Paulus

I use Auction Sniper, I think they are all much of a muchness, but worth every penny! The number of bargains I've missed, when not sniping, would've paid for it over and over again!I did catch JB for a few coins about two years ago, which I turned a couple of hundred quid a piece on maybe that's why he's now a shiller? That's good going Stuart! Such rich pickings are getting harder to find! Not that I've found more than a few over the years that I have made that sort of mark-up on, but then I'm not a dealer! What I would like is something that captures a bargain BIN before it is snaffled up, anyone know of anything?? It would need to be quite sophisticated!The BIN area is an area I've never really visited (though I have been watching one particular BIN coin for nearly a year now - it hasn't got to fall very much further and you'll get to see it on here [hammered & QE1]), I always factor it out of my searches, though I do remember Rob saying it was for rich pickings!Maybe I should take a better look at the 'newly listed' material in future, perhaps later in the year? You've let the cat out of the bag now, Paulus! Some of my recent IMO 'good value' or even dare I say it 'bargain' purchases have been newly listed BINs ... and I don't mind sharing "too much"! I have picked up a few for my collection that I would say were very under-graded and under-priced, and sold a couple on that have 'proved' that to be the case. Trouble is I don't have the time (like most) to go through every new eBay or eBin listing every day to sort the wheat from the chaff, so if anyone has a search criterion for, for example, newly listed early milled half crowns VF or better that would be great!! ... but that would be asking a hell of a lot and letting many cats out of many bags!!! Daily checks it is!

I use Auction Sniper, I think they are all much of a muchness, but worth every penny! The number of bargains I've missed, when not sniping, would've paid for it over and over again!I did catch JB for a few coins about two years ago, which I turned a couple of hundred quid a piece on maybe that's why he's now a shiller? That's good going Stuart! Such rich pickings are getting harder to find! Not that I've found more than a few over the years that I have made that sort of mark-up on, but then I'm not a dealer! What I would like is something that captures a bargain BIN before it is snaffled up, anyone know of anything?? It would need to be quite sophisticated!

Well no, agreed, not exactly, though I'm as immune as I am wondering what comes out of the tap, or wondering what pollutants I breath in our great british fresh air! Out of sight out of mind is definitely best I think! Just see what transpires! Auction Sniper works well for me too, I think you recommended it to me!

This is a very interesting discussion for me, I like the psychology of various auction formats. Perhaps a website for a Chinese auction would be fun (although on second thoughts, perhaps not for coins)! Or a Dutch auction ... bit of Will 3 to the lowest bidder? It's beyond me some of this eBay activity, searching for some logic and finding little ... But you are not 'immune' from shilling with a sniper engine bid, you could still end up paying more than you otherwise would have

They sure do, and Accumulator's cabinet style photo gallery is truly superb! Welcome to the Forum

Good price for the grade too Colin, nice one Are you aiming for a completist date run of Viccy pennies, or trying to acquire some attractive high grade examples regardless of date/variety? You seem to have bought some really nice examples over the last year or so

It happens a lot. I think it's called bid stacking and is somehow supposed to deter other bidders from trying to beat the current high bid.That's the opposite effect that a shiller would want! Exactly my thought too! A shiller would NOT want to win the item. And of course a shiller would not want to put other bidders off either - obviously! But isn't there a school of thought that if an item has lots of bids it makes it somehow more attractive (to some)? I have seen sellers add info like 'this coin has 31 watchers' etc to the item, description ...

It happens a lot. I think it's called bid stacking and is somehow supposed to deter other bidders from trying to beat the current high bid.That's the opposite effect that a shiller would want!

What do people thing of this? Extreme Shill bidding? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1908-EDWARD-VII-GREAT-BRITAIN-SILVER-HALFCROWN-HALF-CROWN-COIN-PCGS-MS64-/360699556860?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEWAX%3AIT&nma=true&si=lwoW94bIzNFaHgBs%252BW1cUSuae4I%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

At the risk of getting shot down in flames, on closer consideration/examination the coin in the OP is a very obvious imposter! The images below show the OP coin, above a (hopefully genuine) CGS finest known 1818 HC (choice UNC 82 believe it or not, but the the photo is one of their earlier ones): Among many many differences, the bust is totally wrong, there was only one obverse bust for the circulation 1818 Half Crown according to Spink - this one looks like a smaller than normal bull's head bustIf CGS' grading is to be believed, the angel on harp (Stuart) is pretty poorly detailed even in choice UNC!and if both are genuine, on CGS' harsh grading the OP coin is BU!But I may have missed something obvious and if so I will get my coat! Regardless of the authenticity of either coin, I simply can't believe that CGS gave the coin below a grade of 82, even allowing for poor photography! Is there any evidence that their standards have become a lot stricter over the last 6-7 years??

That would fool me... And me ... maybe the weight's out ...

It's a very useful die. I was talking in terms of die sequencing. There was me thinking you had made a very clever urine-related pun!

It's a very useful die.

Oh Em Gee I had a feeling they would be somewhat special! Please don't be so reluctant to show off your gems they are amazing ... what a pleasure to own those. I keep nudging Rob to display some more of his choice pieces, they trickle in from time to time. Sharing with like-minded collectors is one of the pleasures of the hobby in my opinion, and although I don't (currently) collect hammered I can appreciate a great coin from any era! Thanks Nicholas

I think this is one of Azda's favourite sellers!

