Peter

I was putting the 1988's away.Then I got the complete 1988 BU set and another BU £ for a pittance so spent the circulated ones.There are over 7 million so they are not rare.

Surely the problem with the Euro is worth cashing in on.It is not only Greece going pop. Holidays abroad are likely to be down due to belt tightening and The Olympics...think of the common holiday destinations that rely on British......Greece,Spain,Italy,Portugal etc.Sterling is likely to be affected by the Euro crisis so $ up.

Absolutely agree on Solovair - fantastic boots from Northampton. Top on My girls were after coloured DM's...I refused.Solovairs marketing are either useless or unambitious.The European/North American market is/are crying out for these.

Welcome CFOX Realise there is no easy way to invest.The Bullion train left 4 years ago. If there was an easy route to riches we would be getting on with it and not hanging around forums. Peck is right about knowledge...don't even think about buying until you have the books. Ebay is a minefield and any good dealer will be selling at a profit (until you can outsmart the dealer). Buy a few from dealers (internet/forum members and get a feel.) It ain't easy but I enjoy it and pee less up against the wall.

From an uneducated idiot who won't charge.Buy authentic quality pre 19C furniture (and use carefully)Avoid gold because it is so obvious. Coins..just buy the finest. Work out how long you are likely to live and enjoy now and fret later if you are still grasping breathes...just buy more malt,cuban cigars and take a subscription to H&E.

Peter if you want them I will gladly send you all I have at absolutely no charge (yes, I know I can spend the 2p and 1p). Who said I was a heartless git? Oh, yes, it was my ex (well all of them actually) Trouble is John you would put canny cheap steamed off stamps on the packet so I would have to pay the extra charge and take the Lada up to the sorting office and get mugged by the tented Eastern European buddies for the wheels.

If all the banks called in the debt now it would be meltdown. Don't live beyond your means,buy only what you can afford,minimise your debt. When I see new cars advertised at £50 per week and not at its real price I just laugh. FFS something has to give.I'm currently buying all the brand new cars and holiday homes advertised from council house estates.(only kidding...or am I?)

Peck Just get on the gravy train.Don't blame a capitalist system.What I hate is envy/jealousy I went to Shite schools run by leftie do gooders. I was a year late to be able to take the 11+ and ended up in a class of 40 based in a corridor at my middle school.It was a wasted 2 years and held back from learning. There were slow and fast learners in the class and EVERYONE suffered. I have 2 daughters,one is very bright the other is indifferent but compassionate both have merits and demerits.I wouldn't change them for all the copper in Robs collection My wife and close friends are Public school.There are a few of us compi made good. OK I never want to see labour tripe in power again.We are not all equal and that is a fact. I could go on but my 1/4d's are calling out.

Nice questions and at least a reply. A 1953 in less than UNC is RARE How many were spent at the tuck shop? I have bought a few 1953 plastic sets (all under £6)...worth splitting and selling to the Ebay mugs. John...keep your 1971 decimal sets. The 1970 proof sets are also worth splitting for the uneducated masses.

Flat rate VAT can be paid on smaller traders...doesn't help with coins.Basically I pay x% on my accountants figures and charge 20% for my services.The balance can usually pay for your accountant. .There is also a fine line between employed and freelance risk taker.IR35 .The benefits of freelance Ltd are VAT Corperation tax at 21% and employing your wife as a director and paying yourself a minimum wage. There are so many loopholes that I doubt anyone capable of earning a reasonable sum can't sort him/herself out. The government employs thickies in the main....nothing new there

I don't think we have any serious collectors of this series who use the forum. The pictures don't show it at it's best? Put some nice hammered or tin recovered from the waterlogged Thames mud and you will get takers.

Don't be afraid of the taxman.I had my 1st brush with them in 1987 when I rented out a house whilst I worked away.More recently by paying corperation tax you just need a good accountant. Don't worry about threats,just make contact and speak to someone(good idea to confirm the conversation).They usually aren't the brightest and a bit of nous goes a long way.Read Money saving expert and pick up some good tips. Get your money out of the banks and obvious pots and buy rare coins/furniture/antiques.Really would the taxman know about rare varieties. The worlds financial markets are still going into meltdown.Fill yer cellars with tinned food, alcohol and quality cigars.

Just cut out crap.My brother in law was high up in the simple service (never understood why) as he spent most of his time in France or Florida.....bleedin flexi hours and final salary pension.After spending 10 years (post Uni)in India consuming large quants of black.He got 1st class train travel and trips all over the world (to see how they did it).Now early retired on a huge lump sum and fantastic pension he is now a consultant for them at £1k per day plus expenses.Trouble is the bosses up the line (he is near the top offer silly bonus to justify their own) Even back in the early 90's a London (pretty face & tight Ummm)secretary earned 19k bonus and I was professional guy not in the money market earning about twice this. The taxman has demanded £1.5k from my dinner lady wife (who was a director of my company)and then repaid it and then claimed it and repaid again. Next time I will f*** em till they pop. If those a*rseholes take on Ebay sellers...personally I feel quietly confident. Rant over

As a side thought how could Hugh Grant go off with a buck wh*re. Shane Warne must of bowled his best Googilie

http://www.bestnudeceleb.com/defamer/celeb41/pics/celebdefamer_com_15.jpg This is the best I could do

Slightly off topic. The latest bargain in Saturday's Mail. 1953 Jubilee Crown £24.95 or buy 4 get one free....amazing rip off. In their mail bargains insert they were flogging aluminium business/credit card holders for £12.99+ p&p,,,nice bit of kit.However Ebay has just provided identical cases for £2.50 delivered. It is nearly 15 years since Di died. I might just start collecting those crowns adding a business/credit card holder and knock em out 50% cheaper at £24. Dragons Den here I come I reckon costs £1+£2.50 + post/packing handling.Advertising £10k...sell 200,000 units =outlay of £1.1m potential return £4,800,000 :ph34r: Churchill's 50th anniversary in 3 years time.hmmmm Any backers from the forum?

