Chris Perkins

That's a fake, and not even a very convincing one. Perhaps it was intended to be used as something else, tourist piece, keepsake or whatever.

I shall certainly try that thanks. The books aren't really sold here in Germany, I didn't think there would really be a huge demand as they are about something British and in English. Although, I know there are of course people with English connections here, but I just didn't think there would be many sales around. I'll certainly try that number though,

Good stuff tubandpud, thankyou for your help and welcome to the forum (it's good to have someone else in here that's actually left full time education!)

You can see a double T in that tiny image?? It's a great offer, why not try selling them at school JMD?

Thanks tubandpud, that's pretty much what the Gillingham, Kent branch said too. If they say it again, point out that it is on their website, so the computers can't be in sync somewhere along the line. I found out today that WHSmith may be getting their books from a big book wholesaler that I supply. Apparently said wholesaler have got a lot on this time of year and have been unable to get books on shelves yet! In the mean time I contacted WHS offering them a slightly bigger discount if they buy from me in volume.

100 books at a very respectable 50% discount are now listed on ebay: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...me=STRK:MESE:IT

Yes, that's great, thanks Syl. Tell him if he wants more than 10 I'll do a much better discount.

Here's an idea, none of you probably have the time, but here goes.... Plan: I send you a few sample CCGB2005's, you visit or telephone local bookshops, newsagents, charity shops, mental institutions, supermarkets, hospitals (whatever) and any other place that could potentially sell my book. You offer it to the folks at 35% off the cover price (£3.22), and give them a free book if they sound very interested, tell them they can sell it for £4.95, but to contact you when they want more. For every book you sell (bearing in mind some popular or bigger shops may take 10 or even more) I'll give you £1.00 and send them directly to the buyer (post paid). Doesn't sound like a lot, but then for a £4.95 book there isn't a lot of room! It won't be easy (believe me I know) and you may have to get used to rejection! Or you may stumble upon someone just like that, who wants 100 for his busy bookshop. I already had a few orders for the book before it was printed, but they certainly didn't all come to me, and i've sold 1500 in a little less than a month (mostly to major book people of course). Candidates must be smart, friendly and nothing like a double glasing salesman, but a least with a little balls to be firm with the peeps. PM me if you're interested and can spare an hour when you next go down the shops.

A member of the public contacted me to say that she buys the book every year for her dad. This year she tried WHSmith and that particular (and hopefully it was just that one) said they hadn't stocked it for the last couple of years!

I'm on there too at 260.

Oh you're British too! I'm right over in the East, near Chemnitz. There are no Brits probably for 50 miles in all directions! Although I do know an Australian. I know what you mean about getting UK coins cheaper in Germany. What's your ebay id? if I see you bidding against me on ebay.de perhaps we can come to some arrangement and get the coin but share the profit or something.

It's alright Pete, no problem at all. We could really do with a few more non British Members, even if they are not at all interested in British coins. I'm in Germany too, where are you located?

But he's right you know, if the coin is in top grade and a rare year/mintletter it can be worth EUR30-50. Like with a lot of coin ranges, there are rare years/types, but the vast majority are not worth very much at all. The reason I'm always conservative and try not to get peoples hopes up is because usually people have a load of very common very worn coins! The chances that the original poster had a rarer one in EF or better condition are very small. 1957G is a scarcer one (the original post specified 1957), but only worth more than a pound or 2 if EF or better.

Thanks Syl, Waterstone's and Ottakers are both taking stock. (From Gardners Books) I think i've tried every major bookseller, but it really isn't easy getting some of them to take your book....or everyone would be writing books I suppose. Yesterday the Republic of Irelands largest bookseller (Eason and Son) took 300 copies. Such lovely people...They said they would call, and half hour later they called with a respectable order. Why can't those people in Swindon be like that.

I have singles on ebay (so does another seller) but I don't yet have 10's and 100's. I will do at some point.

I'm not too impressed either, the thing is, if they don't take the 1000 books that I basically printed with them in mind there is a rish i'll end up stuck with them!

Following my online order, I got an email from WHSmith: We have received a report that the above order is currently out of stock with the supplier. We apologise for the inconvenience this delay causes. We will keep the order recorded on your account and we will only charge your card once the order is in stock and ready to be delivered to you. Erm, that's strange, because I'm the supplier and I have over 3500 copies stored in the house over the road!!!

Don't you already have one? Fair enough.

'Re-Supply', that's either rubbish, or they've been getting them from Gardners books. Hopefully they'll need to order through me before the 3rd. I don't mind if WHSmith order, or Gardners books, but I'd rather they came to me directly, because they tend to buy loads at once, and Gardners only take smaller amounts. If you get a copy Geordie, send it to me and I'll pay you for it including postage costs.

I've now ordered one online for delivery to someone else (so it looks like a gift!). On the last page it said: We are happy to confirm that you will not be charged for this order until we are ready to send it to you. So that may imply that they don't have any, which now means they have to get some Next time I'm in the UK I'll order it in lots of different branches too, until they (or a wholesaler acting for them) order a large quantity.

That wasn't there when I last checked! They either suddenly updated their book database (which comes from a national group that all publishers add new books to) and they're getting stock from a book wholesaler, and not from me. There is a small possibility that me ordering one yesterday triggered their system to add the book. But however it managed to get there, is of course great!

Oh dear, I can see how perhaps someone who wasn't into coins might think that an average price for a range of coins might do the trick in some cases. I don't think any coin collector would think that though! Keep it quiet a, leave them to do it how they want. I don't want any more adequate competition! By the way, Coin News won't let me advertise my book in their mag, because it will compete directly with the Coin Year Book.

WHSmith are pissing me off. Everytime I try to call their non fiction book buyer at their Swindon HQ, she's either busy, not there, on the phone etc. Despite emails and umpteen messages left with her colleagues to get her to call me back, she simply isn't! So, as a result of that, WHSmith, who usually take at least 1000 "Collectors Coins" books when they are fresh every year, have absolutely no books at the moment. The reason this pisses me off slightly is because every day lost means Christmas sales lost, and how are people supposed to buy my book if it isn't there! So, I would like you loyal British based forumees, if you get a chance, to either phone or visit your local WHSmith and ask them to sell you a copy of "Collectors' Coins Great Britain 2005" (ISBN 0-948964-42-1). They'll find of course that they don't have one in stock and that they do not recognise the ISBN...... To this you can reply: 'Well, it is a very new book, perhaps it isn't showing on your system yet'. Then ask them to order it in for you, they will then ask for your name and a phone number. Tell them your real name if you like and your real number and ask them to contact you when they have it, as 'It's important, and needed as a Christmas gift'. Hopefully they'll then order it in, and should you receive a phonecall you can simply say that you managed to find a copy elsewhere. The main thing is that if as many WHSmith branches as possible show an interest at HQ for the book, it may well cause them to get their fingers out and order a big stock of it. I did it just now with a Kent branch, seemed to work pretty well. (in the event that you somehow have to buy the book, the purchase will be funded by me!)

No, never. They were bloody useless. In fact I was more angry with Western Union that I was with the conning Russian in the end. They simply didn't want to know about how their representatives in the post office in Chemnitz were not properly trained and had caused me to loose £100! So now I simply don't use Western Union.

Here's the picture: (downloading the zip file is not necessary)