Indholdsfortegnelse for Issue 11 i Coin Collector

As I write there’s a growing feeling of optimism around the country. Spring has sprung and many of us are daring to look forward to a time when we can get out and about, visit coin events and meet fellow collectors in person. The organisers of the popular York Coin Fair are planning to return in July, with many traders keenly supporting the move. Whilst much remains uncertain, and safety will remain paramount, the return of this major fair is another example of life returning to some kind of normality. So what have we learned and where has the lockdowns left coin collecting? The world of numismatics has more than met the challenge and the future is looking bright. Over the past year auction houses around the world have continued…

The ‘fabled and elusive’ 1933 Double Eagle Coin is to be sold by current owner Stuart Weitzman, in a high profile Sotheby’s auction featuring just three treasures from the entrepreneur’s collection. The ‘Three Treasures – Collected by Stuart Weitzman’ live auction will take place at Sotheby’s New York on 8 June 2021, and will feature just three incredibly rare items: • The ‘fabled and elusive’ 1933 Double Eagle Coin• The sole-surviving example of the British Guiana One-Cent Magenta, known as the most famous and valuable stamp in the world;• The Inverted Jenny Plate Block, the most well-known and sought-after American stamp rarity The Double Eagle coin and the British Guiana stamp will be offered with estimates of $10/15 million each and are poised to set new world auction records in…

An extremely rare English gold penny struck more than 750 years ago realised $720,000 (approximately £518,600) at a Heritage Auctions sale of world and ancient coins recently. Certified by Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC), the gold penny of King Henry III is just one of seven known examples, including four in museums. Its hammer price far exceeded the pre-auction estimate of $250,000 to $500,000. The gold penny shows the king seated in robes, wearing a crown and holding an orb and sceptre. This motif marks the first time an enthroned ruler was shown on a gold coin of medieval Western Europe. For a variety of reasons, the gold pennies were not embraced in English commerce and the ambitious experiment in coinage failed. Nevertheless, they represent a turning point in numismatics and…

A trove of rare South African gold coins discovered in a Swiss vault has been released by the South African Mint. While it is true that gold was evacuated from Pretoria by the then Transvaal Government during the Second Anglo-Boer War (1899–1902), no accurate account has ever been produced of its fate, spawning an urban legend of the ‘Kruger Millions’. The appeal of this missing gold thus makes the recent discovery of a large parcel of the gold Kruger ponde a significant find. Named ‘the lost hoard’ by the numismatic community, the Kruger ponde were stored in the Netherlands during the early 20th century. The parcel was then transferred to Switzerland before the Second World War for safekeeping and remained in a Swiss vault for decades, until it was recently…

A trio of adventurers has announced a deep sea treasure hunt to find a single six pence that ‘changed worldwide communications forever and saw the first step toward the creation of a global community’. The deep-sea treasure hunt aims to locate a special sixpence, placed at the core of the world’s first ever subsea cable laid over 150 years ago by entrepreneur Cyrus West Field, which paved the way for the invention of the internet. Field connected the Old World to the New World, laying a cable from Nova Scotia, Canada to Ireland. For good luck, Cyrus welded a sixpence into a joint in the cable somewhere in the mid-Atlantic. Setting off from the Irish coast in June, the adventurers will mirror the original route taken over 150 years ago.…

The pandemic has shaken the world. We have had to get used to no summer holidays or cosy get-togethers, and that meant the annual gathering of the coin world at Berlin’s Estrel Convention Center was also put on hold. The ‘World Money Fair’ did take place on the site last year, as it narrowly missed the heightening of restrictions as the pandemic’s grip tightened. But it soon became clear that the fiftieth anniversary of the world’s largest coin fair would not be able to go ahead, or at least not in the usual format. The organisers therefore invited collectors to stay safe at home and instead attend the ‘#DigitalFair’. And the move proved to be popular. The first virtual coin fair in the German-speaking world was a huge success. ‘You,…

Content published in partnership with the Money & Medals Network, and originally published in the Winter 2020/21 issue of Money & Medals newsletter. The quarterly publication is associated with the Money and Medals Network based at the British Museum and in association with the RNS, BNS and a number of key partners. The Network aims to act as an information exchange for museum professionals within the UK whose collections include coins, medals and other objects relating to monetary and economic history and numismatics. To contribute information or articles to the Newsletter or to subscribe by email send your name and email address to: MMN@britishmuseum.org or by post to Department of Coins and Medals, British Museum, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG. With thanks to Richard Kelleher and the Money &…

