TomGoodheart

For some reason the habit of pricing things in guineas continued long after the actual coin went out of circulation ... I remember it even in the 1960s. Whether it sounded posher (it seemed to continue longer in stores like Harrods and for more expensive items), or was a bit like the current habit of large prices being quoted in single numbers ("Only two, nine, nine!" when we all know it's basically £300..) and you had to remember to add in an extra shilling to every pound, I'm not sure ... .

Obviously, I'm not advising you to go crazy Swanny. But I learnt from my Dad that sometimes when you see something you really want, you just have to go for it. Actually, it was the few things he didn't buy and regretted ever after that taught me! Providing you've made a good purchase, in 5 or 10 years time the price will be forgotten (or at least irrelevant), but hopefully the pleasure of owning your coin will still be there. .

Personally, I don't see anything that really shouts fake at me. However, assuming they even are genuine, neither is a particularly nice example. I think you'd tire of them and want to upgrade eventually. I know I've regretted some of my lower grade purchases, even when the coin in question has been quite rare. Sadly, it's sometimes necessary to go beyond our normal budget to buy better examples. And if you can get the reassurance of buying from a reputable dealer or established provenance for such coins, all the better. .

You can get your coin slabbed. And you can put the price up 200%. But that doesn't mean you will get the asking price. Most collectors aren't mugs. They pay what the coin is worth and in the end a slabbed coin is just a coin. Sure you get a bit of plastic and a label, but the actual coin hasn't changed from how it was pre-slabbing. Not 200%! Sure there are costs involved. And maybe if your coin is the Finest Known it's worth paying a premium ... but the majority of coins slabbed are modern and there are thousands of examples and the likelihood of a better-than-CGS-have-seen is high. Rarities, or coins that are copied to a high standard, maybe there is a value to the slab and authentication. But you should still only pay the market value. Would I pay double for a better-than-average example of a coin that is normally only found in poorer condition? Of course! But I would base my decision on my own personal view that that particular coin is exceptional for the type. Not somebody else's This Is The Best I've Ever Seen guff. Buy the coin, not the slab they say. Good advice. .

They sound cool George. Some info about how to post photos in threads here: http://www.predecimal.com/forum/topic/7880-posting-pics/ Because we always like to see pics!

You're just trying to make me jealous of all those lovely hammered pennies aren't you? It worked ..

Well, we'd happily try to ID your finds for you George! Oh and welcome! .

Anthony Halse is a BNTA member and Chairman of South Wales and Monmouthshire Numismatic Society. I don't know any reason the site shouldn't be live. Hopefully you'll get a reply soon.

Gaming tokens appear to be quite often come ready pierced for suspension, so no great loss and an interesting piece of history.

In case anyone wants to refer to the images in future: .

Well, I did say it wasn't my area Paul! Still at £210 I see ... .

There's a bit of gold in Elsen's latest offerings in case anyone is interested? http://www.elsen.eu/Auction127/emodule/490/egallery/177 T

Yeah. Though not my series, these have all the characteristics of hammered coins in terms of sharpness of the design etc and are clearly different from the modern replicas you see on places like eBay. Looks like two very nice finds to me. I'm jealous of the finder ... ..though not to the extent I'm tempted to get up at the crack of dawn on my days off to cart a heavy load of kit around a muddy field ! .

LOL No, it's OK Debbie. She's the asthmatic. A mere sprigling at 21. Me, I'm ..er, the other one! .

Oh dear. I can run for 5 minutes and do 10 some press-ups! But I do have almost a year to prepare! Daughter and I will have to work out a training schedule I think. I'm less worried about the distance .. we can always walk as it's not a race, than building up my upper body strength to get over obstacles. The electric shocks, water drops and so on I aim to just blunder through determinedly. But getting stuck because I can't heave myself over (or crawl under) a wall would be a bit depressing! .

Happy Birthday Paul! If you're really lucky I'll raise a glass in your general direction when I get home from work! .

LOL

Only just spotted this. I noticed your name Joe and thought .. uh? But now the comic connection makes sense! (I used to love 2000AD when it first came out, though I don't read comics these days.. Yeah, I'm old!) .

Agreed. Nice penny btw. Sometimes I almost envy you milled coin guys. In that people do seem to keep turning up pleasing examples. Whereas hammered, well, ... I keep looking but, apart from fine work pieces that I don't currently collect, most of the time I find the example I have is as good as (or better than) those that come up for sale. And types I don't have either don't appeal, or the price is far too much. Then again, maybe I'm just too fussy ...

Cool! Thanks Pete. .

Cheers!

Do you know if they just downloaded a training schedule or if there were organised meets to help prepare? Daughter seems to have registered and I'm a wee bit concerned that an asthmatic and a 59 year old might have to do a bit more than most of the other entrants to get ready... .

Anyone done one? Or even just trained for it? ... just curious, that's all .. .

Yeah, Happy birthday Christoph! I hope you get some coins as presents! .

Nice find Dutch and welcome! And yeah, for British coins you'll always get a better response on here than coincommunity.