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Peckris

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Posts posted by Peckris

  4. Posted

    20 minutes ago, 1949threepence said:

    It makes logical sense that there would have been very few high grade copper coins extant after demonetisation, for the early years, such as George IV's reign - the readily available high grade copper specimens gradually increasing for subsequent years up to 1859, which would have had only 10 years circulation at the end of 1869.This is based on an assumption that they weren't too high up on the average coin collector's priorities at that time, and hence not too many early high grade examples hanging around in collections. I could be wrong, but more probable than not, I would have thought.    

    Not coin collectors certainly - but wouldn't it have been like the pre-1920 silver, i.e. put aside in the view it was more intrinsically valuable? The premium paid by the Mint for them, would encourage that view (the Mint certainly wouldn't have paid more than they were worth, and probably less.) Shrewd 'investors' might have sensed a future profit. 

  6. Posted

    12 minutes ago, Unwilling Numismatist said:

    I heard Nobby has got Big Ears.

    Maybe you could work something out there too?

    :lol:

    Certainly the last footballer I can ever remember wearing glasses while playing!

  7. Posted

    9 hours ago, UPINSMOKE said:

    Yes, I sure am. Although I don't collect pennies I do have a few in coin sets. I would imagine it's far easier to spot variations on a much larger coin though. My problem is I am collecting the smaller coins sixpences, threepences, and farthings so identification is a lot harder I think. I also have the problem of what do I buy next having gaps in all the collections. I am finding it hard to choose sometimes when I find coins I need in each of the collections and only have funds for maybe 1 or 2 coins which to add too first. 

    I wish I could stick to say one collection but as yet haven't been able to let go of the others and concentrate just say sixpences. It's really hard to choose what to drop if any.

    It's worth pointing out that there are far fewer varieties on small coins, probably because any slight flaws were very hard to see in a casual glance, so the Mint would not have bothered correcting them. Having said that, there are so many more varieties in pennies than - say - halfcrowns or florins. One reason may be that the introduction of bronze was so challenging and that the problems showed up more on pennies. But do note that there are still many early bronze varieties on halfpennies too, but because they're less popular, they're less collected and analysed. There are probably many yet waiting to be studied and catalogued, a fascinating project for someone.

    I think the humble sixpence is my favourite small coin.

    • Like 2

  11. Posted · Edited by Peckris

    2 hours ago, El Cobrador said:

    The overall mintage of the 1831 penny supposedly totals 806,400. Does anybody have a notion to how that breaks down with regard to the various types?

    No - you'd have to go on their current ratios. Whatever the original mintage, the Mint began withdrawing them quite soon after bronze was introduced. As their were virtually no students or collectors of contemporary base metal coins, the numbers of each type put aside would be largely a matter of chance.

    To put it in context, if bronze was replaced in 1911, the number of 1902 coins surviving a melt would depend on how many had been  put aside. As the Low Tides were the first issue, you might have ended up with a situation where more LTs survived than ordinary.

  12. Posted · Edited by Peckris

    The 1953 plastic sets were astonishingly overhyped and overvalued in the late 60s*. They were often on sale for well over what you can pick one up for now - which in real terms is something like 20 or 30 times more. Yet with the gradual erosion of them by splitting (intentionally or simply from the crap plastic used), complete sets are now actually rarer than they were back then.

    *probably because the mintage was around 1m, which was pretty scarce when predecimal circulated, but as we know from the fate of the 1965S shilling, means diddley-squat now.

  15. Posted

    17 hours ago, kieran said:

    do you recommend that i invest in bullion coins then and not worry to much about the dates for while? where is a good place to purchase coins?  

    No no! I only mentioned 'bullion' because even worn silver coins have an intrinsic metal value. I didn't mean to suggest you collect them.

    The best place to buy is from reputable dealers (there's a few in this forum) or - as mentioned - from coin fairs once you know more about the subject. If you're in London, there's something called The Cumberland Fair? Or used to be - Cumberland being the hotel it was held in. Avoid Coincraft like the plague - they have great knowledge and enthusiasm, but their prices are aimed at the average American tourist who knows nothing about coins but wants a little bit of history.

  20. Posted

    Welcome Kieran.

    No coin is worthless if you enjoy owning it and can learn something from it. 

    As a starting point, your coins pre-1947 have real silver and are worth bullion unless in high grade. Pre-1920 are full silver and worth double that, as bullion.

    Collect in as high a grade as you can afford, so don't (yet) embark on date runs .. some of us don't at all, ever.

    Your first thing should be to 'gen' up on the subject. The two best and cheapest things for this would be two of the books in the advert top : CCGB 2018 which is a wealth of information and a price guide too; and 'Grading British Coins'. Get both those and you won't look back.

    And don't be afraid to ask here - we only cook and eat newbies in odd numbered years. ;)

  22. Posted

    45 minutes ago, Colin B said:

    That is so true, Just goes to show that even in 1770's a everyday person had the means and know how to counterfeit coins 

    Bear in mind there were two quite distinct reasons for forgeries: the silver washed copper forgeries of George III silver between 1816-20 that SEUK collects and studies were done for the good old traditional purpose of trying to get rich quick. The huge number of forgeries of halfpennies between 1770 and after were MAINLY done because of the chronic shortage of base metal coins (the main reason that trade tokens were also minted in large numbers). And when you consider that there was only that short series (1770-1775) between 1754 and the cartwheels of 1797, then the issue of 1799, then 1806-7 and then nothing until George IV - you can begin to understand the scale of the problem.

    • Like 1

  25. Posted

    10 hours ago, zookeeperz said:

    1938 BU is almost impossible to find apparently?

    The most difficult farthing since 1915 I'd say (notwithstanding the rather overrated 1935).

    • Like 2
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