RLC35

In sending coins to Great Britain, from The USA, I have only had one recipient mention having to pay a "Fee" at the Post Office for a coin he received. It usually takes 6-9 days for shipments to arrive in GB from the USA...this particular shipment took 3 weeks. I feel like the longer shipment time might have been the package was randomly opened for inspection, as someone earlier mentioned. I always list my coin shipments as tokens, and mark them as gifts. I always put the actual value of the shipment, however.

Thanks Peter. It is always sad to hear about a life being taken, especially when they are so talented, and well liked. It is hard to understand, I am sure.

Azda, We Gary on the Forum? If so what was his screen name?

Azda, Alfnail is Ian Falls. I do not know him personally, but have done business with him on eBay.

Problem might be that not many use it. I use an old edition for world coin type reference rather than an up to date copy. Is there an online edition anywhere to see what is in the current volume? I know it probably goes against the grain, but a note after certain sections referring the reader to more comprehensive lists might be the easy option, just as Spink do for Elizabeth I for example. I know that doesn't give prices for the individual varieties, but there again neither does any other tome give anything other than a selection. Price are always going to be volatile in the case of patterns. Do you take auction prices or those after dealer markups? Baldwins prices in their recent lists are close to 50% up on the saleroom for the pieces they bought, though some are more reasonable. It's a bit of a conundrum. As for Krause's numbering, it has always seemed a bit haphazard. Coincraft's numbering, while a bit more cumbersome, was at least logical whereby they used the monarch and denomination as the basis for their code. Rob, The current NGC website has a on-line pricing guide, that includes world coins. The pricing is current Krause pricing, and is provided to NGC by Krause. It is a free price guide.

Vicky, You mentioned Spink Auctions. What commission charge did they end up charging you? I have never approached them, so I don't have feel for their pricing. I have talked to Baldwins. They say they will grade, photograph and sell the item for 17%, which includes VAT.

Hi Mark, Nice coin! I have sent you a PM regarding it.

Good advice Colin.

Long before the Web, when everyone used the postal mail to communicate...I used to subscribe to the Exchange and Mart to make contact with English Dealers!...Too long ago! <gggg>.

Interesting article Josie, Thanks for posting.

You are right Dave..he does slab his own coins. The grading is usually in his "favor" also! <gggg>

Cool Converter David, Thanks.

I just sold a 1861, "Close 1" on eBay. The pic was too big to put on the Forum, and I could not load it. I got $23.00 for it.

How was the coin show Bob? We're off on holiday today and the area has a couple of coin shops I'm on a geology walk Tuesday,I've packed my beachcasters and the mobile is off. There is a broadband hotspot in the vicinity so my eldest is tasked with sorting this. Hi Peter, I had a great time at the ANA Show in Chicago. The nice thing about the bigger shows are...they have more Dealers that have inventories of "Non-U.S." Coins. Most of the 50 to 100 dealer shows here are lacking in that type of material. I was looking for really nice English Victoria Pennies (1841,43,45,46,49, etc.)but found very few to pick from. I was disappointed in the Baldwin table...they didn't bring anything but silver and gold! Just my luck! LOL! I pickup up a 1871 1/2 penny (Fair), and a 1879 penny (EF) though at bargain prices $3.25 each! They are both on eBay right now. I asked one dealer from Arizona if he had any English copper or Bronze, and he picked up a small bag of them and handed it to me to look at. I picked out 2 or 3 (3.25 each), and while I was doing that he brought out 5 or 6 more bags of them. I decided that there were too many to go through, at that time...just too big a task...and offered to buy them all if the price was right. I purchased them all (1850) for .20 each! They are inclusive of Victoria, Edward, and both George's. It is going to be fun to see if anything good comes from them. My biggest problem with the penny purchase was getting them to the car. It just about wore me out carrying them to the car (about 3 blocks)! LOL! I asked one Dealer from Texas about 1905 Half Crowns, and he replied that he didn't have any...then he added, well I have two, but they are both counterfiet (sp). I looked at both and the first one did look like a copy, but the other, a EF Half Crown looked like the real thing...it was a beauty! I failed to inquire about how he knew it was a copy! I wish I had. I also bought a new Microscope from the USA Lighthouse Dealer. My current Micro won't shoot a full penny, only about half of it. The new one does. He had one set up for Demo, and I checked it out on the spot. It works great! I went home with all I could carry, so I guess you could call it a success. <gggg> BTW...I hope you have a great Holiday!

