1949threepence

Derek is still very active on facebook, and has challenged my views in public threads on more than one occasion- although it always ends amicably/humourously. I did once ask him why he never posts on here anymore, but he never responded.

Should have added that the very dry air and low humidity has added to the cold feel once the Sun goes down. Some of the time humidity has been <40%, which is quite unusual for a British Summer. Interestingly the Summer of 1976, whilst very hot by day, was often quite chilly at nights (by normal Summer standards), especially later into July and in August. Intense dryness, low humidity and clear skies meant considerable overnight relief from the heat for many - not dissimilar to desert conditions. Typically a max of between 30 and 32 degrees by day, could be preceded and followed by 8 to 10 degrees overnight. Same recently, but obviously not very hot by day. As the heat and humidity rise from tomorrow onwards, it will all feel very different. You won't need a scarf, that's for sure. Nor will your living room be just 12 degrees.

I note that the psychologically important 40 degrees barrier (exactly 104 F in old money) has now been breached at both Heathrow and at Coningsby in Lincolnshire. Last night it didn't fall below 25.9 (78.6 F) at at least one location. So both maximum and minimum UK temperature records broken. As Summer daytime maximums are typically attained at around 4pm, there is still room for maybe a 41 somewhere. Everybody coping OK I hope. I mean, sure, it is hot, but given the hype bordering on hysteria, actually not as bad as feared. I've been using a hot water bottle stored in the freezer for a few hours, and resting my wrists on them. A doctor on GB News yesterday, suggested this was a good idea as it cools the circulating blood, and indeed it has been quite effective. I do appreciate many people will become ill, and maybe some die. But surely that's the same with any heatwave. A prolonged heatwave over several weeks, even if not quite as hot as today, would probably be more damaging than the short very intense one we've got now.

Either or both of those would be an absolutely fantastic addition to a serious collection. But they're becoming almost out of reach.

It went for £10k hammer, plus whatever juice was on top of that. The same specimen sold for £1900 hammer at the Laurie Bamford auction in 2006. now 2006 I didn't think it would go for quite as much as that to be honest. But it is vanishingly rare of course. R19.

Excellent post, and one I can't really add to. @Peckris 2 over to you.

Not necessarily - if we get a severe Winter with a persistent Scandinavian anticyclone, we could experience a flat calm over many weeks just in the areas where most turbines are placed. As far as what you say about China is concerned, I'm way more cynical than you on this issue. I certainly would regard it as moronic beyond all belief if we continued to tighten towards net zero before are ready - and we are very far from ready yet. The "setting an example" you hint it is just arrogance. Especially as no-one will take a blind bit of notice, until such time as we truly are at net zero. Then they might. Any rate, I notice that Starmer was back peddling slightly today when he admitted it would be a very long time before we could do completely without fossil fuels. Actually the idea of a "GB Energy" isn't a bad one. I'll let @oldcopper reply if he wishes to do so, and quote to you what he says. Although I must admit, I find it quite extraordinary from a technical point of view, that one member's posts really are invisible to you.

Don't worry, it won't be like this for much longer. Heat & humidity wii be heading our way towards the end of the week.

I did say they would not be granting any new licences. I know that existing ones will be honoured. It's great that renewables are now reducing our reliance on fossil fuels, but by deliberately cutting back on fossil fuels at this stage, we risk a Winter crisis at some point, especially if the wind stops, as it very well might depending on the weather conditions. Moreover, some time will be needed for any (new) nuclear power stations to come on line. I'll let you argue with the unions over new job opportunities. It's them that's raised it, and they bankroll the Labour Party to a greater or lesser extent. So Starmer really doesn't want to get on their wrong side before he's even in power. As far as 2030, the target will be missed whether or not the eco zealots get their knickers in a twist over it. ************************************************************************************************************************* By the way here's a question for you from @oldcopper whose posts I know you once said were invisible to you. If you want to reply through me, I'll make sure he sees it.

The thinking of some of these eco zealots is truly, truly odd. They go screaming raving mad over what the UK do or don't do, with our 1% emissions (which have halved anyway since 1990), and quite literally never say a word about the likes of China, India - and even the USA. I just can't take them seriously at all as I don't think they're all there. I also think that with specific regard to "just stop oil", a tragedy is imminent, whether because of a motorist just completely losing it and ploughing into them deliberately, or (more likely) a genuine accident. What does seriously annoy me personally is the deliberate shutting down of any other view than so called "settled science". It's all part of this somewhat Orwellian "disinformation" campaign. Who the hell decides what's disinformation and what is valid reasonable argument, and what precisely lends them the intellectual supremacy to do so? If they are confident in their own view, then they should be happy to argue it out in open debate. But that never happens, at least not in the MSM. As we know from history, new evidence can emerge which changes the landscape completely - such as the discovery in the 19th century that cholera was caused by infected water. If that debate had been closed down, how many more would have died?

