Sword

I don't use them myself but I am sure they are safe if Colin Cooke is selling them. You can e-mail to check if they are acid-free and I have no doubt they will say yes. Here is an alternative (from Rob): https://www.rpcoins.co.uk/collections/accessories/products/00099999 I think they are a good choice for circulated coins. You probably want to keep EF or better in quadrums or 2x2.

My choice would be standard. Intercepts are designed to protect the lustre of BU / aBU coins and prevent toning. I don't think there is any advantage for using them with VF+. I buy quadrums from coin gallery myself but they don't do "pick 'n' mix". Highly recommend them. Good prices and always prompt delivery.

Perhaps someone did/do sell mixed size quadrums on Ebay. The only one I can see now is this seller in Australia. But his postage is too expensive for the UK and so is not an option. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lighthouse-Quadrum-2-x-2-Square-Coin-Capsules-MIXED-PACK-OF-10-YOU-CHOOSE/133183530325?hash=item1f025b6555:g:UpcAAOSwKQ9aJedv

Don't think you can buy Quadrums in pick 'n' mix sizes unfortunately. Boxes of 10 should be fine if you have favorite denominations.

Very occasionally, the washer can rotate within the CGS slab. Those are not fibres but marks on the coin surface. The coin was struck on an existing coin and I think the marks were made in the minting process. This is a photo of the coin before it was encapsulated showing that at least some of the marks are raised.

I think having a divot is preferable to the horrid green colour of verd. The coin already looks considerably more appealing to my eyes after the cleaning attempt with toothpick.

It does look like they are very reluctant to start offering live online bidding. Otherwise they might at least have said that they are looking into this option. My guess is that they will be doing it by advance bidding only and hope that future sales will be back to normal.

LCA is just burying its head in the sand. Might be they will announce their decision regarding live bidding when they publish their catalogue.

I can't wait that long. Have been using clippers already. When the lockdown is partially lifted, which of the following two methods would you prefer your hairdresser to use?

CGS hasn't changed their numerical system. It is still 1-100. But they have removed the prefix grades from their numbers. E.g. they used to give grades such as CGS AU78. Now it is simply CGS 78. (Their reason being that there could be grade inflation over time but claim their numerical standards do not change. Hence, they are saying that their 78 (AU, 10 years ago) is now what market would now consider UNC). Of course CGS is now called LCGS.

I didn't mean to sound undiplomatic with regard to its "value". Although it might not be worth much in monetary terms, it is certainly an interesting item to "rediscover". Simply speculating how it got there and who it might have belonged to is a lot of fun.

The initials GN are not mint marks. They were engraved onto the coin sometime after it has been minted by a private individual. A mint mark has to be part of the original design of the coin. The coin is sterling silver. However, it is only worth scrap value it this condition.

A really good collection! They are well struck examples and most are nice round coins.

Just a thought. No coin fairs, no room bidding in auctions, less lots being assigned etc. Will there simply be much less new stock on the market in the next 6 months?

It's working now.

It's much easier to agree on a price for a problem-free coin than to suggest a value for a cleaned one. For me, I just don't want a lightly polished coin in my collection and would rather have a lower grade honest example. A 30% discount off the problem-free price won't tempt me but others might think differently.

That's fair enough. He does provide very good photos which are of course much more useful than grades. I know I am probably losing out, but I just don't buy from Ebay. I am more comfortable buying from dealers' own sites.

I have brought from him too and he is indeed a very decent dealer. But personally, I would prefer if he grades his coins conventionally using UNC, EF etc. rather than his own scale of "superb - very nice - nice". I know buyers should be able to grade for themselves but I would like the seller's opinion nonetheless.

Apart from the black marks, the 83 is a very nice coin indeed. The braid is very clear. The loss of detail in the top lion is due to weak striking I think. But I agree, the marks are distracting.

I once left an absentee bid on a lot and ended up as underbidder. (My bid was well over the low estimate). The very same lot was offered for sale in the next auction again (obviously it wasn't actually sold first time round) and I was again under bidder after leaving another absentee bid. Believe it or not, it appeared again in the auction after that. There is no doubt in my mind that the auction house has allowed the vendor to set a reserve higher than the low estimate and was bidding on the vendor's behalf against me.

Very nice with clean fields. A coin without significant bag marks is always impressive .

It is anyone's guess whether they will have live bidding though.

You have probably got enough to get started. I like the British Silver Coins since 1816 by Peter J Davies which is much more detailed regarding varieties than Spink. It was published in 1982 and gives the die pairings known at the time.

Might be there is just some misunderstanding. I assumed that the original sentence wasn't written by anyone on the forum. It is a caption to a cartoon pasted in from somewhere. This is an informal forum and people don't always have the time to proof-read their posts. I don't go round pointing out typos / spellings mistakes made by others on the forum and I am certain I have made many over the years.

Now in excess of £18 million raised!