Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 22 i Coin Collector

With the longer nights of the autumn and winter approaching, it is a great time to start some in-depth coin research. I recently spent some time looking through a family box of assorted coins and one stood out from all the others, being the only hammered coin amongst more modern milled ones. After some initial investigation, I discovered that it was a double patard from the reign of Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy (1467–77), which were circulating in England during the Wars of the Roses. Putting the coin into a bit more context was fascinating, and I am looking forward to finding out more about this item. Coin Collector is here to provide you with the expertise and information to help build your knowledge, whatever your area of interest.…

The British Association of Numismatic Societies (BANS) held its annual Autumn Conference at the Stratford Manor Hotel in Warwickshire from Friday, 8 September to Sunday, 10 September. Over the weekend, the delegates and speakers had the opportunity to meet with like-minded peers, share experiences, ‘show off’ items from their collections and listen to nine presentations, all dealing with different aspects of numismatics. Opening the event, Dr Denis Martin gave an insightful presentation on ‘What makes a coin “rare”?’, covering issues like limited mintage numbers (especially for Edward sterling coins for the period 1279 to 1351). David Young gave an entertaining history of Circuses in Britain from the perspective of their development and the issuance of tokens. Inspired by the Coronation of King Charles III, Dr Kevin Clancy’s presentation covered the…

Sir Mark Jones, former keeper of coins and medals at the British Museum, has been appointed its interim director, following the resignation of its previous director Hartwig Fischer over the museum’s handling of suspected thefts from its collections. The announcement came on 5 September, when the chair of the Board of Trustees, George Osborne, announced the appointment following approval by the government. Sir Mark is an experienced and respected museum leader. As well as working for 17 years in a curatorial role at the British Museum at the beginning of his career, he has been Director of National Museums Scotland and the Victoria and Albert Museum. Sir Mark Jones said: ‘I am pleased and honoured to have been offered the opportunity to work with the board and with colleagues in…

A selection of coin events being held over November and December (please check full details with the organisers). To be featured in the next edition, please email the editor (alison.boyd@allaboutcoins.co.uk). 9 November – Spink (www.spink.com) Auction of the ‘Haddenham’ Collection of English coins. 67–69 Southampton Row, Bloomsbury, London WC1B 4ET 14–15 November – Noonans (www.noonans.co.uk) Auction of coins and historical medals. 16 Bolton Street, Mayfair, London W1J 8BQ 22 November – Tennants (www.tennants.co.uk) Auction of coins and banknotes. The Auction Centre, Harmby Road, Leyburn, North Yorkshire DL8 5SG 26 November – Yorkshire Coin Fair (yorkshirecoinfair.com) Cedar Court Hotel, Lindley Moor Road, Ainley Top, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire HD3 3RH 13 December – Baldwins (www.baldwin.co.uk) Islamic auction. 399 Strand, London WC2R 0LX…

A public consultation has been run on what people would like to see on Manx notes and coins when they are redesigned. Although coinage was most recently redesigned in 2017, banknotes have not been significantly revised since the Isle of Man government took control of their production in 1961. Feedback was sought from the Manx public, businesses and organisations on the current designs as part of an overall review, with responses helping to inform any future changes. People were asked for specific ideas on what or who may appear on future note and coin designs, and to rank the following suggestions in terms of importance: local landmarks; local nature; historical events/social events of significance; local artistry; local person(s) of interest; and Isle of Man achievements, such as in industry, sport,…

Based on results from the 2023 ANA World’s Fair of Money in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the rare coin market is alive and well. These are a few observations for the current state of the rare coin market as seen on the bourse floor in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Collectors are dominating the market. After our initial dealer sales on Sunday and Monday, we had a steady stream of collectors buying one or two coins at a time. Collectors were looking for affordable collector coins in the $500 to $5000 range. This included US and world coins. Quality is paramount. The above-mentioned collectors all had one thing in common, they want coins with good eye appeal, regardless of the grade. Unattractive coins sat in the cases like date-expired produce. Price is not the prime…

In previous issues of Coin Collector, I looked at the huge radiate coinages of the various Gallic emperors from Postumus (AD 260–69) to the Tetrici (AD 271–74). As we saw, the Gallic Empire was a breakaway state, the result of Postumus’ seizure of various western provinces, including Britain, Gaul and Spain, from his overlord Gallienus. In this article, we will consider the radiate coinages of the first part of Gallienus’ reign, before the usurpation of Postumus, with many different issues from several mints spread across the empire. Gallienus was raised to the purple in AD 253 by his father Valerian after Valerian had himself become emperor following yet another of the incessant civil wars that plagued the Roman empire of the third century. For seven years, the two men reigned…

