jelida

True, but the latter made most of their millions from the private sector. Mr Kinnock left his job as an MP to jump on the EU gravy train (joining wife and son, as stated) and was soon owning million pound properties courtesy of the taxpayer. https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/campaign-highlights-kinnocks-10m-eu-2100178 He was even the subject of this article in Walesonline, the on-line presence of the left leaning Western Mail newspaper in 2009. Can’t really blame him though, he and his family only took advantage of the system, but it is difficult to see how all three ended up with top EU jobs without some behind the scenes influence. To be fair Kinnock in private was a likeable man; as leader, he once spent an afternoon in our practice along with our then MP ‘Pink’ Paul Murphy, on a ‘fact finding’ exercise. He didn’t learn much from me. But he did strike us with his ability to listen, humour and sensible open discussion. Not like the pontificating windbag he came across as in public. Jerry

I see, I mostly use an iPad, and you can enlarge the pics and clear the thumbnails. I will try my pc later. Jerry

Yes, this new style of thumbnail seems to have appeared in the last few days, you can still enlarge to get the full picture but it is a pain if you just want to scan the lists. Jerry

There is one issue in replying the way Peckris does, and that is if you try to respond by quoting the annotations, you find you are quoting a blank page. I appreciate there are “copy and paste” ways around this, but from a simple quote and reply point of view it is a nifty way to end the conversation. Jerry

But our discharge of the ‘Sick man of Europe’ tag was very little to do with membership of the EEC and everything to do with nearly two decades of Conservative government under Mrs T and Major, following a decade of largely inept government (of both colours) which allowed unregulated and strongly left wing unions to cause disruption throughout manufacturing and other industries in their efforts to prevent modernisation and efficiency savings which might just have allowed said industries to remain competitive. As a result we lost most to other countries which had modernised. It certainly took over a decade for the country to re-focus, primarily on the service sector where we are now. And I can remember inflation peaking at 15% in 1992, after nearly 20 years of membership, during the ERM debacle when the main though not only factor that triggered the instability with regard to the agreed parameters was high German interest rates caused by the costs of German reunification . Britain was not the only country affected, and 10 months later European monetary policy rules were relaxed; I suppose the point I am trying to make is that membership of the EU is not and will never be a financial panacea, there is too much regional disparity even within the Eurozone, and the situation with Spain, Italy and Greece is far from resolved. It is true that the EU would not be unhappy if we exercised our right to rescind article 50, but for our parliament to override the democratically expressed wish of the population is unlikely and highly risky. And the EU have made it clear that a no deal may be preferable to them than further years of indecision. Jerry

Sounds like Corbyn too, though then you can add in misogynist and anti Semitic as a minimum. And how could he walk out of the discussion this evening because Chuka Umunna was there? None of our politicians come out of this with much credit, except that May has been steadfast in her determination to follow through what she reasonably feels is the will of the majority which is the job she is there for, while dissenters do their best to obfuscate that democratically expressed choice. The way things look tonight parliament will have to support her deal or in effect vote for no deal, the other two alternatives appear increasingly unlikely given previous votes in parliament, the timescale and the determination by the EU to force a decision. I have rather enjoyed all these twists and turns over the last few months, but it does have to reach a conclusion now so that the nation can move forward. Jerry

This will be the very rare obverse F with the lcw below shield and pointed top lighthouse then........ https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Victoria-1861-Penny-4-F-RARE/333120920754?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649 I am watching it just to see if anybody falls for it. Apart from all the ‘wrong uns’ EBay is rather quiet at the moment. Jerry

I tend to follow this ‘poll of polls’ which tracks polls throughout Europe. https://pollofpolls.eu/GB But take all polls with a pinch of salt. Don’t forget that the last poll released before the 2016 referendum gave ‘Remain’ a near 10% lead. Jerry

This coin with the same story was for sale on EBay several times a couple of years ago, and featured on this site. It subsequently appeared with hype for sale via a conventional South Wales auction house (Dragon Auctions, or some similar name). After I sent them links to his EBay sale attempts, and to discussion on this forum , they sent me a pleasant email and withdrew the coin from sale. The story is of course total tosh, it is a modern Chinese replica, though he possibly paid too much for it himself if he did indeed buy it in Caerphilly and was taken in by the vendors stated provenance. Jerry

It appears to have a core exposed in places which is subject to bronze disease, therefore a copper alloy. I wonder if (in common with many contemporary denarius forgeries) it is made from a high tin bronze, possibly the surface tin enriched by copper leaching. High tin bronze looks passably silver when polished. I have previously found forgery denarii of very similar appearance, and suspect this is a late Mediaeval equivalent , being a copy of a groat or half groat. Tin plating on copper alloy is another possibility. It does not look modern to me. Jerry

