Accumulator

I bid on that one today, but I do already have a copy. It was sitting at a fiver, so I thought £45 would be bound to get it. I keep underestimating eBay bidding!

What pandas? I only see puppies

Not my area, but very nice and, as Peckris says, a pleasant change from the usual "grandpaernt's collection". In addition to Peckris's good advice, you might find this website useful for giving a very approximate idea of values. Just type in your grandfather's description (or part of it) into the search box.

I was given a coin album in 1968 and it had the old PVC pocket pages. As a lad I filled it up with pre-decimal currency collected from change. When I finally liberated the coins a few years ago the silver, in particular, was coated in a blue/green nasty, sticky deposit. I used acetone and it came off with ease.

I guess that's possible on an old hammered coin but it seems most unlikely in this case. The green/blue smudge looks more like reaction with a sweating PVC envelope. If it wipes off with acetone, it surely must be that, or just dirt?

It can't be verd, as it's a silver coin. Most likely a deposit from an old PVC coin envelope. I'm not sure it's the responsibility of CGS to clean coins (other than a light dusting) before stabbing so it's really down to the previous owner.

Bill & Mike, as stated above I can see both the pros and the cons of slabbing. Ultimately each individual will make their own choice, but I think it good for the UK market that we have our own TPG, for those that wish to use it. Anyway, and more importantly, I'm sure I speak for most in saying that we are really pleased to have you here. Whilst some will disagree with you on the slabbing issue, there are many other lively discussions going on daily. I hope you will both stick around and join in!

I remember the discussion too. I had this example, but the consensus was 8/8 rather than 8/3:

Starters? I thought this was a thread about fake hors d'oeuvres for a minute! Surely it's manes not starters? ..and they're off!!! Brings new meaning to 70's tv chef, Graham Kerr? the "Galloping Gourmet".

Or just edit the html as you wish!

I have most of my pennies as raw coins in Quadrum capsules, in trays, but also quite a few slabbed by various TPGs. I know this won't appeal to the purists, but my collection has essentially become the photographs that I've taken. I can examine, sort and classify this 'virtual collection' at will, while the coins themselves are stored safely away.

I'm sure you're right Debbie. My knowledge (for what it is) doesn't extend past the coins as minted.

Go for it, it will be interesting. Has the PCGS forum ate itself yet regarding the Morgans Rainbow toning? Lol I would be delighted to see (as far as is practicable) the three coins graded by the three grading companies. It is just possible that the PCGS MS65 will be better than the CGS UNC85 - but it would be a close run thing. As to the NGC MS65 - I refuse to comment. Until recently I would buy PCGS coins sight unseen based upon their label but now I want to see the coin before I will complete a transaction (I came unstuck on three coins each graded MS65 by PCGS). I looked at ten NGC slabbed pennies (copper and bronze) at an auction last year and found verdigris on eight of them - so unless I can examine NGC coins I do not buy them either. I do look for bargains on eBay and elsewhere for CGS graded coins and on occasions have paid more (sometimes much more) than the value suggested by CGS - either to fill a gap in my collection or the coin in my view was undervalued by CGS. Based upon the comments I have seen about 'meeting in car parks', 'telephone manner (and apologies for suggesting you 'got the wrong number')' etc I can only say I have nothing but a positive opinion of CGS and its service. However, as the CGS forum is meeting this coming Saturday I will be taking the opportunity of raising these negative points with the attendees of the forum and soliciting opinion from CGS management. Bill Thanking you for taking these points to the CGS forum. It would be really interesting to get their feedback. I do believe it's in all our interests that CGS, as the only UK supplier, prospers rather than losing the market to the big US TPGs. On the issue of NGC. I viewed an MS64 slabbed penny last week and spotted the dreaded verdigris.

Starters? I thought this was a thread about fake hors d'oeuvres for a minute!

That is SO annoying! And at its worst in a half hour BBC series (you know, the provider that doesn't have adverts...) where the presenter says - after two minutes on one topic - "Coming up..." and refers to what the next two minutes will be about. Then "Coming up..." as he announces they are returning to the previous bit that ended two minutes ago. Jeez. How short do they think our attention span is, FFS ? And the insistence of always naming every (overpaid) presenter at every opportunity. Like we really care who they are. Newsreader: "Let's get the latest from Sally Unpronounceable outside Buckingham Palace" Sally: "Thank you John. This is Sally Unpronounceable outside Buckingham Palace. The big news here is that there's been no coming or going from the palace all morning. If anything changes, we'll be here live to report it. Back to John Smarmy, in the studio." Newsreader: "Thank you Sally. That was Sally Unpronounceable, live outside Buckingham Palace with the very latest. We'll be straight back there as soon as there's any news".