AUSTRALIA (www.ramint.gov.au) Australian World Heritage (Coloured) Denomination: $5 Diameter: 38.74mm Weight: 20g Metal: Al-Zn-Br Mintage: 30,000 Mint: Royal Australian Mint Festive Florals (Coloured) Denomination: 50 cents Diameter: 31.51mm Weight: 15.55g Metal: CuNi (random colours) Mintage: Unlimited Mint: Royal Australian Mint Sydney Opera House Denomination: 50 cents Diameter: 31.51mm Weight: 14.09g Metal: 99.9% silver with gold plating Mintage: 50000 Mint: Royal Australian Mint AUSTRIA (www.muenzeoesterreich.at) Luminous Marine Life – Deep-Sea Anglerfish Denomination: €3 Diameter: 34mm Weight: 16g Metal: Copper alloy Mintage: 65,000 Mint: Austrian Mint Language of Flowers – Chamomile (Uncirculated) Denomination: €10 Diameter: 32mm Weight: 15g Metal: Copper Cu 999 Mintage: 130,000 Mint: Austrian Mint BRITISH ANTRCTIC TERRITORY (www.pobjoy.com) 75th Birthday of HM King Charles III – RAF Cranwell Denomination: 50p Diameter: 27.30mm Weight: 8g Metal: Cupro nickel diamond finish…

A new €50 coin from Greece celebrating the small island of Delos is the latest in the Greek Mint’s cultural heritage series. Located in the Aegean Sea, Delos is part of the Cyclades, so named because of the fact they encircle (cyclos) Delos. According to Greek mythology, Delos is the legendary birthplace of the god Apollo and goddess Artemis, which meant the island was highly revered from ancient times. In the 5th century BC, Delos became the base of the First Athenian League and of its common treasury, until Pericles moved it to Athens in 454 BC. The Athenians held Delia festivals on Delos and made it a leading panhellenic sanctuary. After it was declared a free port by the Romans, Delos became a major trading hub until its sack…

Announced earlier this year, the Paris Mint has now released the first coins in its Ors de France series. Since 2008, the Paris Mint has been honouring the symbols of French numismatics by revisiting them through a three-year issuing programme of contemporary numismatics. After the previous issues for the Sower, Hercules, the Rooster and Marianne, the Paris Mint is now providing a reinterpretation of the Napoleonic franc engraved by Jean-Jacques Barre and available from 1803 until 1948. The new coin presents on its obverse a laureated portrait of Emperor Napoleon III, with his profile strongly inspired by that of his uncle Napoleon I, who had constructed his image by drawing inspiration from the Roman emperor Julius Caesar. To the right of his profile, there is the Napoleonic coat of arms…

We have a Brilliant Uncirculated 50p to give away in this issue’s competition. Dedicated to the classic CS Lewis book The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, the 50p coin features a colour image of Lucy and Mr Tumnus by Pauline Baynes. Presented in a special collectable folder, the coin is limited to 10,000 copies and it could be yours…all you have to do is answer one simple question. A beautiful tribute to a classic, globally adored tale of fantasy fiction, this issue’s prize is a wonderful keepsake for fans of the book and ‘The Chronicles of Narnia’ series. The coin is accompanied by packaging that conveys a condensed yet captivating version of CS Lewis’ beloved tale. HOW TO ENTER For your chance to win, just visit allaboutcoins.co.uk/competitions and answer…

Adrian Marsden Adrian Marsden completed a doctorate on Roman coinage at Oxford University and now works as the county numismatist for Norfolk. His research interests include Roman Imperial coinage and its contemporary copies, religion in Roman Britain, fakes and forgeries of coins from all periods and the 17th-century token series. Ema Šikic´ 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 reports from the World’s Fair of Money on page 24. Jeff Garrett Jeff describes himself as a ‘dealer’s dealer’ with over 35 years of experience in the US coin trade. He has served as President of the…

LONGER OPENING HOURS FOR THE BNS LIBRARY The British Numismatic Society and the Royal Numismatic Society jointly own a research library of over 16,000 books on numismatics, housed at the Warburg Institute in central London. Previously, a dedicated team of volunteers opened up the library for members on one afternoon a week. The Warburg Institute is currently undergoing a multi-million-pound refurbishment, and the numismatic books have had to be moved out of the way of the work. Since 11 September, the joint library has been available in a new temporary location on the fourth floor of the Warburg Institute. Now all members of the BNS and RNS can register for a free Warburg Institute reader’s card and access the library any time during the Warburg’s opening hours. Visit www.britnumsoc.org to…

