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Just a note to say thank you to them. I was taken to a private hospital last Friday evening. However after quick pain killing injections and scans they did not have a surgeon available for the problem and needed imediate treatment /surgery at 8.00 PM Immediately i was taken to a local NHS hospital by ambulance. The NHS have there problems but they let me out last night and we dont realise what they do until we need them. Thanks again. Pete.

When my mother was ill over the last couple of years of her life, the NHS in Glasgow was outstanding. I have nothing but praise for them. So were Glasgow social services. Having lived outside the UK for quite a long time, I do have experience of other health systems and specifically the Swiss and US systems. They all have their pros and cons and I don't plan to get into those here. But I don't think many Brits realise what great value the NHS represents compared to those other systems. The care you get is generally very good and you pay a lot less than either the Swiss or Americans for it. One problem with the NHS is that it is politicised and a great opportunity for politicians to score point and get media attention. So far too much time is spent looking for problems to highlight and saying good things about the NHS will always deliver poorer publicity than saying bad things. Best wishes to Dave and Pete for a rapid recovery.

I hope you soon get over whatever the problem was, Pete. I know from what you said on facebook that you've been through the mill with this injury, David. But as you and Pete quite rightly say, the NHS are absolutely brilliant. Their staff deal with crisis and underfunding on a daily basis. I don't often agree with Jeremy Corbyn, but he is spot on when he says the NHS should get an immediate cash injection. Funnily enough, I've just done a You Gov poll, which asked whether I would have any problem with the basic rate of Income Tax increasing from 20p to 21p to help the NHS, and whilst I would normally rail against any form of tax increase, I couldn't help but agree with that one. Although we could save quite a bit by imposing a 5 year moratorium on foreign aid.

Thought you'd been quiet Pete - hope you're on the mend now. I've never had less than great service from the NHS.

Woke up this morning with a slightly swollen knee and painful calf. Thought to myself that I'd better check for a clot. Rang surgery for appointment. Receptionist found me one in just 10 minutes. Drove like a bat out of hell to the health centre. Waited 5 minutes to see the doc. Quick examination and told not to worry, it's just some fluid retention, take ibuprofen and a bit more exercise. Back home 10 minutes later, relieved and back to normal. How could the service from the NHS be any better? And this kind of service is typical of what I see where I live. In my view too many people have a negative view of the NHS because the media hype up the slightest problem into a full blown crisis, when in reality the vast majority of patienst have a very positive experience from their doctor/health cntre..

Get well soon Pete, I think most of the NHS problems are just over exaggerated media hype . Terry

Fingers crossed for a rapid recovery Pete! Having worked in the NHS for over 30 years I know the pressures it faces, but for an emergency treatment it is still very capable and more responsive than most private alternatives. I do think the NHS has to revisit its roots and re-purpose and reform to some extent to survive in its primary role, that of keeping the seriously ill safe and resolving their threatening issues. I wish the politicians would keep out of it, and give the funding through a truly independant body of professionals and patient advocates. Jerry

Can I second that in spades! on 20 September I fell at home, getting my leg tangled in furniture, leading to a fracture of the distal femur just above the knee. I was in hospital until just before Xmas, and I am still non weight bearing, so sleeping downstairs and walking with a Zimmer All the NHS staff were brilliant, and I mean all , not just doctors and nurses, also the physios, OTs, porters, cleaners etc. The main problem they were all working long shifts and there was gross understaffing. I saw staff in tears due to frustration they couldn't give the level of care they thought patients needed. So I am still receiving treatment, I need to go back in shortly for a marrow treatment to encourage new bone growth.

I agree with the A B C system for major variations, but I collect these plus date variations , now I know that its not most peoples area of interest , but there are some long established collectors like Ian [Alfnail] . I have come up with about eight differing unlisted date width types ,some extremely rare which have little value , but the interest in them is growing, as can be seen by the 189 6 extremely wide date penny in at best Fine condition sold on LCA for £200 . Now Goubys date width list is pretty comprehensive , listed as A B C etc and not as a say a 12 tooth narrow date or say a 16 tooth wide date ,which can instantly be recognised . With a numbered or Lettered system you find yourself having to refer to the manual all the time. I feel though, this would only be applicable to date widths. Terry

Good to hear - and hope you're OK.

Superb acquisition Nons

its probably just the lack of quality no faker could ever hope to reach

For me, it's Freeman all the way down the line. Whilst I have read the Gouby books cover to cover, and greatly admire his work and outstanding level of detail, I just can't get used to his classification system, and find myself constantly cross referencing back to Freeman numbers. Besides which, as far as I'm concerned, there has to be a natural limit on the collection, otherwise it could just go on forever, delving deeper and deeper into the tiniest discrepancies. That said, Gouby has turned up some new discoveries, which very much are of interest.

Let's just hope they don't lose it in Tahiti, because some metal detectorist in the future would have a hell of a job explaining how a Northumbrian styca found its way to the middle of the Pacific.

Re: Wives and coins. Some members may recall that I received an unsolicited offer for a 1853 proof sixpence about a month after I had acquired it (I discussed it on here). Anyway, I accepted the offer and made a 68% profit on the coin in less than two months. Needless to say, my wife was most impressed and even more so when I invested some of the profit in buying her a pearl necklace in a Heritage jewelry auction. She now believes that coins are a 'good thing' and that I actually know what I am doing with them. As such, I get no grief when investing part of my money (we both have our own dosh) in them.

New dies are always coming to light, albeit infrequently. Not related to pennies, but the past 10 years has seen a new bust recognised for both James I and Charles I shillings. And I would love to know what the attached punch was used on. It currently sits in the box of halfcrown punches in the RM museum. It does show signs of being used.

In my opinion, Freeman number will always be the prime definition of variety detail but, because it will become increasingly out of date, it will have more and more omissions. Gouby tends to fill these gaps and his identification system is flexible enough to allow endless introductions and his Victorian penny book is the most exhaustive in terms of listing the different varieties which collectors would pursue and label their coins to. Other publications tend to take the difference in varieties to ever more esoteric and trivial (?) levels of detail but which do provide the collector with something to look out for during periods of coin drought. So, what do people collect ? My theory is that the more money one has to spend on one's collection, the more one concentrates on the "major" varieties, i.e. Freeman and Gouby's original Bronze Penny list (i.e. without the numerous minor date differences etc). The less affluent collector will tend to pursue the esoteric/trivial "varieties" because many of them go unnoticed and can be obtained at less expense. This is my opinion and I may be quite wrong. If I am right, them there won't be much money for the dealer in seeking out these varieties as they won't realise huge prices. I'm basically a Freeman man myself.

Could make for an interesting conversation with the auctioneers: "Hello, I've bought a box of rocks..."

A newbie, the pictures do not do the toning justice....

1909 1 to tooth I have found is rarer then the open 3 1903

Another one i got from Guy .....The Coinery Glad i didnt buy a lower grade one as another to keep. 1865/3 and thanks to a couple of forum members for confirming the variety. Pete.