UK Penny collection for sale

[westing 0]

Hello, I have read the forum for a time but have not been an active poster / contributor. I am in the US and am working on liquidating a fairly large UK Penny collection. The collection spans from 1797 (with a few dates up to 1860), then from 1860 on. There are a large number of coin. Except for a coin like the 1933 (maybe one or two other dates) I have multiple coins for each date. This includes some harder to find variations (double die, 1926 ME, High Sea, Low Sea, small and large date years, etc, etc.). There are well over 1,000 coins? Does anyone know a collector in the states who may be willing to buy the entire collection?

Regards,

westing

[Peckris 579]

Hello, I have read the forum for a time but have not been an active poster / contributor. I am in the US and am working on liquidating a fairly large UK Penny collection. The collection spans from 1797 (with a few dates up to 1860), then from 1860 on. There are a large number of coin. Except for a coin like the 1933 (maybe one or two other dates) I have multiple coins for each date. This includes some harder to find variations (double die, 1926 ME, High Sea, Low Sea, small and large date years, etc, etc.). There are well over 1,000 coins? Does anyone know a collector in the states who may be willing to buy the entire collection?

Regards,

westing

Well this is largely a UK coin forum, though we do have a few honourable members from the States and Australia. However, there may be buyers here for some of your coins but I would say to you first : condition is everything. Even rare dates in poor condition wouldn't get much attention. And for that reason we'd have to see pictures before expressing any kind of interest. If you can guide us to a website or wherever you host such pictures, that would be spiffing.

[westing 0]

Didn't realize it was most a UK forum. The grades are from poor to Unc. And, to even try to post pictures, not sure how do that for 1,000 plus coins or where I would even start. I guess, I am hoping to find someone who is able to look at the coins personally. However, I see that I may be on the wrong forum.

[Paulus 1,942]

Hello, I have read the forum for a time but have not been an active poster / contributor. I am in the US and am working on liquidating a fairly large UK Penny collection. The collection spans from 1797 (with a few dates up to 1860), then from 1860 on. There are a large number of coin. Except for a coin like the 1933 (maybe one or two other dates) I have multiple coins for each date. This includes some harder to find variations (double die, 1926 ME, High Sea, Low Sea, small and large date years, etc, etc.). There are well over 1,000 coins? Does anyone know a collector in the states who may be willing to buy the entire collection?

Regards,

westing

Well this is largely a UK coin forum, though we do have a few honourable members from the States and Australia. However, there may be buyers here for some of your coins but I would say to you first : condition is everything. Even rare dates in poor condition wouldn't get much attention. And for that reason we'd have to see pictures before expressing any kind of interest. If you can guide us to a website or wherever you host such pictures, that would be spiffing.

What would also be tickety-boo is what are the highlights of those 1000+ coins? I.E. what non-rare coins in very high grade do you have, or what rare coins do you have in collectable grades? And as Peck says, pics are everything

[westing 0]

Thanks for your comments. I have been at this for about two years....selling different country and denominations in smaller batches. It is getting tedious.

I understand that for UK pennies, Fine and above are collectible. I also would not purchase a collection sight unseen, unless the price was ridiculously low....and even then, would hesitate unless I had money to throw away and felt like gambling.

So, given this, I do not expect anyone to purchase any coin or collection.... so....yes....pics are everything.....unless you can view the coins IN PERSON. Which is what I mentioned I am looking for. I am not interested in snapping 1,000 plus photos and posting them anywhere.

Regards

[Peter 615]

Why not picture a few nice coins?

Most of the 20C will be scrap unless EF+

[Peckris 579]

Thanks for your comments. I have been at this for about two years....selling different country and denominations in smaller batches. It is getting tedious.

I understand that for UK pennies, Fine and above are collectible. I also would not purchase a collection sight unseen, unless the price was ridiculously low....and even then, would hesitate unless I had money to throw away and felt like gambling.

So, given this, I do not expect anyone to purchase any coin or collection.... so....yes....pics are everything.....unless you can view the coins IN PERSON. Which is what I mentioned I am looking for. I am not interested in snapping 1,000 plus photos and posting them anywhere.

Regards

As Peter says, why not photograph a few of your best pieces? But as Peter also says, Fine is a non-starter for collectors of British pennies post-1887. They would want them VF+ minimum, and EF+ for 20th Century. (That's British VF and EF, by the way, not North American).

