Peckris

Isn't that (theoretically) what PayPal is? Nah... thats just a third way that eBay can rape you for any scrap of profit you might be looking to make! I promise you - having PayPal has allowed me to buy lots of stuff online, not to mention make payments to private individuals, without involving eBay in any way shape or form. It is mega convenient, and afaik has not involved any charges whatever.

What I can ID there is - an 1854? penny which is a bit blurry, but not quite VF I'd say, value around £5, perhaps slightly more - a 1797 penny in rather worn condition, not worth more than metal value - an 18th Century token, damaged by a punch, not anything worth much at all - an 1825? penny, rather worn, worth probably a couple of pounds only, maybe a fiver - a 1797 twopence in VF - the best item there by a long chalk and worth around £50 though I'd want to see a bigger picture the two foreign items I can't ID though the reverse of one looks like a USA cent.

There was an earlier thread on here - could be 3 or 4 years ago now, in which somebody pulled out a newspaper article from 1960 which said that of all the bronze farthings minted from 1860 to 1956 only about a third were returned to the mint for melting down. So if this situation were to apply at all times across all denominations (which I guess is unlikely), there would still be a million 1829 farthings kicking around out there. The opinion was expressed that the number of coins simply mislaid or lost was dramatically underestimated by pretty much everybody. With so many coins doing the rounds, I would, in the nicest possible way, suggest that a database is not really a practical proposition and we will always be reliant upon price guides etc. for estimates of rarity. One further point is that the official mintages simply record the number of coins minted or issued in any one year, many of which will carry the date of the previous or the succeeding year (e.g. 2.5 million pennies were minted in 1869 but it is reckoned that only 400,000 actually carried that date), so unfortunately any figure produced by the Royal Mint must be taken with a massive pinch of salt. And please also bear in mind - the last year of a particular denomination (e.g. 1956 farthings - at least 5 years prior to demonetisation) was very often saved, put aside, bought for "investment", and will be nowhere like as scarce in relation to other dates as the mintage figures would suggest. This was also the fate of the 1951 penny, and most BU coins between 1966 and 1969. Mintage figures - even if accurate for the dated coins of that year, which they aren't - would now be totally unreliable.

Lichtenstein too. The French however have the best National Anthem by a country mile. As featured in "Casablanca"? A grown man, that scene always reduces me to tears! That would have been my vote before the Barmy Army got hold of it And as to the patron saints, mostly a bunch of foreigners. St David was the only home grown one as he was actually Welsh, St Partick was reportedly Romano-British (English). And as for St George and St Andrew, if they wanted to enter the country now a days they would probably have to hide out in the back of an artic crossing the channel. Maltese I believe? Or was it Cyprus, or Lebanon? A long way from the White Cliffs, that's for sure, though that well known Englishman Benedetto did try to give him an British visa! The British (or whoever...) have got to be the least patriotic people in the world, and I think we've just proved that. We cringe when others wear their nationalty on their sleeve - when the Americans play 'God bless America' I hide behind the sofa! Their genuine national anthem however is way better than our dirge. The American's also have a patriotic song..."My Country tis of thee (sweet land of liberty)"...which is sung to the music of "God Save the Queen." In the early years of our Republic, many American's (mostly of English decent) thought of this song to be the National Anthem! Francis Scott Key's "Star Spangled Banner" was officially made the National anthem at a later date. I recently heard a version of the "Star Spangled Banner" that was played by order of the Queen, at Buckingham Palace on 911. It was a very stirring rendition of our anthem. http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.allproudamericans.com%2Femotional-911-version-of-the-National-Anthem.html&h=b6052 Above is the video of the 911 performance! That's the one I was thinking of (above) ! The slight flaw in that argument is that our dirge was composed long after American Independence, isn't that so? Around 60 years?