Welcome Bill. Although, as Peckris says, slabbing has something of a bad name amongst many of our regular forum members it's really good that someone with a strongly different view is prepared to come on here and debate the process. Personally, I'm quite happy with the concept of grading and slabbing although I've not felt the need to use the service myself. Nevertheless, many of my coins were slabbed when I bought them and I've found no reason to crack them open. I completely agree about the advantages of CGS versus the US TPGs. Both the grades and identification of GB coins, particularly by NGC, is very suspect. Some would say that's an advantage, if only because it allows the canny buyer to find some real hidden bargains! As you have highlighted, the problem for CGS (and indeed London Coins to some extent) is surely volume. They don't get enough work to even out the peaks and troughs, which results in big delays, and they can't afford the security that they ought to have for the value of merchandise they handle. My last visit involved meeting in the nearby car park, which wasn't especially good for customer satisfaction! For me, the jury's still out, but if the market does move towards the US model then I might eventually be persuaded to get some of my collection entombed.

There certainly seem to be no more than a handful of these in existence, and none in really great condition. It will be interesting to see what happens with the London Coins example at the weekend.

Hello Tim, and welcome! I don't collect Australian coins but do appreciate the effort that goes into producing a website. Yours is a great resource, and one that will undoubtedly help many fellow collectors. It's good to know that the hobby thrives down under!

im not seeing in my browser a left or a right......just one above the other. if the top one is the business strike...........i got it completely wrong As I say, it's so hard to capture in a photo. Especially as I'm led to believe that the known 1964's aren't that great anyway. In hand, the 'bottom' coin (in your browser... try stretching the browser to make it wider) has a 'plastic' smoothness to the design and a mirror sheen to the fields.

The 'top' one will be the one on the left if your browser window is too narrow to display them side by side. Actually it's the one on the right that is allegedly the proof and has the mirrored fields. It's so hard to capture that effect in a photograph though.

My 1968 certainly has a thick rim, but looking through I'm not sure it's any thicker than some currency strikes for other 'bun' years. If only thickness was a definite marker! Thanks Steve. I did wonder because my UNC 1881H has lustre quite unlike any I've seen, and it has an unusually thick rim. I've had vague suspicions that it may be an impaired proof, but I've always dismissed them as too fanciful to be realistic. My 1881H is poor and due an upgrade, though it does have about 40% lustre. It also has a thin rim, so it would be interesting to see yours. You never know! My 1881s are LITERALLy poor! Well overdue an upgrade, but at today's prices? Hmmm. [Thinks not..] It's not a very good pic to be honest, and it looks totally different in hand. The lustre is very different to normal ~ almost akin to having been polished, although not literally polished. I don't think it is a proof but I have wondered from time to time. The pic is from the Colin Cooke site dating from when I bought it, about July 2011 iirc, for £150 Nice penny indeed. I don't see any evidence from the photo that it might be proof-like, though it may appear so in the hand.

Rob beat you by 2 minutes! I was Johnny-come-lately!

I'm not sure about the toning but I'm very happy with the price!! :D It's an old page that hasn't quite been removed properly. That set was sold long ago. I don't think GK have ever sold anything that cheap! I bought my MS65RB slabbed1862 penny from George and was very happy indeed. The price was at the top end, but he was prepared to haggle and his service was excellent.

My 1968 certainly has a thick rim, but looking through I'm not sure it's any thicker than some currency strikes for other 'bun' years. If only thickness was a definite marker! Thanks Steve. I did wonder because my UNC 1881H has lustre quite unlike any I've seen, and it has an unusually thick rim. I've had vague suspicions that it may be an impaired proof, but I've always dismissed them as too fanciful to be realistic. My 1881H is poor and due an upgrade, though it does have about 40% lustre. It also has a thin rim, so it would be interesting to see yours. You never know!

Here's an 1806. No difference apart from the date: