VickySilver

Nice job. Certainly much nicer than my doggy 1827!

LOL. Yes, that is true. Another thing is that decent GB coins in my area are crazily priced these days and so nice to get less expensive bits.

I just made a fairly interesting buy off of ebay. As readers know I like to collect coins of the British Colonial Caribbean and related as a sideline to my late pre-decimal GB series. As I have nearly finished the FM series of mint set and currency unc. coins, I turned to those coins later struck (post-1985) by the Royal Mint and taking up the earlier designs struck by the FM. Anyway, it is very difficult if not possible to locate some of the dollar and 2 dollar coins struck in unc. and copper nickel content - some were not truly known or published to my knowledge. I got the 1996 Bahamas 7 coin mint set struck by the RM lately and this is apparently very scarce. I then wanted to fill in a 1992 Bahamas 7 coin set and these evidently came in a pack with envelope commemorating the Quincentennial (1492-1992). I found one at a good price and as I opened it today, instead of the expected 1992 coins I had a 7 coin set ALL dated 1991! These are not supposed to be in such packaging and not even really known to exist. The dollar coins all have the conch on the reverse and QE II on the obverse. I have seen no other sets with the 1991 dated coins and all others dated 1992. Now, I am NOT having luck with the $2 flamingo coins in uncirculated (with the proofs being somewhat available) as these were not in the sets and I have not seen them singly. Here is what I have seen after a careful look, and varies from Krause and NGC and even varies from Schon and en.numista: Dollars (conch): 1989, 1991 (now confirmed), 1992, 1996, 2000 Two Dollars (flamingos): 1989 (not confirmed), 1991 silver (not confirmed in Copper Nickel), (1992, 1996, 2000 all not confirmed) In addition the following Franklin Mint matte unc. coins are quite rare I would surmise: Dollars Conch (all matte): 1975 (not seen), 1976, 1977 (probably more rare than suggested mintage) Two Dollars Flamingos (all matte): 1975, 1976, 1977 (all very scarce and IMO difficult) These are not valuable but fun for me at least to collect. Do let me know if you have a line to any of the individual coins or sets that may include any of the coins not confirmed or noted dates.

Ah, not to divert but I was in Nicosia in 67-68 Sleepy and went to the Nicosia Middle School near Makarios' palace. That is why I keep a sometime interest in Cypriot coins prior to 1963 - can't afford many but do have a very choice 1907 9P. The bronze is just too crazy....

iPhone will not let me show obverse. this is the rare currency 4d. I had a proof but now a nice currency bit

DNW:

I will look and see. That was a purchase from the "real" Spink in the '90s. That will be in the Safe Deposit so perhaps Saturday. For many years it was the only graded at PCGS, but there is now another as well.

Well, I thought the auction was to begin at 1 PM EST. Where I got that I don't know....I think I remember when Spink offered these year sets and seem to recall them going for a bit above market but that they were overall superior sets. I agree with the above that the 1/2 C. drove the 1930 set, although more than I paid for the very scarce proof of that year. I must say that 2500 IMO is over the top. I might have gone 1500-1800 range. On the 1935, that was an exceptional crown but max value should likely have been in the 600-800 range, with the others of negligible value. So I would not have been there above 800 whatsoever in any case. I must stress that the currency crown without wear is quite rare (as an example, one key area just as with the Wreaths is the cheekbone of George and also his brow, mustache, jaw and ear; also for some reason there seems to be a large field area on the reverse that takes hits as does St. George's shield and sword, etc.). Good on you that won lots!

This auction posted today (and I was late since I was at work). I had wanted to bid on the Spink-acquired date sets that were graded, esp. the 1930 and 1935 sets that had some very highly graded material: These posted as follows NOT including the commissions, etc.: 1930 set in silver NOT including crown: 2500 USD. !!!! 1935 set in silver with 1935 CURRENCY crown: 800 USD !!!! IMO these were big prices that I believe the grading/slabbing affected.

You may not have to pay any commission at all - IMO tell them you are trying to find the right venue & can they give you either no commission or, say a - 5% or so - I have gotten this on some better lots before at "big" auction houses (on this side of the Atlantic).

Certainly circumstance motive difficult to ascertain at this point; not always clear what the RM is up to even 140 years later!

Yikes, that is a lot to bury in that one. I did not see this one up close, but not sure that it is up to the Gerald Jackson specimen (which I believe had been obtained from Spink at some point). I toyed with the idea of getting that specimen but in the end heard via the grapevine that there would be blood in the fight so to speak so contented myself with his excellent 1869....

Wow, surprisingly decent bust of KG5 there..

It was slowing up around here. Richard's site is so wonderful BTW.