Peckris

You're quite observant, Peckris ... I am. And whenever I meet someone new over here, they always ask where I'm from (and often guess Ireland) ... when I say England, most ask if London. When I say Liverpool, they generally say - "Oh, the Beatles!!" I quite like having the different accent I know Liverpool quite well - which part are you from Andy? (Please don't say Penny Lane!!) Anfield. I get to go back every few years - hoping to visit this autumn. I was pretty gutted several years ago when I went back and they'd knocked my old school down! (Anfield Comprehensive on Breckside Park) Going back every few years I see such a difference in England each time! Anfield? Anfield? Are you ... dare I ask ... a supporter of The Glorious Reds?

Yes, I had one of these (to my shame, as a dealer!). The buyer pointed out that it was twice as thick as it should be, and it turned out to be a repro (NOT a forgery) sold quite legitimately by a museum shop somewhere. I refunded his money and eventually managed to sell it as a repro without too much of a loss. Now I could recognise one immediately. Yours looks identical to the one I had. I think it was the same date even?

Almost certainly an Edward I penny, where RARE = RARE, not

Hi Palves, They are mostly coronation commemoratives. The Victoria one is for the 1897 diamond jubilee and the GV one with windsor castle was for the silver jubilee in 1935. Assuming the silver ones are all 32mm diameter they are worth about £15 to £25 depending on condition (retail price). The 1897 is by T. Brock 1911 by B Mackennal 1935 and 1937 by P Metcalfe. Most can be found on ebay if you want more info on prices etc. John. Quite a nicely presented little collection. A handsome group and well worth owning if you like that sort of thing. It's unlikely they'll ever rival coins for value, but they are beautiful objects. I have the two-headed Vicky medal, and it's quite large and handsome.

Hi Kath, Yes, it is rare and worth more than scrap value. I would grade it at fair and pay about £30 if I was buying it, expecting to take maybe £50 when I eventually sold it on. John. Thanks, that is extremely helpful John. I think this dealer is trying to pull a fast one! Kath Maybe he just isn't too hot on British stuff! I was probably a bit generous on the grade (especially the reverse) but I would still expect to take £50 at the point I sold it on. John. Yes perhaps. That's a kinder view anyway. However, he is still obviously not the right person to take a collection of mostly british coins to. How can I find an honest dealer with the right knowledge? I have inherited a collection most of which is probably genuinely only worth it's scrap value. However my investigations make me think there may be one or two coins that are worth a little more. I am not a collector and would really like to sell. I live in Bedfordshire so it would probably be easiest if I could find someone local who I felt I could trust Kath Sorry that I live in Cumbria!!! I don't know of any dealers in your neck of the woods that I could recommend, perhaps some of the other members might? If you find yourself stuck give me a shout and I'm sure we could work something out regarding logistics! John. Wasn't there another thread - someone wanting a dealer in Bedfordshire? (A new hotbed of numismatics? )

You're quite observant, Peckris ... I am. And whenever I meet someone new over here, they always ask where I'm from (and often guess Ireland) ... when I say England, most ask if London. When I say Liverpool, they generally say - "Oh, the Beatles!!" I quite like having the different accent I know Liverpool quite well - which part are you from Andy? (Please don't say Penny Lane!!)

Agreed - they're nothing like Wonder if it's a lurker of this forum, and read this thread?

Completely irrelevant "Scouse Andy", but from your username you seem to be a refugee from a certain North England seaport?

Interesting - I have several CM's from the late 60s but don't recall seeing any such thing. They may be a little earlier than that? Certainly by that time it would have been known how rare the '34 Crown was.

Or, you could play my variant : "I have a Tyrannosaurus Rex - his favourite diet is spammers ROOOOAAAAARRRRRR"

Yep I agree 100% with that, but do remember I did not clean it as I mentioned in my first enquiry. Anyway an update on my piece after all this research, would you believe it I saw one today on Ebay in a VF condition with a good description and weight, all the same features as mine. Well that is that solved but have thoroughly enjoyed it, thanks to all who have replied to my request, now to start on my next piece. Cheers all It's even more fascinating than first appears. I've been trying to make sense of the reverse legend, left hand side. It seems to read "MAITT" which makes no sense at all, in English or Latin. But what if it is a conflation of MAGNA BRITTANNIA, or MAG. BRITT. = MAITT for short? I'm not sure when the name Great Britain was first used, but perhaps it was at the time of Union? Just a hunch. No it may look like MAITT, it actually has MAII.I which still has me baffled at the moment, maybe you can make sense of it now! Await your reply on this bit Could be a date? May 1st, for example? (Woot - thank you Google! It was indeed May Day in 1707, so that's it then, Latin for May 1st )

