Peter

Charing Cross market on a Saturday is worth a look....coins,medals and stamps.

You need to get a couple of books, William. 1) Collectors Coins GB, about £7 by our glorious leader, Chris Perkins 2) Grading British Coins, £13 by one of our favourite forum members, Derek Allen both available here, probably the best £20 you could spend. Same price as fish and chips for 4. You'll be glad you did! I think I've already mentioned this....maybe it will now sink in.

I have noted any "foreign" dealer who use's Krause to value his UK stock is often ripe for picking...I've just chanced upon a EU dealer who does this and I'm warning Mrs Peter that I intend to fill my boots up next week...my list is over 15 coins and I've only done up to 1/2d's

I've just had a peek at today's paper and the RM have taken a 2/3 page advert touting a 6d from circulation 1920-1946 for the bargain price of £19.99 plus £2.95 p&p and even better no p&p if ordered on line. They should be ashamed

It is of no suprise that US interest was strong at the start of the 20C as they had little more than 100 years of their own coinage. Today interest runs even deeper down to price and availability. Lets not be greedy we have enough to go around and as long as coins are not purchased to be polished and mounted to become jewellery I have no problem....indeed I have purchased several coins which have been entombed in plastic by US TPG's....but thats another story.

I would have thought that with PCGS and NGC moving into Europe that CGS would be less strict to attract more custom, not the other way round But that 1934 Wreath crown is definately not GF, seriously, i don't think i'd ever submit a coin to CGS if thats how harsh they are. This is certainly a VF, any fool can see that. CGS coins and NGC/PCGS coins are regarded highly for their harshness and rightly so reflects in their values compared to other TPG's if CGS had been weak they wouldn't of even got off the starting blocks.Over the years I've picked up on how I rate dealers grading(especially before the internet)I've got to a point where one's GEF is as good as anothers UNC.There is a certain long time dealer (near the front of coin news)who overgrades by at least 1 point....BU Gem and all that waffle.I bought another gf+ 1694 1/2d but it turned out to be poor/nearly fair...went straight back and haven't used since.

I think the grade may be a typo.Although Londoncoins/CGS are harsh on grading (as they had to be)with competion from ngc/pcgs etc moving strongly into Europe.I just bought 3 bun farthings (2 ngcms64's & a 65)...unc in anyones terms and spot on in my opinion.I would buy a lesser grade cgs say au78 and I'm sure there wouldn't be a lot of difference.

Unfortunatly this negates toy money it would seem.Google gives references to other coin forum conversations and even the Fitzpatrick musuem.

If you google Lauer toy money the big wide web should suffice your needs.

I collect for me...is that wrong? I love a bargain like anyone else but who will give me £90 for nvf 2 pronged 1840 1/4d when Spink don't acknowledge it.I get my pleasure from a rummage at the Midland coin fair...a look at my collection(of which I try to improve)and my reference books and internet.I would love a 150k coin but would have to put it under my pillow.I'm content with my dog at my feet.A steak and glass of red on a Saturday and a browse of the internet.My hobby isn't expensive and when I go up in flames I will leave a few trays with references that only a few will understand.

From the 8 bidders for the shilling down to the 1882h 1d I think there is a vast vat of just plain dumbness.I got negative feedback for picturing and describing a photoframe...and yes I sized it and it was in my daughters hand...what more can you do.Just accept there are so many fools out there to keep you rich....anyone want a loan....only 2,675%apr....ok and I want to buy your gold and sell you diamond brite for your car.

What I can't understand is if you wanted to buy drugs you would prefer a discreet proffessional advert not something thats plastered all over a forum...I for one will take my business elsewhere.

Thing is, whoever is ultimately responsible for all this spam, really can't have a lot of intelligence. As a form of advertising it is 100% useless. The only effect it has on nearly all sites, is to irritate both the owners and users, who, by definition, will have absolutely no interest whatsoever in what s being offered ~ and even that pre-supposes they can understand the garbage that forms the advert. My wife who has A levels phoned me at work to tell me we had won a holiday to Florida..on the way home I bought a 5lb cod and slapped her in the chops. There must be a tiny % of idiots who respond to whatever it is. And maybe the profits wrung from that moronity make it all worth it? Moronity would indeed be the collective noun to describe anyone willing to send money to Russia/Kazakhstan/Uzbekistan/Turkmenistan, or wherever this cyber rubbish emanates, on the vague hope that the junk they were ordering might actually turn up. Almost like sending £1000 to certain gentlemen in Nigeria, on the promise of £1,000,000 being paid back to you as a winner. One I received actually referred to their "London Office" and gave an address. When I google Earthed, it turned out to be a disused petrol station in Hendon !!!

