Statesman

Thanks for the link, very interesting! Cheers Chris

Ok thanks zookeeperz, think I'm getting the hang of it, lol....My brains a bit fried, as its getting late here. This looks like a FAB website/forum to browse, so glad I found it. Thanks all again! Cheers Chris

So there is little to tell the difference between say a BU 1970 penny and a 1970 proof penny?

Thanks guys for the valuable info. I am now referring to the UK 1971 decimal proof set I also bought. I was reading up on the Chards website https://24carat.co.uk/frame.php?url=1990coinsets.php I am getting confused in my old age....On the website it says: "Strangely enough, the fifty pence, although included in the proof set, was not issued for circulation in 1971. It had been introduced in 1969, ahead of decimalisation, and sufficient quantities had been produced dated 1969, and 1970, so that no more were needed in 1971." (My bold) My set has a 50p dated 1971? I would have thought that if no more were needed, the set would have a 1969/1970 50p coin in it? Think I am missing something here

Hi Paddy, and thanks for your reply. Well thats OK then, as I didnt want to think I might be buying B/UNC coins. Its just that interested folks I show the coins too, the first thing they say is, apart from the obvious different countries, is that the AU ones look "different" and now I can explain to them that yes, the UK ones ARE proof coins as well, but they are struck (I guess) in a different fashion. Was looking at the Royal Mint pages, but it says very little about the differences in proof coins, that I could see Thanks again for your time in replying Cheers Chris

Hello, A little new to coin collecting, still havn't found that 1933 Penny, LoL. I was originally from the UK, 40 odd years ago, but now living in Oz, and have always wanted to buy some UK coins "that I remember well", so I recently purchased a 1970 Last pre-decimal proof coin set and the first UK Decimal proof set. When I received them both, I was quite disappointed that they didnt have a frosted relief I was expecting. AS a comparison, I also purchased a 1975 Australian decimal proof set which are frosted on the relief and do look much nicer Are these UK proof coins really proof as it says on the package or are there differing types of proof coins? Many thanks for any information :-) Cheers Chris