Nicholas

Fine, a little crimped, nice portrait

I nearly bought that coin from the CNG coin shop recently. I like it. A really well struck Good VF. Bit of encrustations tells me it's only been gently cleaned from the hoard. Great coin! I would not slab this coin. The only coins I slab are milled and UNC and I'm selling it at a US auction house...

I put it mostly down to market theory. The US is the biggest market and therefore "truest" market. DNW, London Coins, St James, Baldwins and even Spink are limited markets (sorry guys). I'd very much like to know the number of participants that attend each auction, but I have a strong suspicion that Heritage is the biggest for coins in the world by far. I know - painful comment. If anyone knows these figures I'll start collating and comparing ... The other part is about slabbing (that has commoditised the coin business in the US to broaden the market) and so grade number must be high to increase rarity. Hence modern machine made coins get better prices. The US market uses the slabbing population reports to rate rarity. Hmm. Well firstly there are 2 companies with their own population of coins and then not all coins have been stabbed yet. So rarity will decrease as more coins are slabbed. Oops. (Then there's those people who crack them out..not me of course..)

I do. When selling.

Do you mean our coins or us ourselves??!!

See if there is a coin in the collection that still has plenty of detail in the design and not rubbed away over time. Don't worry if it's dark and dull.. Then send us a photo ...

Like George II coin designs, he wears a classical cuirass with a lions mask epaulette and a mantle.

Edward, king of England, Lord of Ireland...

Agreed. For example- US Auction House and grading. IMHO a complete anomaly. Look at these 2 coins. Considered chalk and cheese by the auctioneer. One MS62 4-5KUSD, the other MS65 15-20KUSD. Don't agree. I'd say they are closely matched. http://coins.ha.com/itm/great-britain/great-britain-george-ii-crown-1736-ms62-pcgs-/a/3035-30795.s http://coins.ha.com/itm/great-britain/great-britain-george-ii-crown-1741-ms65-ngc-/a/3035-30797.s My theory. Strike is not taken into account by the slabbing companies. Big shortfall in the system.

Welcome Rob! I collect hammered coins (mostly silver) because even if they are in EF condition you can handle them pretty much freely (with clean hands obviously). Milled coins especially copper/bronze are the most susceptible to marks and oxidation through handling. I love seeing the details of the original coin and so only collect specimens in good nick. (This does help if you are in this hobby for investment purposes as well) If I collected proof coins, I would have them encapsulated- i.e.dont touch at all. You should find the coins you mentioned for bargain prices- but make sure you shop around or have a trusted local dealer. Good luck! Nick

It's looks like smelly work..

Gee where do I start. Hmm let's see Anne 5 guineas went for 152K. No, not a VIGO. That's £90,000. http://coins.ha.com/itm/great-britain/world-coins/great-britain-anne-gold-5-guineas-1711-ms62-pcgs-/a/3033-23267.s

Welcome to America! Want more? Watch the Heritage Platinum night Auction in a few hours. Guaranteed eye watering prices. .. http://coins.ha.com/c/auction-home.zx?saleNo=3033

No argument it's embarrassing. And not yet fixed.

Funny. I agree the site is poor on just about every level

You can find the lot in the spink auction using issu, Then go to www.spink.com, sign in, go to their archive, search on a key word or year. Then you can zoom in on the lot if it's a recent auction.. Mind you I have been sent high res images of past auction lots by email if you ask spink nicely.

I've ended up falling for hand made English Half Crowns - plenty of character and variations ; which took me to the time of the great rebellion of the mid 1600's and inventive emergency royalist coining methods..

They look very neat and collectible together in a tray. I always get a higher price estimate !!

Eagle coin holders are my choice. Can snap them open and closed. They use Mylar sheets that hold the coin in place for long term storage. Won't fit larger crowns bigger than 38mm (wreath crown diameter) is the only limitation. http://www.australian-threepence.com/blog/2008/10/eagle-coin-holders.html

My advice would be for a new collector. 1. Read some Coin books and catalogues and get to know some coin values and how to grade coins 2. Visit all your friends who have a small box full of coins and look up their values (then offer a few quid for the whole box) 3. Visit your local dealer and see what's for sale. The quicker you have a good dealer you can trust the better. ( most are wheeler dealers) Browse eBay only, don't buy- it's full of phoney offers. 4. Go to coin fairs 5. Visit a few coin web sites. CNG, baldwins ...

We'll I'm on the wrong side of the planet and out of kilter with the mainstream forum. Still, I'll check the forum quite often daily on my iPhone. (More interesting than games)

That's a funny image.

I can't imagine that the 3 million or so Spanish 8 Reales were individually stacked right side up before striking.. http://www.britnumsoc.org/publications/Digital%20BNJ/pdfs/2000_BNJ_70_11.pdf

and a large A just between GEORGIOUS and III on the OBV then a large N

BTW traces of the underlying coin which can be faintly seen on your example around the coin rim in places is considered more desirable and hence more valuable.