However, if you really want someone to call round and view the coins in person, then I'd recommend you find a coin forum based within 100 miles of your home. Otherwise, an international forum like this one, means your collection will be 'cherry picked' for its best pieces. That's just the way it is I'm afraid.

[westing 0]

Thanks for the comments. From your post......."means your collection will be 'cherry picked' for its best pieces." You are exactly right. This appears to the the only result of posting a few pictures.

I have 7 albums of british coins. I have already sold 1,200 of the low grade coins and am working to get rid of several hundred more. Even with selling that many, I still have 7 albums of coins......(20 coins per page). So, I am not interested in cherry picking and leaving the remainder to sell on EBay. And, this is why I am not bothering to post any pictures. I appreciate your comments to my post. Seriously. However, this is just one denomination from one country. I have every denomination from UK, US, Canada and need to spend time where it will be most productine. So, I'm not interested in putting effort where it would result in someone trying to make an offer for those pieces that would attract a buyer to purchase the whole collection.

Kind Regar

[Coppers 57]

Perhaps placing this penny set on ebay photographing and highlighting some of the better pieces might result in a more favorable price.

[Chris Perkins 223]

In my experience, large quantity nearly always equals low quality (because it indicates an accumulator of coins, rather than a collector). It depends on how dedicated and how serious (and how wealthy) the original collector of them was. They could be utter rubbish or could be middle of the road, i.e mainly nothing special with the odd lower value one among them, usually through coincidence more than anything else. A few sample pics of how they are stored, labelled etc usually indicates the seriousness of the collector/accumulator and allows one to gauge potential.

Without at least a few sample pictures (even if the dates aren't clear) I don't think I (or we) can help much.

[westing 0]

Not sure of how to post a pic.... will see if this works.

[westing 0]

Here are a few more, second time trying.....

[westing 0]

There are definately some poor quality coins here. At the same time, there are 127 (1926) that are Fine or better (graded conseratively) and 27 XF or better (1950) not counting the two I have now on EBAY, 4 AU and UNC (1951).

This gives the breadth of the set. Yes, there are poor quality coins, yes, usually when you have a large quantity, you WILL have poor quality coins....along with the good ones. It is easy to get rid of the good ones....not impossible to sell the poor quality ones.... evidenced by my selling 1200 already on eaby.

[RChris 3]

Where are you in the States? And what's your ebay name?

[TomGoodheart 373]

Hi Westing. Welcome. We do have a couple of US based members, though they've not commented on this thread yet. Can you tell us which state (or city) you're in, in case they might be interested?

An alternative is Coin Community Forum, which is a US based coin forum. The advantages are obviously geographic. The disadvantages are firstly, less specialised collectors of British coins there. Secondly you need to have a minimum number of posts (250) and have been a member there for a certain length of time (90 days) before you can offer items for sale. Not unreasonable, since they are trying to attract people who want to talk about coins, rather than just come on to sell. But a little inconvenient.

Finally, as you've no doubt realised, many people, including dealers, will only really be interested in the rarest and best condition coins. If you are prepared to take a bit of time to identify any such 'key' coins (and I'm sure people here will be happy to guide you to scarcer dates, identify varieties etc) had you considered perhaps letting the remainder go, perhaps through a local coin club to some younger collectors or people looking for some British coins for diversity? A LCC might also help you thin, research or build the parts of your collection you are more interested in?

Edited June 21, 2014 by TomGoodheart

[Rob 3,000]

Hi Westing. Welcome. We do have a couple of US based members, though they've not commented on this thread yet. Can you tell us which state (or city) you're in, in case they might be interested?

An alternative is Coin Community Forum, which is a US based coin forum. The advantages are obviously geographic. The disadvantages are firstly, less specialised collectors of British coins there. Secondly you need to have a minimum number of posts (250) and have been a member there for a certain length of time (90 days) before you can offer items for sale. Not unreasonable, since they are trying to attract people who want to talk about coins, rather than just come on to sell. But a little inconvenient.

Finally, as you've no doubt realised, many people, including dealers, will only really be interested in the rarest and best condition coins. If you are prepared to take a bit of time to identify any such 'key' coins (and I'm sure people here will be happy to guide you to scarcer dates, identify varieties etc) had you considered perhaps letting the remainder go, perhaps through a local coin club to some younger collectors or people looking for some British coins for diversity? A LCC might also help you thin, research or build the parts of your collection you are more interested in?