...and 1860 pales into insignificance compared with the Great Recoinages of 1697-1698, and 1816. You could even say it was less than 1797 when the base metal coinage of Matthew Boulton started to bring a half century of drastic shortages, forgeries, and multitudes of different tokens, to an end. 1860, by comparison, saw a base metal coinage that had been regularised and consistent for 40 years, replaced over a decade by a smaller, redesigned base metal coinage using a different alloy.

This is all bollocks. Eire is a fully independent member of the EU and no longer part of "Britain The Political Unit" (as you well know - you are only trying to stir things politically ) since 1928 when the Irish Free State was established. I'm less sure about the status of Ireland between 1922 and 1928. The British (or whoever...) have got to be the least patriotic people in the world, and I think we've just proved that. We cringe when others wear their nationalty on their sleeve - when the Americans play 'God bless America' I hide behind the sofa! Me too! Except don't they also use our dirge with their own different words to it? And Montenegro too? (Which makes football matches between England and Montenegro somewhat confusing affairs - the dopier sort of lager lout probably doesn't know which anthem to boo ). The mystifying thing is, why would two separate nations apart from ours, want to take that horrible dirge in any way shape or form?

hi there nice to know theres someone else in aberdeen on here, i actually found out on weds that the stamp shop had coins so i bought some got a good deal as well he told me if he gets any coins now he puts them in the window if there any good so keep an eye there cause he does still have, thanks allot mate if you use facebook or something like that you should send me a way so we could talk . thanks wayne I used to think a junk shop (or non-coin specialist) was a great place for coin bargains. That was until I found a small time antiques shop in the Midlands where I bought a few coins at marginally below book price. He also happened to have a VG 1924 florin he was asking £25 for. I told him it was way overpriced and he gave me a sour look. I went back there a few years later and it was still there, unsold, but now reduced to £20. Still can be but you have to be lucky. My 1893 Jubilee Head sixpence in near fine condition came from a junk shop bowl in Hastings a few years ago, for the princely sum of 50p. Ditto a 1905 florin and 1695 sixpence from a Whitstable junk shop for a couple of pounds each. I also picked up a 1671 Crown with the quarto edge for £30 from a general antiques dealer, so it can be done, albeit you usually wade through piles of rubbish before you find a nugget. But isn't that the fun? Certainly for a collector, but maybe not a dealer? I'm quite sure that there's a 1927 reverse 1922 penny somewhere out there in a bowl with my name on it - its just a case of getting out there. Um... er... no! Speaking personally. (Having dealt a bit and weighed through cardboard boxes of auction lots all containing vast accumulations of cupro-nickel, brass 3ds, and 20th Century bronze, you develop a kind of fatigue that never leaves )

hi there nice to know theres someone else in aberdeen on here, i actually found out on weds that the stamp shop had coins so i bought some got a good deal as well he told me if he gets any coins now he puts them in the window if there any good so keep an eye there cause he does still have, thanks allot mate if you use facebook or something like that you should send me a way so we could talk . thanks wayne I used to think a junk shop (or non-coin specialist) was a great place for coin bargains. That was until I found a small time antiques shop in the Midlands where I bought a few coins at marginally below book price. He also happened to have a VG 1924 florin he was asking £25 for. I told him it was way overpriced and he gave me a sour look. I went back there a few years later and it was still there, unsold, but now reduced to £20.

No no no, Great Britain is the geographical island. It's Great because it's bigger than Less Britain, which is Brittany. A bit like Great Missenden. Pre 1921 it was the United Kingdom of Great Britain & Ireland. After partition it became the UK of GB & NI. No part of Ireland is in Great Britain, and that's geography, unchangeable, regardless of political boundary drawing. I stand corrected. I must admit it's the first time I've heard of that (about Brittany).

