Chris Perkins

Please don't give anyone reg keys, it's not a good idea to promote software piracy in my forum!

Certainly looks like a French jeton. There's no need to post it in multiple places, they'll get seen.

That's right, the plastic set didn't include the crown. The cased proof set did. I've also got a cased 1953 non proof set. I don't think it's official either but it includes the 1953 penny and that was only issued in the plastic sets.

The coins are not really Specimens (i.e. suggestive of trial coins or some sort of special strikings). Those maroon QEII sets are made up by third parties, privately (at the time). The cases are not official Royal Mint and the coins are confusingly simply 'specimens' of the coins in circulation. They simply use the word 'specimen' on the case as a posh word for 'example', or 'sample'. There was no official 1960 set and the official 1953 sets were either cased proofs or 9 uncirculated coins in a plastic wallet.

Privately produced coronation medals of Edward VIII like that brass one are pretty common I'm afraid!

Sort of acquired most of them, from other dealers or as parts of purchased collections.

I have a circa 200 BC Ptolomy (can't remember which) copper coin. The Ptolomaic dynasty were the Kings of Egypt back then. I also have a Celtic British coin from the Durotriges tribe, circa 50 BC. And of course lots of Roman from about 70 AD to 400 AD.

Tree and Arabic....Lebanon springs to mind, but you should post a picture (or google search for Lebanon coin and you may find a picture identical to what you have). Generally coins shouldn't be cleaned. They are best in the original state with the original tone. Ancient coins often need cleaning, but 1928 is hardly ancient where coins are concerned (for people it is, eh Geordie ). If the coins are actually dirty (as opposed to toned naturally) then you could use a soft tooth brush and soap and water. Dry thoroughly. They should be stored in at least an album which doesn't contain PVC or plastic softeners. Or you could use individual envelopes. Most products from reputable coin accessory companies are ok. Have a look at the main website www.predecimal.com I sell lots of accessories. And books too, including a price guide (Collectors' Coins GB), which it sounds like you will need.

Oh not that bloody German again If you have spare coins that are saleable, even just for a few quid, please do send them down to me in Sachsen and I'll make an offer based on how I price them.

As far as I was aware (and this is kind of an educated guess too based on seeing differences in numerals) a master die is created, usually as a positive larger version to be replicated as actual-size smaller versions. Surely, as the only thing that changes each year (usually) is the date, it would be a clever idea to have some kind of master without a date so that each year a date can be added manually at some stage? For dates with high mintages, the dies are not strong enough to strike all the coins so new ones have to be created.....from the master with date added manually I would assume, hence the differences in date numerals! Only where other differences occur would that indicate entirely new or re-touched dies. My understanding is that the over-dates and over-letters are either results of the mint being too lazy and creating a die for the new date over the numerals of an existing underused die or are the result of someone 'bodging-up' an existing die which has developed a problem area (usually letters rather than date). I'm sure there are practises that the Victorian die-sinkers and coin makers never recorded and will never precisely be known by modern-variety-people! Ich wunsch dir alles gute aus dem Erzgebirge!

I think that's probably a real one that looks slightly convex on the head side and cleaned too.

I think that lots of variety people don't really include date variations as varieties, because they were often re-punched into different dies and with the highest mintage (although I expect most were dated 1853 as that's the most common date) it's to be expected that a number of dies were used. If the only differences are the date numerals then that's probably why no-one has gone into much detail with them.

A Fagthing Matron!! Followed by 'Ooo err' Frankie Howerd noises.... Slight bag marks on the head!!! Was it stored in a chainmail bag, thrown from hot air balloon and then run over by a steam-roller? Why don't the ebayers come to predecimal.com, if I had that coin I'd consider it rude asking any more than £1 for it.

I'm now a BNTA member! For those that don't know what that is, it's the British Numismatic Trade Association. Probably the most important association that a coin dealer can be a member of, as becoming a member is not as easy as paying 30 quid and filling in a form. You have to have a VAT number, have to be a dealer and have been dealing for at least 3 years and you have to be proposed and seconded by 2 existing members before the committee mull over your application, among other criteria. I've done it mainly for the extra credibility, to be able to display the logo everywhere and hopefully work on book projects involving the BNTA. This is their website: www.bnta.net

You may be thinking of the British Numismatic society (of which I'm already a member). They have huge archives of printed material and produce the British Numismatic Journal.

That's not really a coin, or a fake either. It's an item of jewellery made to represent a sovereign. On a real one the date is always under St George. It was probably made for use in that ring and it's probably made of gold, the same purity as the ring, which is probably 9ct.

I think the idea behind it was to commemoratie 50 years of peace after WWII, not to commiserate it, but I know the one you mean! Any less than perfect (which it is with scratches) then spend it at face value. It is still legal tender. Or simply keep it as an usual £2 coin.

Oh there he is, it's young Geordie!

Had you been a serious collector you would have steered clear of London Coins (and their hard sell tactics) long ago! But having just a passing interest is fine too. When the items are less than £5 you can't really go wrong can you. I'll see if I can change your user name later. I'm not sure if I can, or if I'll have to delete it and create a new one with the right name. I thought Geordie was our oldest member, but at 80 I think that must be you now!

Should be driven straight into the bin!

It won't appreciate to it's price of £9.95 in a million years! Steer clear of pretend coin dealers like the so-called London Mint.

I'd offer £500 for coin and box.

If they are not Uncirculated then the probability is that they are normal threepences. The Maundy issues were struck to prooflike quality and were rarely circulated so are usually GEF or better. It would be impossible to tell on a VF or lower coin, so you have to default it to non-Maundy.

Another friend of mine had a similar idea and even attracted a celebrity to sell their own stuff on it. He invited everyone he knew and sold a whole range of things himself, so did his dad. He even sponsored a football team. Advertised too, but after a few months it sort of fizzled out. And now I can't even remember the domain name, or I'd post a link! I don't want to put a dampner on your efforts Hus (I wish you luck), but I believe that it would take huge amounts of money, massive IT infrastructure (a whole army of Indians at least) and probably an existing household name to really compete with ebay. Even just to complete in a specialist sector like coins/collectable. Whatever happened to Yahoo auctions, why didn't that get bigger? Are they still going? I expect eBay simply bribe any potential real threats with cheaper advertising or something to keep them small or stop them from starting in online auctions.

I just offer my book range and some odds and sods. I gave up regularly selling higher value items there long ago (preferring to develop the website instead), I think probably when eBay bought Paypal. The other day they removed a listing because it had a link to another payment method (card payment via a link). They always say of course that Paypal is safest for buyers bla bla, but that's just propaganda to earn them more. All payment methods are only as trustworthy as the seller offering them. Lots and lots of people are fed up with eBay, but until a competitor of similar size develops with better customer service and real fairness, people will continue to list there.