pokal02

I was thinking more of a date run, which isn't much of an issue for hammered apart from some Commonwealth issues & the 1558 penny. I've managed one of each reign & mint (except Ashby) for hammered groats and have a few more varieties I could still pick up. although as you say there a a few I'm either never going to get or won't bother with,. Have often toyed with expanding into milled groats (definitely easier than shillings) but something else always comes up!

I'm pretty close to completing crowns (ignoring proofs) - I of course lack 1674 and some of the more obscure edge years eg 1671 v. quarto. Wouldn't get anywhere near it if I was starting now. I wonder if groats might be do-able - (except the unique 1697?) - one could include/exclude post-1816 maundy depending on resources etc.

The auctioneer was continually saying that these were coins for 'collectors', but I suspect very few got a look in. The same paddle numbers kept coming up as successful bids and I can't imagine any collector being able to buy 7 or 8 coins at these prices.

I was looking at four crowns (one an upgrade). I knew they'd all be expensive as I don't have many crown gaps these days. In the end pushed the boat out on one which was over 3x top estimate & gave up on the others. Have to give up collecting until October now to get back on budget!

I think I've had 4 or so purchases not reach me over the years. The sellers have always refunded me. One of these turned up months later - I notified the seller and paid again. I don't know whether he had borne the loss himself, or if not, whether he reimbursed the carrier (it was from Italy - I've had more problems with (non-coin related) post from there than anywhere else).

Nothing for me here (probably no bad thing as I blew 50% of my annual budget at DNW last week!).

The one I got in the Apr 8 auction arrived on Apr 18. So expecting this one about Thur (knocking off a couple of days as the first one was over Easter). I'll be OK if he does them in lot number order - mine was lot 10!

I got one item @ DNW yesterday - had set a £200 limit - and I'm usually strict in applying pre-determined limits in real time - but went to £220 which I probably wouldn't have done pre-Covid (it wasn't the sort of coin that'll never turn up again). I guess there is some element of boredom here, with all my other hobbies (football, travel, playing bridge, eating out) firmly off the agenda for 6 months or more.

DNW was about average overall today I'd say, some items (including the groat I particularly wanted but didn't get) going for double estimate or more but a lot of the less desirable items going below estimate (picked up a James I shilling with a book value of £900 for £130 net - yes there are some scratches on obverse, but not bad enough for that sort of discount).

I can't see it being a total meltdown. Some auctions (eg Morton & Eden) have cancelled but most are going ahead on-line, where most people are now anyway compared to 'in the room' (and there's less chance bidders will be unavailable when their desired lots come up!) The few dealers I look at online still seem to be adding stock. Post offices OK round here, though not sure if Special Delivery still operates - even if not, I'm quite happy for dealers/auctioneers I trust to hold on to anything I buy until they can safely post it). As Rob says above, the lower end may take the bigger (proportional) hit due to 'budget' collectors having less income/other priorities now.

Still, it is reduced from £100 to £60 and is 'beautiful' and 'rare'. (only 121 million minted, so if every man, woman and child in the UK is sitting on one there are only 55 million left for our American, Australian and Chinese friends).

When I was first collecting Charles II crowns (late 80's but I don't think they went up much in the 90s), the common dates were about £25-30 in F and £55-65 in VF. Probably about £150-180 and £450-500 now, although Spink has them still higher. 1818-1847 have done OK too, 1887-1936 not as well although they certainly haven't decreased in value (other than by inflation).

It really depends what you're collecting. For post-1816 I'd agree with most of the above but for earlier milled and hammered my impression is that F coins have done reasonably well and VF's a bit better. It's taken me 20+ years (before then I didn't worry about grades at all) even to eliminate, with one exception, the words Poor, Fair and VG from my collection! I'd never collect much above VF anyway as part of the fun is imagining the coins having circulated/used by people hundreds of years ago.

A quick search for 'British Crowns' revealed 29,700 items. Clogged up is an understatement! I have had some good results selling my duplicates on ebay in the past (£105 for a very modest 1696 crown springs to mind) but the last two attempts were disappointing. I haven't got CCA, which was my other route, any more now either. I'll probably not upgrade existing specimens so much in the future.

ebay was fine 10 years ago, with decent coins being bid up to fair prices. Now 90% of it is tat and the other 10% is the same old stock being re-listed time & again at unrealistic prices. I'd like to see a minimum SP of £10 for coins, a listing fee even if it doesn't sell and a rule that nothing unsold could be re-listed more than twice in a 6 month period. I know it'd be impossible to implement/enforce though.

A shame to see them go - much of my early collecting was done via Graeme at Charing X Fair including virtually a complete date run of milled crowns, some of which I still have. In more recent years I've sold my lower grade duplicates at CCA (the 1665 crown yesterday was mine - originally bought from Graeme in the early 80's). Best wishes to Graeme & Linda for the future.

Is there any way to apportion these to 1st or 2nd reign (where Spink lists moneyer for both reigns)? Mine - moneyer Wulfred - has an inner circle which seems more associated with 2nd reign but I'm not sure if this is conclusive? I'd welcome any help.

Thanks Rob, I was wondering whether Pirie 1996 or Lyon 2016 (about the same price) was the better way to go - will go with the former now.

Croydon Coin Auctions still charge only 5% BP I think. Their sellers premium is 12% so that's half or less of the DNW mark up. (24% + ?10%)

Hi all, Having given up on getting an Ashby groat, I'm down to two to complete 'one of each reign, mint & date' - but perhaps not the two I would have expected. Edward IV 2nd reign groat of York mint - fairly inexpensive per ESC but I've only ever seen one (in the Motcomb sale - I was the underbidder) - I know they weren't minted for very long. Oxford mint 1646 - again not dreadfully expensive but seems difficult - I think there was one in the Brady sale. If anyone can help, I'd be most grateful (ideally somewhere between F & VF - small scratches or very minor edge loss considered, but not holes or bent/badly creased coins).

..and now the Edw IV at DNW on 3/7/19. Not much to get for either groats or crowns now (excluding 5-figure or 'will never turn up'), although I'd like one of the 1634 pattern groats - they used to turn up regularly but haven't seen one for a few years now.

I see the 1935 crown went for £742. Perfectly decent ones are regularly available at £500-£550. All I can say is at least two people were looking at the slabbed grade not the photo.

The moustache looks OK but I still think the ear and hair look worn. To be fair, it could be the photo or possibly the slab has become defective in some way (the toning looks a bit odd too). The proofs were indeed .925 silver.

...and now we have a 1935 proof crown graded PR64CAM by PCGS (confirmed by PCGS website that it's the same coin), but the grading is ludicrous - there's heavy wear on the obverse and I'm struggling to even say VF. (No blame attached to the seller here - he/she started it at £1 and no doubt it will find its own level - it's £180 now).

The Vigo crown's only £70,000 more than I paid for mine (I will admit theirs is better!!)