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And a lovely 1862 'three extra plumes', also from Ebay at about £1250 with costs.

Here are a few of my recent acquisitions, though over the last couple of months rather than week as I have only just got round to taking photographs. Some are rare, some cheap and others just quirky. First a nice 1862 F39 that was a Buy it now of about £10 from a European Ebay site.

Specsavers down under have a good range of ads. Look for Specsavers banned ad on Youtube. Certainly wouldn't be shown in the UK But these might well be:

Shame it’s not Edward 😅

Sorry if i have confused things Terry. Your top picture is BP1898Ba....New variety. Second picture BP1898B.....As it has always been.

Here is my wide date 1898 Pete, I think it is 11 teeth too, so BP1898Ab too. Jerry

This one arrived in an email today - first belly laugh I've had in ages!

A cheap 1875H penny, spent a week on Ebay and sold for £81. Not perfect, but good lustre and interesting, a die match with LCA 144 lot 1860 2.3.14 with a raised line in the exergue below the 1 of the date, a poor repair of linear circle. There are other die repairs too, worthy of note is re-engraving around the crossing of the trident and forearm to make the trident shaft stand out. This coin looks much nicer in hand than photos!

I'm not half as drinkled as some thinkle peep I are!

Is there a 12 step programme, or is the pub further away than that?

Hi Jerry , I think Pete is referring to the Two different date widths of the BP1898B with the straight crossing centre bars of the last 8 . Your new example looks as though its the narrower type 10.75 tooth now classified as BP1898Ba , top example in the picture below. The bottom example in the picture shown below is the wider one at 11 teeth with the 8 over a tooth , Pete hasn't said but would probably be BP1898Bb.

Having probs trying to transmit Bull page print within system allowed size. Will 'switch on/off (sometime works) and keep on trying but maybe quicker if you let me have your email address? Rob's provenance is same as shows on Bulls. Cliff

J G Brooker 321, Rodney Smith (Lord Smith of Marlow) and H H Snellenburg. The latter is likely to have bought it during the 1950s, but could be one of many collections.

Very, VERY NICE, bet you're pleased with that Sword! Bull 212b / 28 plate coin if I'm not mistaken?

close-up.

A nice 1898 BP1898B penny with the second '8' font. Good subdued lustre, about £20 on Ebay, a risk on a suggestive but blurry photo.

An 1897 'Dot' penny from an end-stage die, £10 on Ebay. This die as you can see is worn and cracked, though a hint of lustre remains. Have you seen a later example?

close-up.

I've spent a good few hours over Easter watching the solitary bees round the bug hotel. It's been like Biggin Hill some days. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rErO8E6WNMI Seeing them emerge into the world is quite satisfying: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q73F5LpcU1M

Taking into account what's happening at the moment, I've started a new Association - 'Alcoholics Unanimous'. If you don't fancy a drink, you ring us up and we talk you into having one.....

Berberis fruit is edible so I reckon you'd be good.

Yes it is. Add another £40k since Mark Rasmussen last sold it in 2018. 30% uplift isn't bad IF they can sell it this year with the added NGC hype. I have my doubts though. Despite all the comparisons in their ad copy to 1933 examples, I'd still prefer a 1933 example at that price. By the way, do any of you know if the Royal Mint has confirmed that it is unique and not that another will turn up on Ebay in a battered old tin of pennies 'found in Marleybob's attic'?

Well, Burberry's most famous product is their trench coat ... which you presumably had to dig for the Berberis? 😆

LOTR King of the dead, dead spit

I'm rather enjoying the confinement, catching up on several years of garden neglect and its nice to have the wife around (life is normally one long coffee morning for her). So the veg plot is getting into order, spuds and onions and strawberries are in and seeds germinating in pots, neglected hedges cut back (hence bonfires ready for autumn) and wildflower meadow starting to bloom. I love the Spring. Jerry

The blossoms on my trees this year are amazing , we live on the top of a hill and its not unusual for all the blossoms to blow off, but the last few days have been kind to them and the result is a profusion of colour. Picture of my cherry tree below.

What seemed to be a VF penny - about EF 1892 Penny snagged today. Pleased 'Honi' is still visible to the eye & just about make out lighthouse bricks - patchy, but they are slight (provided I wear my glasses). Chuffed to bits with it.