Just An Idea

[damian1986]

Probably the only thing I regret about purchases I made in the last 6 months is shoehorning coins into my collection because they were available and ticked a box. So I had a think / whinge about how I could get what I want whilst still being "representative". Your goals give you a lot of flexibility but there's a risk of buying a coin because it's the only one that's within your per-coin budget just to meet the criteria of having got something for that particular monarch.

Don't buy a coin for 3 months and you can have one of these http://www.predecimal.com/forum/topic/3664-coin-aquisition-of-the-week/?p=106621 (if you can find one this good). But then 3 months is a long time to wait... it's difficult.

One of the challenges I have (as do others!) relates to the patience factor - at the rate of say 1 coin every 1-2 months (or longer!) the urge to add to/improve my collection requires a little more 'action' than that to satisfy my need, so inexpensive side-lines which help the learning experience and 'feed the beast' can be of use!

I find this useful. The problem is that these sidelines get cocky and before you know it...

The first post I made here was about not buying coins in the best grades you can afford, because doing so means you can't cover as much ground as quickly. But then the more ground you want to cover you end up having to fork out the cash anyway and doing things quickly means you'll probably defer most of your research until you have the 24 coins sat in front of you. At which point you may only be happy with half a dozen of them and decide you want to change focus or upgrade the rest. I'm personally always trying to mitigate against that, and I guess you are too otherwise you wouldn't have asked the question. I think now: short term goals with a view to larger ones. This has meant buying things I didn't plan on collecting originally, but also not giving a shit about some coins I'd originally planned to buy.

[TomGoodheart]

One of the challenges I have (as do others!) relates to the patience factor - at the rate of say 1 coin

The first post I made here was about not buying coins in the best grades you can afford, because doing so means you can't cover as much ground as quickly. But then the more ground you want to cover you end up having to fork out the cash anyway and doing things quickly means you'll probably defer most of your research until you have the 24 coins sat in front of you. At which point you may only be happy with half a dozen of them and decide you want to change focus or upgrade the rest. I'm personally always trying to mitigate against that, and I guess you are too otherwise you wouldn't have asked the question. I think now: short term goals with a view to larger ones. This has meant buying things I didn't plan on collecting originally, but also not giving a shit about some coins I'd originally planned to buy.

It's worth remembering that for most of us a collecting plan isn't set in stone. We all buy things that don't quite fit because we fancy them or things that we told ourselves we wouldn't (I still buy the occasional crap rarity because it's rare, even though I know there are barely half a dozen people who will ever want one and it falls well below the grade minimum I normally set myself).

But that's OK. We all make mistakes. We learn. We keep going. I myself buy less than six coins most years. I have a little sideline of foreign coins I try to pick up cheap. When there are no coins I buy literature, dealer lists and auction catalogues.

I think all I can say is think of the research and reading as part of the collecting. And that sometimes it's fun to break the rules. Even if they are only rules we've set ourselves!

[azda]

My philosophy is, if i like it and its high grade at a decent price i'll buy it, regardless of what it is. The 1689 crown you linked i had been watching this for several months, it had been through 2 auctions and left unsold hence my apprehension to buy it. I'm still waiting on Garrett who bought it too come up with the pictures.

If its any consolation (to me at least) rodderick Richardson had sold one in similar high grade for £3500, so i think there's might be something unseen with the 1689, i hope not but its a gut feeling right now

Edited June 16, 2014 by azda

[Garrett]

The 1689 crown you linked i had been watching this for several months, it had been through 2 auctions and left unsold hence my apprehension to buy it. I'm still waiting on Garrett who bought it too come up with the pictures.

I keep putting money aside for a decent camera but as soon as I do I spend it on a coin. Go figure. Giving me money to buy a camera is like giving the grocery money to an alco.

I am not an advanced collector but the halfcrown looks fine to me, no surprises. It has very small haymarks but they are visible in the picture. I have bought coins before where there were surprises (e.g. hairlines in a shilling I bought from Downies) hidden due to the angle of lighting when taking the photo, but not in this case.