True enough! (you too :-) only it's Monday evening here - see, we can't even agree on our clocks )

Possibly true! If only our coins could talk I actually like the holed one, it's got character I have the same dichotomy between my two narrow date 1879s, one cleaned, one holed. Suppose in 50 yrs time whoever owns them; the cleaned ones will have retoned, but the others will be forever holy Now wouldn't that tell a tale Here's mine (for my 1,111th post!). It doesn't look much, but it's less blotchy than the scan shows. As for cost - I picked it out of a dealer's 50p tray (years ago) and was silly enough to let him know it was the H variety. He let me have it for 50p anyway!

Not sure why the 1988 £1 is rated so highly. Not a low mintage and plenty of them were knocking about at the time. Has it become a modern myth? The problem with the 1985 is, it's totally indistinguishable from the 50p in the sets. And as we all know, currency coins that only exist in sets don't have a great rarity value. Mainly because most of them were sold to collectors and never circulated. So the circulating 1985 50p is on a loser from the start. Except of course, for the kudos of finding one in your change, but that doesn't = provenance!

Useful link, that first one! Unfortunately the second one is only of interest to hammered enthusiasts. Although it says "hammered coins", it does in fact list most or all UK coin fairs. Take a look. You're right - how confusing! (Unfortunately the Phoenix Fairs aren't listed, which are the only fairs in this part of the country)

Hm. I've always understood that the grades are the same or equivalent up to Fine. Then the American VF is very slightly less than our VF, their EF is our GVF, their AUnc is our EF, and their lower grades of Unc (or MS) are our AUnc. Not a whole grade? But things may have changed.

Yep I agree 100% with that, but do remember I did not clean it as I mentioned in my first enquiry. Anyway an update on my piece after all this research, would you believe it I saw one today on Ebay in a VF condition with a good description and weight, all the same features as mine. Well that is that solved but have thoroughly enjoyed it, thanks to all who have replied to my request, now to start on my next piece. Cheers all It's even more fascinating than first appears. I've been trying to make sense of the reverse legend, left hand side. It seems to read "MAITT" which makes no sense at all, in English or Latin. But what if it is a conflation of MAGNA BRITTANNIA, or MAG. BRITT. = MAITT for short? I'm not sure when the name Great Britain was first used, but perhaps it was at the time of Union? Just a hunch.

Trident - what trident? Basically, there is no way to tell!

Useful link, that first one! Unfortunately the second one is only of interest to hammered enthusiasts.

In record collecting, their "VG" is the same as our "VF" which makes much more sense! They then go down to "Good" (= F), "Fair" (ditto), and "Poor". Then they go up to "Exc" (= Excellent or EF) and "M" (= Mint or Unc). More rational by half.

Thanks for your reply Peter, I don't think the obverse picture was that good so I have downloaded one more. This piece was stuck reverse up into a silver & wooden seal of some type, the person I bought it off had said, he had prised it out and cleaned it Still whatever it is I do like it so no bad news to me anyway, Thanks again Steve I think it's something to do with the Union Of England and Scotland - the date on the reverse is 1707 (date of Union), and the unicorn has a Union Flag on its shield, which would not have existed before that date. The obverse is much as a standard Anne coin obverse, except for the crown. As you say - it's a nice piece.

Interesting. Most forgeries are from the actual series issued, especially 1775 (the last date of issue). This falls between those dates and the period of token proliferation, so may have been an early attempt at a kind of token. And it may not be illiteracy - it may simply have been an optimistic attempt to stave off prosecution ("What me officer? Forger? No way! Look at the legend.") Don't forget there was a small change shortage, and people tried all kinds of ways to get around it.

He must have read your post Mark, he's added two sharp photos of this replica

Gold is gold, however it is dressed up Yes, but the crucial words are "take it"

The grade is barely Fair, but the legends are complete so that's in its favour. The value is dependent on the price of silver : that is 50% silver, so £1 may be slightly conservative? (What's the current buying price for pre-1947, guys?)