New Beginnings

[tubandpud]

Hello everyone ...

Just to say I am just beginning retirement, just beginning to learn about computers, and just

beginning a new hobby collecting coins.

Having a great time doing all three - just beginning to join in the Forum, after visiting and looking

through several times. What an interesting site. As a complete beginner I have found so many

aspects useful. I will probably be asking questions at some point, but have to work out the

scanner to the site first !! My first objective was to tackle W.H.Smith, as Chris requested, but

at this point, not much response. I have inherited a mixed bag of old British coins, some rather

interesting, which I am adding to, along with some foreign ones. Getting excited at some I haven't

seen before, and looking forward to a busy retirement !!!

[Chris Perkins]

Good stuff tubandpud, thankyou for your help and welcome to the forum (it's good to have someone else in here that's actually left full time education!)

[Master Jmd]

It is nice to see new faces around here, and I hope you have fun with collecting

[Geordie582]

Being retired myself, it is nice to have other oldies around to moan about the young, rich collectors that proliferate the webs! You'll enjoy this site. It has everything you need to back up your collection and there is always plenty of advice available, just ask! I've been collecting on and off for 50 some years and would have had a marvelous collection,( including the one I use as my avatar,) by now if I didn't have to sell most of it to buy my first computer.

The only advice I could give is,- beware of some e-bay sellers and watch your pocket. It's easy to get carried away. Enjoy!!

Edited November 30, 2004 by Geordie582

[Unknown]

Welcome,

I am one of those "young" ones that Geordie582 complaints about... but my pockets aren't deep and I never used ebay so far..

I am kind of starting in the hobby as you are, even I already collected passively before, just coins and notes people would give me, so we are in the same boat in many areas.

Nice to "see new faces" around here.

[kuhli]

Welcome!! from the other side of the pond!! (US) Not yet retired, but well past the "young" status.

I am active in world coins, and have several catalogs, should you need any help in identification and/or values.

Great group of people you have found here.

[Sylvester]

Welcome!

I'm another young collector... i'll say nothing about my financial status, what's left of it.

[Emperor Oli]

Hi there, I'm one of the people Chris is talking about!

[Master Jmd]

Regulars:

To sum it up:

Me

Half Penny John

Emperor Oli

William

Sylvester

Chris

and Unknown

are the regular 'young' members of this forum. And i very much doubt that any of us are loaded with cash...

The older ones (sorry ):

Geoff

Kuhli

Geordie526

(there are a few others of whom i am not sure of their ages)

[Master Jmd]

Hi there, I'm one of the people Chris is talking about!

welcome to the forum (it's good to have someone else in here that's actually left full time education!) 

[tubandpud]

Hello again, Thanks for the welcome from all of your replies (I didn't expect so many). I feel like I

know some of you already from 'looking in' on your forum over the last three weeks, since I found you.

I am concentrating on pre-decimal from 192l (although I have a few older coins). Also collecting decimal. Can anyone tell me why I am having difficulty finding a few "odds". I understand the 2p's

from reading 'The Two Pence Rumour exposed'. Is there a reason for not finding 1972 1p, 1993 5p,

1993/94/98/99 10p, 1986 20p, 1998 £l. I have found two different reverses 1997 £l's, other than I

am not looking hard enough ?? O.K. - I AM ONLY A BEGINNER !! Where can I find this sort of

information, Also for the years pre-decimal coins were scarce or not minted at all ?

I take the point about E-Bay - Everything advertised there is costly and SCARCE (Ha, Ha !!)

[Master Jmd]

...I have found two different reverses 1997 £l's...

Two?...what are the different reverse types?

[Chris Perkins]

Sounds like you need a CCGB2005 tub:

http://www.predecimal.com/books/ccgb2005framed.htm

[Sylvester]

One of the 1997 £1 coins is fake. It should be three lions for 1997.

If you look you'll notice that there should be no coins dated 1972 in circulation.

What you can expect to find;

1p = 1971, 1973-2004 (all dates)

2p = 1971, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 1985-1998 (two versions of 1998 [or was it 99?], one's magnetic, one is not), 1999-2004 (all dates)

5p = 1990-1992, 1994-2004

10p = 1992, 1994-2004

20p = 1982-1985, 1987-2003 (i haven't seen an 04s).

50p = 1997-2004

£1 = 1983-1997, 2000-2003 (i haven't seen any 04s)

£2 = 1997-2003 (i haven't seen any 04s)

Other denominations exist, pre-97 £2 coins, £5 coins and 25p (Crowns, 1972, 77, 80 and 81) but they don't tend to circulate.

