Chris Perkins

Yes that's why they're rare and the nice examples are rarer. The same thing happened in America in the early days of your Philedelphia mint I read yesterday. Both with silver and gold coins. Chris

And I bet some of those were remelted, either officially or not. Chris

I think they're in my Collectors George III Coins book back to 1760. I'll have a look. Chris

Rob, You'll probably find they'll acheive 40-80% of the catalogue values on ebay, often they go for less. Perfect year sets with absolutely no tarnishing are slightly more popular. I personally think that those kind of things are just a money making machine for the mint, they rarely hold there value and I have paid too much for a few of them in the past. I have quite a few in my specials area and they sell maybe 4 a year at those reasonable prices. Send me a list and i'll give you the cat values and make an offer for the lot. Chris Perkins www.predecimal.com cp@predecimal.com

Yes that's a good idea. Email me a book review to start if you like and i'll post it in a new forum. Anyone else that cares to provide a title and a review please email me and we'll get something started. I do have a review on the site for the Collectors Coins GB 2004 book here: http://www.predecimal.com/books/collectors_coins_review.htm I agree, economic history is facinating, and tied in very much with coinage and it's continued debasement over the years. Even in Roman times the bronze coins got smaller and smaller and the silver coins became silver washed bronze. Chris www.predecimal.com email: cp@predecimal.com

Dal, I know a Dealer in South East London that stocks a lot of books and he may have it. Last time I was there I saw the RIC books but didn't take note which they were. He is very reputable, but I have a grudge against him at the moment so won't give out his web URL and provide him with free advertising!! In fact his website is awful and doesn't list his book stock so you'd have to give him a ring. Email me and I'll point you in the right direction. Chris www.predecimal.com cp@predecimal.com

Dal, My friend Richard who runs a new site www.coinsforsale.co.uk has the knowledge. Although he may not have the time as he wants to sell coins, not tell people about them for free! Maybe worth a try if you tell him I sent you and ask him very nicely indeed. Chris www.predecimal.com

It was Oscar Wilde that said 'America and England have everything in common, except of course language'. I don't care how the U's got there, they're staying now! I'm glad it looks prettier, well done those standardisers! (or should that be Standardizers? or is that actually even a word?). Maybe I'll start a Forum to talk about anything that isn't to do with coins.... Chris www.predecimal.com

I second that

By the way.... I must insist on the proper British spellings being used in the forum. Anyone found writing 'color' and not 'colour' will be banned for a week! That goes for Americans too I'm afraid. Chris

Well there appears to be a proper little community here that I hadn't noticed! Good work Sylvester it really is good to have someone in the Forum to welcome people and talk about sensible stuff! I'll just let you get on with it then. Peter Nicholls is all very well but you know my collecting accessories are fantastic too! Chris www.predecimal.com

Fake pound coins are becoming more widespread. THis months Coin News Magazine has a feature on it. www.tokenpublishing.com I have emailed you Helen. Chris Perkins www.predecimal.com

Emailed you Helen. It is an escalating problem. Chris www.predecimal.com

The Churchills you mean? I bought them off a Retired WWII Mosquito pilot, I know I shouldn't but he was such a nice old soldier. Chris www.predecimal.com

William IV and Queen Adelaide were British! Not Dutch. If they are the official medals they may have a small worth up to GBP30.00 depending on condition. The one with the hole won't be collectable. I have 500 Churchill crowns and sell 1 every yer if I'm lucky for a pound! Chris www.predecimal.com

Well I certainly don't think some penny sweets are worth 5p each! I don't think they will ever be able to control the 99.99 nonsense because making something just under a round figure has been a marketing trick for hundreds of years, and it would only revert to 99.95 if you had your way. And we'd end up with pockets full of copper 5p's (which would look familiar) instead! I think although the penny is small denomination it still has justified worth. 100 make up a pound. If we went back to having 5p's (or shillings!) as the base unit of 1/20th of a pound we'd no longer have a decimal system would we, and that would hinder trade with foreign countries, and would be a nightmare to convert the electronic devices into counting 20 units in a pound, not 100. The pound has to have a 1/100th part. I'm afraid as romantic as it may seem, we cannot go back to a pre decimal system. Perhaps the answer would be to somehow make the pound worth more and therfore the penny too. Chris www.predecimal.com

You can get hologramatic coins and coloured coins, and there have been square coins. I think the cost of producing odd coins is too high and likely not to see minstream circulation. Which is probably good because I believe coins should be coin coloured, that is metal colours like they always were. Feel free to spray paint your change to create a colourful arrangement, in fact what a great 'modern art' idea. (copywritten from this point on). You read it here first! Please post scans of artistically spray painted coins here! Chris www.predecimal.com

David, Yes that's pretty much the way it went for me. But what can you do, Ebay are the bigest and therefore are likely to get the best prices for your items, and also provide the best bargains for buyers. Since that moment I have listed only 3 items on ebay, when at one stage I was doing 20 a week. I have fortunately seen busy times with the website the last couple of weeks, probably due to Christmas so am putting my energy into that. Right now the accessory sales on the site are rising as are the visitors and I don't need bloody ebay at this moment! The website took 3 years to get to what it is now, so unfortunately that option my not be good for everyone. Chris www.predecimal.com

No i haven't, but have heard about double tailed modern coins. I have a 1928 Halfpenny struck in bronze with a shilling collar (ie it's shilling size with a milled edge!). How much do you want for it?? Chris www.predecimal.com

You get a good international audience, don't get me wrong, but they do seem to want to take over the world. Chris

Yes, you have to be logged in to see the 'My Controls' at the top! Chris

Thanks for the info Dan, you're the only member to bother putting anything about yourself so far! I have a 1937 proof Sov if you're interested, perhaps you better get your driving test out of the way first. Chris www.predecimal.com

Yes good point, they are pretty generic and un special, but I personally can't stand the EURO bank notes, they have no writing because it would have to be in 20 languages, and just a picture of a stupid building. No real details. And no Queen! ;-) And the EUR5.00 is too small. Chris

Tony, It's most likely a Farthing if it's around the size of a modern penny. A common year and not worth much unless in Extremely Fine condition or better. Chris perkins www.predecimal.com

Oli, I seem to remember reading that they were all recovered and are accounted for. I think when they rarely come up for sale that the last one sold for GBP30,000 or something like that. That kind of legendary coin though, you can expect it to increase in value by thousands of pounds year on year. Chris www.predecimal.com