Chris Perkins

Absolutely correct, so everyone get into my Crown section and snap up those Wreath Crowns!

You know I think it's a government ploy that seems to be working, the way everyone assumes that it is just a matter of time before we adopt the Euro. In saying that, it is probably true of course! In Germany they still make gold coins, but have them denominated in Euros, and the face value tends to be closer to the bullion value I think. I mean the face value of our gold coins is a complete fiction now isn't it, so why shouldn't they continue with the Sovereign, but to keep Brussels happy call it a EUR1.50 coin, or a EUR90.00 coin or whatever. I like what the French did, when they issued commemorative coins basically in Francs, but that they actually had a 6.55957 Franc coin, which was funnily enough, a EUR10.00 coin. Isn't that really a very French thing to do!

I had noticed, that one or two (well ok, just one) forum member had been editing his/her posts in order to get him/herself out of the big controversial hole he/she had just dug and thrown themselves into. So, just for fun, when you edit a message now, everybody can see that you have done so! That new rule does not apply to me or the Expert members.

I think you are old chap. There are a few before you obviously, but I'm not aware that any have ever been back much.

William, are you a cow, or am I not quite making it out properly?

Well, not only do you have to be a regular forum contributor, you also have to answer questions posed by passers by accurately, and have to also be noticed by the other members as being knowledgable in your field. Geoff received a few comments from other forum members about his knowledge and there was a little talk, so I thought it was fair. I noticed Sylvester way back, when it was basically just him and me in here! He helps me out a lot responding to queries, so does Geoff, and it's certianly good to rely on the collective knowledge of you two, and indeed all the other members. I may notice others too in the future. Any ideas?

As of just now I have put Geoff into the 'Expert Member' group. Geoff will enjoy a few extra benefits now, like being able to store more personal messages, being able to send messages to more people at once, being able to edit his own messages with no restictions and other practically useless little technicalities that he'll never even notice! Most importantly, he gets the special 'Expert Member' title next to his name/id so that people can recognise him as someone who knows a thing or two. Well done Geoff, you one of the very few!

All this Northern talk, I feel alienated! I know a girl in Manchester. Very pretty she is, and living proof that it's not all grim up there. Are they all like that?

I know. I knew about your post an hour before you made it, as I had not adjusted my head yet!

Have a look in the technical area...

Clocks have changed, but if the time the forum displays to you is incorrect, you'll have to go to 'My Controls' and then to 'Board Settings' to make it right again!

Ok, let me explain.... Sylvester is an expert member because like he said, he did (and still does) add valuable accurate replies to questions posted on the forum. He also knows his area very well, so I manually upgraded him to an 'Expert Member'. And you're right, perhaps it's about time I added some new expert members, Geoff particularly. There is a basic scale that you climb dependant on how many posts you have made. But I do the odd thing manually, because I can, and it's much more fun. When a member is 'Validating' it means that they have not yet confirmed their email address. All new members get an email, and have to respond to it before they are a proper member. That's an automatic forum thing, it does not rely on my input.

Well done William!

Lustre is the shiny like new appearance that all new coins have when new and un touched. Coin collectors and dealers can easily tell the difference between a coin posessing original lustre and an aftificial polished coin. As you know, once the original lustre has faded, it can never be brought back. That 1963 Threepence has about full original lustre, and original lustre always tends to look about that kind of colour on threepences of EII. Although on some early George VI coins it often a different hue. It's difficult to show you in a scan, but over time if you get a few full original lustre threepences from reputable dealers (like me for example ;-)) then you'll soon learn what they should look like. As they are normally not expensive and normally not that widely collected (compared to other types), I would think it unlikely that your threepences have been polished. Post pics of them, and we'll see.

I've emailed her, she's usually very busy.

Avatar instructions by Bob: http://www.predecimal.com/forum/index.php?...ct=ST&f=30&t=41

People come and go, I think he'll be back. Actually, I must send a mass email via the forum software just to remind people we're here, and impress them with the forum statistics. I think that should help bring people back that may have forgetten they registered.

Well you never know, perhaps the odd American/Australian, I have no idea what the time differences are.

Oh yes, Geoff knows everything ;-) Although perhaps even Geoff may have a problem with a banknote...I don't think he's into those.

I think it sounds contemporary (c 1850 - 70) and it sounds like it features Queen Victoria and all her children. I would think it's unlikely to be modern because of the 'Empress of India' title. I know that her children married into all of those Royal European families and as the fact that is no longer very significant today, again leads me to believe that it is contemporary. Perhaps Geoff is familiar with it?

Perhaps it was given out in the 60's to mark 100 years since Nova Scotia became part of Canada. I'm pretty sure I could put a rough date on it from the style and quality if I could see a picture.

My web/db hosts have informed me that the SQL server will be down for an upgrade, 2am - 5am on March 31st. This will affect just the forum. The rest of the website will behave normally. As most of us are on GMT or European time, and are unlikely to be online between those times, hopefully it will go un-noticed.

Well isn't that interesting, a British note with some kind of Arabic (unless i'm very much mistaken) counter stamping. I have never seen one, and have no idea exactly where it was used. I have little to do with notes, so that isn't suprising.

I wish my hair was still that thick! It's just as long, if not longer than Dee Snider of Twisted Sister, but unfortunatley it's receeding and I'm having trouble holding my dignity. Luckily when I do my monthly radio programme the webcam in the studio is mounted behind me!

Always assume that it's common enough for no-one to care! Even if it's very rare, perhaps one of only 100 made, you still need a healthy demand for it to be worth anything more than curiosity value. I'm sure there would be a small demand in Canada, particularly Nova Scotia, but I can't imagine it to be the kind of item that collectors cannot live without. And of course the condition will play the most important part. In mint condition with full lustre i'm sure it will be highly collectable. But then, I could be wrong, because I am in no way involved with the Canadian scene.