Gary D

You may be right. For about 2 years prior to decimalisation and during the changeover period, I worked in my father's grocery shop and persuaded him to order some £10 of pennies every week. I duly went through all these, and do you know what I found? Virtually nothing. No KNs, no 1950-53 pennies, no MEs, nothing. The KNs are most significant as I don't believe they were ever that rare, the inference being that they had all been withdrawn from circulation by collectors. 12Hs were quite common and 18 and 19Hs would come in from time to time, but no more than half a dozen each during the whole period - and usually horrid. So yes, I think the rarer coins have survived in disproportionally high numbers. I do not however agree with your assertion that 1967 pennies could ever be sought after in any shape or form! Yes perhaps 1967 was not the best example to make my point but trying fill the Elizabeth II gaps is not easy as most dealers don't bother to deal with them. Too new at decimalisation, even given that tonnes were probably tucked away it must still be insignificant compared to the amount melted.

A supplementary question. Do mintage figures have any baring now. You see low minage coins like the 1912H, 18 and 19 H/KN pennies, the 1930 2/6, 1952 6d and 1946/49 3d by the bucket on ebay but how often do you see high mintages like the 1967 penny. Perhaps the 1967 penny is the rare one now as all the others were collected over the years

Slightly OT but when my wife first moved here from the Far East I kept finding small coins in a corners of rooms in the house. Apparently it's a custom in her culture.

An interesting story about the coin. My understanding of events during the death march were that the prisoners were systematically robbed of any possessions and if any Japanesse articals such as occupational currency were found on them they were executed on the spot. I keep meaning to look more into the history of the event after I first saw a sign marking the route of the march outside the church where I was married comming up to 11 years ago.

The best I've got to offer is this 1967 penny. If you look into the split you can see that both upper and low parts have some obverse, the top being incuse. Does anything like this have any value? Gary

Amazon has a couple of copies at approx £6.50 each. Just do a search for Burton Hobson Gary D

What you need is a copy of, Picture Guide to Coin Condition by Burton Hobson. Mind you, I've no idea where you will find one. So perhaps not so helpfull.

It looks to be there to me, you can plainly see the bottom serif just above Britannia's head

Not being and expert on vicky coins I'd go for 11+J F321.

The 3d was sold as a normal proof and the cameo effect although present may have been unintentionally enhanced by the photography, althought there was never any intention to deceive. The 3d in my own collection is very similar if slightly better. Checking the other coins in the set they all exhibit some cameo more so the silver.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...:MEWA:IT&ih=004 There are a couple on ebay at the moment. It has a shilling reverse with what looks to be a farthing obverse. A farthin is much smaller and 1/2d much too large so the reverse die must have been especially made. Is it trial oor toy money ?

Just a suggestion, what's yours. As there are suddenly two of different dates seven years apart on ebay I just thought someone would have a explanation. Are they for colonial uses and quite common somewhere in the world or did it just so happen that there was a colonial piece with a shilling sized osverse and someone put the two together for a lark? Both pieces show signs of circulation, one considerable.

Yes and it was one or perhaps 2 containers full of coinage.

I would suggest that that is a reputable source, but I would also be interested to know what attributes make it a proof.

I believe I read or heard somewhere that London Coin are gearing up to offer a grading service that I assume will include slabbing. Not being interested in slabbing as I own a very nice mahogany coin cabinet, I can see a benifit with slabbing a coin after grading in that it locks the coin to the grading.

A 1st class site for varieties is Michael Gouby www.michael-coins.co.uk

Welcome Josie, there are in fact six varieties of the 1908 penny, 2 different reverses which can be told apart by the position of the E in penny. The the vertical strock of he E either aligns with a tooth or a gap between teeth, coupled with this are 3 obverse. These are I of IND to tooth, I of IMP to tooth. I of IND to tooth, I of IMP to gap and finally I of IND to gap, : after BRITT to tooth.

I do wonder how many collect slabs because of what is written on the label rather than what is inside. All of the slabs I have purchased have been opened so that I can keep the coins in my coin cabinet. The first slab I bought was a 1902 penny ACG slab MS-64 Red which I got from ebay for $50 Buy it now. Now I guess $50 is a bit high for a 1902 penny but what was inside was a 1902 Low Tide which I guess is pretty cheap for $50. Out of interest how does MS64 compare to British grades.

Dave,King George V Maundy coins are actually very difficult to find,not only because of their low mintages,but because the coins are still being retained for sentimental reasons by the descendants of the recipients. Aidan. Not impossible to get hold of. Spink have nearly the whole George V run on ebay at this moment. PS if anyone has a spare 1910 1d laying around I have a good home for it.

I probably would have been interested... but how would you have avoided copyright issues? Copyright is a very grey area, just changing it a bit can do the trick. In this case the book has been out of print for some years. The original publishers are gone, taken over, amalgamated, i.e. not around to ask permission. Again the book was printed over 20 years ago. I certainly was not aware of the where abouts of Michael Freeman so I incorrectly assumed his demise. This all being the case the way was open to publish. As part of my final preparation I made a final search for Michael, something that needs to be documented. You have to show that you have at least tried. In my search I found that michael was still around and contacted him to seek permission but obviously in his answer he confirmed the imminant reprinting of his book. Maybe I have done enough by adding two whole new chapters but I'm not about to put it to the test as I'm sure Spink can afford some pretty cute lawyers. One thing though that has got me wondering is why the 1985 edition is being reprinted as is, apart from the 1985 values. See my first point?

Would have been available only on CD Chris.

Glad I could help with a couple of errors in 2006. Talking of re-prints, I was about to put out on pdf Freemans 2nd edition 1985 with a whole new chapter on the Brass 3d and a further chapter on recent bronze additions. It was all ready to hit ebay when it leaked out about the reprint. I thought that as secondhand copies are anywhere from £125-225 that I could clean up at about £20 a pop and at the same time put it within easy reach of the populace. I had been assured that I had done enough to avoid copy right issues. But now Freeman is reprinting I guess thats scuppered it. Mind you if any one would happen to pm....

Rarity is very subjective. Freeman, Peck and Rayner all try and specify rarity but at the end of the day it is largely finger in the air guess work. Sometimes rarity is only applied to the number of coin thought to exist in top grade. According to Rayner Extremely rare is the 5th grade down from the top and doesn't even specify a number other than it is greater than 20. I also suspect that often these rarity figures are under estemates. Take the 1921 penny with the 1927 reverse. It is probably as well known in coin collecting circles as the 1933 penny. In the last 12 months there have been at least a couple on ebay and in the last 6 months two at London Coins auction and this is with a supposed total number in existance of only 6 - 15 coins.

I went to the London coins auction last weekend and it was very quiet. Most lots seemed to be going for below estimate.