Coin cabinets

[Kipster]

Morning all,

I'm looking to get myself a small cabinet to move my bits out of flips into, so could anyone recommend anywhere to get one from please? I've had a look online for new ones, and can only find Peter Nichols or Rob Davis.

Now then, after emailing the Peter Nichols website, I think there is a scam going on there. After doing a bit of research after a couple of email exchanges, it looks like Peter Nichols et al retired over 10 years ago. The phone diverts to a weird call answering service, and the bank details for payment were in what sounded like an African name, and from a weird bank that I had never heard of. Nothing went further at my end than that.

Is Rob Davis still around and manufacturing does anyone know? I just rang and no answer. I only wanted a small sized one that would fit inside a safe (like Peter Nichols annulet), so failing that, I suppose it'll have to be keeping an eye out on ebay.

Cheers.

[1949threepence]

6 minutes ago, Kipster said:

Morning all,

I'm looking to get myself a small cabinet to move my bits out of flips into, so could anyone recommend anywhere to get one from please? I've had a look online for new ones, and can only find Peter Nichols or Rob Davis.

Now then, after emailing the Peter Nichols website, I think there is a scam going on there. After doing a bit of research after a couple of email exchanges, it looks like Peter Nichols et al retired over 10 years ago. The phone diverts to a weird call answering service, and the bank details for payment were in what sounded like an African name, and from a weird bank that I had never heard of. Nothing went further at my end than that.

Is Rob Davis still around and manufacturing does anyone know? I just rang and no answer. I only wanted a small sized one that would fit inside a safe (like Peter Nichols annulet), so failing that, I suppose it'll have to be keeping an eye out on ebay.

Cheers.

I've got three coin cabinets, one from the original Peter Nicholls in 2010 - among the last to be produced by him - and two from Rob Davis, one in 2019 and the other in 2021 .

I can 150% recommend Rob Davis. The quality of his workmanship is absolutely first rate. What you see in the photos on his website, is what you get. All the trays are a perfect fit, with no locking or jamming whilst taking them in or out, and the wood finish is superb. Obviously, whatever wood is used externally, he always uses untreated mahogany on the trays, so there is no seeping of foreign substances onto the coins. Mahogany being the best wood for this purpose. 

Rob himself delivered the first cabinet I ordered from him, as it was pre covid days. Very pleasant guy. Much cheaper than Nicholls. I'm not sure what's going on there these days, but I wouldn't trust them any more. Not the same since Peter himself retired and production stopped at his St Leonards on Sea shop.

As far as the phone, he doesn't always answer. I've found you're best to e mail.  If you go with him, trust me, you won't be disappointed.

Here's the post I made when I received my first Rob Davis cabinet in March 2019   

 

[Kipster]

2 minutes ago, 1949threepence said:

I've got three coin cabinets, one from the original Peter Nicholls in 2010 - among the last to be produced by him - and two from Rob Davis, one in 2019 and the other in 2021 .

I can 150% recommend Rob Davis. The quality of his workmanship is absolutely first rate. What you see in the photos on his website, is what you get. All the trays are a perfect fit, with no locking or jamming whilst taking them in or out, and the wood finish is superb. Obviously, whatever wood is used externally, he always uses untreated mahogany on the trays, so there is no seeping of foreign substances onto the coins. Mahogany being the best wood for this purpose. 

Rob himself delivered the first cabinet I ordered from him, as it was pre covid days. Very pleasant guy. Much cheaper than Nicholls. I'm not sure what's going on there these days, but I wouldn't trust them any more. Not the same since Peter himself retired and production stopped at his St Leonards on Sea shop.

As far as the phone, he doesn't always answer. I've found you're best to e mail.  If you go with him, trust me, you won't be disappointed.

Here's the post I made when I received my first Rob Davis cabinet in March 2019   

 

Perfect. Thanks very much for the reply. Looking at your link, that looks perfect for what I need. Looking at the bits on his website, he has some stellar looking stuff.

Appreciate it.

[Peckris 2]

I'm sure there are plenty of Peter Nichols cabinets around - keep an eye on auctions, even eBay.

[Kipster]

I successfully nabbed a Peter Nichols Pheon cabinet off eBay a couple of weeks ago for almost bang on to the penny what I had budgeted for. Lovely little thing. Very pleased with it. I'm just now getting organised to get everything organised. Great success. 

