Accumulator

Perhaps they are going to dish out some free gifts free sovereign with every enasement Maybe not as silly as it sounds. The most likely reason has to be that some organisation wishes to hand out/sell 'certified' sovereigns and struck a bulk slabbing deal with PCGS.

Sorry, put brain in gear... I meant CGS!

It's interesting to compare PCGS and NGS. According to their websites, PCGS has slabbed over 21,000,000 coins, whereas NGS has 16,000 to it's name. In business terms, it's rather like comparing Macdonalds to your local chippie! Nevertheless, it's horses for courses and as we are discussing British coins it's worth taking a closer look at the figures. The 'population reports' for NGS and PCGS are both available on-line (you do have to register with NGS first though) and it’s interesting that PCGS have certified 10,500 British coins of which, staggeringly, 6,500 are year 2000 sovereigns! One wonders whether they were asked to do this for one client? So, stripping out this big anomaly (and there may be others that I failed to notice) the balance for British coins is very much in favour of NGS. Of course, PCGS are now in Europe and, judging by their website, making major inroads, particularly in France. I think, on balance, I would go CGS though.

Great job... thank you! Some really interesting info. in there!

This cutting from the Daily Mail in 1972 is preserved between the pages of my copy of Peck. £3,000... those were the days!

I have this one awaiting some attention:

What a fantastic find! Having found my 1922 rev 1927 and one or two other rarities in past searches, I too can vouch that these things really do happen if you are persistent enough!

Yes, but not on bronze. There is/was an odd light greenish tinge on the reverse, in artificial light, to a 1923 a/UNC shilling I bought in August 2009. Leastways it was visible for a time. When I just looked a few minutes ago it wasn't there ~ or didn't appear to be. Definitely not verd, but a overall slight hue. Lord knows what causes it. Greenish hue on silver? Are you sure it's not simply the result of past long-term storage in pvc coin album pages? If it is, acetone works wonders.

I've just done a little research and I've found that the 'famous' 1954 penny was sold in the USA in 1967 for about £10,000 and then again by Spinks in November 1991 for £23,100. Is the British Museum one a second example, or is it a proof one like the 1952 penny? No, there is just the one, not in the british museum, but in a private collection in the UK. Sorry, my mistake! Of course Bernie is correct. Peck indeed records the 1954 penny, as detailed above, but a side note shows it was in the hands of Spink & Son at the time of his writing (1958-60) rather than in the BM collection.

Yes, there is one in the BM, it's recorded in Peck's "English copper, tin & bronze coins in the British Museum" as a specimen retrieved from circulation that "escaped the melting pot" despite the Mint records stating that a small number were made for die-testing purposes but all were destroyed.

You're learning what an addictive hobby this can be! Re your penny, if it's an ME we need to see the obverse

Dave, Could you post pics of the obverse & reverse of your coin please? There has been a fair amount of discussion on these 1922/26 coins in various threads and also off-forum. Spink seem to be confused between long/short fingers/thumbs & ME combinations. Your coin may widen the discussion further.

Hmmm.... You'd think he'd get a decent picture with so many to sell!

I'm not at home so can't post pics, but the easiest way to distinguish an ME penny is by the position of the colon ( : ) between BRITT and OMN, rather than looking at the BM or other slight differences in the bust. If no one posts details in the meantime I'll post a photo later.

Anyone here remember the video of Firestarter by The Prodigy?

No, the pic isn't upside down, these coins are actually stuck to the ceiling!

Gouby X has I of BRITT to a tooth, NOT a gap.

Bob, you have 2 rolls of 1912H's? That sounds like mint rolls, but surely not? I presume that's the US expression for two of those coin tubes full of used 1912H's? Still, that's a lot of coins!

Yes, very nice! The seller has another couple in similar condition! Ah, but rather more than your bargain coin Yes indeed Peckris!

I just did a quick check of 70 x 1912 & 1912H pennies I have and none of them are Gouby X. I appreciate this doesn't prove anything, but it might help. As an aside, I've never been convinced by the 'hollow neck' description.

The seller has another couple in similar condition! Yes I noticed that! This one's a solid VF in my opinion and he originally listed it £650, then later at £550 so quite happy with what I paid in the end.

The 1827 penny arrived and it's actually quite nice in hand:

I hate predictive texting and refuse to use it after agreeing to meet some friends at 'The Cock Tavern' (OK, bad enough in itself). When I checked what I'd sent I was meeting them at the 'Anal Tavern'! Bizarre. Highly amusing however. Doesn't sound my kind of place though... Are you sure that wasn't just the sign on the back door...?

I was already laughing at the pictures.... then I read the description! :D This has to be the original from that old Hugh Laurie/Stephen Fry, Alliance & Leicester/Sprogget & Sylvester advert where he gets his medallion stuck in the cash dispenser!

I'm not too up on my Korean, Dave. Do you have a translation? Dave... I know you sent that from your iPhone because I get exactly the same problem. I type 'been' and unless I'm careful the predictive text turns it into 'Bern'. Why on earth it should have the alternative spelling of the capital of Switzerland as a default for a common English word I have no idea! The rest of the Korean is down to you though!