Rob

Nothing obvious.

Thanks Jerry, Mike & Chris. I can see that it is a completely different beast to a forum, but based on what I see, I have to be somewhat cynical about the level of control a person has over their membership. If I search RP Coins and Facebook, I get a link to my own account despite never having had an account, so this must have been made by Facebook and without login details have no control over it, but presumably you can all join my group if you so desire. I also get referrals from Facebook, as my website tells me that people viewed an average of 7.2 pages and stayed for less than a minute using this route. So much for being in control. Still, each to their own I guess. Better let the conversation revert to the original topic.

Your name is 1949 threepence - should be 1949 penny. Everything is not as it seems. My point about joining groups is that if you don't know anyone outside of social media, you are unlikely to be invited into a social circle randomly unless already acquainted. I'm not sure I or anyone else would want to accept a Facebook invitation to join given their ulterior motives. Because Facebook blocks those who aren't allowed access, this has to be the biggest hurdle to getting new faces. At least on this forum you can post as a guest in some areas, and register as a member without being automatically blocked from communicating. Although social media is unquestionbly more popular than a forum, I still fail to see how it can provide the ease of access of the latter.

I always assumed that it was so for historical reasons, i.e. the first was a low grade coin which provided a benchmark price for 'finest known/highest graded', but following subsequent submissions, it dawned on the slabbing community there was more than one example out there, and they really weren't so rare after all! As the whole question of slabbing is an attempt to commoditise coins, or provide a recommended retail price such that they can be bought unseen, the lower graded but higher priced items are waiting for the market to catch up because repricing is rarely downwards and if done would p' off those who buy as an investment leaving the TPGs open to litigation.

Problem sorted

Is this really so surprising? Your somewhat diversionary handle replied to terrysoldpennies in the previous post for the simple reason that you are both into pennies. Surely this forum is society and its habits on a local scale? People who collect coins will migrate to a collective centre just as any other interest group would do. Certain geographical areas become known for their ethnic mix because they are full of people who are culturally similar. The Eisteddfod is mainly frequented by Welsh people. So when you have to 'friend' (I think the phrase is?) someone to join a Facebook group, it is not surprising they have the same interests as you because that is how you became acquainted in the first place and why they were allowed to join the group. I know this is a chicken and egg situation, but like-minded people will always find their own. The real problem is finding people who are not part of a social group and integrating them, and we all know that many collectors are fairly reclusive.

With the detail being incuse on both dies, any impression from clashing will be raised on the die. This will result in depressed detail on a coin. These new areas of detail will also suffer from wear and you can have clashing on more than one occasion, so it is difficult to say exactly where in the life of the die something has occurred.

Clashed dies. The lines are from the drapery between the shield and right knee. The drapery towards the back of Britannia can be seen between the ties and the back of the neck. These marks are seen frequently and is due to the dies coming together when there is no blank between them. The harder of the two dies will make an impression on the softer one and so depending on which is harder can be seen on both obverses and reverses. The London Coins reverse also shows a faint sign of die clash emanating from the knee, being the section of bust from the chin up to the lips,plus there is more die clash behind Britannia. There is a bit of exergue between the bust and V plus a bit of shield between the ties and terminal D.

Thanks Pete

Does anyone have either the Gruffalo 50p or the Wedgwood £2 in original RM packaging, and if so, who is the attributed designer for the reverses listed in the specifications? The RM website gives company names, but not the person. The company name listed on the site for some earlier issues, sometimes has the actual person responsible listed on the packaging. Anyone?

Good job it's genuine. This die pair has a number of copies out there.

As I said. The makeup of the final price can be whatever you want. Only the total cost matters.

If working to a strict budget, just reduce your bids by 5% from what you would have gone prior to the increase. Alternatively, if the increase really bugs you - sit on your hands. Although we all have boxes that need ticking, when it comes to a hobby there isn't a single thing that can't wait for another day. If you really want it so badly, you are unlikely to be affected by the increase as it is only £50 per £1K, which is easily lost in a fit of frenzied bidding whatever the premium.

When you place bids your account is given a number which will stick with you for subsequent sales.

Something a little odd from me this week. Found in a bag of misc coins, a threehalfpence token for the City Arms, Wells. 24mm diameter and weighs 4.45g. Edwin Henry Joseph was the landlord from 1869 until made bankrupt in May 1870, and one can't help thinking that the token is not unconnected with his cash-flow issues. The pub has an oblique personal connection in that my aunt had a sweet shop (now a Chinese take-away) virtually opposite, but also used to manage the pub on occasion. I will always remember seeing a massive ancient wooden copy (several feet square) of the City's coat of arms which came from the pub when it was renovated. The pub was the city's former jail, which remains intact on the premises, and it is not impossible that particular object may have dated from this time. And for anyone wondering, for a kid to go on holiday to a sweet shop was always something you looked forward to. It's a small world.