[Peckris 2]

22 hours ago, Kipster said:

I successfully nabbed a Peter Nichols Pheon cabinet off eBay a couple of weeks ago for almost bang on to the penny what I had budgeted for. Lovely little thing. Very pleased with it. I'm just now getting organised to get everything organised. Great success. 

yeah - the Pheon is my main cabinet; as you say, lovely little thing.

[1949threepence]

23 hours ago, Kipster said:

I successfully nabbed a Peter Nichols Pheon cabinet off eBay a couple of weeks ago for almost bang on to the penny what I had budgeted for. Lovely little thing. Very pleased with it. I'm just now getting organised to get everything organised. Great success. 

Well done. Are the tray recesses the right size for your purposes?

Also, out of interest, is it a Peter Nichols original? - there should be a label on the back. If it's got Peter Nichols, Cabinet Maker, 3 Norman Road, St Leonards, then you'll know it's an original made by Peter himself, during or before 2010, before he retired.   

[Kipster]

12 hours ago, 1949threepence said:

Well done. Are the tray recesses the right size for your purposes?

Also, out of interest, is it a Peter Nichols original? - there should be a label on the back. If it's got Peter Nichols, Cabinet Maker, 3 Norman Road, St Leonards, then you'll know it's an original made by Peter himself, during or before 2010, before he retired.   

Yes indeed. Even came with the original care instructions. I think the recesses will be fine for what I need. I'm only really after bronze and copper and don't really have anything bigger than a Victorian copper penny, so there's at least 3 of each size recess trays which should be fine.

 

[secret santa]

You can always get replacement drawers with the appropriate size of recess - I did that a few years ago with a second hand cabinet that I bought.

[Kipster]

1 hour ago, secret santa said:

You can always get replacement drawers with the appropriate size of recess - I did that a few years ago with a second hand cabinet that I bought.

Always useful to know, ta. I always have an eye on the ebay for bits and bobs, so just in case will make sure I look out for them.

[Taikonaut]

Looks like from the mid or late 1990s when Peter switched from "Stamp & Coin Shop" label. I prefer the mahogany used before 2004, that was the year when there was some kind of restriction imposed and what we had since was smaller or younger pieces of mahogany buid up to size. 

[Kipster]

On 3/23/2023 at 9:48 AM, Kipster said:

Now then, after emailing the Peter Nichols website, I think there is a scam going on there. After doing a bit of research after a couple of email exchanges, it looks like Peter Nichols et al retired over 10 years ago. The phone diverts to a weird call answering service, and the bank details for payment were in what sounded like an African name, and from a weird bank that I had never heard of. Nothing went further at my end than that.

I just had a most peculiar conversation on the phone regarding the above. A lady saying her name was Shirley Watts just called me out of the blue, telling me that my coin cabinet order was ready, and if I could arrange for payment to be made. This all stems back to late March this year.

Odd, as the last communication was me sending an email to whoever gave me the dodgy sounding bank details calling them a scammer. I explained what had happened with the request for the payment to a weird sounding bank account and she sounded surprised/concerned at the same time. I said that as the general consensus was that PN had retired, that this was just someone trying it on. The idea that he had retired and wasn't making any more didn't sit well with her.

I have genuinely no idea what to do now. I have rung her back on the number that she called me on, and it goes to an automated phone answering service for a different company altogether. Also, the number she rang me on was the PN number, but it had +44 at the start, not the usual 0. That and the fact that I have already got a second hand one now kind of makes me feel like saying thanks, but not today, but then I don't want them to be £500 up the swannee if they are genuine.

It's all weird.

[Paddy]

All sounds a bit odd, and I can't add anything except that the +44 is standard identification for a UK phone number, so that at least is not suspicious. If it was any other two digits, then you would be calling overseas, and that would be odd.

 

[secret santa]

She's mentioned on their website

http://www.coincabinets.com/news.html

[jelida]

I have dealt with Shirley in years past, when ordering new trays. Nice lady. But I can’t guarantee that it was her you spoke to, though if the correct number it would seem likely. Maybe the business is still ticking over or under new ownership? 
 

Jerry

[1949threepence]

3 hours ago, Kipster said:

I just had a most peculiar conversation on the phone regarding the above. A lady saying her name was Shirley Watts just called me out of the blue, telling me that my coin cabinet order was ready, and if I could arrange for payment to be made. This all stems back to late March this year.