[Master Jmd]

One of the 1997 £1 coins is fake. It should be three lions for 1997.

Ah, ok

And yes, 2004 20p's are in circulation, i found one in my change a few days back

[tubandpud]

Thanks for that (I think !!) That is enough to get the old grey matter moving around !! - Yes, I

am going to get a CCGB (Waiting for W.H.Smith to get one for me ???!!). I will order one from you

shortly. Also, yes, I am still finding my way around your website and have now found 'British Coin

Key Dates' I am still new on the computer as well - Oh dear, it all takes longer when we are OLDIES !

[Sylvester]

Key dates, there's a page on key dates?

As you can tell, i just have the forum bookmarked and i never actually look at the rest of the site!

[tubandpud]

Thanks for Decimal list Sylvester. I have learnt my first lesson from the experts - LOOK VERY

CAREFULLY AT ALL COINS, even if you aren't sure what you are looking for !! I can see what you

mean about the fake £1. It has the Northern Irish design on it. None of it is very 'sharp', worn

around the edge as well, and the + sign is incorrect. I note from your list, you don't mention a

£1 = 1999. Yes, I have one (please don't tell me that is a fake as well ??) It has the Scottish lion

design with fourth portrait, as per Spink 4591 (Not SPONK from the past !) I did spend my pension

money on one of those last week and following your list, I am now starting to understand it.

NOW you have me wondering, what are the chances of this being from a presentation folder ? -

I think I probably know the answer to that one !!! SCARY OR WHAT ??? In only two months

collecting.

Edited November 30, 2004 by Chris Perkins

[Geoff T]

Hi,

Just a rider to Sylvester's list. Even though there will be some years from 1971 onwards for which no circulating coins were issued, there will be proofs in the proof year-sets issued by the mint. So there are, for example, proofs for 1972 and it's not inconceivable that a set could get broken up and the coins enter circulation. They are, after all, legal tender. The 1972 Queen's silver wedding crown was issued as a non-proof commemorative as well as part of the proof set, so those could in theory be found in your change.

As for the 2004 20p, I found one the other day, ditto a 2004 Bannister 50p, so they're obviously now in circulation. I've not seen any 2004 Forth Bridge £1s though yet.

Geoff

[Sylvester]

I note from your list, you don't mention a

£1 = 1999. Yes, I have one (please don't tell me that is a fake as well ??) It has the Scottish lion

design with fourth portrait, as per Spink 4591 (Not SPONK from the past !)

Ah our beloved Sponk!

What does it say on the edge of that £1 coin from 1997 by the way? DECUS ET TUTAMEN?

As for the 1999 one that as far as i am aware should be the Scottish design. Edge inscription should be NEMO ME IMPUNE LA...

I can never spell the last word, but it should be something like that and not;

PLEIDOL WYF IM GWLAD,

Or

DECUS ET TUTAMEN.

Forgive any of my spelling errors there.

Have you found any 1988 £1 coins yet though?

[tubandpud]

Hi Sylvester,

Thanks - the 1999 £1 does look genuine. The last word is LACESSIT

Yes, I do have a 1988 £1. - that has DECUS ET TUTAMEN - looks O.K. to me ! (with single shield)

I have put the fake 1977 £1 away from my collection now !! Thanks for your help.

[tubandpud]

Hello Geoff T,

I haven't been handed a 2004 - 20p yet, but have the Roger Bannister 50p, along with several previous

50p's and £2's, also Crowns/£5's.

I'm collecting these coins for our future history !!, though they don't seem to have any feeling to them

like the old coins.

[Sylvester]

Hi Sylvester,

Thanks - the 1999 £1 does look genuine. The last word is LACESSIT

Yes, I do have a 1988 £1. - that has DECUS ET TUTAMEN - looks O.K. to me ! (with single shield)

I have put the fake 1977 £1 away from my collection now !! Thanks for your help.

I think you've either got a good fake or a mint set escapee. The latter is know but it hasn't happened to me yet!

The 1988 £1 coins are the scarcest of them all, and they are the only ones with the single shield design. They're personally my fave, i try not to spend them if i can help it. Not that they're worth more than any of the others but i like them.

I'd hang onto the fake then you can compare all future £1 coins to it.

[Geordie582]

This turned up in my change a couple of weeks ago. As you can see, it has been around the block a few times and I'm only keeping it until a decent specimen comes my way.

[Unknown]

You could take good care of it, and once you find a replacement, you can send it my way!

I would pay your cost by direct bank transfer with paypal, as that would be free of charge... unless I find one myself first!