Paulus

Just 7 Kempson's Birmingham Buildings to go! Prices are getting higher every week it seems ... latest addition

I don't have an 1884 but my 1881 has something similar by the eye, the ear is fine - thought it was probably just bag marks Ear Eye

My first what I would call 'passable' George I farthing

Thanks Rob, that's very helpful

Thanks, much appreciated!

I've just noticed my Chester Mint shilling does not appear to have any ties?

I couldn't agree more!

Just been collecting for 12 years or so now, and finding that provenance is increasingly important to me. The premium I would pay totally depends on the coin. but I'm not interested in acquiring coins from a particular collection (Brooker excepted, a focus at the moment), rather as an assurance of their authenticity. Some coins I would not buy at all without some provenance (Northumberland shillings, Charles I siege issues, wreath crowns, to name a few), and would pay a decent premium for cast-iron provenance (25%?)

Aha so that was you eh ... the 4 groups of Kempsons Birmingham Buildings all contained tokens I wanted, but all went higher than I was prepared to pay

Newbie

Thanks for checking Rob

A Facebook group member has asked if anyone can help with the provenance for this coin, any help much appreciated @Rob

Well the dealers sell them on to us don't they? With another margin on top of course ...

Here's mine, whereabouts do you mean exactly?

Newbie, now 8 Kempson's Birmingham buildings left to collect ... This is now known as St Paul’s Church, and a spire has been added

Do you mean these? I have 3

Really nice, I just have 1 of this series, they are all scarce I believe ...

How much is their standard buyer'a premium, anyone know? I can't find it on their website ...

It was 24% including the VAT (20% + (20% of 20%)) which might be why the number rings a bell - and might be why they have chosen this number, as it might go unnoticed

Yes, in theory if buyers stick to their budgets then the hammer prices will be that bit lower (although I doubt it!)

Very nice indeed, I don't have an example yet ... there's an 'even fellows' token too, can't think where from right now

I agree, here's another of my recent acquisitions

Newbie

I bet the one you get isn't the one in the pics

@jaggy This from Dalton & Hamer: The arms of Glasgow are very ancient, and are attributed to St. Kentigern, who is said to have founded a small religious establishment on the banks of a tributary of the Clyde, where the City now stands, and that he hung a bell upon a tree near by, to call the worshippers. Now as to the “fish” and the “ring”: This refers to a certain queen who, tradition states, carried on an intrigue with a soldier, and gave to him a ring which she had received from the king. This ring was afterwards taken from the soldier while he slept, and, by the king was thrown into the Clyde, who later demanded its production by the queen; she, in her difficulty consulted the Saint, who had a newly caught fish brought, in which was found the ring, and thereby the king’s suspicions were allayed. But there appears a bird perched on a branch of the tree, to which no reference is made in the foregoing note. Another version is given in a manuscript note by the late Rev. W. R. Hay, M.A., vicar of Rochdale : ” The arms of Glasgow are—a tree in full leaf, a bird at the top of it, a bell hanging from the tree, and a salmon with a ring in its mouth. The story: A man promised marriage to a servant cook, and after having bought the wedding ring, refused to marry her. On her upbraiding him, he threw the ring over the bridge into the Clyde, and promised that if she found and brought it to him he would marry her. Some time after, in gutting a salmon for dinner, she found the ring in it ; on which she claimed the promise, and her lover married her. ” The tree is the woman ready to be married ; the bird at the top, her lover who would not come down ; the bell, that which should have rang for their marriage; and the salmon, that which swallowed the ring.” The following lines are current in Scotland on the subject:— ” Here’s a tree that never grew, Here’s a bird that never flew, Here’s a bell that never rung, And here’s a drunken salmon.” The salmon is described as “drunken” because it appears as floating on its back, this being the position of a dead fish in water.