Coinery

I've just realised I like the term 'finest known' as then it only requires someone else to come along and say 'actually, no, this has just turned up, and is actually better?' The 'better' bit is generally clear to most serious coin collectors, and would seldom be disputed I'd say? Even if it ultimately came to be '1of the 2 finest known examples' it would still be better than the circus that surrounds TPGCs! IMHO!

It's a good point, and something we all get hung up on. I guess any top mark, for any sport or achievement in quality has to be taken in context of the knowledge at that time?I'm pretty sure the Spitfire came close to a 10 in the '40's? It would be a pretty lame machine today! In a shoot-out with a eurofigher it might struggle to achieve Fair, though I wouldn't begrudge anyone thinking it was the finest at the time. In all honesty I couldn't give a naughty-one about the TPG numbers! They'll always struggle around the last few digits for fear of egg on their face! You could give them a washer from B&Q and fear would have them declare 'this may not be the worst w3 sixpence I've ever seen...there could be worse out there!' What a silly old set of parameters to measure what is, in fact, a piece of art, and mostly ancient art at that! I'm going to give Rembrandt, mmmmm, umm, 7 out of 10 i think, because a better artist could possibly come along! Ridiculous!

aFDC? You are in big trouble, Paulus! Edit: in fear of your numismatic life I propose maybe some are FDC and some aren't?

Paulus, you are the font of all knowledge! That CGS valuation will quickly escalate when the no-date 20p stops being found in grades better than VF...about now I reckon? I'd like to get mine sooner rather than later. And re the other conversation: how are we ever to define perfect? I'm perfect in my mum's eyes! At least that's what she told me! I presented the same idea to my dear wife, who retorted 'hmmmmph, I'm going to bed, I've got work in the morning!' Hey ho!

I quite fancy an uncirculated no-date 20p! What would one of those be worth now? Does such a thing even exist?

Mother-in-law lives in Cricklade and she's minted no coins, so can't be there?

Yes, I've had that too!

Cheers, Mark, many thanks!Bring on the updates!

I did mean repairs of damaged punches on the die itself.

OK, so emergency issues excluded, examples of the 'intended' and full lettering could likely be found amongst the early issue farthings, and maybe repairs of the damaged punches noted along the way? It may well transpire that composite lettering makes up a proportion of the counterfeit farthings? In fact you would think it likely? Maybe we should set up a PD coalition to look at all the various coinages across the ages? Much more would be achieved that way. Quite apart from the benefits of a study with a balanced view from the outset, it would far more likely arrive at its conclusion, where so many other great numismatic journeys have simply ended in large paper files or computer files and, ultimately, disappeared on account of the enormity of the undertaking.

I have created a humungous mahusive pdf by combining all the individual pdfs I have of the yearly BNJs from 1903-2007. This enables me to search for content across all these archive files You shouldn't be saying that on here, Paulus, you'll be inundated! However, as first in your queue, 'would you mind me testing out your search engine?' Sounds like a statement from a carry-on film!

How far into the hammered coinage do you think the composite letters continued? I'm not aware (or noticed and, confess to be ignorant of) that it extended beyond the new tudor coinage of H7, other than in punch repair work on the die? I reckon I'm going to have to start fishing out some good BNJ articles to set the ball rolling! Incidentally, is there a good way to Internet search within the BNJ archives, or is it a manual (online) trawl through the contents' list?

I think a record of the punches would be a worthy addition to the already substantial body of work on this series.Edit: to continue... I'm seriously hoping to have some quality time available for such projects in the near future? This would be a tidy little project with a clear beginning AND end, I'm rather fancying it? Double edit: along with Mary and Elizabeth ( never enough time to contain my excitement about it all)

Now I come to think of it, it started after a hard refresh (both button shut down).It damned annoying, I know that! Grrr!

I think it's a 5? It says model A1507 on the back! It's the model preceding the very latest one! Can't believe I can't categorically say which model I have? ?

Oops, really? I didn't look beyond the image!You're still looking for one of them, aren't you, Paulus?

I know nothing about foreign coinage, but I wouldn't hesitate at £30 for that little lot, plus a 190+ more! Well done!

I guess a negative wouldn't bother them especially?

What's really interesting about your coin is it demonstrates that counterfeits were also created in strips/sheets. I didn't visualise that somehow!

I really don't know how Tim and Peck managed to distinguish between some of the counterfeits, some of them are really good - the reverse of yours being a reasonable example of how confusing it can be! What would be useful, in my opinion, is a full set of known punches that make up the devices. Of course a die-study would be better still. I don't think it would be such a difficult thing to document the punches, BCW managed it for the Elizabeth coinage (all denominations - threefarthings included).

OK, this could've been a challenge with some of the punctuation missing. However, with it being of poor style, titled BRIT, having a likely colon after ET, and 10 jewels in the crown (both), I'd say we are looking at a counterfeit. The mark looks tun/woolpack-like to me, meaning you have a Richmond Type 2 counterfeit of Everson C71

OK, cheers, gents! Canal it is, then!

Looks like it Christmas 2015 on the boat, then?

It's just that, as Peter suggests, you're much better off buying the full set than the 1d or 6d individually! Clearly, lots of eBay buyers don't realise this!It's likely why the 6d does well? We don't all chuck EII farthings in our Christmas puds and keep the best ones for ourselves, you know! Personally, I have so many Edward II farthings that I simply don't know what to do with them! You could always come to Christmas at ours? We'll do dinner, you bring the Christmas pud!

It's just that, as Peter suggests, you're much better off buying the full set than the 1d or 6d individually! Clearly, lots of eBay buyers don't realise this!It's likely why the 6d does well? We don't all chuck EII farthings in our Christmas puds and keep the best ones for ourselves, you know! Edit: it's worth looking at 'lucky sixpence' on completed items...hilarious! A little silk bag at 0.00002p from China, a polished 6d, and bob's your uncle...give me a fiver please!