Collections

[Anita Bensoussane]

I remember cigarette adverts looking appealing, Stephen - I suppose they were trying to convey glamour, luxury and relaxation. However, I hated the smell of cigarettes (both my parents smoked when I was growing up, and my mum still does) so I was never tempted to smoke.

Two more £5 coins issued by the Royal Mint that I have added to my collection in the past week...

The obverse of both coins is identical, and one of the coins also mentions an EBS member.

[Boatbuilder]

I acquired my first 2024 £5 coin yesterday which depicts the Seymour Unicorn on the reverse.

[TheAngryPixie]

I collect dinosaur fossils. I will share a few. I love dinosaurs--I am a dinosaur nut. And have collected for years. Here are a few.

https://ibb.co/RQC0G5F

Majungasaurus

https://ibb.co/KGM9P2q

T-Rex

https://ibb.co/NLPjWNp

Wyleia claw (Cretaceous bird)

https://ibb.co/L18z7bB

Hypsilophodon

[Anita Bensoussane]

An interesting hobby!

[Fiona1986]

I have an ammonite fossil on my bookshelf - I find it almost incomprehensible that it's something like 140 million years old. I bought mine at Treasures of the Earth (which they say is Europe’s largest collection of Crystals, Gemstones & Fossils), but I'd love to find one myself some day.

[Boatbuilder]

On Sunday evening I received an email from the Royal Mint on the subject 'Currency of Conflict'.

Later on Sunday night - at 23:45 - after watching the interesting video (below) which was linked in the email, I decided to order one of the three sets featured. The lowest priced one was the only one I could afford, unfortunately.

I was quite surprised to receive an email at 06:30 on Monday morning advising that my order had been sent and it actually arrived today. Here are six images I took earlier. However, if you watch the video, it gives more information about this and the other two sets. It's the first set featured.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cq3lL6sQ8A

The first image is back-lit to show the watermark and security thread referred to in the video.











The book which accompanied the set.

[Anita Bensoussane]

The 'Currency of Conflict' sets sound very special, John. I'd read about the altered pound note in various books, but I didn't know that coins had been minted at Pinewood Studios during the Second World War.

[Boatbuilder]

I received my Christmas 2023 First Day Cover stamps yesterday and a coin set issued to celebrate the 75th birthday of King Charles III on the 14th of this month. The coin set comprises a £5 'BU' coin commemorating the 75 years, along with nine 'Fine' coins issued the year he was born - 1948.

[IceMaiden]

Those are great coins and I really love the designs of the 2023 Christmas stamps!

[Boatbuilder]

Thanks, Ice Maiden. I received a normal letter last week with the standard First Class Christmas stamp on it, the first one this year.

[Boatbuilder]

Yesterday I received my new definitive proof coins that were ordered about seven weeks ago, which I mentioned in another topic ('Nature' I think) at the time. This is where the Puffin is on the new 20p coin which will enter circulation in due course. I think Courtenay and Viv indicated that they may order one of the various sets and wondered if they did so.





On Friday, I added another coin to my collection which is somewhat different from what I have been collecting over the years, which in the main have been UK coins. This one is a silver Half-Dollar from the USA and was minted in 1892/3 to commemorate 400 years since Christopher Columbus discovered America. The Obverse of the coin depicts Columbus himself. This was bought from the UK's Royal Mint and is declared as being in 'Very Fine' condition.
I am also waiting on another USA Silver Half-Dollar coin which was issued in 1964 commemorating President John F Kennedy, following his assasination on November 22nd the previous year.

[Courtenay]

I did buy the new 2023 definitive coin collection! But it's only the most basic (and affordable) form — "Brilliant Uncirculated" mounted in a card, not in a fancy case like you have as a serious collector, John. The new coins are just beautiful and it's lovely to have a set in (literal) mint condition.

[IceMaiden]

The new coins are indeed lovely looking. It is odd not seeing the Queen on them though. She's been a feature of our money (and stamps) for so long, I would think most people's lifetimes. It's going to take some getting used to.

[TheAngryPixie]

Added quite a few new fossils to my collection the past few months--including my first actual entire dinosaur skeletons. An Anchiornis, Shenzhouraptor and a Zhongjianosaurus. At the moment, they are in storage until i finish moving house, then I will display them in my fossil room.

https://imgur.com/a/6zFO24j

[Anita Bensoussane]

Wonderful!