Sideline collection ~ £2 coins

[1949threepence]

Coins are on the way out, no doubt.

Not a nice thought, but as we all know, what the banks want, the banks get, unfortunately.

Pity we all have to have our wages paid into a bank account, instead of in cash. They wouldn't be nearly so powerful then. We'd be calling the shots, and wouldn't be under their control so much.

[AardHawk]

The problem with the 1985 is, it's totally indistinguishable from the 50p in the sets.

I am not sure if that is true! With the introduction of uncirculated sets in 1982 the mint used the same reverse dies for the proof and uncirculated and a different die for circulation. This true of all the denominations. On the 50p they made the lettering smaller and further from the rim on the 50p proofs and uncirculated than the circulated. Its only about 0.2 of a millemeter though. This is certainly true for 1983 so it may be true for 1985. I don't have a circulation 1985 50p to check it however.

[declanwmagee]

Pity we all have to have our wages paid into a bank account, instead of in cash. They wouldn't be nearly so powerful then. We'd be calling the shots, and wouldn't be under their control so much.

I don't! But then I haven't got a bank account, a credit card, a mobile phone, or a postcode either...

DVLA is the only one I've not been able to shake off

[1949threepence]

Pity we all have to have our wages paid into a bank account, instead of in cash. They wouldn't be nearly so powerful then. We'd be calling the shots, and wouldn't be under their control so much.

I don't! But then I haven't got a bank account, a credit card, a mobile phone, or a postcode either...

DVLA is the only one I've not been able to shake off

Good for you, Declan

[Peckris]

Whether getting bags of coins from the bank is cheating isn't really the most important issue. Far more of a practical problem is the abysmal customer service in most of our banks and at the Post Office. My local PO has a sign explicitly stating "We cannot exchange coins or notes for cash." These days it is actually quite difficult to walk into a bank with a fiver and get a bag of silver. Heck, I couldn't even pay my own money into my own bank account the other week, because they'd only accept full bags of coins.

I don't know why this country is so grumpy and misanthropic in this regard. In the US, where you'd have thought the capitalist ethos would have stamped on any process or service that doesn't yield profit, you can go into any bank and get rolls of quarters -- I do this every time I go there, to get the latest State Quarters.

And why is it that the recorded voice in every post office throughout the land says "CASHier number..." and not "CaSHIER number..." as it should be pronounced?

[scott]

cash here?

or in recent times nocashhere

[Hello17]

£2 and 50ps with designs on are considerably varying... in every handful; of 50ps the Libary one seems to show and i have never seen a commonmwealt games £2

[£400 for a Penny ?]

£2 and 50ps with designs on are considerably varying... in every handful; of 50ps the Libary one seems to show and i have never seen a commonmwealt games £2

Good to see you back Hello, no, I've never seen a commonwealth games £2 either.

Yet. My time will come.

[Hello17]

£2 and 50ps with designs on are considerably varying... in every handful; of 50ps the Libary one seems to show and i have never seen a commonmwealt games £2

Good to see you back Hello, no, I've never seen a commonwealth games £2 either.

Yet. My time will come.

That makes me laugh.

i went to my local shop and asked for mmy change (£8)in two pound coins and they said they aint got none

[argentumandcoins]

£2 and 50ps with designs on are considerably varying... in every handful; of 50ps the Libary one seems to show and i have never seen a commonmwealt games £2

Good to see you back Hello, no, I've never seen a commonwealth games £2 either.

Yet. My time will come.

That makes me laugh.

i went to my local shop and asked for mmy change (£8)in two pound coins and they said they aint got none

Hello Hello!

I sent you a PM offering you some free coins to start off your collection (and before the rest of you ask NO YOU CAN'T HAVE SOME AS WELL! I'm trying to help a kid out).

If you send me a PM with your name and address I'll post them off to you, but check with your parents first please.

John.

[declanwmagee]

£2 and 50ps with designs on are considerably varying... in every handful; of 50ps the Libary one seems to show and i have never seen a commonmwealt games £2

Good to see you back Hello, no, I've never seen a commonwealth games £2 either.

Yet. My time will come.

That makes me laugh.

i went to my local shop and asked for mmy change (£8)in two pound coins and they said they aint got none

Hello Hello!

I sent you a PM offering you some free coins to start off your collection (and before the rest of you ask NO YOU CAN'T HAVE SOME AS WELL! I'm trying to help a kid out).

If you send me a PM with your name and address I'll post them off to you, but check with your parents first please.

John.

Nice one John! I bet we've all got some we could contribute - perhaps we should have a whip round. I had to rely on older relatives when I started as a kid...

[Tony Clayton]

I always go through the change I get and have built up my collection through that. Today I picked up the England 2002 Commonwealth £2 coin and it's in remarkably good condition for 8 years circulation under it's belt!

At the time they came out I got several Northern Ireland, a few Wales and Scotland, but no England. It was not until last year that I got one in change. They are certainly amongst the scarcest types to find in change.

[Red Riley]

Nice one John! I bet we've all got some we could contribute - perhaps we should have a whip round. I had to rely on older relatives when I started as a kid...

