Peckris

It's probably a Greek coin from the Roman era? The reverse is a classic quadrigatus (chariot pulled by 4 horses). The obverse is probably the head of a goddess and the H almost certainly indicates the city of issue (E for example is always Ephesos). The legend on the reverse is (probably) KASILISSAS but the lower word is harder to transcribe - it could be something like ILISTIDI? which possibly refers to either the mint or the issuing moneyer. Pity about the hole - it's an attractive coin.

i had a reply to this, ive just removed it though, my bad sense of humour is going to get me into trouble. I'm sure we were on the same wavelength

Silica gel does help, but every now and then you have to gently bake the sachets to remove the moisture they've attracted. As for preventing toning, good plastic envelopes (i.e. non-PVC) are usually effective, but do watch them regularly for 'sweating'. I have two mahogany cabinets : in the one with trays that have coin-size cut outs, I don't see additional toning, but in the one that has trays with no cut outs, yes, there is toning. So if you ever go down the cabinet route, make sure you get one where the trays have cut outs to hold the coins.

Rather apt, Yesterday I was looking at the auctions of rare girl guides ones, then the wife came home with a unc one, suddenly I got given another in change by the bus driver, then another from Tesco metro in town, so I now have 3 rare ones, how rare, only 50,0000 or 70,000 struck according to whichever page of the RM site I look at. I also got a number of other designs from the bank without auction fees or postage of course Garry, I am interested as I was thinking doing this myself - did you say that you had gone to the bank and exchanged some cash for some bags of 50p's? If so, what proportion of them were commemorative roughly? I couldn't say as a percentage, about erm 30% if my terrible math is right, out of the £100 worth, we got about 60 of the darn things, however there were a lot and I mean a lot of duplicate ones, more so of the shooting, swimming, wheelchair ones, I also got a number of those older dictionary ones, we sat at their table for a long while going through them before having the cheek to then give them back asking for it to be put into my account which elicited a tather strange look . I intend to hit RBS and Lloyds next time. Looks like coin rolling as in the USA is going to be worthwhile here. Maybe it was the rare girl guides (don't go there!) which elicited that 'look'?

Surely not! Much better quality than the early bun pennies David "Now, Monsieur Le Engraver, make sure you render my beard properly" "Erm, what beard, Sire?"

I don't think there is a great degree of harshness towards your coin per se. The problem is one of many US coins which for the past decade or two have been promoted as rainbow toned where there is no earthly chance the colour was acquired naturally. A coin from 1890 which has a degree of toning is quite acceptable. Your coin has some wear, so an amount of peripheral toning together with some in the recesses of the design is quite normal and is clearly offset by friction to the high points. Is the mark on the cheek on the coin or the holder as this is a bit of a blemish if on the coin and would affect its value? There is nothing wrong with collecting what you like - every single person on this forum is guilty of that. Irrespective of budget, if you like it and it gives you pleasure, take the hedonistic approach and stick two fingers up to those who don't like it. It's a good job there are plenty of contrarians, otherwise there would be no relief from a monotonous diet of bronze pennies. If you could define a true coin collector please let us know, as I'm sure someone will disagree. Agreed. You specifically asked for thoughts about the toning - we told you! But it is an attractive coin, whether or not the toning is natural. I wouldn't refuse it house-room at the right price. I think you picked well.

Not when they can already make a fortune from tourists, souvenir hunters, parents, the kind of people who used to buy limited edition plates to hang on their walls, and the poor saps who fondly imagine that annual proof sets are actually worth what they are listed at in Spink. I suppose so but keeping the plate hangers etc happy is one thing, another when it could affect a whole hobby and industry here with no errors forthcoming. Kind of like throwing the dog a bone every now and again. Would you think ?. You could be right - this forum disproves my long-held theory that no coin collector gives 2p about the decimal coins in their change...

Not when they can already make a fortune from tourists, souvenir hunters, parents, the kind of people who used to buy limited edition plates to hang on their walls, and the poor saps who fondly imagine that annual proof sets are actually worth what they are listed at in Spink.

That is cheap. Mind you, an auction house can pretty much set its own BP according to what it thinks it can get away with. I'm surprised though - Croydon have been around quite a while, and are highly reputable, so you'd think they might have set it higher.

