What coins do you collect

[DaveG38 405]

My collecting habits were formed in my childhood, during the era of Brooke Bond Tea Cards. Put simply, when a new design came out, I had to collect them all - after all what's the use of an album with a couple of gaps in it. Its the same with coins, I simply collect all English milled back as far as I can. And that's all denominations. The only thing I have drawn a line at is patterns - I think because I don't regard them as 'real' coins. Otherwise its farthings all the way back to 1672, including the James Tin and the 1689. Halfpennies ditto, but I still need a 1686 to complete. Pennies to 1797. Maundy I'm still infilling from 1800 back - not sure why I am not interested in going forwards, although the sheer volume of material would make it both expensive and fairly boring.

Sixpences and shillings back to around 1730ish, with plenty of earlier coins, but also gaps - WCC in particular in the George I series of shillings. Halfcrowns and crowns mainly complete back to around 1739, but with odd gaps. Florins all except 1863. Gold is much more problematic so I only collect London Mint - so far back to 1900 only, but it has got very expensive.

Mostly the later coins are around GVF-EF, with the earlier mostly around F-VF. The exceptions are the rarities which I simply buy the best I can find - try finding a 1689 halfpenny in VF!! My main problem now is finding and being able to afford the more difficult coins. If anybody's got a nice cheap 1934 Crown, 1863 florin, 1841 and 1839 halfcrown, a 1823 1st bust halfcrown or an 1816 three shillings then I'd be pleased to hear from them!!!

So, I'm afraid I'm a date filler - there's something very satisfying about sliding a coin into a long outstanding gap. A really nice moment when I found a 1854 sixpence, even though it wasn't in great condition!! For reasons I can't explain, I don't have much interest in threepences, so I go back to 1834 and only a few further back.

[Mat 2]

My collecting habits were formed in my childhood, during the era of Brooke Bond Tea Cards. Put simply, when a new design came out, I had to collect them all - after all what's the use of an album with a couple of gaps in it. Its the same with coins, I simply collect all English milled back as far as I can. And that's all denominations. The only thing I have drawn a line at is patterns - I think because I don't regard them as 'real' coins. Otherwise its farthings all the way back to 1672, including the James Tin and the 1689. Halfpennies ditto, but I still need a 1686 to complete. Pennies to 1797. Maundy I'm still infilling from 1800 back - not sure why I am not interested in going forwards, although the sheer volume of material would make it both expensive and fairly boring.

Sixpences and shillings back to around 1730ish, with plenty of earlier coins, but also gaps - WCC in particular in the George I series of shillings. Halfcrowns and crowns mainly complete back to around 1739, but with odd gaps. Florins all except 1863. Gold is much more problematic so I only collect London Mint - so far back to 1900 only, but it has got very expensive.

Mostly the later coins are around GVF-EF, with the earlier mostly around F-VF. The exceptions are the rarities which I simply buy the best I can find - try finding a 1689 halfpenny in VF!! My main problem now is finding and being able to afford the more difficult coins. If anybody's got a nice cheap 1934 Crown, 1863 florin, 1841 and 1839 halfcrown, a 1823 1st bust halfcrown or an 1816 three shillings then I'd be pleased to hear from them!!!

So, I'm afraid I'm a date filler - there's something very satisfying about sliding a coin into a long outstanding gap. A really nice moment when I found a 1854 sixpence, even though it wasn't in great condition!! For reasons I can't explain, I don't have much interest in threepences, so I go back to 1834 and only a few further back.

A currency issue 1839 half crown sold on ebay US during Christmas holidays, it was in about Very Good to Fair and it sold for around £900 if I remember correctly, I think that was grossly overpriced considering you can buy one in VF for £2500-£3000.

I wouldnt be prepared to pay more than £800 for one in Fine... if I was collecting..

[declanwmagee 122]

My collecting habits were formed in my childhood, during the era of Brooke Bond Tea Cards. Put simply, when a new design came out, I had to collect them all - after all what's the use of an album with a couple of gaps in it. Its the same with coins, I simply collect all English milled back as far as I can. And that's all denominations. The only thing I have drawn a line at is patterns - I think because I don't regard them as 'real' coins. Otherwise its farthings all the way back to 1672, including the James Tin and the 1689. Halfpennies ditto, but I still need a 1686 to complete. Pennies to 1797. Maundy I'm still infilling from 1800 back - not sure why I am not interested in going forwards, although the sheer volume of material would make it both expensive and fairly boring.