Yes that's great, thanks Chris!

Would love to see pics Nicholas!

Not me, all is fine (Chrome) - I also would like to see the time of posts back with the dates please

Rightly or wrongly (depending on your many points of view) I have submitted another small batch of coins to CGS. They tell me to expect about a 6 week turnaround time, which is about a week longer than my first batch took back in February. Some of these will be up for sale, and I was very pleased with the selling prices I got for those I sold from the first batch. So for those of you that like this kind of thing, I invite you to take a stab at the grading CGS will assign to them - they were submitted on 5/7 and pics were available from yesterday 9/7 - there are 7 coins to guess at. Coin #1 : UIN 28558:

The 1705 came from London Coins in 2004 when graded aEF/EF. I had that marked down a bit though on account of the obvious wear to the plumes. Fully struck plumes come up to a sharp point, though I suspect that not many have seen coins in that condition, CGS included. Don't know if the previous record had any bearing on the assigned grade? The gVF for the 1707 is far too generous. Also did they record the M over inverted M in MAG as a variety? The 1709 I acquired from a serious shilling collector on ebay a long time ago. It was covered in grease and crud, which dissolved off to produce quite a pleasingly toned coin underneath. Probably due to the previously attached crud given the variance in toning between the two sides! The 1700 is where I had it, though needless to say acquired as an ebay unc from a dealer who should know better. Thanks for that Rob, I think you either have a photographic memory or very good records to recall these 4 coins I bought from you last year, all of which I remain very pleased with! They are not finalised yet, but I did point out the M over inverted M on the 1707 to them, so hopefully that will be recorded in their database and on the slab. The 1700 and 1705 are 2 of my very favourite coins ... I don't believe the 1705 was previously slabbed by CGS as this is the first of the type on their records, so I suspect they have no idea it was previously sold by their main shareholder London Coins - and I didn't know about that 'provenance' so I didn't tell them! The 1705 was lot 745 in sale 104 on 29/2/2004. I still expect them to have compared any past examples in their photo database and obviously would have found this one. I usually remember who from and when I bought coins, but the info is also recorded should I have a mental block. I really don't think they are set up for that! But I could be wrong ... where has Bill Pugsley gone, he will know!

CGS verdict - EF - but rejected for reasons as yet unknown CGS is surprisingly speedy on this batch which is nice to see. I think they automatically reject a coin with with any flan crack. Nice coins by the way. Thanks Sword ... I hope that's not the case, but then again I hope there's nothing else they found 'wrong' with it! As Dave said, they can sit at the 'Finalising Grade' stage for a while, as if it takes ages to slab and post them! The following is from the CGS website: "CGS will reject such coins, they will not have a numerical grade attached, instead they will have the problem described the main ones being; Edge Problems – the coin has significant edge knocks or bruises, or evidence of being mounted, or flan cracks at the edge.Stained – a stain(s) detracts from the coins appearance"I don't personally think they should reject a coin if it has a tiny flan crack or if it has a tiny "stain". Points can be deducted instead accordingly. Now that they have set the rules, they will have, as Stuart has pointed out have a difficult time when dealing with hammered coins. You're right, they do state that ... I shouldn't have wasted my money having it slabbed! And yes, that is a bit of a pickle - what about clipping (hammered) then for goodness sake!

CGS verdict - EF - but rejected for reasons as yet unknown CGS is surprisingly speedy on this batch which is nice to see. I think they automatically reject a coin with with any flan crack. Nice coins by the way. Thanks Sword ... I hope that's not the case, but then again I hope there's nothing else they found 'wrong' with it! As Dave said, they can sit at the 'Finalising Grade' stage for a while, as if it takes ages to slab and post them!

CGS verdict - EF - but rejected for reasons as yet unknown CGS is surprisingly speedy on this batch which is nice to see. I think they automatically reject a coin with with any flan crack. Nice coins by the way. I can't fathom that at all? How does that affect its authenticity?Where will we stand with the hammered coins they have recently taken on? Blimey, Stuart's put in a rare appearance! Been busy on the boat? I completely agree, but I don't know why they have rejected it (yet) Where are all the old emoticons, we want more, not fewer (one!)!

The 1705 came from London Coins in 2004 when graded aEF/EF. I had that marked down a bit though on account of the obvious wear to the plumes. Fully struck plumes come up to a sharp point, though I suspect that not many have seen coins in that condition, CGS included. Don't know if the previous record had any bearing on the assigned grade? The gVF for the 1707 is far too generous. Also did they record the M over inverted M in MAG as a variety? The 1709 I acquired from a serious shilling collector on ebay a long time ago. It was covered in grease and crud, which dissolved off to produce quite a pleasingly toned coin underneath. Probably due to the previously attached crud given the variance in toning between the two sides! The 1700 is where I had it, though needless to say acquired as an ebay unc from a dealer who should know better. Thanks for that Rob, I think you either have a photographic memory or very good records to recall these 4 coins I bought from you last year, all of which I remain very pleased with! They are not finalised yet, but I did point out the M over inverted M on the 1707 to them, so hopefully that will be recorded in their database and on the slab. The 1700 and 1705 are 2 of my very favourite coins ... I don't believe the 1705 was previously slabbed by CGS as this is the first of the type on their records, so I suspect they have no idea it was previously sold by their main shareholder London Coins - and I didn't know about that 'provenance' so I didn't tell them!