Q: I am interested in collecting British coins, but don't know what to look for. Is there an easy-to-follow book on the subject, one which gives historical details but also a price guide? Mr M

A. There are many books on this subject, but one I find very useful is Coins Of England And The United Kingdom, published by Spink and Son, London WC1B 4ET, available through any bookshop at about £15. It gives advice to beginners, contains much historical detail about coins, and contains a detailed price guide.

Q: What is the value of a portable wind-up gramophone I have? It is like a small suitcase and the lid opens to reveal the turntable. In the lid is a chrome horn. The machine is called the Decca 33. It is in nice condition and still plays records.

A. This model was produced in the late 1920s and early 1930s, one of a host of such machines made by Decca and other companies such as His Masters Voice and Columbia. Decca continued to make wind-up gramophones until the late 1950s, long after electric gramophones were established. The model you describe is worth about £75-£85 but similar models by HMV are more collected because of their higher quality, and can top £100-£125. Most gramophones of this type had a black leathercloth finish, so examples in red, blue, green and beige fetch a premium price because they look more attractive and were made in fewer numbers.

Q: I have an old miner's lamp, about 10 inches tall. The top part is metal, the lower part brass. It has a badge on it which says Thomas and Williams. It is in nice condition. Does it have any value? Mr L

A. These lamps are increasingly collected, especially now that the mining industry has been decimated. Values do vary, often depending on specific collieries, as some pit badges are rarer than others. Typically, such lamps are worth about £100 each, though keen collectors will always pay more for hard-to-get examples. A rare colliery badge on the lamp, or a non-standard design can boost the value.

Q: I have a facsimile copy of a book called Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management, published by Jonathon Cape. Is it of any value? Mrs A

A. Not really, as replicas seldom attract collectors. The original Mrs Beeton book was published in the early 1860s, and original copies in good condition can be worth several hundred pounds. However, the book was endlessly re-issued, growing thicker each time, and later editions are seldom worth more than £20-£30. The replica edition you mention may have been published about 40 years ago to mark the centenary of original publication, but its value is very little, perhaps £5 or so.

Q: I have a 20 piece china teaset of very pretty pattern. There is a mark on its base which includes the name Gladstone China. Is it worth anything? Mrs C

A. The Gladstone Pottery in Stoke-on-Trent dates back to the 19th century, but the firm closed in 1970 and the old factory is now a museum. The set you describe was made between 1961 and 1970 according to the mark, so it is comparatively recent in terms of the firm's history. This is not an especially collected brand, and value would be modest, around £20-£30 the set.

Q: I recently paid £75 at a collectors fair for a Carbon Ware teapot in the shape of an aeroplane, with Winston Churchill as the pilot. The aircraft is painted blue with Union Jack wings, and on the base it says Limited Edition. Did I get a bargain? Mr H

A. Not quite --- this is a recent product which retails at £59.99! However, only 250 of these teapots have been made, and I believe the issue is virtually sold out, so it likely to increase in value in the coming years. The Carbon company produced another aeroplane teapot, the Red Baron, in the 1970s. It cost about £15 then -- today examples fetch around £150.