Sixpences and shillings back to around 1730ish, with plenty of earlier coins, but also gaps - WCC in particular in the George I series of shillings. Halfcrowns and crowns mainly complete back to around 1739, but with odd gaps. Florins all except 1863. Gold is much more problematic so I only collect London Mint - so far back to 1900 only, but it has got very expensive.

Mostly the later coins are around GVF-EF, with the earlier mostly around F-VF. The exceptions are the rarities which I simply buy the best I can find - try finding a 1689 halfpenny in VF!! My main problem now is finding and being able to afford the more difficult coins. If anybody's got a nice cheap 1934 Crown, 1863 florin, 1841 and 1839 halfcrown, a 1823 1st bust halfcrown or an 1816 three shillings then I'd be pleased to hear from them!!!

So, I'm afraid I'm a date filler - there's something very satisfying about sliding a coin into a long outstanding gap. A really nice moment when I found a 1854 sixpence, even though it wasn't in great condition!! For reasons I can't explain, I don't have much interest in threepences, so I go back to 1834 and only a few further back.

WOW

that's heroic. That's where I want to be in about 25 years time. Have to get a big kitchen table though.

[DaveG38 405]

My collecting habits were formed in my childhood, during the era of Brooke Bond Tea Cards. Put simply, when a new design came out, I had to collect them all - after all what's the use of an album with a couple of gaps in it. Its the same with coins, I simply collect all English milled back as far as I can. And that's all denominations. The only thing I have drawn a line at is patterns - I think because I don't regard them as 'real' coins. Otherwise its farthings all the way back to 1672, including the James Tin and the 1689. Halfpennies ditto, but I still need a 1686 to complete. Pennies to 1797. Maundy I'm still infilling from 1800 back - not sure why I am not interested in going forwards, although the sheer volume of material would make it both expensive and fairly boring.

Sixpences and shillings back to around 1730ish, with plenty of earlier coins, but also gaps - WCC in particular in the George I series of shillings. Halfcrowns and crowns mainly complete back to around 1739, but with odd gaps. Florins all except 1863. Gold is much more problematic so I only collect London Mint - so far back to 1900 only, but it has got very expensive.

Mostly the later coins are around GVF-EF, with the earlier mostly around F-VF. The exceptions are the rarities which I simply buy the best I can find - try finding a 1689 halfpenny in VF!! My main problem now is finding and being able to afford the more difficult coins. If anybody's got a nice cheap 1934 Crown, 1863 florin, 1841 and 1839 halfcrown, a 1823 1st bust halfcrown or an 1816 three shillings then I'd be pleased to hear from them!!!

So, I'm afraid I'm a date filler - there's something very satisfying about sliding a coin into a long outstanding gap. A really nice moment when I found a 1854 sixpence, even though it wasn't in great condition!! For reasons I can't explain, I don't have much interest in threepences, so I go back to 1834 and only a few further back.

A currency issue 1839 half crown sold on ebay US during Christmas holidays, it was in about Very Good to Fair and it sold for around £900 if I remember correctly, I think that was grossly overpriced considering you can buy one in VF for £2500-£3000.

I wouldnt be prepared to pay more than £800 for one in Fine... if I was collecting..

Mat,

Its these prices which deter me from completing some areas of my collection - I simply am not that interested in spending that kind of money even for good condition fillers. I'm probably being short sighted, but there are limits! Unless the lottery comes along of course......

[Mat 2]

My collecting habits were formed in my childhood, during the era of Brooke Bond Tea Cards. Put simply, when a new design came out, I had to collect them all - after all what's the use of an album with a couple of gaps in it. Its the same with coins, I simply collect all English milled back as far as I can. And that's all denominations. The only thing I have drawn a line at is patterns - I think because I don't regard them as 'real' coins. Otherwise its farthings all the way back to 1672, including the James Tin and the 1689. Halfpennies ditto, but I still need a 1686 to complete. Pennies to 1797. Maundy I'm still infilling from 1800 back - not sure why I am not interested in going forwards, although the sheer volume of material would make it both expensive and fairly boring.

Sixpences and shillings back to around 1730ish, with plenty of earlier coins, but also gaps - WCC in particular in the George I series of shillings. Halfcrowns and crowns mainly complete back to around 1739, but with odd gaps. Florins all except 1863. Gold is much more problematic so I only collect London Mint - so far back to 1900 only, but it has got very expensive.

