TomGoodheart

Not so keen on the spot on the reverse. I'd sell, though like Nordle sixpences aren't really my thing so ..

I'm not the most patient of people. I don't much like to wait. But that's a decent profit. Plus Heritage appear to have another listed in their April auction if you could live with the toning. Bottom line (for me) would be, do I want the Newman provenance? If not, and I could get another later, I'd likely go for it! https://www.numisbids.com/n.php?p=lot&sid=679&lot=25065

Should I save the rest of my brass thruppences then? For the new vending machines and Tesco trolleys? Small local shops and mini-cabs in my area. Used to get them handed over in change. And of course, once in circulation they continue. I too see little problem now they are out there. People inevitably accept them - who wouldn't since if you handed on in at a bank you'd lose £1! But the cost of making a whole new issue of coins which will (by 2017) buy you less than 1/3 of a cup of coffee? Nah, more of a marketing ploy I think.

Interesting low-feedback seller...especially given most of his date-facts are correct for the threefarthing! The overdate is however commonly found with the Pheon! I queried it and got "I don't really have any knowledge of coins I was just asked to put it on my account" hmm.

321354284036 "1562 over 1 Elizabeth 1st Hammered Three Farthings - Choice (A410) 12mm diameter. 0.28g. A clear over-date; the much rarer 1560's date (these are usually 1570's) and high grade. Choice." Unfortunately the photograph that accompanies it is of a replica 1562 sixpence. So if any of you has a spare £300, I'd suggest saving it for another day.

Well .. I think it's worth considering that market and availability aren't necessarily the same thing! I'm pretty sure that the sort of thing I collect as often passes from one collector to another directly as is obtained through the open market. But then I suspect that the number of specialist Charles I shilling collectors is quite small. Which means that 20 examples would probably satisfy all who wanted one and still leave spares for less specialised collectors. Whereas the collector base for some other coins (and I'm thinking of the US market primarily) is much larger and so 20 coins could disappear and an example not re-surface for many years. Which I guess is me saying that absolute numbers, beyond the near unique such as Rob's groat, are not always the be-all and end-all. When US collectors talk of 'rare' coins they sometimes refer to numbers that exceed the entire population of something like the Northumberland shilling. How many 'key date' 1911-D $10s are there for example? But I bet most US collectors would think of it as a rare coin.

Mmm .. I think it's difficult to pin down because, as you say, people will have different views. I think excessively rare has to be limited to under 5 known. I have a coin Michael Sharp termed as such (because of the privy mark rather than that it's an exciting design!) I have found 3 apart from my own. MS's is in the BM so I guess one less available. 5-10 rare. 10+ scarce. After that, well, patience and a fair wind will get you an example if you want so just "uncommon". As to buying rarities, probably not. Some things such as certain Morgan dollars or Newark siege coins command higher than might be deserved prices due to sentiment. Other genuinely rare but unexciting coins might suddenly become popular. But my feeling is that if they haven't attracted a collector base by now, they probably won't! Uniqueness is another strange factor. Unique coins are often undervalued. Then another turns up and it becomes a recognised type or variety and whoosh! When I bought my Sharp G3/2 (S.2804), which is one of the two 'discovery' coins published in the the BNJ, there were the same number known as S.2790 with the plume over shield reverse. However the list price for S.2804 doesn't and likely never will match the latter as it was known and sought after earlier. And particularly as there are now 10 known examples of S.2804 as more have come to light.

I think availability/demand is perhaps a more useful measure. Calling a coin rare to me suggests that if I want one I will find it a challenge. But if there are ten examples but only four collectors ... And of course, many of us here probably own quite rare coins that will never command the prices paid for some for which thousands of examples still exist.

I think you can get a commoner one for about half that though. London coins sold a couple for £650 +commission. Brings a whole new meaning to 'touching history' eh?

As you've no doubt noted, always best to wait until the RM issues are on the open market and have been available for a bit. Prices drop immediately on issue of most from those asked by the Mint and if you like a design but aren't fussy for a particular year you can hunt around for better prices. I think the Clovis ones are fun too. Bit different, at least!

For melt?!? Sounds like a bargain!

I do think it's nice to wear these things occasionally! I particularly like this painting of the Infanta Maria Ana. (Sorry it's on Shutterstock) You can see she's wearing various 'apotropaic' amulets including crucifixes, a relic of her patron saint, badger claws, a jet 'fica mana' and a malachite and coral teether for protection. http://www.superstock.com/stock-photos-images/4409-19379 Interesting that Nordle noticed that my dime is from a leap year (the last leap year of issue)! And Andrew Howitt has a touchpiece for sale Debbie. Though not in my price range. http://www.bottles.freeserve.co.uk/Charles-II.htm

It looks like I now own this. A French (late in the) Revolutionary period 5 Centimes, issued between 1796-96 Copper 23mm 5g:

Nationwide. I dare say each bank charges what they see fit.

Coo er! Maybe I should have held out for a Barber Quarter. £15 is probably way too much to pay now!

Ok found one. It's true that nothing online ever disappears. Worth remembering in case one is ever tempted to post anything embarrassing! This one I still have (and wear). The gold touchpiece I sold when I wanted money for a shilling! As for the evil eye, I think that's the point. It's meant to scare off bad juju! Though irl it's not so creepy as it's only two centimetres or so across. I bought it in Athens from a shop where they make them, so it's a cool souvenir too! Oops. Seem to have hijacked Patrick's thread. Sorry!

Only one of the Johnson Matthey ones produced in the 70s I'm afraid. I kinda fancy one of the silver Pretender (James III or IV) ones that were later made in Italy myself. As for the mercury dime .. I think the photo must be on my broken laptop I'm afraid! I need to do another photo session at some point. Unfortunately I'm feeling lazy!

Ah, touchpieces are still on the 'wants' list I'm afraid Debbie. Unless you count a Mercury dime, pierced as an amulet. My collection is more the odd things I've made, or picked up like religious medallions. This sort of thing:

And another:

Hi Simon and welcome. You'll certainly find plenty of the numismatic side here! Silver stacking .. less so. Mainly because, unlike the US, there's no silver in our circulating coinage to pick out sadly! Which isn't to say we're averse to the shiny stuff!

Ah, but I pay nothing, apart from a few pence if I overdraw which probably works out at less than 50p a year Dave. Presumably I am subsidised by people who pay larger fees and I know it's not actually free. Just it's not me that pays! I think this is where the UK banks justify then charging more for what they view as 'non-standard' services. But £25 for a £45 purchase makes no economic sense! If they charged a couple of quid I'd probably accept that (as, I imagine, would many others). In the long run I suspect they'd make more money charging less as you'd have to be pretty desperate to pay the current fees, but the occasional £2-£3 doesn't seem too bad. Hence PayPal have managed to expand beyond ebay. I did hear that we (UK) are pretty much alone in having 'free' personal banking and that it will have to change eventually. But I suspect there will be some resistance, even though it would be fairer to pay for what you use.

There are a few people who know a bit about ancients here, though the main interest seems to be machine made pre-decimal coinage (from the late 1700s to the 1970s ish).

I'm torn between replying "How would the taxi go with only one front wheel?" and "once you get the elephants out" Though the latter would have been better if you'd asked about a Mini!

Quite. I can transfer money to other UK banks for nothing. OK, maybe a small charge might be justified for European transactions. But I don't really see why it's so much. As for Scottish independence, well, it'll be Mel Gibson all over again if they try to charge £25 every time someone wants to transfer money from Greenwich to Glasgow!

Cool! Have you decided how you are going to store and show off your coins Dan?