Ætheling

And if the timer packs in before you get to March? REFUND!

This is a debate that started on another forum but due to the complex nature i thought it might be useful and intriguing to bring it up on this forum too. What date do you consider to be the cut-off point between old and modern coins?

Very high numbers of these new coins were being minted due to the fact that the old large coins were going to be withdrawn in the summer of 1993 and thus new dies had to be prepared to take over from those currently in use when they became life expired. Based on dies used on the later ten pence issues of 1994-7 it is most likely that the following issues were minted towards the very end of 1992 and since the 1993 dated coins were only issued in collector's sets, it is concievable that the latest 1992 issues were being minted well into 1993. The Type 3 Percentage of mintage = c. 20% (c. 258,348,634 pieces) Obverse; I, L and A in Elizabeth point at dots. Reverse; The 1 in 10 on the reverse points between dots. Edge; Flat type. This issue is also the type that is present in the mint and proof sets of 1992. The Type 4 Percentage of mintage = c. <1% (c. 12,000,000 pieces) Obverse; I, L and A in Elizabeth point between dots. Reverse; The 1 in 10 on the reverse points between dots. Edge; Flat type. This type is not available in either UNC or Proof sets. The Type 5 Percentage of mintage = c. <1% (c. 8,000,000 pieces) Obverse; I, L and A in Elizabeth point at dots. Reverse; The 1 in 10 on the reverse points at dot. Edge; Flat type. This type is not available in either UNC or Proof sets. On June 30 1993 the old large ten pence pieces and their pre-decimal equivalent the florin first issued in 1849 were all demonetised. The pre-decimal coinage became history once and for all and the new decimal coins and their varieties in true British style have gone relatively unnoticed and uncared for. The fifty pence pieces were reduced in size in 1997.

During the early 1990s Great Britain underwent a period of currency changes. These currency changes on the surface appeared to have been intitated by nothing more than inflation. Indeed this was the case and the mint was keen to maximise its profits on three of the minor cupro-nickel coins in production, the five, ten and fifty pence coins. The changes however were to produce two major things. Firstly a final break with the predecimal currency. Secondly a new coin with five different varities that the majority of the British collecting world care either little for or know next to nothing about. In 1990 the first of these changes took place when the decimal five pence as introduced in 1968 was reduced in size considerably. In the winter of 1990 the old large five pence pieces and the same size/weight one shilling pieces issued from 1816-1966 that had been circulating as five pences (in theory) were demonetised. The final break with the past though was yet to come as the large ten pence pieces from 1968 onwards and the old two shilling pieces issued from 1849-1967 were all still in active circulation. Here's selection of coins that were all circulating as ten pence pieces during 1992. In 1992 the second of the currency reforms came into force when the smaller ten pence piece was issued. Initially the Type 1 ten pence made its debut. The Type 1 Percentage of mintage = c. 40% (c. 516,697,268 pieces) Obverse; I, L and A in Elizabeth point between the dots. Reverse; The 1 in 10 on the reverse points at a dot. Edge; Wire type. The wire edge is the coin pictured on the right below, (the edges are curved in to make the point with the milling on rather narrow when compared to the flat edge variant next to it). This type is not available in either UNC or Proof sets. Type 1 were the earliest coins produced and are esily identifiable by the fact that their edge is curved, the five pence coins from 1990-1992 are also minted with this type of edge. During 1992 however it must have been decided that this type of edge was unsatisfactory and thus a new type of flat edge was introduced to both the ten pence and the five pence coins. The Type 2 Percentage of mintage = c. 40% (c. 516,697,268 pieces) Obverse; I, L and A in Elizabeth point between the dots. Reverse; The 1 in 10 on the reverse points at a dot. Edge; Flat type. This type is not available in either UNC or Proof sets.

That's just as good. Suddenly i'm very thankful i'm not on a note! (Cameras *shudder*)

You'll have to ask Art about that, i was only called upon to design the notes after he saw my entry for the CP Dollars. I have no say when it comes to running the short snorter itself.

I had thought about printing off a few sets prior to the Short Snorter to anyone who was interested, but i didn't know if they'd be enough demand.* (i've yet to actually see these on paper!) (I've also got some other notes denominated in guineas too that will be appearing shortly). *But doing that would complicate matters, different mintmark or not.

I haven't seen any but i think i know a place i'll be able to get them from. I've been thinking about it for a while.

Although a date is yet to be officially released for Short Snorter 2005, and this date will be after the present series of Short Snorters (the 2004 run) is completed. Art and i thought it'd be a nice idea to announce that the 2005 Short Snorter run will involve something new this year, something special, something that represented coinpeople and the fact that it is a world community. Therefore we decided to design some official Coinpeople snorters. And here they are... (starting at the bottom) [please forgive the blurring of JPEG once again but my computer won't do it any other way other than JPEG or BMP). The notes are double sided (and will all have different numbers) [hence why the reverse is upside down on here, we fold them and glue them together). The notes are of a light color with minimal designs because they have to be signing friendly. 1 Snort 5 Snorts 10 Snorts 20 Snorts 50 Snorts 100 Snorts Art will be printing these off as and when and releasing them when Short Snorter 2005 kicks off.

Same year as GD if i recall correctly!

I think out of all those years 1996-2000 was my quiet period, 1998 particularly so. But then i repicked up the hobby in late 1999 (i had been buying in the late 90s but it was only every 6 or 7 months). Then in 2000 i suddenly went into explosion mode.

have you been collecting coins? I started in 1990, so this year is my 15th anniversary in coin collecting.