Mostly the later coins are around GVF-EF, with the earlier mostly around F-VF. The exceptions are the rarities which I simply buy the best I can find - try finding a 1689 halfpenny in VF!! My main problem now is finding and being able to afford the more difficult coins. If anybody's got a nice cheap 1934 Crown, 1863 florin, 1841 and 1839 halfcrown, a 1823 1st bust halfcrown or an 1816 three shillings then I'd be pleased to hear from them!!!

So, I'm afraid I'm a date filler - there's something very satisfying about sliding a coin into a long outstanding gap. A really nice moment when I found a 1854 sixpence, even though it wasn't in great condition!! For reasons I can't explain, I don't have much interest in threepences, so I go back to 1834 and only a few further back.

A currency issue 1839 half crown sold on ebay US during Christmas holidays, it was in about Very Good to Fair and it sold for around £900 if I remember correctly, I think that was grossly overpriced considering you can buy one in VF for £2500-£3000.

I wouldnt be prepared to pay more than £800 for one in Fine... if I was collecting..

Mat,

Its these prices which deter me from completing some areas of my collection - I simply am not that interested in spending that kind of money even for good condition fillers. I'm probably being short sighted, but there are limits! Unless the lottery comes along of course......

Too right, there are so many important things that take priority over coins, I have seen some people that have become so enveloped into their coins that they have gone the other way and have nothing but coins... if that’s where their happiness is then good luck to them! Plus spending such money on a coin when you don’t really have that kind of money to spend just totally takes out the fun in coin collecting in my opinion.

[declanwmagee 122]

Too right, there are so many important things that take priority over coins, I have seen some people that have become so enveloped into their coins that they have gone the other way and have nothing but coins... if that’s where their happiness is then good luck to them! Plus spending such money on a coin when you don’t really have that kind of money to spend just totally takes out the fun in coin collecting in my opinion.

oh dear - I spend far more on coins than on food, tobacco,and petrol put together. Three reasons

1) In only spend PayPal on coins, not real money, and the coins earned all the PayPal

2) If I buy a coin that means I get to spend the money again one day. Food, tobacco, and petrol you can only spend once.

3) Living as we do, we don't have any bills to pay, apart from the odd propane bottle, so I have managed to convince myself that there genuinely aren't that many more important things than coins - after all, they are our pension fund for when I can't dig gardens for the middle classes anymore.

I suppose that puts me in the "nothing but coins" category, Mat!

[Mat 2]

Too right, there are so many important things that take priority over coins, I have seen some people that have become so enveloped into their coins that they have gone the other way and have nothing but coins... if that’s where their happiness is then good luck to them! Plus spending such money on a coin when you don’t really have that kind of money to spend just totally takes out the fun in coin collecting in my opinion.

oh dear - I spend far more on coins than on food, tobacco,and petrol put together. Three reasons

1) In only spend PayPal on coins, not real money, and the coins earned all the PayPal

2) If I buy a coin that means I get to spend the money again one day. Food, tobacco, and petrol you can only spend once.

3) Living as we do, we don't have any bills to pay, apart from the odd propane bottle, so I have managed to convince myself that there genuinely aren't that many more important things than coins - after all, they are our pension fund for when I can't dig gardens for the middle classes anymore.

I suppose that puts me in the "nothing but coins" category, Mat!

I was actually referring to a collector I used to buy from in Leek that was so obsessed with completing the series he was chasing he spent his and his wife’s income on buying and ended up actually defaulting on their mortgage payments, his obsession ultimately lead to the breakdown of his marriage. That is what I call the nothing but coins category, if that is what you fall into than better you than good luck to you.

[declanwmagee 122]

I may need mental help!!

We're house sitting for the minor gentry this week, and they've got this long thin table in their huge kitchen. As soon as I saw it I thought "ooh look, denominations down the short dimension, dates on the long dimension, I could get my whole collection on that"

Well it took a bit more than an evening, but I did manage it...

Right hand side of the table is 1967 in the foreground back to 1908 at the far end, so you can see the gap for 1961 ha'penny, and 1954-1960 pennies, and the missing larger denominations for 1952. There's a row for every year on the right hand side, but I had to compress it a lot to fit the 19th century on the left hand side

Left hand side of the table is early stuff in the foreground (you can see the 1797 twopenny) going back to 1907 at the far end. Farthings in the middle of the table, big silver at the edge.

Hours of fun.

[Peckris 579]

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."Ok Declan, I'm ready to lay the table now - can you move those bits of metal off? And get the posh cutlery and the red napkins. Declan...? DECLAN!!"

