TomGoodheart

Oh, I make it a policy of whenever a new £5 coin comes out to get a handful from the post office and spend them! You should see the expression on people's faces - though I have yet to have one actually refused! (As you can all see, it doesn't take much to amuse me!)

I wasn't suggesting it was the same coin as VLC 77 guys, just that that example showed the 'ball ended R' clearly. You see, this is why I stick to shillings! For a start the design is bigger and variations between different groups and varieties are generally more obvious. None of those different moneyers to worry about either! Not that I can't see the appeal of pennies of course. I did wonder about a small collection of Cnuts at one stage - til budgetry considerations came into the equation at least! And you're right about the patience S - pretty much essential for this sort of thing! That and a good memory for detail!

Wikipedia says "In 1891 a proclamation was made that members of the general public could hand in any gold coins that were underweight and have them replaced by full weight coins. Any gold coin struck before 1837 also ceased to be legal tender." In theory coins and banknotes do not need to be legal tender to be accepted as payment. For example the occasional Guernsey and Jersey issue £1s and Scottish notes. But the main issue is perhaps whether you would choose to use a coin to purchase something when its bullion value is far in excess of the purchase price. Or whether your local Tesco would accept such a thing. I imagine the looks from the checkout staff might almost be worth the attempt!

What fun it is collecting hammered! I have to say in such matters I tend to depend on others to do the work! I try to find somewhere that has plenty of examples and then start to compare - in this case I tried Antony Wilson's rather good site - http://www.yorkcoins.com/voided_long_cross_pennies_i.htm On page 4 VLC77 appears to shows a 'ball tailed' R quite nicely. But as for round eyes ... they all look the same to me!

Tee hee. A rather battered cartwheel penny for £12. Probably worth a fiver for 'interest'. Since then I have bought lots of 'gap fillers'. Later on they look out of place and I've regretted being so impulsive and not waiting. But that's life!

Ooh!! Anyone want my shilling? "Most Beautiful By Far" I'll accept US $3,995.00!

Mammered sixpence? Surely that's a boob?

If in nice condition, ie no dints, scratches at all, looking brand new, around face value in terms of cash. However as the starting point for a coin collection, they could be priceless! Because everyone has to start somewhere. And although these aren't most members' interests, it wouldn't surprise me if most (like me) have a box, jar or little bag somewhere with coins in 'extra nice' condition that we've picked out of our change! So I'd suggest holding on to them. If you don't want them, pass them on to a kid in the family. Maybe it'll spark their interest as a future collector! Then like me they can feel the excitement of finding something new in their change (in my case a 2003 (Give Women The Vote) 50p I got at the weekend - first one I've ever seen outside of a catalogue!)

Uncirculated? Not to me ... but then, what do I know. Apart from the fact that I wouldn't pay £1595 for it!

Yes, congratulations from me too. Mine is now 13 and time seems to have flown. Enjoy those early days. Once they can walk, well ... !

Hi Mike. Welcome!

Or this one

Aha! Double Tournois of Philippe IV le Bel possibly

The two Lis on the obv and cross with lis in alternate quarters suggest medieval France to me. Bit like this one maybe ...

Well done on the E5/2 Rob. I understand most of the ones that I was interested in went to one buyer that Michael S was bidding for. I put in what I could for the A2/2 but it too went mad. It was a nice little collection though. I hope mine raises as much interest when I finally pop my clogs and the family get a chance to sell it all off! Well done on the non-Chas I coins. I too have mixed feelings about NGC and their (mis) classifications!

