London Coin Fair Roll Call

This weekend I am traveling to London, and while I’m there I plan on attending the London Coin Fair on Saturday. Since a dealer friend in the US said from experience that European coin shows have far more ancients at better prices than in the US (which may or may not be true; I don’t know), I was wondering if at least one of our European friends will be attending as well.

Also, I plan on visiting the British Museum, so expect some exciting photos.

 

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Sounds great and have a safe trip too ..

 

The coin fair and the British Museum sound awesome.

Take pictures at the coin fair too!

Hope you are having a great trip so far.

John

 

Will do!

And I am, thank you.

 

Don't forget to wear your thermal Union suit and some heavy socks

 

Have a great trip TypeCoin, sounds like a perfect time. I hope you find some great coins to add to your collection.

The British Museum is such an amazing place with so many incredible artifacts that I wish I could go there on a weekly basis. My favorite numismatic "item" is the Fishpool Hoard of medieval gold coins and jewelry.

 

I have fond memories of that fair. Its where I met Basil Demetriadi in person for the first time (though we had corresponded for some years). I still have these two coins that I purchased there:


Britain, The Iceni, 65 – 1 BC
Silver Unit, 13mm, 1.25 grams
Obverse: Celticized head right, two trefoils before, triple pellets below.
Reverse: Horse rearing right, pellet below tail, wheel above, lozenge shaped box below.

Cost:
£15

References:
Van Arsdell 794 // ABC 2567 // SCBC 434

Provenance:
Purchased at the London Coin Fair, mid 1990’s.


Philip I, 244 – 249 AD
Æ 8 Assaria, Syria, Seleucis & Pieria, Antioch Mint, 30mm, 15.45 grams

Obverse: AVTOK K M IOVA FILIPPOC CEB, Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust of Philip left.
Reverse: ANTIOXENWN MHTPO KOLW, Veiled and turreted bust of Tyche left, above a ram leaping left, star below, A E S C in fields, all in retrograde.

References:
McAlee 955c (this coin)

Cost:
£15

Provenance:
Kenneth W. Dorney List 45, October 1998.
London Coin Fair, mid 1990’s.

Notes:
Retrograde reverse. One of two(?) known examples.

 

It's an interesting point you bring up about pricing. I assume you would get better prices by the simple fact of that's where the coins come from. But on the other hand they have a much larger ancient collecting community, supply and demand and all that.
I'll be interested to read if you felt that there was a discernable price difference, one way or the other.
Anyway, enjoy yourself and take LOTS of pictures!

 

What a great experience. Have fun and Happy Hunting. Please post pictures of your purchases.

 

The trip has been off to a rocky start. I missed my train from Paris to London (several factors involved, including me not paying attention and the Paris train stations being very poorly laid out), so I had to pay a $50 fee to get bumped to the next train. I messed up the conversion rate in my head, so the hotel was about $40 more than expected. Less coin money (not that I had that much to begin with :/), but I made it, and I am safe.

The time I spent in Paris was not that pleasant. I might not go back...

 

Just a few bumps. We all have them on vacations. Enjoy!!

 

Yeah, it could be worse. I was on a train, and a family in my carriage had their stuff stolen. Fortunately I had taken measures to keep that from happening to me (especially since I was carrying some $$$ coins).

 

Theft in Europe...I am shocked

 

On a train no less..

 

Happy hunting! The British Museum in on my want to see list!

 

Happy hunting! I sometimes make it to a London Coin Fair (1st Saturday of Feb, June, Sep & Nov) but after NY and some recent auction wins, have no more coin money for a while. It's pretty near the British Museum and Spink is worth a visit for books (also near - I can't remember if it's open on Saturdays - they'll be at the show anyway, but have a great selection of books). Baldwin's are now with Stanley Gibbon on the Strand - will be at show too. There are plenty of ancients - just checked and no cheap flight for Saturday so I definitely won't be there Enjoy!
Aidan

 

I apparently picked the one day where every elementary school goes on a field trip to the British Museum.

 

Stay close to the kids, it can be educational.

 

Its one of the finest museums in the world, and its free....just enjoy what you can!

BTW, in the 'old days' the gift shop still sold some of the reference books for coins. You might check those out if they still sell them.