Peckris

Can you not also tell if it is a Proof Issue if the edge is Plain as opposed to Milled? Or does that not apply to all Proof Issues? Some proof issues of some coins certainly do have different edges than the business strikes - but you've got to go back (I think) to the earlier 19th Century and earlier, to see those. Most modern era proofs have the same edge, but they are sharp and even and well-defined.

Definitely George VI, if you google "Edward VIII Threepence" and click on images you will see the rare one, which is a different design Actually, no. There are two designs for Edward VIII - the "other thrift design" which we've all seen pictures for, and which there are a few knocking about. But there is also the one with the same reverse as George VI (proof?) which is even rarer. Yes, I can just about make out RGIV which makes it George

I don't think the price of copper has any bearing on the current craze for high grade buns. If it did, even relatively low-grade 20th Century pennies would be doing a roaring trade, and they aren't. 1. No, not really. 2. Yes, that's more like it, but also factor in the 'craze of the moment' snowball effect - like property prices up to 2007/8. OMG Az, have you had a lottery win recently, or what?

Grr, my guide dog didn't point me to that one.

Thanks for that - I'll listen to it when I have an hour to spare! (Warning - your link is a double http:// which needs one of them removing, then it works)

You've had some welcomes and advice syorks, so let me add to both! Welcome to the forums I personally wouldn't touch modern RM Issues with a barge pole as they are such a drag on the market when you come to sell. Having said that, you struck lucky by choosing gold and buying before the mad recent increases, so your investment has turned out well. Nice work! I wouldn't care to speculate on the attitudes of collectors choosing to have their scarce proofs melted down : you could guess right, or wrong, and no-one can predict, or we'd all be millionaires! If you like your sets, keep them and they will prove good in the long run. But if you want to cash in, that would be cool too as there is a whole world of old coins out there, just waiting for you!! But, forget dealer prices - the only way you might get close to that is by selling on eBay, and that' a chancy business. Whereas a dealer would pay you between half to three-quarters their selling price, depending how likely he is to make a quick sale.

That's the one! Yes, I did notice that there were a few mistakes in there as well. I think that it is handy little guide as it gives you an idea on the Mintage figures. As they are taken from the 'Coin Yearbook' it will save me having to carry that around with me as it contains the same information. I think that is a great little Booklet! Yes, and a nice little historical document to boot

Both are very attractive coins Nick, but neither appears to be a proof. But you can do a check yourself - one of the defining qualities of a proof is a sharp edged rim, all round. Unfortunately the 19th Century is awash with coins that are 'prooflike', i.e. mirrored fields. Many of these - especially if accompanied by a strong well-defined strike - will be early strikes and therefore should command a premium over the regular 'bog standard' strikes. But only a modest premium in Britain compared with the States where they go ape over early strikes. Some early strikes are even struck on ordinary blanks using proof dies, causing great difficulties to modern collectors and dealers. It's my opinion that yours aren't proofs, but see what others say.

An online Spink (which could be subscribed to - e.g. you pay a fixed amount per year for e.g. up to 250 prices, more up to 500, more still up to 1000, say) would be a boon. It would save me the hours spent hunched over Spink in the library, manually transcribing prices onto my database printout, only to key them all in when I get home. Ok, it's free, but I'd happily pay £10 per annum to access all the catalogue information plus prices for 500 coins.

Oh I think I picked that one up a few years ago! Does it have nice photographs on a black background? If it's the one I'm thinking of, it makes a few glaring errors, the main one not distinguishing between bronze and copper dated 1860, and mixing up the illustrations for the two types. But as you say, a fascinating read.

I don't think splitting the references into pre and post decimalisation would be very sensible from a publication point of view. The current book weighs in excess of 1kg which is a significant price band with Royal Mail, but splitting it in half would bring it back to say 6-700g including hardback covers. I do think that a division in 1662 would be very beneficial by now. It is very close to half way as things stand and would give the opportunity to include more varieties in both halves. Coupled with the fact that many collectors specialise in either hammered or milled, and if they do cross the boundary an extra book costing say £20 would pale into insignificance compared to the cost of pre 1662 milled coinage and would result in few lost sales in my opinion. In all probability it would result in a significant uplift in sales for Spink because most people who currently buy one would buy both if necessary. Crucially, it is a handbook and needs to be comfortably portable. The weight is now becoming an issue. I was being vaguely satirical Rob, but you make a good point. There's only one snag - I'm not tempted remotely by hammered, but I do like a Roman or two (coins! I'm talking about coins ), so the 1662 division wouldn't help me much. On the other hand, Roman values don't change much, so Spink could lump the ancient - including Celtic - into a separate little book they would only need to update every three years or so. I agree Derek. And Spink are becoming the exception now. ESC, Coincraft, the Year Book, CCGB, Freeman, C&MV, they're all by denomination not monarch. And people who collect date runs don't stop at reign boundaries. Storage systems are designed around denomination too. It's a rare collector who prefers a monarch to a denomination or two. But I suppose it would take too much of a major redesign for Spink to change it now.

