Paddy

I don't get to coin fairs much myself anymore, but I am sure someone else will chip in. I found this website listed quite a few: https://www.antiques-atlas.com/dbevents/

Personally I find bullion coinage boring! Much of it is modern and it's only worth is the metal content. For me coin collecting is about history, so I like coins with age and a story to tell, from anywhere in the world. For me the focus has always been British coins, and the simplest goal there is for type sets for each monarch as far back as you can afford. If British coinage does not float your boat, then maybe World "Crown" size coins, being silver, comes closer to your bullion desire too. Just beware that in this area there are a lot of fakes on Ebay and elsewhere, so you really do need to do your research first - or find a dealer you can trust. As well as the books suggested, I would get either some albums (WH Smiths do a reasonable selection) or trays (from Numis or Lindner online) and sort what you have into them. This may focus your mind on what/how you want to collect. Get along to some coin fairs too - looking at a good dealers display may get your target clarified.

Welcome Stephen! I am glad we got you through the registration at last.

Well I have just visited a friend in Weymouth who has two of these, and based on the above conversation I have checked them - and they both fail. Wrong orientation, dent over the eyebrow, diagonal dent on the neck, breaks above P and E in Pense, even the dent halfway up the second 1 in the date. Even more worrying he bought his 10 years ago or so from a dealer in Arundel for £250 each. I fear there may be a great many of these out there. The only consolation for me is that my one seems to pass - orientation is correct and it matches none of the dents and scratches. If LCA got fooled twice in the same auction, it is a worry for us all.

Whoops - can't work out where I left my memory.

Ah yes - but I guess yours will not be cheap? BTW I don't think I have your website...

Yes, oversize images is a perennial problem here as you are restricted to 0.5Mb per posting. I use Photoscape, which is a free photo editing package, to resize them withing range.

Hmmm! That is concerning as that means either mine is a fake too, or the OP one is actually OK... Here is mine, which I bought about 5 years ago from an old guy I knew very well and had inherited it in a collection of other excellent coins from his father.

Looking for expertise please. I picked up the attached Halfpenny cheaply today - the seller had it marked as 1858, but on closer examination it appears to be 1859 with another number, possibly and 8, under the last digit. 3 Questions: 1. Is this a recognised variety? (I have Freeman but no other books on varieties.) 2. Is this an example of such a thing? 3. Whether I should try to clear off the verdigris, and if so, how? Cheers,

Any indication as to how they know it is a fake? Just so we know what to watch out for...

I don't know if there is anyone to do with the admin of the site watching. I have been approached by a member of CCF who want to join this site, but is having problems with the registration process. If I quote his message directly: " I tried some weeks back & again this morning, same issue. You give the answer to their security question and it says you didn't pass. I even tried a computer over at the college with the same result. Something's not right at this time with how it's presently configured. I appreciate anything you can do. Feel free to give an administrator there my email if that'll help." Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help - I have his direct email if necessary.

... and with the title on this one from the same seller, we know why he won't ship to the UK! https://www.ebay.com/itm/Great-Britain-Farting-1841/332649094969?hash=item4d736e5f39:g:L6wAAOSw8W5aYo~V

I was tempted to offer them 10 cents, but the postage is so high I was afraid they might accept it!

Not entirely true. I was in Vietnam a few years ago and they no longer use coins at all - all notes down to ones worth about 5p. There again, with 10,000 Dong to the dollar I suppose it was inevitable!

I had a nice long walk on the South West Coast path in North Devon. The only problem was there was no sunshine as we had the Irish Sea mist instead! But a good day's exercise...

Yes I reported it as a fraudulent listing - so it seems if enough people do it we can have an effect. Just need to sort out the "protected" fraudsters using Ebay Premium seller status to get away with it.

Interestingly this link now takes you to a general search for Athelred Pennies - I think the listing has not just been ended, but the seller suspended too. He had a feedback of 0 so I think Ebay may have acted for once...

No problem - another time - if there is anything left by then....

Ah yes - of course! Thank you for putting me right. P

I tried asking this in the Members area and have had no response, so I will try again here. I found another box full of spare bronzes - Farthings to Pennies - and I have spent a happy evening trying to identify new variations for my own collection, with some success. I have this Halfpenny, which I believe is Obv 14 and Rev K* F328 in the book. Could one of you experts spare a few minutes to check and confirm or deny? Thanks,

I am sure he would be happy if you messaged him with your concerns - I know he would far rather pull a coin than sell something not right.

I hadn't noticed the seller ID before - I know him personally and he is a very genuine and reliable seller - Philip Lloyd in Dorchester. He has been on Ebay for maybe 20 years and regularly sells good stuff. He has built up a huge number of regular buyers who check everything he lists and trust him completely - with good reason. If he is selling it, it will be right and if it is ever wrong he will fall over himself to sort it out for you. He used to post occasionally on here I think but I have not seen him for a few years.

Absolutely Extremely F****d!

I suspect quite a nice coin somewhere under all that grim, so worth the effort. I would try soap and warm water with a soft sponge first to see if the grime is going to shift easily. If not the olive oil treatment might do it.

You may well be right! It is so many years since I listened to it that I have forgotten. So add: Moody Blues - Nights in White Satin (long forgotten memories) Steve Harley - Sebastian (off the wall but entertaining)