THE COIN COLLECTOR - World eBook Library

THE COLLECTOR SERIES
and it may be predicated of other numismatic pro-
ductions in every country that the price of a fine
example bears no comparison to that of a normal one.
A really first-rate shilling of Philip and Mary may
be worth £10, while an indifferent one is purchasable
for 25s. A silver half-crown of James I. might com-
mand, if in exceptional preservation, £15, whereas one
of the ordinary kind is not cheap at a third of that
sum.
Our preceding table, however, does not contemplate
unique types, absolute rarities of high class or match-
less examples. The moment that a collector soars into
these altitudes, he finds himself in a different atmos-
phere — in different company—among those whose
pockets are deep and full.
On the contrary, there is the consoling prospect
before the eyes of every energetic and discreet col-
lector of securing in his time many bargains, as they
are termed, and of adding to a cabinet coins which
would at a normal price be unattainable, or at least
undesirably dear; and these odd chances, if they do
nothing more, tend to reduce the aggregate average.
Now, for instance, on the same day in London, a
shilling of Charles II., 1673 (a common date), is sold
by auction (1885) for i?ll, on account of its condi-
tion, while the exact duplicate is sold over the counter
for 14s. In one catalogue a modern Bavarian thaler
of a scarce type, 1825, is marked i?ll. 5s. 0d., in an-
other 8s. 6