secret santa

Any idea of the ratio of 1856 PT small and large dates, Ian ?

Yes, it's the book that got me hooked on pennies.

Michael Gouby put me in touch with a chap called Frank Hulett who's just had published a new A5-sized booklet devoted to the decimal penny 1971-2020. It's an excellent piece of work with superb illustrations and descriptions of the different varieties that he's come across. He's also discovered that the Brilliant Uncirculated specimens issued by the Royal Mint sometimes have characteristics different from the specimens issued for circulation. Frank is happy to supply interested collectors with a copy of his splendid book for the cost of postage. His email address (which he's happy for me to quote) is: frankhulett@hotmail.com I recommend it for collectors of decimal coins.

"No sweat" said a spokesman for Prince Andrew.

As we get more and more divided by issues like Brexit, left v right, handling of the virus, etc, you may have a point.

Now, there's a surprise - with auctioneering behind closed doors, record prices are achieved.

That's wonderful - are you sure he wasn't just watching the 6 o'clock news ?

Have you not seen the morons on the beach and at illegal raves..............................?

Pete You seem to have suddenly become digitally proficient - what's your secret ?

That's a lovely example, John - is it a new acquisition ?

No-one knows.

I do have 2 photos of that coin and one does suggest an underlying 7 but the other doesn't. I'm sure it's not there. Trick of the light. Angles and lighting can make such a difference.

Yes, mine has those, too.

Interesting variation of Bramah 10c.

Thank heavens for this topic on the Forum, as the world goes down the drain around me.

Social distancing ??????

Also found in 1856 where PT is large date and OT is small date. I believe that 1858/6 is always small date whereas 1858/3 (or 2), 1858/7 and 1858/? (Bramah 25c) are large date. 1858 small date exists without overdate.

How does Easylive work - is there actually a live auction with an auctioneer taking online bids in real time with sound/vision ?

I believe they were struck from sand-blasted dies for photographic purposes but that's only hearsay. The photos were taken through a slab but, as Freeman states, "the obverse is in extremely low relief".

I have a set of matt proof 1953 penny, halfpenny and farthing and the farthing is a 1+A.

The sets were probably struck very early on in the process when they were still using a variation of the George VI toothed reverse in preparation for the 1953 penny. When I sent my 1953 pattern mule to the Royal Mint for comment, they replied that it had been probably struck in October 1952. Another example is held within the Royal Collection Trust, noting that it was struck as a Trial on 17th Sept 1952.

I've had terrible problems with Fedex doing this before. I did once get them to go back and renegotiate with Customs to get the VAT reduced from 20% to 5% but I've overpaid many times. I now refuse to use Fedex - I ask the auction houses to use UPS who always send you a form to indicate the nature of the goods and they always charge the correct 5% on numismatic items.

I emailed Semra a week or two ago saying I assumed it would be a commission-only auction and she confirmed that it would. Also, the hard copy catalogue makes no mention of the Grange Hotel.

Nice work Jon. I see you've stopped picking your asparagus.