With a torch under YOUR chin too Az? Go on then, I dare you, put up a picture!

I think you are right, they are based on such subjective criteria that they are more or less useless. A better comparison would be to estimate what % they represented of National Average Earning (NAE) but such statistics don't go back anything like that far. However, if the 2p - 3p statistic is anything like correct, in real terms that makes our current decimal penny the lowest value coin ever to circulate in this country (assuming that RPI has doubled since the 1/2p went out of circulation). In America of course, it is worse - the Lincoln cent being worth even less. Makes you wonder why we don't go down the Italian route of giving out sweets instead of small change! Dentists would be happy ... or, if you listen to my great-great-grandfather "...a night out at the Savoy, a hansom cab home and enough left over to tip the driver. Kids today? Don't know they're born!"

And I would LOVE to see Spink remove the post-1967 stuff from "The Coins Of England", knock £5 off the vastly reduced size of it, and issue that in a separate book for those what want it!

It depends what your main interests are in this area. If you mean silver going right back to early milled, then ESC is your start, if you mean say 20th Century only then Gary's book has all the varieties in, plus there is Davies going back to ?1816 which is the main absence from my own library. Copper/Bronze, the only single source for these is still Peck, otherwise you're specialising into one (or two) books from the above lists.

I would imagine so as long as it was spelt VERY carefully. lol Vrey VREY carefully ...

I still have my Coin Monthlies from that time! Amazing how every other dealer advert was for "investment opportunities" involving massive numbers of common BU late 60s coins. What was heartbreaking was the prices of early milled where it was on offer - 1675 farthing GEF £12.50, anyone? In one of my old mags the 1960 crown was claimed as the nr 1 investment....common G11 silver such as 1758 shillings or 1746 lima halfcrowns were cheap as chips....I think a study of the web,auctions can now identify true rareities. Oh Lord yes, I remember those "investment hot tips"! - 1951 pennies (specify whether you want 1, 10, or 100 when you order) - 1960 crowns - one each of a well worn 1952 6d, 1946-49-50-51 3d, 1926 1st issue penny, 1912H 1d, 1902LT 1d, 1959S-61S-65S 1/-, 1934 2/6, etc - 1968 Guernsey (or do I mean Gibraltar?) crown - 1968 blue decimal wallets - "First & last" set in Sandhill case - 1953 plastic set I'm sure I've missed some!

No, the gruesome truth is hidden behind your sprog

... which rather begs the question, if it was worth between (the equivalent of) 2p and 3p, why didn't they issue it in the UK? I'm not sure I trust those RPI conversions entirely - for one thing, food (which was the main purchase for the working/poor classes) was much more expensive then than it is now, relatively speaking, so perhaps they wouldn't have needed such small change?

I still have my Coin Monthlies from that time! Amazing how every other dealer advert was for "investment opportunities" involving massive numbers of common BU late 60s coins. What was heartbreaking was the prices of early milled where it was on offer - 1675 farthing GEF £12.50, anyone?

LOL no way - first thing I checked haha

so how much is it worth ? my son likes it and thinking of collecting coins haha Funnily enough, it's worth £2! An excellent way for your son to start a collection though. haha lovely i thought it was at least 7 pound from what i have read thanks for info everyone However, a lot of these commemorative issues are quite popular (see other threads on this forum) and sometimes are minted in lower quantities. So a really good place for your son to start, and I hope he gets the collecting bug.

I do agree with you. I do think that Proof Issues are very nice, but I also think that they should be reserved for 'Special Occasions' such as a Coronation or a new Coinage Issue. Although it is nice to have the coins contained in them at the highest Grade, I think that it takes something away from them when they are produced each and every year. Yes, I agree. I suppose the excuse from 1983 was a new 'type' £1 coin each year, but what was the excuse from 1974 to 1981? And anyway, from 1982 they've had BU specimen sets struck to the highest standards, so really the proofs should have been saved for 1) a new portrait (the whole set) and 2) new denominations (just that item in various formats). It's just RM greed for profit.