jaggy

I sent you a private message. I have the 'prices fetched' for both catalogues so they are complete. Also, when looking for prices fetched, found another catalogue that may or may not be of interest: The "Beauvais" Hoard of Anglo-Norman Pennies, English and Foreign Coins. Glendining's - 4/11/1987.

I honestly don't know. I don't have much experience of these things. Perhaps you could suggest what might be fair. No. 4, Vigo Bay is in min condition and I also have prices fetched; e.g. 45k for lot 38, a pattern 5 guineas. No 6. has a crease on the cover but not from being folded over. I can probably find prices fetched for that one too but will have to look for it. I can send photos if you wish. If there are other Glendining's catalogues from the period 1985 - 1995 that I didn't mention and that you are interested in, I have most of them. I also have some Buckland, Dix & Wood, Downie Lepczyk, an Joseph Lepzcyk plus a couple of Dolphin fixed price lists. The only catalogues I really want to keep are those where I bought coins (e.g. Willis). Bear in mind that I am in the USA so there is a shipping charge. However, I do have a UK bank account which should facilitate things.

I have the following available if you are interested: 1. Byzantine Coins from the R.N. Bridge Collection - Glendining's, 7/3/1990. 2. The R.P.V. Bretell Collection of Coins of the Devon Mints - Glendining's, 8/3/1990. 3. The H.R. Mossop Collection of Celtic Coins of Britain - Glendining's, 6/11/1991 4. The "Vigo Bay" Collection of Important English Gold Coins - Glendining's, 12/10/1992 5. The Collection of Jacobite and Anti-Jacobite Medals and Stuart Touchpieces formed by Noel Woolf - Glendining's, 4/11/1992. 6. The Reigate Hoard - Glendining's, 8/12/1992.

I have 39 of the 1964 sixpence. 38 of them have the 'I' slightly to the left of the bead. One has the 'I" on the bead.

Well, I checked all 35 of my 1965 sixpences and not a single one has the 'I' to gap. Sorry

I have 35 1965 sixpences in a bag somewhere. I will have a look through them and, if I have more than one, will be happy to share.

Like this one although it is 1st milled issue? For myself, I would like a nice 1863 sixpence and a nicer 1848 sixpence. That would fill a couple of holes.

Outstanding info from both of you. That is really helpful.

Question on published weights for sixpences. In CCGB you list the weights for Victoria Jubilee Head at 3.01 grams. When I weigh my coins, I am seeing 2.84g +/- 0.01g. Where do the weights come from and how comfortable are you that they are accurate?

Heritage have an 1881 Proof sixpence in their upcoming auction. When I look at ESC (6th Edition, No. 3252) it lists an 1881 proof sixpence with two arrows facing up which, I assume, refers to the die orientation. When I look at the coin on Heritage, it would appear that the orientation is different (i.e. two arrows facing opposite directions). So, what does the forum think.? Is this a proof? Is Heritage wrong? Is ESC wrong? Or is this an unlisted variety? Am I misreading this? Or have I got my assumptions horribly wrong? http://coins.ha.com/itm/great-britain/great-britain-victoria-proof-6-pence-1881-pr63-ngc-/a/3044-29743.s?ic2=mytracked-lotspage-lotlinks-12202013

Appreciate the comments Rob! It would not be the first time I have found mistakes in the latest edition of ESC. I did note that Davies made no specific comment too. Still, for a coin that will probably fetch $2000 plus, I'm not sure I want to take the chance.

The way I see it, the UK market remains very much a 'raw' one whereas the US market is very much wedded to slabbed. London Coins are trying to create a market in the UK for slabbed coins through CGS but that market remains pretty limited to their own auctions. If I want to sell coins in the USA I really need to get them slabbed and the grade assigned is everything. There is often a significant price difference between an MS63 and an MS65 and these coins often sell at a premium to what we see in the UK. If I want to sell coins in the UK, 'raw' still works just as well. Maybe not at London Coins but certainly at Spink or DNW. Perhaps that will change over time. But I think that CGS have made a mistake by creating their own grading scale. They should have adopted the US one. That would have given their slabbed coins more credibility in the international market. I would not have my coins slabbed/graded by CGS because that would be too limiting.

I don't have an issue with slabbing. Although most of my coins are raw, at least 50 of them are slabbed. Neither do I have a problem with CGS or London Coins where I am a regular bidder/buyer. My question is really one about market credibility. As a regular buyer at Heritage, I see NGC and PCGS all the time. I never see CGS. Neither do I see CGS at DNW or Spink where I also buy. It is only really at the London Coins auctions. So my question is how credible compared to the more established third party graders is CGS and how well are they accepted in the market place as a result?

Appreciate the offer but Crowns are not really my thing.

Yes, same one. Both the 1816s I bought were MS 65 but I like this one the best.

This is one of the 1816 sixpences I referenced above:

I don't remember the third ... but no matter. If you are happy with your buy then that is all that counts. I remember watching the 1899 go and I was surprised at the price it fetched. I already have two 1899 sixpences in UNC grade so wasn't planning to bid on yours in any event. Edit: You are right, there were three 1816 sixpences but the third was only an MS 63. I bought the two that were MS 65.

Was that the same auction where I bought both the 1816 sixpences? If so, your 1899 wasn't cheap.

I won both lots that I bid on and both at under my max bid. An 1826 sixpence and an 1887 withdrawn type sixpence with JEB on truncation. The latter is not quite the grade I wanted but will do until the right one comes along.

Well, I did buy a Charles I sixpence at Spink. A bit of a 'cheapie' but no photos till I receive it. I have two bids in at London Coins so we will see how that goes. And then there is DNW; not much there for me so I don't know if I will come away with anything. I do bid at Heritage and remember seeing the Bob Bennett collection. But, unfortunately, I don't know anything about him. Perhaps an email to Heritage would help. I have always found them to be very good.

I don't buy coins as an investment either. But I apply the same form of discipline as I would when I am investing. I have been collecting for 30 years so if I have to wait another 5 years to get the right coin then that is okay. In the meantime there will be plenty of other right' coins to keep me happy.

That's absolutely true, of course. I've made several auction bids where the winning bid has been just £50 above mine. As you say, we never know. You need to have that line in the sand above which you will not bid. In an auction, discipline (as with other forms of investing) is essential otherwise you can get drawn into a bidding war and end up paying well over what a coin is worth. I was the underbidder on the 1791 pattern sixpence. Having recently acquired the 1788 and 1790 patterns, I had a view on what this coin was worth. My line in the sand was £650 and the coin went for £700. Well above estimate I would add. Coin collecting is a long game and another 1791 Pattern will show up sooner or later and, hopefully, I will get it then.

half-crown was also 'half a dollar' (at least in Glasgow)

Yes, sounds like a fair price.

By way of comparison, here is my 1924 sixpence: