TomGoodheart

. Nah, I just don't th. . . LOL Yes please! Shillings and coffee, the perfect combination! Plus it'd be nice to meet at last. Feel free to pm me with details. .

Or your hammered gold if you have more money than sense!

I know there are those who are more than critical of numismatists and collectors. Who believe that archaeologists and museums are the place that the past should be researched and preserved and that amateurs such as ourselves should stay out of it. That we destroy evidence, historical connections and valuable information. However I have to say that I am (yet again) none too impressed with the supposed guardians of culture. I have taken an interest in the Ryhall hoard, a coin find from the Civil War period. The hoard was not only the largest the last century, but also of remarkable consistency in the types of coins it contained. An article in the BNJ indicates that the British Museum acquired twenty-four coins from the hoard, principally examples of the predominant dies and the Leicestershire Museums Service eighty-nine. It also states that a full photographic record of the hoard exists in the BM Department of Coins and Medals. Well I searched the BM records and found ... four coins. None of them shillings of Charles I that make up the bulk of the hoard (around 2000 such coins). Department of Coins and Medals? No trace of how you would search to find what they hold in their collection other than a general record search. As to photographic records ... no I dea how you'd access those. And although Cornucopia (an online database of information about more than 6,000 collections in the UK's museums, galleries, archives and libraries) indicates that the Leicestershire Museums coins reside in the numismatic collection of the Newarke House Museum there is no suggestion of this on the Leicestershire website. Nor any indication that one can visit to inspect the collections. In fact there's no sign Leicestershire even has a numismatic collection. OK, so it's a specialised area. But time and time again my father-in-Law has said "You're interested in coins. Why don't you visit the British Museum. Surely they must have one of the best collections in the word?" It's not an unreasonable expectation. Such collections are surely held for the Nation? So how come it's almost impossible to find out what there is, where it's kept, let alone actually see the stuff? I don't expect everything to be on display. That would be impossible. But I would hope to be able to confirm the existence of something that is supposedly in a collection. And contact someone to ask questions. Or am I being unreasonable?

No problem. And welcome!

Army Temperance Association Medal. Or perhaps a copy thereof: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ATA-Medal-Army-Temperance-Medal-ATA-Fidelinty-/151418292235?pt=UK_Collectables_Militaria_LE&hash=item23413bc80b

In more than ten years of collecting I think it's only in the last three or so that I've consistently made more than I paid when selling on coins to upgrade. A combination of factors is responsible (over-enthusiastic bidding early on, prices generally getting higher and learning to be more selective about my purchases) but I still think I'd make a poor dealer!

It certainly seems about that in my experience. Or more! But then, as Peter says, if I find a coin going cheap myself then if a fair market price is double or even 10x that and someone is happy to pay ... I don't mind dealers making a profit. None would be in business long if they didn't. But I do object to prices way beyond what things are worth! Of course, like any customer I have the option not to buy. But if it's a daft price and I want it I'll try to negotiate....

I can only guess the two guys were comparing which car they drove. The Mini was mocked .. but with the economics of the time, maybe a small car was a wise choice? Sadly it's all about context and at the time I was as interested in economics as most 13 year o Woah, is that a naked lady on the cover of new Black Sabath album!?!?

Ooh! Belated Happy Birthday to you too Declan!!!!!!!!

Well done! Now, if you can find me some rare Charles I shillings ...

Welcome Ant! Sovs are popular enough. I'm pretty sure at least a couple of members collect them. I don't know about them myself (gold generally is out of my budget) but I'm sure we can help! I don't know if you meant types in the numismatic sense (as in significantly different design) but that's a good way to start. It'd be easy enough to find an illustrated guide to the different designs and pick a nice example of each. Obviously as you go back to the earlier currency days the prices will start to pick up, but if you work on Victoria forwards until you get a feel for grading you should be OK. The same 'rules' as for any coin purchase apply. Don't clean them, choose some decent storage, buy as good as your budget will afford and getting a book (or ten) early on will generally prove worth the investment! Worth checking out the home insurance policy or thinking about secure storage too. Particularly if you're away from home for long periods? .

Gosh, these guys must know more than me as I didn't see this on the calendar, but ... Happy Birthday! Hope it's good and chilled!

It only reached the Heritage price because I bid it up! I just think US sellers have a different expectation about prices. Sure, it's decent enough. But as you say, it's tone free which won't help it sell this side of the pond. It also could be rounder, the obv privy mark is missing and there are some weaknesses in the strike. If it's full weight people might pay a bit more, but until it's set free we won't know. All in all I'd expect a UK dealer to aim for the mid-£200s up. But unless I'm completely out of touch with prices no buyer who knows the series is going to pay anything over £400 .. I only had a punt because there's nothing else out there and I've money burning a hole in my pocket! .

