Peckris

Ouch. Isn't that the Final that Bob Paisley was dropped for? From my own perspective, 1989 was the year that really hurt. I don't think the League will ever come down to a closer finish though...

I don't think they were a separate mintage. Just like with 1960 'polished die' crowns, and 1951 'proof' vs 'prooflike' - all included in the main mintage AFAIK.

That will go for at least £300.

That is a very interesting scenario that you propose there Peckris. OK, I would like to start by explaining what I meant when I said that I personally could not do that and try to explain the reason why. For me, it is the people that put up for Auction a coin on E-Bay, for example, in light of the '20p Mule' situation, a '2008 20p With NO Date On The Front' knowing very well that the date is in fact on the REV, to simply make a profit out of someone. To me that is profiteering. If however, someone were to put up for Auction on E-Bay the same item and it happend to make a profit by people simply bidding on it. To me that is making a profit. I don't think that I'm naive enough to not be able to realise that this does not happen, it does, on a daily basis, and not only on E-Bay but in many different situations. I'm also not here to argue the issue of morality or the rights or wrongs of someone choosing to do that, as it is their business not mine and I would not judge them for doing so, I also believe that I have no place in doing that. It is just that I personally could not do that. As for the scenario that you gave with myself being an impoverished child being lucky enough to obtain another example of a 1926 ME Penny from my change. Would it be wrong of me to sell the poorer example to earn some money to help myself with my impoverished situation? I'm not sure, but I think that I would have to say no, I probably would sell it if I were that impoverished and needed the money that desperately. The reason being, as I stated, that I would not out to make a profit for profits sake out of someone elses misfortune but instead to help myself with my impoverished situation, If I were to sell it and it happend that I made a profit from doing so, then that would different to me than knowingly selling something with the intention of making a profit out of someone. I hope that has explained things a little more clearly for you. Sort of. I think! You're talking about not ripping people off by selling something supposed to be a rarity when in fact it's not? In which case, I agree with you 100%, I wouldn't do that either. But I WOULD sell a genuine rarity and hope to make a profit from that.

Quite right, Sir! Think of me if you stumble upon them, though! I will, I will!

"I'm a doctor, not a numismatist". OK! Will do... Thanks.

Fascinating, Jim, as a character with pointed ears once said.

Are you implying that we don't, you git? you and me both la......... Don't tell anyone (shhhh) - I'm a woollyback!

Ah, it's just that now you have one, I won't go hobbling around my flat trying to find mine ... well, not as a matter of urgency anyway I agree. Though having tracked down the rare one, I'm not bothering with the regular issue - I've got a 1911 and 1917 in UNC.

the last figure i heard of from the mint is that around 250,000 have been accidentally released into circulation. Hm. Similar mintage to the 1950 penny then? And we know how rare THOSE are

I agree with you Declan. I really would not feel at all comfortable selling one of those coins on E-Bay or elsewhere. To me personally, it is little more than profiteering. The same applies to me for the '20p Mule' as well. I am fortunate enough to have obtained one from my change. However, I could never personally sell it for a grossly over inflated price simply to gain profit. Hm. How about this scenario : you're an impoverished schoolkid in 1970. You've already been lucky enough to find a halfway decent 1926ME penny, and you get another one - not so good - in your change. Wouldn't you sell the spare any which way you can, to get some cash? Ok, eBay wasn't around then, but if it had been, are you saying you wouldn't have popped it up there? I'm not judging you, but I'd be interested in your reply to this!

That is a beaut How do you know that, az?

The problem with combining dealing and collecting is that you have or want the same items that your customers want. The very nice rare piece you can't bear to part with is the same desirable object in their eyes too. The easy to get pieces that you wouldn't mind parting with on the grounds that you can always replace them with another are consequently difficult to sell because as common items there is always a chance they can pick one up on ebay for 99p instead of wasting £2 by purchasing from a dealer. I never found this a big problem - such coins would be part of a larger auction lot and I would bid accordingly based on a mix of 'dealer / collector'. Then siphon off the coins for me, and list the remainder. Also, if I already had the coin, I'd either swap (if better) and list the older one, or simply list the newer purchase with no qualms. If I was buying single coins, I would know from the start if one was for my own collection, and potential customers for it simply weren't part of the equation. Then again, my dealing wasn't professional enough to be more than an extended hobby - I never relied on it as sole income. That would certainly have created different attitudes.

I'm fairly amazed you have a computer with an internet connection! Still, you obviously have your priorities worked out Wireless can be a bit flaky through 60 yards of wet trees sometimes, but it works. We'll have to get a bit more imaginative one day when we get our little piece of land. Then we'll have to learn how to make our own electrickery, and I think you can do something with satellites for internet. I have seen someone who made a dish from a wok. Wi-Fry? lol If I'm honest I would never pay that amount for a 5p Coin. Rarity or not. If I were to find one in my change then that would be a different matter, it could go with my other Decimal Coins in my collection, but I would never personally purchase one. I'm with you, RobJ. Me neither

Ouch. I bought about half a dozen from Paul Wincott for around £2 apiece 10 years or so ago. I'm sure I might still have a spare one somewhere. I'd love to buy one from you, Mr Peckris! I could put ex-Paul Wincott in my database somewhere... My memory was good - it WAS PW and it WAS £2 apiece. Now, the question is... where are they? I will have a look sometime but don't hold your breath just yet! Hold on, didn't you say you just bought one?

Your 1802 penny is a tiny silver coin, right? (Copper pennies, halfpennies and farthings exist but dated 1806 and 1807). To be honest, apart from great rarities, condition is everything and we would need to see some pictures. Pretty much all coins before George VI in top grades are worth something - some quite a lot - but that 'top grades' means coins that have barely circulated and look pretty much in pristine condition. However, many coins that have circulated a little would be worth something too, though a lot less (I'm talking about the Very Fine "VF" grade here). The vast majoritiy of coins you encounter are even more worn - Fine "F" or less - and only worth a modest amount. If you want to research most of your coins, your nearest reference library should have a copy of Spinks' "Coins Of England" which lists just about everything.

There is a national tendency to concentrate on the negative... But let's win the Sydney Test first before diving into clouds of despair

I think this is a classic example of where a microscope gets TOO close - the faint H is more visible on your original close-up (1st post)

I'm fairly amazed you have a computer with an internet connection! Still, you obviously have your priorities worked out

Ouch. I bought about half a dozen from Paul Wincott for around £2 apiece 10 years or so ago. I'm sure I might still have a spare one somewhere.

I feel I can just see a faint H - it's nearer the second 8 than the first.

Ah, by that time we'll all be using a version of Mondex cards and coins will be redundant. Though then, of course, like vinyl records, they will become the exclusive preserve of collectors.

(testing)

Yes, Happy Noo Year to all !

I joined briefly in 2005 before rediscovering these joys in 2009, and back then Master JMD was one of the leading lights here (quite a youngster wasn't he?). Whatever happened to the young fellow?