Peckris

I was shown both types at the local coin society meeting tonight. Ugly looking things, ain't they? Shallowest reverse design since the late beloved Churchill crowns.

I am deeply deeply suspicious of insurance, regarding it as a kind of sophisticated swindle. After paying premiums over the course of many years, and without claiming, consider how much money you have spent on ... what? Peace of mind? Really, by spending lots of money? Therefore, rightly or wrongly, I cover mine under the standard contents policy, as I have few other valuables. There are other forms of "insurance" too, more practical and a damn sight cheaper : 1. Window locks on all windows, mortice locks on all outside doors 2. Discretion! Don't tell people (except here) that you collect coins. Don't give out your name and address to anyone connected with coins, unless absolutely necessary (e.g. buying on eBay, and even there, you don't need to use your real name). 3. Lockable cabinets inside locked cupboards and - as Peter has said - a variety of scattered locations. Don't keep all your eggs in one basket. 4. If you do have very valuable coins (I'd say, worth over £500; your own limit may differ) then keep those perhaps in the bank. Of all these, being absolutely discreet is the single, cheapest, most important thing. (Don't advertise!) That's my view anyway. Of course, if I get burgled then I may sing a different tune altogether.

Have a BU birthday (Bottle Upended!) RLC

If you bid 25 Euros it did not get through as I bid €22 and the next bid was €253!!!! Mein Gott! For three distinctly sub-average buns? Read again... RARE VARIETY Really? The enlargements aren't exactly pin sharp, and the coins aren't in decent condition. What am I looking at?

Then either the 2005 and earlier editions are wrong, or the recent one is. Or there's a possibility that both are : CCGB doesn't list a rare Melbourne JH sov at all.

Yeah, there's just something about the bronze penny series that in a sense, marks them out as distinct from all others. They really hit the spot, don't they. Yes, there's a whole raft of possible reasons : the hours spent looking through bank bags as a schoolkid, the low face value, the generous size, the sheer number of varieties, the minting history ('ghosting', 'mint toning', missing years, weird metal mixes), the H and KN factor, the 1933 factor, the endless combinations in the first few bun years ... it goes on and on. You can never reach the end! It's an entire branch of numismatics all by itself

If you bid 25 Euros it did not get through as I bid €22 and the next bid was €253!!!! Mein Gott! For three distinctly sub-average buns?

Most 1934s were still in GF-VF condition in 1971 whereas 12Hs were generally pretty grim by that stage, although unlike 18 and 19 H/KN (especially KNs) were still fairly common in circulation. On the other hand, 12H's lasted pretty well compared to other first series GV, protected by that enormous high wall aka 'rim'! I found quite a few GF examples, even the occasional NVF, but the 19Hs were uniformly horrible.

Thanks for that. I do have a tripod but I just don't think I can physically manage looking down on the coin (bending over the whole arrangement). The drawback with the Lumix is that the viewscreen isn't articulated which would make my task a lot easier.

Whatever it is, it isn't a regular issue coin. The bust is all wrong, the legend is the wrong size, the 1/6 isn't right, and the legend below the bust shouldn't be there. So unless it's some kind of a pattern, it's possibly a gaming token, yes.

You sure you're checking the right thing az? The 2005 Spink doesn't even list an 1890M for 3867A, and the Extremely Rare is given for the 1889M

When I decided to become a type rather than a date collector I breathed a huge sigh of relief. Until I realised the particular ball and chain that comes with that. You see, a type collector must have each 'type' in as high a grade as possible. James II or George I silver, anyone? I think the problem for me started when I was a child and collected Brooke Bond tea cards. The difficulty was that once you had the album you had to have the set. What was the use of a nearly complete album? And so it is with me for coins - I have to have the date run!! I think the moment of illumination for me was when I finally completed my date run of 20th Century halfcrowns. I sat there staring at absolutely identically unattractive George VI UNC silver halfcrowns and Elizabeth II 1950s halfcrowns, and I thought "So what?" I have kept the pre-1937 halfcrowns, though I'm tempted to farm out a few of the George V, but since then, the only date run I've been remotely interested in is bronze pennies.

When I decided to become a type rather than a date collector I breathed a huge sigh of relief. Until I realised the particular ball and chain that comes with that. You see, a type collector must have each 'type' in as high a grade as possible. James II or George I silver, anyone?

That's really useful advice Steve. I own a Lumix FZ38 'bridge' camera that allows macro shooting and will also take RAW+JPEG shots. I'm also familiar with Photoshop. My main problem is not how to light (I think I would choose natural daylight over artificial) but how to support coins so they are absolutely at a 90º angle, i.e. a flat plane to the lens. I could place the coins on a table top and mount the camera looking down, but that's kind of counter-intuitive to me. I'd want to have the camera flat to the table and stand the coin up, so the final assembly can be moved naturally to get the best light. Any suggestions?

Wasn't Chris involved in some project to re-issue Peck? Might be worth trawling through the old postings. Yes he was - I think it may have been an online print-on-demand exercise, having obtained the rights to do so from the current rights owners? And before him, I know that Colin Cooke was working on the farthings volume of a three part modernisation of Peck's meisterwork.

All very valid points. From my own viewpoint, the pleasure is from the coins I already have - plus filling in some type gaps at the right price, or upgrading some of the items which can use it. I suppose we never stop collecting, not entirely, but there comes a point where the reward is as much from taking out and looking and enjoying, as it is planning the next stage of the hunt.

Very interesting. Thanks josie. I suppose that's why Roman coins are so relatively cheap - they're popping out of the ground all the time.

That's exactly what I meant! Popularity = demand = coin types fetching higher than their rarity dictates. There were 16 million 1912H if memory serves. Hardly a £200 in BU item...

Examine the creases and foxing minutely - if two copies are exactly the same, then they are Chinese forgeries

Nah! The real challenge now is to get all the Gouby variants within each Freeman number David And when you've got those, then there are the Jerrams/Satin variants to start on

That's why I always add in the 'popularity' factor to the 'rarity' and 'condition' factors. Some of those bun penny varieties are rarer than 1933s but fetch less than 5 grand because there are only a few collectors. On the other hand, a BU 1912H will always fetch way more than it merits, as it gives numerous collectors the pleasure of owning a BU Heatons penny. Discreet cough. I'd say not just Williams. [Looks over shoulder at lawyer breathing down his neck]. But they always refund if dissatisfied!!

It may have been me who said that. I have two types of Peter Nichols cabinet and in one the silver oxidises and in one it doesn't. What I should have said is that the design has led to the oxidising, not the cabinet wood itself. The cabinet with punched holes for the coins is fine, it's the top few trays of the other cabinet, which is a) much larger and c) has open trays with no punched holes (the coins lie loose on the felt). Clearly the air is more able to reach the coins in the second cabinet. But the oxidising is not necessarily a major problem. Where it's caused attractive toning I will leave well alone. Where it's ugly I will try gentle washing in soap and water, and if that fails, a 5-second burst in Silver Dip. (weird, typing a 'b' followed by a ')' - i.e. as in a list - causes a to appear. not a good shortcut if I may say so!)

I still mourn the demise of Coin Monthly, though towards the end it was beginning to go the way that Coin News is now.

The only post 1936 penny varieties even approaching collectability are the 1940 single/double line. IMHO! 1946 die flaw?

My understanding is that - Edward 3d bits aside - there are no noteworthy varieties of 1937 coins. You never see them in price guides or offered for sale, so they don't exactly set the world alight. It's probably safe to say from that that there are no rarities among them.