Paddy

Thanks - but I don't have Withers! I have Spink and North - is there an equivalent?

This a long shot I suppose - this broken Shortcross penny was in the same lot as the farthing posted separately. It was fixed between two layers of selotape when I received it, making it completely unrecognisable. I have got the tape off by soaking in surgical spirit and I can now see the king's head on the obverse and what appears to be a hugely double struck reverse. I can make out some letters but not enough to guess at a moneyer. Anyone able to help? I can send full size images if that would help - these have been shrunk to get into the post.

Strangely I have had a 2017 Shield in circulation - I think it was the first 2017 50p I picked up. Must have been October last year. Also seen the Newton and two of the Beatrix series - all now tucked away in my album. Still waiting to see the first of the alphabet 10ps in my change!

I bought the 1836 Shilling from this list - very happy with it, thank you @Paulus.

In case anyone is down in North Devon occasionally, I put a coin stall out at the markets once in a while. Feel free to pop by if you are in the area, but if you are after particular stuff it would be wise to PM me first so I make sure I bring out what you want. Upcoming: Barnstaple Pannier market - Wednesday 16th May South Molton Pannier market (flea market) Sunday 3rd June and Sunday 17th June.

Thanks both for that - I will mark it up as Henry III Willem on Cant then. Once I have popped my clogs I wont mind if someone else decides I was wrong!

I think as soon as you mention "Pontefract Siege Piece" in the same paragraph as field_walker you know what the answer is going to be! It is not my area but there do appear to be casting bubbles in the pictures. To add to what Rob has said, these things used to be mega-rare, and now they turn up all the time. To me that can only mean one thing - they are being produced to fill the demand in the market. I would not buy one on Ebay at all - and I would want to have a lot of provenance before I bought from a good auction house.

I doubt we would ever get Rees-Mogg even standing for leadership, despite the scare-mongering of the sandalistas. But I think I would prefer to have the pub dog in charge rather than Corbyn or any of his cronies. Socialism is fine but Marxist Communism is a step too far!

Yes - I was thinking of getting a Russian one as insurance in case Corbyn gets in.

Difficult one that for you being in the US. It may be worth joining one of the UK based Metal detectorist forums - they are turning up quite a lot of low grade hammered coins and you may find someone who is prepared to sell you his spares. Most auction houses sell better grade coins and want good money for them, or throw the low grade stuff in with a lot of other low grade modern coins. On Ebay the bulk lots tend to be such low grade that they are unrecognisable.

Mine - all Mine! I see you also do cider - I am making my own on a regular basis, though brought up to a more traditional wine strength. Very refreshing on a hot day.

Sorry - I don't share my Talisker...

... and this one doesn't look right to me either. Are the Whisky-goggles clouding my view point? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VICTORIA-HALF-PENNY-1888-GOOD-GRADE/153072636661?hash=item23a3d712f5:g:7eEAAOSwIetbLmHE

Surely this one is wrong? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Queen-Victoria-Gothic-Florin-1864-773/232819051876?hash=item363518cd64:g:p5cAAOSwLmlbL8NM

I am at South Molton pannier market again this Sunday 1st July, if anyone is passing... P

Quite pleased with this one as an upgrade. I am now happy that I have all the 20th century pennies that are achievable in an acceptable grade for me. (Which means I can focus more on all the other upgrades I need to achieve!)

I may be under-estimating - it is a while since I bought one and the book I have is a few years old. In the end it is worth what someone will pay for it, regardless of what the book says. So based on the fact that you have just bought it for £100, that is what it is worth - today!

Pictures aren't great but it appears to be second bust - has the obvious tied queue behind William's head which is not visible on the first bust type. Also William has a far more obvious top bunch to his hair on the second type - but I may be wrong. (Based on the pictures in Spink "Coins of England".) First bust type is scarcer for this date. At UK grade of VF this is probably a £60 to £80 coin. Also, this is not strictly Maundy, as correctly attributed by your TPG. These coins were made for general circulation - it was 1816 I believe before a special Maundy issue was created.

I see the error, but I can't explain it, and I don't get the same when I try. Despite the error, it did find the lot required - it is the second picture that appears in your screen shots above.

This one looks very wrong to me: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Very-Rare-Oliver-Cromwell-Silver-Sixpence-Coin-C1658/263765617603?hash=item3d69a7ebc3:g:sJMAAOSw92RbKAWg

As mentioned in a different thread, I came across a bunch of reasonably decent Victorian Half Pennies recently, which I hope have provided me with some variety fillers and some upgrades. I think I have identified them all, but I hope one of you experts might be able to have a glance over the following 5 1861 coins and let me know if I have them right? ONE - I have this down as 7+G - 7 because no incuse lines in the leaves and the extra leaf present, G because of the lighthouse door:

Feel free to add away! For my part, I have achieved my aim here for now in confirming which varieties of 1861 I have. (The two I had in my collection have both been amended too - I believe I now have six of the Freeman varieties for this year.) I have one more batch of Halfpennies due in the post - I will post any oddities amongst those once I have got them. As to the flaw on Victoria's head on number FOUR above - that is a recognised feature of obverse 5 according to Freeman occurring on "most" specimens...

I know what you mean! I have always worked on the basis of putting anything that ticks the box into the collection for now and then work on upgrades as the opportunity arises. It has served me alright so far and as they are in an album, I don't have to look at them every day. Thanks again for the review - that has cleared up the query for me. (And I am pleased I am beginning to get some of them right!)

@Peckris what is the error message? It seems likely you have some problem with the set-up of your computer as there have been other things you couldn't get to when others could. Do you have a friendly neighbourhood computer person to have a look at it for you? BTW I have emailied the auctioneer raising my concerns - be interesting to see how/if they respond.

Thanks @Rob that's what I need most - confirmation of the basic variety before we get into variations on variations!