Chris Perkins

Paul, Afraid I don't know. If you register you can upload an image to be viewed in the forum. Can you also provide the size and metal details? Chris www.predecimal.com

Michael, Can't help much without a size, because they all had that written on them. If you look at my British coin identification page under the advice section of www.predecimal.com you can probably answer your own question. Chris www.predecimal.com

Hello again, Good to see you encouraging Forum use! If the coins you have are just general circulated stuff it's unlikely anyone will want them, and most accumulations people have are worth very little. Have a look on my key date page: http://www.predecimal.com/key_dates.htm You'll see the slightly rarer dates listed and if you have any of those they will be more collectable. If the coins are sendable in the post you are welcome to send them to me to check out, maybe i'll by them all or maybe I'll just send them straight back, but you will be guaranteed an honest opinion! Chris www.predecimal.com

Dear Steve, I have dealt with that seller before so I'm sure you have no problems. Personally I'd only pay more than it currently is at if it wasn't unevenly toned with a possible stain on the head. Not wishing any disrespect to the seller of course and perhaps a dealers point of view would be different but it's nothing special, not rare and if you want an Uncirculated 1895 Farthing you should get one with full lustre quite easily. Chris www.predecimal.com

Hello there, it dependss entirely on condition. I'm offering a 1952 Half Penny in Good Extremely Fine condition with last remains of lustre for GBP2.50 on this page: http://www.predecimal.com/forsale/halfpennies.htm Anything less than EF and it won't really be that collectable I'm afraid. If you want to get into coin collecting allow me to recommend the book here: http://www.predecimal.com/collectors_coins.htm Thanks very much for using the site, Chris Perkins www.predecimal.com

Only if it's the young head 1895 Farthing like the one I have on the site for GBP5.00. A widow head 1985 Farthing in less than Fine is worth just a few pence. Chris Perkins www.predecimal.com

Hello there, i have responded to you over email. Thanks for using my Forum. Chris www.predecimal.com

Shane, What is the coins diameter in mm? All the half sovereigns, no matter what mint are the same size. Can you attach a picture of it? When you post a message you should see a file search box and a 'You may attach a file to this message. Maximum file size (in bytes): 51200000' message. If you weigh it it should be 3.99 grams. If it's worn that may be very slightly less. If it's fake it should be considerably lighter because it wouldn't make sense making a fake coin with more gold in it than a real one! Although that has been done in the past when Gold sovereigns were worth much more than the gold in them. I think you may need the very accurate scales, I'm not sure maybe the 1/10th of a gram ones will tell you. Also, could it be a full sovereign? Chris predecimal.com

Andy, Do you mean the 1986 2 pound coin? If so..In mint condition they are worth 3-4 pounds but have to be really perfect as they are so new. If they're not perfect I'd consider spending them like you may have done with the others. Chris Perkins www.predecimal.com

That's the hardest part! Be conservative and don't fool yourself into believing the coins are up a grade when they aren't. Compare very similar coins and try to establish a coin that you know is for example VF and that will be a big help when looking at the others. Chris. www.predecimal.com

Babs! If it makes you feel better, I was at least mis led into thinking you were experienced on the internet because I think often net beginers shy away from forums, thinking they look complicated. So well done, and I'm very please you're finding the coins interesting. I have contacted a publisher in Torquay recently and hope to be offering a GBP4.50 book on the site that contains values for every UK coin 1821 - now in all collectable grades. it also contains info on grading, collecting and pictures of all the coins. I'll put you down for a copy shall I!! Chris www.predecimal.com

1950 is one of them!! There are a few 40's dates that weren't issued if memory serves, none of the 40's coins are that rare, I just don't have any! 51 is pretty scarce, 52 is worth 1000's (you won't find one!) 53 out of it's set it was issued in is scarcer, 54 is impossible and there were no more in the 50's or 1960. All the 60's are easy to find, and they stopped in 67. have a look at: http://www.predecimal.com/key_dates.htm Chris www.predecimal.com

Shane, I don't think there are any books specifically on fake sovereigns. I'd recommend some scales accurate to 100th of a gram to check the weight and an 8x magnifying glass to check the strike quality. If you get the 2003 Spink book 'Coins of England and the United Kingdom' it also outlines a few commonly found fake dates. **PLUG** I have scales and a magnifier in the online accessory shop You are also welcome to post pictures here of intended purchases when you register in the forum. Thanks for posting, Chris Perkins www.predecimal.com

You're welcome and good luck with them Chris.

I don't do note on the site, but like coins the newer ones tend to only be collectable in very good condition. Have a look at: http://www.collectpapermoney.co.uk/ Maybe it would be an idea to separate the coins and notes that look really nice and buy the Spink published, Coins of England and the United Kingdom (RRP GBP18.00) which should contain all the info you need. Just let me know if you find any collectable ones and want to sell them! Good luck Chris www.predecimal.com

That's quite a lot isn't it. Where are you located? I'll be around SE England late september, they are probably nothing remarkable but if you're local I could pop by. Chris www.predecimal.com

The prices on the website are a dealers selling price, and I have to make a profit on the coins I sell to pay for this site and my time in listing/grading the coins etc, so the listed coins should be used as an idea, but be aware you are unlikely to get those prices for the coins unless you could sell them all individually to the right collectors. Also the coins listed are all strictly graded and are not the prices for eg any 1907 Florin, the price is for an AVF previously cleaned Florin. It's always the grade of the coin, not the age that makes it in demand. The best thing you can do at this stage, like you say you already have done is make a list and let me see it. Generally as a rule nothing newer than 1937 is worth much unless in EF of preferably UNC condition. Roughly how many coins do you have? Chris www.predecimal.com

