Mongo

I will not quote all of you and say thanks, but a BIG thanks to EVERYONE for your advice and insights, not just in this thread, but all my noobie booby posts It is not everyday that a new user can sign up to a forum and receive such patient responses to questions that may sometimes seem a bit tedious to take the time to answer. In response to your posts, my game plan is... To invest in the book - The Standard Guide to Grading British Coins: Pre-decimal Issues (1797 to 1970) To try and purchase a good range of high grade coins from reputable dealers, budget allowing, building a collection I can use to compare other coins with. To not just have a look and think "thats lovely" when I get each coin, but get the magnifying glass out and make myself familiar with the fine details of each coin. To do some google searching/coin shop hopping on the net, each time I see a nice coin, and compare what other coins listed with the same grade look like. To make sure I do not get hung up on the grade of the coin, rather than make a decision based on what I personally really like about them! I have just been comparing my new arrivals to some other coins I have from a joblot box. I have been noticing little details already, such as the fingers holding the trident on pennies seem to always be worn on lesser grade coins... I guess thats a start! Thanks again

Thanks azda, I had a read up about the big difference in UK - US grading, I think I will stick with UK sellers for the time being. I will also avoid eBay for any expensive coins until I am more confident.

I came accross this while browsing the net today, I found it interesting so thought I would post it, I guess it is coin related! The "London Journal" for June 23, 1722, refers to a battle between "two of the feminine gender" who "maintained the battle with great valour for a long time, to the no small satisfaction of the spectators." After this description the advertisement appeared: "I, Elizabeth Wilkinson of Clerkenwell, who had earlier had some words with Hannah Hyfield, 'challenged and invited' her adversary to meet her on the stage for three guineas. Each fighter would hold half-a-crown in each hand and the first to drop the money would lose the battle. Elizabeth Wilkinson won on that day. Shortly after this she beat another lady pugilist from Billingsgate – Martha Jones. The only details of this contest are that it lasted 22 minutes."

Thanks for the advice and the links you have posted, It is extremely helpful to me... as always!

I have done lots of google research regarding grading coins and learning how to do it yourself. It seems that there is no short cut for years of experience in coin collecting to achieve this. So be it, I will take on the challenge! Many of the sites with advice go through what each grade should look like, and what you should look for. I was just curious to hear anyone's own personal experience on how you learned this skill, and, if any, tips or advice you may have of how to go about it. I thought of purchasing different grades from reputable dealers, and using them to compare with other coins I browse for sale on the net, using the ones I trust to be graded accurately as a sort of "master" copy, though I feel this will be hard based on just the quality of a picture. Any advice appreciated, as this is the one thing that I find a bit daunting as a noobie

Im always the last to get the jokes! I do not do the facebook thing.

It's really weird. Back in the 60s, and probably for a time after that, stamps put coins right in the shade as a minority hobby. Yet now it has reversed completely, and stamps are almost nowhere. Anyone got any idea why that happened ? It is like comparing oil paintings by a master to a pencil sketch. I got the album out and had a browse. It was nice to have a look at them again, brought back some old memories of me and my mate wandering round the boot fairs as kids with our pocket money! Your right though, they just do not have the same appeal as a nice looking coin. Maybe I could find a dealer who would swap them for a coin or two!

Couldn't resist, made me chuckle! sorry.

Crap?? Pffffffffft! I just listed what was left over from my joblot box on eBay, as UNC of course!

I collected stamps when I was a kid, this thread has just reminded me! I wonder what they are worth now? I have an album full of hundreds GB stamps back to Victoria, lots of old mint sets and mint runs. I might dig it out the wardrobe and have a look at them! Who knows, maybe I will start collecting them again... This forum is dangerous!

Oooops! I think I just made a booby, sorry.

There sure is! I just identified a 1902 penny with a low tide too, tons to learn, but already enjoying my new hobby. that's a bloody good find in a box like that...well done! Shame it is not in better condition... I would noob grade it... Almost Pants! Hey, you just invented a new grade - P You been peeking at my collection?? Collection of pants? Just to set the record straight, no matter what you hear... I have not been peeking at Peckris's pants!

There sure is! I just identified a 1902 penny with a low tide too, tons to learn, but already enjoying my new hobby. that's a bloody good find in a box like that...well done! Shame it is not in better condition... I would noob grade it... Almost Pants!

There sure is! I just identified a 1902 penny with a low tide too, tons to learn, but already enjoying my new hobby.

Thanks azda! Im having fun, just found my first little "H" on a George V Penny

I grabbed a box full of coins yesterday from a second hand shop, I am just having a little sort through them, trying to learn what to look for. Are the ones I have picked out here all showing verdigris and should be kept away from other coins? Also the few at the bottom.. are they cleaned/polished? They look way to shiny to me.

Agreed - and being published annually, it's more up to date too. Under a fiver on amazon! I think I will get a copy. Does anyone know what the release date will be for the 2012 edition? Save me buying two if its out soon.

One thing that no-one else has mentioned : many rarities are more common in lower grades than other relatively common dates are in BU. So, my recommendation would be to track down the rarer varieties if they float your boat (for example, you won't find a 1903 "open 3" much better than Fine), but don't neglect the dates which are hard to find in BU. For pennies, the obvious ones that come to mind are : 1945 1944 1940 1934 1932 1931 1930 1926 1922 1915 most of Edward VII 1898 1895, or anything earlier than that. On the other hand, lower grade examples of 1953, 1951, 1950, all Geo V H and KN, 1902 Low Tide, 1895 "2mm", and some bun penny varieties less than Fine (1875H 1865/3 1864 for example) are not really worth bothering with. Thats useful to know! I managed to grab a box of about 300+ pre decimal coins from a bric-a-brac shop yesterday for a tenner, theres loads of pennies/halfpennies in there. Sorting through that lot will keep me busy for a while!

I picked up my first hammered coin for a few pounds, Its seen better days, but I thought it would be fun practice for me to try and identify it. I may be completely wrong already, but would like to know if anyone knows exactly what it is. So far I have made it an Edward I long cross penny, 1272-1307, spink 1408? This is where I am stuck, there are 3 types listed I believe, and all the detail terms are confusing me! Sorry the pics are not the best, I only have my phone camera at the mo. Thanks!

Another forum member gave me this link to a coin value site, if you navigate to the pennies/halfpennies pages, you can scroll down the Fine grade value column and see if any are worth a few quid, this will probably reflect if they are rare and worth having in low grades, hope it helps! http://www.coins-of-the-uk.co.uk/values/

Here are a few nice pictures of Charles I sixpences, If they are any help. Maybe you could ask permission to use them for your works. http://www.coins-of-the-uk.co.uk/pics/c1/6d/index.html

Thanks azda, the price did seem very cheap for an EF example. I think that is one thing I definitely need to learn asap, how to grade coins myself. I noticed on price lists that there can be such a jump from VF to EF in value that its scary!

Here are the pics of the coin listed as EF, I blacked out the company name in case it is against forum rules...

Is it ok to post a link to the coin I mentioned... It being on a commercial website?

Thanks for all the advice, its most helpful! Browsing the net I have just come accross an online coin shop that has prices that seem cheap, example: an EF grade 1917 shilling for £12.99, or an AU one for £25.99. Does that sound too cheap? It is on "special offer", but being a noob I would not know if it is correctly graded from the photos.