Latest news and updates on British numismatic - Coins, banknotes, tokens
June 12, 2025
Half-Sovereign 1980 to 2025 added
In 1980, the first Elizabeth II Half Sovereigns available to the public were issued, in proof quality, and in 1982, the first half sovereigns sold as bullion coins. Both issues carried the second coinage portrait of Elizabeth II, by Arnold Machin on their obverses, with the Pistrucci design as the reverse.
June 9, 2025
Third Guinea 1797 to 1813 - Price Guide and values
This gold coins were minted only in the reign of George III. The third guinea (seven shilling piece), a guinea being worth 21 shillings in sterling specie, was introduced in Great Britain by a proclamation of 29 November 1797.
June 6, 2025
From the archives: The East India Company outside India
The East India Company (E.I.C.) was granted its Charter in 1600 and sent out its first expedition in 1601. It carried trade goods and coined silver, some of which may have been the trade coins now better known as Portcullis money, struck in 1600. The 8, 4, 2 and 1 reales were struck without a portrait, which was said to ensure their acceptance in Muslim states (human representation is not acceptable in Islam). However, this was not repeated since the pieces failed to replace the well established Spanish dollars.
June 3, 2025
Penny 1718 to 1807 - Price Guide and values
Because of the rising price of silver the penny became progressively smaller and from the Restoration of Charles II in 1660 it was struck only for use as part of the Royal Maundy. In 1797 the penny was struck for the first time as a large copper coin. These cartwheel pennies of 1797 proved popular and continued to circulate, along with later and slightly lighter copper pennies, until 1860.
June 2, 2025
Sovereign 1974 to 2022 added
No Sovereigns were struck in the first few years of the decimal era and in 1974, Machin's coinage portrait graced the chief coin of the world for the first time. Interestingly, a 1974 Sovereign was the very last coin to be struck at the premises in Tower Hill, London, before production moved to the 35-acre site in Llantrisant, South Wales.
May 27, 2025
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.
May 21, 2025
Half Penny 1717 to 1807 - Price Guide and values
From 1672 until 1936 the image of Britannia appeared on the reverse of the half penny. In 1717 a new contract was signed and a Royal Warrant issued for the production of a new halfpenny. The halfpennies struck in 1717 and 1718 looked slightly odd as they were smaller, thicker and somewhat lighter than the previous issues. George III halfpennies were produced with three distinct coins.
May 19, 2025
3 pence - 1834 to 1837 - Price Guide and values
The 3 Pence role changed in 1845, when it began to be issued in large numbers for general circulation. This further attempt to popularise the coin proved successful, no doubt in part because of the large and inconvenient size of the copper coinage.
May 13, 2025
John Mills and the Dove of Peace
For the 80th anniversary of VE Day (Victory in Europe) on May 8, 1945, the Royal Mint released a new 50 Pence coin. The coin features a version of John Mills dove of peace. Mills first accepted design was the 50 Pence Normandy Landings on D-Day coin in 1994.
May 10, 2025
From the archives: The Gonzagas
The Gonzagas came from Mantua, a city with a population of about 100,000 souls in an area of 20,000 hectares. It was part of the Holy Roman Empire. In the 13th century the Bonacolsi family had become the hereditary Capitane del Popolo, although they were nominally democratically elected. Their power was increased by the simple expedient of exiling recalcitrant aristocrats and was such that they gained the title of Imperial Vicar of Mantua from the Emperor Henry VII.
May 6, 2025
Half Crown 1703 to 1751 - Price Guide and values
By 1751 the popularity of the silver crown had declined and it evidently played a limited role in circulation.
May 1, 2025
5 Pence - 1968 to 2025 - Price Guide and values
The National emblem of Scotland, a thistle royally crowned was the design on the reverse of this denomination before the Royal Arms. The first use of the thistle as a royal symbol of Scotland was on silver coins issued by James III in 1470. After a review of the United Kingdom coinage in 1987, the Government announced its intention to issue a smaller 5p coin. In October 2023, the King Charles III 5 Pence coin was presented; the coin design features an oak spring tree.
April 30, 2025
Half Crown 1663 to 1701 - Price Guide and values
Like the crown, the half-crown was introduced as a gold coin during the reign of Henry VIII and, also like the crown, under Edward VI in the year 1551 it was issued as a silver coin. The issue of gold half-crowns ceased in the 17th century, but the silver half-crown continued in circulation.
April 28, 2025
From the archives: Medals as gifts in ancient Rome
Roman medals or, as they are usually called, Roman medallions, are not an easy class to define. We can start by saying that they were not. They were not awards for bravery; soldiers in the Roman army were rewarded with decorative discs (phalerae) which could be fixed to their uniform. Nor, indeed, were Roman medals in the modern sense – they were not privately produced metal objects intended to be sold as souvenirs of events like royal coronations or great exhibitions.
