Chris Perkins

No, not this time, but probably about the same size. We'll talk over email, the whole world doesn't need to know my business.

Different teeth that are beads! That's a new one. How long are your visitor spaces azda? I don't mess around with little cars!

I don't suppose he'll like that! I find the Germans can be a stingy lot. They want big things for little money. And when selling things, it's the other way around: they want big money for little things. I meant space on your premises, perhaps space for a car until the weather gets better in the East. But, if you have a flat then I suspect you just have space on the street, which is not ideal.

Sounds like he's a typical German dealer, with a British coin that he has no real interest in so has simply assumed its the valuable one. Yes, offer him EUR5. Tell him Every Little Helps, Azda! ;-) (do you have much space there, near Munich?)

I know an insurance company that insure a UK registered car all year. Only problem is it's technically against the rules because you have to register cars here after 3 months (not that anyone checks), and you have to go back annually for the MOT. I get around that by changing cars regularly. Had some success actually finding a niche type of RHD car that sell very well here. Rob: Bamberg is very nice in the middle and I have no doubt your wife was born in a nice part. The girlfriend's family know people there. I've been a few times. Don't really like beer so how ever many breweries there are have zero pull!

Looks a happy young chap. If you were nearer I'm sure I could make use of another English speaker to help with my little empire. What's the winter like in Muenchen? I know it's usually better than Chemnitz. Safe for a UK car without winter tyres? I buy and sell the odd car but at this time of year I can't get them over to me because of the weather. This year it seems the whole of Europe is suffering.

I think some parts are probably already better off than the old West. I've been to Bamberg. A world heritage site, and in the middle it's very well presented. Around the edges though, it looks like Brixton during the riots. There are enough jobs here if you're not a lazy mullet haired, denim-jacket-wearing antisocial baby collector. I'm from London originally. The first generation of a long line of Perkins' that decided to move away to somewhere you can live in a whole house for the same price as a 9' x 9' bedsit! And my German is better than yours by the looks of it ;-). I've been here since about 2003.

Bavaria says Gruss Gott and the whole of the country has to suffer for it! And what about the lack of queueing ability!? Have you noticed that in McDonands and similar places where there are more than 2 counters that the local bevolkerung sort of queue in one line along the length of the counter instead of in 3/4 separate lines going straight back from each till? If you try to queue the right way, it can take hours to get served. I find that quite comical and very illogical. Hope the winter doesn't last too long this year. I'm just south of Chemnitz. Not many Wessis have ever dared venture this far East.

I have all that, hosted with permission from Ken Elks, here: http://www.predecimal.com/p5tudor.php

Don't get me started on the appalling choice of cheap and nasty food in Supermarkets over here! My girlfriend, also German, loves a nice Cheesecake (the sweet type), Yorkshire pud, soft white bread etc. I import Jam, marmalade and Readybrek! And, the influence of the bloody church preventing shops from opening on Sundays also infuriates me. If god had Sunday off after he'd knocked up a universe in 6 days, he must have been hungry, so I bet it was only so he could go shopping on the sabbath! Sorry to go off topic there.

Sometimes British coins in foreign climbs can be had at bargain prices. But you really have to watch out for the dealers that always seem to assume they have the rarest variety. And in Germany, watch out for toot which has been dipped, polished and scrubbed red! I will reply to your email re the book Azda. Azda is in Germany, but it's a shame there isn't an Asda in Germany!

Where are you and the coins Sue? I've personally bought van loads of scrap coins in the past. Both silver and copper/brass.

The 1892 6d, 2s and 2/6 look brassy. Could just be the light. forgeries of those are not unheard of but are probably not as common as the real things.

The actual books are on their way from the printer (held up over Christmas). If the weather allows it they will arrive at the warehouse mid next week, and hopefully with Amazon by the end of the week. Since ebay banned downloadable ebooks the whole ebook thing fell flat. I could generate one though, email me cp@predecimal.com. Oh, and as you're in Germany too, I could send one from here, right now as I have 20 here.

