Coppers

Out of focus, but a real bargain (if it's real).... link

Snooze you lose... link

If anyone's interested -- now on ebay.... link

Yes, you have a maximum of 150k per post. Try a different post for each side. If still too big, use a graphics program to reduce the size of the pictures. hi i have put photos on ebay item 190415703177 Link to ebay auction

No bids -- so far... Out-of-focus penny

1882 Penny

I wonder if that "dirty worn out 1877 slender 7" went to the same fellow who paid well over three times that amount for the 1863 slender 3.

Yes, see Rare Bun Head Penny Thread. Somehow I had missed it. Thanks!

Did anyone attend the London Coins Sale?

If the prices on pennies are too high -- there are always farthings and halfpennies. Oi!! don't encourage them all to collect farthings you will push the prices up and give me more competition for purchases In that case I'll try my best to discourage them from collecting farthings even though they are every bit as interesting as the penny series and yet a fraction of price. It will just be our secret.

If the prices on pennies are too high -- there are always farthings and halfpennies.

A sane price would be in the low thousands. It is what I call a genuine variety and should be sought after. I reckon the guy that went apeshit with his money last time is now satisfied and the market will return to normal levels, but if he's not... It's an interesting question why there were narrow and wide dates which occur every year from 1874 to 1879 (bar 1878), but of course the width of the date is only the tip of the iceberg with many other differences (e.g. thick/thin lighthouse) also in evidence. I don't know what the reasons behind this were, but if anybody knows I would be fascinated to learn. There had to have been at least one underbidder when the slender 3 penny sold. I wonder if that fellow now realizes what a narrow escape he had.

It's just coincidence. . . . . . . . . (pun intended) It may be coincidence, but in checking my copy of Jaeger, there are only two examples known of the 1933-J (Hamburg mint) 1 Reichsmark coin. Anyone know of any other countries with a similar rarity from that year?

"These are in mint condition can see everything on them none of the date numbers are missing etc..." I suspect that this fellow must be in the employ of one of the US grading services. Link

Here are some links to the London Coins photos of that penny. Wonder what it would bring if it ever came up at auction again. Obverse Reverse

Could someone explain to me why the coin in the following ebay auction is described as "Fine Work"? Charles I shilling

The buyer apparently was an American.

I believe it was sold for somewhere in the neighborhood of £10K. So, you'd still have £20K left over.

I doubt that 30K would suffice, but if money were no object... halfcrown

US collectors often pay incredible sums for toned coins, many of which had help getting that way.

I'd put your money in the bank. I suspect that most who view the hobby purely as an investment end up on the losing end.

Mat. I doubt very much that you offended anyone. It would take far more than having a sincere difference in opinion to do that. I certainly hope you will reconsider making the above post your last on this forum.

Mat... Can we be certain that you are not working for Baldwin's? Most of what I see Spink selling and auctioning are rarer, higher-value coins. Valuing a coin in either guide books or in auction catalogs at too high a price may actually work to depress bidding and result in a lower price realized. I've seen a number of auctions in which price estimates are far below what I and others know the coin will bring which serves to draw in bidders who might not otherwise consider trying for a coin and in the end which may actually result in a higher price realized and allow the auction firm to advertise that a coin it estimated at one price actually achieved double or triple that price. There are a number of areas in which government regulation is both worthwhile and necessary. This is not one of them.

Many coins seldom come up for sale and when they do that sale may not always be reported. Spink may be setting that higher valuation based on prices realized for similar items. There's nothing wrong with that and unless it could be shown that Spink somehow unfairly enriched themselves by adjusting prices in their guide then I would leave well enough alone.

Happy Birthday Colin!