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February 10, 2025

British Sixpence - 1816 to 1901 - Price Guide

6 Pence 1816 to 1901 - Price Guide and values

The Royal Mint undertook a massive recoinage programme in 1816, with large quantities of gold and silver coin being minted. Previous issues of silver coinage had been irregular, and the previous issue, minted in 1787, had done little to alleviate the chronic shortage of silver coinage in general circulation.

February 4, 2025

British One Pound - 1983 to 2025 - Price Guide

1 Pound 1983 to 2025 - Price Guide and values

By 1980, it had become apparent, that with the general decline in purchasing power, the £1 unit of currency was more appropriate to a coin than a banknote. The note was in constant use and, on average, each note only lasted nine months. Through the years, multiple reverse designs were used for this denomination. In October 2023, the King Charles III 1 Pound coin was presented; the coin design features bees.

February 4, 2025

British Groat 4 Pence - 1836 to 1888 - Price Guide

4 Pence 1836 to 1888 - Price Guide and values

The 4 Pence British coin, sometimes known as a groat, joey or fourpenny bit, was struck throughout the 18th century, though by 1800 it had come mostly to be coined to be given as ceremonial alms at the Royal Maundy service. It was resurrected as a circulating coin in 1836, as the Royal Mint sought to fill the gap between the penny and sixpence. A final issue of fourpences, intended for use in British Guiana, was dated 1888.

February 1, 2025

2001 Victoria £5 Coin to Celebrates the Image of an Era

2001 Victoria £5 Coin to Celebrates the Image of an Era

When Queen Victoria died in 1901, more than 2,000 million United Kingdom coins had been produced by the Royal Mint bearing her portrait. For most of Queen Victoria's subjects, the depiction of their Queen on coins was one of the few ways in which they would have known what she looked like. And during her 64-year reign, the changing portraits on the coinage reflected the Queen as she moved from a young woman, to a mother of nine and a widow in mourning.

January 31, 2025

British Half Farthing - 1828 to 1856 - Price Guide

Half Farthing 1828 to 1856 - Price Guide and values

The coins were minted in copper for use in British Ceylon in various years between 1828 and 1856, and as a bronze proof coin in 1868. In 1842, they were also declared legal tender in the United Kingdom. Half farthings were demonetised along with all other British copper coins on 31 December 1869.

January 29, 2025

British Threepence - 1902 to 1970 - Price Guide

3 Pence 1902 to 1970 - Price Guide and values

During the 20th century changing habits and customs again rendered the threepenny piece unpopular, and to meet criticism of its small size a 12-sided nickel-brass piece of the same denomination but weighing almost five times as much as its silver counterpart was introduced in 1937. Its dumpiness and unusual shape aroused mixed feelings but in 1941 it had almost completely superseded its silver rival and was even being acclaimed by bus conductors and others as the easiest coin to recognise during the blackouts of the Second World War.

January 26, 2025

Double Florin - 1887 to 1890 - Price Guide

Double Florin 1887 to 1890 - Price Guide and values

The double florin is one of the shortest-lived of all British coin denominations and was only minted between 1887 and 1890. The double florin was introduced as part of a coinage redesign that took place in 1887, the year of Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee. One purpose of the redesign was to replace portraits of the queen which had changed little since her youth, and which no longer resembled the monarch, who was nearing her seventieth birthday. The double florin in particular was criticised as it was close in size to the five-shilling crown, leading to confusion, especially since neither coin was inscribed with its denomination.

January 22, 2025

British Penny - 1902 to 1970 - Price Guide

Penny 1902 to 1970 - Price Guide and values

George V pennies were produced every year to the same standard until 1922, but after a three-year gap in production the alloy composition was changed to 95.5% copper, 3% tin and 1.5% zinc. Pennies were not minted every year of George VI's reign. The pre-decimal penny was demonetised on 1 September 1971, just over six months after decimalisation, and replaced (in effect) by the decimal half new penny, with ½p being worth 1.2d.

