TomGoodheart

Hi Geoff! Long time no see! But interesting observations as always, thank you! Although I could have done without the reminder that 2013 is drawing to a close. It's bad enough seeing the Christmas decorations in the shops without coins making me feel as if my life is flying along at breakneck speed!

Well, my coin arrived this morning. So in answer to the original question, I think W&W's grading is accurate. I would call this good Fine, on the basis of how other examples have been graded, admittedly in the 1970s. Of course, if anyone would like to insist it's better (and I do think that it might have been graded a bit more generously by some other auction houses), feel free! A few old and minor scratches that weren't in the description but nicely toned and a satisfactory upgrade. Weight is fine at 6.01g The photo isn't brilliant (and aplolgies for the specks of dust!), but I was in a hurry to get it done before I go to work!

'Bag marks' are not so much scrapes as dints/knocks caused by the rim/edge of one coin striking another. They can be caused on modern coins as they drop off the conveyor into collection bins, or with older ones as bags of coins are man-handled from one location to another. I could be wrong of course, but die damage is normally due to cracking/splitting or clash marks. In such instances the damage to the die is concave leading to a mark on the coin in relief (ie sticking out). For a flaw to cause an indented mark on the coin there would have to be additional metal on the face of the die, or in this case because it lies across a letter, a blockage in the die. But this doesn't look like die blockage to me. Just explaining how I came to my view, in case it helps!

I'm not an expert Jim, but considering the dint that runs across the 'N' I'd be inclined to say that's also what has happened to the 'T'. A bag mark, or Post Mint Damage (PMD) it's called in coiny circles I believe. Sorry.

I came home just now to find my invoice waiting for me. Hopefully the coin will arrive as promptly as I left my debit card number with them yesterday morning and payment has been taken .. Did you manage to get them Danz? If not, pm me the lot numbers and I'll look them up for you.

When I went to the main page there was a 'Realisations' drop down from the auctions tab. That brought up a list of auction results. However they were in Excel format, so it might depend on whether you have software that can open such a file. Plus I suspect you need cookies enables as I'm currently at work and can't get the dropdowns to function ...

Yes it is his 3rd time, I think that this is a good idea Colin, everyone knows someone who is fairly "handy" or at least large in size, I bet for £50 to £100 you could get them as a minder if only to come with you to and from a showHmmm ... now who was it here who had a photo of himself and lot of mates all wearing black belts ....

Welcome Connor! I was at work, so oblivious to the fact that there was a football match. Was it anything important?

I just spoke to them. The auction has only just finished (15.45) and the staff are on their way back to the office. Once there they will then check bids against bidders and they hope to update the website with prices realised later today. Tomorrow they will start to draw up invoices to send out. Exciting, eh?

Photos needed I'm afraid! You can directly insert images up to 150KB into a post using the 'More Perly Options' button below a reply, or add a link to a photohosting site such as flikr or photobucket via the picture icon at the top. http://www.predecimal.com/forum/topic/7880-posting-pics/

http://www.roderickrichardson.com/coins/coin-details.aspx?id=JD95

If you see him Neil, please let him know we were all concerned to hear about it and hope he's OK and that insurance will cover it (or the coins are recovered of course).

Afraid not, just one off ebay. Nice looking indeed, but like most here, I wouldn't have a clue as to whether it was the real deal (LOL) or a fake!

Yeah, a 'piece of 8' is basically an 8 real coin. They were produced throughout the Spanish world (so that's Mexico, Peru as well as Spain itself). Early ones were 'cobs' - essentially lumps of silver cut to the correct weight and stamped with the Spanish crest, moneyer's initial, mint and value. Later they made proper coins, like the one Paul posted above.

From Lloyd's website: On Tuesday 8th October I was followed back from Abergavenny market and robbed [ this is the 3rd time that I have been followed from a show ]. Its becoming a common problem for dealers of all kinds and may change the way we operate - I am certainly cutting out many of my shows as a stall holder [ I may still be a visitor ] and so ask my customers to order from the web site rather than wait to see stock at a show. I have marked the stolen coins on the site as accurately as I can - there will be a few errors as my note pad, cheque books and pay in book were also taken plus the usual human forgetfulness and error. It will be 99% correct.

Thanks. I'm sure they could be improved with a proper tripod (one of those mini desk-top ones would no doubt do) and lighting, but I'm lazy! I have certainly noticed that as soon as light levels drop the camera struggles to focus crisply and the resulting photos are noticably grainier. But as Peter says, I think most modern cameras (point-and-shoot or fancier) should be able to produce acceptable results, at least for ebay listings. Having said that, some coins are just really difficult to photograph to their best. While the one I posted above is a success, there are others of mine that whatever I do, just don't look at all as good as (I think they look) in real life. I've one on ebay at the moment that just looks rubbish, despite my best efforts. Probably explains why nobody has made any offers for it!

Hmm .. I get photos like this: Using nothing more advanced than this: An Olympus VG 120. Hand held but steadied on a box, set on super-macro and in good sunlight. (The background is cropped and filled using MS Paint on my laptop).

Update! (Yeah, I know it's a real old thread) I managed to find a copy of the SNC I wanted, albeit through a dealer in the US! The BNJ, Rob kindly scanned me a copy, but the BNA site now has more recent issues in pdf, if anyone else needs them. I am still looking for copies of Mark Rasmussen's lists 1,3 and 4 and the auction catalogues mentioned here.

I think maybe it was that the coins are below £1000 sale price. But yeah, I can believe £50,000 worth. I've noted 36 Charles I shillings alone amongst those lost. The worry is if they aren't found soon they will just be melted. I'm sure they must be insured. But the numismatic loss ..

Lloyd has marked up his website to show which of his stock was stolen, so if anything is offered from an unusual source it can be checked against the photos there: http://www.coinsofbritain.com/pages/coins/coins-all.asp Most of the stock appears to have gone, from hammered to medallions. I wonder if he was putting it all back into (or collecting it from) the bank? I hope they are all recovered and soon.

http://www.predecimal.com/forum/topic/7880-posting-pics/

Have you been at Peter's tablets Ski?

Yeah. On their US website they are flogging two silver eagles for $300 That's over £90 for an ounce of silver. I don't care that they are MS9,001, it's still just a very fancy way of selling bullion at a huge mark up. Of course US forums are full of people who collect such things and pay a premium for an extra shiny (MS70) lump of silver over a washer (MS68). It wil be interesting to see whether the market for such things eventually goes the way of beanie babys or whatever. Ridiculous.

My only comparison is with shillings of Charles I. Where, as you know, things like changes to a bust design within a recognisable and distinct type are viewed as major varieties (Sharp E1, E2, E3 etc..) as are significant differences to a reverse design. But pm overmarks? I'd say not. Of course, there aren't any hard and fast rules really. Generally it's down to whoever first does the classification to decide. Which is why we have a Sharp C2/2 and C2/3, although the only difference between the two is that a lis is missing from the top of the shield, but several rather different looking busts which are all clumped together as D4/ A more major study was undertaken by Roy Osborne, who differentiated between different harp designs and the like. The problem is .. that resulted in a very complex classifaction. Probably the reason most shilling collectors stick to Michael Sharp's nomenclature is it's simplicity!

Bother. So am I allowed just to tell everyone that they mustn't bid on any Charles I shillings ever again instead? I hear and I obey Well, I appreciate the gesture. Though as you don't actually collected hammered coins in the first place .... 1) praise be to God! 2) you old fox, TG, what a manoeuvre, what a move! Purely unintentional I assure you Stuart! Though an interesting strategy for future reference ...