What I'm going to suggest is risky, and will incur general disapproval. However, if you really hate toning, it may be worth a try (but experiment on your least value coin first). The answer is "silver dip". Yes, the same silver dip that so many warn about and that ruins so many good silver coins. If you do it right, however, there should be very little problem. The right way is to DIP FOR ONLY A FEW SECONDS. In other words, lower the coin gently into the dip solution, watch it like a hawk and take it out again after no more than around 10 seconds. Coins are ruined by leaving in dip for far too long - even overnight! A few seconds should remove the worst of the toning if not all. Rinse off thoroughly and dab dry using a micro-cloth or clean towel. Don't repeat! The alternative is to get to love toning - I was like you about 15 years ago and even sent back a 1927 proof set that was toned deep blue and exchanged it for one with no toning. Nowadays I love good toning.

That's not the first edition - which was 1969? 1970? But because the 1985 is more up to date than the 1st edition, and is also out of print, it fetches more than twice as much (usually).

Puts me in mind of a Mike Harding anecdote. He recounted how, when a lad and dating, he was round his girlfriend's house and her entire family was there. Desperate for something to say to relieve the embarrassed silence, he said "That's a nice fire ... for coal" "What did you say?" glowered the girl's father "I said 'for coal' " stuttered young Mike. The father glared harder. "That's funny, I swear your lips moved."

peanuts... ....to a coin collector. To a jewellery connoisseur it might be worth something, but you'd have to take it to a reputable jewellers (Ratners - not!).

Sure. I much prefer them to the countermarked pieces of 8. (By the way, George III had porphyria, he wasn't really mad.)

I saw this on the TV News today. "Explains" is a very loose term for two triangles and a square.

It's easy to get lost, I went round the london eye about 14 times in one night trying to get out of the darn place, car was complete with wife 2 kids and a friend coming from walthamstow and simply computers, more recently in the last 5 years I had a tom tom that got me lost as well. so much for technology. Well, if you will play drums instead of keeping your eyes on the road

i think youre right......certainly explaines why he wants 99p for it and not 1p

Scratch that itch with postdecimal proof sets! Seriously, they go at auction for no more than half their Spink listed value, they are nice and shiny, and they don't cost a bomb. In fact, when I start looking out some coins for you, I intend to offload some of my proof sets - how does 1974 1975 and 1976 grab you? And maybe one of 1978 or 1979 into the bargain. I bought 6 sets for £15 and 10 predecimal sets for £4 from a postcard fair...they will sit there gathering dust...although one set is BU...can't resist a bargain...offers please in a plain envelope (John can supply cheap envelopes ) Do you mean the blue wallets? I'd say 40p each wasn't a bad price (just over twice face value) - if you can find any buyers! You can't usually find proof sets at £2.50 each -what dates were they?

I don't know where you're located, but I'd echo the others' advice - stay away from that penny, it's not a good one!

There are 200,000 out there serving 2,000 people who actually want one and another 20,000 punters who want a fast buck.Look at 1951 pennies there are probably 119,950 surviving of which 119,000 are UNC.They were £30 in 1965 and about £30 today.Buy an 18C coin avoiding 1758 1/- 1787 6d & 1/- any Lima coins...or maybe a book...investing in coins is very easy I agree with your analysis Peter, but not with that part - although those are the commonest coins of their era by far (plus the 1754 farthing, 1775 halfpenny, 1806 halfpenny, and several others), they are not nearly so common in high grade; they are well worth a punt in EF or better, and their increasing prices over the years proves that.

Another quality item from mintstate17!!!!!!!!!!!! Not. Isn't that the very rare "Missing E in ONE variety?"

Scratch that itch with postdecimal proof sets! Seriously, they go at auction for no more than half their Spink listed value, they are nice and shiny, and they don't cost a bomb. In fact, when I start looking out some coins for you, I intend to offload some of my proof sets - how does 1974 1975 and 1976 grab you? And maybe one of 1978 or 1979 into the bargain.

While we're on the subject, can anyone enlighten me how it is that professional football and tennis players can strut their stuff (for no pay) at The Olympics, while professional boxers cannot? Seems not only unjust, but completely farcical.

Oh well, that means a lot fewer fake 1887 £2s and £5s on the market Unless they were on their way to MAKE some more?

What's with the Brasso, can't you afford duraglit ?. Much better shine Peter. There are many 1973 proofs that would benefit greatly from your Brasso Peter Heathen, philistine. Have you no respect for coins !. Someone probably said the same things about all those rare coins you are seeking now, one day my cheap tat is going to be the next 1933 penny. Look at it this way, if people keep buying the silver and old content coins for scrap soon the few left that are common are going to be rare, and possibly sooner than you think. likewise those who scrap all the old worn pennies to keep the numbers down. Keep your Brasso away from mine.... LOL - you probably haven't seen the very worst 1973 proofs! I can tell you in all seriousness that Brasso would do those a BIG favour. It was a bad year...