If anything the colour might be slightly darker. Perhaps due to the lighting but I really don't know much about photography. I think it is a very well taken photograph.

I don't know why it took a while to sell. I saw it nine months ago but it was out of my budget at the time. It may have been slightly undergraded.

[goomolique]

I recently bought my first hammered Charles I shilling and i liked it so much that i decided to go ahead with this idea

and get one coin of each King/Queen from Henry VII to present.

I got list of them all and will start looking for coins from next week.

Im looking to spend around £100-£150 per coin 1-2 coins a month.

With this budget obviously I dont expect coins to be in top grade.

If anyone would like to give me a hand it would be great.

Any help would be appreciated.

I have a similar focus at the moment, but I want at least one superb example Tudor to present, with a bit of variety mixed in (i.e. not all silver, not all shillings etc) ... everyone's 'superb' is different of course, and some reigns will be difficult/expensive to get anything in GVF+ together with sufficient eye appeal and very few/zero problems.

For me this means I can release some funds by selling my least-favourite 'duplicates' for some monarchs, helping me to reduce some accumulated debts and justify some upgrades at the same time. I would not set a catch-all budget for each reign personally, perhaps try and identlfy the year/denomination you might want for each and hunt down the very best you can afford.

For me, this is more of a 5 year project rather than a 1-2 year project (there are 24 'monarchs' since H7 (including Cromwell and Ed VIII)) - I guess I would repeat the age-old adage of buying the best you can afford (you won't regret it) and exercising patience!

What are the big gaps you have at the moment? Is the Chas I shilling the first of the collection?

One of the challenges I have (as do others!) relates to the patience factor - at the rate of say 1 coin every 1-2 months (or longer!) the urge to add to/improve my collection requires a little more 'action' than that to satisfy my need, so inexpensive side-lines which help the learning experience and 'feed the beast' can be of use!

Always do not be shy to ask for opinions on here, there is an insatiable appetite to help with critical factors such as grading, cleaning, dipping, authenticity etc

I havent even started yet.

Chas I shilling made me realise there are lovely coins beyond milled silver:)

Im confused now if i should go for top grade coin but wait longer or one coin a month at £100-150 off ebay.

Ill keep you informed:)

[Simon S]

_{Seems like an excellent idea, I will follow suit}

[goomolique]

Im going to start off my collection with a cartwheel penny or twopence. EF or near.

Any dealers websites you could recommend?

[Peter]

Don't overpay...cat price is far too high and I won't recommend a dealer.

You will have to some searches....part of the fun.

Don't get one with edge knocks....there are plenty about.

[Paulus]

Im going to start off my collection with a cartwheel penny or twopence. EF or near.

Any dealers websites you could recommend?

Just to mention, the twopence is too big for a 2" x 2" flip, which is 'annoying' since every other coin I have fits my preferred storage method!

And as Peter says, beware the EKs on these, they are notorious for them, and edges are often not photographed, or not well enough, by the seller.

[Peckris]

Im going to start off my collection with a cartwheel penny or twopence. EF or near.

Any dealers websites you could recommend?

Perhaps go for the penny if you're prepared to settle for a shade under EF. With the twopence, there's a gulf in availability between genuine EF and above, and GVF or below; the former are genuinely scarce, the latter relatively abundant. And IMO a NEF penny is not only cheaper, but also a nicer looking coin than its 2d counterpart in the same grade.

[goomolique]

Right so i follow your advice and im looking for some top quality coins. No rarities just any coin from each ruler.

So far ive been unlucky.

I check ebay daily, dealers lists, Bloomsbury yesterday and i cant find anything that will suit me.

Ive got my eyes on few lots in DNW september auction but thats months away...

I want to buy first coin for my collection sooner.

Ive been looking for Anne silver/William and Mary half crown/George IV penny/cartwheel penny.

