Emperor Oli

I've seen about five in circulation, I picked up the Entente Cordiale £5 a few months ago. Someone at my school got the 2001 Victorian Anniversary thing in their change. The reason you don't see them is that many people (myself included) put the nice ones aside.

If the Mint started doing restrikes , they may progress to such stupidity as this.

Lord no! I've had that trauma and it's not something I'd like to repeat!

If the mint fulfills their quota for the coins they need to make, why shouldn't they mint commemoratives? They obviously appeal to many people and the revenue is used to buy better machinery and to hire better engravers.

Why? Some people obviously want them, otherwise they wouldn't bother making them.

The only one I like out of those is the £2. However, aroundthe edge there are stars, perhaps to symbolise the failed explosion, but they remind me moreof the EU

Collectors have existed for a very long time - the first ever (documented) coin collector was Emperor Augustus of Rome (63BC-AD14). I think I know what you mean by saying "are any released to collectors". Proof sets have been issued since George II in 1746, comprising of the crown, halfcrown, shilling and sixpence, all in a wedge-shaped case. I would hazard a guess that one of the reasons we have these coins is because of hoarders - people may of held them because of the pure metal value in them.

I've just seen the new coins to be minted for 2005 from the Royal Mint and they are far, far better than last year! Firstly, there is a 50p coin to commemorate the printing of Samuel Johnson's first English language dictionary. On the reverse it has "Fifty" and "Pence" as written in a dictionary (FI'FTY. adj. PENCE. n. etc). Secondly, there is the next in the £1 coin series - the Menai Straits brisge designed by architect Thomas Telford. It's another bridge - I'm not too fond of this series. Finally, there is a superb £2 commemorating the Gunpowder Plot. It has on the reverse the mace, crosier and sword, presumably to represent the survival of the monarcy. I'll try to find some photos but don't hold your breath

Excellent! Is it a German or English printers?

I also like the feel of the coin. Buying a slabbed specimen is almost like buying some kind of card with the coin it - you can see it but you can't touch it.

Perhaps VF, GVF-. Is it a variety with the capital G in GeorGius? I don't have any books to hand so I can't check. Lovely coin anyway!

Coins are encased in special plastic holders made out of a plastic that does not react with the coin (mylar I think it's called) and turn it horrible. Once encased (or entombed) in the plastic, the grade of the coin is printed on the top of the holder, so is the year minted and denomination along with a barcode. The barcode is unique to that slab and identifies the coin in the grading company's records. It's mainly an American practice done by such companies as PCGS. However, most of the companies (maybe all) won't accept fakes or cleaned coins. In the picture below, the certification number is highlighted, also unique to the slab. It is extremely popular in the US to provide some kind of proof that Mr. X's coin is the grade that Mr. X says. Most people don't like it, especially the Brits. It's quite hard, or so I've heard, to release a coin from its slab.

So do books I love the "Three Graces" design and have notcied it one some of the "pattern" (and I use the term loosely) Euros for the UK and it makes me wonder why the UK doesn't issue something with the design on, instead of "Anniversary of the four-minute mile" etc.

I'm going for a massive upgrade soon, although not on the same scale as your wife! I'm going from 256MB RAM to 768MB and also upgrading my graphics card to 256MB (poss. Radeon 9600).

For coins which are way out of a collector's league, repro is the way to go. I'm looking for the upper denominations of George IV 1826 gold in reporductions because I can't affored them.

it is indeed but the books list nowhere near that price. I've seen loads of other auctions from this guy and none have been anything like this.

It's fairly hard to get hold of but I don't see £200 in it.

Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory. It's a freebie too.

If the Iraqis start drilling themselves in Iraq, it could prove to be a very profitable venturefor them indeed. About twenty of the total eighty discovered oil fields havebeen developed for drilling, the most famous of those being Rumalia (oneof the richest fields in the world). It also has a pitiful amount of wells compared to neighbouring countries like Saudi. About 2500 wells have been drilled with just over half of those producing oil. Also, if Iraq overhauled its technology for oil which is decades out of date, production of oil with the new fields being exploited could raise the bpd by millions thus lowering oil prices throughout the world. I remember OPEC agreeing to raise production collectively by something like ten million bpd, but if Iraq starts pumping it, we could think about multiplying that number many times over.

He doesn't need to hear the audience - they weren't included in the debate as it wasn't open-floor. That's exactly what I'm saying! It would explain the awkward pauses mid-sentence and his lack of attention - telling people not to interrupt him even when they hadn't. Is Bush wired?

Look at the back of his blazer. A crease - or a wire?

I was contemplating buying a Krause, and I found one it Waterstones. To my amazement, I discovered that copy (I don't know whether it applies to all) was paperback! I expected such a hefty volume to be hardback and when I picked it up, it just felt like a telephone directory.

It has been, read my subtitle! The 8th of October apparently but I haven't seen it in any shops.

That's the new cover for Spink's Catalogue 2005. Quite a poor picture to say it's Spink actually selling it.

You said it looked as good as new....