Rob

I had it in hand

I have seen something crude that looks to be in good agreement for a halfgroat, both stylistically and in weight.

Correct

A type collector will get an example of each basic type, usually the cheapest date for the issue unless they have deeper pockets. Many but not all issues have a key date which costs multiples of the cheapest year.

Nice coin. It's always good to match these up to old drawings as a little artistic license was usually employed. This series has a way to go yet, with hitherto unrecorded denominations.

Neither you, myself or anyone else is obliged to use them. It is however a legitimate business which advertises a service and provides what is offered. If you don't want TPGs, then to put them out of business you have to destroy their raison d'etre which ultimately will require people to be educated in coin grading and authentication from birth, thus doing away with the need to obtain a second opinion. I think there are more important things to worry about.

Firstly, comparing the two coins is irrelevant because what was needed was a before and after picture, no two coins being the same. That said, it is not necessary to try to use acetone on every coin as the only reason would be to remove soluble deposits, most of which are likely to be residue from fingers. Coins will tone naturally from exposure to the atmosphere. This would not be removed. Some people are obsessed with cleaning everything in acetone - I am not convinced. If it isn't obvious why you would need to use a solvent, then why do it?

I cannot tell a lie. It was me. It was this one from the June 2013 sale

I would say blocked dies for the shield because it looks as though there is a trace of the bottom one with a bit of profile detail. The missing AE is yet another spelling mistake. There are quite a few in James. There is a possibility that the obverse mark is lis over thistle.

Looks like everyone got most of what they wanted judging by conversations today at Harrogate. Durham House bust 6 coins rarely come up in very good condition. FWIW I thought I paid tops when I bought mine, but in retrospect it was not so bad. There are a handful knocking around in acceptable condition which were illustrated in the past - which says something. Mine is ex Parsons and Ryan.

It would be much easier if the o/p had just a picture of the coin on a plain background and filling the frame. 3/4 of the image is wasted, Just a plain scan would be better, less clutter = easier id.

The first illustrated dedicated crown collection was Barron in 1906. There are plenty of sales with a lot of crowns in, but these are usually interspersed with other things.

Seaby's Bulletin for March 1977 had one about unc for £15, that for July had one listed as G399, same grade and price, so probably the same coin. If it didn't sell, maybe they upped the price to make people think it was better. Looking at the pictures, aUNC is closer to the mark.

Pick up a range of past references. Coins of England is in its 51st year, so you can go back to the 60s for that. Seaby's Bulletins go back to the 1920s, or Spink Circulars to 1892. I have a copy of Thorburn's book with prices inked in c1930. Past auction results, there is a large amount of info to be extracted from diverse publications. Any tickets with the coin? Something saying G130 or G399 possibly?

What did you get and what did you miss?

fire damage?

Sorry, not a lot, there's Mantegassa (Spink 113). All the must haves I would recommend are over 40 years. The only crown sale that just makes it into the time frame is Cooper, though I note you have gone back in time with Whetmore. Crowns are easy enough to find illustrated all the way back to the 19th century, but anything small had to be really good or particularly rare

The problem for the mint making a profit is that the only customers are going to be countries that are too small to support their own minting facilities. With that comes small production runs. If they were making coins for large countries it would be easier to make money, but when your target customers are from countries with a few million at best, it isn't so easy.

No, just saw a note which referred to a sale. Will try. Thanks.

Thought I might as well give catalogue searches its own thread seeing as it is a recurring theme. First up, does anyone have a copy of I S Wright sale 122, 15th Dec 1998? Lot info required together with any footnotes if you can for lot 3648 please. Hopefully someone in Oz will have a copy.

I haven't seen the figures, but weren't profits about £11m last year according to someone? If so, the taxpayer should be grateful that they are turning a cost to the public purse into an income stream. £11m is nothing. I would suggest the profit from the UK commemoratives/collectibles is the difference between a profit and a loss. Sure they get some income and profit from foreign contracts, but the UK ecomony is much bigger than those territories which don't have their own mint. If that £11m wasn't made, they would only raise it from somewhere else. In all probability leaving the commemorative trade would result in a deficit which would also have to be raised elsewhere. It's all part of the bigger pot.

I don't buy them, just accumulate a wide range of sizes and makes from whoever I acqure the coins from, then choose the one for the best fit. They might have come from Damian, but not guaranteed.

Because they are selling an ideal, pandering to peoples' insecurities and need for reassurance. You don't have to, I wouldn't either, but a lot of people feel they need the service. Virtually every business on this planet is surviving because they do something that the customer can't/won't/can't be a***d. For that there is a fee. Just think of all the consultants out there................... Every day I get three of four junk mails promising to put me at the top of Google's front page. That's either a lot of dosh, or isn't going to happen given the desire for the millions of businesses also trying to be seen.

They are both fairly dire, so your concern about buying something in too good condition is not relevant. You aren't looking to buy an investment, nor aiming for quality, so you might as well spend as little as possible.