1949threepence

Allegedly.....none of us have heard this recording yet. The neighbours who supposedly recorded it are left wing activists - not exactly neutral - and if they'd been that concerned they'd have handed the recording to the police, rather than a newspaper. Another point, raised by a local, is the fact that all the property in that area is old, with very thick walls. Accordingly it's not easy to hear much through them, and what does come through is muffled. It needs thin walls to be able to make out individual words, even if shouted. I don't much like Johnson either, but I'm reserving judgement until (and if) the Guardian publish that recording in their e version.

Thanks Jerry - yes, I must admit I expected that one to go a bit higher considering its scarcity. But I suppose it's never been considered a "glamorous" scarcity. Nonetheless I'm very pleased I've finally nailed it. The mule price (£1125 and NF) didn't surprise me one bit. It was always going to go to 4 figures. Let's be honest they only crop up very very occasionally, and they do have a certain cache about them. The other prices were as follows:- 1861 F30 poor £105.00 1861 F28 NF £360.00 1861 F41 small date, poor £225.00 1874H F76 NF/VG £410.00 (if I hadn't already got one, I'd have gone for this, as they're so rare and only a couple or so known above VF) 1862 8/6 F39A Fair £273.00 1861 F32 VG/Fair £98.09 1861 F18 GF £51.22 (not bad, actually) 1874H F69 Fair/VG £59.00 1903 open 3, Fine £85.11

Did anybody bid/win an item in that sale of mostly scarce or rare bun pennies sold by Coopers Coins on e bay last night? Managed to get the F38, a specimen of which I've been trying to obtain for several years.

Not in my opinion, no. Good strike, especially to the obverse. But not prooflike, nor an impaired proof. Currency strike.

I'm sure most will already be aware of this relatively recent initiative by London Coins, which is a full catalogue of coins and prices realised from their signature sales - full individual named collections. If not, the link is here Well worth a browse if you get time and haven't already seen it.

Tut tut, what next, much "sort" after coin?

Love this bit in the index - "weather forecast" page 32 !

Another "Know your dealer", this time from Coin Monthly August 1969:-

Maybe he was searching for a different word, couldn't find one, and so used a relatively modern word like "update", putting it in quotation marks to indicate it would do, but wasn't his first choice. Something like that anyway.

Fantastic, a piece of history signed by a legend. Nice one Michael.

Must have been sold post auction.

I'm not sure personally. If they have fallen, I can't say I've noticed. There will always be collectors and the collecting mindset will attach itself to something well documented - Peck, Freeman and Gouby were the pathfinders in that respect for modern milled pennies. They aren't solely reliant on the baby boomer generation for continued interest. Just as ancient coins were never reliant on people who were alive when they were circulating. At the end of the day, I collect pennies because of the interest and multi variety and certainly have no intention of selling my collection, irrespective of value.

One thing I have noticed has been the recent dearth of pennies on offer anywhere. Moreover, no auctions of collections for some time, as far as I know.

It's lot No 2082, but it's got a dash against it in the realised prices?

OK, it's not that funny, but was worth buying.......

Didn't she come up before?

Absolutely. You only have to listen to an online auction to realise that auctions have expanded from room only, to buyers from all over the world in a relatively short time.

..........Would be very high.........

Just on the subject of the 169. Given what the ordinary ones go for, imagine what a high grade example would fetch.

That is conjecture rather than conclusive evidence - OK to a greater or lesser extent it's all conjecture to be fair, but I don't think you can definitely say there are more than 20 as a statement of fact, especially as the thread starter you quoted said he read on a PDF somewhere that there were fifteen 169s. That's the cyber equivalent of some bloke down the pub told me. Although good for him finding one for 20p. The hammer prices I listed earlier, are a fact. To me that's an indication of true rarity.

......and your evidence to support this assertion is what, precisely? Maybe more will be found to bring the numbers up, but at present it appears there are fewer. Not that many have turned up in getting on for 10 years. In some cases the numbers visiby extant remain very low, such as the F76 and F90. In others they increase. The F169 is in that first category.

I thought you might have gone for that, Richard.

I wouldn't be put off too much, Blake. The point being made here is that coins like the Gouby X, 164A, and 1903 open 3, are scarce, but not rare. Hence they aren't going to command that much of a premium in low grade. That was pretty obvious anyway. Conversely, the F169, which is rare at all grades, and I understand >20 in existence, will always secure a high price. Obviously the price will vary somewhat, due to how strongly a given example is sought after on the day, but consider these hammer prices:- Workman Nov 2010 - £1200 VG LCA 3.3.13 - £1600 NF LCA 1.9.13 - £1400 VG+ LCA 1.6.14 - £800 NF LCA 7.6.15 - £820 VG LCA 6.3.16 - £1700 VG LCA 5.6.16 - £500 VG LCA 3.6.18 - £1100 VG Baldwin of St James 12.6.19 - £420 VG

Indeed so, and yet again a previously non existent Freeman type has been invented to suit. There is no such thing as a F168A. In fact in the absence of the author's permission, which one presumes they've not got, I'd question the legality of ascribing the type to him.

For such a large concern as Spink, that's unbelievably careless.