Tough one that, because you'll want to acknowledge some value as you'll want the coin to be insured to some minimal degree. If you acknowledge a very high value I'll probably have to pay very high taxes when it arrives, which is not much fun and we don't actually know the value until I value it and make you an offer. I imagine that as a padded letter is easiest, but if parcels leaving Australia have some kind of automatic insurance then you could use that method and weight it out with rocks or whatever. I have had some people simply send me things as a normal airmail envelope, without even telling me! I don't recommend that, even though things are usually fine when they don't have to go through Eastern Europe. Never had a porblem with Australian post.

That's very good of you Peter. I was actually thinking of leasing coins to customers on a life time lease, being a young sort of chap myself! I hope you last a long time. Spending your gold on anything loose is a good idea.

I think I'm turning into one of them!! When you've had 10 years+ of people phoning and emailing offering - what you know by the clueless tone of their voices (or text) before they even get past 'hello, my name's Chontelle' - is going to be yet another load of worthless scrap metal, it does turn you into a bit of a cynic! It's difficult not to be grumpy, but I think some people deserve it. Everyone seems to think that old means valuable, because all you ever get to see on the antiques programmes is the old valueable items. They edit out all the old rubbish where people have brought in crappy old ghastly crap from the the loft of their crap houses to show Michael Crapel et al! Put them in their places, I say. Most of them are just after quick earn and wouldn't know a Constable from a Police Constable.

I've seen Wreaths with toning like that before. What are the local choices for sending it to a UK address Cammop? The first step is to find a reliable firm (UPS, DHL etc) to get it to me.

£4.99! I don't suppose they were pirated copies??

The last one I bought came from Canada actually (not the one currently on the website). I also think there's more of a chance of getting a better price in the UK for it. It's not a normal coin, and I'm always happy to pay 'all the money' for 1934 crowns because I know I can usually make a couple of hundred on it relatively quickly. Ebay is also an idea, but if you only have 20 feedback and then offer a £2000+ coin, who's going to really bid high and take a chance? I won't be miffed whatever you do with it.

Some of the silver looks very brassy. Are they perhaps forgeries or is it just the images?

You have to browse for it and attach it. I like the ZAR coins from the period you speak of. I have an 1892 document signed by President Kruger and a dsplay box of circulated 1890s coins that were brought back by a Scottish soldier who was there during the 2nd Boer war.

Yes, it's American. A V cent (5 cent). Very worn and without looking in a book I'm 99% sure it's very low value indeed. The Americans call those Nickels I believe and they contain no silver.

Yes, I've dealt with a lot of 1934 crowns over the last couple of years. In fact I have another (slightly better one on offer on the website at the moment). If you can get it to me (either to my UK or German address) then I will make sure you get a fair price for it. I suspect in the region of £2500 to £3000, depending on how it is in the flesh. With higher value coins like this, the dealers offers are usually pretty good because they often have people in mind for them, and therefore don't (or shouldn't) offer the usual 50-60% of the final selling price. I also have a friend in Australia, so payment wouldn't be a problem. In the past he has sent AU$ cheques for me. cp@predecimal.com

West London kind of area isn't too bad. I'm around London between 20th and 27th January. If nothing else, I can tell you (usually very quickly) what the potential worth is; if they are significantly more than metal value etc. Usually with huge lots like this, we are talking an accumulation rather than a carefully selected collection. I won't be expecting to find anything with a significant collectable value (but I do know what I'm looking for). I can have a look and make an offer. Then you can do what you whatever like with them! If I don't buy them, give me a few quid towards petrol, cup of tea and use of the loo and I'll be on my way. You can also value some of my vinyl.....I've got a Beatles White Album somewhere, gatefold with the grey embossed serial number on the front. And most Beatles and Pink Floyd, Led Zep on Vinyl. But, just like with coins, I suspect there is a massive difference between an average White Album and a perfect White Album. It's the same with any collectable. I can understand that the collectors out there would love to sort through for days and days, looking for a coin worth 50p instead of 2p! But to most, it's just hassle and takes up precious time, especially when you don't know what you're looking for and have to refer to books and websites etc beforehand. Email me: cp@predecimal.com