Odd, as the last communication was me sending an email to whoever gave me the dodgy sounding bank details calling them a scammer. I explained what had happened with the request for the payment to a weird sounding bank account and she sounded surprised/concerned at the same time. I said that as the general consensus was that PN had retired, that this was just someone trying it on. The idea that he had retired and wasn't making any more didn't sit well with her.

I have genuinely no idea what to do now. I have rung her back on the number that she called me on, and it goes to an automated phone answering service for a different company altogether. Also, the number she rang me on was the PN number, but it had +44 at the start, not the usual 0. That and the fact that I have already got a second hand one now kind of makes me feel like saying thanks, but not today, but then I don't want them to be £500 up the swannee if they are genuine.

It's all weird.

I'd say that if you never completed an order at the time, and no deposit was paid in advance of the completed work, then it's a scam. My understanding is that the people who took over the Peter Nichols product are based in Nottinghamshire. The fact you had a 44 at the start means that the call is coming from abroad, not in the UK.

Ignore it.  

[TomGoodheart]

Shirley and her partner took over the name of Peter's business some years ago. They operated out of Nottingham. They made me a tray last October. I paid before the work was done.

However they have, as far as I am aware retired. Certainly they were looking for someone to take over from them last year.

Sounds .. odd this would pop up now. They were pretty good at keeping me updated on my order so curious there wasn't anything from her before if it's genuine.

[Kipster]

I had another conversation with Shirley today, and will let you know the upshot of how things pan out.

[Paddy]

On 8/9/2023 at 7:14 PM, 1949threepence said:

The fact you had a 44 at the start means that the call is coming from abroad, not in the UK.

 

Not necessarily - many of the mobile phone operators add the +44 to the beginning of UK numbers even when communicating entirely within the UK.

That doesn't mean everything else is OK though! 🙂 

 

[Peckris 2]

12 hours ago, Paddy said:

Not necessarily - many of the mobile phone operators add the +44 to the beginning of UK numbers even when communicating entirely within the UK.

That doesn't mean everything else is OK though! 🙂 

 

When I make a booking at Cote Brasserie, they always put +44 where I have to enter my phone number, even though both they and I are in the UK.

[Taikonaut]

On 8/10/2023 at 1:10 PM, TomGoodheart said:

Shirley and her partner took over the name of Peter's business some years ago. They operated out of Nottingham. They made me a tray last October. I paid before the work was done.

However they have, as far as I am aware retired. Certainly they were looking for someone to take over from them last year.

Sounds .. odd this would pop up now. They were pretty good at keeping me updated on my order so curious there wasn't anything from her before if it's genuine.

Sad to see the business go without anyone taking over. The Peter Nichols name is a lucrative one. When they took over the business from Peter I seem to recall it was a three way ownership, Geoff, Shirley and a young man probably a son who was into motor bikes? This now leaves Rob Davis as probably the sole professional coin cabinet maker in the UK.

 

[Peckris 2]

57 minutes ago, Taikonaut said:

Sad to see the business go without anyone taking over. The Peter Nichols name is a lucrative one. When they took over the business from Peter I seem to recall it was a three way ownership, Geoff, Shirley and a young man probably a son who was into motor bikes? This now leaves Rob Davis as probably the sole professional coin cabinet maker in the UK.

agreed - a sad day indeed.

[Taikonaut]

Found this, the original Peter Nichols

https://ninebattles.com/2023/06/02/stamp-and-coin-shop-norman-road-st-leonards-on-sea/

 

[1949threepence]

On 8/30/2023 at 9:18 PM, Taikonaut said:

Sad to see the business go without anyone taking over. The Peter Nichols name is a lucrative one. When they took over the business from Peter I seem to recall it was a three way ownership, Geoff, Shirley and a young man probably a son who was into motor bikes? This now leaves Rob Davis as probably the sole professional coin cabinet maker in the UK.

 

I think that's probably correct. We do lack manual skill in tis country.

Good job Rob is so good, and such a decent boke. 

[Sword]

Did they actually take over Peter Nichol's business or just the name? If the later, I don't feel that strongly about it.

It's a bit sad less and less people train to be craftsmen these days and opt for more lucrative jobs. Certain crafts will unfortunately die out with time. But I think the demand for coin cabinets will enable at least one or two to make a decent living? Surely there must still be quite a few cabinet makers around?