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One of the greatest enjoyments I have had in the last 4 years is the collecting, of often very beautiful, miniature coins dating from the 19thC and early 20thC. Made by the company of L Ch Lauer and a couple of other toy manufacturers Balmberger and Cooke (in the UK ?) These tiny copies usually around 13 mm are almost perfect replicas of the coinages of Victoria, Edward VII and George V (rare) with a couple of others George IV along with sets for each country. A rather expensive book by D J de Solar Rogers cover the subject in some detail and there is a wonderful online collection at the Fitzwilliam Museum donated by this author. In the four years I have been collecting the price seems to have climbed in the rarer country types USA, Germany, Belgium, French, Spain , and others. The detailing is wonderful They were made essentially as toys of course for children but of course mostly for girls in part ,I am sure, as a learning tool to learn home economics hence the name dolls House Coins. They are made of zinc, copper, tinned, brass and iron coated with gold and silver and copper. I wondered if anyone else is interested in this more obscure numismatic area of interest?

https://youtu.be/5EcnUmnbyUQ Beautiful song about a collector of a different sort. Big Big Train are a contemporary Brit prog rock outfit. Lineup includes Dave Gregory of XTC.

I don't know about anyone else, but I have to have music on when I am working with my coins. Pink Floyd is my absolute favourite but quite a few other groups and artists figure frequently in my (randomised) playlist. Here are my top twenty, in no particular order (after Pink Floyd): Pink Floyd Tangerine Dream Led Zeppelin Muse Adele Gorillaz King Crimson Mike Oldfield Moody Blues Fleetwood Mac Emerson Lake and Palmer Dire Straits Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel Suzanne Vega The Strawbs The Beautiful South Thin Lizzy Chris Rea Pentangle David Bowie What does everyone else listen to? Modern or Classical?

Looking for a new hobby, wife inherits a half-sovereign and... abracadabra! Here I am. I see coins as tangible, and sometimes beautiful, artifacts that are representative of ages, events and historical figures; Something you can hold in your hand that has passed through the pockets and purses of ordinary people of times past. I've also decided to collect a small number of meaningful coins rather than going for bulk. With this in view, I'm focusing, perhaps unwisely, on Australian proclamation coins. I'm less than a week into numismatics. I foolishly purchased earlier in the week a 1794 guinea. From eBay. From an unknown seller. Without research. Without photos. My monthly budget is about 50 pounds. I spent about 430 pounds on this coins. A bit of retrospective reading revealed that, apparently, "good very fine" doesn't mean what a layman would expect. I'm about to start looking for a 1787 shilling. Here are a few questions: How do I tell the difference between a poor strike and coin wear? I'm aware of some of the pieces of evidence of cleaning/dipping. Is there a comprehensive, illustrated guide somewhere? Do you have a preferred variant of this coin? If so, which and why? Could I get one in extra-fine condition for somewhere in the range of 100-150 pounds? Are there any trustworthy sellers you could recommend? It will take me between two and three months to save, so plenty of time for reading. Thanks! Looking forward to learning from this community of friendly experts.

Shut Up, or I'll have a Cardiac Arrest. My Girl's mad at me, as it is...

You win!

Just pass the ready rub

Yes, an embarrassment, a living endorsement

Absolutely, and arguably the best for the price, although there are some other excellent cabinet makers around.

Welcome to the House Of Fun, Madness Good choice, the 1787 shilling. A nice coin with a bit of history, some different variants and fairly widely available at reasonably low prices. Mine is probably a bit lower grade than you are looking for, but it only cost me 40 GBP, about 3 years ago.

Hi Madness, Welcome to the forums . Trying to answer your questions as best I can: In relation to the 1787 shilling, you don't really need to worry about weak strikes. It was a limited edition strike using a revolutionary new method - compared to standard early milled - made available (at the time) only to BAnk customers. This is why so many exist in high grade; in fact, I'm not sure I've ever seen a worn one? Evidence of cleaning / dipping is either obvious, or it's more subtle and you would need to see the coin in hand, or else post good pictures here No, not personally. With or without semée of hearts makes little difference to me (I think my shilling is one type, my sixpence the other?) Yes There are members of this forum who will give you excellent advice on good sellers.

best to start on a few books , sounds like one on gradeing might be a must as well. coins can come later . Like most hobbies a little knowlege is a dangerous thing

Welcome to the madhouse! I am sure you will have a lot of fun here. It seems you have already learnt a painful lesson with your Guinea purchase - I am sorry to hear that. Are you not able to return it for a full refund? I won't try to answer all your questions at once - others will chip in soon I hope. A few thoughts: - Telling wear from poor strike will come with experience and can be very difficult in some cases. The main thing is that wear should only be on the highest points of the design. If the coin looks flat and lacking detail in the troughs, then it may be a weak strike - or even a copy. - The two main variants of the 1787 shilling (with and without Semee of hearts) are equally common and seem to have no difference in price. Far more important is the eye-appeal of the particular coin you are looking at. - As you have learnt, pay no attention to the grades claimed by sellers on Ebay. (A reputable coin dealer, Third Party Grading company or auction house is a different matter, but even then opinions will differ.) Go for the coin that appeals to you most. You can go for TPG graded coins if you wish, but you will pay a substantial premium for these. I prefer my coins free of plastic! - Unslabbed a decent VF+ to EF 1787 Shilling should be easily achievable in your budget if you are patient. They are not scarce coins. I hope that helps and I look forward to seeing other opinions.

