1949threepence

Not at all a rant, rather a very interesting and thought provoking post.

In the eighties we were on a rugby tour based on the West Coast of Scotland...they locked us in There might be a few half English roses up there...we all did our bit I still get the xmas card and a big grin she is now probally a 20 stone munter ....I could and would of married her...then I met Mrs Irish Peter I know we are gradually drifting off topic but do you ever show your collection to other collectors or are we all a bunch of Billy no mates when it comes to coin collecting. Billy no mates here. For one thing, there's no local coin club in my area. Maybe even more pertinently, I don't know of anyone among either friends, family or colleagues who has the remotest interest in coin collecting. I have tried to talk to my girlfriend about it, but her eyes just glaze over. So it's just me, dealers, e bay and this forum As far as insurance is concerned, I haven't bothered with it. I have discovered a very effective hiding place for my coins. If burglars broke in, they'd have to be seriously bloody good and have a lot of time, to find it. Although if they broke in while I was in the house, then I could potentially be placed in the same horrible situation as the collector described by DaveG38, earlier. Sadly, the law dictates that householders are largely impotent when it comes to self defence measures against intruders ~ that really is off topic so I'll shut up and get back in my box

I agree. The designs are very shallow indeed! Some of the Designs are really quite good I think. I rather like the Archery Design. As for the majority of the rest of them, I could take them or leave them personally. Although I do think that the designs suffer being on the new smaller and lighter 50p coins and they may have been more fitting and better looking on the larger sized 50p coins. Totally agree with that sentiment. A more pronounced reverse design, on a larger surface area would have helped IMO. I don't run with this idea of releasing coins "out of year". Releasing circulation coins the year before they are dated is, I suppose, in line with the same principle as selling year books or annuals the year before the one they are intended for. Not keen though. On the same theme, I'm wondering why we are only just seeing the business strike 2009 technology £2 coins ~ December 2010. Not seen one before this month, but now three in the last week.

Thereby disrespecting both the coin and potential buyer. Not good.

Those finger prints can actually be over a century old, though. You can't necessarily attribute them directly to mistreatment by dealers and collectors over the years. Same applies to carbon spots etc.

Some collectors will have a mix of date runs and types. The point is, there are no rules when it comes to personal collections. Just whatever suits at the time.

Have a very happy birthday, Bob

Ive never seen either of the 2008 olympic varieties. So you were lucky to get them. Does anybody know if any 2009 £2 were issued for circulation ? I don't think I've seen any so far. Hi Scott, I can confirm that 2009 £2s were issued as I got a pristine example in my change on Saturday. Maybe they are only just seeing the light of day. Yes, I've just received a technology 2009 in pure UNC as well.

No colon dots after F:D. Peck 1623a, Gouby 1860 Type T. Took me ages to realise though. I didn't realise, either.

h***i's bid, with one second to spare, has to have been a previously laid snipe. He couldn't possibly have had time to make a manual over bid with just 3 seconds to spare. Bet he's cursing that other late very high bid edit: Well done

I've actually only bought one slabbed coin, and I did break that out of the slab, in order to place it in my cabinet. Don't much like slabs, and as Tom says, they take up too much space, are not storage friendly, and you can't handle them. That said, I did agree with the MS grading description of the coin I bought.

When I decided to become a type rather than a date collector I breathed a huge sigh of relief. Until I realised the particular ball and chain that comes with that. You see, a type collector must have each 'type' in as high a grade as possible. James II or George I silver, anyone? I think the problem for me started when I was a child and collected Brooke Bond tea cards. The difficulty was that once you had the album you had to have the set. What was the use of a nearly complete album? And so it is with me for coins - I have to have the date run!! I think the moment of illumination for me was when I finally completed my date run of 20th Century halfcrowns. I sat there staring at absolutely identically unattractive George VI UNC silver halfcrowns and Elizabeth II 1950s halfcrowns, and I thought "So what?" I have kept the pre-1937 halfcrowns, though I'm tempted to farm out a few of the George V, but since then, the only date run I've been remotely interested in is bronze pennies. Yeah, there's just something about the bronze penny series that in a sense, marks them out as distinct from all others. They really hit the spot, don't they.

I'd really enjoy skimming through some old coin mags from the 1960's or even earlier. Must try and buy some at a coin fair. Nowadays we could do with a decent mag that is more technical and less lightweight (for want of better words). I have to admit, I'm not much of a one for letters pointing to border teeth, as you need a magnifying glass to even see them. I do, however, like some varieties, such as wide and narrow dates. But minor differences in obverse/reverse combinations, don't do it for me,

As it encompasses my current speciality,I might well buy it fairly soon.

I agree with you Tom, but I'm still eagerly awaiting the mintage for business strike Charles Darwin £2 coins. I actually got one in my change, as I have 3 of the 4 2002 Commonwealth Games £2.00 coins.

Well done on the 1995, Rob. I think I might well have been tempted with £30 for the BU 2002 Commonwealth Games set.

Like others, I'm not convinced by insurance, especially when it comes to adequate documentation and valuation. But there is a specialist collector's insurance company, based in Exeter, here

No worries, Boomstick, pleased to have been of assistance. I've re-found the link, posted on here by Rob, I think, a few months ago, to a specialist collector's insurance company based in Exeter ~ here

Took my young daughter to a Walsall Ipswich match, he got subbed walked past the Walsall fans and without any justification gestured with his hand towards the Walsall fans, right in front of my daughter If they had been giving him a load of stick then maybe.....but he is supposed to be the professional... it just really wound me up!!! Sounds a bit childish and petulant. Nothing excuses such behaviour.

I'm not an Arsenal supporter but I would much rather see the menacing scowl and steam coming out of Roy Keane's ears. I have nothing special against the Tractor Boys, just their manager. Well, to be totally honest with you, I don't like him much either. I remember him as a Man U player. Dirty, bad tempered and aggressive. Not a likeable guy, frankly. But if he can get long term results, then we can pass over all that.

Keep your fingers crossed. I'd love to see the look on Arsene Wenger's face if Town beat them

Thanks Peter & Declan. I take on board the point about over grading, and the photo problems.

Can I just add that I never knew about the pre 1881 convex shield on bun pennies before I read Derek's book. Indeed, all the advice on the bun obs and revs have proved incredibly useful for me in judging the grading of these pennies.

Thanks chaps ~ very much appreciate the input & advice. I'm 50/50 on whether to take a chance on one of these

This isn't so much of an e bay laugh, as an e bay query. There is a seller called lucido 8 who currently has some nice buns on offer. He just sold a very nice looking 1869 for just over £500, and has a superb 1874H narrow date. The only thing that slightly disconcerts me is that all of them (apart from one or two he's had for sale longer) have a strongly reddish look, for years where you might normally expect a very dark appearance once the lustre has died out ~ such as 1871, for example. Can anyone account for this appearance ? link to the coins lucido 8 has for sale