Emperor Oli

Brilliant! Not the selection of the previous one (for maundy at least) but the pictures and variety make up for it - very nice find

That's what I've been thinking but when you look, there's not many maundy oddments around, on the internet at least. I googled maundy money (look - predecimal is in the blurb!) and found quite a nice site with loads of bits and bobs but it didn't really look "proper", if you catch my drift. I'm a bit wary about purchasing anything because they don't have pictures - ut they do have a huge selection! The first set I'll try to assemble is probably a George III wire set.

Can you tell us what the question is, please? And erm the address for entering

Ah I was thinking of either buying some maundy money (Pre-Edward VII) or making up a set.

Yes that's what I'm looking at. I was going to collect half sovereigns but thought again. Last night I posted something on here asking what grade you all thought a certain George IV coronation medal was in because I was going to bid for it. Nobody replied so I deleted the post but decided to bid anyway, up to my maximum of £40. However, I was still outbid.

It should be a good investment but you may want to do some research (and I'm sure some other forum members can help) on the largest price gaining section of British coins. This may be gold, but it could, for instance, be half crowns of George IV. If this turns up rubbish, and still says gold is the best investment (which it probably is long-term), you may want to consider an older piece - not one of the new designs which I personally think are hideous.

Well I was collecting farthings until I found verdigris on some other coins, so as a safeguard I sold all of them off to Chris. Now I don't know quite what to collect so I'm just waiting for something to catch my eye.

When I see a seller with less than 100% feedback, I check to see their negatives. Usually, there are LOADS of pages and I have to trawl thorugh them all to find the negatives. However, there is a nifty little program where one puts the name of the seller in and can choose to see negatives/neutrals received or left. It's quite handy and saves you having to look through to find them!

Is your newsagents a chain or is it just a single shop? I can't seem to find it even in WHSmith!

JMD, you were asking a while ago about where you could purchase a set of QEII Maundy money. There's a set on eBay at the minute, but it's reaaaally expensive (I think so anyway, for modern Maundy).

Hmm those interlinked C's in the angles aren't on any coins of that period - the only British monarch that I can think of with those upon a coin is Charles II. Also, the legend on the reverse is inaccurate which leads me to believe that it's perhaps a forgery. Oh, and Queen Anne never wore a necklace and looks rather different from your picture. Yup, I think it's a forgery.

'fraid your sketch didn't attach. But from you description, I reckon it's either a shilling or sixpence - probably a shilling (does it look like the picture below?). The shillings are about 24-25mm in diameter and the sixpences are about 21mm in diameter - try to remeasure it. If you had a date, we could value it for you.

Ah I didn't know that - thanks Coppers!

No proofs were even made that year and I'm quite certain that they wouldn't get £250 anyway. What a silly little man.

1837 Shilling in fine is worth £28

Well normally when I hear "St George and the Dragon", sovereigns do spring to mind but if it's in the context of a Victoria veiled bust then I think of crowns for some inexplicable reason, probably cause they're quite big!

I don't think any of these coins are the ones you suggest. The second one is a crown I think although this was minted in silver. It could have been gilded to pass off as a sovereign. On the edge of the coin, it will have either LVI or LVII - these affect value. If you use this page, you may be able to grade them yourself in which case the values are: LVI LVII Fine - £15 Fine - £25 Very fine - £30 Very fine - £60 Extremely fine - £125 Extremely fine - £200 Uncirculated - £300 Uncirculated - £450 The first coin you describe could be a shield-back sovereign, which are Sylvester's speciality. The sovereign is about 22mm in diameter and the half is about 19mm. I think Sylvester will be able to advise you better than me. Sovereign Half-sovereign Fine - £75 Fine - £60 Very fine - £90 Very fine - £85 Extremely fine - £175 Extremely fine - £250 Uncirculated - £350 Uncirculated - £450 If you can't grade yourself, feel free to post scans for us to do it! Edit - These are the values for normal, silver crowns and gold (half)sovereigns. The 1893 "gold" one could have, more likely, been gilded as I said earlier to pass off as a higher denomination or, but I'm doubting myself as I type this, been struck in gold. Ah a thought has just hit me - it's probably another sovereign/half sovereign if it's gold making the above values void. I valued it as a crown because that's the image that springs into my mind when I think of St George and the Dragon (knight on charger) and the veiled bust of Victoria.

There are many varieties of Edward VII sovereign with many different values. The varieties are identified by mintmarks. First off, the London Mint. Unless it's in really good uncirculated condition, it's only worth bullion value, based on the current price of gold and the weight of the coin. This coin has no mintmark. Secondly, the Canada mint identified by a "C" on the reverse near the bottom. In fairly good condition, it's also worth bullion value. In the best condition it's worth £175. Somewhere between the two is extremely fine which is worth £90. Next is the Australian mint at Melbourne. This one has an "M" near the bottom. In the best condition, this is worth £85 and bullion value for anything below that. Another Australian mint id the Perth mint which has a "P" near the bottom. This has the same price as the above Australian one. Finally we have the Sydney mint identified by, you guessed it, a "S" near the bottom. This is also worth the same as the two Australian ones. If you're feeling a bit overwhelmed, just register and post a scan and we can grade it and therefore value it for you.

THe 1993 50p you have celebrates Britain's Presidency of the Council of European Community Ministers and completion of the Single Market. Just a normal one pulled from circulation is worth £7 but only in the best, tip top condition. I reckon yours will be somewhere around the £2 mark but a picture would allow more accurate grading.

Beyond words........ Edit: I've just notcied all the jargon with it - what a crackpot!

Happy Birthday - got any interesting presents for yourself?

Are they from Sainsbury's? I hear that sainsbury's are doing lots of this sort of thing.

I've emailed him shedding some light on his situation

About the 1933 Penny, it was Antiques Roadshow that the Lady wason. The expert gave the usual possibility that it was a 1938 one with the "8" filed down, the coin split in half (as it had George VI instead of George V on the obverse) and the reverse stuck to an obverse of a George V penny. He also said something about Australian pennies but I've forgotten it. It was another method on how to make them. BBC 1933 Penny. Don't worry - I've sent them an email regarding the metal used!

He also answered that question on his forum