Canterbury Auction

[azda 979]

Watching this and a 1695 Crown quadrupled estimate and sold for 1200 GBP, looked cleaned lot 883

Lot 884 a 1700 Crown, estimate 200-300 sold for 1400 GBP GVF, but again looked cleaned to me.

Lot 887 1935 Raised edge proof, 480 hammer, looked to be quite a few hairlines on this

lot 872 1927 Proof set 520 hanmer and 871 1911 proof set 640 hammer

The first 2 my jaw dropped watching them

[Accumulator 52]

Same with the pennies, which I travelled down to view on Saturday. Only one lot interested me, and I just saw it go for 3 x estimate. With a few exceptions, they really weren't in the best condition having suffered from a significant attack of verdigris.

[azda 979]

I wonder if it a sign of things to come. Those 2 Crowns were'nt worth that much and certainly looked dipped as they had the Stone like appearance from sitting in silver dip for too long.

[Colin G. 147]

The 125 farthings went for £3,300

[azda 979]

The 1695 Crown OBV

[azda 979]

and the 1700 Crown. Both were graded as GVF

[azda 979]

The 125 farthings went for £3,300

Clearly someone does'nt know a thing about coins. Thats 4000 quid with commission. They'd have to sell each one at 32 pounds clear to just break even

[Colin G. 147]

The 125 farthings went for £3,300

Clearly someone does'nt know a thing about coins. Thats 4000 quid with commission. They'd have to sell each one at 32 pounds clear to just break even

Or there was something tasty in there

[azda 979]

The 125 farthings went for £3,300

Clearly someone does'nt know a thing about coins. Thats 4000 quid with commission. They'd have to sell each one at 32 pounds clear to just break even

Or there was something tasty in there

Was there? I did'nt see the lot in question

[Colin G. 147]

I don't know I only got to see about 15 of the coins, and there were some decent coins in there but nothing that warranted that sort of cash...but it is possible that there may have been a gem hidden away...or two people with bidding fever!!

[DaveG38 408]

I've noticed this price frenzy, usually in local auctions, several times. For reasons I don't understand the buyers, including on-line seem to take leave of their senses. Remember that stack of 1000 or so Victorian 1886(?) farthings that went a while ago from a provincial auction room, for an astronomic sum (was it £50,000 or so) and would take decades to sell?

There's no way those three crowns were worth the prices bid, especially after commisssion. As for the pennies etc. the prices were way beyond anything sensible (about £125-£150 each) - I'm guessing that bidding fever takes some people over. The only lot I was interested in was the part 1937 set, which went for pretty much its book price of £3600, or £4400 with commission etc. To add a half sovereign would be another £500-£600, taking it up to £5000+, which is pretty much the going rate, although prices don't seem to have taken account of the drop in the gold price.

Having said this, I did recently pick up a 1734 halfcrown for sensible money in an auction and I got my 1934 crown for £1900 plus commission, which was an absolute bargain. I guess it pays to keep an eye on things and pounce when it's really worthwhile.

[Accumulator 52]

I feel sure that many internet bidders, used to the conservative grading of the specialist auction houses, accepted the 'mostly uncirculated' description of the copper & bronze. Yes, there were a couple of 'tasty' pennies in there, but also a lot of coins well beyond saving due to the verd.

The most interesting pennies for me were an F1 and an F14 in GEF, both in lot 893. I bid but dropped out before it hit the eventual £3k + commission etc. (I.e £4k)

The only other penny of interest was an 'unlisted' 1875H 8+H die combination. I couldn't find any reference to the existence of such a coin at auction or in any reference book, so viewed it very suspiciously. Whilst it was undoubtedly 8 + H (narrow date), there was a good deal of corrosion around the site of the 'H', which appeared to have been scratched clean. I have to say, I was just not convinced enough to bid (the other coins in the lot were in pretty awful condition). If anyone here bought it, I'd be extremely interested to know the outcome of a more comprehensive check?

[NRP 38]

The 125 farthings went for £3,300

Clearly someone does'nt know a thing about coins. Thats 4000 quid with commission. They'd have to sell each one at 32 pounds clear to just break even

Or there was something tasty in there

Was there? I did'nt see the lot in question

After talking to a dealer who came to see me today he told me he had 3000 to bid on the lot and it seems there were some good coins in there. I wish I had viewed them because this dealer knows his stuff and had he won them he would have probably sold them to me. He said there was an unc 1860 mule a minty George 1st and a few lustrous George's!! I am disappointed I didn't make the effort :-(