Paddy

Welcome to the forum @SteveW. It sounds as if you have an interesting collection already. I am sure we would like to see your sixpence and the 1860 farthing - both sound interesting. Cleaning is always a hot topic here. Alcohol is good for cleaning off sticky tape and seems to do no other damage. Getting rid of unsightly tarnish is much more difficult. Ammonia will do it, but leaves the coin looking pale and flat. Left too long it will result in pitting and serious damage. In the US there is a product designed for clearing Verdigris - I think called Verdicare. It is not available here in the UK I think, so I have never tried it and can't vouch for it, but it might be worth trying it out on one of your "also ran" farthings first. The penny collectors on this forum are probably the most serious and experienced in the world. The other UK coppers/bronzes are also well supported, so you should get plenty of help.

I was unfortunate enough to meet up with a group of Russians on holiday in Turkey ten or more years ago. Their attitude was very high-handed and patronising to everyone else. They were quite certain that they were the superior race and it was their destiny and right to rule the world - much as the British had 100 years ago. Hence it was no surprise when they set about increasing their empire by invading Ukraine, and if they are allowed to win there, I fear they will be straight on to the next target - probably the Baltic States.

I was going purely on a google search for "Lumix lens mounts" which indicated "L-mount" as the answer. I am sure a more thorough search would clarify. (I was on my way out to Bridge night, so I did not have much time to research!)

No - it fits between the lens mount and the camera body, so you would have to find a set with Lumix fittings. I found mine on Amazon I think (may have been Ebay). You usually get a set of three, to give three different levels of Macro. I find the smallest tube allows me to focus on up to Crown size coins at about 15cm range so that they fill the picture size. The longer tubes allow still closer for very small coins. I think this one would do: https://www.amazon.co.uk/VILTROX-Extension-Adapter-Support-Compatible/dp/B0BLZ4W5SJ/ref=sr_1_6?crid=JAHMH6APNIEO&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Nr151YSAC3VS9eZYbyFbpSjU8ODJZW0UEWA3qA41oE70kP2EP0_atU9SDqeflRXn3TeRk_YrrqojWuE6vJE-Gu_5lWHrhIkm8Qg9QgurGGwsQuQ_LENNGD8_BCsyTsiBvzkSW2W3EpAVwBZ8yjNg9R90sBMz7JaUGdqjO0xTmQOOkN4_WxbjCtQLL5V-MmbV31YUPChUgPZScAwLdyMRLmj9RZfsEjAQUKy_pDunfwc.pFii9qcG1TqtTS5pDMxgjEZPrdbcSIy5S2F-hNMmXaw&dib_tag=se&keywords=Lumix+extension+tube&qid=1709836660&sprefix=lumix+extension+tube%2Caps%2C145&sr=8-6 but that is for autofocus. You may find cheaper without that feature. Lumix uses "L-Mount".

I don't know the Lumix at all, but the alternative to an expensive macro lens might be extension tubes? I use them with my Pentax and a standard 50mm lens to take macro style shots. It is a bit more fiddly, but I leave the set up for coins only so rarely need to alter anything.

Neither my 1892 or 1894 show any sign of the missing bar. Interesting the double inner circle - I hadn't noticed that before. As I suggested, I am blind to variations until someone rubs my nose in it!

Not as far as I can see. (I am notoriously bad at spotting variations!):

Interesting. My 1893 is not 3 over 2:

My 1893 penny shows the same feature:

Doesn't seem that the standard of driving has improved through the years:

I messaged him too and have just had a reply acknowledging the error and saying he was cancelling the listing. I see it has now been ended - fair does.

Welcome! A picture of the other side might be useful. As far as I can see the date at the base is 1727, and above that may be JUN XI - June 11th 1727 was the date on which George I died and George II assumed the throne, so this may well be the remains of a medallion commemorating this transition. Not sure about the OCT thereafter! Style is certainly typical of 18th century.

If no pictures are presented, you ought to be able to rely on the expertise of the vendor, but there are no guarantees. If described as BUnc, you would expect pretty much perfect condition. After a while one learns which dealers to trust and which not. A list without pictures sounds a bit like Mr Ingram and son?

Thanks for the tip - I will watch out for that one. I have not been caught this way yet. I have been caught by a similar problem: the auctioneers have called a break, so I have left the link running with the sound turned up, relying on hearing the restart, only for the sound output to be turned off at source. When they return, they turn their sound back on, but it remains off in the link and so I miss the restart. Very frustrating!

I have put a post on the coin community forum with a couple of example pictures. It seems to me that some of our American cousins are more likely to be taken in by these.

That was not me - I was not there that long ago. I suspect it would have been Brian, who was there a lot longer. Both of us now retired from the market.

Now sold for £55, so someone has been taken in.

Appears to be a thistle in his hand, so maybe Scottish? Are Telman Umbrellas Scottish?

I've had no problems. No idea what that code means.

It has 139 teeth. (My eyes are crossed from counting!) This makes it Obverse 6, the more common one I think. The scarce one he hopes it is is obverse 2, which has 143 teeth.

I had a look at Great Collections - I had missed that they are US based, so postage costs are likely to be an issue. Also, they seem to deal only certified and encapsulated stock, which is not my bucket at all! Thanks for the tip though.

Just to clarify, the Lawrences I referred to is nothing to do with David Lawrence as far as I know. 12.5% is remarkably good - I must look them out. B Frank & Son (on Easylive) are also very reasonable, though they have had little of interest to me in the last few sales. I can cope with around 20% as long as the service is good. I object to paying 30% or more, particularly as the service at that level is usually no better and often much worse! As a tip to the wise, total buyers commission through Easylive usually works out a % or two less than through Saleroom.

Sorry if this is old news to most of you, but I only learnt about it today from a friend, who is a legitimate Ebay trader. Apparently the Ebay sellers' forums are all agog with this. Ebay, Amazon, Etsy and all online selling platforms operating in the UK are now required to provide details to the HMRC of the registered user's address, bank details and trading summaries. The HMRC will use this to send tax demands to anyone who has made more than £1000 profit in any given year and has not already registered to pay tax on this profit. They are expected to go back over the last 5 years or more. The expectation is that many well known sellers will be hit with huge bills and face criminal proceedings if they do not pay. Some are already running for the hills!

Good for you @SilverAge3 All we need now is a few dozen more like you! There are still a few good regulars here, some with a huge depth of knowledge, but many have faded away.

All the info I have is in the thread in the Wanted section of this forum. I can't seem to post a link to it, but if you go into Wanted it is on the first page - Bronze Coinage (2016).