they will be more collectable. If the coins are sendable in the post you are welcome to send them to me to check out, maybe i'll by them all or maybe I'll just send them straight back, but you will be guaranteed an honest opinion! Chris www.predecimal.com

Dear Steve, I have dealt with that seller before so I'm sure you have no problems. Personally I'd only pay more than it currently is at if it wasn't unevenly toned with a possible stain on the head. Not wishing any disrespect to the seller of course and perhaps a dealers point of view would be different but it's nothing special, not rare and if you want an Uncirculated 1895 Farthing you should get one with full lustre quite easily. Chris www.predecimal.com

Hello there, it dependss entirely on condition. I'm offering a 1952 Half Penny in Good Extremely Fine condition with last remains of lustre for GBP2.50 on this page: http://www.predecimal.com/forsale/halfpennies.htm Anything less than EF and it won't really be that collectable I'm afraid. If you want to get into coin collecting allow me to recommend the book here: http://www.predecimal.com/collectors_coins.htm Thanks very much for using the site, Chris Perkins www.predecimal.com

Only if it's the young head 1895 Farthing like the one I have on the site for GBP5.00. A widow head 1985 Farthing in less than Fine is worth just a few pence. Chris Perkins www.predecimal.com

Hello there, i have responded to you over email. Thanks for using my Forum. Chris www.predecimal.com

Shane, What is the coins diameter in mm? All the half sovereigns, no matter what mint are the same size. Can you attach a picture of it? When you post a message you should see a file search box and a 'You may attach a file to this message. Maximum file size (in bytes): 51200000' message. If you weigh it it should be 3.99 grams. If it's worn that may be very slightly less. If it's fake it should be considerably lighter because it wouldn't make sense making a fake coin with more gold in it than a real one! Although that has been done in the past when Gold sovereigns were worth much more than the gold in them. I think you may need the very accurate scales, I'm not sure maybe the 1/10th of a gram ones will tell you. Also, could it be a full sovereign? Chris predecimal.com

Andy, Do you mean the 1986 2 pound coin? If so..In mint condition they are worth 3-4 pounds but have to be really perfect as they are so new. If they're not perfect I'd consider spending them like you may have done with the others. Chris Perkins www.predecimal.com

That's the hardest part! Be conservative and don't fool yourself into believing the coins are up a grade when they aren't. Compare very similar coins and try to establish a coin that you know is for example VF and that will be a big help when looking at the others. Chris. www.predecimal.com