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Couple of my rarer Henry III's, Wallingford Mint, classes 3ab Alisandre, Ricard

I have all the Beatrix Potter 50ps as standard brilliant uncirculated coins. Wish I had ordered a couple of those silver proofs when they first came out. Hindsight is a wonderful thing ...

Done that once or twice ? AIIB i call them. Short for alcohol induced impulse buy!

Yes, and Yes, and probably then gone on ebay in a stupor and only realised later when the postman arrives.

I think this has to be the most beautiful gold coin I have plucked from the ground. This was found some 25 years ago, every time I look at it I think about the poor person that dropped it. It still has luster around the legends.

I obviously have my own areas of loyal interest, but just thought of an idea for myself and, of course, others who struggle with the big question 'where to start' with collecting! One of the issues I've noted with newcomer questions, time and time again, is that of what to collect? 'Do I collect bronze, copper, silver, pennies, crowns, etc.?' Well, I've an idea, founded upon the other great collection struggle, that of having a decent collection quickly, which I'm sure is part of the reason we all end up with a useless pile of bullion once we settle into quality collecting! OK, so here's my strategy, and recommendation for those who are unsure where to start! Collect denomination year sets, and learn all about Bronze, Copper, Silver, CuNi, Gold even, and discover varieties, errors, so on, etc, etc,! As an example, I thought I'd snaffle an easy 1901 set off eBay, which started with a very cheap UNC penny, followed by a bargain 6D! The HC, HP, Farthing, and shilling, happened over a couple of months, with maybe a little bit of reselling to get these right! However, I now concede that I have watched quite some time for a 'right-priced' florin and the gold, and happily accept I will have to visit auctions or dealers to acquire these in top grades which, incidentally, is also part of the fun! Now, I presently don't have the resources to pursue the rest of my 1901 set, but I do have a small amount with which to watch eBay and snaffle the occasional pretty thing 321275869721 and start the whole process over again! So over the next few months I'll be keeping an eye on 1886, looking for a steal, and will inevitably stumble upon the denominations of that year that I'll have to seek out again at the dealers, fairs, or auctions! It keeps the fires burning, and keeps the grey matter and reading going forth! It excites me to snaffle some cheap things and begin another set of something, whilst I can't afford the harder pieces! Key point is, it's a manageable way of finding out what you like, and encourages visits to all the main collection resources! For me personally I quite like it all...so a copper, big silver, little silver, and piece of gold offends me not in the least! Happy daze!

bought this a little while ago, i do like the NGC slabs, i find the coin rather pleasing Graded PF 63 Matte

defo rhuddlan and bidders know it at that price

and some dealers,

So it boils down to several strikes or 3 to make a proof qualify as opposed to circulation coins that are only struck once Specially prepared dies with ( Mirror finish) as opposed to normal luster (1937 brass threepence hardly has mirrored fields) and most pundits when you read their synopsis on which coins are rare and which are just tall stories. They all comment on not being able to tell a proof apart from an unc /BU coin unless they have both in hand to reference. Special treated dies to make everything stand out as detailed as possible. So where do proof-likes come from because unless they are early strikes from business sets of dies it would infer these were also treated or made on pre-prepared dies. I just can't make the leap between normal lustered finish to mirrored finish if a coin came from the same die pairing?

Rendell Ingram probably doesn't know how to photoshop, if the abysmal quality of his website pics are anything to go by. Sometimes I think he takes pics in the dark !

very nice, retrograde N and 5 3 1 pellet crown configuration

Looks OK to me but a bit too heavy on the price. John is an ex cop and like able internet bud.He says as he sees it.He fishes,smokes cuban cigars and likes football....welll Newcastle.

This kind of follows on from the LCA coin that is way over graded And also gives solid doubt as to the intentions of a company that is a grader and an auctioneer and a selling outlet. Now if this isn't a cause for concern over conflict of interest or stoking the pot for your own profit I don't know what is. We know our coins when sent to CGS are very much under graded yet some coins you see for sale look vastly over graded. Coincidence? Well I don't believe in coincidence when you see coins that just don't warrant the grades given by a so called reputable grading house. Not unless they are their own self sourced raw's that are being slabbed with wishful thinking grades to maximise profit. If you look long enough it is glaringly obvious something fishy is going on. This coin is a perfect example of grading for profit. I cannot see that they would grade that coin 65 unless they owned it to begin with? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RARE-KEY-DATE-1925-FLORIN-SLABBED-CGS-65-BRITISH-SILVER-COIN-FROM-GEORGE-V/201845918225

What a beauty!

It was a nice feeling seeing that lump fall out of the clod.

Stunning!! I'd of been gutted if I'd of dropped that back in the day.

2009 BU set (yes I know before you say it ) But Kew is Kew so the one in the set must also be rare right? errrm in a word not even close lol. I have spent hours trying to put right the myth that all things Kew are rare. Pleading with folk not to waste their money on inflated prices because of fake news. Granted the circulation issue will be scarcer now as most are in the nation's draw at home But 20-30 years down the line when they surface what will they be worth? I would almost guarantee nowhere near what they are now. Anything Kew outside of the circulation issue isn't rare or even scarce compared to it's other 50 pence counterparts as in BU sets, Silver Proofs and Piedfort proofs but the prices for these coins gain momentum along side the circulation issues. Time will bear out that all this buying of non rare sets and proofs will be a bad investment. Purely because there are so many still out there and will be for a long long time. I bought the scouts silver proof piedfort 50 pence for £35 the 2nd lowest mintage of the 50 p piedforts only the bugle blow 50p is scarcer and that has a high value. Why? Again fake news for a coin nobody liked. yet look at the difference in the prices of the Kew selling x5 that price. Logic goes out the window lol.

Not really sure I would say IMPETUOUS, I probably could think of a few choicer words...

Although I contributed to this thread back in 2012, I have literally only just read the fantastic response from Michael Freeman above. As Pete would say "hat off". I refer to Mr Freeman's book literally on a daily basis. Obviously over time - a very protracted period of time - some of his estimates will be questioned and revised. But for the overwhelming most part, they are considered pretty much as accurate today as they were when first compiled back in the 1960's. That is some feat, and testament to his skill and dedication. Thank you MIchael.

Yes.......NO CHANCE

Bought this a few days ago just waiting for it to arrive through the post. Not listed as far as I am aware. Anyone have 1? 1864 Half Penny stop between H and A and it is a very prominent stop as well. Makes up for some indifferent buys lately

Hi I must say, I welcome your input, and please do continue as we all can learn from each other. I posted the three types of R plus E as I thought it would be of interested to you. I am very interested in date differences , and do collect differing date widths, some of which are extremely rare . I know many collectors don't bother with them, but interest is growing, as can be seen by the sales recently of an 1896 extremely wide date worn penny on London Coins for £200, and the 1904 narrow date selling at Colin Cooks for £70. Good luck in your collecting. Terry

I've found three types on the 1890 , your two, and one with the E in REG rotated clockwise making the R and E not line up at the bottom, the E is higher up than the R. I have also open and closed REs on 1889s , and on two 1891 Ex. wide date , unlisted 16 tooth pennies. Pictures of the 1891 later

This is the sort we're all looking for