January 19, 2025

British 50 Pence - 2016 to 2025 - Price Guide

50 Pence 2016 to 2025 - Price Guide and values

The Royal Mint revealed the new designs saying that the coins focus on details of the shield of the Royal arms and when placed together they reveal the complete shield. The Royal Arms is divided into four parts: England being represented by the three lions passant guardant in the first and fourth quarters, the Scottish lion rampant in the second and the harp of Ireland in the third, with all four quarters spread over the six coins from the 1p to the 50p.

January 18, 2025

Nations of the Crown £1 2016 to 2022

Nations of the Crown £1 2016 to 2022

The £1 coins started rolling off the production line at a rate of over 4000 a minute in 2016. The new 12-sided coin resembles the old threepenny bit. The new £1 coin was announced by the Chancellor at Budget 2014, and the design of the new coin was announced at Budget 2015.

January 16, 2025

British 2 Pence - 1971 to 2025 - Price Guide

2 Pence 1971 to 2025 - Price Guide and values

Before the Royal Arms, the Badge of the Prince of Wales can be found on 1971 to 2008 two pence coins. It consists of a plume of ostrich feathers within a coronet, and above, the German motto ICH DIEN (I serve). The first copper-plated steel 2p coins were struck in 1992. The reason for this change was the increase in the price of metals on the world markets. The coins have a mild steel core and are electroplated with copper - consequently, they are magnetic. In October 2023, the King Charles III 2 Pence coin was presented; the coin design features a red squirrel.

January 14, 2025

British Penny - 1825 to 1901 - Price Guide

Penny 1825 to 1901 - Price Guide and values

The penny was originally minted in silver, but from the late 18th century it was minted in copper, and, because of a survey in 1857 by the Royal Mint, the composition changed to bronze after 1860. The survey showed that around one third of all copper coinage was worn or mutilated, often by advertisements.

January 11, 2025

The British Impact on Native Indian Coinages

From the archives: The British Impact on Native Indian Coinages

It was the Portuguese who first issued coins in India during the reign of D. Joao III (1521-57). These bore a coat of arms, St Thomas, armillary sphere and cross, etc. The first British settlement in India was at Surat in 1612. A factory had been opened at Masulipatam in 1611 and the first factories in Bengal were opened in 1633.

January 9, 2025

British Half Penny - 1672 to 1701 - Price Guide

Half Penny 1672 to 1701 - Price Guide and values

In the early years of the reign of King Charles II (1660-1685), there was a clear need for low-denomination coins to fund day-to-day purchases. The silver 1d and 2d coins issued in the first few years of the reign were being hoarded. The Mint was not ready to produce copper coins until 1672; by that time Maundy-type small silver (1d-4d) coins were being produced and were circulating widely, so no copper pennies were produced, although a Royal Proclamation in August 1672 decreed that halfpennies and farthings would be issued, and that they would have a face value equal to the value of the metal less the cost of producing them.

January 7, 2025

Grading British Coins

Grading British Coins - Elizabeth II Bronze Coins from 1971 to 2014

The grade is used to determine the a more exact value of a British coin. It represents the quality and wear of a coin. Using pictures, effigies and descriptions, this section helps you to determine the grade of a coin with the Sheldon scale, the universal gradation tool. To determine a coin's high grade (MS), you look at strike, luster, location, size, and quantity of bag marks, and other less tangible features.

January 5, 2025

British 50 Pence - 2010 to 2015 - Price Guide

50 Pence 2010 to 2015 - Price Guide and values

The Royal Mint revealed the new designs saying that the coins focus on details of the shield of the Royal arms and when placed together they reveal the complete shield. The Royal Arms is divided into four parts: England being represented by the three lions passant guardant in the first and fourth quarters, the Scottish lion rampant in the second and the harp of Ireland in the third, with all four quarters spread over the six coins from the 1p to the 50p.

