Ætheling

Hum... I started around the same time too... but I guess around 10 years for me. Although I have been more seriously active for the last 5 years or so

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.

Filled die. Filled dies happen when some of the grease that s used to lubricate the dies falls onto the die and fills in a section of the die. I wouldn't call it a weak strike when only one minor section is affected and not a large area. I have a weak strike and a large portion of the details are missing from both sides ofthe coin. But that is what I see. A filled die.

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.

Most coin collectors would agree that a 2x2 holder is at least a must in catagorizing coins and most certainly one of the cheapest option to store coins. Next, you might as well get a large plastic container to hold all the folders and some silicas to keep the moisture out. But of course, you are more likely to have some rarer coins which you want to preserve in much better care, especially copper and silver coins.

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.

haha, my parents went to Cantebury last april and I told them the same thing.

 

They took all 10 pence pieces they came across with them and gave them to me : you figure that out yourself!

 

found one

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.

Can a weak strike cause one character to be almost missing and the rest to be normally there?

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.

1971 2 New Pence (Elizabeth II Ob. and Crown W/ Feathers Rev.)

1992 10 New Pence  (Elizabeth II Ob. and Lion Rev.) (x3)

 

1990 5 pence  (Elizabeth II Ob. and Crown on plant Rev) (x2)

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?

2. For uncirculated modern coins, if they're taken out of the roll, are they considered no longer uncirculated? Like for instance, if I get a roll of uncirculated Lincoln pennies for each year off of ebay, and open the roll to remove one to put in a book or display, does that mean that the ones in the roll or the one that I placed in display is no longer 'uncirculated'?

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.

4. When deciding which coin to keep and which to ditch, what are the major things to look for first that diminish value? Scuffs to the face? Horizontal scratches? Crap on the coin? Knicks on the ridges? What reduces its value the most or least?

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!

Oh yeah...what's the point of proofs? I just don't get them.

You're not the first to wonder that!

Some still do...

I voted for #1 as it is the least likely to land Anton in jail.

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.

My collections are the antithesis of 'matched' sets. I like the variety of varying looks throughout the grade range.

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.

I just picked up the package the mailman should have given me yesterday.  An 1890-S $20 Gold Liberty NGC AU58.  Too bad it's not for me. 

Or me!

Depends;

New coins (1800+) then uncirculated is preferred, although high EF's are acceptable.

Old coins (pre-1800) then VF/EF is the best. Anything older than say 1500 then we're talking whatever looks eye appealing.

Not a paper fan sadly, not enough uniformity and sameness of design, too colorful too. Sombre dark colors are good, bright abstract modern looking note designs, not too intriguing. US notes are the preferred here, simply because they are in a word old fashioned, old fashioned is good.

Does anyone come across any neat nice banknote numbers, such as a straight row number, as in 11111111 or anything as neat as a row like this? 12345678

 

Of course it must be pretty difficult to get a row of straight numbers...

 

If I am not wrong, this is what I have. I have a 1997 Russian serial no, ab 6666655, Australian 100 dollar, CB969996999 (can't remember exactly...)  and Japan 2000 yen, HB 551155 (they are all coming off from my head so meh.)

 

You know there's a whole load of proper terminology for numbers like that on notes, can't remember any of them at present.

Sounds like you got one of the 'rulebook' brigade. They exist unfortunately, they are a menace and they always cause the long queues at the Post Offices.

You've got to hate them.

A lot of these old proof Indian Head Cents were wrapped in tissue paper and stuck in coincabinets or desk drawers for decades. The sulphur in the tissue paper cause the copper to oxidize and turn pretty colors.

Of course if you did that now you'd be accused of AT-ing the coin.

BU to me is Brilliant Uncirculated which apart from a few marks is exactly that.

The US grading system for Unc (uncirculated) coins narks me.

I'm given a choice of BU,BU gem,Bu Choice Gem MS63 to 70 ......Buy the BU choice gem store it in normal conditions and it becomes UNC.

and slabbing....I would rather give up Numismatics....Try collecting hammered or Greek/Roman (stupid prices abound for newish 200 yr old coins)

RANT OVER

Sounds rather familiar...

Very, VERY angry when he was told that I won't pay more than $6.00 for his Surinam note. Shouldn't he check other sources before assuming the note is worth hundreds of dollars?

 

These 1000 Gulden Surinames are very common as they were never used, basically given out in packs of 100 to the general numismatic community directly from the bank. His friend probably paid $395 for a pack of 100.

As one dealer once said;

"The general uneducated public are very stupid, they believe what they want to believe whether it is true or not".

You get them, way of the World.

Currently only ones been in this collection are;

Gold,

Silver,

Copper,

Bronze,

Cupro-Nickel,

Tin,

Zinc,

Aluminum,

Steel (plated with either Zinc or Copper),

Nickel Brass,

and some Brass gaming tokens.

I think that's them all...

The weirdest ones I have are iron.  Nothing real spectacular.

Plus the rust factor... lovely.