Got to laugh. Keir Starmer has upset the unions (GMB & Unite) with his messianic zeal over not granting any more oil and gas exploration licences if Labour get in next year. They are unhappy about the effects on their member's jobs and financial security. As I've said before, yes, a transition to net zero would be a fantastic long term aspiration. 2030 is absolutely impossible to achieve, 2045 maybe. In the meantime we also need oil and gas both to ensure our own security and as a possible export to Europe. link

There was an uprising in East Germany in June 1953, which was quelled by Soviet troops. Although it wasn't an invasion as such. They were already stationed there. link ETA: the map is incorrect anyway, as it extends across all of Germany, despite the fact that West Germany was unaffected.

Spot on - sat out today in the garden, and it really couldn't have been better weather. Hot sun, nice ambient temperature of 21 degrees, and a pleasant breeze. Idyllic.

Thanks Ian. That's very interesting. I must admit I've seen and read those words in Bramah's book many times, without ever thinking too deeply about them. But they make perfect sense in terms of finding unique sets of dies for a given variety. As you suggest, probably only one reverse die for the 26a. Bramah doesn't mention the flaw after the T of GRATIA at page 4 of his book as far as the 1858 no WW pennies are concerned. Only 1859 and the recut 1860/59. But of course it's there on the majority, and definitely on the 26a.

Not done any exact analysis, but purely from observation, and ball park estimate, I'd say that even in the last 2 or 3 years, prices have increased at all levels of the market. For example, what was £180 in 2020, is now about £240. Quite ordinary, or not desperately uncommon pennies are now routinely being offered at £200 plus. Although there are still bargains to be had. One exact price I did notice was when looking at the change in prices for 1839 proof pennies last night, on Noonans site. I noticed that over the years three separate complete 1839 proof sets had been offered (with the Una and the Lion £5 piece included). In 2004, one went for £16,000. A year or two later, another went for £23,000. Then in 2011, yet another went for £60,000. But at the Noble auction last July - in the Verene Collection of proofs - just the Una and the Lion £5 coin itself went for £421,000 (converted from Australian dollar exchange rate). That is a staggering increase which is way beyond inflation. How long will this continue? Maybe - very probably in fact - coins are seen as a safe haven in these economically turbulent times. Especially rare gold maybe.

How about Acker Bilk, which my Dad used to say sounded like some particularly unpleasant digestive complaint.

Opinions vary. Like you, I prefer it like this - at least when the sun's out. Living in the South West as you do, you will have been less affected by North Sea cloud, which can persist all day at times in the East and Midlands - no hills whatever to prevent it rolling straight across the Midlands. Was clear today after a cloudy start, though. Went out for a quick spin on the bike earlier, and I must admit, even the the Sun was still up, it did feel decidedly nippy, due to wind chill. Of course on very hot days (and nights), wind chill is a Godsend.

We haven't really had many properly warm days yet (although of course, when we're not plagued by North Sea Cloud), the Sun is very hot. We're on the cold side of a stubborn anticyclone centred to the North West and dragging in air from the North East. Clear nights are going to feel especially nippy at the moment because the humidity is very low

Bisodol is far better.

Also, without wishing to be cheeky, I would be very interested in any count you've done on the 1858 no serif on the first I of BRITANNIAR. Again, it's a coin which doesn't seem to be vanishingly rare, but equally doesn't crop up every 5 minutes. Most seem to be unattributed no ww date only examples. Not too well known maybe. Sorry to be a nuisance Ian

Indeed, the Pokemon story is incredible in terms of an investment opportunity. One of those "right place, right time" and you're in luck, phenomenon. You're spot on with slabbed coins. You can see this clearly illustrated with the 1937 Five pounds to half sovereign proof set. You could get a decent near FDC original set for somewhere around £17k. Split up and slabbed by NGC you're looking at twice that amount for the four. It's ridiculous.

Thanks Ian. You'd have thought there would have been a re-print of Bramah by now. Can't be copyright issues as they expire 70 years after the author's death. As Bramah died in 1942, that date would have been reached in 2012. The originals, being so rare, will always sell at a premium even if there was a re-print.

So about 0.4% of all 1858's you recorded were large rose. I never imagined they were quite that scarce. Indeed, many of us have had it in mind that the small date large rose variety was considerably rarer than the large date, large rose. But from your findings, it's much nearer 50/50. Out of interest do you have figures for the 1854 no colons on reverse variety? As ever thanks for such incredibly useful stats Ian.

J B de Loynes presumably being the VIP in question.