Rob

This is pants. I can't post a reply to the halfpenny thread saying I was underbidder on a toned mint state 1* obverse brockage over 20 years ago, despite bidding hundreds. Does anyone own up to possessing it? I'll pay very good money, as I held off buying an obverse brockage for a long time to tick that box, in the hope it would resurface. Yet it appears I can post this.

Drop the cataloguer a tenner and suggest he spends it on some cheap glasses. Preferably ones that assist with vision. Who is the errant auction house? Surely they would put the S reference if familiar with coins?

Ruding (several editions) dated from the early 19th century (1819). That had anything issued in an English king's name. One thing about the coins is that the images were taken from wood carvings of the relevant coin. Snelling (1762 on) was a series of books covering English Silver (1762); English Gold (1763); Copper Coins, including tokens (1766); Anglo-Gallic, EIC, West Indies, IOM and foreign imitations (1769); Jetons and Counters (1769). They tried to show any missing detail on the wood carvings with what they interpreted it to be on fully round pieces of wood, whereas in reality the coins weren't. So, the W/SA 6d illustrated in Snelling pt.1 purports to be mm. Tower/helmet, whereas it is in fact my example which is one of two known Tower both sides, as the missing section of the reverse mark corresponds exactly to my coin's unambiguous base of a tower, and is in fact a clear die duplicate of the fully round Lockett coin which has a clear Tower both sides. Lockett's is fairly fully struck up whereas my coin has flat sections in both legends, a slightly double struck obverse, and is not so aesthetically pleasing, but clearly a higher grade with less physical wear. Dowle and Finn was published in the 1960s and remains a standard reference for Irish Coinage. Lord Stewartby wrote a book that is quite comprehensive in its coverage of English coins 1180-1551, but his Scottish collection, which he was going to gift to various Scottish institutions suffered a loss when his 12th & 13th century collection was stolen in 2007 from his home. The Hunterian collection of his Scottish from 1488 -1625 is documented in a Spink book available on Amazon for about £60. This link https://www.britnumsoc.org/images/Annual_BNJ/2018/STEWARTBY.pdf to the BNJ obituary lists his publication at the end. He did however write a book or two on Scottish coinage. Anglo-Gallic coins are covered in both English and French language publications, including the Standard Catalogues for both countries. There are also Spink equivalents in French published by CGF, and others, particularly Duncan in association with the Elias collection which was on of the major accumulations of this material. Don't disregard individual sales of the various materials such as the Dundee Collection (1976). English information is by far the easiest to find, and if you take Peck & Freeman for coppers, you will be reasonably covered., though Montagu is also worth considering. Basically you are spoilt for choice for books, though how much just offers duplication is moot. Stewart (1887), Montagu 1888 & 1893, Brooke (1932). If you are into minor varieties, then there is little choice until the last 50 years when publications took off. Historically, people were always more generalist than focussing on a small specific area. The weakest area is gold, but that is likely a reflection of its affordability.

One of the earlier books on Scottish Coinage was Burns. Coinage of Scotland (1887). Came in 3 volumes. I sold the attached last Christmas for just under £200, but that was quite cheap. I've heard there may be another set looking for a new home, but would have to check.

Probably the A was reinforced using a V punch after the die became worn/filled. The original crossbar is still visible, so either letter would do. Alternatively the inverted V was punched in first, the error noted and then punched a second time using the right punch. Given the original design was engraved on a larger diameter face than the diameter of a penny and then reduced, the first would be more likely, as faulty engraving is more obvious prior to reduction of diameter, and in any case you would expect to see it on all dies made from that obverse.

Plagiarist. 'My word' should be 'Their word'.

And in the time I took to write the above, visitors have reduced from 325 to 24. Nearly back to normal.

Phishing bots must be scraping the barrel. Today, website visitor numbers are up 4800% on the normal 50-100 per day.