"Yes, dear"

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Nicely set out though. My cabinets would sit nicely at the far end, I'm thinking

[scott 144]

the hell.. havn't seen mine

me i collect french coins, mostly 20th century (the 45-60 period is acctually worth a bit lol)

british pennies 1960

and any cheap coins i can get before then

[1949threepence 3,367]

Too right, there are so many important things that take priority over coins, I have seen some people that have become so enveloped into their coins that they have gone the other way and have nothing but coins... if that’s where their happiness is then good luck to them! Plus spending such money on a coin when you don’t really have that kind of money to spend just totally takes out the fun in coin collecting in my opinion.

I was actually referring to a collector I used to buy from in Leek that was so obsessed with completing the series he was chasing he spent his and his wife’s income on buying and ended up actually defaulting on their mortgage payments, his obsession ultimately lead to the breakdown of his marriage. That is what I call the nothing but coins category, if that is what you fall into than better you than good luck to you.

That's going beyond natural enthusiasm, into the realms of total obsession. Very sad really.

[£400 for a Penny ? 0]

I may need mental help!!

We're house sitting for the minor gentry this week, and they've got this long thin table in their huge kitchen. As soon as I saw it I thought "ooh look, denominations down the short dimension, dates on the long dimension, I could get my whole collection on that"

Well it took a bit more than an evening, but I did manage it...

Right hand side of the table is 1967 in the foreground back to 1908 at the far end, so you can see the gap for 1961 ha'penny, and 1954-1960 pennies, and the missing larger denominations for 1952. There's a row for every year on the right hand side, but I had to compress it a lot to fit the 19th century on the left hand side

Left hand side of the table is early stuff in the foreground (you can see the 1797 twopenny) going back to 1907 at the far end. Farthings in the middle of the table, big silver at the edge.

Hours of fun.

Now that's what I call a table. I could have half a dozen perpetually unfinished projects on the go at the same time on there...

[Red Riley 2]

Hours of fun.

Declan, that's exactly the potty, bizarre sort of thing that I would do. You're not an only child as well are you?

[declanwmagee 122]

Hours of fun.

Declan, that's exactly the potty, bizarre sort of thing that I would do. You're not an only child as well are you?

No, Derek, one of two, but as as child I could never get my little sister to take her visits to my pretend coin shop seriously. Now, thanks to eBay, I don't need my little sister anymore, I can play shopkeepers to my hearts content.

To me, that's what coin collecting is all about, not investment or profit, but the buzz you get looking down that unbroken run of halfcrowns back to the first gap (which is 1905).

[declanwmagee 122]

.

.

.

.

.

."Ok Declan, I'm ready to lay the table now - can you move those bits of metal off? And get the posh cutlery and the red napkins. Declan...? DECLAN!!"

"Yes, dear"

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Nicely set out though. My cabinets would sit nicely at the far end, I'm thinking

I'm a lucky man, Mr Peckris, it's not every coin collector who has a Pwincess who understands why I might want to spend an evening doing that.

[Peckris 579]

the hell.. havn't seen mine

me i collect french coins, mostly 20th century (the 45-60 period is acctually worth a bit lol)

british pennies 1960

and any cheap coins i can get before then

I'll pay £250 for your 1960 british penny scott (I assume we're NOT talking Maundy here? )

I'm a lucky man, Mr Peckris, it's not every coin collector who has a Pwincess who understands why I might want to spend an evening doing that.

True, true!

[darren 0]

Hi all I've just joined this forum and unfortunately for my I've got the sovereign bug at the peak of the gold price! I concentrate on Victorian Shields VF or better. I find that prices in the US are more favorable at the moment even taking into account of postage and insurance rates and many are slabbed.

I've just started collect silver proof £1 coins and I've been picking them up for half the book price recently. I did stray and bought a 1889 shilling (AUNC) for £15 the other week and even though they are as common as dodgy ebay sellers offering 'mule' 20p pieces its a fantastic coin.

Edited April 25, 2010 by darren

[Peckris 579]

I've just started collect silver proof £1 coins and I've been picking them up for half the book price recently. I did stray and bought a 1889 shilling (AUNC) for £15 the other week and even though they are as common as dodgy ebay sellers offering 'mule' 20p pieces its a fantastic coin.

Yes. Modern proofs, even silver proofs, can be picked up at auction for well under book. To give one notorious example : the 1977 silver proof crown has added about 25% - 33% to its price in over 30 years. "Half book" sounds a fair price, don't pay too much more than that.

You think 1889 shillings are common? You should see the 1887 - commonest Victorian silver coin of them all!