A 52 2/6 (would and has George V1) on the obverse). Quite a novelty though.

There was a thread on books the other day. This CD is the same guy who advertises his coin cleaning kit on this forum. Could be useful http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Coinage-Books-Trade-Tokens-Great-Britain-Ireland-Cd-30-Books-Total-/120909389805?pt=UK_Coins_Tokens_RL&hash=item1c26c2dfed#ht_712wt_1270

Minted and 7 and had a bit of luck I suppose.

azda, i sincerely hope that you and peckris both understand that my posts were meant in good faith and also meant to differentiate between the bad that occurs on ebay, those you have highlighted as shill bidders, those who clearly sell the utmost of polished crap, designed to mislead, and the genuine dealer, whom may have had a difference in grading to personal levels. we may all disagree on grade of a particular coin at times with bona fida dealers, that happens, we have different ideas and ideals, different knowledge of a specific coin/dies....etc etc, but it sure must be difficult to be all embracing. azda....how many times have you come on here to ask for die pairings/references for a particular penny.....loads azda....how many times have you asked for a grading on a particular coin...................................loads does that make you or any other here better than CC or Rendell........maybe yes, maybe no. but yes it does make YOU and Peckris and CC and Rendell and all the others here far and away better than the those shill bidders, crap sellers on ebay...........and that was the whole point of my original post....... im gonna leave this forum now................theres clearly no place for a prick like me here. ski I wouldn't worry, ski. There will always be disagreements with people even in the most (normally) harmonious of settings. Doesn't mean they're by default right, and you're wrong. Sometimes they will be and sometimes you will be. Sometimes you will both be half right and half wrong. Whichever, it's not worth putting yourself down and leaving for, as it will all be forgotten in a few days anyway. If you have something to say, say it, and if it happens to upset someone, then tough do dahs. It's life, it's the way it is. You should see many of the comments made and insults exchanged on some forums. Makes the worst of what you see on here look like a Sunday School outing. That's the trouble with fora, a timid gutless coward all of a sudden grows a pair the size of watermelons as he sits at his computer 2000 miles away from the poor recipient of the hurtful dirge. As Mike said Ski, divn't worry aboot it marra. I've got skin thicker than a Rhinos arse so you or anybody else might get me revved up for a minute or two but after that I start to worry about more important things like "can Newcastle stuff the Toffees the day?" I shall be stuffing the chicken later.Thank goodness the Euro's start soon...the grass was almost cut and the cars cleaned yesterday.Then the dog got a text telling him to get down the pub for a swift half

I think what they're saying here is 'ow, Burt, it's not fair (stamps foot on floor), why can't we just say NEF? EBay gets away with it, do you really think anyone would notice (winks eye at colleague)?' Godwin gets on the PC replying 'don't worry, I have a plan, and I shall say zis only wunse, let's use our new "eBay Price Guide" to set the estimate (winks at his colleague, and sucks back a little bit of spittle and pea juice from the corner of his mouth)!' So, the first official acknowledgement that eBay are the world market leaders is numismatics, who would've thought it? 'The eBay Auction Price Guide for Numismatists'! The trouble is Ebay worldwide shift more coins (and crap) than all the rest of the dealers on the planet.The Yanks have actual price lists and try to reach exact grading....and we still operate "cash is king" at fairs,auctions and dealers.I did witness an American trying to insist a dealer at the Midland accepts his offer based on his price list....he didn't

I mentioned CC, that i sent a coin back to him as i did'nt agree with the grade, he freely accepted the return and got my money back as did Chris Perkins i think mentioned the same. Personally, I expect dealers' grades to be accurate. After all, they will often have more grading experience than the majority of collectors. We are also often told that a dealer will only pay 50% of what a coin might be worth - therefore that is the dealer's profit margin. So when I see a dealer inflating the grade, I see that as an attempt to take an extra profit at the expense of the buyer. I too have complained about CC grading, but at least they are consistent and do accept returns. Lets be reasonable.It depends what the coin in question is worth.I buzz along (with the exception of a few) with selling coins under £100.I wouldn't be happy with 50% profit on £2 coin(£1 )But high quality expensive coins I'm sure the profit margin will drop like a stone.

I'm in 2 minds of sending coins abroad.Unless high value where belt and braces insurance is viable. When it comes to polished coins surely the buyer can see this.Also dipped coins stand out a mile.

I'm now reminded of Nicole (Ohh Papa) from the Renault advert....stunning (not Papa)

Spinks are high and low.I know what I want and the price I want to pay. Some coins seldom see the light of day so I may push the boat out. I love chasing varieties but come up against a few forum members. I have been lucky but certainly put the hours/miles/sneeking funds in.