I am very new at this and so I do need help as I know this is an important decision. I have found this anvil at 375. looks new minus a little rust. is this ok for a beginning smith or do I need to look a bit farther? I don't have much money at the moment so price is also a factor for me. I just wanna lear and have something I don't need to replace in 6 months because of what it may lack that I am yet to understand. So..... I turn to you guys in hopes someone will be kind enough to help me...Thank you for reading..

This is a modern farrier's pattern anvil, and looks to be priced at around half what it would cost you new.  A lot depends on what you are planning on doing with it.  These anvils are optimized for farriers and the anvil mass is not located in the same spot as it would be for, say, ideal hammer head forging.  Still better than using a piece of rail laid horizontally.  I thought I read somewhere that these anvils were given out at a farrier training facility as part of the course, so that may be why they are showing up more often these days.

Personally I think 125# is a good weight for a starter anvil, or one that you need to keep mobile for hammer-ins, or if you need to move your shop around a lot.  I believe that these are cast ductile iron anvils, which are certainly better than the cast iron ASO you see on e-bay or Harbor Freight.  

All depends on how common anvils are by you.  At approximately $3/# I would probably search longer, but each to his own. 

I have only found one other one within 200 miles and the guy traded it while I was trying yo buy it, it was a hay budding. I am just anxious to get off my pitted railroad and find a real anvil. Thank you so much for your answer, I always listen to good information. 

would this be a better anvil? I just found this one on E-Bay...

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Old-School-Blacksmith-Forged-Steel-115-Pound-Anvil-Pritchel-Hardy-Hole-Step-Horn-/222291589386?hash=item33c19c790a:g:JDMAAOSwcLxYB-7c

Shame you missed the Hay Budden.  Those are top quality.

I am not familiar with the e-bay anvil pictured, so decline to comment.

They do a good job, face is a bit soft, and if you get crazy with a sledge the edges will chip... But if you forge hit and properly dress your hammer it will seve you well. Forge over the waist, not up by the horn for max mass. They are optimized for turnings (shoes are not much different from scrolls). 

I think Charles R. Stevens is referring to the jhm#1 not the ebay one that I do not believe is forged steel.