Oxford Numismatic Society

                                                         Tales from the Junk Box

Many of us started out looking through dealers’ rummage tins, junk box – call them what you like. I found a 1700 William III farthing at a coin fair. Nothing surprising about that except the inscription was RRITANNIA instead of BRITANNIA. It is quite a rare variety and not bad for 10 pence. I have also got rare early American tokens, the ones that look like common worn Eighteenth Century English issues but are America. I had two from the same box, a week apart.

It always pays to have a good look in the junk box. You never know what you will find. But how much is fair? Junk box items seem to be £2 to £3 or even £5 now. A great way to start coin collecting .. and not a bad way to keep on!