My recommendation for surplus coins of little value has always been 'find a kid who looks interested and donate the things to them'. Working on the 'little acorns' principle.

[scott]

its how it starts really, i found a 1954 english shilling in an old moneybox.. it grew from there

[andyscouse]

its how it starts really, i found a 1954 english shilling in an old moneybox.. it grew from there

That is very true. I found a jar of predecimal [mostly circulated] coins (including a silver '39 2/6) in my dad's cupboard when I was a teen in 1980; the halfcrowns in particlar caught my attention. The rest is history!

[Red Riley]

its how it starts really, i found a 1954 english shilling in an old moneybox.. it grew from there

Absolutely true Scott. I think that's how we all started. Went round a friend's house last week and her 6 year old was busily ferreting through a box of small change. We did a few experiments to see which ones were magnetic and he was enthralled. No doubt he will be receiving a packet of bun pennies and old sixpences in the near future. Sadly my own kids (now 27 and 24) couldn't give a toss.

[£400 for a Penny ?]

Sadly my own kids (now 27 and 24) couldn't give a toss.

I share your pain.

Mine are too busy fighting, shagging and doing things they'd rather I didn't know about to concentrate on anything so 'static' as collecting coins.

I can just about get them to play golf, but that's as far as they will go.

[1949threepence]

The bug bit me exactly 20 years ago, in August 1990, when I received a GEF 1951 two shillings in my change. I suddenly knew I had to get more of these old style coins. Still got it, although I've never collected florins (as yet, anyway.)

Before 1992, of course, old shillings and two shilling pieces, interchanged as 5 & 10p's.

[argentumandcoins]

Sadly my own kids (now 27 and 24) couldn't give a toss.

I share your pain.

Mine are too busy fighting, shagging and doing things they'd rather I didn't know about to concentrate on anything so 'static' as collecting coins.

I can just about get them to play golf, but that's as far as they will go.

Just got my eldest boy (12) interested in fishing.

He told me you can do it on an xbox, ps3 apparently!

He even likes helping to sort my job lots from auctions and takes some for his "collection"

Sadly he has discovered girls and puberty now so I fear all may be lost!!!

[scott]

interesting point that florins and shillings passed as 5 and 10ps, might explain the reason the shilling was there in a moneybox of 70's and 80's copper, there was a 1950's florin around the house as well, i can only presume was the same reason.

[Peckris]

Sadly my own kids (now 27 and 24) couldn't give a toss.

I share your pain.

Mine are too busy fighting, shagging and doing things they'd rather I didn't know about to concentrate on anything so 'static' as collecting coins.

I can just about get them to play golf, but that's as far as they will go.

Just got my eldest boy (12) interested in fishing.

He told me you can do it on an xbox, ps3 apparently!

He even likes helping to sort my job lots from auctions and takes some for his "collection"

Sadly he has discovered girls and puberty now so I fear all may be lost!!!

I started, on passing an antiques shop many many years ago, and in a saucer in the window was a worn copper coin dated 1672, price 6d. I couldn't resist owning something that old, that cheap! The head was a silhouette, but I could make out the legend CAROLVS A CAROLO, was thrilled when told this was Charles II.

[argentumandcoins]

Sadly my own kids (now 27 and 24) couldn't give a toss.

I share your pain.

Mine are too busy fighting, shagging and doing things they'd rather I didn't know about to concentrate on anything so 'static' as collecting coins.

I can just about get them to play golf, but that's as far as they will go.

Just got my eldest boy (12) interested in fishing.

He told me you can do it on an xbox, ps3 apparently!

He even likes helping to sort my job lots from auctions and takes some for his "collection"

Sadly he has discovered girls and puberty now so I fear all may be lost!!!

I started, on passing an antiques shop many many years ago, and in a saucer in the window was a worn copper coin dated 1672, price 6d. I couldn't resist owning something that old, that cheap! The head was a silhouette, but I could make out the legend CAROLVS A CAROLO, was thrilled when told this was Charles II.

Just finished on a large lot tonight and his latest acquisiton is a Chinese cash coin.

He asked about the deutchesthingy coins and liked the cockerel on some French stuff. If I can't stimulate his interest in history at least he might learn some geography, which would be nice as most kids don't know their arse from their elbow these days!

[1949threepence]

interesting point that florins and shillings passed as 5 and 10ps, might explain the reason the shilling was there in a moneybox of 70's and 80's copper, there was a 1950's florin around the house as well, i can only presume was the same reason.

I'd say that was almost definitely the reason. Scott.

[£400 for a Penny ?]

If I can't stimulate his interest in history at least he might learn some geography, which would be nice as most kids don't know their arse from their elbow these days!

For which I blame the teachers.

[Red Riley]

I share your pain.

Mine are too busy fighting, shagging and doing things they'd rather I didn't know about to concentrate on anything so 'static' as collecting coins.

I can just about get them to play golf, but that's as far as they will go.

To be fair though, that's pretty much what I did at their age (I assume they are teenagers). My coin collection went into abeyance from about the age of 16 and I didn't really pick it up again until I was at least 40, once the attractions of birds and booze began to pall a bit.

I did say pall, not go away altogether...