I'm not trying to start an argument here and should perhaps decline to answer your question as others have done, as this is a bit of a touchy subject, but the above is not correct. The United Kingdom is the combination of the two kingdoms of England and Scotland and was created in c.1707. The English portion consisted of England and its two provinces of Wales and Ireland which had been acquired by England sometime after the Norman invasion but before 1707. Both are geographical areas and were never counties as they consisted of many independent tribes, much as England had been prior to the Norman conquest. Today neither have parliaments, rather regional assemblies. Further correction. Wales for centuries has not been a 'province' but a 'Principality'. (Viz., the Prince of Wales). I'm not sure what Ireland's status was in 1707, but Northern Ireland has certainly been a province since the formation of the Irish Free State. The status of the government of N Ireland has changed several times : the parliament at Stormont was suspended in the 1970s during 'the Troubles' and direct rule from Westminster was imposed. But now government has been reintroduced from Stormont with direct elections. The British Isles includes the whole of Ireland (merely a geographical entity). Britain refers to England, Scotland, Wales and the islands. Great Britain refers to the same with the addition of N. Ireland. I certainly inadvertently started something here. Isn't it the United Kingdom of Great Britain & Northern Ireland ? That was always my understanding. If so, it's a tautology - Great Britain INCLUDES N Ireland! Without it, it's just Britain.

I think I have a fake penny....see picture below. One is the real penny (Left) and the other of the same year is a terrible copy. It seems pointless to forge pennies. http://s45.photobucket.com/albums/f94/larsselleth/?action=view&current=coins001.jpg The one on the right is missing all teeth and stops, which is really weird. However, I don't think it can be a forgery - as you say, who'd want to spend more on the exercise than the "coin" is worth? What it MIGHT be (and hold your horses right here, I only said MIGHT) is some kind of pattern, released accidentally? Unlikely, but I'm struggling to find a possible explanation (my first thought was a penny struck on the wrong blank, but that wouldn't eliminate teeth and stops). Peck, have a look at the obverse of a 2008 shield reverse Penny or a 2009, 10. Compare the obverse to a 1998>2008 Penny obverse, the difference will be very clear and I'd put a big wager on that that is the 2 obverses in the photo. I hadn't even noticed that (modern decimals don't interest me one bit!) - I don't have one to look at, but Wikipedia confirms the ring of dots has indeed been removed.

I think I have a fake penny....see picture below. One is the real penny (Left) and the other of the same year is a terrible copy. It seems pointless to forge pennies. http://s45.photobucket.com/albums/f94/larsselleth/?action=view&current=coins001.jpg The one on the right is missing all teeth and stops, which is really weird. However, I don't think it can be a forgery - as you say, who'd want to spend more on the exercise than the "coin" is worth? What it MIGHT be (and hold your horses right here, I only said MIGHT) is some kind of pattern, released accidentally? Unlikely, but I'm struggling to find a possible explanation (my first thought was a penny struck on the wrong blank, but that wouldn't eliminate teeth and stops).

No, peck is reffering to my image sizes O I see thanks for clearing that one up azda. Yes, that's what i meant I'm going to have to get used to the size of Dave's pictures, and he's going to have to get used to my moans

Well, ok. But a FAR better book would have been our own Chris Perkins' "Collectors Coins GB" book, (see picture above, which will take to you where they are on sale - Amazon? Or most decent bookstores), which is 1) cheaper than BCMV 2) contains a lot more information including obscure varieties and buying tips. In fact, if you buy the CCGB book anyway and compare the two, I think you'll agree with me.

Those two look perfectly good shots (a nice comfortable size, cough cough)

It's a bit hard to tell as the pictures are a bit blurry (or doubled?), but I think you may have them back to front? The reverse certainly looks like the legend is the wrong way round. At any rate, what you have there is a Roman denarius, between F and VF grade. I can't identify it right off, but they are nice coins to collect. Surprisingly easy to find and only of limited value (except for rare reigns and types), but a good focus for a collection. As to where to buy - get yourself a copy of Coin News and see where your nearest coin club is. There are also regular fairs, from York in the North, down through the Midlands, to London. What area are you from? And provincial auctions quite often have sales, but don't go buying from those until you are more confident - but great places to go and learn, and watch. There are reputable online dealers - Colin Cooke, Michael Gouby, and Rendel Ingram to name but three. Plus a few of the members here also have websites where they sell, and there are a few coins for sale to be found at the home page of this website. The most important thing though, is to learn more about coins. Read avidly. To drop a few names to go and hunt down at your local reference library : CW Peck English Silver Coinage Freeman's Bronze Coinage Spink's Standard Catalogue Dave Groom's two books on 20th Century silver and bronze varieties

