BottleCapDave

I shall be snapping them up in the years to come then I wonder if there is anyway I could get an official response from the mint as to the origin of these varieties and how they were dispersed. All the information I have seen has been conjecture.

Recently I have come across a couple of dealers listing examples of 1962 half crown 'polished dies'. One had already sold and I have managed to snap up the second one. I have no images available but will post here when I recieve. The dealer has told me it belonged to a retired mint employee and that it has a superior finish like the 1961 polished dies, and that it is sealed in a polythene pack. He had no further information on the matter but I am wondering if these 'polished die' varieties are something given to employees as gifts?

Funny that R.Ingram is on my naughty list, one of my first ever coin orders. But no, this was another dealer. I try not to name and shame unless it has already been mentioned. But should I be naming and shaming, general consensus? In my head BUNC with nothing else noted should mean as it is. I agree. I think I will stick to pictured listings with clear images from now on. Even then I have to watch out for duplicate images and generic stock photos. Disappointment hit me hard this week.

Is it normal to expect an underpriced coin with no pictures to have major detractors even though described as BUNC, nothing else noted? Recently bought a 1935 'rocking horse' crown described as BUNC from a dealer regularly advertised in Coin News magazine. Basic website coinlist, no pictures, a column in the listings for notes. Did not have Spink catalogue on me during work lunch break... Received coin but noticeable hairlines across both obv. and rev. and multidirectional hairlines on some of the fields. Clearly a cleaned coin. I bought it for £24 excl. postage. Spink says £40 in BU. Is this normal practice to expect the buyer to know a coins worth before hand and to expect major detractors such as these if underpriced? Surely can't be described as BUNC if it has been cleaned. Just rather disappointed after the usual long January. I don't enjoy purchasing twice having small monthly budget for my collection.

So far the 50p has been confirmed for circulation. There have been hints of the 20p as well.

Correct. That was not there last time I checked. Sept 2024 it is. Maybe...

https://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/english-silver-coinage-original-30th-anniversary-revised-platinum-edition-newly-illustrated-througho/p-alan-rayner/hardback/9781912667765.html Eh? First I have heard of this revision/update. It's not one of the Maurice Bull revisions and is not listed on spinkbooks.com

Does anyone here know anything about this relatively new listing for English Silver Coinage 30th Anniversary edition by P Alan Rayner? Published 15/03/2023. According to the description, I believe it is a update of the 5th revision with variety additions using the original Seaby numbering system and updated photos? This is not listed on the spinkbooks.com website which seems weird to me as it is a Spink published book. I guess it is time to send an email. https://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/english-silver-coinage-original-30th-anniversary-revised-platinum-edition-newly-illustrated-througho/p-alan-rayner/hardback/9781912667765.html https://www.foyles.co.uk/book/english-silver-coinage-original/p-alan-rayner/9781912667765 Any information about this will be gladly received, TIA.

I do agree with your view there, Rob, and so I am slowly gathering different authors. Will be looking at any revisions of Davies and Freeman. Perhaps I might obtain Gouby but to be honest, right now, I have little interest in collecting accidental die variations like dots and gradual die flaws for example. Not just yet anyway. The rabbit hole goes rather deep and I am quite comfy nearer entrance for now thank you very much. 😄.

Finding it rather easy to get lost being relatively new at this but once pointed out I know exactly where I am again. I already have a copy of ESC - Bull 7th edition, had forgotten about the Rayner revisions, and yes I have found that you are correct. I bought this before buying Davies and was disappointed with the lack of 19th-20th century varieties. Davies, Groom, and Freeman have found a new home on my bedside cabinet.

I have spent some time creating major variety lists per reign using Google sheets. Nothing sophisticated, just reference numbers, dies id's and their descriptions etc. I will say Groom has been helpful with higher quality images and more detailed descriptions of Davies' varieties. As a newbie I have yet to pick up Rayner's book, does he include any major die varieties not listed in Davies?