1949threepence

They're A5 six hole ring binder size pages. Some same sized examples can be seen here on Amazon

Closer, but still not exact. The total cost including postage, was £148.92, 5% of which = £7.45. If, as you say, the VAT is calculated according to the exchange rate at some given point on the journey, as opposed to the time of purchase, that could easily account for the 23p difference between 5% at time of purchase, (including postage), and the £7.68 that was charged. At any rate the difference is no longer significant. Yes, the solution you mention would be a good one. It would certainly mean much faster throughput.

The cost of the item before postage and after the exchange rate on the day, was £122.19. I've been charged £7.68, so 6.29% in actuality. Presumably meant to be 5%, but how that equates to 6.29% I've no idea. Obviously there's an inclusion of something else that's hidden, as 5% of £122.19 is £6.11.

Well, my first coin from the States since the one above, and I've fallen unlucky to be stung by customs charges again. £19.68 consisting of £7.68 "import VAT" and £12.00 "Clearance Fee". Interestingly, this time the package has been routed through Parcelforce, rather than Royal Mail and this morning I received a letter telling me how to pay, which I've done. I've even pushed the boat out and paid an additional £12 so it can be delivered on a Saturday (tomorrow). You can see from the link above how long it's been piffling about in this country, after taking only 3 days to arrive from the USA. It's not the cost, it's the delay and the fact we are having to pay customs on an item that was actually produced here in the UK, that gets me.

Very interesting find, Martin. What a shame it's been in the ground for so long.

Looks like a F282A, 8/6. Most likely reverse G, as there is no sign of an LCW.

There will almost certainly be a logical rationale behind what Bramah said.

Yes, fraud prevention would obviously have been the objective behind secret mint marks on notes, but even that long ago, I wouldn't have thought there would have been any imperative for putting them on pennies for the same reason. It's an odd one, Ian.

Not very often as there aren't that many about. But that one saw a great deal of wear in what was effectively about 10 years of circulation life before demonetisation.

Thanks Ian, useful information as ever - she certainly has a fuller left breast in that example. Something I'm curious about - and at the risk of becoming a bore, I'm returning to Bramah. In particular page 109, where he states:- There were over 32,000 minted. If they were never issued for circulation, where did they get to, and how come so many have survived? Cope and Rayner only class them from VF upwards, and yet surely many did enter circulation. For instance I bet this one has. Although annoyingly, they don't show the obverse.

Yes, specifically the track and trace, which works for known contacts of the positive case, but not the Covid-19 app which obviously can work for those you know, but is intended to be an alert due to being <2 metres from a given positive individual in the previous 14 days (usually someone you don't know) for more than 15 minutes. Due to privacy laws you could quite legally choose to ignore such an alert (known as a "ping", apparently), as downloading of the app is at the smartphone owner's discretion. Yet the danger is much the same in both circumstances. A positive case is a positive case. How you are notified of a contact is totally irrelevant to whether or not you might contract it yourself. It was stated that many of the old people who succumbed in the first wave, were already very frail and would most likely have died from other causes anyway, within a short time. Hence (I assume) why all cause death rates in June, July and August 2020, were lower than they normally are at that time of year. I'd certainly agree that obesity, diabetes and pre-existing lung conditions will contribute to a poorer prognosis, but other than that it's difficult to give a precise reason why symptoms vary from mild to severe in otherwise healthy individuals who contract it, and why some display no symptoms at all. I'm not entirely convinced about the disease badly affecting BAME individuals per se, given that the disease has never gained a foothold in equatorial Africa. So I think it adversely affects Asian people. Black people not nearly so much. So much we don't know, but can only conclude there are significant genetic differences between people, rendering some - of whatever age - much more vulnerable than others. Vitamin D supplements may help according to some. Why not? they're cheap enough.

I've used an illustration which shows a virtually smooth breastplate area. That is a specimen which shows the left breast gone as well. I've not seen one with a "complete" pair of breasts, as it were. No idea how many die pairs were used - probably just one, given the low mintage. But merely raising as a point of interest as it pertains to that year. ETA: Actually I'm pleased you mentioned the die pairs, as it got me thinking, and I've spent a bit of time wondering where I'd seen it mentioned about a flaw of the 1859 die that was carried into 1860 (not directly related to my original point, but quite interesting nonetheless). I eventually found it at page 4 of Bramah, where he states:- I checked and found this is the case on both the large and small date types of 1859. Slightly further on, he continues:-

Only, it seems, when you get to the 1860/59. The mint went to plain truncations in 1858, so that part of the run that year, and from then on, didn't have a WW on the truncation. Yet the 1858 no ww and the ordinary 1859, seem to be the same, breastplate wise, as their WW predecessors. With the same inconsistency as before. As far as I can tell, any rate.

One thing I have noticed is how badly many of the 1860/59 specimens are affected by the lack of right breast. Indeed in many cases the left breast is also affected. Re-used worn reverse die? Here's an example:-

The disease is also affecting a much younger cohort - in fact many of the hospital admissions now are in their 20's and 30's. So there is no free pass if you are in that younger age bracket link Yet some are obviously totally unaffected and don't know they've even contracted it. I'm convinced there is some genetic susceptibility aspect to it.

Although it would be ludicrous to blame Boris Johnson personally for what was obviously a low level, local cock up. Hopefully these rapid test kits will be rolled out nationally soon, so that anyone can get a test as and when they choose. Might even be stocked in workplaces. They will undoubtedly be a game changer as they will help root out asymptomatic positive cases for 2 weeks self isolation.

Martin, the delay was partly my fault for being out on Tuesday, the day of initial delivery. When I cycled into town on Wednesday, to pick up from the Post Office depot, I found it closed and shuttered up. The opening times had changed because of the pandemic, and were not as shown on the card. So went back this morning and picked up in accordance with the revised times. Something to be aware of if you're out when a coin arrives by next day tracked delivery. Don't take the times on the red and white card for granted. Check the website for your local RM pick up point first. But at least the correct procedure was followed by Royal Mail this time.

Thanks Martin, picked up today. Very, very pleased.

Some did use them.....surely it would have been obvious that they'd already been used.

Very very nice. Neat capture. ETA: Have you got a pic of the obverse as well?

Thanks Jerry. I was wondering whether it might have been captured for customs duty. @TomGoodheart great idea of Jerry's to have this thread made a sticky. It's going to be used many times. As a moderator do you agree?

Not sure about lost, but the trail's suddenly gone cold on a coin bought from the States. Should I be getting worried, or is it just too soon?

Also an updated idea of the relative scarcity pertaining to different varieties, something I don't think either Peck or Bramah got quite right in every case. The 1854/3 being an obvious example.