Curiouser and curiouser ...!

But that's eBay! I bid on this when it was at Heritage: I was the underbidder and it sold for £140 ($235). It did 14 days on eBay at $999 without a bite. When it was relisted I made an offer which was declined. It was again relisted, this time at $1,099.99. I made a slightly higher offer direct to his vcoins shop. I thought around £250 seemed fair enough. It's not a perfect coin, there's no way to tell the weight as it's slabbed and nearly 100% profit doesn't seem bad. But the seller seemed to think I was being cheap. I told him I thought the offer was about right for the UK market but he said he knows the market and I'd need to offer more. Whatever. I dare say it will sell eventually. But I can't see it making the BIN price. There's a difference between being a bit cheeky with what you ask and being unrealistic ...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasili_IV_of_Russia Vasili IV (22 September 1552 12 September 1612) (Tzar 1606 and 1610) following th murder of Dmitri I believe the legends vary quite a lot. But I can just make out what I think is BASILEII and NOVI[CH} as it's similar to Greek.

Vasiliy Ivanovich Shuisky http://www.vcoins.com/en/stores/tony_fein/60/product/russia_empire__ar_kopek__160610__vasiliy_ivanovich_shuisky_ef/133745/Default.aspx

Should Salmond resign if it's a No? Oh, hang on a second ...

But as one of the biggest stories around (and certainly the biggest affecting the UK at present) surely the BBC is obliged to report on it? As for balance and impartiality, well, for an issue that stirs the emotions they are never going to steer clear of accusations of bias, whatever they do.

Feels like the damage is already done. Whichever way it goes, there will be a significant number of people who wanted something different. It'll take a skilled set of politicians to deal with the disappointed and hurt 'losers' so we can all move on from this and figure out where we're going now ... anyone know of any?

Edit. The unholed Maundy (small coins with 2 or 3 on the back) might be of interest to someone. The one turned into a small padlock also the George II token would find buyers somewhere like eBay if you wanted ...

Welcome freemason! Unfortunately on a brief glance the coins look well circulated (worn). There are collections - which are usually special coins someone has put aside or bought - and there are accumulations, which are coins picked from change. This looks more like the latter. Generally in such condition they will be of little value to collectors. There is a 1756 twopence that looks OK, a token (?) with the Royal Arms (Lion and Unicorn) that looks interesting but to be honest it's quite difficult to view a long list of links. Particularly as the front and back (overse and reverse) of the coins don't seem to be linked in any way ... Maybe one big photo of fronts another of reverses numbered so people can link the two sides for the older pieces? I can't promise there's anything of real value there but people could get a better idea maybe? Worth remembering that even if not 'collectable' all 'silver' coins prior to 1920 were 92.5% silver. From this date the content was reduced to 50%, so still some value in the metal up until 1947 when they all became cupro-nickel (except for Maundy (ie silver penny, twopence, threepence and fourpence). So worth separating out the coins into dates maybe? Of course, the sentimental / historical value may be greater than the financial. Depends what you want to do. If the idea of collecting more coins excites you then you might consider selling the silver coins and reinvesting in something (ideally in better condition) that you personally like. Otherwise maybe pick out the nicer coins and find a nice tray or frame and you could display them? .

That seems a shame Aard. Perhaps send Chris a message if you're really sure though, in case it's a while before he reads this. Be worth checking with him about existing posts too if you're concerned, since AFAIK even if an account is deleted the ex-member's comments can still be read unless specifically removed. I'll be sorry to see you go.

Hi and welcome Chris! Hopefully you'll find here as informative and helpful as the rest of us have! It's a fun hobby and suits budgets from zero (coins from change or metal detecting), near-zero (coin shop or junk shop 'bargain bins') up to the price of a decent proportion of the housing stock of a Northern English town! If you're interested in history then coins can be a great way to bring it to life. I certainly know rather more about the first half of the 1600s than I did before I started to collect. Despite all those lessons on the Tudors and Stuarts! And of course if you keep going back, then there's a whole world to discover in Roman coins, from those that were found locally to the reaches of the then-known world. (No, of course I didn't mean Scotland ..) .

That. People have different priorities Aard. Some spend a couple of grand a year on cigarettes. Others would rather have a cupboard full of clothes or several cars. But to others those purchases might seem crazy. Me? My hobby is self-financing. Paid for by selling coins I have, to buy ones I want. And topped up with cash gifts I receive for my birthday and at Christmas. I buy coins I like and can afford. No different from the rationale of those who spend more than the price of my car on a single coin, I imagine.