Mish, All the Bronze (ie after 1860) farthings were struck in 'Medal' alignment. (so if you hold the top and bottom and turn the coin over the reverse is up the right way). The copper farthings before that (up to 1860) were coin alignment. So it's either a misprint in your book or perhaps you are looking at the wrong section? Thanks for joining and posting, your input is very welcome. Chris Perkins www.predecimal.com

Thanks Brownowl, It's great to have you contribute to the site. I was thinking when I wrote my part that the Thrift plant could have something to do with being 'thrifty' i.e careful with your money but wasn't sure. The 2 sites you mention I have noticed before as they always seem to do better than me with search engine rankings! But I suppose that's fair enough because they do both have massive amounts of content on them! Chris www.predecimal.com

You need some webspace and an FTP client! You will be unable to add pictures to the website part. The predecimal.com webspace is password protected etc and you won't be able to put things directly on it (I don't want people deleting and changing my site behind my back!) However as you have registered you will be able to put things in the Forum area. When you post a message it should give you the option: 'You may attach a file to this message. Maximum file size (in bytes): 51200000'? You need to click the button to the right of it and browse your local hard drive for the file (the Picture) you want to attach to the message. The file has to be a jpg because bmp's are far to large and it will take people forever to view it. I've never done it myself, but i imagine when you've selected it there's an 'OK' button to press and then you post the message as normal. email me if you need to cp@predecimal.com Chris www.predecimal.com Chris. www.predecimal.com

Dear Cara, Most commonly found from that year are copper Half pennies (about 30mm) but farthings look the same and are around 22mm. Whichever it is, chances are it didn't do to well under the ground for 300 years and it's value will depend entirely on condition, from nothing and just a curiosity piece to over GBP100.00 for a near mint example. Also, that coin type was probably one of the most widely forged coins ever and there is a good chance your coin is not the real thing at all and a contemporary forgery. Which doesn't have to be bad because it will be of the same age and possibly even more interesting, and even more valuable to a collector (a few quid, i'm not talking huge amounts!) If it is a forged coin of the realm having it is probably still illegal and punishable by hanging If you register you can upload a scan of it for us all to see? CP www.predecimal.com

Hello Brownowl, The Reverse is the tail side of a coin and the side with the 'Head' on is the Obverse. King George VI ruled from 1937 - 1952 and on all his Brass Threepences can be seen a Triffid, SORRY a Thrift plant on the reverse. I expect this represents something helardic rather than the man eating John Wyndham creation and probably represents part or the whole of the United Kingdom, but the exact meaning of the scary looking plant escapes me! I'm sure if you do a google search on 'Thrift' you can find out and tell me! Queen Elizabeth II (Daughter or George VI) became Queen in 1953 and for some reason the design was changed on the reverse to a Portcullis with chains Royally crowned. Threepence's stopped being produced for circulation in 1967 and all the coins from 1953 - 1967 have the same portcullis reverse. Another heraldic design which I believe represents 'Justice' but i'm not 100%. Interestingly the New penny (or 1p) that was first issued in 1971, to this day has a very similar reverse. CP

Thanks grcalvert, I did it around the other way and am just stating to get into Roman so stick around, I'm sure we can help each other. Chris www.predecimal.com

Yes 'Bright' and 'Shiny' are certainly part of the Lustre experience! Lustre is what the coin has on it when it's freshly struck. So a brand new 'Shiny' coin that you get in your change has lustre on it. Over time, through handling, wear and being exposed to the elements the lustre gets lost and the coin will look brown (if it's copper or bronze) or just dull if it's a silver coloured coin. When the original lustre has gone, that's it, you can never get it back! Even by polishing the coin (NEVER DO THAT) the original lustre can never be brought back and the shine resulting from polishing will be a different colour, have a different look and the coin will be worth less than if it was brown! Coin collectors and dealers can always tell the difference between original lustre and a polished coin and in most cases will not be very interested in a polished example. So a coin with full unblemished lustre is a coin with it's original lustre as in left the mint and therefore, if it's an old coin much more in demand than a dull example. Usually the grade BU (Brilliant Uncirculated) indicates a coin with full original lustre. Although UNC (Uncirculated)coins usually have most of their lustre intact and even EF (Extremely Fine) coins sometimes have traces remaining. Hope that helps CP Predecimal.com

Yes there are plenty of coin collectors phrases to describe different parts of the coin, and most of them are in my Numismatic dictionary, here: http://www.predecimal.com/dictionary.htm Just to start you off: The grooved edge is called a milled edge although it's quite possible the 'American' name is different because American coin collectors annoyingly use different terms! (Yes thought so, just looked in a book, it's called 'Grained' in American!) The reason the USA Quarters have different colours shown on the edge is beacause they are made from a copper core plated in nickel. The British 2 pence from 1992 - 1998 was acually copper plated steel but the edge was also copper plated so you couldn't see the metal underneath (and to stop the steel rusting). I don't know of any other contries that leave the core visible. Personally I think it looks cheap! For those of you that are not aware, the British Threepence coin was made of Brass from 1937 - 1967 and did indeed have 12 sides. In fact there are also varieties with sharp corners or rounded corners but the basic 12 sided shape is called a Dodecagon but I expect it's different in American!! Chris Perkins www.predecimal.com