Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 32 i Coin Collector

Following the latest mintage figures published by The Royal Mint, the new Atlantic Salmon 50p has been declared the rarest 50p in active circulation in the UK. With just 200,000 released to UK banks and post offices at the end of last year, the new 50p coin for HM King Charles III depicting the Atlantic Salmon has knocked the highly collectable 2009 Kew Gardens 50p off the top spot for the first time. A total of 210,000 2009 Kew Gardens coins were released into circulation 15 years ago. As the nation’s most collectable coin, the 50p has seen over 100 different designs appear on its reverse since its introduction. These include special designs for the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games and milestone royal occasions such as HM King Charles…

Stack’s Bowers Galleries have stated that part II of the LE Bruun collection of Scandinavian coinage will be offered on 13–16 March next year. The second auction of the most valuable collection of world coins to ever come to market will take place at the Hotel Baur au Lac in Zurich, Switzerland. Part II will offer a wider spectrum of Scandinavian numismatics than the first sale, ranging from the Viking period through to the 19th century, with a broader geographic reach as well. Augmenting the core Danish, Norwegian and Swedish items will be an extensive and much-anticipated offering of coins from the Danish duchies of Schleswig-Holstein, an area that was long under Danish rule but was lost to Germany after the Second Schleswig War in 1864. The second offering from…

Most coin collectors are relaxed, sociable types, with a simple passion for small metal pieces that tell stories. But there exists a special breed of collectors who, seemingly unsatisfied with how much they get to say in their professional or personal lives, always have something to grumble about – even when it comes to coins. Take, for example, the new €2 coin commemorating the 35th anniversary of German reunification (Figure 1). A tribute to reunification, a celebration of national identity and yet … collectors? They’re divided. Some say the design is a masterpiece, while others instantly switch to ‘know-it-all’ mode, claiming that earlier coins were far superior. It seems that some coin collectors will never be pleased. There’s always something too modern, too simple or ‘not traditional enough’. You’d almost…

The Royal Mint has released the seventh coin in its ongoing set reimagining the 10 stone beasts that stand guard on the moat bridge of Hampton Court Palace. The 10 stone beasts on the Moat Bridge signified the strength of the Tudor dynasty by representing the lineage of Henry VIII and his third wife, Jane Seymour. Incorporating both real and mythical creatures, each was carefully chosen to serve as a reminder to visitors of the legitimacy and authority of the Tudors. With a 2025 £5 brilliant uncirculated coin, the Queen’s Panther is the latest beast to join the collection. On the bridge, the Queen’s Panther stands across from the Tudor Dragon and is the final Queen’s Beast visitors meet before entering the palace. In heraldry, panthers are often depicted as…

Dedicated to the advent wreath, a €25 silver coin is the fourth motif in a Christmas series from Münze Deutschland. In Germany, a Christmas wreath can be found in most households. The Advent wreath is a relatively new tradition, dating to the Pietist pastor Johann Hinrich Wichern (1808–81), who placed the first Advent wreath in a Hamburg educational institution in 1839. In the Rauhe Haus, where vulnerable children were cared for, Wichern held a daily service from 1 to 24 December. At each service, a candle was lit on a wagon wheel until all the candles were brightly lit on Christmas Eve. The candles for Sundays were white, the candles for all other days were red. This wreath is still known today as the ‘Wichern wreath’. From this origin, the…

The Chew Valley Hoard of coins, dating from the time of the Norman Conquest of England, has been acquired for the nation by the South West Heritage Trust. The acquisition of the hoard, whose value of £4.3 million makes it the highest value treasure find ever, was thanks to major funding, which includes £4.4m from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and £150,000 from Art Fund. Consisting of 2,584 silver pennies dating from c.1066 to 1068, the hoard covers the transition from Saxon to Norman rule, which was begun in 1066. It was likely buried for safekeeping in the turmoil of the Norman Conquest of England, probably during rebellions in the south west against the new Norman king, William the ‘Conqueror’. Just under half the coins are from the short reign…

Ahead of its November release, the design of Denmark’s Passing of the Crown coin, marking King Frederik X succeeding Queen Margrethe II, has been revealed. The Passing of the Crown 20k coin will be introduced into general circulation in Denmark via stores and banks in early November 2024. The previous time a Passing of the Crown coin was issued was in 1972, when Queen Margrethe II became monarch following the death of her father King Frederik IX. The design of the new coin follows the tradition of previous issuances, as one side features a portrait of King Frederik X in a right-facing profile, while the reverse features Queen Margrethe II, also in a right-facing profile. A total of one million Passing of the Crown coins have been produced. Most will…

SOLD FOR £335 France, 1908 20 francs ‘Marianne and Rooster’ of Chaplain gold coin, VF SOLD FOR £239 Romania, Transylvania, 1606 3 groschen Prince Stephen Bocskai silver coin, VF SOLD FOR £189 Bolivia, 1850 8 soles silver coin, VF SOLD FOR £615 France, 1956 50 francs Suez ‘Forces Françaises en Méditerranée Orientale’, VF SOLD FOR £241 Belgium, 1858 5 francs Leopold I silver coin, XF SOLD FOR £228 Ancient Rome, 145 BC Junia silver denarius, XF SOLD FOR £162 USA, 1831 Coronet cent copper coin, XF SOLD FOR £473 Gibraltar, £50 Queen Elizabeth 1995 banknote, UNC BUY AND SELL ON DECAMPE, MORE THAN 80 MILLION COLLECTABLES ARE WAITING FOR YOU!…

