August has been an exciting month for coin enthusiasts and collectors alike. With a wave of stunning new releases, there’s something for every collector to cherish. Whether captivated by history, enchanted by childhood classics, or fascinated by regal traditions, these new collectables will surely spark joy and become the crown jewels of your collection. Celebrating […]
Category: Classic Coins
Britannia Coins: A Timeless Legacy on British Coinage
Britannia, the enduring female personification of the British Isles, has graced our coinage for centuries. Her rich history, spanning from ancient times to the present day, makes collecting Britannia coins a captivating pursuit for coin collectors. Let’s explore the fascinating history behind the iconic figure and explore how you can build a collection that reflects […]
The Perth Mint’s 125th Anniversary Australia Sovereign 2024 Gold Proof Coin
The Perth Mint has a storied history rooted in the gold rush of the 1850s, a time when vast quantities of precious metal were unearthed in Western Australia. To capitalise on this wealth, The Perth Mint was established in 1899 as a branch of Britain’s Royal Mint. Since then, it has become a cornerstone of […]
The reign longer than Queen Elizabeth II?
Since 1958, the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II has featured on the obverse of British coins. And now, for the first time in 70 years, a new portrait of King Charles III is entering circulation. But did you know that there’s another British icon who has featured on coins for far longer? In fact, she […]
The Sovereign everyone mistakenly thinks is a mistake
“My coin has an error. One of the sides is upside down!” If you’ve had that thought when looking at certain coins, don’t worry you’re not alone. The “upside down coin” question is one of the most common we’re asked. In almost all cases, it’s never a mistake, but the alignment style decided by the […]
The Barmaid’s Ruin. How a coin led to the fall of barmaids…
In 1887 for her Golden Jubilee, Queen Victoria authorised a new portrait for circulating coinage, as well as a new denomination. This saw the introduction of the Double Florin, which later led to the loss of Barmaid’s jobs and only circulated for 3 years. Featuring a brand-new portrait of the Queen that became colloquially known […]
The coin at the centre of a royal family feud
The late 1930s was a tumultuous time for the Royal Family. Edward VIII announced his abdication on 11 December 1936 to the shock of the world and the outrage of the Royal Family. Edward’s successor – his brother and our Queen’s father, George VI was furious at the abdication and made it his mission to […]
“Shinplasters” and a changing world…
I want to take you back 150 years ago today and on a hop across the pond to what is now Canada. But Canada wasn’t Canada until 1967 and there were no Canadian coins until 1870. When the UK transferred most of its remaining land in North America to Canada in the summer of 1870, […]
Royal Jubilees – the pinnacle of collecting events
Royal Jubilees are big business. Whether it’s with street parties or commemorative coins, the nation (and beyond) always marks them in quite some style. Thanks to Her Majesty’s record-breaking reign, we have been treated to a larger number of Jubilees than one might expect, with each one more remarkable than the last. Her next Jubilee […]
Walls of gold – The lucky near-£1m find
We’ve all spent a lot of time looking at our walls during the Coronavirus lockdowns, but probably never considered that there could be a fortune hiding in them… Maybe we should have though as a collection of gold coins dug out of the walls of a remote French mansion just fetched almost £900,000 at auction. […]