Sylvester

I though Emperor Oli lived somewhere near Manchester? Actually in Manchester? First thing i've got to ask about that 50p is are there any lines running down the edge of the coin? Secondly does the coin state 'NEW PENCE' on the reverse or 'FIFTY PENCE'? That's both reverses! With you saying a 1970s coin i'm inclined to think it says 'NEW PENCE' Is this the case?

Excellent Eliza! I'm not half accumulating these sixpences... Charles II coins left to get; 1675 the no overdate variety (currently in the process of trying to aquire one of these, having to trade in some my coins now to nab this one, totally out of cash!) 1676 the no overdate variety, exists??? 1677 1678/7 1679 1681 1682 1682/1 1683 1684 Oh it's all go! There is a 1681 available but it has some die flaws and is in much lower condition than i wanted, so i'll pass on that one! Sylvester.

Although the prices in the Coincraft one are now getting further and further out of tune with the newer books. I would say it is the best general book i've come across. The milled section gives all the die axis stuff, illustrations of most coins, mintage figures, a whole section on hammered patterns, touchpieces, milled patterns. The book is set out by denomination rather than by monarch. Each monarch's coins get it's own introduction, plus collecting tips. So lets take crowns for example, George IV crowns get an introduction, followed by collecting hints, followed by the price guide. Then same for the William IV stuff etc. The hammered section is phenominally well thought out. Where possible all the mints used are listed and under each mint every moneyer accounted for is listed. (+ varying spellings etc) I think it's still worth it! Even if the prices are now out. At about £20 for a 750 page A4 size book, i think it's well worth it. Syl.

Spink's was the first coin book I bought when really started collecting and it has taught me a few things but some of it still baffles me I must admit i've been bad and i haven't bought any coin price guides since the 2000 Coincraft one, (in January 2001 i bought that!), prior to this i'd been working from Seaby's 1993 catalogue. (Prior to that i was working from a Spinks 1985 one). I doubt i'll buy another one for a while. If i see a coin for sale at a certain price on a coin list somewhere, i just tend to call in at the local WHSmiths pick up the new coin book, look up the price, make a mental note, and leave again. I might buy next years though, wouldn't want to get too far behind as prices are rising pretty quick these days. (Breaks these unintentional 8 year cycles you know!). Having scouted through the 2003 one in the shops, and the 2004 one the prices in my area of coins seem to have gone up a bit, but not phenominally. I'll admit that i don't find Spinks/Seaby's or whatever it may be that useful, decent price guide and all yes not to be doubted. But for actual background info, i think i'll wait for an updated Coincraft if one is ever forthcoming. Chris are there any decent books out there on Early Milled stuff? (Not George III cos i've got all the coins i want from that reign for now...both dated 1787). Looking particularly for stuff from 1662-1758 inclusive. Preferably 1674-1694 hint hint! Syl.

Right die axis... Best way to do this is to hold a coin, any coin... hold with the obverse facing the right way up. Hold the coin so you have your finger on the top of the coin and the thumb around the bottom edge. Then turn the coin sideways to see which way up the reverse is. If the reverse is the same way up as the obverse, then the coin has been minted with 'medal' alignment and will be shown as an up arrow, if the reverse is 'upside down' then it will be in 'coin' alignment and will be refered to in you're book with a down arrow. US coins are still minted in coin aligment. Most other countries are now with medal alignment.

What even Bradford? No i must admit i do try to avoid Leeds at all cost, can't stand the place if truth be known. Syl.

Yorkshire is like a whole other Country isn't it! Wow. Yeah it is, the attitude up here is quite the same...! A whole different country down south... Yorkshire encompasses West Yorks, South Yorks, North Yorks, and that other place now it's either East Yorks or the East Riding of Yorkshire, i'm not sure what it is officially called. (I think it's the latter). York is technically the capital of the county, but then again there is Leeds...

If i recall rightly it's J. Smiths. I know for a fact it's on the Shambles. (That little old rickety medieval street not far from York Minster) He said he might not be open at the beginning of Feb though as he's going somewhere. But if you do get to go then it's well worth it, he's (from my experience) very honest, and prices things up decently. That's where i got my bargin on that James II Half guinea from! I often spend a good hour in there just looking before i buy, and about half an hour just looking afgter i've bought. Depends what denomination you like most. Currently if you like half crowns and shield reverse sovereigns you can't really lose!

