£400 for a Penny ?

Very poignant Kris. I'm guessing the coins were the contents of all the crews pockets, rather than just one individual ? It's funny how it's the everyday objects that lend scale to an incident like this - highlights the fact that they were just normal blokes in abnormal times.

Hello Hello , welcome to the forum. Have a rummage around the site of the British Numismatic Trade Association, especially the dealer locator, see if there is anyone nearby. http://www.bnta.net/members.php

I think that could fairly easily be explained away by saying some jewellers apprentice was practising a new machine or something ?

Not fair really, I spent the entire time when I could have been collecting pennies, away on Empire business. Didn't get back 'til '74.

I'm sure you'll get an answer, but not from me. I thought there wasn't any silver minted until the great recoinage under the supervision of GIV ? What is a 'pattern' anyway....

Have you read Don Quixote by the way ? I think you'd like it. I'm rooting for you and looking forward to seeing the in hand pictures. x

All things remain possible, but it is a fine strike whatever.

The 1901 is a 'death year' which usually results in hoarding, so it's not at all unusual to find nice coins. I'd simply put it down to that. It is a cracking strike though, for sure. If you were thinking proof, Freeman lists it as R18 which is 6-15 estimated, so that makes it pretty unlikely. Not impossible, but unlikely. Look forward to the arrival pics.

Nice one that - a wide date too. Sorry, don't know any dealers outside of London.

So much so in fact, and with such a funky address, that someone must know who he is ? He also has a 1902 Low tide stating its UNC, but the fingers and helmet on Britannia are worn and Britannia has a spot of Verd under her armpit. I was gonna make a bid, but won't bother now on that basis, although a great strike on the OBV I think you've got that 100% right mate. I wonder how many people have missed the Verd.....

Many interesting points in response chaps. A few stood out for me; John, Michael can speak for himself, but his point is that no penny is uncirculated, they have all come from circulation of sorts unless they are in a proof set, therefore it isn't technically accurate to use the term uncirculated. OK, he's swimming against the tide, but he's probably earned the right to do so. Scott, copletely agree that a coin can be uncirculated without being lustrous. The grade comes first, then the degree of remaining lustre. Red, can I infer from your posts that you are about to change sides and become a dealer ? And Colin, regards your farthing (very nice by the way) if, as it appears it is the mint darkened version of the 1901 issue, it would seem a bit silly to me to describe it as 'Brilliant' when the mint have deliberately made it dark. BU to me means uncirculated with full lustre, it's never had any lustre so surely should be listed as uncirculated, mint darkened? I do accept that it must be frustrating when you have a genuinely uncirculated coin to sell and you have to somehow make it stand out from all the junk that's listed as unc. These are the forces that produce 'grade creep' I guess, I mean lets face it, the whole UK grading system is set up to encourage grade creep - is it right to describe a coin that has been in circulation for 50 years and run over by several buses as 'Fine' ? Say what you like about numerical grading systems, but you know where you are with them. I forgot about subdued lustre, that's another unhelpfull term....

Not so long ago, it used to be referred to as eye appeal - that certain quality that bronze has when the light catches it at the right angle. I'm talking of course about lustre and I want to have a rant about the mountain of crap in the UK that is passed of as lustrous. I don't have any statistics to back up my argument, but I wouldn't mind betting that more coins are bought online today than are seen in hand first. Unfortunately where lustre is concerned, you can't really tell from most photographs, so the dealers assessment is all you can go by. This is where I have a problem, most people try to grade accurately but, to me anyway, seem to lose all scruples when it comes to describing lustre and will pass of almost anything as BU. One dealer who shall remain nameless desribes coins as BU, full lustre with some toning. What the hell does that mean, it's like describing a woman as very attractive with some ugliness ? Or BU, but with some pitting under magnification - well then it's not BU is it ? ABU. What ? Can we please get rid of the BU BUT syndrome, it either is, or it isn't. In fact, can we get rid of BU full stop when describing circulated bronze and all adopt the Gouby system whereby the top grade is about uncirculated and the remaining mint lustre expressed as a percentage, eg AU75 It's very much harder to misdescribe a coin using this system. Come on dealers, get better. Rant ends.

So much so in fact, and with such a funky address, that someone must know who he is ?

Soon have a hole in your pocket mate, huge great things.

As I expect you well know, Sir, it takes a bit more than 3 pints to have me rolling in the gutter. Especially with an almost mint copy of Freeman to protect. Oh, and I had a bag of crisps as well - soaked almost all of it up.

Ok, the task now is to find an 1892 that doesn't look like that......

Look at it another way; I'd say rather than a large 1, you have a small 8. Gouby has highlighted that there are differing types of 8 in play ?

Nice 1860 he has for sale also. UKPennyman, haven't come across him before. The only observation I would throw into the mix is that his photographs seem very bleached by flash and it's difficult to make an assesment of what a coin might look like in hand.

I found mine (2nd edition) in mint condition in a second hand bookshop in Lewes. £2.50 I then bowled down the (considerable) hill to the Harveys brewery, chuckling all the way and celebrated with 3 pints of Armada piped straight from the vat. It was how days out are supposed to be.

Seems a bit harsh to me. Most sellers would follow the same line wouldn't they ?

Bit off topic, for which apologies, but do you think that's likely to happen with Dalton and Hamer ? In other words, should I cash in now ?

Any idea what a mint revised edition of Freeman (1985) might be worth ?

I spat the best part of a mouthful of coffee over the screen when I read that

You're a good man, but I can't see it from that photo. I've had a look elsewhere and can see what it should look like, but I can't see it on this one. No worries, it's not a crisis, just 'going to school' on Az's purchase

I often lose focus around 19.30hrs myself. Never mind, thanks for trying.