Chris Perkins

There is a token offering of Roman coins on the site, here: http://www.predecimal.com/forsale/romanforsale1.htm And a Roman coin book here: http://www.predecimal.com/books/ccromanframed.htm But you're right, no gold coins I'm afraid, because basically I don't know enough about them to be able to buy and sell them efficiently. So I don't know anything about the coins you have linked to, except that the second one is of a vastly superior grade to the ebay coin. I would not expect the ebay 'Fine' example to fetch anywhere near that 'EF' second one, but I really don't know about Roman gold trends. Chris Perkins www.predecimal.com

I would assume a 'George III 1788 Spade Ace Guinea'

It's a double arrow fo me too. I run it! Aha, worked it out.....It's because there is one or more forum within that forum area (the ad forum about the collectors coins book) So you get a double arrow to show that there are more areas within. Alles Klar? Chris

If those symbols are highlighted blue it means there is a new message (or new messages) that you haven't read yet. I can't remeber the difference between the double arrow and 'X' sign, I think it may have something to do with if you started the discussion or not. I just work here, and only have 1 star on my badge! Chris

I've never seen any numbers for that kind of thing. Usually the mintage numbers in any given year are just for the coins struck that year, regardless of how they were dated. Chris

That's not a million miles from Kent/SE London. I'll have to see how I'm fixed up, i'd like to see your oddities! Chris

Yes there was a bit of an error there and the higher rank actually had less 'pips' associated with it. I've sorted it now and added a few more goals! Shown below are the current ranks, and numbers of posts needed to achieve them: Newbie 0 Starter member 5 Member 30 Regular participating member 50 Very familiar face 150 Part of the furniture 200 Forum god 500 Which left hand symbols do you mean Olli? Chris

So you think they would go to the lengths of putting two obv dies in the machine just for testing purposes. Possible I suppose. I'd like to see it, where are you located Dan? Chris

I wouldn't be able to sleep at night if I sold a cu-ni circulated 6d for £20.00 Chris

Thought you'd like it, It occured to me that the seller may up her price if she realised that you wanted it so much! So I removed the picture and edited my post to not say the year. Would be grateful if you could keep it hush hush in here until I have it in hand Chris

I have just shown Sylvester a picture of a sixpence I may soon have from a GB dealer....

I think I may have an 1895 Proof Farthing, either that or it was the first off the run with the bran new die. Chris

Super, how did you come by those? Chris

I think that the next stage for ebay, as coin buying selling is so popular is that they should employ me to check every new listing and edit out all the crap, and even stop the auctions if the seller offers too much crap. That way proper buyers and sellers wouldn't have to trawl through 100's of rubbish items just put on in a clueless attempt to make money for the seller. But they won't, because the only one to make money out of all the pure S$*t that doesn't sell on ebay...Is ebay. Chris

Can I see a scan of it? Both sides? Would you offer a refund if the buyer could prove it was not real? I have seen some clever things involving the hollowing out of one coin leaving one side and the full rim, then trimming another coin to fit into the hollow part of the first coin. It's all down to how much someone is willing to pay for it, and I don't think there are many that would go to £200.00 I was offered £75 for my halfpenny on a milled bronze shilling blank. Chris

Custard, You bought it after following a link from me? When, exactly? Can you tell me when and forward me the email receipt or a reference number, if you got one? I want to make sure these Libertystreet people are honestly paying their commission properly. If not then I certainly won't be advertising them anymore! Chris. www.predecimal.com cp@predecimal.com

DAS, Yes I thought you might. I have burned a CD just now, so please remind me before I send your next batch. My memory is terrible lately. Chris

Coin Manage 2003 UK is a piece of software available from Liberty Street, a canadian based data base producer. In it's current form the software is good and has many useful features, but because it was originally designed for US/Canadian coin collectors there are perhaps some improvements that could be made to make it easier to use for British collectors. I have established this forum to collect points of view about the software and will submit them to the makers in the hope that the next version will be more useful (and sell more!) to British coin collectors. I encourage you to download the 30 day trial product here: ftp://libertystreet.com/pub/CoinMngUK.exe Play around with it and make your feelings known in this forum. It will be beneficial to us all if the next release in more British coin collector friendly. The download is however quite large at 39mb, so if you just email me, and assuming it breaks no copyright rules I don't mind sending it to you on CD for free. The producers main site is here: http://www.libertystreet.com/index.htm ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Trying it out myself the main problems I have noticed are that the full range of GB coin grades is not selectable when adding a coin to the database and the quoted catalogue values are out of date. Thanks, Chris.

Rita, About face value, perhaps a slight bit over, but not much. Chris www.predecimal.com

I once heard from a US coin dealer who had travelled some considerable distance (by plane) to see a very nice collection of US coins for private sale.... When he arrived the owner said he had cleaned them up while he was on his way to make them more presentable!!!! What was a collection worth 1000's of pounds was now worth face/bullion value. As Tommy Cooper would say....'Just like that' Chris

Lindner, SAFE and Lighthouse, the 3 major collecting accessory manufacturers here in Germany (and indeed the world) all produce cleaning/polishing dips for all metals!!!! It's absolutely criminal, and they should know better! Everyone in Germany cleans their coins, stupid people. Chris

The first one looks like something has got trapped between the coin and die, certainly looks contemporary, and a shame it's right on the bust. Does look a bit brighter than perhaps would be natural, but the tone isn't unplesant. Second one looks cleaned to me, and probably recently, the tone looks too bright. Chris

I suppose the hairlines could have just been where someone rubbed it with something at some early stage, not necessarily 'cleaning'. I know it's newer than your area but I know that it's difficult to find a 1902 gold proof coin without hairlines because the mint workers tried to buff the matt surface when the coins came off the press. I always judge by the tone of the coin, and if you are not happy with the way it looks then don't have it! I suppose it is likely that people at the time just gave them a little rub to make them look nicer. I thought that haymarking was due to rusted dies. I know that dies were often used beyond what they should have been, and that they sometimes got corroded or generally scummy, causing incuse damage to the coins they struck. Maybe cleaning with acid would do a similar thing, but i think that's a bit Star Trek really, as the damage always looks contemporary to me! But then i'm no expert. Chris

Certainly, my pleasure... In the 1949 Book is says R2, which means 'Very rare'. It also says the same in the 1992 book. 1682 is also listed as R2 in both books. There are some undated CII milled sixpences that are R5-R6 including one on a thicker (possibly shilling) flan. The rarity scale in the books are as follows: R7 Only 1 or 2 examples R6 3-4 examples R5 5-10 examples R4 11-20 examples R3 Extremely rare R2 Very rare R Rare S Scarce N Normal C Common C2 Very common C3 Extremely common Chris

I am now a proud owner of the 1949 first edition 'The English Silver Coinage' 1649-1949, by B A Seaby ltd. No mintages in there, instead it gives each coin a rarity scale of about 1-10 and even shows patterns etc where only 2 or 3 examples are known. It's interesting comparing it to the latest 1992 edition. Some coins have actually managed to get more common over the 40+ year gap! I also have a 1949 Seaby/Spink 'bible' to go with my 1968, 1970, 1974, 1989, 1998 and 2000-2004 editions. I love seeing how certain coins have risen in value and like Sylvester I wish I could go back and buy...For example, a 1937 Sovereign for £12.00 (2004 Cat value £750.00!) Chris