Are you lucky enough to own it Azda?

I am leaving tomorrow to visit the largest Coin Show in the Unites States..."The ANA Worlds Fair of Money." It is being held in Chicago, and is a 5 day event. There will be 500 Dealers from all over the World, and will consist of over 600 Bourse Tables. This may be the largest show in the World...I am not sure. Attending from Great Britain are: Baldwins Knightsbridge / St James Spink Dix Noonan Webb There may be others, but those are the one's I spotted in a quick look over the Brochure. The last time I visited the Baldwin table, a couple of years ago, I purchased a uncirculated 1843, with colon Penny. It will be interesting to see what Stephen Hill has brought with him this year.... Chicago is about a 4 hour drive from Indianapolis, by interstate highway.

Great looking Farthing, Joey. Good purchase!

now there was a man who knew the meaning of Shock and Awe ..for which the Japanese are still paying Here is the generally accepted reason for the attack on Japan..... The USA was facing the prospect of invading Japan to subdue it. The last few battles, Iwo Jima and Okinawa particularly, were incomprehensibly bloody. Japan had no regard for its own citizens' lives and planned to turn their whole island into a fortress. It was estimated that casualties would be 1 million Americans and half a million British in the first invasion alone. Some cynics say we used it to scare Stalin as well, but the fact remains that they ignored an ultimatum on 27 July 1945 after enduring the worst conventional bombs could do. A powerful argument remains that the Bomb saved allied and Japanese lives. The Allies demanded unconditional surrender of the Axis. In the Pacific Theatre, the Allies, led by the United States, rolled up the Japanese expansion island by island. When Guam was taken, the Allies had a base from which stage an invasion. The estimates of American casualties for an invasion of mainland Japan was in excess of 1 million Americans. Possibly in excess of 2 million Americans. The United States dropped two atomic bombs to save American lives and speed the end of the war. Prior to using the atomic bomb, Japan was given ultimatums to surrender along with warnings of the dire consequences. The Japanese government ignored the warnings. While the use of the atomic bomb was a technological and strategic turning point in both WWII and all future diplomatic and strategic activities, there were more people killed, maimed, and injured during the Tokyo firebombing campaigns than by the atomic bomb. To force Japan to surrender without further fighting. Japan surrendered very quickly thus saving the lives of over 100,000 American soldiers and perhaps as many as 1,000,000 Japanese who would have died if we had invaded Japan. Many additional explanations have been brought forward in the succeeding years, as there are always theorists, that can't be helped...it is always easier to say what we should have done!

Peckris, You are way off base on the atom Bomb attacks. The japanese were NOT ready to surrender. It was felt that there would be near a million casualties (dead, wounded), if The Japanese Islands were invaded, by the allies. I don't know how old you are, but the large casualty issue was, well known, and the main reason to short circuit the war with the a-bomb. BTW...that is not the reason I like Truman. It is because he fired General Douglas McArthur, proving who ran the U.S. Army...the Commander-in-Chief (President)...not some pompous General. McArthur's dismissal was completed during the Korean Conflict. He wasn't missed....

You are right Peter...having Obama as President even makes Bill Clinton look good! LOL! Oh for the old days, and Harry Truman!

Attached are pics of one of my 1844 Farthings. In the 10x picture (smaller coin), you can hardly see any of either colon dots. In the 60x pic (larger coin), you can see part of the top dot, but only a whisper of the lower dot. The other colons on the coin are as they are supposed to be.

Peter, I have an update on the USA Congress...we have passed a new debt ceiling... so I guess we are going to print some more money!!!! LOL! When I was in grade school, the English Pound was worth 5 American Dollars. If we keep borrowing, it is going to be back there again!........

You can always tell a variety Man...Good job Azda! After you mentioned the colon, I had to check the one in my album, to see if it has the same missing colon...it doesn't. Mine is only GEF...not as nice as the on on eBay.

Nice Farthing Colin. I hadn't noticed it.

Too funny Colin! LOL! I have the real thing (ex Michael Freeman), but it is not for sale!