Paddy

Ah, but even if you don't use the handles as such, the fact that your fingers are tucked through it gives you extra security against dropping it as your coordination falters later in the evening...

I don't drink much beer these days, but when I do I still favour the traditional Dimpled Mug. The first of the two Mugs looks OK too. It is many years since I tried a Yard!

Ah, that is one of my favourites! I would love to get hold of one. The other one I watch out for is the evasion halfpenny with Britannia bare-breasted.

Just this one in - I find these engraved portrait coins interesting, though it seems a shame that a rather nice 1882H Penny got adulterated in the process!

I can see that being on private land, or indeed any land without permission to metal detect with a metal detector might be seen as "going equipped for theft". I wonder if the prosecution can prove it? Hopefully there will be more news after the case comes to court.

This one in the BBC news today - hoard of Iron Age gold staters found in Chelmsford and not declared to the coroner. Two in court... https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-56555343

The loft maybe good for thwarting thieves, but it is generally a lousy place to keep coins (or most other valuables). Too hot in the summer, too cold in the winter. Other places to avoid include the sock drawer and the fridge - both places the thieves will go to first. I won't suggest the good places to store your valuables in case I give away any secrets!

Definition of an expert: An "ex" is a has-been and a "spurt" is a drip under pressure.

A couple of upgrades arrived today. The sixpence has obviously been cleaned but the scratches are much less obvious in hand, so I shall keep it. The half crown is a simple upgrade - I find decent examples of this date harder to find.

The only problem I find with that style of folder is that you have to keep it upright or all the coins start sliding out. I use the Magpie brand albums, which you can get from WH Smiths - they have a double sliding action so the coins can't escape. Last time I looked they had a 2 for 1 offer for online orders.

I got caught out when working at IBM when someone persuaded me to put out a call for Hugh Janus over the tannoy...

Not working as a link but if you cut and paste into the address bar the item comes up fine - still there at auction with a starting price of £5k!

I am not the greatest grader - I tend to work more on a similar basis to @Rob : "Do I like it or do I not?" My opinion, for what it's worth, is that you are doing the same as most new collectors and being a little optimistic. The first three I would say are half to one grade lower than your assessments. The 1817 and 1745 I would put at F+ to aVF. The 1787 at VF+ to aEF - but others are bound to disagree! By the way, I have been collecting for 20 years and am still in the "date run" mode as I find that more exciting and it allows me to keep many more coins. Shillings are a great starting point - big enough to be clearly visible and identifiable without being so big that the trophy hunters want them.

I am not knowledgeable on the specific identifiers, but I would agree a fake. To me the beard and hair look unnaturally strong.

The only "celebrity" I had much knowledge of was Frank Muir, who lived in the same village as my family when I was very young. He was always the perfect gentleman - his only vice was taking snuff, for which he carried an exotically coloured handkerchief at all times.

Probably the latter! As halfpennies, there would be a small market for them as some people still play the game. If they are indeed pennies, then they have virtually no value. (If in doubt, check diameter - halfpenny around 25mm, penny just over 30mm.)

I would definitely say shove ha'penny coins. It was standard to polish off the reverse to get a smooth and regular slide across the board. The fact you have 5 almost confirms the fact as 5 was the number of coins you had in a set to play.

Maybe you could post a link in the For Sale section for those of us who don't know your Ebay handle?

A more obscure one that I see regularly wrong in print is the difference between "loth" and "loathe". Loth is unwilling, loathe is to hate but I have often seen "I am loathe to take that course...", even in books and respectable publications.

I can't find any discussion on this through Google. The only "error" being discussed is the design of the HG Wells £2 coin, with people pointing out the extra leg on the alien machine. As the Royal Mint has declared this is not an error but the designer's interpretation, I can't see them recalling for that reason.

You can't even rely on the broadsheets to get it right. Not many years ago the Daily Telegraph used "burglarise" instead of "burgle" on its front page, and I knew the end of the world was nigh!

My grandfather, who was otherwise very straight laced, sold me a long tale about a piece of pottery found in a dig inscribed "Itis apis pota bigone". Took me a while to spot the joke!

The one I recall is "Caesar adsum iam forte, Pompeii aderat".

I beg to differ on Referendum, which is a gerund, not a noun. It means "asking" and has no plural in latin. Snap - Blakeyboy beat me by seconds! PS: full discussion: https://www.dailyedge.ie/lets-figure-this-out-whats-the-real-plural-of-referendum-261522-Oct2013/

Whilst we are in pedant mode, another one that gets me is "The amount of people...". Amount is used for things you measure by weight or volume, so unless we are taking a leaf out of the Nazi's book, we should say "The number of people...".