1949threepence

Reminds me of when I was about 13 or so, and my Mum, Dad, sister and I went to Bournemouth on holiday. Whilst there, I bought a novelty ash tray in the shape of a skull for My Grandfather (called Fred) who was a heavy smoker. On the ashtray was written, "Poor old Fred, smoked in bed". Being a stupid immature little brat, I thought it would be a great idea to give it to him for his birthday. I was soon dissuaded from carrying through the initiative, and had it on my bedside table instead. I think they call it gallows humour.

Brilliant. Talking of squirrels, I wish I'd had my phone handy a couple of months ago when a squirrel dropped into my garden and the cat went after it - hadn't a prayer as squirrels are ultra fast. But the way she ran round trying to catch the darting squirrel, and then partially up a tree before giving up looking crestfallen, was comic.

I thought about it for a few minutes then dismissed the idea. As you say the coin is UNC, almost BU, but the strike is appallingly bad.

Is that the one DNW had for bid a few days ago, Terry?

Indeed, the wartime years and just after, Pete. Yes, I had noticed that those years are especially difficult.

The reverse of the 1919 is a particularly nice strike, Paddy.

I wouldn't normally include a common or garden penny acquisition from George V, but am doing so on this occasion to exemplify a point. Now I've started to collect this series, a few things have quickly become very apparent to me. Whilst it is relatively easy to obtain high grade examples, the trick is to get high grade examples that are good strikes, with as much hair detail as possible, issue free and if at all possible, without ghosting being obvious, especially on pre 1926 examples. It's worth watchiing and waiting for these better examples to come up. Not going to be possible in every case, but I think this 1912 captures most of those qualities, although still a little thin on Britannia's chest, which is another common weak point. Incidentally, the obverse colour is close to actuality. Not sure why the reverse looks different in the pic. (There are many high grade specimens with full lustre, but the strikes are really poor, and the King often appears to have a bald head.)

Very much so, and I would refer to my post of 21.9.18 which reflects exactly that point.

I thought that. They seem slightly conservative with their grading.

I was watching that "Hidden History of Britain", which was about facial reconstructions of WW1 soldiers whose faces were contorted and shot away out of recognition by enemy fire. The type of bullets used had a neat round precise point of entry, but the exit point was a much bigger, mashed up mess. They experimented on dead pigs using the same arms and ammunition, and the results were obvious in that respect.

Funnily enough I just had a quick look on LCA before I read your above post, Pete - found this about that same coin:- 01/06/2014 Auction 145 English Coins Lot 1966 Penny 1915 Freeman 179 dies 2+B but with recessed ear. This occurring on 1915 and 1916 Pennies with the 1915 being by far the rarer of the two dates. UNC, the obverse with practically full lustre, the reverse with some toning More coins like this £160

Thanks Pete. Much appreciated. I did attempt some research, but could find nothing.

Incredibly lucky, and lived another 44 years.

I'm zeroing in on a couple, and I just wondered if anybody had any thoughts as to how scarce they are, given the extreme commonality of their non recessed counterparts? What, 1 in 10, 1 in 20? Obviously Freeman makes reference to them, but no quantitatively. Thanks in advance gents.

You'd think so wouldn't you, but maybe they've still got some unsold sets and will only give a final figure once this is available. Although these days who knows what reasoning is in place (if any). Most large organisations seem to exist in some weird parallel universe, in which the logic function has been disabled.

But at least your acting wouldn't be stiff, even if the overall performance was a bit limp. So I doubt they'd be asking you to come again.

Got a job at a winery and was very unfairly passed over for promotion - probably just sour grapes on my part. Then worked for a brewery where they also ignored me, which made me really bitter. Finally worked for a dairy where I did get promotion. Well the cream always rises to the top. Still a bread and butter job, but I milked them for all the money I could get. That was in 'Uddersfield by the way.

I used to work at a soft drinks factory but got the sack because I couldn't concentrate and wasn't cordial to others. Then I tried being a velcro salesman but couldn't stick it.

I wanted to sell computer parts, but then I lost my drive.

Some of those fakes are getting frighteningly good.

Not really Richard. You'd probably get more sense from the cat than the reply you get from them, I'd bet.

Had to laugh at this - a 21st century version of the 1962 Bernard Cribbins classic "Right Said Fred"

My mistake. Apologies. Mike

Working OK on Chrome, Kev. Also no probs on android tablet.

Neat find.