Paulus

Welcome Nicholas!

Best tribute band I have seen, anyone know better?

Interestingly "no defevcts", unlike the description. There's your added value. That explains the price, thanks Rob!

I paid less than this 2 weeks ago for a perfect piedfort one of these, this one isn't even proof!! http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1995-UNITED-NATIONS-50TH-ANNIVERSARY-TWO-POUND-2-COIN-2-POUND-UNC-/261145704737?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&autorefresh=true&nma=true&si=lwoW94bIzNFaHgBs%2BW1cUSuae4I%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

Hi Jay and welcome to the forum, it is the best I know of for English coin collecting (but not investing!) An important distinction, and I am posting to reiterate an important adage, that is not to try and combine investing with collecting ... we are all guilty of it to one extent or another I suspect, if only in the sense of (when collecting), 'is this a bargain'? 'could I resell it for more', or (especially if close to bullion value), 'will it appreciate'? - this doesn't necessarily apply to dealers of course, who are acquiring to resell for profit, but many on here are both dealers AND collectors, and many more buy and sell, often on eBay. The way I look at it, I can't afford to collect without some regard for the value (present and future) of the coin I am acquiring, so both aspects come in to play, it's a case of what takes precedence, and for me it is collecting.

Yes indeed, welcome to the forum and I hope you keep collecting and posting!

Great coin Mike I am after a high grade one myself!! Lovely present!

Hoping a stonking time is had by all, I will still be stalking the internet highways and byways in the hope of a good snipe, when I get the chance!

Afraid not (it went for £51 in the end), but it is my mission to snaffle one that you would like it your collection!

There are so many fakes on the Pre-decimal website that it makes me wonder whether Chris is the 'M' behind it all! Are you watching that Maltravers farthing Stuart?

Now that's intriguing, I've just bought two forgeries from this seller (listed as such), so what's going on there? I think he has uploaded an incorrect photo (or two!), quite which coin you would be buying I have no idea!

Looking forward to it too, definitely a learning experience!

Count me in too! Better get it at the 10% discount!

Hope you have a good Christmas Nicky!

My guess was MS62 and given that Heritage have an auction estimate of $1250-$1750, it is well off my radar too. That's crazy, is there not significant wear to the hair or is that me?

Sure is!

The ones that are actually described as "replicates" (sic) are pretty obvious fakes, to be honest. The most worrying item there is the florin. Good work Seuk! Yes the florin seems the least unconvincing, here it is for anyone who wants to avoid visiting this horrible site and having nightmares! Obverse digs in the same place as Dinsdale's!

Me too, Sword! AbsaBloodyLutely!

Most experienced collectors would spot the tell tale signs of a coin that has been dipped, as the "lustre" appears flat, and does not radiate from the surface in the same way that natural lustre does. Interesting article here Many thanks for the article 1949. I don't think I am experienced enough at the moment to distinguish between the different types of lustre but I prefer toned silver coins in any case. Nice photos by the way, Azda. Last year, I brought a matt proof 1902 crown with a really nice golden tone. (The coin is not quite FDC because of a tiny contact mark on the reverse which was almost invisible in the original auction photo. The tiny bits of grey in the photo is due to reflection of some kind and is not seen on the acutal coin in hand). If nice toning like this can potentially lower a coin's grade from FDC, then so be it in my view. FDC or not FDC, I still prefer toned silver coins. There are lots of sweeping faint lines on your photo of the coin Sword, what do you put those down to?

Okay I will, thanks Dave, Stuart, Peter! I have laid out the princely sum of just under a tenner so far, so I don't feel I should have done it earlier!! I have about 10 books so far but none about hammered specifically ...

I may, can't justify the outlay just yet! Strange 'J' in 'Jaco', or 'I' for 'J'?

The 12 days of Christmas it is then! 'On the first day of Christmas, my true love sent to me, a partridge and a Lennox E30c Very very nice Stuart! Where did you get that one from?

I saw that over there. I read about spittal and tinfoil on hammered.(Not to rub) What's a clad coin? Is it something an archaeologist pulls out of the wall of a 20thC house? Very good question, I hope I don't have one!

I prefer to see it that way. Although, I'll run with any method as long as it produces an interesting date. Besides which it's more unusual to get date "anomalies" (for want of a better word), which involves the entire year, rather than just the last two digits of it. 12.12.12 is unique, and doesn't work with 2012 But yes, yours is another palindrome. There are also some interesting hours, minutes and seconds palindromes that occur every day!! In a mischievous mood, sorry!

http://www.coincommunity.com/collecting-tips-tricks/clad-silver-tissue-test.asp