December 24, 2024

The Royal Shield of Arms - 2008 to 2024 Coins Designs

The Royal Shield of Arms - 2008 to 2024 Coins Designs

The coinage of the United Kingdom changed drastically in 2008. Familiar designs that have served for almost 40 years were replaced by a new set of designs, contemporary in treatment and in the traditions of the coinage. The series that has been chosen draws inspiration from the very fabric of British history. The Royal Mint revealed the new designs saying that the coins focus on details of the shield of the Royal arms and when placed together they reveal the complete shield.

December 15, 2024

Commonwealth Games - 2 Pounds 2002

Commonwealth Games - 2 Pounds 2002

To celebrate the XVII Commonwealth Games which was hosted by the City of Manchester, the Royal Mint launched official Commonwealth Games £2 coin in 2002.

December 12, 2024

British Farthing - 1902 to 1956 - Price Guide

Farthing 1902 to 1956 - Price Guide and values

Between 1860 and 1971, the farthing's purchasing power ranged between 12p and 0.2p in 2017 values. The farthing's reverse bore an image of Britannia until 1937, when a wren was introduced. It ceased to be legal tender in the United Kingdom on January 1, 1961.

December 6, 2024

British 2 Guineas - 1664 to 1753 - Price Guide

2 Guineas 1664 to 1753 - Price Guide and values

For most of its period of production, the coin weighed between 16.7 and 16.8 grams and was 31-32 millimetres in diameter, although the earliest coins of Charles II were about 0.1 grams lighter and 1 millimetre smaller. The two guinea piece was a gold coin first minted in England in 1664 with a face value of forty shillings.

November 15, 2024

British 50 Pence - 1969 to 2009 - Price Guide

50 Pence 1969 to 2009 - Price Guide and values

Britannia is featured on most of the fifty pence coin with, at her, the British Lion (also found on one of the most beautiful coin ever produced), an animal found on the arms of England, Scotland and the Prince of Wales. Britannia is a national personification of Britain as a helmeted female warrior holding a trident and shield. In October 1969, 50p coins joined the 5p (shilling) and 10p (florin) coins in circulation, leaving only the three copper coins - to be introduced on 15 February 1971 - to complete the new series of decimal coins.

October 13, 2024

British Guinea - 1702 to 1813 - Price Guide

Guinea 1702 to 1813 - Price Guide and values

The guinea was minted in Great Britain between 1663 and 1814 and contained approximately one-quarter of an ounce of gold. The coin was originally worth twenty shillings (one pound), but an increase in the price of gold during the reign of King Charles II led to the market trading it at a premium. The price of gold continued to increase, especially in times of trouble, and by the 1680s, the coin was worth 22 silver shillings.

October 9, 2024

Rarest 50 Pence in circulation according the to Royal Mint

Rarest 50 Pence in circulation according the to Royal Mint

The list of rarest 50 pence in circulation by the Royal Mint was just updated, with the addition of the 50 Pence 2023 Atlantic Salmon design. The original list was first published early in 2023. Displaying the traditional image of Britannia that represents the spirit of our nation, the 50p coin was introduced in 1969 as part of the new decimal coinage.

October 8, 2024

British Penny - 1670 to 1713 - Price Guide

Penny 1670 to 1713 - Price Guide and values

The guinea was minted in Great Britain between 1663 and 1814 and contained approximately one-quarter of an ounce of gold. The coin was originally worth twenty shillings (one pound), but an increase in the price of gold during the reign of King Charles II led to the market trading it at a premium. The price of gold continued to increase, especially in times of trouble, and by the 1680s, the coin was worth 22 silver shillings.

October 4, 2024

2 Pounds 2003 - DNA Double Helix

2 Pounds 2003 - DNA Double Helix

The Royal Mint is launched in 2003 a new £2 coin, to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the discovery of the Double Helix structure of DNA by Francis Crick and James Watson.

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