davidrj

Okay, so I know the map above is a flippant comment, but the more serious question has to be - are there any true borders? Most of Africa, E.Europe & the Middle East have borders reflecting either past colonial land grabs or provisions of the Treaty of Versailles - neither of which paid any notice of the wishes of local populations, or respected ethnic, religious or cultural traditions. New borders cause their own problems - look at the horrors of the relocation of populations between Greece & Turkey, or post independence India & Pakistan. Most separatists dream of a return to their own perceived "Golden Age" - so post Yugoslav Serbia wanted a return to the borders prior the the battle of Kosovo Polje in 1389 (defeat by the Ottomans), I witnessed the aftermath personally in Kosova in 2001 So I'm an internationalist, BUT with a strong belief in subsidiarity. The UK is better in Europe in my view, but England does need urgent decentralisation with more decision making at regional level. Hopefully Westminster will take note of the Scottish result, be interesting to see the parties' manifestos for next year's general election David

We could go back to this But sorry Dave, no border between England & Scotland (just a modern invention)

Happy Birthday!

They are the Sovereign's arms, England's is the three lions. so if we assume Lizzie stays queen of Scotland, they wont change

been a member for donkey's years, Biddulph is one of my, favorites, other good gardens are Bodnant and Inverew (Scottish NT), plus .Styal Mill which is just a mile down the road from me

and a little denier from medieval France 1200-1250 Dauphine, Archdiocese of Viennes, denier OBV: S . M . VIENNA, Head of St Maurice REV: MAXIMA GALL

A couple of very cheap (£12 inc postage) medieval coins from Spain 1158-1214 Kingdom of Castille, Toledo mint, Alfonso VIII, dinero OBV: HFNVS REX REV: + TOLLETH 1238-1276 Kingdom of Valencia,, Jaime I of Aragon, dinero OBV: : JACOBUS REX REV: + VALENCIE

Recording it!

looks like a disintegrating die to me David

Happy Birthday!

Dunno about quills, but my early school memories are of scratchy pens and inkwells set into the desks. When were biros invented and when did they become cheap enough for common usage? I know they were banned for all my schooling

Help on this one please, I think this is Edward III, tall crown, annulet stops + EDWARDVS ° REX ° ANGLI / CIVITAS LONDON Nearest I can find is Spink 1630 for York - a mule?? David

Thanks, the descriptions in my Spink (2007) are very confusing for EdIII, "with French title" confused me, I assume that's just for the groats? Is there an online reference for EdIII? The UKDFD pages are excellent for the long cross and early eddies

one of these methinks

This one came today Nezak Huns Billon drachm of the Hephthalite King Napki Malka (Afghanistan/ Gandhara, c. 475-576). Obv: Napki Malka type bust, winged head dress with bull head in the center. Pahlavi legend "NAPKI MALKA". Rev: Zoroastrian fire altar with attendants either side. 25mm 2.85g (slightly scyphate) £20 inc postage

Ladislav IV king of Hungary & Slavonia denar for Slavonia (approx modern Croatia) 1272-1290 a much more sophisticated production than the German pfennigs. Not a dog this time, a marten apparently ++++ Armenia - Levon IV(1320-1342)silver takvorin. King on horseback rt. He holds reins in left hand and mace, which extends over his shoulder. "Levon king of the Armenians" / Bushy-tailed lion walking rt.., behind him a tall cross with one arm. "Struck in the City of Sis".

Further delving into medieval German States-Lower Bavaria (Bayern-Landshut), Duke Heinrich IV (1390-1450), Pfennig, Öttinger Mint Dog walking left, right paw raised, tree or bush in background Large H between two five-pointed stars Vienna pfennig - Friedrich the Handsome. (1314-30) I'd hate to meet the ugly ones

I thought our young team, who carried no great expectations, played very well Everything still to play for

Another addition to my growing collection of medieval pennies (deniers, pfennigs etc) bucket.com/user/microtome/media/1088-1120BearnLesCentullesDenier.jpg.html'> France 1088-1300 Bearn Les Centulles Denier, a common type, but still a very nice little coin for $30 Obv CENTVLLO COM, cross with two pellets Rev ONOR FORCAS around PAX (no idea who Forcas is)

I'm having problems with a seller in Poland, bought the coins and paid same day with PayPal as advertised in the listing. Seller refuses Paypal but has not refunded, and demands I send him bank transfer at my expense I rang ebay, they just said I need to wait a month before I can raise a case against him. They were nice coins, suspect the selling price was not as much as he hoped for

1818 for me too

That makes me feel very ancient! Just think - the bun penny 1860-1894 34yrs, the decimal 2p 1971-2014 43 yrs. Sobering thought, even if you rule out all the RM proofs & commemorative crap, there's a significant number of different decimal coins for today's new collectors to go for, I doubt few folk under 50 remember Lsd

Poland's reply to UKIP? Apparently it celebrates 25 years of freedom

Quite! unfortunately we as a species don't learn from history. I was in Kosovo in late 2001, and I have chilling memories of the still fresh mass graves on the hillsides

and this one The Obverse has the mint letter G for Poitiers, plus the O after POL for the mintmaster Ollivier. The reverse has the traditional secret mark for Poitiers the point under letter 8