Readers have until spring next year to visit the ‘Paying Respects: Money and Mortality’ exhibition at the Barber Institute of Fine Arts, University of Birmingham. Since time immemorial, money has often been a matter of life and death. Coins are struck in tribute to emperors, monarchs and leaders, and through the portraits they carry they have honoured relatives and ancestors. Additionally, coins have been used in many of the rituals and routines that mark the passage from life to afterlife, with their surfaces often illustrating the trappings and ceremonies of death. This exhibition features highlights from the Barber coin collection, which includes world-class caches of Byzantine, Trapezuntine and Sasanian currency, as well as significant holdings of Roman and medieval coins. The exhibition is accompanied by a gallery booklet, which you…

The US Mint has invited the American public to take part in a survey to give their opinion on design themes for a coin programme celebrating the forthcoming semiquincentennial of the USA. In 2026, the US Mint will commemorate the 250th anniversary of the country’s founding with redesigned circulating coins as part of a special semiquincentennial coin programme. The Mint will redesign both the obverse and reverse sides of each circulating coin, including up to five different quarter designs. One of the quarters must feature women’s contributions to the birth of the USA or other historical moments. Designs for the 2026 circulating coins will be selected in accordance with the design selection process developed by the Secretary of the Treasury in consultation with the United States Semiquincentennial Commission. To start…

The sad passing has been announced of John Mussell, Token Publishing’s founder and managing editor, on 7 September. He set up the company around 40 years ago and had been at the helm throughout those four decades, with his retirement only announced a short while ago. Initally, he was managing editor of Coin & Medal News (from 1983–89) then of two separate magazines (Coin News and Medal News) from 1989 onwards. In addition to the magazines, the company have also published a range of books, from the annual yearbooks to numerous one-off titles. Everyone at Coin Collector passes on their condolences to John’s family, friends and colleagues.…

In Germany, the year for coin collectors ended shortly after it had begun – after the spectacular comeback of the World Money Fair in Berlin in February and Numismata in Munich in March 2023, there is a glaring void in the calendars of most German numismatists for the rest of the year. Many traditional fairs like the Numismata events in Frankfurt or Berlin are no longer promoted, while other long-standing favourites like the coin shows in Stuttgart or Dortmund are a thing of the past. Rumours are already circulating in the industry that even the well-attended Numismata could be facing an uncertain future. On the international stage, things look quite different at first glance. ‘Bigger is Better’ seems to be the motto in the United States of America, not only…

Over 40 years ago, the Keeper of Greek coins at France’s Cabinet des Médailles in Paris (equivalent to the British Museum collection), wrote about his first encounter with the ‘Celtic’ coins of Gaul 14 years earlier: ‘I stopped in amazement in front of a display where I encountered Gallic coins for the first time. How could it be possible for a people considered so backward to produce such revolutionary and innovative art?’ (author’s translation from Lancelot Lengyel, Le Secret des Celtes (1969), p. 33). More than a century earlier, Sir John Evans, considered the founder of ancient British numismatics, traced ancient British ‘Celtic’ coins back through Gallo-Belgic types to their original prototype and concluded that ‘the whole of gold coinage of that country may be said to consist of imitations,…

This article looks at the varied and colourful paper money issues of the small island nations of the South Pacific (Figure 1). Many of these nations do not have currencies of their own, though that has not prevented several of them from issuing coins, primarily for the collector market. These include Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu, who use Australian dollars, while Niue, Pitcairn and Tokelau use New Zealand dollars. Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia and the Marshall Islands all use US dollars. We are, therefore, left with six nations that currently issue their own paper money, plus the CFP (Communauté Financière du Pacifique) franc notes issued by the IEOM (Institut d’Émission d’Outre-Mer) in New Caledonia and French Polynesia. Mention should first be made of the Japanese Invasion Money (JIM) notes,…

A new £2 collectable coin has been released by The Royal Mint to commemorate the life and work of JRR (John Ronald Reuel) Tolkien, with 2023 marking 50 years since his death. Created by the artist David Lawrence, the coin’s design draws inspiration from Tolkien’s career as professor of English language and literature at Oxford, in which role he brought the world of the ‘Dark Ages’ to life in his teaching, writing and studies. JRR Tolkien’s monogram appears at the centre of the coin and is encircled by an intricate runic pattern, whose design is intended to reflect Tolkien’s love for Anglo-Saxon script. The words ‘NOT ALL THOSE WHO WANDER ARE LOST’, a quote from the poem ‘The Riddle of Strider’, which features in Tolkien’s The Fellowship of the Ring,…

