On the banks of the Seine, a stone’s throw from the Louvre, is the Monnaie de Paris – the French State Mint. Out of this beautiful Napoleonic building, the artisans working there have crafted some of the most stunning coins and medals commemorating not only French history and culture, but also the “Entente Cordiale” between […]
British coinage has had its fair share of fascinating tales over the years. But one aspect of our rich heritage that often goes unnoticed is the very coins that started it all. The ones that circulate in our change from day to day. Our circulating coins are about to change, with the Royal Mint having […]
The scarcity of a coin is one of the key components when considering its collectability. With significantly lower edition limits than their counterpart Proof issues, Piedfort coins are the essential choice for serious collectors. But what exactly are Piedfort coins and why are they so collectable? Double the thickness of a standard coin, Piedforts (pronounced […]
Every year, thousands of coin collectors and hundreds of dealers and Mints descend upon the Estrel Exhibition Centre in Berlin for the World Money Fair. It’s a pretty intense few days of one meeting after an other, being shown countless coins – some from countries I’ve never even heard of. So what caught my eye […]
One coin has dominated discussion over the last few months, probably more than any other coin I can remember. And those discussions are not just limited to coin collecting circles and online forums. This has been headline news. Now it’s here. Let me explain why I think this is such an important coin now and […]
Coins are a lot of things – pieces of metal, currency, miniature works of art, an embodiment of our history, national identity. And sometimes they are all of those things and more. Sometimes a coin is issued that just means so much more to you. It’s an intangible thing. The Royal Mint has just issued […]
A brand new BREXIT 50p coin is to be issued to mark Britain’s exit from the European Union. The Royal Proclamation has just been passed confirming the new coin. Although announced by the former chancellor Philip Hammond in last year’s Budget, this is the first official confirmation from The Royal Mint that the coin is […]
The Sovereign is without rival as the United Kingdom’s premier Gold Coin, with rich history dating back well over 500 years. It epitomises all that is British. Traded across the world during the 19th Century and early 20th Century, it became known as “The Chief Coin of the World”, whilst today’s modern Proof Sovereigns show […]
On the morning of 19 February this year, something remarkable happened. I tried to access The Royal Mint website and was informed that I was in a queue with over 100,000 people in front of me and that I wouldn’t be able to access the website for well over an hour. It was all because […]