Coppers

Someone must have contacted the seller who has relisted the coin with slightly lower expectations. Relisted Penny

A Very Happy Birthday! Will you be getting anything special (i.e. a coin) for your birthday?

Beautiful coins, but not worth any near what this fellow is asking for them.

For that kind of money, I'd rather have a 1933 Penny or a 1952 Halfcrown.

Oli...And thanks are due Sylvester as well for providing additional information on the "off-year" proofs. This may be somewhat off topic, but what series of coins are each of you currently collecting?

Oli... No threepence proofs were struck for sale to the public that year, but the Spink example was likely a rare "proof of record".

I wasn't able to locate it, but no doubt the Spink example was a proof. My Webpage

Thanks, Oli! After learning of the show, I was wondering if the missing/stolen 1933 had turned up.

I found the following reference to a 1933 penny turning up on the Antiques Roadshow... "1933 penny was on the bbc prog.The Antiques Roadshow dated 17-11-02.the expert was unsure of its validity,but suggested that it was genuine. ...". Anyone know if it turned out to be genuine?

As one of the ex-colonials I must say I find it interesting that you say that. It's kind of a deja vu thing for me. You see - about 20 years ago - America had basically the same system you use today. And it was the American collectors who were making statements very similar to yours. In fact - some of them still are making such statements today. But the popularity of the grading companies grows day by day. And not just in America - but worldwide. Many of the European coin dealers are now listing their coins with both European & Sheldon grades side by side. A year or two ago - that never happened. Today it is common. So will Britain and the rest of the world adopt the Sheldon grading system ? I guess time will tell. For no matter how much you or I like or dislike it - change is inevitable. It always has been - it always will be. As another ex-colonial, I would hope that collectors and dealers in the UK will have better sense than to start slabbing their coins. I'd sooner believe in the tooth fairy than in any grading service's claim to be able to accurately and consistently tell the difference between eleven grades of mint state.

Sylvestor...I had thought that the previous version of your cover design could not be improved upon. Apparently I was wrong. This new cover incorporating the British flag is simply superb.

I did as well and so far that looks to be the best design for a cover I've seen.

Happy Birthday, Geoff!

Jon... I couldn't locate my copy of the most recent issue. As I recall Spink usually adds any unsold coins to its website after a period of time. You also might want to check with the fellow who created this website. He may have a few of these you could use for your collection.

Did anyone catch Chris' BBC interview/discussion today?

Jon...Jere is the footnote from Peck on these 1868 quarter-farthing through penny copper-nickel strikes..."Usually recorded as nickel. Actually these pieces and the rest of the set down to the quarter-farthing are composed of a copper-nickel alloy. The Mint has no record osf its exact composition, but it is believed to be copper 80: nickel 20, which was the alloy used for the Jamaica penny and halfpenny of 1869. As the latter were the first British coins containing nickel to be used for currency, it is probable that the 1868 sets were trial strikings in connexion with that issue. Pure nickel is magnetic, but ceases to be so when alloyed with more than 30 per cent. of copper. Experiments at the Mint indicated that for coinage purposes, the nickel content of copper-nickel alloys should lie between 20 and 30 per cent. With less than 20 per cent. of nickel the alloy has a yellow tinge, and more than 30 percent, causes bubbles int he castings. (Craig, p.326.)" Insofar as the rarity is concerned, the Penny is listed as Extremely Rare, the halfpenny as Rare, the farthing as Extremely Rare, the third farthing as Very Rare, and the quarter farthing as Very Rare.

JMD...have you ever had an opportunity to take a look at the contents of Peck's book?

Tennis and cricket boring? Doesn't anyone want to include golf in that list?

When I download the pdf document using http://www.rotographic.co.uk/1-25.pdf, I get the plate photos only and no accompanying text. Would anyone have any idea what I'm doing wrong?

Over time, coins have increased in value, but it's not simply a steady upward climb. I've been told by collectors who were into British coins long before I was that back in the early 1980s values increased dramatically. Many no doubt were buying coins as investments, but this was then followed by a sharp drop in their value. We are now in a period where prices have been rising again and it would not surprise me if as they say in the financial markets there is a "correction". I've found that the coins that I've done best on from a viewpoint of appreciation in value have been those that I purchased as a collector and not as an investor.

I do Jon.

I'm located in the US, Jon, so I don't think I'd have any better luck at receiving the broadcast than you did. What areas/countries does it reach?

The 1953 2+A may be rare in comparison to the other 1953 farthing varieties, but I'm not certain that this justifies use of the adverb "extremely". There always seems to be an example of two of this variety being offered for sale. I would think that one characteristic of an extremely rare coin is that it seldom if ever appears for sale. Chris...as a dealer perhaps you might have a different perspective on this. Any comments?

Congratulations, Chris and thank you for sharing the information on this mule with us.

Where did you come across your coin bag, Sylvester? Is there anything prnted on it?