Paddy

These stink to me: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1951-King-George-V1-Penny-1950-Penny-1949-Brass-3-Pen-All-to-be-Sold-Together/333721667783?hash=item4db35c88c7:g:q7sAAOSwpQdfVn8T

That's exactly how I read it, and it is born out by experience. Around here there has been a glut of the 2016 Shakepeare History coin - all brand new and uncirculated. Unfortunately I suspect the ones they produced for packet-only were in much smaller numbers and went straight into wrappers, so I don't foresee them coming into general circulation any time soon.

Interesting article o the minting of £2 and 2p coins from the Royal mit, as well as a discussion on the future of cash versus digital currency: https://www.bbc.com/news/business-54196300 It seems the Royal Mint has huge stockpiles of coins ready for issue - which explains why no new £2 designs have made it into circulation in the last few years and why we occasionally get a glut of older issues in brand new condition.

I used to use my HP 4500 (Envy) for scanning and the results were "ok" for unimportant coin pictures. The scanner can be set at up to 1200dpi, but at the higher rates gets slower and slower. I gave up using the scanner when I got a decent digital SLR and I use that on a tripod with magnifying rings, small aperture and long exposures to get the best I can. Bear in mind with scanners that you never get any depth of focus - the parts of the coin in contact with the glass can be sharp but any depth of detail will be progressively more mushy.

Thanks for that - clears it up for me.

That is brilliant! So it looks to be DH76, which is good enough for me. The comment about these being for general circulation suggest that the "Current Everywhere" edge is appropriate.

Aha - thanks! Is it 231 then? Does it mention anywhere any varieties of edge lettering?

This was the other interesting item from today's auction - a little medallion (24mm diameter) celebrating the peace in 1814 and the role of Britain and the Emperor Alexander of Russia in achieving it. I believe the BHM reference is 810, but that is quoting from someone else's Ebay listing - can anyone confirm? Also, all the other examples I can find are holed - were they issued unholed or is this a later copy?

I picked this up at a local auction today. Obviously not in great condition but appears to be a mule of the John of Gaunt halfpenny with an Ireland halfpenny. I can't find it in Withers as a recognised mule - anyone know any better? The edge reads "Current Everywhere".

Not convinced that is just a spot of dirt!

... and promptly re-listed. Serial fraudster - needs to be locked up.

I didn't think you were allowed to sell wives on Ebay: "RS Job Lot , Flat Nose , Snipe Nose , Cutter , Screwdriver , Wench ,. Some as new not used , Wench has been used , see photos, Dispatched with Royal Mail 2nd Class." How "used" is the Wench?

Not scarce originally, but as they have been out of circulation for years and many have been handed in to the banks for re-cycling, they do fetch a reasonable premium. I can usually sell them at market for £4 or £5 depending on condition. Again it is the avid 50p collector that needs them to complete the type set.

I don't think all the 1992 50ps were all proof - the 109000 figure is for the circulation issue. I have seen them loose and in BU blister packs. They are very sought after by the 50p collectors as there are just 5 different styles for the large 50ps, and this is far and away the scarcest.

The little earwig was a keen footballer almost from the day he hatched. Despite his disadvantages and bullying he worked his way up to the school first team, where he was head-hunted to join his local professional team. The manager struggled to find kit to fit him and had to have a special shirt made for him. Due to an error at the manufacturers, it had the number "0" on the back instead of the intended "20". At his first match he was on the subs bench for the first half, but sent on early in the second with his team 2-0 down. Quickly his amazing ability to weave through the opposition defence proved decisive and he kept scoring! Soon the home fans were rejuvenated and as he slipped in his third to take the lead, you could hear them chanting: "Earwig Oh! Earwig Oh! Earwig Oh!"

A couple of years ago I had one tracked to the US. Tracking showed it handed over to the Customs people at JFK and thereafter, disappeared. Customs refused to acknowledge receipt, Royal Mail refused refund as it had left their control. £200 coin lost.

I had a package for Israel - it got sent to Illinois when the Royal Mail misinterpreted the international country code "IL". It came back to me about 3 months later and I resent it to the buyer, so eventually he was happy.

Don't get me wrong - if I see one (or for that matter "any") decent penny going cheap enough, I will bag it! I have built up most of my collection "on the cheap" and occasionally made a decent profit on the side too. But I am not a "serious" variety collector, unlike many on here I know. I don't feel comfortable laying out a lot of money on a variety that requires a magnifying glass and an expert book or website to identify. Each to their own! 😃

Not that I go for all these varieties, I would fight shy of that one because the really interesting feature - the Medusa's head - is not visible. We know it is there because of the other identifiers, but you can't see it in the pictures.

Well I guess the bottom line of the first section is "4 ice cubes" and the next bit is "stirred 3 times"...?

My mother was a continuity girl on African Queen during the filming in South Africa - as a result she was a dab hand at spotting errors of this sort. For me it is usually when they stray into the realms of the military that my hackles rise. In an early Doctor Who the "Nuclear Bomb squad" was called out - a "Major" in the Royal Engineers was supposedly in charge, except that he was wearing an "Other Ranks" hat badge and his beret was pulled down on the wrong side. Yet another reason for me to hide behind the sofa!

Ah, well that confirms it was Father Andrew I think as the school was in Weybridge!

I wonder if A R Alexander was the priest who helped my early interest in coins at school? He was Father Andrew (Alexander) and he had an extensive collection of British coins. He was always happy to help us boys with identification and grading of coins. Also smoked Balkan Sobranie in a pipe, which was very impressive to a 12 year-old. He was one of the good priests at the school. (Don't ask about the bad ones.) He died only a couple of years ago having spent the previous 20 years in a rest home for priest in the school grounds. I kept meaning to arrange to go to see him, but now it is too late.

Well this one just gave me a jump! Sorting through an old dealer's box of random coins marked at 50p each (I bought the box of 100+ coins for £5) I was stopped in my tracks by this one. Obviously a fake, but not bad as they go and should give some good banter in the market!

I am not on Facebook either, but you can still watch it if you ignore the requests to log on... I only managed the first 2 mins, then I saw it was 2 1/2 hours long! I have better things to do with my time. The start is a bunch of detectorists in a hole in the ground scratching at a corroded hoard...