declanwmagee

Punters too, potentially! I walked around the Midland with a four-figure sum in my satchel...on the way in, anyway! Never even occurred to me. I'm from the countryside, where we keep our car keys in the ignition just so we know where they are...

Ah yes, Feng Shui. One of the first ever fallouts I had with someone over coins. I bought something about 5 years ago (maybe more), one side was the right coin but he's used a stock photo for the other side as it had been in a Whitman or something so the obverse was knackered. He also described it as UNC and when I challenged him on that he swore blind that UNC stood, as everyone knew, for UNCleaned. I think he was pissed when he wrote the email because he accused me of bullying him (!), and then got quite tearful at the end. He's been excluded from my saved searches ever since...

Were you at the Midland, Derek?

Don't we?

Dave, please! Life's too short!

I agree, Peter. Friday it'll have to be. By then hopefully I'll have given up the day job, properly!

Well, I had a fantastic day, and I don't care who knows it. Here's what I came home with - feast your eyes... 1893 1+A halfcrown 1853 sixpence. Very prooflike - I know there was an 1853 proof set -what do you think the chances are that it is one? The only coin I paid slightly over my £200 per coin limit.

Yes, '49, I certainly did. I am saving hard for the York do in January now...

Well, there you go - shows how much I know about modern commemoratives. Well found, Clive. Don't listen to me, Nathan, listen to Rob, Paulus and Clive!

Got to be eBay, Nathan. If you want them sold quick, start them at 99p and let them find their own value. If you're happy to wait a bit longer, Buy-it-Now or Best Offer. Value? No idea. Whatever you can get for them I suppose!

Yes, I'm sure you're right, Stuart. The tube was a desperate measure really through not wanting to come away empty handed. I have an aversion to money unspent. It should always be moving - either out of my wallet or into it, but never sitting still. I think I was onto a better strategy at the Midland really - there I was trying to buy coins that would sit at the top of my collection for years. The principle is that I only sell my worst coins, so before those beauties become eligible, everything else in the Collection has to be better than them. Now in a fair environment that was quite easy - I chose a budget per coin, drew up a hit-list and sallied forth. I haven't quite worked out the best way to do these grown up auctions yet though! My old strategy of trying to punch a little above my weight, but not a lot, clearly needs some refining!

Well, I couldn't even get that tube of 1941 silver 3ds. Didn't think I'd have too much competition for relatively uninteresting pure stock. I put some tentative bids on the 1903 and the lower grade 1905 halfcrowns too, and the 1817 shillings, but no chance, not even close! What's next? St James, Baldwins, and Spink. Like I'm going to last 5 minutes in there!

I think that's what we're witnessing, Jaggy I don't think these are normal times. Low interest rates might be something to do with it?

I was thinking that. I wonder if it is better to bid on lots towards the end of the list, when those who didn't keep their powder dry have left the fray?

the E8 went for £24k, and the highest of the proof sets was the 1839 Una and the Lion at £64k. Made great telly.

There was lots of bidding from Japan in the Mellors and Kirk as well.

That would be Obverse 2, 3, or 4. Freeman numbers 18-25. F.22 would be the one us mere mortals could reach!

A good sprinkling between lots 200 and 300. Getting my newbie arse kicked so far, of course!

I've put a couple of bids in too, now! And then there's the Mellor and Kirk tomorrow too. Legendary stuff in there. I might have to take the day off work tomorrow (it's raining anyway!), just so I can watch the E8 and the Una and the Lion Proof set go, so I can tell my grandchildren that I watched it. History in the making.

Ah now we're talking....the Live '79 album is probably the most perfect music of the 20th Century. That and the Inkspots anyway.

Yes, I'm just narrowing down my "cabinet", having managed to put about £150k's worth into it from the Chesser collection. Unless someone comes into my shop tonight and spends a fortune, I'll be narrowing it down to about £200 ! All good fun. Much more fun than eBay, I have to say.

Thanks for checking Clive! It is back now. It was displaying a load of PHP nonsense for a while there. I'm 60% sure it was their end....!

Have I just broken the DNW site? That would be really embarassing! I'd be really grateful if someone could check it's OK from their end.

I won a coin in the Lockdales on Sunday - it was my first play with the saleroom. Thoroughly enjoyed it! Great way to spend a Sunday morning. I would have won one of those lovely E7 pennies too, but fluffed up the timing - you really do have to be quick if your lots are one after the other. I have seen the DNW stuff, and there's plenty I like, but they're not on the saleroom are they? I'll have to learn another system.

see emily pay?