Rob

I think the basic problem is the number of dies that were made. Unless you have a definitive study of the coinage, then there will always be differences which you have to try an differentiate between kosher and suspect. The shilling jewels just looked too bulky for my liking. This however, may be a timing difference because the Spink plate and OP coins are 1554, whereas the one I posted is 1555. Also, copies tend not to embellish detail. The P&M was from DNW 10 or 12 years ago but I don't have anything before that. The surfaces weren't very nice in any case - it had clearly been dug. I don't have this any more as I couldn't live with the scratch etc. The weight was ok. The testoon was ex Noble sale 1973 and one of Ras' lists. As you said, ideally you need them in hand.

Shilling doesn't look very good either with reference to the jewels on the crown cushion and Mary's necklace.

I would have my doubts about the Testoon. My main concerns are the stops, which seem too bulky and the obverse has what appears to be a crack. The fact it is not fully formed and effectively filled in makes me suspicious. FWIW, I've only got a grotty pellet in annulet testoon, but the stops are much clearer, and even if worn down would not have the same size footprint. Not looked at the P&M yet. Do that later.

There is no right or wrong way to collect if the collector is happy with what they have. Personal preferences change and standards are adjusted, but it is entirely up to the individual. Otherwise, the habits of all collectors would be dictated by he who shouts loudest.

Happy birthday for yesterday.

I guess the best thing would be to contact Coincraft. Joe Bispham is your man, but I don't have any contact details for him. They must have listed it on someone's recommendation, almost certainly Joe's given he wrote the BNJ article in 1985 and much has come to light in the past 30 years.

Ah. See what you mean. Joe's article has obverse 5 with the EDWARD legend, so that ties in, although the bust looks larger on your coin, but I can't see anything for a Durham House reverse with TIMOR. Is the reverse mark definitely a bow? If not it could be a muled mark after the dies had transferred to the Tower/Southwark, wherever they went. Looking at what you can see of the shield garnishing, it looks more like a non Durham House style. Guarantee they will have been used somewhere given the financial constraints of the time.

S2472 with bust as 2466, Edward VI etc on the obverse and INIMICOS rev.

Post mint damage. The options are either done in a vice, or two coins coming together in the coining press leaving the imprint of one on the other

It might be a mistrike. Can't tell whether it is PM or not from the image.

Don't think so. It looks like the colon after Britt points to between teeth and the G of GRA isn't sloping.

Not to be confused with die polishing lines which are raised on the coin (incuse on the die). They are alright.

It happens all the time. I had an order, one of which I had sold and not removed. I told the buyer and he pointed out that I still had something listed he bought 6 months before. Problem was I had 2 similar things which both sold inside a day and after removing one, I thought in my mind that I had removed both. If you don't have a fully automated shop with stock control you are always going to fall foul of this at some point.

Don't think so, but it's difficult to tell. The lighthouse top looks to be the wrong shape and the 'C' has a straight back which would also be wrong. http://www.londoncoins.co.uk/?page=Pastresults&auc=128&searchlot=1456&searchtype=2 Here's a clear example.

Probably not, I'm too insular. For most of the past 30 years I've got along without relying on anyone unless unavoidable. The first time I employed someone (I knew well), they **** on me, so I just look after no. 1 now and have done for years. I succeed or fail by my own efforts alone. No regrets on that front.

Chris doesn't not allow a link, rather it is up to the individual. I personally think it is wrong for me to piggyback on someone else's forum when they are also trying to make a living.

It depends on what you want to collect. As you might imagine the supply of bronze pennies is unlikely to be equalled. Most people on here collect by denomination, so work out what you want and ask the relevant person. Pennies, halfpennies, farthings, sixpences, crowns, shillings and halfcrowns are all covered by various people. We're a pretty reasonable bunch when all's said and done. You could also peruse Chris' stock seeing as he owns the forum and allows us to use it for free - hint, hint.

Even a scanner is likely to be better than a mobile phone image unless you can hold it steady enough

Or you can give members first option at a price you would be happy with. That's how Peck got his open 3 from me, Danz got his 1867 3rd head shilling, as did a few others find a new home.

New dies it is. Not helped by the dotted e!

10 or 12 years ago it was only a few thousand. Still had the same number of decent pieces or possibly even more. That's 100000 extra lumps of s***e.

Too much material and only 24 hours in a day. I lost the will to live a few years ago.

There are so many varieites that you need to make sure you are comparing the right things. Best recommendation is to do a lot of reading, anywhere and everywhere.

Could be Lion and Lis. That is usually found on Class 13, 14 & 15 though at Durham. A picture of the coin would help.

There are still plenty of choice coins available, just too many collectors to spread them around. They do however represent a very small percentage of the total available. It would be good for the hobby to see an increase in the number of people doing genuine research in any area as this would increase the demand for lesser pieces. It has to be born in mind that many varieties are only available in low grade. Museums have acquired a considerable number of rare/choice coins in the past half century. NMW, BM, Exeter, Taunton etc, the list is endless. Additionally there is a small but not insignificant list of coins that are unobtainable elsewhere, unless someone digs up another example. Recently rendered unobtainable is a Petherton coin, discussed a couple weeks ago, where the ex-Lockett coin was the last one available. It is no longer possible to acquire a complete run of PAXS penny mints as the last one in circulation went to Guildford Museum. I spent a couple years looking for an Exeter crown until I found it was bought by the museum in the Willis sale in 1992. Edward Besly has procured a good number of Civil War pieces for the NMW too. All the Horndons are in museums AFAIK and then there are the unique pennies of Hywel Dda and Pershore in the BM. The insistence on keeping hoards intact is also not very helpful to collectors. Once they enter a musem then they frequently become available to the public in theory only as many museums don't have a curator - so they languish. This is a double edged sword though as the Frome hoard of 52000 Roman coins would undoubtably have flooded the market for example.