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Hi everyone Apologies as you’ve probably been asked this a million times! I'm a fledgling collector as far as actually trying to get organised and care for my coins, but I’ve been collecting in a very loose sense for many years. Having read up a bit about it, I know I’m doing it all wrong! So I want to store things properly and get some real information on everything. Coins have always fascinated me, especially the old ones with a real life story in every scuff and mark. I’ve got a bit of everything at the moment, but nothing (as far as I know yet!) of any great value. Just a few small collections that I’ve picked up in jumble, and my own years of adding this and that to a pot... I’d like some advice on the best equipment to get for a beginnner watching their pocket, and I’d also like to know a second tier of storage for more protection that costs a bit more. I know to avoid PVC, to not clean your coins, to only touch the edges (only found that one out recently!) and that circulated coins operate in a whole different sphere to mint and proof coins in blocks and specialist cases. Nubim and lighthouse, pockets and pouches, acid-free and non-pvc... I’ve read a few forum threads and some websites, but there isn’t much straightforward advice for the enthusiastic beginner who wants to treat their coins as well as they can afford, and just wants some pointers I’ve probably got about 300 British coins 1700-modern, and another 100 of many different countries, and a couple of roman coins. One third reich 1943 ten pfennig coin, black with age and portent, which fascinates me. Also some presentation coins, a couple in hard plastic cases and one in a wallet. I’d like to keep everything together, and I’d love to be able to label them (I can do small, neat writing). Specifically, I’ve read a lot about not cleaning your coins, but the latest lot I got (for free from a chap clearing out a relative’s things) which had been stored in a coin bag, each ten or so wrapped in cling film, and they feel all sticky and have sticky-looking marks on them, which I think I should get off before they get damaged any further. Do I just do the distilled water 30-day soak, or use a cleaning cloth, or almething else? Are gloves necessary? Can you recommend a good starter book for reference?! Looking forward to some of your suggestions, and I’m excited at the thought of starting to collect more seriously. Thank you so much!

It is die pair 7+H from Freeman's book, with the H under date for a Heaton mint. One of the most common pairs, I'm afraid...

Hi and welcome to the forum. Thats a lot of questions and a really good first post............ sure you will get some answers First one is dont IMO try to clean or buy anything for the next couple of weeks and spend the time reading old threads etc. If you type in the search box top right anything your interested in , its probably been discussed before. Pete.

I think the higher concentrations are at a uniform depth, i.e. any blanching by whatever means would go to a similar depth across the surface, but only the high points suffer exposure as they are the only parts that get worn. The coin has to be in a fairly dire state, say VF or below before you see any appreciable wear to the protected areas.

It still can't be a halfcrown though. The halfcrown has different lettering, which is why I excluded it.

There's still plenty of us Cranky old bastards who are not politically correct.

Either way, it would be very much appreciated. VickySilver has shown me a couple of images and I can see how they don't always show what you see in the hand, but as tesco says, every little helps - especially with coins.

I spent some time in Geelong in the mid 1980s working at ANAHL shortly before it had the name change to Australian Animal Health Laboratories (AAHL). A change probably hastened by the frequent pronunciation of the former acronym as anal and not AN followed by a drawn out AHL as I was informed it should be. Great time, in the good old days before Oz became politically correct.

FFS I bought a BU example for £3.50 back in the day.Excites me as much as Katie Price's plastic Tits...it will go on the bay.

Shades of the 1950/51 penny craze of the late 1960's? There were 210,000 minted. In the 2014 Coin Yearbook, they were listed at £4.00 per UNC specimen. That had risen to £30 in the 2017 book. I imagine the rise in value is being caused to some extent by current demand exceeding supply. But there are a number on offer. Out of interest It might be worth keeping an eye on this one due to end tomorrow, and currently at about £30. Just to see where it ends up.