Coinery

I believe about a 50/50 split. In CCGB they are priced roughly the same. Both are easy. Thanks, Peter, much appreciated! I agree, not far off 50/50 Thanks, gents!

I believe about a 50/50 split. In CCGB they are priced roughly the same. Both are easy. Thanks, Peter, much appreciated!

It's really strange how different threads show on the forum. I always click 'view new content,' and generally read everything before clicking 'view new content' again (to check for posts added whilst I was reading), before finally marking all as read! You'd think that would have me seeing everything, however, even with this approach I still stumble upon significant threads - which have had endless responses, which I should have picked up on with my method - that have just passed me by! Very weird! With your zoomed photography, I couldn't say underlying E. It looks more like a partially clogged B to me. Has the B/E every been clearly recorded? Interesting approach. I dive into each forum that has the "New posts" dark folder. Then within that, I dive into each topic that has the gold "New posts" folder. That way I should be able to see everything. And if I leave a topic and someone has been adding a new post, it shows gold again, so I can look again. So there really IS more than one way to skin a cat! Will give your approach the once-over tomorrow!

I'd say Bill is owed a couple of shares in CGS (or a few free slabs) for the outcome of this thread alone. What did you say your previous incarnation was again, Bill? I personally think the service needs to stick to its claimed timescales...they have to remember that coin collecting is the grown-ups equivalent to Christmas, so a delay of 'weeks' is not conducive to further submissions. I swallowed the financial burden of having items returned unslabbed, and would submit differently on account of that, but delays beyond their already lengthy timescales...well, that really puts me off! The sustained dignity and efforts of Bill under fire has been inspiring to say the least and, whilst it's a little twee, we all have one thing in common...passion for COINS! Been a good read!

It's really strange how different threads show on the forum. I always click 'view new content,' and generally read everything before clicking 'view new content' again (to check for posts added whilst I was reading), before finally marking all as read! You'd think that would have me seeing everything, however, even with this approach I still stumble upon significant threads - which have had endless responses, which I should have picked up on with my method - that have just passed me by! Very weird! With your zoomed photography, I couldn't say underlying E. It looks more like a partially clogged B to me. Has the B/E every been clearly recorded?

There are other metals as well. Private patterns means you can do what you want - as indeed can the RM. I think I posted an image somewhere. What was the primary purpose of a private pattern? Was it a private submission to a Royal Mint commission for a currency coin? Usually. You have to remember that contracts were given out worldwide for currency, so any coin would show the engraver's/manufacturer's competence. Some were popular despite being rejected by the RM such as Moore's model pennies and halfpennies to the extent that they had to publicly disclaim them. Another box ticked! Thanks, Rob!

There are other metals as well. Private patterns means you can do what you want - as indeed can the RM. I think I posted an image somewhere. What was the primary purpose of a private pattern? Was it a private submission to a Royal Mint commission for a currency coin?

What planet have you been living on scott? It's been steel since the early 1990s! I didn't know that! Not that I should, of course! Really? Yep, copper plated steel since 1992. Wow, makes me feel sorry for the future generations of collectors! Imagine the questions on post-decimal.com in 50 years time! "How exactly do you store a piece of steel"? "Can I dip it?" "My tuppence has developed a series of nasty orange bubbles, what can I do?" I already have that concern with my Huth double florin. Yes, I was just reading about it in a different thread! A lot of money for a 100+ year-old lump of iron (did you ever post images?), selling for significantly more than its silver brethren! Why did they strike some in iron, when others were struck in silver, etc. seems like a crude material for such an impressive pattern?

What planet have you been living on scott? It's been steel since the early 1990s! I didn't know that! Not that I should, of course! Really? Yep, copper plated steel since 1992. Wow, makes me feel sorry for the future generations of collectors! Imagine the questions on post-decimal.com in 50 years time! "How exactly do you store a piece of steel"? "Can I dip it?" "My tuppence has developed a series of nasty orange bubbles, what can I do?"

What planet have you been living on scott? It's been steel since the early 1990s! I didn't know that! Not that I should, of course! Really?

Think it's already in-hand, Nick!

I think he's bought it, Nick! I can't remember what now, but I've definitely bought from this seller before, and I can't recall phil's bits particularly standing out for me, one way or the other? Stand down, ladies!

Is does appear to be a nice coin, is this an eBay dealer, or are you keeping this to yourself?

