Red Riley

Have no idea who they are, so can't recommend. Does anyone else know them or live near Birmingham?

If it is a large collection, it would not be very practical to photograph them all and put them on this website. It would also not help much to simply say 'photograph the best ones' because as a non-collector you could not be expected to know what they were! What you really need is to speak to a dealer or auctioneer for their opinion. Obviously locality is important as it would not be very helpful to advise you to see a dealer in Manchester if you live in Plymouth. Several people on this site would probably be prepared to help you out, but it would be pot luck if you happened to live anywhere near them. Also, if the collection is as eclectic as you say, you may need to refer to more than one person. First stage therefore, some idea of where you live, and see who jumps!

Mmmm... Not convinced about this one. Looks like she's sucking a lemon.

University Challenge tonight contained a round on Benedetto Pistrucci. The questions were pretty easy, and good general knowledge/reasonable guesswork would have got you the right answers, but I don't remember anything even remotely connected with numismatics on telly before (excepting perhaps the hoards of Roman Coins that turn up un Time Team).

A good move in my view. The reason why 'Check Your Change' sold so well in the 1960s was because theoretically, there was 150 years worth of coinage in circulation providing the (albeit remote) possibility that all sorts of rarities could turn up. Clearly there was little point in producing a similar book until a good many years had passed. Coins in circulation can now be anything up to 36 years old, and with the passing years, the demand for Check Your Change can only increase.

Just a casual observation Chris, by your own admission you seem to be selling more this year than you thought, so what happens if the reprint comes to more than 2000 books? Will you want my halfpenny back?

I know that at one point he was looking into the theory that a whole lot of 1869 pennies were in the process of being transported to the colonies when the ship sank. I don't know whether this got beyond the hypothesis stage, but it would go some way to explaining the shortage of these coins.

I think it is worth noting that many 1953 coins were issued in little platic folders; in fact I believe 1953 pennies were only issued this way, ergo they virtually all still survive. As far as the 1954 florin is concerned, 13 million is a very small mintage by modern standards, and few were being hoarded by any other than genuine collectors. Regarding the 1915 halfcrown, it is quite possible that many of the coins issued in 1915 were actually dated 1914 (as the official mintage just shows how many coins of a particular denomination left the mint's gates in that year, not what the coins themselves were dated. This changed at some point but I'm not sure exactly when). This accounts for such comparative rarities as the 1869 penny where the official mintage of 2,580,480 is reckoned to exaggerate by a factor of five, the number of coins bearing that date. The final point is that in certain years, the whole production was sent to a far flung part of the empire where collectors were few and hence the coin itself may not be that rare but almost none are in decent condition (e.g. 1927 penny). This can however work the other way as in the case of the 1951 penny where virtually every coin was sent to the West Indies. This was established early, and once the word got around, the coins were speedily removed from circulation. I have only mentioned pennies, as that is my area of 'expertise' but am sure similar reasons can be used to explain price variations in other denominations. Having said al that of course, there is a rump of coins where the price pattern defies all logic.

True, but just look at the history! Marcus Aurelias was somthing of a philosopher and some of his writings still survive. That's what I love about Roman coins, you get not only a portrait of a guy who died 1850 years ago, but tap his name into the internet and you can find out what he thought about a variety of subjects. But, as you say, in hard cash terms it's worth two-thirds of b*ggerall. Something wrong surely?

I have never learnt the actual points to prove that a coin is, or is not an ME, but one glance is normally enough; the whole portrait is just much softer and less angular. Unmistakable. In this case, is it ignorance or artifice?

This is good stuff and very interesting. Whiled away a good half hour.

I tried to post something on this last night, but for some reason the software wouldn't play ball. Although the scan is rather dark, I believe it to be obverse 6, reverse D aka F29, although to be fair I wouldn't stake my life on it (especially since the lower part of the reverse is almost entirely dark). This is one of the more common varieties in what was an abundant year. You are however correct in saying that the coin is approximately Fine.

The mint's motives behind this coin strike me as thoroughly curious. I can understand the reason for a later date being engraved on an earlier die (although personally I wouldn't bother...) but why put an earlier date on a later die. I just can't follow the logic. Do we have an explanation as to why they did it?

Long live the Republic!

That is a rare boogger, ignoring the references, early obverse, narrow date, not minted in Birmingham and if I'd known it was on there, I would have bid for it myself. Huss is right, it is not the uselessness of your book as for 98-99 coins out of a hundred it will be reasonably accurate. Pennies are among the most popular coins to collect, and as a result these sub-varieties can be quite sought after, some actually worth into the thousands. The whole issue of varieties can be quite contentious as some are 'adopted' and attain a substantial premium whereas others are virtually ignored and worth little more than the standard item, often for no apparent reason. How far you take it is entirely up to you.

Okay, let's get our thinking caps on. Obverse - queen wearing baseball cap with a stud in her ear, mouth hanging open in typical vacant fashion. Reverse - Vauxhall Nova with wide wheels, spoiler and go-faster stripe. There that ought to do it!

Hey, that looks really good. I know relatively little about Scottish coins, but I shall be reading your website to fill that gap. Good stuff.

This was also said to have been a problem in the last days of lsd when the remnants of the 50% (and very occasionally the 92.5%) silver coins were still in circulation. At the end, the bronze coins too contained more metal than their face value.

My father used to run a shop and accumulated several post war forgeries. I, in my childish wisdom mutilated them by bending and cutting them in half. Amazing I didn't get lead poisoning

Is it rude?

q Quoting doesn't seem to work either (but you can bet your life it wil on this one!) hence the 'q's at the beginning of several posts.

q Just been playing about with the government's RPI statistics and according to my calculations 50p in 1969 is equivalent to £5.46 now.

FOR SALE: Wife, 1953 Coronation issue. VF condition for year, some pitting on reverse. Offers?

Congatulations Huss. Endorse the comment about coin collections, mine went into hiding for a good fifteen years. Kids shoes are expensive, and old coins are easily sold! All the best though, and remember it's only another thirteen years until she's a teenager. And then your problems really start!