Thank you for your kind comments but the halfpenny site is very much an afterthought, something to do in Lockdown.
Pennies are my main (only) interest.
I was going to bid for the 1895 pattern (F777) at Noonan's today. A similar specimen sold for £3500 on Baldwin's list in 2011 but today it went for £10,880 !!!!!!!!!
Needless to say, I didn't buy it.
My 3 tiered cordyline also bit the dust. I've cut the trunks down to ground level and with luck they will regrow - it did once before when the same happened.
My rarest coin is a 1922 penny obverse 4+ reverse C - unrecorded and the only specimen I've ever seen come to market. I have a photo of what appears to be a BU specimen of the same die pairing but I can't find any confirmation of its existence.
I think I remember Michael Gouby told me a few years ago that DNW had asked him to go through a collection of pennies to help them identify the varieties but, as they didn't offer him anything for his trouble, he declined.
Some rare pennies in the Spink auction:
The Numismatic Collector's Series Featuring The George Blaine Collection Part IV
e - Auction
Ends: 17 May 2023 at 10:30 AM EDT
Spink USA | 458 Lots
VIEW ON SPINK LIVE
I sympathise, Eric. Many's the time I've just done a "5 minute job" before my lot came up only to get engrossed and completely forget about until it's too late. The scars never heal !