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colliewalker1

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About colliewalker1

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  1. colliewalker1

    The Psychology of Coin Collecting

    If you are a 'senior' member Geoff that's something else we have in common I can well remember prices of goods like 19s-11 3/4d. You are right about the temptation to be distracted from a collection plan - like Half Crowns from each reign - when 'browsing'lists of coins on offer shows something we wouldn't hav thought of - like a'Cartwheel' Twopence! Like you, although I am interested to see photos of really ancient coins - Anglo Saxon, Roman etc. for reasons I can't explain, I don't feel any urge to collect them.
  2. colliewalker1

    The Psychology of Coin Collecting

    That's a fascinating and illuminating analysis Sylvester - a well thought out presentation as usual!
  3. colliewalker1

    The Psychology of Coin Collecting

    What is the motivation? Why do people collect coins I wonder and where is the most satisfaction – in collecting – or having collected ? So far as I am concerned I like coins for their aesthetic appeal –as an example of the engraver’s/die sinker’s art or unusual features e.g the 1797 Twopence - and their link with history. I have been concentrating on 19th century and early 20th century coins – mainly silver and large – Crowns and Half Crowns;large and heavy coins offer the greatest tactile satisfaction when handling them I believe. most recently I have been taking an interest in copper coins. I am aiming to have examples of coins for each reign – in the case of Queen Victoria for example as her reign was so long, examples of different periods of her reign. but would not find it interesting to have, say, the same coin for each year of a monarch’s reign as they would all look alike except for the date! So far as the satisfaction factor is concerned, I can’t see that having a huge collection ( say, 1000 to be extreme) would be particularly fulfilling – individual coins would , in my opinion, cease to be as important as in a collection of only 100: I am nowhere near to even the latter figure at present and will probably never achieve it: perhaps I don’t have what it takes to be a fully fledged coin collector – perhaps there are a variety of types of collector – from ‘small time’ to ‘big time’ – with a variety of in betweens! I am ‘gobsmacked’ to think that collectors will be prepared to spend hundreds of pounds (or even thousands) on a coin: there are things I would much rather have – for the home – than say, a £500 coin!But obviously a lot will depend on what an individual can afford - or wish to afford - on this hobby. I wonder if seeking out and securing a particular coin gives the greatest satisfation of all – like the ‘thrill of the chase’! These are just a few thoughts which might ‘get the ball rolling’ on the subject.
  4. colliewalker1

    ebay: useful?

    Currently Ebay sellers have 7330 English coins on offer - so they are difficult to ignore! Ebay is not for the unwary - but there is a lot of choice there and if the scans look good and the seller has good feedback, buying - at the right price - should be OK. A good ploy is to check any coin on Ebay in which you are interested with similar coins on offer on a dealer website and compare the quality indicated by the scan - and the price. There are some dealers who have an 'Ebay Shop'and who seem eminently respectable - and will accept returns if the buyer is dissatisfied. What about the argument as regards dealers, that 'if you can't beat them join them'and add some 'tone' to Ebay, with exposure to a vast number of purchasers; oops - that should cause a stir- are you watching Chris??!!! I have bought on Ebay and have not come 'unstuck' yet.
  5. colliewalker1

    Vintage Coins

    This is an extract from an earlier post in which I speculated on the way in which the Royal Mint dealt with coins withdrawn from circulation. Does anyone know the answer please?
  6. colliewalker1

    Reproduction 1879 Crown

    "While modern coinage dies are indeed made by carving, engraving, or otherwise producing a male hub, (actually, modern dies start with a large clay, wax, plaster, or other such model, usually about a foot in diameter, which is then pantograph reduced by machine to produce the male die) from which the female coining dies are then produced" This is an extract from an interesting article on the history of coin making - see URL below I wouldn't have imagined the initial engraving being made on something as large as a foot in diameter! http://tjbuggey.ancients.info/ganoskin.html
  7. colliewalker1

