Red Riley

Product of ye mint next to Ye Olde Dog & Duck.

Other than Roman, I don't have many hammered coins and the ones that I do have are mostly horrid. Nonetheless if anyone wants to get going on a guide, I will quite happily photograph them. Based on my collection, perhaps we should coin(!) a new grading system specially for hammered coins e.g. OK Nasty Very Nasty Extremely Nasty Indescribable or am I being a tad harsh?

Surprisingly few people are Josie, that's the whole point of the book. I've probably said before, but will say again, that grading, particularly on the internet can fall to the level of the blind leading the blind and the book is an attempt to put a stop to that. Yes, there will always be some room for personal opinion, but I just hate seeing Fine coins being passed off as EF to young and inexperienced collectors who in their turn pass the bad habit on to others just taking up the hobby.

It's a dartford warbler, although God knows why, since you don't see them there. The New Forest is about as close as they get. Re ex-schoolmates. Went to the same school as Glen Matlock of Sex Pistols (he was a year below me).

We are now well into the 'checking by experts' phase. The first two responses have been received and although both suggested alterations, to be honest that's what we gave them copies for! Aside of that, the responses were not just supportive but very enthusiastic. I always felt that this guide would be good, but with these endorsements I really feel that my time has been well spent and the guide will 'go places'!

It's probably not the best time to start, but if you do go ahead, then I wish you all the best. I bought a couple of coins from you for the grading guide, and thought your service and grading were both excellent. So you've got my vote!

Not wanting to impugne your birthplaxe at all Chris, but Sidcup sounds like a type of brasierre and Penge a rather unpleasant condition! But then West Londoners always did have a superiority complex...

You're confusing me! My book says £5 for VF. I do remember these things in circulation and yes, they were scarce in comparison with other pennies (about the same as a 1932, more common than an 18H or 19H) but they did turn up pretty regularly. Given that the melt-down figure from the mint was vastly less than total production, you might find maybe 1-2 million still kicking about, so basically a pretty common coin.

I believe that some facsimiles have been produced in the last few years but more convincingly, some 1935 pennies were carefully modified to produce extremely good copies. If I remember correctly, the only way to tell is that the final 3 is a fraction of a degree off the vertical, but it would take a microscope to spot it. If this was the genuine article though, the police would be rather interested as the only one known to be at large was stolen from under a foundation stone in Manchester!

An 1882 without the H is immemsely rare, but as Chris mentioned, the H tends to get rubbed off and what's more, it is not unknown for naughty people to remove it for personal gain. According to Michael Gouby, there are between 11 and 50 genuine coins in existence, so it is very unlikely that what you have is a real 1882 no H. Sorry.

Hi Mike, welcome to the forum. I guess you got this info from Collectors' Coins 2008. I hadn't noticed it before, but the mintage figure for 1947 contains a typo, the actual mintage figure for coins sent out by the mint in that year should be 52,220,400, so not rare at all. In any event, looking at the prices, 1926 is far cheaper than 1894. As 1894 pennies were in circulation for far longer, the average grade they turn up in is much lower, hence anything in fine actually has a value whereas for 1926 pennies, fine coins are commonplace and are worth literally nothing. You should also take mintage figures with a pinch of salt, as they do not refer to how many coins carried a particular date, but to how many were actually issued in that year - many of which will carry the previous year's date. Similarly, the following year's production may include coins carrying the date of the current year. You shouldn't find that 1926 too difficult to lay hands on.

Beach volleyball, anyone?

Slainte Red Riley: Just couldn't resist buying this coin, there is even a "hair" version of it. Only just noticed this. I used the image because it has been displayed on stamps and coins and oh... it's a nice 'acceptable' picture of a pretty lady with no clothes on! My favourite quotation on La Maja comes from the Australian art historian, Robert Hughes, who said it made him 'want to climb into the picture and have a really good afternoon...'.

It's a florin that's been 'modified'. Interesting, but unfortunately not worth anything.

If the mintage of 100,000 - 200,000 is to be believed then these are vastly inflated prices. A good comparison of the long-term value would be to look at the price of the 1951 penny (c.120,000 minted) F=£3; VF=£8; EF=£12; UNC/BU=£20/£30. Best to wait for the fuss to die down before getting one.

The Chair of South Manchester Numismatic Society, of which I'm Secretary, contactd the Royal Mint on this one. They replied saying that it affected a whole batch and the figures are between 100,000 and 200,000 coins. Geoff Not going to be worth a fortune then. Once the word gets around, the whole lot will be pulled out of circulation pretty sharpish. Still worth looking out for though.

Oh, I see. That's the point.

Bit of a problem here. When I hit that link I get somebody selling a pair of trousers!

Yep, the same from me. Except perhaps those b******s that keep spamming the site!

I would echo that. Given the time difference, you must only be half way through your lunch now, Bob!

But the thing that makes me really mad is the 'Numismatic Guaranty Corporation' describing it as 1P.

This really comes into the category of financial advice, but the received wisdom is that the gold price increases when times are tough. In fact it doesn't, it increases in value before times get tough, so you may have missed the boat to pick up a bargain. The FT are still singing gold's praises though, so worth reading this article; http://www.ft.com/markets/wealth/gold. This actually is what I distrust about gold coins, I think I can spot a bargain when it comes to a purely numismatic transaction but with gold there are so many other factors outside my control. On the other hand if the favourite comic of they who own the country is convinced, who am I to argue?

Judging by the responses to this thread, it seems that a fair few may have been released into circulation. Probably won't be woth a fortune, but nonetheless they will be fun to look out for.

Just done the job. Best of luck with the site.