TomGoodheart

Cool!! A whole new (admittedly incomprehensible) world!! (Nice site Berg)

Damn! I thought they rode around in ambulances rescuing sick coins that have been run over or dropped on their heads. So much for my career plans... A sick coin in need of help......

An even more belated happy birthday Oli! Hope it was a good one!

Yes, I have found this too and especially look for sites from dealers overseas as often they do not know what they have in stock! I have recently bought a coin from someone in Germany - he paid the same for the lot of 9 coins at an auction that I paid him (and I think I paid a fair price!) for just one of them. If only I spoke more languages....

Looking good JMD! Your website's coming along nicely!

'Cept about grading Chris....Chris having said that JoW - a crown weighs 28.2 grammes and until 1902 it WAS silver (well 92.5%) so they are a popular collector's item. It's from the reign of Geo V (1927) that they were debased to only 50% silver and subsequently from the 1951 crown you posted issued in 100% 'fine' cupronickel.

The counterfeit coin club webpage suggests 1% of £1 coins are fake which, considering how common they are is quite a number. This one is in lead and gold paint and no, I doubt it would have lasted much longer if I hadn't taken it 'out' of circulation.

Hmm... can't say I entirely agree with you there JMD. While modern 'reproductions' (the sort of thing one sees in the gift shops at historical houses etc) are just a novelty and modern counterfeits (produced to cheat collectors out of their hard earned pocket money) are a nuisance, I think there is a place for the study and collection of contemporary (ie produced at the same time as the original) counterfeit coins. I guess if you want to split hairs you could call it paranumismatics, but copies are a part of the history of coinage, just as much as Krasnaya's tokens, defaced or engraved coins or coins with adjustment marks and haymarking. For example, counterfeit coins of George III are quite common and make an interesting study if you like that sort of thing. I collect (of course) counterfeit Charles I shillings as a sideline but am quite happy if I get a fake £1 coin in my change because I find them interesting. My final word (for now!) JMD - if someone offered you a Dutch copy of the Oliver Cromwell crown would you turn it down?

Yes. I found myself upping my bid on this little thing rather more than I should. Happily I got it for a lot less than my max (and rather less than Spink wanted for a similar one a month or two ago so I'm quite pleased!)

They're really rare then.....? (My personal view is that as long as you're happy with it, price isn't too important. Of course, we all learn lessons along the way and get better ideas about pricing, but temptation is a terrible thing!!!)

OK - I'm being lazy here! This one's for Anthony, Alex and James!! (Sorry I didn't post in each of your respective threads guys!) Anthony and Alex's forums first - a word of caution. Most of the time I'm on the web to search for new material for my collection not to chat. I found Chris' site either because I was looking for accessories (coin tickets I think) or because it had a link to Vale coins (hammered coins, my interest). I did some business with Chris and at some stage thought I'd look at the forum and found a thread I wanted to reply to. I occasionally "pop round" to catch up 'cause I find it entertaining. Your forums both look much like this one and I doubt I would spend much time there. Then, maybe I'm not a 'Forum' person - I have noticed the same 'faces' at other forums I've visited and nothing new in the threads to interest me. I stick with Chris' forum because it's active and varied even though there's not much chat on Charles shillings that's ok. My point is that I agree with Chris - if you want a succesful site you may need to think more about what you want out of it first - who do you want to visit and why? If you are happy to have all of these guys that's fine, though I suspect that, as with too many similar treads people eventually settle on one site and favour it. If on the other hand you want to attract new blood (newbies or otherwise) you need to offer something unique. Seems to me there's no point trying to replicate Predecimal. In summary then, my preferences for sites (and initial impressions) are: #1 - James' - a straightforward beginners site run by an enthusiast #2 - Alex's - a perfectly start for a site though I could do without popups! #3 - Anthony - a good start but I worry you're getting carried away with what you CAN do without planning WHY. There are plenty of UK coin sites out there and yours doesn't yet stand out for me. Speaking for myself, I like sites that have pictures of coins (or at least some, so you can get an idea of the seller's grading). Here are two examples you may like to look at: Coincabinet and Timeline You decide which is more attractive and easier to navigate. (Don't want to be mean Anthony, but it's a tough world out there!) I hope you take my comments as intended, as friendly advice and good luck to all of you!

