Every collection needs a curiosity—something that makes you look twice. At first glance, this looks like a standard penny of…
Collection Focus: The Last Rajah (1930 Sarawak Cent)
Following on from the previous post about Rajah Charles Brooke, we move forward in time to the reign of his…
Collection Focus: The White Rajah (1885 Sarawak Cent)
My collection now takes a journey to the island of Borneo, though the roots of this coin remain firmly planted…
Collection Focus: The “Imitation” Game (George III Gaming Token)
Not everything that glitters is gold, and not everything in a coin collection is legal tender. As I expand my…
Collection Focus: Samurai Silver (Tenpō Ichibu-gin)
Leaving the round milled coins of Europe behind, we travel East to the isolationist world of Edo-period Japan. For the…
Collection Focus: The Birth of Copper (1675 Charles II Farthing)
My journey backwards through time has landed in the 17th Century, specifically the Restoration period of Charles II. This coin represents…
Collection Focus: The “Old Head” (1754 George II Farthing)
Continuing the journey backwards through time, my collection reaches the reign of George II. This coin represents a significant leap…
Collection Focus: The Sailor King (1835 Farthing)
Stepping back from the Victorian era, my collection takes us to the reign of Victoria’s uncle, William IV. Known as…
Collection Focus: The Birmingham Connection (1874-H Penny)
As I continue to catalogue my collection, I find myself returning to my numismatic roots. Like many, I started collecting…
Collection Focus: The 1860 “Bun Head” Penny
As part of the project to update my collection and seek out examples for a “Type Set”, I am starting…
Condition & Grading: A Guide for Collectors
One of the first things a collector learns is that condition is king. However, “condition” is not a single, static standard.…