Coinery

That's a lovely note SM, what date is it? What would a mint one of those cost today?

Welcome aboard, Arthur, I hope you'll stay with us a while! Your clear love of history is precisely what links most of us here on this forum together, regardless of our fields of interest! We have a number of regular US contributors here, who also collect UK/English/Scottish/Irish coinage, so you're not SO far from home. In answer to one of your questions: typically, a low-grade rarity is still a low-grade coin, and doesn't necessarily attract a massive premium...however, there are some exceptions to this rule, where even washers, provided they are identifiable, will command a high price! You'll soon pick up on what they are if you read around the old posts here! To start you off, the 1903 (open 3) penny is always popular!

Nothing like embracing something wholeheartedly, TG! Just out of interest, what's your primary source of reference for your new series? Also, have you located any finer reading that further details the rarities/dies etc.? Comparatively, I would say Spink, North, BCW (if you know what I mean) as major ascending, with BNJ articles, etc. as supplementary.

Could be, Scott? However, as you know, a better (or another) example would need to come to light to confirm??? It would be a relatively easy die to source, I'd think, as the lettering on GVLIELMVS, especially the S, makes it pretty distinctive?You're the man to find it, Scott! You'll have enough W3 copper to cover all the dies at the rate you're going!

That's bizarre! Twists the mind to even fathom how that might've happened!

The Kew coin has just had a plug on Radio 2, telling everyone to look them out! If we'd only know this a couple of weeks ago, we'd all be millionaires, Rodney! Incidentally, what's the story with the rare 2p? What's the latest prices on one of those?

Well done P for getting on the cart early! I can't see how those prices will be maintained for long? surely the decimal market can't soak up the large number of Kews now for sale on eBay, and then continue to hold their price thereafter?

Impossible to keep up with the man, lately!

I think that's the latest edition, isn't it?

That's a reference taken from a book called English Silver Coinage (ESC), CGS use it a fair bit for their referencing! Edit: not sure about which year is the latest edition? But this is the book: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0900652284

That is pretty darn good, I have to say! Are they illegally transporting sheep in the lead boat?

Just a simple observation, and I'm guessing this is how the whole machine works???? Elizabeth I 6d...priced in Spink at £xxx, covering a range of 6d's from the most common type to the rarest! I've noticed good quality, but commoner types falling well below the Spink price guide, yet seen equal grade (but rarer) coins go for £500+ The above factors are the reason Spink's 'guide' valuations sit where they do...at least with the vagarities and rarities of hammered coinage! Not sure why I haven't had that literary expressive eureka moment before?

I'm curious about the coin now being toned after 5 years? I love tone, of course, but I've always had this, maybe misplaced, idea about preserving a coins state, ideally as close to its original form as possible. Certainly, I'd attempt to maintain the state of preservation I received the coin at! It's not a criticism, there are obviously a large number of people who happily keep coins in trays, I just haven't got my head around the 'let them happily tone' zone, yet, and just wondered what the general consensus was on this, and how you feel about a red coin now darkly toned? I'm in the 'preciously' degrease them and seal them up camp, myself! The hammered can sometimes look nicer when a little more greyed, though!

It's great ain't it!

I don't think anyone could disagree with that!

I'm not sure if people on here are generally hung-up about price guides, I think it's just an inquiry into number-crunching and how any given Guide arrives at its number, and why? With the variables of eye-appeal, lustre, etc.etc., I don't see how any guide can provide definitive figures, nor would expect it! I'm pretty sure Chris uses his guide, he must believe in it, surely? However, he would have to take into account all the thing we all do, such as eye-appeal, dings, lustre, etc.

I'll have a go at that, Chris!

Interesting observation that, pokal!

If the Shetlanders and her surrounding waters did want to stay within the UK, and the UK saw that as strategic/beneficial, maybe we could have our first war sooner than we thought? I reckon the relationship between England and Scotland could be whipped into a mindless storm far quicker than that between England and France? Just a couple of thugs stiring up some riots on the border, and who knows what could happen? I mean, look at the garza strip, Northern Ireland, the Falklands? None of them existing peaceably!

Spooky, theme from BH is now playing on Classic FM!

My favourite film of all time! Fav bit is when he rides back into the village after the slaughter of his bride! Oh, man, the cinematography, those slow steps of the horse, the snorting of the horse, close up of the steam from the nostrils...a real calm before the storm scene and, dare I say, the expressionless look on MG's face is pretty darn cool too! Having said that, I've always quite liked Mel...better than the Kevin Kostner version of Robin Hood, though still a great film!

The rare varieties are certainly not listed separately, at least not in the hammered section! If you look at S2578B which is an Elizabeth I sixpence, singled out in Spink simply for its bust change to 6C. However, there are 12 major obverses and 38 major reverses for this Spink number, separated by PM's, overmarks/over dates/unmarked etc. I really don't think you can mix up tuns, hands, anchors and cyphers in the same Spink number and ever hope to arrive at a standard value?The Spink guide for the above number 'feels' like it could possible represent the total sale value of coins sold within this category divided by the number of coins included. I don't think there's any algorithm or decision to include only the commonest type? Using the above number again, I'd typically expect to pay a third less (or even more [less that is]) than the Spink value for a nice pm hand 6d, whereas, for an anchor or a cypher, you could easily double/treble the Spink book value! If I were to guesstimate the ratios of the various PM/overmarks etc. of S2578B that have been sold, and divided it by the number of coins themselves, I reckon you'd be somewhere close to the figure they quote! As I said, it's one of those silly eureka moments for me!

You'll need a Visa AC I'm suddenly all in favour of an independent Scotland! I've got a Visa Debit, can I buy cheap single malt with that?

Nice to see...that Offa 'fragment' is amazing...if only to have spotted and ID'd it!Great stuff Mr Knipe!