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It's great ain't it!

That's a bit strong! Wouldn't it be fairer to say that they are simply a guide, as various members have said, and that a complete newbie could judge from them which are the rarest types and dates? They would also see from them, that Edward VII silver in general is much scarcer and pricier than Geo V for example. Ok, we experienced collectors know that already, but if I were buying a Caracalla denarius in GVF, I'd at least know the general ballpark I was in. I think it would be fairer to say that all price guides should be taken with a pinch of salt, but in general, and depending on the eye appeal, strike quality, etc, one could vary a given value up or down by something considerably less than 100%. Exceptional rarities that only come on the market once in a blue moon would command their own values, of course.

French jeton 15th C - made in Tournai (now in Belgium) a similar one here

An example for consideration. Yesterday I bought an Oxford 2/6d, so making a timely comparison in various references I see the following - CMV (2013) has Oxford halfcrown from £325 Fine, £750 VF; Spink (2014) doesn't have the variety fully listed, but based on the obverse which is and what I interpret as the correct ref for the reverse, Fine is £250, VF £750. CCGB doesn't go this far back, and CYB I haven't got. So CMV lists a catch all figure starting at 325 but this number has to cover over 100 die combinations, some of which are very common, others are unique. Spink have 25 different references for Oxford halfcrowns which is considerably better, but still don't have the reverse description for the coin I purchased included in the list. I paid twice book on the basis that an example sold for roughly the same in Adams (2005) and in any case I only have a list of 5 coins from two die combinations in total to choose from once the BM's coin is taken off the list. The VF price has only gone up from £675 in 2006 to £750 today for the same ref no. The only conclusion to be drawn is that no reference is of the slightest use. Do your own spadework if you need a number.