Isn't that (theoretically) what PayPal is? Nooo... PayPal's just another bank, 'cept it's owned by eBay. Which is ultimately owned by the banks via venture capital I expect. Not "just another bank". There's no other bank I can use to pay for stuff online by merely logging in, and not having to provide a card number.

Ouch. But don't let certain punters here overhear that "only farthings" remark

I'd say it's worth retaking the shot at your cam's maximum res and posting here, whatever size it comes out. That picture Is ok for identification but there's a lot of softness and artefacts and general noise on it too. Well here's some more done with max res but resized after on my laptop also these were done with bulbs(flourescentant strip light+ daylight energy saving bulb in lamp) Apart from the colour (that would be the lighting used I'm guessing?) those look much better. A bit smaller but the detail is much much clearer, and leaves no room for doubt.

Isn't that (theoretically) what PayPal is?

I'd say it's worth retaking the shot at your cam's maximum res and posting here, whatever size it comes out. That picture Is ok for identification but there's a lot of softness and artefacts and general noise on it too.

That coin shows up the limitations of your camera (the first two are absolutely fine, by the way) - you've shown it far too large in relation to its original size and shown up all the softness and noise of hyping the resolution beyond its natural boundaries. FWIW, the picture (of the half farthing) doesn't need to be so large - we would still see its relevant detail if it was only 4X original. If you want it larger, you need to find a way of going 'close up and macro', assuming your camera can do that.

I've received 3 in my change, so I wish only 25,000 had been minted !!! Actually the true figure is 3,903,000 ~ see Royal Mint mintage figures here Which makes them more common than 1981 10p's - wonder how often those come up on eBay?

I'm not trying to start an argument here and should perhaps decline to answer your question as others have done, as this is a bit of a touchy subject, but the above is not correct. The United Kingdom is the combination of the two kingdoms of England and Scotland and was created in c.1707. The English portion consisted of England and its two provinces of Wales and Ireland which had been acquired by England sometime after the Norman invasion but before 1707. Both are geographical areas and were never counties as they consisted of many independent tribes, much as England had been prior to the Norman conquest. Today neither have parliaments, rather regional assemblies. Further correction. Wales for centuries has not been a 'province' but a 'Principality'. (Viz., the Prince of Wales). I'm not sure what Ireland's status was in 1707, but Northern Ireland has certainly been a province since the formation of the Irish Free State. The status of the government of N Ireland has changed several times : the parliament at Stormont was suspended in the 1970s during 'the Troubles' and direct rule from Westminster was imposed. But now government has been reintroduced from Stormont with direct elections. The British Isles includes the whole of Ireland (merely a geographical entity). Britain refers to England, Scotland, Wales and the islands. Great Britain refers to the same with the addition of N. Ireland.

That's been increasingly true since early 20th Century. The circulating coinage has become a smaller and smaller part of the 'money supply'. A workman's wages before WW1 would probably have been less than £1, and most working people never saw a sovereign or a banknote - decisions made by the Royal Mint in those days would have been important, significant. Even up to the late 60s, the 50p was still a 10/- banknote. In 1971 a tin of beans would have been around 4p. You'd have paid for it with a 5p or a 10p. A cup of coffee or a bag of crisps or a bus fare was 2p. Modern coins are like 'toy money' and worth not much more. But I'd hate to see them disappear altogether - it might be fatal for our hobby.