Difficult to call, though I'm sure Gary's close to the mark. There is such a difference however between all three of the terms used in your title. Dipped, in my opinion, is a million miles away from the term 'cleaned,' even though the outcome of a lightly dipped coin is a cleaned coin, or near-clean. I confess to dipping a couple of my own 20thC silver coins, and have happily discovered that you can be sensitive enough with it to still leave golden-coloured toning behind. I have said before in another post that I believe it only works really well on high-grade big-lustred coins, anything lesser and it just looks plain cleaned. Not everyone likes BU coins, which is effectively what you are mimicking when you 'lightly' dip a toned-UNC coin. It could be argued that a very lightly-toned silver UNC, with its beautiful pearl-like-lustre shying away just underneath, is a very pretty thing, others will say the full, in-your-face, glittering-pearl is even prettier. I like them both, and can honestly say a sensitive light dip would no longer put me off buying a coin. The key thing is being sensitive...not the blanched coins in EF that you sometimes see on eBay. With a dipped coin I only have to ask myself 2 questions...does it have an attractive big lustre (no hairlines), and do I like what's been done (has it had the Peck, Dave, or Peter treatment, or did it get Haighed?).

Surely you at least wore a pair of cotton gloves? Nope!!!!! But I must say I was a lot more careful to only handle by the edges than they were!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Edit: Ooops, now I've said it!! I suppose the thrill of handling such gorgeous coins made you impervious to the cold, then Indeed, the requirement to view their coins while stark bollock-naked was a surprise at first, but after the brief initiation ceremony I am now totally converted!

Hi John, and welcome! You've probably realised already how diverse the storage options are! There are many here who use cabinets and capsules, I can only speak for myself! I really like the 2x2 adhesive flips, with the clear windows, and I keep these in little wallets, 6 per page. It really suits me for that quick flick through, which I do far FAR too often, I like the ease of viewing both sides! All that remains is to keep them in a dry atmosphere, avoiding large temperature changes (which is my greatest difficulty at the moment)! I'm sure there's more to come from other members but, in the mean time, there are loads of threads on here that have looked at storage...well worth a surf around! Enjoy, enjoy, and welcome, once again!

Sorry, Stuart. I took this to be an April Fools' prank, as I thought you were on your iPhone. I did think for one aweful moment that the lack of response was due to everyone being sat at home, scratching their heads as to why smoke was billowing out of their PCs! Could have been the ultimate April Fool!

This link completely froze my computer and send my hard-drive into a grinding frenzy, leaving me with no option but to crash it! Has it been OK for everyone else? Oh dear, that wasn't the intention at all. I'm sorry that happened to you. It can't have been the link, not if everyone else is browsing it trouble free! I'll have to take a look at the 'events' tomorrow! Probably had too many pages open for my poor, heavily ladened, old laptop!

This link completely froze my computer and send my hard-drive into a grinding frenzy, leaving me with no option but to crash it! Has it been OK for everyone else?

You will need a copy of Derek Allen's Grading Guide, Freeman - bronze, Davies - silver and Dave Groom's silver and bronze books to act as references. Stick your nose into them and learn the identifiers thoroughly and you are set up to collect. Good advice Rob! With those 4 you wouldn't need any of the others for ages. I wouldn't bother with the price guides yet, Ozzy. It won't take you long to work out what's overpriced and what's a bargain. Stick to Eliz-II and learn it well before moving on to G6. And don't buy any junk! There shouldn't be anything you have to settle for low grade in that period (apart from the 56 ha'penny varieties maybe). Nothing cleaned, enamelled, pierced, polished, or otherwise abused. Learn the difference between an UNC and an EF. Aim for wall-to-wall beauty. Says it all, Ozzy!

Survival, giving the punters what they want, but also realising that they had built themselves a temple upon sand! It's ludicrous to claim "our 78 will always be 78," and in the same breath compare yourselves to other equivilents that call a 78 UNC or whatever! It's a back-door feed, no different to saying our 78 is whatever you want it to be, providing you give us your money. It's true their greatest mistake was to arrive at a numerical grade based upon variable non-circulatory flaws, and then state what's UNC or not based on those numbers...that clearly isn't fair, because a coin that has no device wear, but has an edge bruise from being dropped by a collector, is still UNC regardless. However, it is easily understood how if that coin was a hypothetical 92 Pre-drop, that it is now a 77, BUT it is still uncirculated! To make these changes doesn't change anything about the service of CGS that is irritating, namely, timescales! I'd also say they're good for Government with their spin..."How can we give them what we want!" If you love TPG's then this change makes little difference! If you are indifferent, and awake, then really nothing's changed! So, as was mentioned...stand down, gentleman, false alert!

You're just going to have to find another one!

Heartbreaker for sure! As an aside, that's a fantastic crop you've got as an avatar, Nicholas, is the whole coin to that standard, it looks amazing?

Had me thinking over T, but where's the left serif of the T? Possible upside down G, that could be a logical mistake? Not helped by what appears to nasty old clog. Interesting one!

I guess the success rate of pre-auction bids will have been greatly improved if they were operating a flawed Live Bidding system. Shame on them if they don't resolve this issue smartish, they have a responsibility to the consignor, if nothing else!