Chris Perkins

Yes, the Triumph straight 6 is a very tuneable engine. The Injected 2.5l version in the TR6 was good for 150bhp as standard. Better exhaust manifold and downpipes instantly add 10-15bhp and the 1998cc has been bored out to a 2.7l. I'm sure the 2.5 can be increased to over 3l and must be good for 225+bhp when tuned. Plenty of room in many Triumphs for engine upgrades too, like this one with 434bhp and enough torque to actually wheelie: http://www.chriswitor.com/proddetail.php?prod=11secondRWYBTriumph2000Streetcar It's a lot of work and expense though, so hence most people just buy a Subaru.

Peck, it's 2014. How many drivers out there would actually recognise either of them? A Herald is too Thora Herd and even in Vitesse guise with a straight 6 (same engine as my current 2000) and double headlights it's still a bit too 1950s suburbia post-war sensible older person with large framed NHS glasses runaround, for me. Ask me again in 20 years though.

The sides will probably be smooth and blank and the design details will be colour printed onto it in China, Elvis-coin style!

I am loyal to Triumph, have been all my driving life and am a 3rd gen Perkins Triumph driver, so I can't possibly go MG and see no reason to as there are ample various Triumphs for various budgets and uses. One day I quite fancy a TR6 or a Stag, or a 2500S estate. Ooo, wouldn't say no to a GT6 either.

My MG head gasket went and the levels were never low as far as I know (unless the previous owner buggered it), but it certainly can't hurt to check, and when you get the mayo it usually first appears as spots on the oil filler screw-cap. I check the Triumph 2000 fluids daily too, mainly because I know that one of its twin Stromberg carbs weeps a bit and it needs new needle damper oil every day or it runs rough. That reminds me, I must get a new gasket set when I'm over there.

It's 292k to be precise, and I think that's fairly average, or even below average. I've had Fairways with 350k or 370k on the clock, and the clocks tend to stop working at every round 100k so it was probably higher. 21k miles. You must be on the 2nd or 3rd head gasket by now then? I had a 2001 MGF years ago (1.6VVC with TF front and rear ends). Was a fine motor, but a bit too refined to drive and with the dreaded K Series head gasket issues, I was unable to relax in it. The best proper go-cart-like open top British sportscar I had was a '78 Triumph Spitfire. You sit a couple of inches off the ground (usually on a damp seat), wild rear end, not really that fast but utterly bonkers.

That would logically mean then, that all of the existing round £1 coins (real ones and fakes) would be demonetised fairly quickly and they would therefore have to mint enough new dodecahedron coins (1.5bn+ ?) to replace 34 years worth of £1 coins! It's a massive task in order to eliminate £45m in fakes. Osborne's must be a uniface pattern I suppose. I wonder if he gave it back.

Yes, I fly to Stansted Tuesday afternoon but am on public transport down to SE London to pick up the Taxi. What have you got?

Well, this is the taxi I've bought. This is one of the photos as provided by Deptford Don. It's a '98 TX1 with under 300k on the clock (below average for these) and it's got the chrome grille, fake walnut dash, aircon and a CD player. Metallic green isn't the colour I would have bought new, but beggars can't be choosers, eh. It's always fun getting these insured as the insurers don't seem to understand that taxis can be used as anything other than as taxis. Direct Line will insure it but only if it has no meter fitted and I cover up the 'TAXI' sign on the roof.

I once had in my possession what was probably one of the very best 1905 Half crowns available. I was in Kent, a stone's throw from London coins, so called them on the telephone hoping to be able to bring it along personally to be authenticated as the source was a private person and my intended customer wanted it 100% verified despite the fact that I was happy with it and so was cousin Monk whom I'd also showed it to. I was treated as if I were a clueless member of the public that was excited at just finding a Churchill crown! And was told that I couldn't bring it in personally (although I have been there in person in the past). In the end I sold it raw for £10k and the new owner (a very good customer/friend of mine) sent it to one of the US TPGs to be slabbed and it came back as MS66 (or possibly MS65 I can't remember). I've met Mr Lockett a few times, and have nothing against him or anyone else there including Semra who has in the past been a big help by sending me big excel files of price-data, but I do think they are at the very least under staffed and I also know from experience that as a coin dealer you do quickly get fed up with people calling up because (for example) they've just found a large 50p that they think is a piedfort, or they have a 1979 NEW PENCE 2p etc etc....and it's very easy to get snappy and treat all callers and possibly emailers too, with a certain default cynicism.