What came to my mind was (from left to right) Phillip II of Spain (as Geoff said) Elizabeth I (Rather caricature i know) And Francis Drake or Walter Raleigh or the like...for the last one.

Thanks for that Chris. I'm sure the 1675 is a 5/4, i think i can see the top of the 4 and the horizontal crossbar at the very rear of the 4. Funny that because the dealer didn't note it down as such, but noted the 1676 down as 6/5 but the 5 if it's there is very very faint, that's if it's there at all. Although i don't think 6 NOT over 5 actually exists as such. But the 7 is rather faint too...so it leads me to conclude that the 5 is present but just weak.

Dunno Eliza, depends how good the scanner is. I've tried to scan writing before and sometimes it just comes out totally blurred! Oh Chris get out that book of yours and give me the R/RR/RRR treatment on these like you did for my 1680 sixpence. The two that i bought are... (Sixpences) 1675 5 quite possibly over 4. 1676 6 over 5. and the one i didn't buy; Charles ii half guinea 1674. (a pretty decent one at that!) Thanks in advance... Syl.

Yorkshire hey? Have you tried that coin shop in York?

1956 most likely, production of this denomination was terminated in 1956.

1958?

I though that was James I? I can tell you that apparently George IV was one of the more hygenic monarchs that insisted on regular baths. His wife didn't believe in them however, and no wonder why he couldn't stand the sight of her. But sadly partially because George insisted on remaining cleaner than many of his contemporaries he was considered very odd, and became rather unpopular, there were many other reasons as well.

Yes i meant Tower Bridge...sorry i'm an ignorant person from the north! The English one i believe is actually the Millennium bridge...at Gateshead? Now that coin is horrid. The Scottish one is the Forth Bridge. That's pretty decent.

And then Chris can email it to me...

Why have they not done London Bridge???

How times have changed eh? Of course in the US you've still got all the things that pull in new collectors by the bucket full. The state quarters, coins from before the Second World War can still be found in change, and of course so can silver. It's things like that that drags everyone into collecting, amongst other things. What have we got...owow 1971 pennies!!! And if you're really lucky you might just get a steel penny that has missed the copper plating process. And that's about it...

Hmmm did i not mention that sixpences are the scarcest of the whole lot? No? Well they are. If you think Charles II Sixpences are hard to find you should try looking for a James II one! I've only ever seen one in my entire life. And when i comes to EM; Half crowns are everywhere! when compared to the other 3 proper silver coins. (leaving out the maundy stuff, which wasn't actually maundy as such). The only things that are harder to find than the sixpences are the C2 and J2 Tin halfpennies and farthings. And the gold of course (except the guinea, but all other denoms; well...)

Glad to see you back on here! And happy Birthday to you!

One day Chris one day but i've just spent all my money till April...the rest is mostly accounted for from now till then... But mi' Coincraft's got them in!

Now there's a coin you don't hear all that much about. I've seen pictures and all. And all those pattern George V double Florins, and twelve groat pieces. And what about those octorinos?

Does anyone own any genuine edward VIII coinage? Erm there is always that foreign stuff; in E8's name... That's geniune E8 coinage! But i have a nice Edward VIII pattern Crown, it's got a decent portrait on the obverse (i.e the type that the circulation crowns would have had) and the reverse is identical to that of the George V Wreath Crowns. So it does look like what could have very well been a genuine issue, rather than that hideous set that Maklouf came out with. I must admit i was never a fan of R. Maklouf, it seems odd to me all the fuss that's made over his new 1985 obverse by the coin books/magazines etc, and yet all the 1998 obverse gets refered to is, 'the new obverse 4' no mention of the designer, no grand introduction, usually added on as an after thought. Strange really...

Woow i haven't seen a copy of Coin News in a shop in years... Most high street shops around my area seem to stock the stamp one occasionally if i really unlucky, but i haven't seen any coin ones for a long long time. I guess WHSmiths just don't cater for coin collectors as much these days...