I recently came across an article mentioning the recent (13 July 07) US Department of State ban on imports of ancient coins from Cyprus or "coins of Cypriot types" which presumably also includes Crusader issues and some Roman coins as well as the more obvious issies.. The basic argument is that removal of ancient coins from archaeological sites is effectively 'cultural looting'. A corresponding implication is that the majority of ancient coins on the market have been illegally removed from their countries of origin in recent years (ie since the UNESCO ruling in 1970 (Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property (1970)) In the US at least, battle lines appear to have been drawn between the 'numismatic' view and that of some archaeologists. Now my first thoughts are that the system in Britain (where the Portable Antiquities scheme and find laws apply) are different and also that some coins here have been circulated amongst collectors for several hundred years many with well known 'pedigrees' and provenance. Should these therefore be viewed differently? Or like the 'Elgin' marbles, be returned to their 'homeland'? Anybody got any strong views? Just curious! .

Quite right! And Congratulations (in advance) Hussulo!

Mine's just a 'collection' since I get very little sympathy from my wife when I want to buy anything. Her look somehow says 'haven't you already got a Charles I shilling'? I think that of all the sales of coins I have made, perhaps two brought me a profit! So if I keep on like this it will eventally be a collection of one rather expensive coin I guess! I have 60 Charles I shillings that have taken me around four years to put together. I have a number of rarities that would only appeal to another Chas I collector (for example the coins are the same except one has slightly curlier cross ends on the reverse or a different mint mark!) so it certainly is unlikely to make me a profit (not that I have any desire to sell). I guess you could call it an 'academic' collection. Somewhat unfashionable probably. But hey, we collect what we enjoy don't we? A Charles I shilling for 'the US market'! .

Probably a jeton of Hans Krauwinkel, Nuremberg.

I think it depends on your definition of 'Proof'. My copy of Dowle & Finn's 'Coins for pleasure and investment' suggests it is a coin especially struck for presentation purposes. By this definition, the 'Fine Work' pieces Rob mentions, or Thomas Simon's 'Petition' Crown would count as 'Proofs' although clearly these do not have the mirrored surfaces we now recognise. I think the first actual listing of a proof in Spink's Coins of England in my copy is the 1664 Crown (S3355).

Nope. Working that day. And as Rob says ... auctions (all at the same time, sigh..)!

Hmm. I have just found a photo of a contemporary counterfeit Kilkenny Halfpenny from the time of Charles I. Now I don't know if the dimensions etc match but to me it has a slight resemblance to something I've seen before. What do you think?

That's brilliant! I agree with Geordie. Even though it's nothing to do with what I collect I still find it exciting. And having the history behind a piece is what makes collecting into numismatics. With all the programmes on TV about history, archeology and interest in family history it still bemuses me that people don't seem to find this sort of thing as interesting as we do! Ah well ... all the more for us I guess! .

I am sure they are all mostly middle aged balding pot bellied guys, and not some Czech supermodel with an 'ova at the end of her name. I'm sorry. But if you were grading coins and you had either a balding pot bellied guy or a Czech supermodel looking over your shoulder ... which do you think you'd find most distracting?! And if that does explain it, how come there aren't huge waiting lists for the job of coin grader!!!

Aw! That kind of response certainly reminds us that most people are actually well intentioned and honest. It's good to see. Going back a post or two, the sorts of coins I buy are of value to me even if the final price is minimal! To date I have never had anyone refuse to upgrade to Special Delivery, even when that hasn't been an option at the ebay checkout. Occasionally that causes hiccups, since you have to figure a way of getting the extra money to cover the postage to them. But it's always been resolved in the end and I've never had an item go missing. I figure that in 10 or 20 years time the extra postage (and in most instances even the cost of the coin itself!) will be forgotten. Losing a coin I have already started to think of as part of my collection however .. Oh, and while I'm on the subject of postage I had an experience that might be worth mentioning. I bought a coin from Antony Wilson of York coins which he sent from the US by parcel post. Unfortunately I had given him my PO BOx address which doesn't tie in with Parcelforce (the UK equivalent of UPS) at all! If it hadn't been for his alertness and dogged determination tracking it from the States it would have been very difficult for me to find out what had happened since both the PO and Parcelforce initially claimed to know nothing! So two lessons. 1) Don't try sending by a parcel courier to a UK PO Box, and 2) Using a reputable dealer pays off!