Thanks Nordle, but it's not my book! I just publish it, it's by Del, who is on here as Red Riley. The 1930 halfcrown is VF on the reverse and AF on the obverse. Difficult to sell like that, but it's a little better than bullion and could find a home I suppose, so I'd factor that in if buying the lot.

It was a hire boat. It's now a half lower/half higher boat!

RHD transit would be fairly worthless in Germany. I had a RHD LDV in Germany once, and RHD vans in general are dangerous on sweeping curve junctions, where you want to turn right. It's impossible to see if anything is coming on the road you intend to turn on to as from your seated right position, looking towards the traffic all you see is the inside of the side of the van! London Taxi all the way and they are almost van-like inside. Unfortunately it's now impossible to get the FX4 (Austin shape) fresh out of service as all of them are now over 15 years old. My mate in Deptford at Ascott Cab Co. will no doubt find something suitably cheap for me. http://www.ascottcab.com/

It's just a an idea I had. I shall be in London in a couple of weeks and intend to collect a London taxi again to drive back to Germany and sell here. If I could fit a British bike in the back (or anything not that widely available in Germany), then I could take that over and sell on too. I suppose I should get hold of some measurements. No one's ever tried it then? I've also got 2x Triumph (saloon car) seats to squeeze in.

A throng? That's even worse on the old head-cinema that a thong!

That was bloody years ago with the Igor the Igel (German for Hedgehog)! I had forgotten all about it.

From 1928 they had different designs which were struck sharper and generally look a lot better, despite usually being pretty worn. Often GVI coins (1937 - 1951) are near EF, but never quite good enough to be better than bullion as they are really only collected seriously when in perfect condition. Then EII 60s coins are often near to UNC but don't contain silver and are really only collected in BU. Anyway, I won't keep jumping it here and getting on your nerves. Discuss your coins as much as you like with the members and once you know where you are and if you want me to make an offer on them, just email or send a PM through here.

Oh yes! Error on the date range, or it's a Jersey coin.

As there are some doubles, it's more accurate if you tell me how many of each denomination there is (pre 1920 and 1920 to 46) so that I can be sure I'm counting correctly, rather than guessing 1 per year, or 2 per year in the case of Eng and Sco shillings. The 60s coins are usually pretty good because they saw very limited use before decimals came along and were they hoarded in huge numbers. As a result, all are common even in perfect condition.... especially 1967! There are a few dates that may be worth looking at in more detail. e.g. the 1952 sixpence and 1951 penny, 1930 florin, 1925 halfcrown as those are more likely to be slightly collectable if they are just over average in terms of condition.

Those shillings in the Whitman folder all look like normal used ones to me. The best thing to do is to tell me the numbers of each silver denomination that is pre 1920 and the same for 1920 - 1946 and I'll work you out an offer based on the silver value. The Whitman folders were produced in the 60s, so that's further evidence that the coins were accumulated in the 60s, by which time 99.999%+ of the pre 1960s coins were too worn to be classed as collectable. I always advise people to simply send a few sample images of the fews coins in the best condition. If the best are in normal used condition, they it's easy to work out a value. Ripping off is not something that is practiced on predecimal.com! (by me or any of the other members)

I can just see 'bullion' grade pre 1947 (and pre 1920) and a nice enough 1965 shilling, but I have hundreds of those already so wouldn't really want to pay much more than face value. From experience it looks to me like a very average selection that would have been taken from change in the 60s (not the 40s, or that 40s coin wouldn't look like it had seen 20 years of use), and I would be very surprised if the value doesn't rest entirely on the silver content of the pre 1947 silver coins. I buy an awful lot of pre 47 silver. Try me!

The eBook version of "Collectors' Coins: Decimal Issues of the United Kingdom" is now available. For Kindle devices, from here (currently for £4.32): https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00IXXJRBE?tag=predecimalcoi-21&camp=1406&creative=6394&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=B00IXXJRBE&adid=03Y8QFWCY5NY96K7PT6K& And as an ePub (for almost all other ereader software inc iPhone, Android etc etc) here, for £3.50: http://mydgs.co/M8uYpb The printed paperback version is coming next month!

I prefer my coke through a straw, cup-fulls at a time.

The BNTA have told PCGS about it (who I'm sure made a genuine mistake) and have probably reported the would-be seller to the police. I hit the reply-all button and suggested to all the BNTA members that we should really be complaining to the RM for making such articles of dubious repute in the very first place. I really want to be proud of the Royal Mint once again, is that too much to ask?

There were no banknotes bank then, so obviously they were made to snort coke!