AUSTRALIA (www.perthmint.com) Kookaburra World Money Fair Edition Denomination: $1 Diameter: 40.90 mm Weight: 31.107g Metal: 99.99% Fine Silver Mintage: 1,500 Mint: Perth Mint AUSTRIA (www.muenzeoesterreich.at) Supersaurs: Therizinosaurus Denomination: €3 Diameter: 34 mm Weight: 16 g Metal: Base Metal Mintage: 65,000 Eyes of the World: Australia – The Serpent Creator Denomination: €20 Diameter: 34 mm Weight: 22.42g Metal: 92.5% Sterling Silver Mintage: 30,000 BELGIUM (www.royaldutchmint.com) 75 Years of Blake and Mortimer Denomination: €25 Diameter: 18 mm Weight: 3.11g Metal: Gold 999/1000 Mintage: 1,000 Mint: Royal Dutch Mint Euro 2020 Denomination: €2.50 Diameter: 25.65 mm Weight: 10.5g Metal: Brass Mintage: 50,000 Mint: Royal Dutch Mint BRITISH INDIAN OCEAN TERRITORY (www.pobjoy.com) Parrotfish Denomination: £2 Diameter: 38.6 mm Weight: 28.28g Metal: Unc. Cupro Nickel Issue Limit: 10,000 CANADA (www.mint.ca) Discovering Dinosaurs: Reaper of Death…

Ema Sikic Ema is an archaeologist and art historian, and is a coin specialist at Baldwin’s. Her first encounter with numismatics was via her grandfather’s coin collection. She learned more about coins in the Numismatic Department of the Archaeological Museum of Zagreb. Ema reflects on the iconography of women on coins on page 14. Chris Costello Chris is an award-winning graphic designer, coin designer, illustrator, and type designer based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. He has designed coins for the US Mint and The Royal Mint, including the recent Mayflower 400 set, and the HG Wells £2 coin. Read our interview with Chris on page 57. Sebastian Wieschowski An author and freelance journalist in the fields of numismatics and precious metals, Sebastian is a keen collector himself and has specialised in…

One of the most coveted coins in the world, the 1993 Double Eagle is unique in that it is the only example that may be legally owned by an individual. When Weitzman anonymously purchased the coin at Sotheby’s New York in 2002 for $7.59 million, it established a new world auction record for any coin at the time, nearly doubling the previous record. The auction was conducted on behalf of the United States Government following a landmark legal settlement, which for the first and only time, authorized the private ownership of this 1933 Double Eagle alone. At the conclusion of the sale and in an historic moment, the Director of the United States Mint signed a Certificate of Monetization turning the coin into legal United States tender – the first…

Gold coins performed particularly well in the Chris Rudd auction of Celtic coins recently held in Norwich, with comparatively common gold coins achieving above-average results. Elizabeth Cottam, from Chris Rudd said: ‘A Gallic War Uniface stater went for £2,000 and a Durotrigan quarter stater fetched £1,300 – both twice the estimate, both way over the book price. However, both coins were in superb condition. As always, condition outshines every other factor. If a Celtic gold coin is unusually high grade, it will command an unusually high price, regardless of rarity.’ A US coin celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of the Moon Landing has won the Coin of the Year Award. The 5-ounce, 3-inch-diameter proof silver dollar featured a curved shape, with the obverse, concave side of the coin depicting a footprint…

The Association of Detectorists have received funding from Historic England to explore the feasibility of setting up an Institute which represents and supports responsible metal detecting. The Association recently launched a survey to understand more about what detectorists and other interested people think about the idea of developing an Institute for Detectorists, including more information about its possible role and what it might offer potential members. A statement on the Association’s website explained: ‘The proposed Institute will offer responsible metal-detectorists a new route to learning more about their hobby, the objects they discover, and the archaeological background to their discoveries. It will offer training, information and the chance to join a community of people with similar interests.’ The website also states that the proposed Institute would not replace any existing…

The Art Fund recently granted a New Collecting Award to a project aiming to acquire regional medieval numismatics at Norwich Castle Museum & Art Gallery. Its goals are to expand the collection of coins minted or discovered in historical East Anglia, within the date range of the 7th and the 12th century. The award presents a fantastic opportunity to acquire single coin finds which have increased so dramatically over the past decades but, falling outside of the Treasure process, often have remained beyond the reach of the museum. New acquisitions will contribute to the museum’s presentation and research of East Anglia’s distinctive medieval history - periods of which are significantly informed through numismatic evidence. They will also enable the different approaches to interpreting and understanding coinage, particularly within the wider…

Jonathan Callaway is a Director of the International Bank Note Society Lawrence Chard Founder and Expert Numismatist, Speciality Sovereigns Elizabeth Cottam Specialist in Celtic coins and Director of Chris Rudd Ltd Jeff Garrett US coin dealer and board member of the Smithsonian Museum of American History Richard Kelleher Assistant Keeper, Department of Coins and Medals, Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge Jonathan Mann Numismatist and coin expert, British coinage specialist Rory Naismith Lecturer in Medieval British History, King’s College London Ema Sikic Archaeologist, art historian, coin specialist at Baldwin’s, London Anglo-Saxon and Viking coinage: Gareth Williams Curator of Early Medieval Coins and Viking Collections at the British Museum…

Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands, reflects the universal role of nurses and their nursing values. The new coin features the values every nurse works to, known as ‘Compassion in Practice’ or the ‘6Cs’, namely Competence, Communication, Care, Courage, Commitment and Compassion. This code presents the professional standards that nurses, midwives and nursing associates strive to uphold. According to Pobjoy Mint, who have produced the coin, these values are particularly relevant to South Georgia’s heritage, especially during the whaling era where the number of graves is testament to how dangerous their occupation was during that time. A spokesperson said: ‘While the majority of the world remains in the grip of the Coronavirus pandemic, this design is particularly apt for South Georgia as the Territory is currently Covid free and they…

