Peckris

Yup, I got one of they salted away somewhere. Handsome beast I've always thought (the coin, not the Empress )

After looking at it closely and comparing it with others, it appears like the "N" in SKILLING is weird, when compared to the others on eBay and the design on the reverse of the stars (or flowers?) on either side of the 1 looks interesting. So perhaps it is a rare die variety? I really don't know, I don't know the first thing about Danish coins and so I don't even know if they really have a thriving collector market for minor die varieties, but if so, then perhaps the N and the stars/flowers are the clue. The Danes do seem to love their sKillings

You can always create a shortcut to any given thread, of course. That will last as long as the device you've shortcutted it to. It's a pity you can't see further back than your previous 5 posts though. I also remember that 1905 shilling thread which Coinery mentioned. True - but if it's a post on "Latest acquisitions" or "eBay laughs", that's NOT going to be much help!! It would be nice, once in this forum, to be able to dive back and forward among bookmarked threads of interest.

I'll buy a ticket for your next "draw"

Ebay can be OK if you get through the crap. We all complain but I love it. Which takes the energy I sadly don't have.

Ok, I'll give you that one, Sherlock!

Yes, I agree. It's a familiar-looking acid victim (one gets to learn their distinctive appearance!)

Hi David, Welcome to the forum. I don't know whether anybody has mentioned this to you yet (I know it's one of John's favourite sayings) but buy the coin not its grade. When I was collecting I would try to get the best coins I could afford but always found that when upgrading there were lower grade coins I just couldn't part with. Whether it was that I liked the patina or something about the process of acquiring them, I know not but for example in a run of George V pennies mostly with high percentages of lustre, I had a VF 1922. Not particularly difficult or expensive to find in better grade but I just liked my old '22 and didn't see the need to upgrade it. I guess in a way this kind of personalises a collection and to my mind makes it a little more interesting. So by all means start out with the intention of collecting runs of coins in very high grade but don't be surprised if what you end up with is just that little bit different. I agree. Eye appeal and finding coins that just "look right" to you are the ones to collect. Don't let someone else dictate your choices. Best Regards, InforaPenny I notice you've been 'lurking' for a while, though have been a member for a few years. Your name and list of interests suggest you are a collector of bronze pennies like myself and a few others here. I for one would be very interested to see pics of a few of your more interesting coins if you don't mind sharing them? Feel free to start a new thread if you wish. How on earth would you know that?

Ha, ha! He/she wouldn't be able to convince me in a million years that that coin was bent according to his write-up! Nice grade though, if it was cheaper I'd start wondering about chancing two bits of wood and a vice ;-) ! I'm not sure you'd impress too many women today by bending a micro-thin penny! Finger wrestling, anyone?

Last time I looked Scotland were in the UK. I know the Scots would rather it were different, but there you are.

Spot on - the legend even features the name Lauer who was the leading Victorian maker of toy coins. He was based at Nürmberg which is also part of the legend. As for value, someone here will have a better idea.

That's also the vicious circle engendered by eBay - collectors get used to the artificially inflated prices and become conditioned to pay them. The problem with that is, they then have to SELL on eBay to recoup their outlay. If they tried to sell to a dealer or at a provincial auction, they would experience a massive reality check. eBay has become its own little universe with its own rules and its own values. Yet outside the secluded world of hobbyist collectors, those rules simply don't apply; you can pick up ordinary goods at (generally) their genuine real world market value, or even well below. The same applies to common or low value coins of course. Yet high grade rarities don't necessarily obey those rules either - eBay wouldn't necessarily be the best place to sell an UNC 1905 halfcrown, as if it was in the catalogue of one of the better known auction houses, it would attract bids possibly as high - or higher - than on eBay. Having said all that, I think you're probably spot on when it comes to lower grade rarities.