I see it is “already marked as a red hot collectible”. Every opportunity to get your fingers burned then. Jerry

That’s a blow, is the “details” statement justified in the hand? If not, break it out! I would not want a handsome coin condemned in print by somebody else’s opinion! And paying for the privilege! One more reason I would not use TPG’s. Jerry

True, the serif does very much look like an afterthought especially in the second and third versions shown. The serif in the first image does look far more conventional. I wonder whether there was ever a ‘no serif’ die. Jerry

The fact that there are three subtlety different ‘open three’’s in 1863 would suggest that this was a deliberate experiment and not a one-off mistake, though I cannot tie it in with the 1903. I suppose it could have been an alternative way of marking individual dies, more subtle than die numbers in what clearly was a year for study/experimentation. But I am not aware of any serious study on the topic. Jerry

There seems to be a never ending supply of this sort of bollox on EBay. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RAREST-VALUABLE-one-of-a-kind-1971-1p-Penny-THE-VALENTINE-FRANKEN-PENNY/192837875655?hash=item2ce60877c7:g:6XIAAOSw78xcZaZH Another example of tape and acid dip. I am surprised he’s not also referring to it being an ultra rare ‘NEW PENNY’ 1971 coin as well. Jerry

You’re like the genie from the lamp! Nice to hear from you, hope all is well in Oz. You have my best mate and his wife over there somewhere at the moment, so be very careful in traffic or crossing the road, especially after the bars are open! Jerry

It is also I suspect a fake. It has the tiny rim nick above the trefoil after GRATIA that seems diagnostic. https://www.coincommunity.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=146846 And I think other features. Of course this was always the likely option, how would a girl who works in Greggs and can’t get a loan be in possession of a genuine Gothic Crown? And the toning is deeply suspicious. Jerry

It reads Maximinus, the emperor Maximian, very similar to this one on EBay, but of the Sisca mint I think. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/372111800526?ul_ref=http%3A%2F%2Frover.ebay.com%2Frover%2F1%2F710-53481-19255-0%2F1%3Ficep_ff3%3D2%26pub%3D5574660663%26toolid%3D10001%26campid%3D5336443428%26customid%3Ddms_71347%26icep_item%3D372111800526%26icep_catId%3D4734%26ipn%3Dpsmain%26icep_vectorid%3D229508%26kwid%3D902099%26mtid%3D824%26kw%3Dlg%26srcrot%3D710-53481-19255-0%26rvr_id%3D1853282496071%26rvr_ts%3Dd8520ace1680a99b8865791efff28c19&ul_noapp=true It looks perfectly genuine to me, lovely surfaces like coins I have found in the mud of the Severn estuary. Jerry

The real Royal Mint mistake here is to assume the population has any common sense whatsoever! https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Royal-Mint-Mistake-New-1-Penny/132934242203?hash=item1ef37f8f9b:g:cFsAAOSwXh9cUHo- Jerry

I’ve had some nice presents from him in the past. Well not absolute presents, but very fair prices. Thank you Santa! Jerry

Thanks, Terry. I think the jury is out until a high grade example is found. But would I pay decent money for it.........? No. Jerry

Do you have some decent microscope close-ups of the A, Terry? Richards example does have a definite slight indentation on the left arm of the A where the crossbar should join, suggesting perhaps a slight bulge in the material impacted in the bar, though it is very difficult to be certain either way from these photos. I don’t think I’d be convinced except by examining a high grade coin. Even then it is suggested (see Gouby) that repairs to letters often used partial punches such as an L punch to repair the base of an E, are these varieties too? They may be interesting curiosities, but to me this is an example where we should be wary of conferring varietal status without clear evidence. Jerry

Stans, invest in a jewellers scales, sometimes they can provide a definitive answer, and are not expensive. It is true that the forgers dies may well have been made from a flawed genuine coin, but milled sixpence are not difficult to find and this coin will always be more difficult to sell on from photographs because of the doubts. Bring your money to a coin fair! Jerry

Just be happy to get your money back. Some of the coins illustrated above clearly have casting bubbles (and are underweight) and if those are fake then so most likely are the rest. There is no description of these flaws in the BNJ die variety article page shown to which the vendor refers .Sadly the vendor may have significant investment in this coin which he may be reluctant to write off. Jerry

While not every ‘private listing’ seller is of dubious character, those of poor character almost invariably make their listings private. As suggested I suspect this is to enable shill bidding. There is no need for it. Jerry