Chris Perkins

No really! I was in Arundel once on the Sussex coast and the locals there told me about a fierce dragon that used to terrorize the inhabitants just 600 years ago. You obviously didn't have Dragons in Spain Juan!

I think the nakedness was probably artistic licence, but who knows, he could have been in a nudist area when all of a sudden a great big dragon nabbed a sausage off his barbeque or something! But there were real dragons and he did slaughter them, I have no doubt about that!

Dear Alex, I have a few nice 1935 King George V Crowns and earlier ones, as well as 1990 (Queen mum) ABU £6.00, 1998 (Charles) UNC but bag marked £5 and 1996 (Queens Birthday) BU ex set £7.50. I also have some lovely Victorian Crowns: http://www.predecimal.com/forsale/crowns.htm

That is horrible isn't it. And also the 'Lets Roll' could really be taken in a right wing way. To me it sometimes looks like life in America is just one big long movie anyway! 9/11 was the biggest single loss of US lives outside of a warzone, but all this commemorative crap that's coming after it is in danger of doing the exact opposite of what it's supposed to do, and actually trivialise the whole event. (although everyone knows it only supposed to make money) To be honest I've had it up to my ears hearing about those 'brave' victims and all the American patriotic crap that I'm sick of the bloody thing now and I'd almost forgotten that there actually were poor innocent victims that had lost their lives! It makes it look like 9/11 was all just a big money making exercise!!

I think it's most likely North African, and most likely not as old as it looks...Owing to the fact that modern minting equipment didn't reach a lot of the world until about the late 1800's. Not my area though.

Go for the ones that cost face value and don't pay silly prices for bits of card/plastic that are unlikely to help the coin ever be worth more. I have a few post 1990 Crowns, which do you need?

I think the first batch sold out sharpish. I should be getting one soon from a dealer friend. (Sponk )

And what happens if one side is more worn than the other? Do you get AU58/EF45, or does it bring the whole coin down to AU50?

What's FVG???

Because there are tiny signs of wear, so it can't be UNC.... Britannia's head, lower part of the ribbon in Victoria's hair, one of the leaves in the wreath. It's bloody good, so perhaps it's a GEF, or if it could be put down to cabinet friction, perhaps AUNC. No doubt an American would call it AU58, or even MS60 Brown! Dare you to send it for slabbing!

First is around VF, second is around EF.

Wreath Crowns all have milled edges.

Do you know, they make so much money, you wouldn't believe it!

The packaging of special Wedding, Baby and Executive sets also falls into that catagory.

Well I put it up considerably, but I'm not paying more than £16 for it! I'll wait until the 2005 gets settled in and then find one.

Actually my 2004 Spink has pretty much fallen to bits through use and I would like a nicer edition to keep for reference, so I may just bid on that Oli. (If anyone else from here bids I'll ban you from the forum! - Not really, that would probably be ethically wrong) I have an unused CYB, because I was selling them and just kept one back.

Yes, but there are powers at work greater than us.

Or there is a possibility that it was milled somehow by a 3rd party at some point after it was made. In Freeman there are mentions of pennies that were milled but found out to have been milled later.

Around VF.

But do they appeal to real collectors or are they just aimed at people that read Sunday magazines, novices and tourists. Novices see coins and they think wow, that set will be worth thousands one day, just like an 1826 proof set (for example) when really that will never be the case because the newer sets are made in huge numbers and readily available to every T, D and Harry. I'm all for putting the populas (sp) straight on this matter, and have hedged towards that in CCGB2005. If people want to buy novelties because they look pretty, then so be it...But they should never imagine that what they have is exclusive or will ever have much more value above the issue price plus inflation. (although there are a few exceptions in the modern series of course, 1989 Sovs, error 2p etc)

Do we really need any commemorative, apart from those that actually commemorate really important events, coronations, jubilees and the like.

According to Freeman farthings (and the other bronze coins) are composed of: 1860 - 1922 95% Copper, 4% Tin and 1% Zinc (although variations did occur) 1923 - 1942 95.5% Copper, 3% Tin and 1.5% Zinc 1942 - 1945 97% Copper, 0.5% Tin and 3.5% Zinc 1945 - 1956 (as 1923 - 1942)

If they want to come and get them printed here, they can....I'll simply get them printed in Hungary instead! I'm sure perhaps the competition have thought about having them printed abroad, but I suspect the logistics and the fact they (especially Spink, and Token publishing who print their own) probably get bloddy good deals in the UK will prevent that.

Not with you. How could the oppositon benefit? (unless they get theirs printed here too!)

No, not at all, I had a couple to sell for Richard of www.coinsforsale.co.uk. I have a strange double sided squashed 1966 Florin and a 1929 milled edge halfpenny. Nothing much else.