Oh come on - NO-ONE is too old for dinosaurs! (I speak as one who knows... )

The fascinating thing about the 1925 edition is that it's a true sale catalogue. The introduction reads : Quite recently we purchased the collection of milled coins of the late Mr A Wallis, who had studied the series with very great care. It would have been a misfortune to waste the information to be obtained from his mss. and large collection. Consequently, whilst offering the pieces for sale, we are trying to supply the long felt need of an up to date list of the series, especially as far as busts are concerned, differentiating between them and numbering them. We have found it quite impossible to notice all the slight variations and dies noted by Mr Wallis, giving only most interesting. We have put only the most important varieties in the left hand column. This is fascinating on several levels - 1. that they were able to offer the entire milled series for sale, 2. that before this publication there wasn't a complete list of busts and varieties for the milled series, and 3. that Spink determined what were "important varieties", didn't publish the remainder, leaving it open for collectors to discover ("rediscover") them ever since. The book is obviously the template for ESC who must have used Spink's choice of varieties as the foundation of their own publication

Lodge and beat booked for week of 1st October. 7 days and nights without screaming kids (sadly probably without screaming reels as well but worth it for the peace!). Glenlivet is already stockpiled and order for Cuban cigars about to be placed Glenlivet? Ahh, for that smoky aroma of Talisker, my all time favourite autumnal drink! Ouzo for Greece! Ouzo? Now you're talking!

BIRDS? One of them looks like a dinosaur!! Mind you, birds did evolve from dinosaurs...

It's a pity you can't bookmark individual threads here - you can with other forums using different software. Unless you can, and I haven't found out how you do it?

For anyone else interested, this book is available here: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/330436945692?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2648#ht_500wt_1413 Definitely of interest, I would say. I have their earlier book, The Milled Silver Coinage of England published in 1925 and clearly a forerunner of ESC. At that time Spink were in Piccadilly, though I see they had moved to King Street postwar. My book gives the view that Edward VII coins were already regarded as scarce by 1925, but also that there were no scarcities as yet for George V ! The strange thing is that this seller has multiple copies. A photocopied reproduction perhaps? Not sure otherwise how he could have so many, unless he managed to get access to a Spink basement clearout.

Respectfully, I disagree. Circulated coins circulated, and have already passed through many hands including perhaps those of your ancestors. A little additional handling (with so care) won’t hurt them, and will provide you with a real “feel†for them. Certainly once you’ve settled on which coins you want to collect seriously, you’ll want to be careful with any high-grade specimens you acquire later. However, I think it’s a good idea to retain examples of circulated coins showing various stages of wear, since knowledge of how different coinage designs wore while circulating is also important in understanding them in depth. Best Regards, InforaPenny Your point is valid in relation to well-circulated, low-value coins. My point was that it is never too early to get into good habits. Get a fingerprint on a BU 1919KN penny and you wipe three figures off its value.

It's a crossover mule - two obverses, two reverses, so 4 possible combinations. Pointings are the quickest and easiest indicators: Obv 3, Rev C, F.471, C10, I of DEI nearly at a bead, L of HALF between beads Obv 3, Rev D, F.473, R5, I of DEI nearly at a bead, L of HALF at a bead Obv 4, Rev C, F.474, R12, I of DEI between beads, L of HALF between beads Obv 4, Rev D, F.475, R3, I of DEI between beads, L of HALF at a bead Or the "quick and dirty" way to tell - the common issue has the normal narrow obverse rim, and short reverse teeth. The scarce/rare varieties have any combination of wide obverse rim (like the "1968" hqlfpenny) and/or long reverse teeth.

Quick David - before he changes his mind, find out what he will pay for it!!

A picture would be a great help

I do like the coin, that's why I bought it. It's just the perennial problem of having two coins of slightly differing grades, but preferring the look of the lower graded coin. I flipped a couple of 1902 pennies back and forth for about a fortnight, having exactly the same dilemma! Also, if the leaf didn't reach the bottom of the die, I guess it would be convex...all speculation of course! "Heads I'll buy you GEF, tails I'll buy you AUNC" [a fortnight later..] "Heads I'll buy you GF, tails I'll buy you AVF" and not so far from the truth! I owned them both and couldn't for the life of me decide which one to keep and which one to sell. Fortunately it's not an issue that often! If in doubt, keep both. Eventually you will decide that you can't live with one or the other, or both. If in doubt, keep both. Eventually you will decide that you can't live withOUT one or the other, or both.

To forestall bad habits, either wear cotton gloves or hold by the rim only!!

Will the forum member who sold me a 1956 rare variety halfpenny for £20, please examine your conscience and return my money to me? Yes, I know I said I wanted one, but did you have to take advantage of me? Couldn't you see I am an imbecile? Grrrrrr. New World Numismatics, hmm. I wonder which 'new world' he represents.. could it be the one that is supported by 4 giant elephants standing on the back of a giant turtle swimming through space...? Anyone want to buy a first edition copy of Freeman, clearly a self-published piece of rubbish not worth the paper it's printed on.