£400 for a Penny ?

Yes, all the more reason to snap up as many books as you can whilst they still exist.

Weaker strike I guess.

That takes the biscuit, bears the bell away. That is comfortably the most ridiculous thing I have ever seen in my life. $575 ? Is it too early for a drink.....

Wise words Tom. I'd like to propose a new scale; Shite/ Shite but of varietal interest/ gap filler / shame, could have been a nice coin/ I want it Does it have to be more complicated than that ?

Don't be frustrated, the prices are exactly what it says on the cover of the book, it's a guide, it's not definitive, because if you could somehow enter the same coin in an auction once a month for a year, it would sell for a different price everytime, dependent on who wanted it/was bidding. What the Spink book should be called is; " a wild stab in the dark at what a coin could be worth" but that doesn't sound very professional does it, no-one is going to pay £x for that. High quality pennies seem to be all the rage, even so, £180 is hard to believe, bit mad, that. Off the scale in fact...

I've just rushed down to the Forum cellar, and the box labelled "The BU/UNC/lustre argument" has got 3 loose nails in it's lid and is shaking. It can't be about to escape again can it

I have also noticed this quote in Spink, but surely if a coin is UNC whether full lustre or not it merits UNC price. If a coin is toned, does that mean Spink says its EF? Not getting that part at all. Also how many bunheads have we seen in what spink would then regard as true UNC which would mean with full lustre. Sorry but i must laugh at that quote Very, very few. Oh for sure we have seen several hundred advertised as Unc, but I would be very surprised if the top quality stuff ever makes it to the internet. I would guess that the true Unc Buns are syphoned off and go to rich collectors who are prepared to pay top dollar. Same as in any other collectible market. As for Spink's definition, well, that's pretty unequivocal isn't it ? Don't understand why a 1931 would go that high, 1932 maybe....

Outrageous is one word....

I've been quietly dabbling in colonial banknotes from the Arabian peninsula and North Africa, Freddy. Partly because it's an interesting time there, partly because British pennies seem so overheated and partly because I've enjoyed researching the history behind the notes, I've learned a lot. I did put a pair of 1960's Yemeni notes up a while ago, but the entire forum blanked me. The dogs. You carry on Son..

Form another one. Sell your pennies which are riding at an all time high and buy shillings. Simple. I do like shillings and bun heads are very expensive, I'm having a bit of a crisis at the moment, I do admit.

The printed catalogue landed on the 'mat yesterday. I would say that judging by the lack of picture and the estimate (£50-£100), they are not that taken with it either. I would definitely say it was a 'lob it in and see what happens' lot. Naughty ? I'm making the 'horse noise' here with my lips, no, I don't think so..

I was in Germany, defending you lot from those dastardly Russians, so the whole thing went so far over my head that my hair didn't move. My pocket money of one deutschmark per week remained unaltered.

Snap ! That's my favourite book on coins, IMO it knocks everything else ever written about coins into a cocked hat. I sold my shilling collection and regret it bitterly now.

I'm currently thinking that our inquisitor is young Acc, I jumped down his throat and now feel bad, let us give him the chance to introduce himself. Freddy....?

If you have the note issued on 04/08/1988 then it's face value, it's still a pound, unless it's uncirculated, which means crisp as a sergeant majors underwear, then it could go £15. Check out whether it's still legal tender, I could do it for you, but.... This series ended on that date and was replaced by the nugget that we all have in our pockets today, well, they have a different series of nugget...

I don't think the RM are crap at all. In over 600 ebay trades worldwide, I've had an item not arrive from San Fransisco, a package opened and items removed from Western Australia and a medal stolen by the postman on the isle of wight. That's it. Two incoming problems and one outgoing. Everyone focuses on the negatives, but in that 600+, I've sent vinyl records to Brazil, I've had bayonets returned from Poland because I had addressed them incorrectly, I've sent cash (lots) to Essen in Germany, iron crosses to France of all places, memorabilia to Canada etc. I've stood in small rural post offices (always better) and posted stuff SD: Is this worth more than £X sir ?, yes it's worth £1500 and they've never batted an eyelid. I've posted bedchairs, fishing rods, paintings, you name it. All things considered, I think the RM is great. Yes, there are 'incidents' as in John's case here, but it's generally not the RM's fault, they do their job and they do it bloody well. This is my experience.

Not wishing to teach my grandmother about eggs etc, etc, but I presume you've banged your bar code into the Royal Mail's excellent online tracker. what does it say ?

Sounds like you might enjoy some of either Baldwins or London Coins past sale catalogues - they tend to have a bit of everything in and can be picked up relatively inexpensively if you pay attention. Quite enjoyable flicking through them and they also give you an idea of values as well, although they are obviously only estimates.

You have asked a lot of questions, recieved many answers, and responded to none. Why ?

We're all very relaxed, Sir, no need to apologise.

I don't think we like to comment on things like this Palves. Either way. Best wishes.

Fibula ? Can you get a signal off bone ?

Difficult one to find in top condition, that one, so on the assumption it's not too good, you might get a couple of quid for it on ebay. If by chance it does turn out to be uncirculated, then maybe £40. It's not an exact science.

Can you imagine a coachload of relocating Londoners pitching up in Llantrisant, bleeding profusely from the nose, starving hungry, only to be met by some unintelligible individual, who, after lots of pointing and shouting breaks the news that there are no jellied eels ? I'd have thrown a lot more than a 10p blank into the hopper, I can tell you....

http://www.notability-banknotes.com/search.php?se=Germany&st=1 Is it there ? If not, you could try emailing a scan of it to this fellow; http://www.david-yapp.com/ As Peter says though, condition is everything.