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Bought one of these today, just so someone might talk to me. A common date, but an OK grade I’d say

Very nice grade in fact, and issue free. Whenever I see an 1862, I always automatically look for three possibilities, a) halfpenny sized date, b) VIGTORIA, c) F38. Admittedly all exceedingly unlikely.

It's a big improvement on the last, but still the up-close finish is lacking. As someone once said to me in the 90's, "nice from far, but far from nice", and I've never forgotten it. We get plagued by tree rats here, so pots will be at a minimum which is a shame as they give you so much more versatility. I need to get a Jack Russell, a proper countryman's dog.

Couldn't add the second one, so here it is

Ah, wish I could tell you exactly but I recall it was early to mid 90s. It was very large and included such as gold strikes of all the "silver" denominations that are attributed to the LONDON mint! Also matte proof sets of all the 1927-1953 years, and BOTH 1922/4 LONDON mint satin specimen/proof sets, and proof sets of many other years (so called VIP record proofs). Even at that time with relatively low interest in proofs of George V and VI, all of these sold relatively rapidly at what today would be bargain prices. I was desperate to pull together funds to get what I could as I knew that there could not be too many such hordes out there. Again what was remarkable is not that many were very rare (which they were) but in some cases represented the sole source of some coins, and these also again London mint issues! Nobody has ever been able to explain to me how in the world that occurred. As far as I know there was no official announcement of these sales and although I can not prove it, am of the understand that these left under somewhat nefarious circumstances with "insiders" walking away with many for but a song. As a side note it is and was very difficult to get sets from the 1928-1936 years that included TRUE Wreath crowns in proof; parenthetically I regret to say that many of the slabbed Wreath proofs IMHO, as well as Steve Hills, and M. Rasmussen are not actually proofs.

I've mentioned this with pictures on my varieties website for Edward VII pennies but haven't noticed it on 1900 pennies.

Nice chap is Mark. Spent a few quid with him over the past year and has some nice pieces. Always ready for a chat.

That makes my Mother-in-Law a Type 2 then....

Oh, bugger! Another change to the 20th Century bronze varieties book.

Damn I wish I'd thought of that one - very good!

LOL, I am an inveterate collector and almost never sell unless I have a double. Thanks though.

By doing this they put themselves in a "Conflict of interests" between themselves and the public . In other words they end up making more money from the public and "Investors" At least if these were sold by an unrelated auction house there would be no connection between the producer and the consumer.

This horror I think.

One piece of advice I would always give to those interested in buying commemoratives - buy gold. Whatever else happens, they will never lose their bullion value.

Indeed, and IMHO they are cheapening "the Brand". They are really starting to drive me away and there are few bits I order from them, whilst confessing to getting a couple of the Great Sculptor coins. I have even gotten some of their clearance items in the past - which should have remained duly on the shelves of the RM warehouse. I think I was getting not so much as authenticity but on the notion that coins at their auction somehow now have a RM provenance - almost hinting at the buyer at such auctions could be latter day Norwebs & all. A bit of a diversion: of course some of us remember when the Pretoria Branch Mint DID INDEED deaqusition their holdings, or at least a substantial portion & don't think the RM will be doing so....

As you can see, the rest of the reverse is standard - pretty much what you'd expect. It was the date that drew my attention to it when I first saw it on sale (by a dealer who was just selling it as a bog standard 1887 JH).

Varieties are (or can be) difficult to weigh up in terms of their noteworthiness. I agree with @Mr T that Freeman is probably the very best source for modern milled bronze, although he starts at 1860 for pure currency coins, at the commencement of the bronze era. All his varieties are taken very seriously, whereas some of the more recently discovered ones never seem to resonate with dealers and collectors - minute date width differences+ being an obvious example. As far as current values you need a decent website, as book values soon become out of date. You might find this useful, possiby - link