There has long been a discussion about whether the William I PAXS pennies were the last issue of William I or the first issue of William II. Pax issues were usually issued at the start of the reign, so this would increase the number of W2 coins dramatically, if true. Unfortunately person(s) who deposited the Beaworth hoard didn't leave an accurate time stamp for the deposition.

IMO it is only worth considering a difference between a proof and VIP proof if the latter was presented to a known and named VIP. You basically have an above average strike with any issue and the RM will give the best ones (or any first strikes) to the people highest up the social order of eligible recipients. So Charles is guaranteed a visually perfect example, whilst you and me are not important enough for them to care. However, if there are sufficient above average examples, then you would expect to see trickle-down. Whatever is out there is by default the norm for any issue.

It's random. The only things rejected with greater frequency seem to be those with an attachment

HENRI ON CANT who only operated at Canterbury in 6b,c,d & 7a,b,c according to North. It isn't a 6b, so Henry III. Wrong style lettering for 6c & d. So class 7. Wrong portrait for 7a. Wrong beard for 7b except for 7bD, but here no flat topped A. So class 7bD or 7cA by my reckoning. If you exclude the flat topped A criteria, then 7bD would be a better fit than 7cA as it looks coarser than the Canterbury 7cA in North.

God knows

That worked, but haven't posted for a few days. If this works, it might be hanging up on the timestamp

Russia?

No idea. I wouldn't have thought so given he joined the mint 64 years ago. He was retired when he came to us and gave a talk, and that was over 7 years ago

Get Graham Dyer's opinion on them. Although not there at the time of striking (joined in 1961), there isn't a great deal he doesn't know. He is still in contact with the RM museum, and it would be right up his street. They would communicate your enquiry to him, assuming he is still in good health. (Haven't spoken for a few years when he picked up on a separate enquiry I made to them, and he was able to contact me and help update my records and therefore knowledge with a piece I wasn't aware of). I would take his word as close to gospel as anyone's.

Ditto

But this post has just worked fine.

It seems to work sometimes and not others. On Saturday it was impossible to reply to the Oasis post, but today was fine. But when I tried to edit it, I couldn't, because forbidden reared it head again.

No, we live on a nice quiet cul-de-sac where houses change hands every 5 or 10 years. All bar 4 of the houses have the same residents as when we moved in 43 years ago in 1982/3. It's near the main roads but a little patch of forgotten Prestwich and on the road to nowhere. In the few months at the end of 82 when we moved in, 4 houses changed hands due to the original owners passing. They had all lived there for 45 years. None of those houses has subsequently sold. For years, Jim in no 4 was the newcomer (moved in 1987), but since then a couple more original residents have passed and the other one has changed hands a couple times. No incentive to move. No interruptions, burglaries are measured on a unit/multi-decade basis. We've had one on the street since we moved in and the wife saw off a potential offender trying to get into our patio door with a well directed plant pot. In her best Deutschlish (she hadn't been in the country very long) - VOT ARE YOU DOING?! GO AVAY! as she lobbed an offensive cactus at them. Happy days. It has served us well. Great for bringing up kids because the street is a safe play area, and all the houses have reasonable gardens being 30's builds.

To expand - a few beers, a packet of cigars and a garden chair to recline in. Happy days. The lyrics and music were crystal clear. Saved myself a few hundred quid there. Just need more beers for tomorrow's concert.

Just listening to the free Oasis concert tonight in Heaton Park. Good audio as it is only 3/4 mile away. Richard Ashcroft is currently performing, so waiting for the main act to come on. The house cost 23K 43 years ago, but we've probably had that much back in ticket costs over the period. Tried to post this at 7:45, but kept getting a forbidden message whichever way I tried, but now works for some reason.

I'm getting a forbidden trying start a topic on the free Oasis concert in Heaton Park tonight. But strangely, not now? Why would this be a timing thing at some point during the day?

If your coins sing to you, I suggest you go and see a nice man in a white coat. There is a medical treatment for symptoms such as this.