SionGilbey

I think most collectors now start off collecting anything and everything - I certainly did. I had best luck in Car Boot Sales (in summer when they have the best turnout, search the internet for your local ones), antiques and charity shops and eBay (If you only have cash you can buy preloaded credit cards in WHSmith for use on the Net).

Yes, that looks a lot more real now. However I'm sticking with GVF.

The seemingly changing factor is the banner it carries. On the coin it is a spotty banner, while on the Russian coat of arms it's a man on horseback. If we research the origins of the flag and it's significance we could probably nail it's origin.

The double headed eagle with the shield and various pieces of treasure is the Russian coat of arms. Could it be Russian made? I am not knowledgeable about Jetons.

Sorry for the triple post: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coat_of_arms_of_the_Russian_Empire That's your bird.

I recognise the bird as well from a 15 ruble coin (Russia).

Hmm... is the observe a Prince of Wales model half Sov?

GVF.

Absolutely cracking coin Huss!

Quick grade: Cartwheel: Fine - £20 Shilling: Good Fine - £25 Third Guinea: about Fine - third guineas are gold, that's more likely an 1806 halfpenny worth around £1-2

Pictures are the only way we can grade them - and that's the key to the value. Your cartwheel could be anything from £15 to £120...

I went for aF (about fine) a lot of wear unfortunately My bad... must have missed the a!

Personally I'd grade it as a Good. But I'm going to trust azda's grading skills and call it a fine - therefore worth around a fiver.

I've set up all the software for my barcode scanner now. The next big step - fitting barcodes to each coin... I think I'm going to have to do it in short bursts, say every now and again doing a few pages of coins in an album then waiting another month or so to do it again. How do you think I should get it in though? Stick it to coin tickets? They can't be tiny or else the scanner wont read them.

My theory is that it's a shilling with one side redone to look like a miniature version of the medal?

Yes, I think you're right. I should have recognized it earlier having seen one this Thursday.

If my memory serves me correctly, isn't the shilling 25mm?

If it were a sixpence it would have been roughly 20mm.

wrong coin collecting term there, i meant flan not planchet.

It's probably the right die on the wrong planchet - however which coin's planchet is this?

I have some more info on it here: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150551399921+ Seems pretty rare with around 20,000 to 25,000 minted and this one (is yours in as good condition because that is the main denominator for the value) sold for $105 USD (£60 GBP)

Found it! This Taler commemorates Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller (10 November 1759 – 9 May 1805). He was a poet, philosopher, historian, and playwright. During the last seventeen years of his life (1788–1805), Schiller struck up a productive, if complicated, friendship with already famous and influential Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. They frequently discussed issues concerning aesthetics, and Schiller encouraged Goethe to finish works he left as sketches. This relationship and these discussions led to a period now referred to as Weimar Classicism. They also worked together on Die Xenien, a collection of short satirical poems in which both Schiller and Goethe challenge opponents to their philosophical vision. The reverse eagle design dates back to the time of Charlemagne (742–814). It served as a metaphor of invincibility. In 1433 the double-headed eagle was adopted for the first time by the Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund. Since then the double-headed eagle came to be used as the symbol of the German emperor, and hence as the coat of arms of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation. Mintage 20,000

I'm not fanstastic at German but I think that means something along the lines of 100 years from 10 November 1859? Possibly a commemorative token from 1959? Pictures would help!

I've seen the book sell for over £150 -it went for £60 in the end.

Received a CoinCraft yearbook today, never having had one before. What do you guys think of them? And B&C, try Access! I find it is brilliant for books. (Or if you are tech-savvy you could try library software like VubisSmart).