    Coin Dies

    There is some interesting information on this website about the making of coin dies - its an American site but no doubt the processes will apply universally www.fact-index.com/c/co/coin_die.html
  8. colliewalker1

    Reproduction 1879 Crown

    This is a VERY interesting thought - is it speculation or is it how engraving is really done now I wonder?
  9. colliewalker1

    Reproduction 1879 Crown

    Here is the URL for the relevant Ebay( ) page which has good photos of this repro coin.For some reason the field area has appeared as black - but it is VERY highly polished silver! http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...item=3933701033
  10. colliewalker1

    Reproduction 1879 Crown

    I have just bought a reproduction '1879'Young Head Crown - shock/horor this coin is said to be 'solid silver'- and a 'limited edition'. This purchase was partly to satisfy my curiosity as to what a 'proof coin' would look like - and of course a high grade original of that date would be extremely expensive. Although I am a new collector, even I can see that the quality of the engraving is superb - Queen Victoria's hair looks as though she had just emerged from the hairdresser! It is interesting that there are freelance engravers around who can produce workmanship like this: I wonder what they are doing MOST of the time in the absence of full time employment like those at the Royal Mint - or are they freelancers, too engaged by the Mint as and when required I wonder? Apart from the quality of the engraving an outstanding feature is the 'mirror finish'very attractive but it looks very vulnerable to scratching! I can't see any special mark to denote a 'reproduction'( I believe this is a legal requirement?)BUT - the edge of the coin is absolutely SMOOTH although there is the usual 'dotted' milling jusat inside the cicumference.:this looks very unnatural and gives the coin a sharp feel around the primeter:surely no silver original coin would have had an unmilled edge.I would rather have seen a milled edge and some other discrete mark to denote a reproduction.
  11. colliewalker1

    Vintage Coins

    "A thing of beauty is a joy for ever" John Keats
  12. colliewalker1

    Vintage Coins

    Presumably we are not talking of restrikes here but proof versions of coins currently circulating. On the subject of restrikes - certain countries have been issuing them long after the coins in question ceased to be in general circulation. The Royal Mint don't seem to go in for restrikes - surely these would be extremely popular and very profitable for the Royal Mint. It would be interesting to know to what extent obsolete dies are kept: reproduction coins can fill a useful niche - but genuine restrikes would be something else - but obviously EXPENSIVE! Your information Emperor Oli, on the history of coin collecting is very interesting indeed - thankls for that
  13. When looking at a vintage coin - e.g. an 1826 George IV half Crown in my collection - it is fascinating to speculate on where it has been for the last nearly 180 years. Obviously at some stage these coins would have been withdrawn from circulation – at the latest for this example on the accession of William IV! I wonder what happens to them then - are any released to collectors or are they melted down, in which case the surviving coins we see today owe their existence firstly to owners deciding to hang on to them and keeping them in draws or tin boxes - then the coins passing to descendants/collectors. Presumably collectors have existed for a very long time?! One would have thought that this random preservation of coins would have saved very few compared to the total produced - which makes the fairly easy availability of many vintage coins today rather surprising. Looking at current coinage, the only coins worth saving are – in my opinion – the £1 and £2 coin....
  14. THIS is the big issue - if B liar-sorry, Blair -had told Parliament and the country the position as it REALLY was it is very doubtful indeed that he would have had majority support for going to war.As he had already promised to support his big strong friend Bush, he couldn't risk not getting this approval;so with the aid of the 'real Deputy Prime Minister' - Alistair Campbell - he cooked up a false prospectus for going to war. So is 'Trust me Tony'fit to be our Prime Minister - not in my opinion.
  15. colliewalker1

    Reproduction Coins

    This is a very understandable point of view, although not my own. To draw a comparison in another area,for those interested in art and hanging pictures on their walls, reproductions of famous paintings will give them a lot of pleasure ,when owning the original is as likely as winning the lottery!
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