1949threepence

Beggars belief, doesn't it. Even more incredible that someone fell for it.

Sounds like there might be a meaningful breakthrough regarding the backstop. Nearest thing to an actual legal re-write that we could get. Maybe, just maybe, assuming not too many pig headed arrogant brexiters in parliament, this deal might just get through. Fingers crossed.

That's more like it !!!

Yes, well short of a fingerprint belonging to one of their staff appearing on a coin, it would be pretty much impossible to prove a case against them.

Is it me missing something very obvious, or is there a photo of only one of the 15 coins in that link?

Yes, they've got to say that as it could always be alleged (but never proved) that pre slabbing surface contamination was down to them, whilst the coin was in their offices.

Are they saying, though, that such deteriorations as do appear post slabbing, are due to changes that were initiated prior to slabbing? For example, it can take months for a carbon spot to appear, after a tiny drop of saliva lands on a coin surface.

I just feel sorry for whoever bought it. They've been ripped off. I see it went from Glendinnings in 1999 for £430, and even that was about 8 times too much in itself (in my opinion).

Matt proof? really? Thoughts? I must admit, it certainly doesn't look like a proof to me. But got good provenance and went for £2600 hammer. Doesn't look as though there's much to distinguish it from a normal currency strike. ETA: Sorry, meant to post this in the "More Pennies" thread. 06/03/2016 Auction 152 English Coins Lot 2472 Penny 1908 Matt Proof, as Freeman 167 dies 2+D, About as struck with subdued lustre, some small spots on either side, purchased from Glendinings 28/7/1999 hammer price £430, we note an example in a 2014 US auction Realised $8000 More coins like this £2,600

Had to laugh at this statement of the blindingly obvious from him:- Well, no shit Sherlock With e bay you have to take personal responsibility for your own actions in those shark infested waters. It really is no use expecting anyone else to nursemaid you through, including e bay themselves who are not interested, and wouldn't have the expertise if they were.

Well at least you've got faith.

Like you, I'd have noticed immediately.

The situation is too farcical to even laugh at. Things bad both sides of the pond, Bob.

Indeed. A worthwhile read. It's called "Decimal Dilemma A critique of the UK's decimalisation process". The author is Philip McLoughlin", and it starts on page 17. I think the author was indicating that allowing large sized 5p's and 10p's, along with the same sized shillings and florins, to circulate for so long after decimalisation, was not good. Especially as the 20p and round pound were introduced a good 7 or 8 years before demonetisation of the former came into effect. But I might have another read. Thanks for the heads up. I hadn't read the article before.

That's actually really interesting. If you personally managed to gather over 50 in EF+ condition over a 2 year period, it would suggest that a very large number had suddenly entered circulation many years after originally being minted, as other people would have similarly received the same sort of number. Sounds to me like a local phenomena - maybe a small town? Somebody clearing out a collection would surely have had only a very tiny impact, given the sheer volume of same denomination coinage in circulation. A few large bank bags? - well maybe, but that would pre-suppose that the majority of the released coins circulated for a long time purely within the local area. Maybe they did. If, say, some of the bags had been issued in request for change by local traders, I'm surprised that one of them didn't contact the media in an "interesting story" kind of way, which might well have led to somebody contacting the bank concerned for comment. All in one bag, they couldn't possibly have missed the significance. Perhaps they were just mixed in with all the rest.

Agreed. The reverse is an exceptionally good design on an otherwise very nice coin.

Not with you?

I must be (expletive) idiot A7351, with this purchase which I made in 2010:-

I am absolutely fed up to the teeth with the whole business. Government and parliament in general have badly let down the country over this one. They're a bloody shambles and a disgrace. The lot of them.

Welcome back Colin. Best of luck in the new line of work.

It does. Objectively clarifies the position. Thanks @Colin G.

I can't pretend to be an expert on coin minting, and certainly not on letter/numeral repairs - which is where the 8 over 6 and 6 over 8 are touted to originate from. But I'd imagine that it might have to do with the attempted removal of the incorrectly punched number, prior to the correct number being stamped.

Well I suppose best described as a thinner line than might be expected - hence wiry. Never heard the expression before though, not as it relates to a coins overdate any rate. In a paradoxical sort of way, I'm actually quite pleased I bought it. It will go nicely in the oddments drawer and could prove a talking point in the future.

It is. They can surely afford high end photographic equipment, together with suitable rooms and lighting. Even hire top drawer professional photographers if necessary. Doing it on the cheap is surely a false economy.

Thanks & sorry Ian. I actually put in an advance e mail bid of £300, knowing virtually for certain that there would be other bids for the same coin, well above the £175 upper estimate. To be honest, even at that, I half expected to fail. I don't get it, Richard. If I can get a half decent shot using my tablet in a basic Heath Robinson way, from an armchair in my spare bedroom, why do large organisations struggle with what is an essential component of coin trading.