TomGoodheart

Yes. eBay Global Shipping Programme supposedly makes it easier for buyers to pay import duties upfront. Unfortunately they do not allow for the fact that there are no import duties on certain items (only VAT is payable on antique coins and none due on books) and so you can end up paying well over what is necessary without any way to recoup the costs. It used to be sellers could decide to join the programme but I understand it's now by default. But I simply won't buy such listings now. In the past where I've explained things to the seller some have been willing to arrange the shipping themselves at reduced cost, but it's a bit of a hassle for them really.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/import-and-export-application-for-repaymentremission-c285 I think this is the form I used. Basically I filled in a form and sent it off and eventually got some money back. Though not the PO Handling Fee.

Personally, I've bought numerous times from abroad. Virtually all came via Royal Mail within the UK. The rules are that for "collectors pieces of numismatic interest" (Tarfif code 9705 00 00) VAT should be adjusted so you effectively pay 5%. However I've been charged the full 20% on occasions and though I've always got a refund eventually, you don't get compensated for the Royal Mail collection fee which is annoying where you shouldn't have been charged at all! Parcelforce, I only ever had one item come by them (from York Coins in the US) and don't remember being charged extra. Similarly, several other coins including ones I've bought from Stacks and Noble have just arrived and I've not been charged anything. It all seems very hit and miss really.

I think Amanda only speaks Russian. Anyway, she's been called away somewhere else I'm afraid. Spamistan perhaps.

Reported. And the others..

Yeah, there are fashions in coin collecting, just as with anything else. It's difficult to predict what will be desirable in 10 or 20 years time. In my own field of Chas I shillings, the interest in legend variants, differences in harp design, even collecting by mint mark appears to have reduced considerably from the days of Brooker, Osborne or Sharp (all of whom collected during the 1970s and a bit further) The current focus, as with many denominations/ reigns, is on quality over rarity. It's hard to imagine many large collections of many similar, but subtly different, coins being assembled now, both due to the cost and apparent collector interest. I imagine when my collection is finally sold most coins will go for rather more than I paid for them. But it's not going to be at a level where I could consider it to have been an investment. OK, admittedly I didn't start with that in mind. But I think the mind-set required for investment (buying what the market will want, not what you find pleasing) is quite different. Like others, I collect for pleasure. And hopefully other investments will cushion my retirement.

I don't suppose you took photo of the coin in question did you? Be interesting to see how different it is from what was advertised and what indications are that it's fake.

Nice one! Though hardly an eBay's worst offering!

Ah, I wondered if that was it. Yeah, you can trust that seller, though his (her?) coins always seem to go for reasonable amounts. I suspect they have quite a few followers so less chance of a bargain. It's always worth keeping a record of such things I think. Then you can refer back and compare when something else comes up you like. My coin of that variety? I bought my original in 2004 and didn't manage to find one I liked better until 10 years later! Not that they are terribly rare .. but I am awfully fussy! Then I bought another because I liked the provenance. Silly hobby really!

Link for an opinion declan?

I noticed that that particular seller has a lot of properly attributed stuff. S/he is confident enough to state stuff like 'sterling silver' 'halfpenny token' etc. So when they are just 'detecting find' it rather rings alarm bells. No, I don't know why for the sake of a couple of quid they wouldn't just chuck the fake in the bin, but it's a lesson that it often helps to check what else people are selling before you bid. If it looks too good ... maybe it is?

Link here: http://www.britnumsoc.org/publications/Digital BNJ/1977.shtml

Yes, I'd always rather have cash and pick my own coins! Having said that, it can be fun if people give you change from their travels if you enjoy coins generally. But most of us here have chosen or had to narrow down to specialise in one particular area (though that can be as broad as coins of a particular metal, or as narrow as one denomination from one particular reign, or coins from a particular year) Those sorts of coins you need to choose for yourself!

I find a cheap way of storing coins is acid free paper envelopes Sophie. Not as handy as the transparent plastic ones, I admit, but simple to just pop a coin in (particularly if it's a 'minor' in the collection and you're unlikely to want to re-examine it very often) and you can just write straight on them as to the contents.. I had a check and Chris P doesn't seem to have any but Colin Cooke do at I think £3 for 100. Acetone? As well as ebay, some chemists stock small bottles too. I think I got mine in Cox & Robinson. Traditionally, collectors used to use small paper discs (we call them 'tickets') to record the details of their collection ... and some, like me (and presumably Rob) still do. (See Rob's thread on them here: Ticket Central) I find them both handy and a nice link to a coin's past as a collectable when there are other tickets from earlier collectors with it. Chris DOES stock those (card coin ID tickets) Oh, and finally, welcome and have fun!

No idea about classes Descartes, but both lovely looking coins. Particularly the first. Seller's pics look familiar too .. wonder where I've seen the like of those before?

Yes. Spink 2802, Sharp H1/1 Privy mark Sun (10 Nov 1645-15 Feb 1647) Nice find!

Very sad news. I corresponded with Geoff a few times and always enjoyed our 'conversations'. Some of the coins he had .. well, pretty much all of the coins actually, were spectacular. And of the greatest provenance too. He really did buy the finest he could afford.

Yes, seen on silver too. See the obverse of this shilling:

The lines you see on the obverse are die polishing. Basically the soft blank die is filed smooth before the design is struck into it. You can check because the lines appear to run continuously under the design. Value, I'm afraid hammered gold isn't my area. I'd grade the coin at gF - nVF Looks like a pleasant example (at least compared with comparable hammered silver coins such as shillings of the same period. But then those were circulated much more and less care seems to have been taken in their manufacture!) At auction somewhere between £1000-£1400 I'd guess, although I'm happy to be corrected on that! Of course, 'worth', ... well, you might say its worth is whatever someone is prepared to pay for it!

To be honest, I kinda hope so. That sort of stupidity deserves a reward of some kind ....

Catalog Star have it Jon. £10.40 + post

Hi Barnzy. Welcome. While I agree, in the long run it's better from a resale (and more satisfying, I think, from an aesthetic) perspective in buying the best grades you can, there's also something to be said for handling a bit of history! So why not buy a cheap 'pocket' piece' you can carry about and show people and a few other better grade coins to start with? Coins were produced in huge numbers for the Jubilee (1887) and are generally inexpensive. Something like a half crown is fairly chunky to carry about and researching prices will give you a bit of a feel for coin grades. Jut remember, you can always post pictures or links here before buying and ask for people's opinions. It might save some mistakes, although it has to be said we all make them and it's part of the learning to collect process. The idea is to keep your mistakes cheap (or at least within budget!)