Sword

Unfortunately, it is in the T&C that you send valuables at your own risk and no compensation will be paid. They further define valuables as to include money and coins. On the Royal Mail website, it states: "If you’re sending valuables, money or jewellery in the post, you should use Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed®. This lets you to claim compensation if the post is lost or damaged. Valuables sent using any other service aren't eligible for compensation. Our definition of money includes: coins & bank notes of any currency which are legal tender at the time of posting ..."

I think you were lucky to get compensation last time. The 50p pence pieces are definitely current legal tender and no compensation should be paid unless posted by special delivery. However, they are probably not worth enough for special delivery and the hence it's an acceptable risk to post them by ordinary post.

There are not many fishmongers around either unless you live by the sea. Most people again buy from supermarkets.

The percentage of vegetarians or vegans is low but the number of butchers stores has been declining every year apparently. Most people would appreciate the freshness and quality of meat from traditional butchers but then supermarkets offer much greater convenience and competitive prices.

I think light can increase the speed of toning and that's the reason why some people leave cleaned coins on window sills. It makes silver reacts faster with gases in its vicinity. Silver bromide was used in photographic plates. It darkens in light as it breaks down to give silver particles which causes a darkening effect. Not sure if this has any relevance to coin toning though.

It's hard for businesses to survive if Amazon sells the same goods cheaper. It's the first place you look if you want to buy something as it is so convenient. I think shops are always needed for clothes, shoes, furniture, white goods etc. i.e. items that you want to try out, see before buying. I rather think that coffee shops, bars and the right types of restaurants can still do well. Much cheaper rent and low labour costs (since it only operates once a week) must be main reasons why they do well. Fresh produce direct from farms is always popular. Everyone thinks it is more healthy.

Bad typing on my part. Now corrected. We all do and it makes everyone nervous.

Apparently, a member of the Brexit Party has also been to the Royal Mint in Wales to strike a coin for Donald Trump. The item was then presented by Farage himself to Trump. In return Trump gave him a cap with the slogan "Keep America Great" I guess they don't spend much on presents!

I wasn't referring to Brexit when I mentioned hard times. It's just a large number of well-known businesses have either closed or gone into administration in the last couple of years. Debenhams, House of Fraser, HMV, Toys R Us, Betterware, Maplin, Warren Evans, Berwin and Berwin (and I used to like their suits), Beales, Jessops, Clinton, Mamas and Papas, Mothercare, Bonmarché, Thomas Cook, Gerry Weber, OddBins and Wine Cellars, Patisserie Valerie, Steamer Trading, etc... It's hard not to feel sorry for the people being redundant.

And I like this one best. 50km northeast of Budapest https://www.escape.com.au/news/funny-road-signs-from-around-the-world/news-story/a79c5b5e7637dd5bc3ddad63ace2823e

Some amusing road signs from The Sun:

Fair enough 🙂

For silver, I guess George III crowns are not difficult to find in near UNC condition as they were delivered to the banks warped individually in soft paper. The crown had not been minted for such a long time and many people wanted to save an example. Young Head crowns are very rare and expensive in UNC. There is a big price difference between EF and VF also; VF or below are common. I guess the limited mintage coupled with the large number of years in circulation before the Jubilee and Old Head kicking in have created many worn examples. I can understand why the 1887 crowns are common in UNC because it was the first year of mintage and it commemorated Victoria's Golden Jubilee which was an important event. But I am rather surprised why the later years of the Jubilee crowns are still relative common in UNC given so many books have commented on the unpopularity of the design. Why save something that's unpopular?

I don't know how the farthings were actually toned in the mint. However, if the "mint toning" can be so easily removed by dipping into something, then I guess there will be more of these around?

One related question I often ask myself is in addition of the percentage of a coinage still in existence, approximately what fraction are still in UNC? For example, for an affordable but somewhat scarce coin like the 1894 halfcrown (with mintage of 1.5 million), would the number of UNC coins today still be in excess of 200?

Why hang on to them if you have so many? I would have got rid of them when the price of silver is high. Would free up some space and some cash.

MS or not, it is not something I want to have in my collection.

My suggestion of commemorating Dickensian characters was rather tongue in cheek. The great number will bore most people to death. Also imagine having Bill Sikes or Fagin on the same coin as the Queen. I think his novels would indeed make rather nice reverses if done properly. I suppose starting with Hard Times and Great Expectations would be somewhat cliché but apt. Bleak House wouldn't be a good follow up after these two.

If the RM decides to mint coins commemorating Dickensian characters, then there are enough to go on to the next century.

The previous owners obviously wanted to keep it shiny and the damage has developed over many years. The extra wear after each polishing wouldn't be noticed.

This example is for sale in the next LCA. It's almost impossible to believe that it can get to this grade by normal "circulation". It must have been manually polished often in the past. I have never seen a wreath crown with so much wear.

If Alastair Campell doesn't want to accept the Brexit 50p, then it is simply his choice and he is not bothering anyone. However, I do find the statement "it should be boycotted by all literate people" somewhat insulting. It implies that you are not really literate if you don't agree with using the "oxford comma". I am rather inclined to think that the majority of "literate" people believe that the "oxford comma" is optional in this situation. It's like saying to someone that they should never wear a blue suit to an interview and grey must be colour. It comes across as opinionated and rather out of touch.

"BRITT OMN REGINA", Queen of all Britons was dropped as recognition of our Queen's relationship with the Commonwealth. The nations in the Commonwealth realm recognise the Queen as their monarch. Some nations in the Commonwealth have became republics and they recognise the Queen as Head of the Commonwealth but not as monarch. Hence our Queen is also the Queen of many other nations and the Head of a number of others.

Yes, it is a very rare variety but haven't you just posted a photo of an ordinary penny? Here is the only known example.

They should have allowed people to pay a deposit and pre order. Then the mint can make just the correct number to satisfy demand. The date was effectively written in stone after the general election.