Rob

Proof and pattern florins have gone through the roof in the last 5 or 6 years. I only want 3 'Godless' pieces to show the 3 obverses and 3 reverses and I have two, but when the third one on the list appeared in a sale last year, it made nearly 15K, or 10 times what I paid for the other two in 2010. At this level I'm a yesterday's man.

As I said, it's a chocolate teapot. It's apparently kosher, but then so is the meat in the local Jewish shop. I'll add the coin as nobody is likely to get it. A Weyl uniface pattern penny, which, if they would use any other reference would have told them is a Freeman 881. Interesting halfpenny.

We've had guess the grade in the past and frequently bemoaned the TPG mistakes. Now let's highlight the absurdity of what they consider acceptable references. They only use Peck and ESC as references, and not Freeman, Gouby, Davies etc. leaving the attribution of a coin in the lap of the gods. There are many things on this planet that it isn't. More useful would be to use a reference to say what it is. Anyone like to guess the coin in question based on this label?

I was looking too today. Some strong prices for some indifferent material at times and really difficult to buy for stock. The shilling is only 1250 book in fine, and that one's struggling to get there. On the plus side, mine must make me a millionaire, Rodney

Viewed head on they look like a normal gold proof

The Barton Metal pieces are plain edge.

Plenty more to come. There are approx. 170 Roman and 850 British in total.

1860 toothed border/beaded border penny. Lot 1462. Freeman 9. NGC have slabbed it as a halfpenny in their wisdom.

As is the description of the 1860 TB/BB mule on the slab. NGC have identified it as a halfpenny on the label, thus creating a variety that didn't exist previously and at same time producing a population report for said fantasy piece. Still, at least it fills the gap between penny and farthing. Another box to tick.

Yes they're low, but most people bidding on these will be fully aware of a rough market value, so will bid accordingly, and the prices he paid for some of the heavyweight items are well documented. The quality and rarity of a significant number of pieces relative to their peers renders the expected results uncertain in any case, so it is better for the auctioneer to get the ball rolling with multiple bids than it is to start close to where you think it will end up and end up having to pass lots. Low estimates may in fact benefit the bidder, because in virtually every sale something goes under the radar. e.g. in Noonans last December, I paid the same for the Edward III Reading penny (@one bid over starting price), as it sold for in 1983 - not bad for the best of 3 known given Stewartby's (second best) sold for nearly £1K in 2016. It wouldn't have happened if the estimate had been a more realistic £500-600.

Went to see part 1 of the British today with an advance list of potential box ticking lots. After some brutal pruning I'm left with 32 lots and a pre-sale estimate of around 80K Might have to conduct this auction in Turkish Lire

It's only really detrimental to coppers and proofs. As long as you don't coat it with your egg mayo sandwich, it will be fine. It's only the last 100 years we have had inert materials, so this had 300 years of exposure to handling prior to that.

Charles I at Morton & Eden

I forecast I will be looking for all the hidden piggy-banks during the next month or two, what with the Motcomb collection coming up as well. I could easily spend a six figure sum (which I don't have) in both these sales.

The grading on some of the pieces seems a little harsh to say the least. On the plus side, it should help to restrict the number collectors.