SionGilbey

There's also a contact for which goes out to the exact same guy, the assistant Curator Mr. Payne. Just fill it in the same way and it doesn't seem quite as rude. http://www.royalmint.com/ContactUs/full_details.aspx

Ah! Time will tell I suppose. Anyway, how did a thread about the Royal Mail turn into Bin Laden Conspiracy theories?

There are pictures of his body and a video of his burial. However he was not an active commander and he wasn't doing much - killing him just got AQ very pissed off.

Get in the DeLorean if you want to sell this bloke anything, he's long gone.

Certainly fishy, especially with both of them being 100% positive sellers with much feedback. nriches rings a bell...

Smack them with their Minelabs... I reckon Darke should get 60% as he found the first few coins and so found the horde while Lewis just helped him out.

It looks like the I in the collar of the die got clogged up. See: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/VERY-RARE-DOUBLE-ERROR-TWO-POUND-COIN-VERY-CLEAR-/160571648941?pt=UK_Coins_BritishDecimal_RL&hash=item2562d0ebad These seem not too rare...

I'm just starting selling a few coins and was thinking about what the coin market wants, so I thought I'd start with some of the expert coin buyers/dealers here! I think it will be quite educational. What would you like eBay sellers to do in general that they don't at the moment? Thanks, Sion

So probably not a forger then since your grandad knew what he was doing. If you're planning to sell a few coins to afford a car, I'd buy "Collectors Coins GB" and "Grading British Coins" both available from this site above the posts (amazon).

Where did you get it?

Nice coin. It's grade is around fine or good fine. Sadly, this means it's not worth £4000, more like £200 at best. Sion

On a side note, all the 1998 £2 coins in my wallet (all 3 of them) are off centre.

I've taken a little interest in odd coins... mint errors, brockages, wrong flans, non recurring varieties etc. Post pictures and we can speculate on error causes. Sion

More likely I'd be totally ignored, Peck ~ or an acknowledging grunt at best lol (not that I'm at home anymore) If it was that healthy looking slim postwoman with the blonde hair, that would be a very acceptable option !!! Sadly it's that chubby bald bloke who sometimes "borrows" a few of the coins you get in the post.

"the writing on the back is writen backwards. " Gary said that the back was the wrong way around... so this means it doesn't rule out the brockage - or confirms it? Your square 5p is interesting, my theory is that as they fed the srip of metal into cutting machine and cut it to the right size, then fed it into the stamping machine, it for some reason failed to stamp out the blank and it was struck in it's odd square state. It's a miracle it got through quality control (or maybe it did and a sneaky mint worker took a bag of dodgy ones home instead of to the melting pot ) You guys can be really slow sometimes...The other side is seen in a mirror, mirrors alway show things in reverse hence the writing is reversed. Where's that shaking head sadly emoticon when you need it. I didn't see the picture... and I was quoting you on the "written backwards" bit. If you're referring to "a brockage should have the reverse facing the right way in the mirror image" he was referring to the terminology for the tails side of the coin. Or am I being slow again? No, you're not. What's the evidence for that even BEING a mirror? The front image (right way around) is casting a shadow on the surface of the "mirror" which it certainly couldn't if it was an actual mirror. It looks more like a lightbox to me, than a mirror, showing the coin design struck reversed. The shadowing is confusing, I think they have 2 lights. I think it's a shadow joining the other shadow in the mirror but you can tell by that little glimmer at the top of the coin and it's location revealing that it is a mirror. But it's not a brockage, I can see that from the piccy. Some coins which are two sides stuck together can have very well done edges. Or it's just a bored mint worker.

"the writing on the back is writen backwards. " Gary said that the back was the wrong way around... so this means it doesn't rule out the brockage - or confirms it? Your square 5p is interesting, my theory is that as they fed the srip of metal into cutting machine and cut it to the right size, then fed it into the stamping machine, it for some reason failed to stamp out the blank and it was struck in it's odd square state. It's a miracle it got through quality control (or maybe it did and a sneaky mint worker took a bag of dodgy ones home instead of to the melting pot ) You guys can be really slow sometimes...The other side is seen in a mirror, mirrors alway show things in reverse hence the writing is reversed. Where's that shaking head sadly emoticon when you need it. I didn't see the picture... and I was quoting you on the "written backwards" bit. If you're referring to "a brockage should have the reverse facing the right way in the mirror image" he was referring to the terminology for the tails side of the coin. Or am I being slow again?

"the writing on the back is writen backwards. " Gary said that the back was the wrong way around... so this means it doesn't rule out the brockage - or confirms it? Your square 5p is interesting, my theory is that as they fed the srip of metal into cutting machine and cut it to the right size, then fed it into the stamping machine, it for some reason failed to stamp out the blank and it was struck in it's odd square state. It's a miracle it got through quality control (or maybe it did and a sneaky mint worker took a bag of dodgy ones home instead of to the melting pot )

Much closer to real life. I reckon that to really determine the causes for these things one of us should do a bit of revision on the mint and it's history. Where would you start, Sion ? I'd lay odds that if the information could be unearthed, someone would have done it already ~ as with so many Royal Mint mysteries. Well as I am from a family of historians I'd collect sources from previous mint workers (hard bit is tracking them down and then you can just chat over the phone, depends if you get an old grump or not) Lots of information is not on the internet yet for things like mint details but I'm sure if one emailed the Mint enough about it's history eventually they'd help you out - after all that is their job. You could also buy a few books on the mint and see if you can pick up any names from there, or any information. Looking at existing information is always the first step. I'll certainly admit that having a chat with a Royal Mint archivist, could be potentially very rewarding. Maybe one of us could approach them on behalf of the forum ? Then go armed with a collection of highly relevant questions. I'll do a quick bit of googling to find some books and some enquiry phone numbers and emails in case I/another member of this forum wishes to pursue this interesting information which can give us more of an insight into the Royal Mint and it's odd varieties.

Much closer to real life. I reckon that to really determine the causes for these things one of us should do a bit of revision on the mint and it's history. Where would you start, Sion ? I'd lay odds that if the information could be unearthed, someone would have done it already ~ as with so many Royal Mint mysteries. Well as I am from a family of historians I'd collect sources from previous mint workers (hard bit is tracking them down and then you can just chat over the phone, depends if you get an old grump or not) Lots of information is not on the internet yet for things like mint details but I'm sure if one emailed the Mint enough about it's history eventually they'd help you out - after all that is their job. You could also buy a few books on the mint and see if you can pick up any names from there, or any information. Looking at existing information is always the first step.

Much closer to real life. I reckon that to really determine the causes for these things one of us should do a bit of revision on the mint and it's history.

Why have so many coins from around that era, got bloody holes drilled through them ? There must be a reason Not only that, why are there so many with initials & such like stamped on them ? Money too tight for real jewellery and engraved/holed has a personal touch.

The main things would be 1) Decent photos with zoom facility 2) Always have the option of special next day deivery available. Always have the option of special next day deivery available Is that where you come down for breakfast and your family bows down in worship? When the postie gives it to you you get a wee kiss.

The main things would be 1) Decent photos with zoom facility 2) Always have the option of special next day deivery available. I agree with the decent photos bit but lots of the not serious eBay sellers don't have time to pop down to the post office esepcially if it is awkwardly located such as in a rural environment where only the most dedicated sellers can be arsed with a trip to a far away post office where the fuel to get there costs more than the stamp, especially these days with the higher postage rate.

Now that's something I'd like in my collection, I do like the brass 3d. Obviously not two observes put together as the writing on the back is writen backwards. Perhaps a rather good brockage? I don't know much about them...

Oh be fair that's only got a few bag marks...