Chris Perkins

1) Collectors' Coins Great Britain 2) Collectors' Coins Ireland 3) Collectors' George III Coins 4) Collectors' Roman Coins 5) Collectors' Bank Notes (GB) Yes, those are the 5 main finished books that I will be getting. There have been more over the years so I think I'll inherit a couple of unfinished books (One of which is Collectors' Roman Coins part 2 which covers silver Roman coins) and there's even a Stamp book too, but it never really took off.

Oh dear, the usual 'We found these coins in the vault that we didn't realise we had'. Who is this Alan magician that seems to make coins appear from no where? And that's bordering on mis representation too, because it's playing on the 2p New pence rumour. It almost (to the untrained eye) implies that the 2p's with 'New pence' on them are rare: Very misleading for ameteurs, and anyone that buys those coins at that price (or the other price :s) should not be collecting coins. I would hate to think of someone buying those for a gift for someone too. That is outrageous, do Coincraft actually have anything that wasn't either commissioned by them, or that is available in large numbers?

That had crossed my mind too, especially when I looked at the entire page of Victorian decimal patterns, milles and so on! I wondered if any of the 13,000 people that own this edition, actually own any Victorian decimal patterns? So how do we feel about leaving out the mega rare pattern/proof coins? In a way I'd like to put them for completeness but I do understand that they are not the relevant, certainly most of them. Plus the fact that the higher value and the rarer the coin is, the more difficult it is to put a price on. I'm not sure.

Perhaps one of us will get a letter!

Some overdates you cannot spot unless you magfify x10 so although highly unlikely, it cannot be ruled out. More than likely if there is anything there, it'll be where one die blow failed to register with the other and caused an 8 with two bottom circles, or something like that.

Yes, and the main task isn't to capture the coin in full glory. It would be impossible to illustrate every type, so the pictures are just to add effect really, to break the text.

He said he specialises in Samoan Princess Diana commomoratives! (I really don't know, but I would think British)

No no, I meant the Christ, from Christopher! Do pay attention double o seven.

I think colour would be too expensive. I have an American coin book with glossy colour pictures in and it looks wonderful, but the most important thing is that I get the customers because of the low price. The images in Spink are greyscale and fine, I'd hope for something like that.

Don't look up to anyone Master JMD, not even Jesus. You are in your body, and only you can do right by it.

Lucky I was sitting down when I followed that link! If I wasn't so polite I'd say really rude words at this point.

Good point, how spooky is that! And what about the first 6 letters of my name! Maybe I am the second coming and just don't know it yet

You're right Geoff, decimal stuff does have a place. I just wish they'd make less of the bloody stuff to save my pages! I may see if I can cut it down, but I would never cut it out. I will absolutely put the apostrophe in Geoff, and that apostrophe shall be forever dedicated to you.

Yes, i know, but I'm getting strict now, as the outcome of this area may directly affect my yearly income! Let's keep to the layout topic, we've agreed that the cover is crap (textured would be just an extra expense that I would rather not pass on). So what about the inside? Is there anyone that is not familiar with Collectors Coins Great Britain 2004?

Hey chaps, we're doing the usual and getting ahead of ourselves!!! Master JMD, if you want it textured then you can pay for whatever printing techinique that would involve! Emp Oli, your German made sense to me, except I'm not married to the girl, she's just Meine freundin right now. Master JMD, the major point about these titles is the price, and the fact that at £4.50 the books are at least £3.49 cheaper than the nearest competition. A price increase of £2.00 would be out of the question I'm afraid. The books are currently by the same author. Penny Master, the coin on the cover is irrelevant at this stage.

I don't know which is the worst thing about The Phoenix - the OTT prices, the fact that it's jam-packed with things like Samoan Princess Di memorial crowns or its complete disregard for the basics of English grammar and punctuation. I got the latest edition yesterday and it was in the bin before bedtime. (On balance, I think it's its illiterate English which really makes me weep). I don't like the way that the Coincraft literature really seems to sound so American. Fair enough, so American English has crept in everywhere, and I'll admit that some of it isn't really bad, and I don't cringe as much as I used to at most things. I dare say when relaxed I may even slip into a little Ameriglish (do you like that!?) sometimes myself. But I really cannot spend too much time reading a coin craft text without clicking on the right hand cross or casting the thing aside. Did you know, the man himself (ever such a nice chap, of course) Richard Lobel, is in fact an American. I know that, because I've rubbed shoulders with him literally, and heard him speak at London Coin fairs.

Correct, the cover is dated and quite nasty and has had that blue/black/white look for sometime now. The reason it is only produced in 2 ink colours was a technical/time consuming reason. Apparently with the equipment they have it takes a very long time to put different colour inks on the page and the results were not always great. The reason blue/black are the current colours is because the book has always been blue/black, and to aid identifaction. So with the identification thing in mind I think I will modernise the cover design to the maximum given the technology available at the German printers. If it can be full technicolour (and not cost much more) then I'd be inclined to do something full colour with perhaps a blue and black feel. I think tranditionally the cover has always illustrated the new coins for that year, which is sensible I suppose. I don't know what actual coins will be on the next cover at this stage, but I would really like to improve the cover on the book. I do have Adobe Photoshop, but it's in German, so could prove a little difficult!

That's the one! A Bezel, like the Bezel on some watches. Thanks kuhli

I've sorted yours Master JMD

It's something only I can do. Let me know if you would like to change yours, and to what.

For some reason adding the secret area and giving you lot permission has ruined the formatting of your signatures. I don't know why, but I think I'll have to ask you to play around with the HTML to try to put them right.

Some of you may notice I have created the Rotographic research forum. This forum is for the discussion of the publiscations and is accessible by the following members: Chris Perkins (my new name) Emperor Oli William Sylvester Master JMD Penny Master Geoff T Mint Mark Custard1966 TomGoodheart bob-e kuhli Edward Other members cannot view the area at all. If you would like to help with price and other general research for numismatic publications on a voluntary basis please ask me to be given permission to access that area.

Yes, well done Oli!! But it's the name for the mounting type that I was thinking of.

No, that certainly isn't fine. And the uneven wear arround the edge probably indicates it was used as jewellery and probably held loosly in an enclosed ring (there is a name for what I'm thinking of). You paid the market value, but it certainly wasn't a snip.

Woah there William! Keep your socks on, I've only just paid the deposit for the Rotographic company and it might be 6 weeks before the money comes through and then I will probably go over to meet the current owners in person. Only then can I even think about timescales. Right now, all we can do is brainstorm for ideas. And I'm already very pleased with the points of view and suggestions of improvements that have been put forward.