Who needs Viagra when Mrs Peter wears her tight t shirt with 1771 farthings on her thrupenny bits I would also recommend a good bottle of red,comfy sofa and liberal lashings of grovelling. I think I over done it on the red...and the comfy sofa worked...ooops

Who needs Viagra when Mrs Peter wears her tight t shirt with 1771 farthings on her thrupenny bits I would also recommend a good bottle of red,comfy sofa and liberal lashings of grovelling.

I see Hen.co.uk has a lot of teeth for sale. I managed to get a few George 1 1/4d's for a fraction of their worth..(Spink can fry themselves on pricing). I recall a well known dealer selling a 1771 at Spink prices...24 hrs and he could of sold it 50 times....I was nr 43 or so.

Super Job SEUK. Keep them coming.

I enjoy the pursuit of collecting.Coins fit the bill nicely having art,beauty,history and lets not deny intrinsic value. I have no qualms in buying coins for my collection although I have slowed up and take more time (saying that I've just ordered 3 farthings from the internet). I'm quite happy to tick along. Museums...there is a subject.Apparently my local museum has a large quantity of coins in storage.I enquired whether these were available for purchase.NO. Some of the coins they do have on display are incorrectly attributed....they need liberating.I have a re occuring dream of the glass being open as I fill my boots up.Have I the potential to be a common thief or the saviour of works of art?

I've got a similar one going on Ebay in the near future.It should make £20+ The price rockets for anything EF+

Hi Rob, is it the electric is on a low rate at 2 in the morning? or is it you just cannot sleep? I discipline myself to turn in at 2. Left to my own devices I would keep going all night, maybe go to bed when the sun comes up and in which case wake up at the crack of lunch. I would happily become an owl.The peace and quiet you can't buy.

Motivation is derived from many sources. Other collections provide inspiration when you are clueless. How often do you hear new collectors saying "what should I collect?" Almost all collectors start out with a bit of this and a bit of that, but eventually settle on a focussed set of criteria. Something has to motivate them to specialise, or does the motivation arise from the captivation of their chosen criteria? Some collectors stay focussed over decades, others not. Some experienced collectors migrate from one theme to another either by choice or out of frustration from not being able to fill the vacant slots in the series. Maybe it's down to boredom, or maybe lack of funds, because as Peter says, I don't think many people would ever go into debt for a hobby. Basically we all have to go at our own financially constrained speed, which is why it doesn't help to get too worked up over the contents of someone else's collection that you have no control over. It's always nice to have the best known, but that comes with the caveat that a better best known may well be just around the corner. Having 2nd best is not a large problem as long as it is within spitting distance of the best. Far more important is that it has eye appeal, which for anyone interested in detail by definition means as high a grade as possible, though toning has a major part to play. People collecting at the top end will always have a mixture of top quality and not quite there pieces because there simply isn't sufficient material to go around. Most quality collections will have a few best knowns, but hidden away will also be a selection of indifference. Some of the Slaney hammered pieces were absolutely top drawer, but some of the milled were not. Some coins you get and others you miss out on. Some you bought whilst wearing rose tinted spectacles and live to regret. You can be collecting for decades, but still make new discoveries that motivate you on to find out more. My motivation is frequently refocussed based on a recent purchase, or a potential future purchase that I see in a forthcoming sale catalogue. I want to know if that coin on offer represents a good example to acquire. I don't want to buy something that I would later duplicate with a vastly superior piece. We are all motivated differently, with probably more divergence of viewpoints than you get with grading - which is saying a lot. The day I bore of getting out my coins and feeling so so is the day I will give up.I often go to bed thinking how I will refocus everything.We can always do better. I'm savaging my collection to come up with a streamlined choice but many coins have memories.Apart from my 1/4d's maybe I could end up with 50 coins....Right top 50 coming up... & at the end of the day position 45 to 50 will have to watch their backs

I NEVER SAID I WAS NORMAL – NOTHING A WEIRD AS FOLK I DID SAY LET US OPEN AND TELL STORIES -WHO CAN BE NORMAL COLLECTING PIECES OF METAL Pieces of metal ummmm. Funny how it seems that I don't have to write down where I took custodian of various coins...most stick in the mind and where bought for a reason (whatever that was )

A very understanding wife. The fact its brass and may I say something I would even overlook (However the retreat of Dale Farm springs to mind)...What makes a coin worth 20K?....it is simple but never beautiful.

It's clear that this is a 17th century imitation of the coinage of the future. Its got a head stamped on one side and know ware on it. A must have for all coalectors

We all collect within a budget(or one assumes no one here goes into debt in doing it). I'm sure we all have coins which we believe are quality...and within individual parameters are. An exclusive coin is great...but imagine if its only 2nd best. Everyone needs a kick up the backside...BUT if we all sought the Holy Grail of coins there would be a lot of disappointed collectors. I look at what I believe other collectors have...and yes I am jealous only to the extent that I will get there at my own speed. History and coins goes without saying...imagination.