[darren 0]

I've just started collect silver proof £1 coins and I've been picking them up for half the book price recently. I did stray and bought a 1889 shilling (AUNC) for £15 the other week and even though they are as common as dodgy ebay sellers offering 'mule' 20p pieces its a fantastic coin.

Yes. Modern proofs, even silver proofs, can be picked up at auction for well under book. To give one notorious example : the 1977 silver proof crown has added about 25% - 33% to its price in over 30 years. "Half book" sounds a fair price, don't pay too much more than that.

You think 1889 shillings are common? You should see the 1887 - commonest Victorian silver coin of them all!

It was an 1887 shilling Peckris, my mistake.................. I've so much to learn

[Peckris 579]

I've just started collect silver proof £1 coins and I've been picking them up for half the book price recently. I did stray and bought a 1889 shilling (AUNC) for £15 the other week and even though they are as common as dodgy ebay sellers offering 'mule' 20p pieces its a fantastic coin.

Yes. Modern proofs, even silver proofs, can be picked up at auction for well under book. To give one notorious example : the 1977 silver proof crown has added about 25% - 33% to its price in over 30 years. "Half book" sounds a fair price, don't pay too much more than that.

You think 1889 shillings are common? You should see the 1887 - commonest Victorian silver coin of them all!

It was an 1887 shilling Peckris, my mistake.................. I've so much to learn

Oh! Oh well, £15 isn't too bad for an AU specimen - you'll never get another bit of Unc Victorian silver for that money.

[declanwmagee 122]

the hell.. havn't seen mine

Lay 'em out Scott! Let's see 'em in all their glory! There were 700 coins on that table I used....I'm sure you can beat that if you can find a big enough floor...

[scott 144]

trust me i can... not going to though

[Sylvester 15]

A very good question indeed and one I've had many answers to over the years!

I been through most areas of British coinage at some time or other. Started out on shillings originally supplemented by brass threepences. However, Elizabeth II issues really didn't do a lot for me, neither did the whole Scottish/English having to get two of each date.

So then I tried my hand at type sets (1887, 1893, 1901, 1912, 1937), which strangely morphed into collecting half sovereigns and shield reverse sovereigns by date instead (I still have a fondness for half sovereigns even now).

Then I turned to hammered coins and sixpences. Initially the 6ds were from 1816-1967, but the long run, of what I consider dull wreath reverses, from 1831-1910 really put me off progressing far with that. I then switched to early milled sixpences (which I still adore), I did rather well with that set compared to most others i've tried in the past.

However, I then got bit by the gold bug (again) and took to US gold, half guineas and hammered gold, which brought the sixpence collection to a stop. Then in 2005 I sold off everything to allow me to switch to Anglo-Saxon and Norman pennies, which after two years also stopped and were put into storage. I then took semi-retirement from collecting.

These days I hardly buy coins any more, the one set I am actively working on (albeit part-time) is my date run of US Standing Liberty Quarters. Other than that I really don't find many post-1800 British coins that interesting any more. I still like the early milled coins and the early medieval coins though, and I purchase them as and when I feel inclined. Although I generally spend my money on other things.

[TomGoodheart 400]

I used to pick up odds and ends from change until my Dad left me a few pieces. I kept the nicest, sold the silver scrap and bought a few that appealed. Then I found a book on shillings and fancied collecting them. I got a fair few, but avoided Charles I due to the complexity. My aim was really to get a representative example for each major bust/reverse change. Then I tired of later milled and decided to concentrate on Tudor/Stuart and sold a few bits to Chris.

Gradually I was drawn to Charles I shillings and started to shed the others until funds ran low and I got rid of the provincial issues too, leaving me with Tower mint shillings from 1625 to 1649. There are over 30 different portraits, 20 reverses and some two dozen mint marks so there's plenty of scope.

I have examples of coins of which I only know of one or two others. Some for which only a handful were struck from just one die. And one that wasn't even heard of until someone recognised it as a new bust type in 1995.

I've met other collectors from whom I've bought and learned. I keep shifting my collecting goals subtly. Currently I'm working on shedding a few examples of poorer condition coins I bought because they are scarce, in the hope of buying better later. I don't buy very often now, even though there are plenty of gaps waiting to be filled (in fact one of my provisional eBay sales will leave a new one). I'm much more selective about condition and am less likely to compare my example to those in the Brooker collection, though that's still a good guide.

I'm not expecting to finish collecting soon, if ever. Just to gradually build a collection of decent coins, some of which will be rare.

Edited May 27, 2010 by TomGoodheart