Why Don't People Collect Halfpennies ?

[Rob]

Perhaps it was the way I started the thread, but every now seems to collect Halfpennies. LOL. Does anyone collect Florins or Half-crowns. Are there any dedicated silver Threepence collectors?

If you were to put money on it outside copper and bronze what would you say is the most collected denomination?

Mark

Shillings or hammered

I'd say halfcrowns, crowns, sovereigns, shillings. In that order.

I concur

[sound]

Perhaps it was the way I started the thread, but every now seems to collect Halfpennies. LOL. Does anyone collect Florins or Half-crowns. Are there any dedicated silver Threepence collectors?

If you were to put money on it outside copper and bronze what would you say is the most collected denomination?

Mark

Shillings or hammered

I'd say halfcrowns, crowns, sovereigns, shillings. In that order.

I concur

Interesting that Florins do not get a mention. Arguably, with the gothic obverse and Britannia standing, albeit in different periods, you have the most attractive of all coins?

Mark

[Rob]

That's probably because gothic florins are virtually impossible to get in mint state. Bag marks and a low rim don't help.

[Gary1000]

I collect Farthing to Crown 1900 to 1967 so I guess I collect Half Pennies.

[Peckris]

Back to halfpennies ... the 1806 is by far the commonest denomination of that date, but do you think I can find a decent one to go with my penny and farthing? Not on your Nelly.

[DaveG38]

I think the answer lies in the fact its in the middle. farthings are easy to get in higher grade cheaply, and plenty around, penny is the penny, and what most people probably have many of at the start of collections.

halfpennies are the thing between the 2.

Not only that, but when I was a kid in the dying days of LSD (not THAT LSD), pretty much all halfpennies in change were George II and Elizabeth II. There were very few decent George V and practically no Edward VII or Victoria, when compared to say Pennies. Even now, decent quality halfpennies are not as common as other denominations, nor are they as collected. Not too long ago, I picked up a job lot of EF-UNC Edward VII halfpennies for £140 plus commission, and that included a GEF Low Tide variety. In one single purchase, I upgraded every one of my Edwards without much outlay. Why nobody else wanted to buy this lot in the auction, I've no idea, but similar lots of pennies were going well over the price I paid, so I guess unpopularity explains it.

[Nick]

But it seems that there is no denomination so unloved as the sixpence.

[scott]

sixpences? not really heard of there being any more or less then shillings

part of me expects there to be a show your halfpenny thread appearing :/

Edited September 12, 2014 by scott

[sound]

But it seems that there is no denomination so unloved as the sixpence.

I think that is true unless you throw in silver threepence.

Yet I can't be the only one with a nostalgic view of sixpence's. My mum used to count them out when me and my brother went to the Saturday morning flics. "Sixpence for the bus, sixpence to get in and sixpence to spend.

Boy we were hard up. Now I can afford it I should buy a few. LOL.

Mark

[Michael-Roo]

But it seems that there is no denomination so unloved as the sixpence.

I think that is true unless you throw in silver threepence.

Yet I can't be the only one with a nostalgic view of sixpence's. My mum used to count them out when me and my brother went to the Saturday morning flics. "Sixpence for the bus, sixpence to get in and sixpence to spend.

Boy we were hard up. Now I can afford it I should buy a few. LOL.

Mark

Absolutely! The silver threepenny bit must surely rate as the most unloved coin of all.

[Rob]

Proofs and patterns. OK, it isn't a denomination but I think you will struggle to find many people collecting them, yet it isn't as if they are unaffordable for the most part as many can be purchased for a few hundred up to a few thousand which is similar to sovereigns. The penny boys throw a lot more cash than this at their coins.

Edited September 12, 2014 by Rob

[Peckris]

Proofs and patterns. OK, it isn't a denomination but I think you will struggle to find many people collecting them, yet it isn't as if they are unaffordable for the most part as many can be purchased for a few hundred up to a few thousand which is similar to sovereigns. The penny boys throw a lot more cash than this at their coins.

LMAO

[bronze mad]

Perhaps it was the way I started the thread, but every now seems to collect Halfpennies. LOL. Does anyone collect Florins or Half-crowns. Are there any dedicated silver Threepence collectors?

If you were to put money on it outside copper and bronze what would you say is the most collected denomination?

Mark

I love the 3d i think it was the first silver coin that I had in my early collecting days and it was 1917, it was probably fair, and even now nearly 40 yrs later the one i got now is probably Fine! but thats just the way it goes.

[jaggy]

But it seems that there is no denomination so unloved as the sixpence.

I am, primarily, a collector of sixpences. It all stems from those childhood days when 6d got you into the ABC Minors and 6d also got you a load of sweets to guzzle.

It is a very interesting denomination going back to Henry VIII with a wide range of varieties, patterns, errors, etc. and with more than a fair share of rarities.

