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I have a new forum 'partner' so you'll now see catawiki adverts on the forum pages. Catawiki are a Dutch online auction company that have recently set up a UK site. It's better than eBay in the respect that the listings are moderated by experts in each category field. They don't yet have the quality of items that eBay do, but what they do have should be of better quality, at least when they are established with a good number of UK based users. The auctions end weekly (currently 25,000) and they have many other categories from classic cars to jewellery and all manner of collectables. Please consider joining as a buyer or seller. A link is directly under this post (not sure if it's properly visible on phones/tablets yet, perhaps you could let me know).

Well, personally, I thought I put a lot of effort into this post, and raised some pretty valid points, at least in my humble opinion? Yes, they may have partially contradicted Rob's original hypothesis, but it doesn't make it off-limits to anyone else! Even a first timer could look at the evidence presented and make some comment? Frustrated? Yes! My time wasted? Yes! Do it again? No! edit: alcohol? No, not this time!

Umm legal tender, neither legal nor tender in my opinion.

It's already slabbed by CGS.@ 78 There's a pic in my other thread.

No I wouldn't pay a lot for one, so not fussed in having one in high grade. There's also some sort of oil slick on the O in ONE. If I'm honest I prefer the colour on the one I just bought to this higher grade one. It only cost me £1.45.

Its not far off Dan probably closer to EF you should be able to get a really nice one with full lustre for about £40- £60, If thats a bit expensive the proofs of the same year are cheaper.

A lot more than you might think.

True, but how many rarities exist in the period around 1860? I can think of more right now that I can count on both of my hand, whereas the rarities of the 'modern era' are far and few between. While there might be less collectors, there are far less different rare examples to be had. Most of which are not that rare but still fetch a little premium, the undated 20p, kew gardens 50p (which the RM unecessarily blew out of proportion IMO). Pete, off the top of my head; - undated 20p - kew gardens 50p - 1983 new pence 2p - Aquatics 50p with waves over the face - (a little less known) 1992 10p with 1 point to bead (broad rim) I'm sure there's a couple more

I'm not sure I'd attempt a positive id on either of the last two objects from the pics, really not enough evidence as to function; in fact I don't think either would have got beyond my scrap metal bucket (surprising how much I get from the scrappie every few years). Here are a couple of my Roman Fibulae over the last couple of years.

Yes, we've discussed this at length before. CGS tends to prefer overdipped, lightly cleaned, 300-400 year old untoned silver. The fact is that silver tones with age. There is no such thing as a blast white "original" silver coin that is 300 years old.

I'd go for GEF/UNC - disappointing carbon spot in the O of FLORIN. Nice coin generally, though

Thought i would reply as only my opinion. I Have 213 pennies that are slabbed CGS/NGC/PCGS/ANACS. I Have checked them before buying/slabbing and bought some slabbed already after checking the attribution. I dont sell any and my collection will only surface in about 18 years i.e. i put them away and happy with the fact that they are not gathering dust. Why would anyone do this.......well thats up to me and the 3K i have spent on slabbing means i have returned numerous coins that were not as sold . This in some instances has upset the dealer but not being an expert happy with the independent opinion. I am happy with the attribution of all of them............and the fact they appear problem free. Two coins alone cost me £3K but got my money back as had problems. I have numerous American slabs not attributed correctly ,a nice 1911 gouby X, an unc 1858 F/B ,1903 open 3 ,1841 Tail 8 etc. Everyone to there own but your question was left wide open for an answer................Its up to me . I am not an expert and like an independent opinion ... my mates think i am daft ....dont have any mates that collect coins....£13-25 a coin is not alot to spend. Pete.

The way I see it, the UK market remains very much a 'raw' one whereas the US market is very much wedded to slabbed. London Coins are trying to create a market in the UK for slabbed coins through CGS but that market remains pretty limited to their own auctions. If I want to sell coins in the USA I really need to get them slabbed and the grade assigned is everything. There is often a significant price difference between an MS63 and an MS65 and these coins often sell at a premium to what we see in the UK. If I want to sell coins in the UK, 'raw' still works just as well. Maybe not at London Coins but certainly at Spink or DNW. Perhaps that will change over time. But I think that CGS have made a mistake by creating their own grading scale. They should have adopted the US one. That would have given their slabbed coins more credibility in the international market. I would not have my coins slabbed/graded by CGS because that would be too limiting.