Accumulator

I posted this way down below as a reply in the "Nothing whatsoever to do with coins area" as it was relevant to the discussion, but as it's easily missed I thought it worth posting here too. There was an interesting programme on Radio 4 today 'Decimal Day', which is worth a listen. You can hear it again at: BBC Decimal Day

Congratulations! I have never tried metal detecting, but I can see that the pleasure gained from actually finding coins rather them buying them would be great indeed. That, and placing them in the historical and geographical context that is rarely possible with purchased coins.

I think a more realistic assumption would be that the coin is in average condition for the year, ie. 'fair'. There are dozens of such coins listed on eBay, not selling for their 99p starting price. If they could sell for 99p, I for one would be listing a thousand or two tomorrow! I think 10-20p each is about all you could expect.

Thanks for that - I'll listen to it when I have an hour to spare! (Warning - your link is a double http:// which needs one of them removing, then it works) It's worth the hour... especially if you remember those days! I happened to be in the car so combined listening with driving! Re the link, I realised the mistake as soon as I posted but wasn't allowed to edit it for some reason. The second link should work though.

Try again with the link: BBC - Decimal Day

By coincidence, there was an interesting program on Radio 4 today... "Decimal Day - What's That in Old Money". Worth a listen! You can hear it again here: BBC - Decimal Day

I have to agree with the general view. I possibly have a copy of all the UK 'price guides' in either the 2010 or 2011 editions (often collected as birthday/Christmas gifts) but would give up the lot for a single Spink listed by denomination (but broken down into early/milled/decimal sections). Perhaps even with page edge cut-outs for the principal sections. Just a thought! I read the market overviews and articles when I first get the other guides but then only open them when I need a quick date check and am too lazy to spend the extra 30 seconds searching through Spink. What I would really like, and be prepared to subscribe to, is Spink annually available in database or spreadsheet form that I could merged with my own records. A Spink version of the 'Coin Manage' software discussed elsewhere on this forum would be really good!

That coin is actually a silver proof version of the coin you have, so not the same coin. Still a little expensive though.

I have many of the main references covered already but I don't believe anyone has mentioned the Marsh books which are essential reading for sovereigns & half sovereigns.

That sounds like the best advice. I nearly always assume EF, even when the seller states UNC and it looks that way in pics. This approach means I'm rarely disappointed and more often pleased with the purchase. I would say it's almost impossible to judge the various stages of A/UNC through to BU from a photo anyway, particularly as the better coins often photograph less well.

Great job Gary! You have more patience than me, counting all those teeth. I'm sure you've hit the nail on the head with the 180 v 181 teeth being the proper description of the the difference between the only two varieties. It reminds me of the time I spent as a youth counting dots around the corners of Viccy stamps, but then is was only 14 v 16 and that was hard enough.

Quite literally the fifth penniworth too! Looking carefully again, I think that the fifth picture has a slightly more worn or damaged 'I' that has made it appear broader than the others, so creating the appearance of a greater overlap with the tooth. In fact, I now see all of the 'I''s (Gouby X excepted) as being to the left of the tooth rather than centrally within the gap, and in that sense all the same thing.

I really must get a better scanner, mine seems hopeless unless I'm just using it incorrectly! After yet another look at your images, Peckris, and those of David I must agree. Both Gouby X's stand out a mile but beyond that its hard to see anything else. I think I'll have to consign my 1911's back into their bag for another few years unless Gary comes up with something new.

Interesting, but call me a cynic as I'm still not totally convinced of the difference. At least purely on the positioning of the 'I'. I'll have another look tonight at the other areas you mention. In the meantime, here is a photo and scan of a better grade 1911 which shows how difficult it is to be certain about positions even on the same coin. Slightly different camera angles and shadowing make so much difference. Good luck Gary!

Isn't F106 without the H, which leaves only F108?

Or is it just that part of the 'I' is missing? Sorry, reviewing the post I can see the quality of enlargement is terrible!

It's a minuscule difference, but you may be right...

Yes, really, but I did find that slightly different angles of light and not aligning the pennies exactly in the same way did play tricks with my eyes... or perhaps it was my eyes! With a couple I actually took photos ready to post them as variants but then when I looked again at the pics I decided they really were the same as yours. Anyway, going through those pics here's the only one that might be in doubt. What do you think?

Just double checked all 39 again, under a better light and with my best glasses on, and they have exactly the same alignment as yours.

I know it's not a big sample set but I actually have 39 x 1911 pennies in a bag (a have bags of pennies of each year, don't ask me why!). I know they have never been checked for this variety so I've just been through them. Every single one has the I of BRITT pointing to a space. I almost convinced myself that some had the I pointing to the left of the space and some to the right but then decided it was my eyesight! I have an UNC one in my collection but you probably have enough other images by now?

I think... F103 with OBV 9 has only 7 border teeth between the colon after the D and the colon after the G (including the teeth directly above the colons), yours has 8 which suggests OBV 11?

Anyway Peckris, I notice you're a Forum God and this is clearly your home territory. I'm also certain that you know a great deal about coins and that's why I came to this forum so I'll stop giving you a hard time.

You only disagree strongly Peckris, because you haven't grasped the principle of bases other than 10 and don't understand the maths: In base 12, advancing in units of 12 gives you 10, 20, 30, 40... Advancing in units of 6 gives you 6, 10, 16, 20, 26, 30.... What could be simpler? Check the Wikipedia link above to help you out. Don't patronise me Accumulator. I was taught base 12 at school along with everyone else of my generation, plus I've done computing professionally and understand binary and hexadecimal. I suggest you go back and read what I said. Then go off to bed. Ok, if you understand base 12, please explain your statement that "there's no quick way of advancing in units of 12, or even half units of 6. Yet counting up in 5s or 10s, or multiplying, is simplicity itself"? Now you're just being pedantic. We were talking about £sd versus decimal currency if you can be bothered to read back that far. No, I stated clearly that I was talking about base 12 versus base 10 as a method of counting generally, as were several other contributors to the discussion. I also supplied links (and there are many out there) to support my thoughts and those of many eminent mathematicians. It's very clear you hadn't got your head around base 12, or the duodecimal system, when you made your comments about "no quick way of advancing in units of 12" but you're obviously not going to admit that. Your subsequent comments about my being "pedantic", suggesting I "go off to bed", telling me you've "done computing professionally" and were "taught base 12 at school" don't alter the facts, but I'm sure you understand that. For the record, and as an entirely different point, I certainly wouldn't suggest that Lsd is a better system than Lp.

Interesting Azda. Here's one of mine with the LCW initials, a Rev D I believe.

You only disagree strongly Peckris, because you haven't grasped the principle of bases other than 10 and don't understand the maths: In base 12, advancing in units of 12 gives you 10, 20, 30, 40... Advancing in units of 6 gives you 6, 10, 16, 20, 26, 30.... What could be simpler? Check the Wikipedia link above to help you out. Don't patronise me Accumulator. I was taught base 12 at school along with everyone else of my generation, plus I've done computing professionally and understand binary and hexadecimal. I suggest you go back and read what I said. Then go off to bed. Ok, if you understand base 12, please explain your statement that "there's no quick way of advancing in units of 12, or even half units of 6. Yet counting up in 5s or 10s, or multiplying, is simplicity itself"?