[Rob]

The ultimate unpopular denomination/series? The BoE tokens? I've always seen these as unattractive to collectors for the same reason that the Channel Islands coins are ignored. The design is very simple and replicated throughout the series leading to an aestheically bland collection.

[DaveG38]

Perhaps it was the way I started the thread, but every now seems to collect Halfpennies. LOL. Does anyone collect Florins or Half-crowns. Are there any dedicated silver Threepence collectors?

If you were to put money on it outside copper and bronze what would you say is the most collected denomination?

Mark

I love the 3d i think it was the first silver coin that I had in my early collecting days and it was 1917, it was probably fair, and even now nearly 40 yrs later the one i got now is probably Fine! but thats just the way it goes.

The trouble with the threepence is the tedious designs it displays. Leave aside the brass ones for a moment and look at the silver and its fundamentally unchanged right back to 1689. Prior to that, you do get a Roman III in James II's reign and interlinked Cs, with Charles II, but apart from that it's all crowned '3's all the way. Not much real design innovation at all.

[DaveG38]

The ultimate unpopular denomination/series? The BoE tokens? I've always seen these as unattractive to collectors for the same reason that the Channel Islands coins are ignored. The design is very simple and replicated throughout the series leading to an aestheically bland collection.

I'd still like a 1816 three shillings to complete the set!!

[Rob]

The ultimate unpopular denomination/series? The BoE tokens? I've always seen these as unattractive to collectors for the same reason that the Channel Islands coins are ignored. The design is very simple and replicated throughout the series leading to an aestheically bland collection.

I'd still like a 1816 three shillings to complete the set!!

A few have gone through auctions in the last 10 years, though none of these appeared to be unc despite the catalogues saying they were. Any genuine unc is likely to be worth the money spent. NGC pop reports suggest they have slabbed 1 at 64 and 2 at 65, though what grade they are or whether still slabbed is anyone's guess. Hope springs eternal.

[DaveG38]

The ultimate unpopular denomination/series? The BoE tokens? I've always seen these as unattractive to collectors for the same reason that the Channel Islands coins are ignored. The design is very simple and replicated throughout the series leading to an aestheically bland collection.

I'd still like a 1816 three shillings to complete the set!!

A few have gone through auctions in the last 10 years, though none of these appeared to be unc despite the catalogues saying they were. Any genuine unc is likely to be worth the money spent. NGC pop reports suggest they have slabbed 1 at 64 and 2 at 65, though what grade they are or whether still slabbed is anyone's guess. Hope springs eternal.

I've seen one or two GVF or so ones, which would be acceptable, but the prices are still very high for what is as you say a thoroughly unattractive coin.

[Peckris]

But it seems that there is no denomination so unloved as the sixpence.

I am, primarily, a collector of sixpences. It all stems from those childhood days when 6d got you into the ABC Minors and 6d also got you a load of sweets to guzzle.

It is a very interesting denomination going back to Henry VIII with a wide range of varieties, patterns, errors, etc. and with more than a fair share of rarities.

I'm with you there. I think the sixpence is not only a great little denomination, but it was fiercely loved by the GBP prior to decimalisation which is why it got a 10-year stay of execution. I do think the reverse from 1831-1910 is rather bland, but before and after that it was a miniature triumph of the designer's art. Having said that, the 1937-1948 reverse is rather lamentable, but not as bad as the quite awful florin, or the Scottish-lion-having-a-crap design on the shillings.

[AardHawk]

Pre 2009 decimals for me. Loads of interesting varieties to search out. An inexpensive and pleasurable hobby.

Anyone who can rationalize spending thousands of pounds on a coin needs to visit a nut doctor.

[Peckris]

Anyone who can rationalize spending thousands of pounds on a coin needs to visit a nut doctor.

I'd agree with you on my own behalf, but if someone is rich as Croesus and can justify indulging his hobby, I guess £000's are just a sneeze to him.

[Rob]

Yes, it's each to their own. Personally I would sooner have a coin than a flashy car, but for others a car is more desirable. Some people spend thousands on a holiday. The market in used holidays is quite stagnant at present - at least a collection is something you can resell.

[sound]

Pre 2009 decimals for me. Loads of interesting varieties to search out. An inexpensive and pleasurable hobby.

Anyone who can rationalize spending thousands of pounds on a coin needs to visit a nut doctor.

And of course anyone buying high grade over the last ten years, selectively, will have done very nicely as an investment. Just look at how prices have increased. Some of these 'nut doctor patients' are laughing all the way to the bank. LOL.

Mark

[jaggy]

Pre 2009 decimals for me. Loads of interesting varieties to search out. An inexpensive and pleasurable hobby.

Anyone who can rationalize spending thousands of pounds on a coin needs to visit a nut doctor.

From time to time I revalue my coins for insurance purposes. I also compare market/retail value to cost. Needless to say - and quite apart from the pleasure I get in them - my coin collection is far from my worst investment.