Peckris

I once made the effort to get all proof sets up to about 1993 or so. Then I looked at them all, sitting in their white packets and wondered "Why?" So I made this little list of sets I think are possibly worth collecting - whether you agree or not will depend on whether you believe that EVERY representative date and type needs a proof. So, for what it's worth : 1970 : common as muck but still a nice set, and the only proofs for that Mary Gillick obverse type (i.e. post-1953) 1971 : ditto, but hey, the first decimals! 1972 : worth it just for owning coins dated 1972 1973 : maybe yes, maybe no - debatable. But if you find an untoned set, they're RARE, buy it. 1977 : only if you think it's worth having the crown, but there is an inexpensive silver proof of that, so maybe not 1980 : only for introducing that frosted look, gorgeous 1983 : only for being the first set in the landscape mode green display packs Apart from that, from 1982 onwards the BU sets (much cheaper!) give the chance to acquire coins not issued for currency. It might perhaps be worth getting the 1985 and 1998 sets with the portrait changes, but as I say, it would be much cheaper to get the BU set instead. In fact, apart from Royal Mint profits, I'm having a hard time understanding why we even need proof sets these days.

No, I think you're on a loser here VickyS - the wide date / narrow date bun pennies are so obvious (not remotely like border teeth - we're talking huge difference in date spacing), that most people would / do notice them even if unaware of which are rare. These date spacings are far more noticeable than, say, the tide height on a 1902 or 1895, the single or double exergue line on a 1940, the two different 1953 obverses, and pretty much nearly every bun variety.

Yes, the rare narrow date buns should attract more interest because, as you say, they are easily spotted.

Yes, but don't confuse "key" with "rare". 1912H is only key because it's a very popular coin, as it's the easiest of the three 20th Century Heatons by far, so lots of dealers stock it. Some truly rare varieties aren't key at all, as many people aren't interested and don't collect them.

Anyone know anything about PNCs? I have three (picked up as part of an auction lot, long ago) : 1. Royal Wedding crown 1981; postmarked London on day of wedding 2. 1982 20 pence; postmarked Llantrisant, presumably on day of issue 3. 1984 £1, Scottish reverse; also postmarked Llantrisant Needless to say they were all issued by the Royal Mint. Is there any way to find a value for these things? I kept them out of interest, but I don't imagine they are worth a fortune, though possibly slightly more than the combined coin / first day cover values? All three are in mint condition, including stamps and envelopes.

I do so agree. Many of the so-called 'key dates' aren't rare at all, as they were all hoovered up between 1967 and 1971. They may be rare in the highest grades and always were, but in lower grades they are often more common than some quite 'ordinary' dates. I wish some enterprising group or individual would undertake a survey among dealers and collectors to establish the comparative rarity of predecimal dates.

I tend to agree

I would guess that's about the going rate. Certainly doesn't look a bargain. Yes, William III's turn up very often in Fine or GF. I'd hold on for a better one, or one like that but cheaper.

I know nothing about Irish coins I'm afraid. But you do have one non-Irish coin there, the William III. Unfortunately, you don't say what denomination it is. That design was used in common from the crown all the way down to the sixpence. What's its size?

Yes - that's a good point : even surgical spirit won't of itself remove dirt from in the legend, so something like a really soft brush is also required for that purpose. Or, as you say, don't clean.

It could just be that Bun Britannia, which was notorious for not always being fully struck up.

I used to wonder if the 30-year-old coin in BU or 60-year-old coin in GVF, had perhaps been stolen and then spent. But as a schoolboy, the joy of finding such gems beat down any scruples I may have had.

That's safe advice to give to beginners. With practice (and sadly too often, experience!) there are things that can be done, with care. I find that's the advantage of surgical spirit - it leaves no residue and is about the only thing I've ever found that can deal with dirt on copper and bronze (and that's all - it won't tackle staining or verdigris or carbon spots or any of the other ills). It's what you apply it with that needs some care. I'd have two micro-fibre cloths, one to put it on and the other to take it off.

Irish pennies? I think your post must have failed - all I see is the 1909 halfcrown which is a bargain at the price, and the florin which I would also suggest is cheap at £35. I don't agree that the florin looks cleaned; it does have a slightly dull appearance but it''s a nice coin.

For cupro-nickel (modern "silver") there really isn't anything to be recommended. For coins with real silver, warm water and soap flakes, rubbed GENTLY to remove dirt and dabbed dry on a clean towel. For copper and bronze - water resistant - washing won't do. I'd personally not try any of the solutions that have been mentioned - there was / is a dealer in the Midlands who uses something to treat EF coins and sell them "as if" BU. I can spot artificially lustred coins a mile off. If you want to remove dirt or film from bronze, you could try surgical spirit and gentle wiping. Remove it with one of those microo-fibre cloths you get from the opticians (what won't scratch glass won't scratch coins!). Verdigris sometimes comes off in vinegar, which WILL also make the coin go a lot paler. Your risk!

Can I refer the honorable gentleman to a post a few months back replying to the same comment - to summarise, the odds aren't better though are they. Any one with a decent metal detector can easily recoup his money and be in profit within four weeks - never managed that with the lottery!!!! Can I refer the honourable gentleman to my (bit of a giveaway, I find!)

Hi, There are eight different varieties to this date, all in relation to the position of the H. Your example appears to be my Reverse type 7, where the H has been recut. 1881H farthings - <<click here Thanks colin,the coin is in vf condition is it much rarer or worth more than the normal 1881H? It will be a very narrow and specialist market (as most of the obscurer varieties tend to be). If it's rare and you can find a buyer then it could be worth more than the standard version. A sobering thought though, is the 1804 Bank of England dollar. There are 10 varieties of that listed, from the common to the extremely rare. Yet the rarest struggles to reach even twice the value of the commonest. Popularity, not merely rarity, adds value...

I knew about the two versions of 1914, but neither is rare. Nor is the dark 1918 (merely scarce-ish), and the two 1911s are about even too. I only have Freeman's 1st edition, and there are no varieties of 1954 and 1955 listed. I think (not 100% positive) that all 1954s have the wide rim and all 1955s have the narrow rim. Effectively they are two different reverses, but only in the sense that every Ship halfpenny year is also a different reverse, which excites no-one, probably not even Freeman who had the drudge of measuring and listing every damn one, poor fellow.

Few too many proofs for my liking, but in mitigation, I love this 1919H penny on page 2. That is SO nice. Unlike my EF example which has the oft-encountered 'Heaton blurred head' with virtually no hair detail, that is a STRONG portrait. I'd love it.

Not to mention the problem at one oclock.

Hi there !

Very lucky man. What a find after only 7 steps. Just shows what's possible with a metal detector. Note to self: buy one. Note to self : buy a lottery ticket, the odds are better

Unless I've not kept up with some of the rarer varieties, I'd say that all 20th Century currency farthings are easy to come by, bar two : The 2+A 1953 pairing (especially the proof) - the 1+B is quite easy The 1915 'TT', Obverse 1. I have no real idea of the relative scarcity of the 1953 2+A, but I do know the 1915 is exceptionally rare. It's when you get to the Victorian bun and copper series that it really gets interesting.

Nigel Mansell coins? You shouldn't have any trouble selling those - they shift quite fast from what I've heard.

I too find Rendel's prices (and grades) a little beyond my expectation. However, don't let your fantasies about Megan go too far. (S)he's actually David Mason, who used to be World Coins in Canterbury, but who took himself off to Spain a few years ago. I think he called himself Megan after his daughter. and here was me fondly thinking Megan was a tall leggy blonde female....... .....curses, foiled again If she's his daughter then she might be a tall leggy blonde. However, David is ginger haired, so maybe strawberry blonde is nearer the mark Keep up the fantasy!! And there was I thinking that I'd found an exception to the all-male world that is modern numismatics! I've been looking through some of my Coin Monthly issues from the late 60s. There were plenty of women around in those days. Whatever happened to Joan E Allen, Carole Towler, Carla, Pauline Jordan, Helen Robinson, Eva Hardy, et al? Those were the days ...