CCF is not very user friendly looking at it from the outside. Can't post links, can't sell, can't email others, can't do very much as a new member on CCF which is clearly laid out in the rules for posting. At first sight it would also seem to be very difficult to make 250 meaningful comments, though the quality of some posts shows that much drivel gets through and is deemed to be good. Useful additions to threads such as links to other coin related resources are not allowed, yet are one area where the casual posting by a new member could really make a contribution. You might have to make 250 inane comments in rapid succession to get your coins listed - best of luck.

[westing 0]

I am in Northern New Jersey. Close to Manhattan, close to upstate New York, Connecticut. I really understand that most collectors do not want to spend money on poor quality coins. I guess that is why it is so much easier to sell the better quality and the rare coins. I am hoping that, for example, since the 1926 is supposed to be a key coin, having such a large inventory of 1926's may be attractive. I think I need to find someone who is retired and has time to sell the coins through connections or on EBAY....keeping the ones they want and selling the rest.

As I mentioned, I have tried to sell off the lower quality coins and have done a fairly decent job (I think anyway). There are just so many more remaining. Funny right? I have too many coins....

Anyway, I have come to this forum and have found useful information in the past. If CCF is as regulated and closed as described, it seems I may be better off spending time elsewhere....or maybe I need to start a web site and list coins there. I don't know.

Lastly, here are a few more pictures. I know we all do like pics....I really found those beneficial as well in the past. So, pardon my reluctance earlier....

[Peter 615]

You will never get rich from those.

The 50 & 51 always do well on ebay but apart from that looks like 99p city.

[scott 129]

the 1 over 1 might be more for the US market then here.

Edited June 22, 2014 by scott

[westing 0]

I never said anything on this thread that would lead anyone here to believe that my intention was to get rich. Someone asked for pics of the quality of the coins in the collection. The 50 and 51 are but just two in among the pics I posted. I have no idea where this comment is coming from.

[goomolique 3]

[Peckris 579]

I never said anything on this thread that would lead anyone here to believe that my intention was to get rich. Someone asked for pics of the quality of the coins in the collection. The 50 and 51 are but just two in among the pics I posted. I have no idea where this comment is coming from.

I am in Northern New Jersey. Close to Manhattan, close to upstate New York, Connecticut. I really understand that most collectors do not want to spend money on poor quality coins. I guess that is why it is so much easier to sell the better quality and the rare coins. I am hoping that, for example, since the 1926 is supposed to be a key coin, having such a large inventory of 1926's may be attractive. I think I need to find someone who is retired and has time to sell the coins through connections or on EBAY....keeping the ones they want and selling the rest.

As I mentioned, I have tried to sell off the lower quality coins and have done a fairly decent job (I think anyway). There are just so many more remaining. Funny right? I have too many coins....

Anyway, I have come to this forum and have found useful information in the past. If CCF is as regulated and closed as described, it seems I may be better off spending time elsewhere....or maybe I need to start a web site and list coins there. I don't know.

Lastly, here are a few more pictures. I know we all do like pics....I really found those beneficial as well in the past. So, pardon my reluctance earlier....

Thanks for posting some pictures - that gives us a more realistic idea of the collection. If I may give some feedback, without offence?

1. The 'poor quality' examples are worth scrap value only I'm afraid.

2. The 1950 and 1951 - while by no means rare - always sell well, and could be sold via eBay

3. Neither 1932 is good enough for serious collectors, but the better one could go on eBay at 99c start

4. There are collectors for the 1861 varieties, so that might also be best disposed of on eBay

5. The 'ordinary' 1926 penny is not so key as you might think - and having a large number of them is really not attractive!! Dribbling them onto eBay a few at a time, might be the best way to go in the end

To be honest, from what I can see, there isn't anything there that would attract a serious collector. A casual collector would also be put off by there being multiples of some dates. You might find that either putting the entire lot into an auction and seeing how they fare, or selling the whole lot to a dealer, may be the way forward.

[westing 0]

Peckris, thanks for your comment. How would you grade the better 32?

[Peter 615]

I would grade the 1932 at GF plus a bit

[Chris Perkins 223]

Also, without being rude. When I get coins like that, they get scrapped for the copper content. For the time involved in listing, photographing, waiting for a sale for 99c etc (assuming they do sell), it's just not worth the effort and certainly not worth the cost posting most of those anywhere. As mentioned above, there are some there that you can sell, but if those images represent the best, then don't waste too much time on the rest.

If I were nearer I'd pop round and make 2 piles with you (one for low value but saleable coins and another to take to the scrap man).