Peckris 2

My point was not that people didn't collect base metal, but that they didn't collect CURRENT coins. In fact, that only began (slowly) after WW2.

It's an area ripe for study. Certainly collectors in Victorian times (as opposed to mere "putters away" of new types) didn't really bother with their own base metal coinage, and the rarity of BU bun pennies possibly bears this out. Had that changed by 1913? Very difficult to say, but it may be that "putters away" of 1913 pennies accounted for the survival of now rare varieties in high grade, the circulated examples of which were swept up in 1971. I absolutely agree with the case of people putting away examples of new reigns when they first appeared, which helps explain why the 1902LT penny is relatively easy to find in top grades, it being the earlier variety and therefore the first to appear.

It could be that it was noticed but because no-one collected "base metal modern" at the time, it may have been regarded as just a curio?

It looks far too good to be true (doesn't mean it isn't of course) - but it does look like a modern repro.

Agreed. It was both stupid and greedy but I've seen rapists get smaller sentences.

Interesting that this is in Hammered. I realise it's a subjective, personal, geeky point, but I'd class Saxon under Ancients along with Roman (which they overlap with), Greek, and Celtic, etc. For me, "hammered" means anything from the Norman invasion to the arrival of milled in Tudor times.

Blimey. You need to go to AA meetings...

Which means it could be an antoninianus (silver washed).

"Twenty five notes John, twenty for cash..."

In a way, that's what is happening. The young now use contactless without a second's thought, while many of the elderly still use cash as their prime option. Meanwhile cheques are seeing the slowest death by a 1000 cuts but will before long be history. A slow changeover to suit different generations is what we're getting.

which variety is the farthing?

This sign always makes me smile. "Top line - L then I then E then ... is it an N ?"

Not a good observation. It wasn't 'the nanny state' that has seen the rise of cashless. It was international banking that first introduced the credit then the debit card. Apps and contactless are the work of banks and multinational computing companies. Do we REALLY believe that Britain has had any real influence or dynamic input in this whole thing?

Interesting question. The parallel - yet not - situation is vinyl records: when CDs came in, record collecting became popular and prices went through the roof for rarities. However, there has also been a resurgence in vinyl releases as there was always a hardcore minority who preferred it and their numbers have swollen. There won't be the same thing with coins except for the minority who collect; there will be no resurgence of coins as a money medium when and if we go cashless.

It's not an absolute question. SOME of the proof sets between 1937 and 1953 have some or all coins with frosting that varies between slight and marked. As far as 1953 is concerned, then Secret Santa makes the point that they contain the extremely rare mule penny.

That's a pretty good copy - you can see that it's "just" wrong enough (though only slightly) not to have been taken from a cast made from a genuine coin.

the obverse portrait is almost exactly the Wyon portrait.

Is that shilling sized? It's unusual in that it's very close to the shilling design, and could be mistaken for one by someone semi-literate who couldn't see the inaccuracy of the legend. Most gaming tokens I've seen are either wildly inaccurate spade guineas with wrong dates, or the 'To Hanover' Cumberland Jack type.

Yes, 79 - 81 was a boom time for coins, then entering a long period of stagnation which only began to end around the time Spink took over Seaby, and Coincraft brought out their catalogue.

If you look at the pictorial examples of different grades in Spink, you can easily come to the conclusion that their grades are very old-fashioned - somewhat lower than the average.

Those initials at the bottom are the best clue, but you'd have to follow it. On the other hand, perhaps it rings a bell with Rob?

Did you hear about the dyslexic agnostic imsomniac who lay awake all night pondering the existence of Dog?

Ah. The "new MP"

Mind you, the second seller is still asking just below the top end of Spink's estimate.