April 23, 2025
Sovereign 1888 to 1968 - Price Guide and values
The immediate origins of both the image and legend of St George the Dragon Slayer on the Sovereign lie in Near Eastern survivals of Graeco-Roman culture where the hero/victor image of a mounted lancer was widely used on coins and reliefs and was also employed as an imperial sign of power. By the thirteenth century St George the Dragon Slayer had gained the red cross of a crusader as part of his iconography and represented the victory of good over evil.
April 22, 2025
Several Elizabeth II obverses images for grading added
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.
April 15, 2025
2 Pounds 2011 Mary Rose
A detailed image of the legendary ship has been struck with detail into a limited edition 2011 £2 coin marking the 500th anniversary of the 1511 launch. The edge inscription reads: YOUR NOBLEST SHIPPE 1511, taken from a letter written by Sir Edward Howard, Lord Admiral onboard the Mary Rose, to the King, 22 March 1513.
April 14, 2025
Crown 1662 to 1684 - Price Guide and values
Both gold and silver crowns were struck concurrently until early in the reign of Charles II, when minting of the gold crown ceased. Silver crowns adhered to the long-standing Sterling Silver standard of 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper, established in the 12th century by Henry II. The crown was first issued during the reign of Edward VI, as part of the coinage of the Kingdom of England.
April 7, 2025
Sovereign 1817 to 1887 - Price Guide and values
The first Sovereign was authorised by Henry VII in 1489, but was different in size and weight. Almost half the weight and diameter of the original Sovereign, the new gold coin of 1817 more than matched its predecessor in the beauty of its design. The traditional heraldic reverse was abandoned in favour of a St George and the dragon of classic beauty by the Italian engraver Benedetto Pistrucci. The design combined of the new Sovereign set it apart from every gold coin that had gone before and it may be difficult to understand why, in 1825, it was dropped in preference of a more conventional royal arms. It was revived in 1871.
April 4, 2025
2 Pounds 2016 World War I and Army
In continuation of the five years program of commemoration, the Royal Mint produced a £2 coin with the team at creative agency Uniform to remember the camaraderie of those men and the unity and pride of the communities they volunteered to defend.
April 2, 2025
5 Guineas 1716 to 1753 - Price Guide and values
The 5 Guinea was the largest regularly produced gold coin in Britain. George I's 5 Guinea coins were only struck in 1716, 1717, 1720, and 1726, and they bear his abbreviated Hanoverian titles in addition to the usual British, French, and Irish title. George II's 5 Guinea pieces mark the last of the denomination. Some of the 1729 coins bear the initials EIC under the king's head, indicating the gold was supplied by the East India Company, while the 1746 coins have LIMA under the head, indicating the gold was obtained during Admiral Anson's circumnavigation of the world.
March 31, 2025
Penny 1971 to 2025 - Price Guide and values
Before the Royal Arms, the reverse design on the penny was a crowned portcullis, heavy castle gate made of metal strips that form a grid often found in medieval fortifications, surrounded by chains was chosen. The first copper-plated steel 1p 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 one penny coin was presented; the coin design features a hazel dormouse.
March 29, 2025
From the archives: Genuine forgeries
Forgery is a spurious thing, not genuine, not being what it pretends to be, and not coming from the pretended source. One of the classic tales in numismatics is how a former Director of the British Museum, Sir George Hill, saw an attractive Greek lady and his eyes were riveted on a splendid large Athenian decadrachm of the finest style of the mid-fifth century BC which she was wearing set in a piece of jewellery. Appropriate negotiations in 1920 secured it for the British Museum but, sadly, the piece subsequently turned out to be an imitation by the notorious Athenian forger Constantine Christodoulos.
March 27, 2025
Half-Sovereign 1817 to 1953 - Price Guide and values
The half sovereign British gold coin was first issued in 1817 (proclaimed legal tender on October 10th) and became the smallest gold coin in regular use. Once war began in 1914, paper currency of ten shillings were quickly issued to take the place of the half sovereign. In 1915, the last circulating ones were minted. Although it no longer circulated, the sovereign had been issued as a bullion coin beginning in 1957, and with special-quality proof coins issued from 1979.
March 22, 2025
Half Penny 1971 to 1984 - Price Guide and values
The British decimal halfpenny coin was introduced in February 1971, but ignored in banking transactions. It became Britain's least favourite coin. The coin was demonetised and withdrawn from circulation in December 1984, even if The Treasury argued that this denomination was important against inflation, as it prevented prices from being rounded up. The design on the reverse of the coin is a representation of St Edward's Crown.
