Red Riley

This thread is a classic example of 'subject drift'!

Having worked in a regulated environment, I do feel a little uneasy about using the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to obtain what is essentially run of the mill information from the mint. For one thing this wasn't what the Act was designed for, its main purpose being to prevent officialdom both in the public and private sectors from hiding inconvenient truths behind such defences as 'not in the public interest' or 'it is not our policy to divulge such information'. Although they have clearly given you the information requested, in the background they will have had to go through all manner of time-consuming bureaucratic hoops to ensure that their response complied with the act and was recorded as an FoI request. If I were to give an example of the sort of information the Act was designed for in so far as it related to the mint, it would be to explore their commercial dealings with various unpleasant Middle Eastern or African regimes, especially with regard to 'inducements' etc. paid to these regimes. By all means use the Act if your first or second request seems to have fallen on stony ground but otherwise it's a bit of a sledgehammer to crack a nut and you might eventually end up with a very rude response!

Show off.

Well at least they can't accuse you of being Osama Bin Laden.

My vote for the dullest varieties are the 4 types of 1937 penny, or is it 3 or 5... Apathy r

I think it's all rather sad. Customers have bought pre-1920 silver off me in as high a grade as GVF with a view to melting. When the bubble finally bursts, numismatics will be the poorer as young and starter collectors will have less affordable coins available with which to start their collection. Perhaps it is partly my fault as I should perhaps have raised my prices at the lower end of the scale to avoid this possibility, but in the short term it is once again the less well off collector who suffers.

Unless I am not looking at it right I can only see a 1922 half crown in Fair condition, value around a fiver. Because of its grade, the coin has no numismatic value above its metal content.

The 1909 I would give GVF whilst the 1917 probably around Fair. The fist might be 'worth' about £3 whilst the second has no obvious value. I have put 'worth' in inverted commas because that is purely a book figure; dealers are unlikely to want it other than as part of a bulk lot and you may struggle to reach that figure on e-bay. So make of that what you will!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160559216667#description

I did have issues a few years back with CDs going AWOL in the post (4 in one day all from scatterd locations!) but never, touch wood, coins. I have got to know the local postie who has been on the patch for some while and am not too fazed about recorded delivery letters being pushed through the letter box. To give him his due, he did ask me first if this was OK and since he seemed trustworthy I was quite happy with this arrangement. Having to go and fetch mail from the sorting office would be quite a nuisance as it is some miles away. So, as I say, touch wood all OK at present.

I have had problems with a couple of auction houses describing coins as 'Unc.' that patently were not. They all have their shortcomings which makes distance bids a harrowing process and I now prefer to attend sales as I was being forced to adopt my e-bay stance of 'if they say it's unc, then it's probably no better than EF'. The unfortunate thing is that taking this stance means that you don't actually win much in the higher grades. Fortunately I don't live a million miles from most of the salerooms and can make up my own mind about the lots up for sale. Having said that, the lighting and conditions under which the coins are viewed can be diabolical.

Couldn't make Warwick & Warwick today but went to Croydon Coin Auctions yesterday instead (6 trains to get there!). A completely different type of auction, much more homespun and dare I say it, more fun than the bigger sales. Much cheaper buyer's premium too even if the surroundings are a little underwhelming. The type of coin tends to be a bit further down the scale, but even taking this into account, I felt the prices were still a little high. I can't complain too much though since I bought some nice lots including an 1845 penny just a gnats off unc. and a nicely toned 1707E crown in a decent VF. Just got to find some buyers...

But they do exactly what the Royal Mint does by the sound of it I'll have a gross of those please Declan! Brilliant, I want one! No make that a dozen and I'll slyly slip them into the village shop's stock of the Daily Mail...

?You've got me?!

Many POWs had a desire to get out of their prison camp, so any legal currency would be retained for use on an escape. Having tokens circulating in the camp meant they had a currency which was useless outside. Think I'm right in saying that they weren't technically POWs but non-combatant Germans stranded in this country on the outbreak of war, many of whom were were vehemently opposed to the Nazi regime. In most cases the chances of them wanting to escape and head back to Germany was nil to negligable. In fact many of the internees campaigned to be allowed to fight for us! After the war many of them stayed on here.

OK, I'm going to come out with one of my totally unromantic theories again. 1) They ran out of 3 punches; 2) They detailed the apprentice to cut a new one; 3) After a few thousand pennies had been run off, they decided it was rubbish; 4) They got a proper engraver to cut a new one; 5) They gave the apprentice a clip round the ear. How does that sound?

If the first is genuine (I can't tell without a lot of Photoshopping), it's probably Diocletian or one of the many short-lived emperors of the mid-late 3rd century A.D. As far as value is concerned, even if it is genuine, probably not worth a fortune as this type of coin is turned up quite regularly by metal detectorists. The second is definitely a gaming token and I would tend to agree with John (argentumandcoins) re the third.

Don't know whether it's just me but the amount of garbage seems to have dropped off lately. Leastways, I seem to be finding it easier to navigate my way through recently. Fully agree with the sentiment though.

Noooooooo... You're a pussycat.

If you're selling on e-bay; 1) Never put 'no returns'. It's an e-bay default but it puts me right off. 2) Use a sensible rate of postal charges. 3) Insert the best photos you can. 4) Always come across as a reasonable guy. Don't include great long lists of people banned from bidding. I saw one misanthrop last week get buttons for a very good coin. Since he banned half the world from bidding in the most miserable and mean-spirited way possible, I felt it served him right. More when I think of it.

Dave, An update of 19th century coins would be a tall order, but to take a bit of it such as overdates would perhaps be more manageable. I used a large number of images in writing 'The Standard Guide...'. Feel free to use these, as well as any on my website - I also archive pictures of coins I have sold, so always ask if you can't find what you want. I am sure that others on here will help in the same way.

If we're not careful we're going to end up on the subject of Madeline Smith again...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300541253844 Presumably a jeweller with a can of Duraglit...

Welcome to the forum Uncle Phil. What you collect may depend on your definition of 'around in your lifetime'. I'm not yet in possession of a bus pass but even I can remember Victorian bun pennies, halfpennies and even the odd silver item in circulation. I guess it all depends on your budget but a decent example of each back to the 19th century shouldn't really break the bank.

Yes I would agree. Michael Gouby has a better one (Fair/Fair+) at £90 and a truly awful one at £40, so Rob's estimate of £50 is probably not that wide of the mark. From the point of view of assessing value, E-bay BIY's are as much use as a chocolate tea pot. Always worth checking Michael's site as he has seems to have half the world's coins on it at any one time!