June 2003

Next club meeting Monday 7th July 2003.

Meetings are held at the Abbey Baptist Church. Entrance off Abbey Square.

Meeting commences at 7.00pm.

June Meeting.

As usual the June meeting was devoted to the AGM and the annual display competition for the Michael Broome memorial trophy. This year there was a very good turnout with 23 members attending.

A brief summary of the AGM is as follows:

Annual Display Competition.

The annual display competition attracted six entries. The standard of entries was outstanding and certainly ranks among the best ever. Several were worthy of a prize, but as ever there can only be one winner and that was Neil. The draw for a bottle of wine, open to those entering the display competition, was won by Michael.

Subscriptions

The annual subscriptions for the period 2003/2004 of £13 + £2 for coffee (optional) are now due. Please give your subscriptions to David at the next meeting or send to the secretary.

Future Events.

Davidson Monk Coin Fair. 21st June Commonwealth Institute. Kensington. London W8.

DNW Coin Auctions -24th & 25th June

Birmingham Coin Fair at National Motorbike Museum, Birmingham - 13 July

BANS Autumn Weekend

The provisional programmme for this event is now available. A link to the BANS website is also available on the links page.

Past Events.

The month of June is traditionally the time of the AGM.

In 1972 Brian was elected vice president in recognition of his services as Secretary. There were 8 entries in the display competition, won by Graham. (This shows just how long some persons have been members of the club).

20 years ago topics for discussion was the change in the constitution to allow members to appoint the auditor. Subscriptions rose by 5Op to £4.50.

Numismatic Interlude

A catalogue has recently been acquired that vividly illustrates the huge prices coins command today compared to yesteryear. Published by Seaby, it is a catalogue of copper coins & tokens issued in 1952 listing types, grades and prices. However, this catalogue is most interesting because it provides a clear historical link to two well-known books. The preface states it is a compendium of material that has appeared in the Coin & Medal Bulletin's over recent years (late 40's, early 50's), supplemented with additional entries to make it more complete. Is this how many books begin their life? - for in 1961 Seaby published 'British Copper Coins and their Values' as a listing of types, grades and prices. The link back to the 1952 catalogue is quite clear since several of the line drawings for the Charles 1 farthings are the same. Moving forward 'British Tokens and their Values' was published in 1970. Again the link back to the 1952 catalogue is clear because the layout is virtually the same and the introductions to each section (17th, 18th, 19th century) bear a remarkable resemblance.

Another noteworthy facet of this catalogue is the depth of information given on the Soho patterns and re-strikes, some 6 years before the publication of Peck's monumental work 'Copper Coinage of England'. So how come this information was available to Seaby? In compiling the data for his book Peck was obviously in contact with all the key numismatic sources of the time. That Seaby were one of the sources is demonstrated by the fact that the catalogue introduction to the 18th century tokens is written by Peck. In the case of Seaby their association must have been quite close, evident by the fact that Seaby were able to share and make use of Peck's finding so early on. Furthermore, the catalogue makes it clear that by 1952, only 2 -3 years alter he started work on the book, Peck had worked out the principals for the classification of the original and re-strike patterns from the Soho mint.

And so to the last point of note, the prices. Here are some comparisons stated in new money for grades AEF and above; the () are estimated current values, although in the current scramble for coins and the spiralling prices what is the current value of a coin?

Tokens
- 17thC 30p-60p (£20-40),
- 18thC 2Op-60p (£15-35)
- 19thC 15p-75p (£30)
- 19thC Ag 75p (£35 -80)
Chas 1 1/2d £2-3 (£400) 1/4d 17p-£1 (£250+)
James II tin 1/4d GVF+ £8 (£600)
W&M tin 1/4d EF £10 (£800+) Cu EF £1.5 (£400)
Anne 1/4d FDC £3.74 (£550)
Geo I 1/4d 1717 FDC £2.3 (£550) 1723 EF 87p (£250)
Geo II YH 1/2d GEF £1.25 (£200+)
GeoII YH 1/2d FDC £1.5 (£1 50+)
Many Soho pieces £1-2 (£150-600)
W4 1 d FDC £2 (£400+)
Vic YH 1d 25p-5Op (£30-90)
VIC YH Proof ld £l (£250+)
Vic buns mostly under £1
1860 bun proof 1d £1 (£350)
1918KN 1d EF 30p (£300+)

So much information from a book that cost less than a couple of pints.