AAARGHH!!!! My 101th post!!!! And I have nothing interesting to say.

Seems cool Alex. Though when I went to photos I HAD expected to see some coins! (nice landsacpes though). (Sorry 'bout the spelling - my daughter is playing the violin and it's difficult to concentrate). 2 suggestions - younger collectors - try scrounging! Many people are happy to hand over spare foreign change to youngsters if they know they are interested. -Mature millionaires (like me (NOT!) - Ebay etc is fine but you don't get the chance to develop a relationship with a dealer. If you buy regularly from a dealer they will get to know your wants. I've known good customers (ie who buy often and pay promptly!) to get first refusal when that 'special' coin comes up. I'm sure Chris (and Andy) will be delighted if anyone wants to try this out!! Seriously though, talking to other collectors and dealers is an invaluable way of learning about the hobby.

No. That's because she doesn't need a social worker; she gets her benefits directly from the Chancellor of the Exchequer, she can't be prosecuted in a court for anything, she owns most of the prisons (just about) and she can leave murdering people to the secret services. Her topics of conversation are therefore limited since, with a bit of luck, Camilla is a bit old to be pushing a pram and since most people know she never carries cash nobody is likely to protest if she helps herself to 250g of sherbet lemons in the local Woolies. I guess that only leaves whether she could get a walk on part in Corrie. How sad...

Ah yes. I know the sort of thing. Like that leisure suit Geoff wears in his avatar. I was thinking of having my house ermine clad. At least it would look stoatally different from everyone elses...

I have to say Oli - I was a tad disappointed in your pic. I know it must be hot and all, and no doubt a chore to get through customs, but I had hoped for a glimpse of the crown. If that sounds a lot ruder than intended - I am of course referring to the Imperial insignia worn on the head. Otherwise we will start to worry that the only Emperor to Oli is "Emporio Armani"...

Thanks for clarifying that MM. Since I am only using the pics for my own reference I guess that'd be ok. I quite like the virtual collection idea but as you say, buying and selling can be an expensive process if the timing's wrong.

Er.... I may just be confused here, but the Hartberger style flips can be stored in plastic pages of 50x50mm slip-wallets, specifically made for them - the coins are held more or less in place and can be viewed a page at a time (from either side). That would be easier than having to cut down the flips and neater than lots of plastic envelopes no? - I'd imagine Chris could get the pages and albums to put them in too... aha.. I see he does, and a nice tray too..

I read somewhere that people in ancient Greece used to just keep tiny silver coins in their mouths. I guess you'd just suck in your cheeks when walking past anyone dodgy looking!

Hmmm.... my understanding is that, notwithstanding copyright, there is no objection to copying a small part of something like an article or book for private use. Since the images I crib are for private use, and since they are often from places like eBay where the images are deleted shortly afterwards I do not anticipate any problems. I will of course let you all know if I need to raise bail!!

Thanks for the idea. I WAS in Manchester, but on the 5th when my daughter was on Junior Mastermind. We went to the IMAX cinema instead... I can heartily recommend Polar Express 3D IMAX by the way... Next time...

Hi Coppers, sorry I didn't reply earlier - I've been away.. This one appears to be in silver, but base. Similar (and ugly!!) I don't know if they are contemporary or what..

Me too - I presume alex_coins@hotmail.co.uk is the right address??

Hi Alex, Nice site for four hours work! Something that I find useful and recommend to others is to nick other people's pictures. Perhaps I'll rephrase that... I have managed to compile a useful pictorial coin history by saving images of things I'm interested in from webpages. I use the Spink reference number (though of course I expect you'll want to use the CCGB reference - I have to use Spink until Chris publishes a book on Charles I hammered shillings! (and no, sadly I don't presently have time to write one!) and brief source and price details as a name. That way, you if you discover a coin you don't have you can then compare the condition and price with your 'reference' finds to help decide if it's good value or not. It's also educational. You can tailor the history to your personal interests. You don't have to rely on your memory alone to decide whether you've found something that you've never seen before and if it's unusual... Of course the drawback is that it uses up memory. It's a lot easier if, like me, you specialise in a very narrow area. If you just collect 'British coins' you may need to save stuff to disk (or one of those memory stick things) pretty soon!

Yeah, I wouldn't buy a coin without a clear picture of it. ... that doesn't work quite so well now I changed my avatar..