Either way it's still a dud. I could send you another one Trantor if you'd like. I had a whole bagful somewhere, but the grades vary quite a bit.

I avoid 2x2s like the plague, i've had alot of problems with coins turning in them, usually verdigried. I live in a rather humid house. Coins in 2x2s usually start sweating pretty quickly. I saved a few German coins from the 2x2s they were in, they had only been in the house like 2 months and they were sweating away. Winter months aren't too bad, but i used to lose alot in summer. Since switching to a coin cabinet i seem to have solved the problem. The cabinet manages to maintain it's own environment somehow, the coins are always cold in there no matter how hot it gets. That and i keep the cabinet stored in a cool dark cupboard.

It's good fun searching through them ain't it! I've got 5 at present (only took me two years)... there was another one that i found but it was so badly damaged/corroded it was quickly unfound and spent.

I've been thinking about that, it depends how they punch the letters in, maybe the U wasn't set as deep on the die as the other letters, that with a weak strike makes it less noticable. But that's mere conjecture on my part because i have no idea how they prepare dies, never been something i took much interest in.

Firstly i could have sworn the P was a D but that was from my eyesight, i don't have a loupe. It could well be a D over a D, with the bottom of the first D looking like a short tail of a P. At least that's what i thought it might have been. Or maybe the die was wearing around the mintmark hence why it's not as sharp as it might be. Secondly that missing U i just put it down to a weak strike. I never noticed the doubling on the legends but then again i never look for it, and when it's pointed out to me i'm usually itching to ditch the coins asap as substandard. Looks like i'm well shut of those two misfits! (But you got them free so you can't complain... just don't send them back!)

Some sets are type, some are date. By nature i gravitate towards date collecting.

They are coins from the UK. Question about those three 10 pence pieces... (try and stay with me on this) Look at the L, I and A in Elizabeth (do they point at the edge beads or between them?) Then look at the 1 in the number 10 in the reverse does that point at or between edge beads? Typically you'll find that if they point at the beads on one side then the opposite side of the coin will be set so they point between. Now if you've got any that point at the beads on both sides then i want to know!

What kind of collector are you, or do you like a blend of the two?

Uncirculated coins are basically coins that show no signs of wear, they may have the odd bagmark, they may have lustre (i.e original shine) or they may not, it all depends upon how they were stored. Some even come out looking like they fell in an oil puddle in the road, so you know... Uncirculated is pretty wide terminolgy, you can pull Uncircs out of circulation even a few years after they first went in, it just depends how resistant the alloy they were minted in is and how they were treat. Obviously coins that spend alot of time going from one pocket to another and jingling around with other coins wil lose that UNC designation faster than ones that circulate briefly for a few weeks and then spend long spells sat in a change jar before finding their way back into circulation for another few weeks and then into a different jar or drawer. Ditch coins with any green on them immediately, especially copper as this is verdigris and will spread. Keep coins with natural lustre and store them in a way that will keep this lustre, airtight holders are very good. Some might think, well why bother if it's only a 2005? Well don't forget people said that in 1905. Sure there billions of them out there now but they won't all stay that way. Edge knocks are best avoided. Try to find ones with as few scratches as possible. The best thing you can do now if you haven't already is to buy a copy of the 'Redbook' and learn how to grade. Coin values are totally dependent upon condition and the originality thereof. It doesn't so much matter if it's a 2005 edition or a cheaper older copy from 2000-2004, the main thing you'll need it for if you are collecting from change is the info and knowledge it contains rather than the coin value guide also present. Remember all coin collectors and dealers started out clueless in the beginning. The only way to beat the greness into submission, is to read and read and read. Take part on here, ask questions whenever you are unsure, it doesn't matter how stupid you think they sound, if you're not sure ask. Best to find out you are wrong or right sooner rather than later. And good luck!

You're not the first to wonder that! Some still do...

Watch this space because design 1 has been updated and will be put to a new use that's not for the CP Dollars (although if it won this which is unlikely, then it could do both). Although i cannot say more until the member that they have been designed for decides to announce it. As much as i prefer the designs on 3 and 4 to all the others, i seriously think there could be legal issues. (Oli has already stated that design 3 was done for fun and is realistically out of the running, unless the shrek bit is replaced). Design 4 i think is seriously getting into dodgy territory, i mean Shrek characters on several notes. Even if you did bring it to their attention and they demanded a cut on something you've not making a profit on producing anyhoe, then it'd prove econimically unviable to produce. The whole point of this exercise as i saw it, although McDoo's furlongage may differ, was to build up Coinpeople's economy and finances. By paying royalties out we'd actually be loosing more money and the whole scheme wouldn't work realistically. I think the best way to progress forward is to do one of the following; 1) Create a Coinpeople Logo, the one on design 1 has been updated a little. And replace th Shrek theme with a logo. 2) Instead of using the Shrek avatars why don't you ask each member for a picture of either their most famous coin (i.e the one they are most associated with on the board, like Tiff ceramic Polish one) or perhaps their favourite. The rest of the notes can then remain unchanged and the legal minefield is avoided.

Oww nooo! Gaps in sets can live with (usually there because i can't afford the coin in a grade to match the others) the essential bit for me is each coin has to look identical except for a different date. Which probably expains why i get dishearned by most of the sets i've tried to accomplish and then sell them.

Mostly buy/sell direct to/from online dealers. Still buy from mailing lists too. Failing that i pay regular visits to several coinshops and recently coin fairs too. For me Ebay is a no no. CDs/Videos/Books/retro stuff that's hard to get hold of, i use ebay for that. Coins and anything else of value i steer well clear of the place, too much junk and very little of what i want anyway.