A commemorative coin for King Andrew I, who ruled 1040–60, is the second issue in Hungary’s series titled ‘Nation-building sovereigns of the Arpad Dynasty’, presenting the most important kings from the House of Arpad. The series will feature ten sovereigns, and it is expected that a new issue will be released every other year. King Andrew I strengthened the position of Christianity in Hungary during the turbulent period following the death of King St Stephen, without allowing the country to become a vassal state of the Holy Roman Empire. As a direct male descendent of King St Stephen, he reigned in the footsteps of Hungary’s founding king, developing the nation by sharing leadership with his brother, Duke Béla. In 1055, he founded the Benedictine abbey in Tihany, granting the abbey…

Jonathan Callaway is a Director of the International Bank Note Society Lawrence Chard Founder and Expert Numismatist, Speciality Sovereigns Jeff Garrett US coin dealer and board member of the Smithsonian Museum of American History Richard Kelleher Senior Curator, Medieval and Modern Money, Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge Jonathan Mann Numismatist and coin expert, British coinage specialist Rory Naismith Professor of Early Medieval English History, University of Cambridge Ema Šikic ´ 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…

Professor Joe Cribb has been awarded the 2023 Derek Allen Prize for his outstanding contribution to the discipline of numismatics, particularly his expertise in Asian numismatics. He worked as a curator of Asian currencies at the British Museum for 40 years before retiring 2010 as the head of its department of coins and medals. He has authored and edited books on Chinese, Indonesian and Central and South Asian currencies and history, and introductory books on coins. He has also written many articles on Asian coins and numismatic practice. As well as curating major exhibitions at the British Museum and Fitzwilliam Museum, he is a former President of the Royal Numismatic Society and former Secretary General of the Oriental Numismatic Society. His current research is on the Kushan dynasty in Central…

The Royal Mint has revealed some of the rarest coins to enter circulation during the reign of Queen Elizabeth II. The list has been compiled after the 2022 figures were made available. Rare coins to look out for include the 2009 Kew gardens 50p and a selection of special alphabet 10p coins from 2018 and 2019 Last year marked a new era for British coinage as the last coins bearing Queen Elizabeth II were struck, and the first coins featuring King Charles III entered circulation. The Royal Mint has now announced the volume and variety of coins produced during this pivotal year, including special 50 pence pieces to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee, 50 years of Pride and to commemorate the passing of Britain’s longest serving monarch. Queen Elizabeth II appeared…

Archaeologists conducting excavations in Barczewko, near Olsztyn, in Poland have announced that among their finds from this year’s work at Wartberg are a deposit of approximately 150 14th-century bracteates (single-sided coins produced from a thin silver plate), as well as the pommel of a medieval sword and other military items. The team from the University of Gdańsk were working on their tenth season at the site, which has been called the ‘Warmian Pompeii’ because at an early stage in its development the city of Wartberg was completely destroyed by an invasion of the troops of Lithuanian princes Kiejstut and Olgierd in 1354. It was never rebuilt or repopulated, so the ruins survived for centuries. Dr Arkadiusz Koperkiewicz, who led the team, said of the coins discovered: ‘The set consists of…

The United States Mint has unveiled the designs for its 2024 Greatest Generation Commemorative Coin Program at a ceremony held at the World War II Memorial in Washington, DC. Emblematic of the National World War II Memorial and the service and sacrifice of American soldiers and civilians during World War II, the designs will feature on a $5 gold coin, a $1 silver coin and a half dollar clad coin. The price of each coin will include a surcharge payable to the Friends of the National World War II Memorial to support the National Park Service in maintaining and repairing the memorial, and for educational and commemorative programmes. United States Mint Artistic Infusion Program Designers created all the designs, which were sculpted by United States Mint Medallic Artists. The obverse…

AND THE QUEST FOR KNOWLEDGE Do you know your Solidus from your Stater? Your Drachma from your Denarius? With our wonderful hobby there’s always something new to learn. Coin Collector is your trusty numismatic sherpa, guiding you along the journey as you build your collection. JOIN THE QUEST TODAY! Subscribe for only £2 for your first two issues! After your introductory rate, your Direct Debit subscription will renew at just £12.99 every six months, still a huge saving on the cover price. JOIN THE QUEST FOR KNOWLEDGE TODAY JUST VISIT: bit.ly/join-the-quest OR CALL US ON: 01778 392030 quoting code: COIN/SUMMER-SALE…

A 50p from the British Antarctic Territory is the third in its six-coin series marking the 75th birthday of HM King Charles III. The series has been produced by Pobjoy Mint on behalf of the territory. Each design in this six-coin series features a building connected to His Majesty’s life, along with a symbol connected to the building or event. This coin features Caernarfon Castle, Wales, with an image of the Prince of Wales feathers shown above the castle. Caernarfon Castle was chosen as the motif for one of the coins because it was the location of the King’s investiture as the Prince of Wales on 1 July 1969. Having been anointed the Prince of Wales on 26 July 1958 at the age of nine, the investiture was held when…