Maybe a nice maundy set

Point me in the right direction please as im running out of ideas.

Thanks

[Coinery]

Goom...I know it's the general recommendation to take your time and know your stuff but, in all honesty, the best learning comes from buying some coins and learning from your mistakes!

The best advice is choose your target...eg, if you fancy modern milled, don't get big on W4 and Victoria, buy some g5 and 6! Hammered? Don't start with Richard III, buy some Edward pennies!

I think you know what I'm saying...buy some coins, you're going to make mistakes, and you have to, in order to have a better understanding for yourself...you can't teach this in words and pictures! Make some mistakes and get onboard, just don't get burnt!

[goomolique]

Yes i know.

Ive done many mistakes already.

Bloody bullion sovereigns.

Time to buy something half decent.

I found couple of nice coins on ebay but they are all slabbed.

And cost twice the guide value.

[Nicholas]

Stay away from ebay. Do some online shopping at credited coin dealers:

http://www.cngcoins.com

http://www.baldwin.co.uk

http://www.rascoins.com

There's a wide variety of coins here. You'll have a dint in your credit card by dinner time. ..

Edited July 6, 2014 by Nicholas

[Paulus]

Hi Goom, there are some very nice coins in the DNW September auction (that I am eyeing too), but if you are keen to acquire your first very high quality example sooner there is plenty available with top dealers (some of which Nicholas has linked to) ... as always it's a matter of what appeals to your eye, and your budget and grade targets.

If you want to avoid rare dates and varieties (as I do), I have no idea of your budget, but rascoins (see link above) in particular has some very nice Anne for sale at the moment (his 'current list' is always littered with items that have already been sold, but I like his 1707 R&P shilling personally. Or perhaps the 1703 VIGO sixpence? - I am commenting on the appeal of the coins (to me), not the price)

Edited July 6, 2014 by Paulus

[goomolique]

And what do you think of www.amrcoins.com/?

[Paulus]

I have never bought from them personally, some very nice looking high grade coins judging by the pics on their web site though! If i'm not careful I will end up spending money I don't have (again!)

[sound]

And what do you think of www.amrcoins.com/?

Martin at AMR Coins is trustworthy. His descriptions are accurate and fair.

Mark

[Nicholas]

These are all good reputable dealers. One caveat. Rare bargains won't last long in the online shops. Coin auctions is where you have a better opportunity to buy well because you know exactly when that coin is for sale and you have time to do your homework prior auction day.

Edited July 6, 2014 by Nicholas

[Nicholas]

BTW, had a look at AMR coins. I don't buy milled much now, but that Northumberland Shilling looks particularly nice....

[Peckris]

And what do you think of www.amrcoins.com/?

BTW, had a look at AMR coins. I don't buy milled much now, but that Northumberland Shilling looks particularly nice....

I just spent a happy half hour (that's all I spent..) browsing their website. I have to say, among the highly expensive items they do have some coins for people more on a budget, even if they are the more common pieces in less than UNC. I've fired off an email to them with my wants list so they can offer me first refusal when they get such coins in.

[Paulus]

BTW, had a look at AMR coins. I don't buy milled much now, but that Northumberland Shilling looks particularly nice....

I thought so too, in fact I enquired about it yesterday!

[goomolique]

And where can i find more info about Queen Anne's silver?

[Nicholas]

See spink current catalogue for images and values of most her coinage and look up any articles on her coinage in British numismatic journal http://www.britnumsoc.org/publications/Digital%20BNJ.shtml

Edited July 8, 2014 by Nicholas

[Paulus]

And where can i find more info about Queen Anne's silver?

Do you mean purely numismatically? In her shortish reign there are silver varieties that promote (perhaps dubiously) a naval victory (VIGO), reflect in the design the union with Scotland in 1707 (by combining the shields, and including an E and E*), and the usual plumes and roses and plumes (denoting silver obtained from Wales and the West Country) - but you probably know all that?