Mr T

I don't have one but if you're not already going through bags of 10p coins from the bank, do it - it really speeds up the search for this sort of thing.

Do you have link to an image or listing? The search feature on the Spink site doesn't seem to work. Wait, never mind, see https://www.spink.com/files/catalogue/14007.pdf (p142). This seems to be BP 1953 L, not the seemingly more common F244. Here's the previous sale I was thinking of: http://www.londoncoins.co.uk/?page=Pastresults&auc=144&searchlot=386&searchtype=2 Some more discussion at http://www.predecimal.com/forum/topic/9390-1953-penny-mule-rob-bernie/ with what looks like allusions to the second ??? in my list.

Looks real to me too - I think fishtailing near the clip is a characteristic of genuine clips and N and E of NEW certainly have fishtailing.

I see. Re F244 and BP 1953 L, the obverse dies apparently have a different number of rim beads (minor difference, but a difference nonetheless). I think Gouby mentioned an F244 from a VIP proof set but BP 1953 L just had a matte finish (or at least Gouby didn't call it a proof). Was there a proof set sold recently with a mule? I remember seeing a picture of one and the penny to me looked like a proof.

I think it's your choice. Here in Australia at least plenty of people buy coins removed from packing, plenty buy coins still in the packaging. That said, collector coins I think would tend to sell for less if not in their original packing.

What I find absolutely confusing is eBay's regular emails which ask me if I'm still interested in items I have already bought.

I think the Edward VII florin is pretty good:

So it will be worth a fortune in years to come!

Interesting - not sure that the first letter-writer's argument about it being good fit for a decimal system is that convincing though.

Hm, I hadn't considered it before but I don't know how the emulator accepts touch - presumably with the mouse but it might be a bit of nuisance doing things that way.

Don't know about British notes but in Australia the 1000000 numbered notes were hand numbered because of the extra digit and so are reasonably rare and valuable.

http://developer.android.com/sdk/index.html contains the official Android emulator I believe but it looks to be mostly geared towards people making their own apps so you might need a bit of know-how to do what you want. There is an iOS emulator that comes with XCode I believe but I'm not sure if you can run apps that you haven't created yourself with it. Android apps are just files with the extension .apk and I think can be loaded in the Android emulator without too much trouble but iOS apps I think are an apparently meaningless collection of files that aren't conveniently bundled together and aren't really designed to be handled outside of iTunes. But I don't have a Mac so I'm not entirely sure.

So my understanding is that crowns stopped being minted for circulation in 1900, but circulation strikes were also produced in 1902, 1935 and 1937 (and 1953 and 1965 and so on). How were the circulation strikes in these years distributed if the crown wasn't strictly something that circulated any more?

Okay, never mind, I found the answer here: http://www.predecimal.com/forum/topic/4687-whowhat-is-satin/

I've been considering my library lately and how up to date the reference material is with regards to varieties. For post 1860 bronze Michael Freeman's books seem to be the standard. For post 1860 pennies it seems like Michael Gouby's books are the most comprehensive, though the Gouby X variety isn't in any of his books. For the silver Peter Davies' British Silver Coins Since 1816 seems to be the most comprehensive book. For the half sovereign and sovereign Michael Marsh's books seem to be the most comprehensive. For the two and five pound pieces I'm not sure of any books that cover them. Is what I have the best with regards to coverage of varieties? I think David Groome's books might have more varieties covered but I understand they're 20th century only. And are there any books that covers two and five pound pieces?

Oh, and the Jerrams book on pennies is even more up-to-date than the Gouby book is it? And is the reference to Satin at http://www.predecimal.com/forum/topic/5500-1937-penny-die-variations/page-2#entry44914 yet another book?

For 1937 there are 10 (yes 10) obverse types: Good grief, looks like the Royal Mint didn't put any effort into improving the production of the poor old £5 coin. Fascinating all the same. Mr T, Going back to your original question. Your selection seems about right. I would add the dated but good '' English Silver Coinage' as a cross reference. It's History of milled coinage at the beginning is excellent. Incidentally Spink have advised it will soon be updated and reproduced. Mark Thanks Mark, I do have English Silver Coinage though it is a little out dated as you say. I suppose here is as good a place as any to hear about interesting new discoveries then?

I think buying it for the rarity is as good a reason as any - I know I like the feeling of having and holding a coin that has survived a long time relatively unscathed.

For anyone wondering, Peter Davies in British Silver Coins covers a bit of the history, though not a lot.

Interesting - do you remember what these 1902 and 1937 varieties are? I wouldn't have though there'd be any varieties either though I recall someone here saying a while back that the 1887 £5 (I think) dies struck on average 127 or so coins each (and I think that was for the currency coins too).

I personally don't follow that mantra (not strictly anyway) - I collect a lot of different things, am a completionist and have no intention of ever selling so settling with a middle of the road condition rarity makes more sense for me as it fills the gap. If it's a good deal and I have the money I will take the plunge on a pricey rarity though. I suppose it depends on what you intend to do with the coins.

I don't think so, but I guess that's just how it is. A while ago I made enquiries about viewing Australia's national coin collection, held by the Royal Australian Mint. The public aren't allowed to view it, though apparently dribs and drabs of the interesting stuff are displayed from time to time. Strangely though, Museum Victoria seems to have publicly available photos of its entire coin collection - a fairly comprehensive collection of British Empire coins (including the Sydney Mint and Melbourne Mint collections).

I'd try using a hardwood tooth-pick as well. It might not do any good if it's terribly encrusted but if it's only light then it works reasonably well.

Just curious, where's the best place to read about the history of these patterns?

1871 - Appropriate design for a coin. 2012 - Too cartoony, but less cartoony than the 2005. 2005 - Too cartoony.