Agree with you Peter. We need a picture. If the date hasn't got an H underneath the date, then the minimum rarity is R12, which is rare. In fact the commonest 1874 halfpenny, with an H, is R8, so not common even then.

It's a lot cheaper to fill a die and recut one character than it is to start from scratch. This applies whether it was a change of privy mark following the pyx, or a change in the calendar year. The mint was not a publicly funded institution with everyone salaried, rather the running costs came out of the sum given to the master of the mint who employed all those under him. Consequently, the cheapest remedy gave him the best return on his activities.

There were nearly 7 million of the 1927 old shield reverse issued, but as ozjohn says, only 15.000 proof versions of the new shield reverse. I bet the owner did fall on hard times. Either that or it was stolen and the thief just thought it was an ordinary halfcrown. The term "impaired proof" comes to mind.

This 1860 penny sold on EBay a few days ago, I did put in a lowish bid but was deterred by the apparent corrosion, others were clearly more optimistic as it went for over £300. If it does clean, a bargain. If not, I suppose the price is fair, it appears to be excessively rare. But which is it? The obverse is clearly one of the thick rimmed early pattern/currency coins, but I cannot tell if the gaze is horizontal or downward. I cannot make out the shamrock etc clearly on the bodice. The reverse shield detail is delineated by double raised lines, not treble. Is this one of the Freeman 8 coins? Any ideas? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/-/202347077689?nordt=true&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l10137 Thoughts appreciated. Jerry

Yes, clearly A+c - the long stem on the shamrock is clear and definitely reverse c from the shield/cross details. Satin 2 - Very rare die pairing ! This will be only the 3rd example on my rarest website.

It's 1** + C from a known pairing of working dies (British Numismatic Journal vol. 87, page 197)... Best Regards, InforaPenny

Iain Dracott mentions it in his description of reverse G in his 2004 article. Item 4 in his description. "4. Some reverse G have missing rocks left of lighthouse, mainly on 1861-1863."

It is corroded by whatever method. Dissolving the surfaces in an acidic solution will retain the detail, but this becomes progressively thinner as the corrosion will dissolve the detail perpendicular to the surface at any point, i.e. from the side of lettering too, thus narrowing the character. This has been discussed several times previously.

I have no idea subliminal recognition may also play a part in all this, propaganda art has always been a factor in coins. The very fact that a kings image exists on a coin is to present this to the population they would never see him...well most. The transmogrification idea rests somewhere perhaps in the idea of the DEI GRATIA by the anointing of a the king as the servant in a christian world to God. The christian motif of lion and Lamb is used periodically in imagery and images are the most powerful method of control in a generally illiterate population. The use of the Lion when it does appear what is its meaning as a design element what does it say? I think designs are not chosen in coins just to make a pretty statement they are there for a purpose. This is something we have to acknowledge whether the lion is obvious or hidden. I dont know maybe the whole lion in the head of a king goes back to the Nemean lion skin that Alexander has on his head, stolen from the demigod Hercules a transitional entity not true god but half god let's face it the divine right of kings was a pretty strong reality. Iconography and propaganda is a complex weave or purpose and manipulation. How better to do that than the coins in the pocket that keep you alive buying protection and security. The designs on Roman and Greek coins served a purpose to re-enforce the power of the state or empire and what is on the very first coin a Lion and a weaker sacrificial animal ram, lamb, or calf on the obverse of the stater. What is more interesting however is what exists in the recessive reverse which if you examine them are very interesting as much so as the raised area. this has kept me interested in coins now for a few years seeking interest in part of the history of coining since 700bc to the present. I find it all intriguing and it forces me to ask questions rather than take a passive approach to collecting

This is just a random selection of 8 favourite tracks (such a choice is in reality impossible): - Neneh Cherry & Yousuf N'Dour - 7 Seconds - Laurie Johnson - Theme to 'The Avengers' - Love - Alone Again Or - The Beach Boys - Surf's Up - The Who - Baba O'Riley - David Bowie - Life On Mars? - Ralph Vaughn-Williams - Fantasia on a theme by Tallis - Creedence Clearwater Revival - I Put A Spell On You (no Beatles as I simply found it impossible to isolate just one song)

Never heard of him. Must investigate, based on that first listening. Very quickly off the top of me yed: Thomas Dolby Buzzcocks The Planets esp. Venus and Neptune Debussy Solution pre-1980 XTC Alan Parsons Project Bonzos Alan Holdsworth Jeff Beck Donald Fagan Freddie Hubbard Jean-Luc Ponty Kraftwerk Soapkills 10cc

Mozart Purcell Stones (Jones era) Bowie (1968-73) Desmond Dekker Toots and the Maytals Velvet Underground Chuck Berry Pergolese Gluck Bessie Smith Cab Calloway Hank Williams Gram Parsons Byrds Laura Nyro Ute Lemper Steve Earle Emmylou Harris Beatles Bach John Dowland George Formby 'Hey-hey. Turned out nice again…..'

In no particular order: Beatles Who Genesis Steely Dan Grateful Dead Mercury Rev Goldfrapp Father John Misty John Grant Oscar Peterson Miles DAvis Queen Pink Floyd Misty In Roots Sly & Robbie (dub) Nick Drake Sleaford Mods Joni Mitchell Neil Young David Crosby Zappa Leonard Cohen Chic Buzzcocks Magazine Dire Straits The Beat The Specials Madness …and many more I've missed at first think