A number of new coins have been issued to celebrate HM The Queen’s 95th birthday, including a ‘Strike On The Day’ Sovereign from The Royal Mint. The Queen marks her 95th birthday on 21 April and collectors can mark the occasion with new coins, including a Silver Proof £5 coin. The Royal Mint’s coin collection also features its largest ever gold proof coin weighing 9.5kg and with a denomination of £1,000; whilst 1,295 ‘Celebration Sovereigns’ are set to be struck on 21 April 2021 and will feature an exclusive ‘95’ crown privy mark created for the occasion. The 9.5 kilo gold proof coin features a design by Gary Breeze, which has platinum-plated flourishes spread across the entire face of the gold coin holding the elements together. The ‘flourish’ design represents…

An extremely rare Celtic silver coin discovered in Kent is set to be sold at auction in March with a presale estimate of £2,000, whilst the man who found the coin is planning to add the coin’s design to his father’s gravestone. The extremely rare Celtic silver coin was discovered near Meopham, Kent last year by metal detectorist Danny Chamberlain, 52, on a piece of downland bought by his father 25 years ago. Elizabeth Cottam, of Chris Rudd, said: ‘Only two other examples are known. We’ve named this one “Chamberlain Chauchoy” after the finder and the numismatist Philippe Chauchoy who published the Belgic prototypes way back in 1996 when Danny’s dad bought the land.’ Mr Chamberlain says that a stylised version of the head on the coin will be carved…

During the recently completed auction that was conducted by Heritage in Dallas, Texas over $90,000,000 worth of coins traded hands. The auction featured coins from around the world, with many bringing record prices. There were dozens of coins selling for hundreds of thousands, if not millions of dollars. An amazing gem example of the 1787 Brasher Doubloon sold for over $9,000,000. A Henry III (1216-1272) gold Penny found a new at $720,000. In short, there were some serious buyers in action. For many, this was an amazing phenomenon to witness, and has sparked renewed optimism for entire numismatic market. The average collector you would meet at a coin club probably spends a few thousand dollars each year on their collection, many much less. The thought of paying more for a…

Someone clever once said ‘Knowledge is Power’* and coin collecting is the perfect example. Our wonderful hobby continually challenges us – as we discover coins we continue to learn, to discover new stories and facts, to add context and insight to our collections. When Coin Collector drops through your letterbox you’re treated to a friendly guide full of knowledge and know-how, news and views, all helping you to build your collection. Thousands of collectors receive the magazine every quarter, why not join those in the know? Subscribe from just £12.99 for the year on Direct Debit, you’ll save over 20% compared to the shop price Thousands of collectors receive Coin Collector in the post each month, here’s why: SAVE MONEY! A Direct Debit subscription will save you over 20% compared to the…

There has been extensive media coverage of the discovery of a hoard of coins and artefacts near Eye in Herefordshire, dating from the late 9th century, which was not reported, contrary to the terms of the Treasure Act (1996), writes Gareth Williams, Curator of Early Medieval Coins at the British Museum. The majority of these were pennies of Alfred of Wessex and Ceolwulf II of Mercia, of the Cross-and-Lozenge and Two Emperors type. The finders were successfully prosecuted and are now in prison, but the trial established that the majority of the hoard has not yet been recovered. There appear to have been attempts recently to dispose of coins from the hoard through the trade, both in the UK and internationally. Anyone who is offered coins of this type without…

The latest government guidance on the reopening of museums and galleries states that ‘indoor entertainment, such as museums, cinemas and children’s play areas’ can open from 17 May at the earliest. If you are planning to visit a museum then check their website in advance as certain opening and ticketing restrictions may be in place. 50 Years - A Celebration of the Coin Collection, Barber Institute of Fine Arts | until 27 June In 2020, the Barber celebrated the golden anniversary of its coin collection – one of the most significant in the world. Scholars and numismatists, Geoffrey Haines (1899-1981) and Philip Whitting (1903-1988), each left their vast collections of a combined 15,000 pieces to the Barber with the condition that the coins were used for ‘educative purposes’. This fiftieth…

THE UK’S RAREST 10p COINS THE UK’S RAREST 50p COINS It’s all change as we see some new entrants to our 50p and 10p indexes. Following the confirmation of the 2019 mintages, we’ve updated our 50p and 10p index to include the Sherlock Holmes, Paddington at the Tower of London, and Paddington at St. Paul’s 50p coins, and we’ve updated the mintages for the A-Z 10p coins. Whilst the figures were only recently released and we’ll most likely see the effect this has on the Index in the next quarter, there’s been a lot movement across the board in this update. A-Z 10p Scarcity Index There’s been another big mix up in our latest A-Z 10p Scarcity Index, with our biggest climber, Q for Queue, jumping the queue and going…