Where To Buy Job Lots Of Old Coins - Need Thousands For An Artwork.

[Kingkingy]

I'm a designer and am doing a project which will involve creating an artwork with thousands of coins. This questions in two parts:

1. Which coins would be the most cost effective to buy. I need a silver looking coin and a brass looking coin.

2. Where could I purchase these coins. (I'm watching bun pennies on eBay but feel there has got to be a simpler way to purchase)

3. Naturally budget is an issue as with all projects of this type.

I really don't want to have to use currency in current circulation. Any thoughts on this matter greatly appreciated.

[Peckris]

I'm a designer and am doing a project which will involve creating an artwork with thousands of coins. This questions in two parts:

1. Which coins would be the most cost effective to buy. I need a silver looking coin and a brass looking coin.

2. Where could I purchase these coins. (I'm watching bun pennies on eBay but feel there has got to be a simpler way to purchase)

3. Naturally budget is an issue as with all projects of this type.

I really don't want to have to use currency in current circulation. Any thoughts on this matter greatly appreciated.

The 1967 brass 3d can be bought in huge quantities pretty cheap. The same goes for 1967 sixpences, and 1966 shillings (no shillings in 1967). Larger silver - for example - florins and halfcrowns - are more expensive, but there again, 1967 is your year for both. For really big coins, the 1965 Churchill Crown should be available very cheaply.

The best bet for 000's of coins is to buy a "Mint-sealed" bag of the denomination(s) of your choice. For glut years like 1967, these can be bought for only a few multiples of face value. Others will advise where these can be bought.

Bun pennies are now very expensive and are, in any case, bronze. They don't meet your brass / silver-look requirement.

Edited August 4, 2013 by Peckris

[Peter]

Post 1947 silver looking (cupro nickel) and brass 3d's can be bought in bulk from car boot sales.

Ebay is full of junk sellers...maybe find out where they source their coins and follow the trail back.

[Rob]

I'm a designer and am doing a project which will involve creating an artwork with thousands of coins. This questions in two parts:

1. Which coins would be the most cost effective to buy. I need a silver looking coin and a brass looking coin.

2. Where could I purchase these coins. (I'm watching bun pennies on eBay but feel there has got to be a simpler way to purchase)

3. Naturally budget is an issue as with all projects of this type.

I really don't want to have to use currency in current circulation. Any thoughts on this matter greatly appreciated.

If you would think on a slightly more grandiose scale, you would find a ready supply of up to 19 million Chuchill crowns.

[Kingkingy]

Thanks for all the help so far. 19 million Churchill crowns would be great though I think paying for storage on the 18.95m I don't use would wipe me out.

I've found London coin auctions and will be contacting them today. Will post up what they say.

[Accumulator]

You haven't specified that they need to be British coins (although you may prefer that they are). Vast quantities of foreign coins are collected by charities and can be found for sale for a few pounds per Kg on eBay and elsewhere.

[Benny who]

You mentioned a Bun penny,if this is the colour and size you are going for,why not use current issue 2p and 10p for the silver,both can be ordered from your bank in bulk,and will still be worth the same when you have finished.

I can get you these delivered to a UK address 12.5p for each 10p and 6p for every 2p,these figures include the handling charge.

[Kingkingy]

You mentioned a Bun penny,if this is the colour and size you are going for,why not use current issue 2p and 10p for the silver,both can be ordered from your bank in bulk,and will still be worth the same when you have finished.

I can get you these delivered to a UK address 12.5p for each 10p and 6p for every 2p,these figures include the handling charge.

Great post... 2p and 10p are my fallback options, the more I look into this the more I feel that using current coins is the most sensible option. Would love to use shillings and farthings or bun pennies but getting them together is going to be a thankless task....

[declanwmagee]

look up cdesteve on eBay. I hear he uses a plastic shovel to pick coins for his bulk lots.

That's true, by the way, I was told that by another bulk seller!

[davidrj]

look up cdesteve on eBay. I hear he uses a plastic shovel to pick coins for his bulk lots.

I see what you mean link Could be fun to sort through though

Edited August 5, 2013 by davidrj

[Peter]

He has already sorted the wheat from the chaff and sells these separately.