Ukraine’s early history is one of domination by outside powers, though Kyivan Rus’, the first flowering of Slavic culture in the 9th century, was based in what is now the country’s capital city. The Kyivan Rus’ state was the progenitor of both Russia and Ukraine, a common but contested history that is at the root of the current conflict. Grand Prince Volodymyr the Great of Kyivan Rus’ (d.1015) chose to be baptised into Orthodox Christianity in 989 and then ordered his subjects to do the same. The adoption of the Orthodox religion also led to the introduction of the Cyrillic alphabet. The state lasted until around 1240 when invading Mongols and the Golden Horde dispersed the Slavic tribes. In the 13th century, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, a union of two countries…

The Royal Australian Mint has released a new War Animals Remembrance Purple Poppy coin, with a denomination of A$2. Animals have long served alongside Australia’s soldiers in times of war. Although many people remain unaware of their contribution, animals have been put to many uses, serving as transport, beasts of burden, messengers, protectors, mascots and pets. Perhaps the best-known example is the donkey used by Private Simpson to rescue wounded soldiers during the Battle of Gallipoli in World War I, while mules were in constant demand to carry supplies to the frontline. The Camel Corps was formed in the early years of World War I, and by late 1917, the Desert Mounted Corps had some 6,000 camels. The homing ability and navigational skills of carrier pigeons saw them used during…

For The Royal Mint’s official 2024 Christmas issue, they have released their seventh 50p collectable coin with a new design featuring The Snowman. First published in 1978 as a wordless picture book by Puffin, The Snowman has since sold 5.5 million copies worldwide. Raymond Briggs’ skilful pencil illustrations enchant the reader and draw them into a snowy world filled with wonder. The book inspired an animated short film that was first broadcast on 26 December 1982. Adding to the story’s association with Christmas, it has aired annually ever since. More than four decades after the film’s initial release, The Snowman is still loved by adults and children alike. Since The Snowman first appeared on a 50p in 2018, close to 700,000 coins featuring this beloved character have made their way…

The Standlake Hoard of Boduoc staters, consisting of six gold staters of the Dobunnic ruler Boduoc in exceptional condition, are to be auctioned by Silbury Coins. They were found near the village of Standlake in Oxfordshire during an organised metal detecting event in 2023. The finds were declared treasure and recorded with the Portable Antiquities Scheme and Celtic Coin Index but later disclaimed and returned to the finders and landowner. This gives private collectors the rare opportunity to secure a high-grade rarity from the Ancient British inscribed series because coins of this quality are seldom found and offered for sale. These coins will be offered for sale through an auction ending at 5pm on 14 December. Bidding is exclusively through Silbury Coins, live on their website, by email or post.…

The Sasanian Empire was one of the major power players of late antiquity. While the remnants of the Eastern Roman Empire were crumbling, this great Persian civilisation was reaching its pinnacle. At its height, its territories and influence stretched from the Euphrates to the Indus River, from the Levant to the Caucasus. Officially known as the ‘Kingdom of the Iranians’, the Sasanian Empire had a huge, centralised bureaucracy, and a culture united under the common ideals of Zoroastrianism — ‘good thoughts, good words, good deeds’. The result was a civilisation with a remarkable level of consistency and continuity. This was especially notable in its coinage. The Sasanians were one of the most prolific money-issuing regions of the 5th century. Sassanid kings retained the sole right to mint coins, and the…

From 27 October 2024 to 27 October 2025, Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands, is celebrating its 750th anniversary. To help celebrate this event, the Royal Dutch Mint has issued a commemorative coin, one of only two issued per year. The first time the name Amsterdam appears in records, in the form of Amestelledamme, is on 27 October 1275. Then, it is a small village on the banks of the Amstel, with a very favourable position for trade. In 1275, Amsterdam officially received the toll privilege, which is seen as the birth date of the city. From 1300, when Amsterdam officially got its city rights, it really starts to grow. The occupation of Antwerp by the Spaniards in the 16th century and industrialisation are two major reasons Amsterdam had the…

The Monnaie de Paris will honour the famous adventure author Alexandre Dumas in 2024 for the 180th anniversary of the publication of The Three Musketeers. The coins issued are part of the mint’s series focused on literary styles and authors, with poetry celebrated in 2021 and theatre in 2022. The obverse of a €100 silver coin features the musketeers uniting their swords in the centre. The design includes the number 1 in the bottom right with the words ‘POUR TOUS’, a reference to the iconic phrase from the novels: ‘One for all and all for One.’ Additionally, each of the original three musketeers, Aramis, Porthos and Athos, will feature on a €10 silver coin, along with D’Artagnan, who joined the musketeers during the novel. On each of these coins, the…

A brilliant uncirculated cupro-nickel 50p coin, with a limited mintage of 1,320, has been issued to mark the 320th anniversary of British Gibraltar. On 4 August 1704, Admiral Sir George Rooke led an Anglo-Dutch fleet to capture Gibraltar during the War of the Spanish Succession. This pivotal event initiated British control over Gibraltar, which was formalised by the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713, ceding the territory from Spain to Britain in perpetuity. Rooke (c.1650–1709) was the most distinguished naval commander of his day. His career began at the Battle of Sole Bay (1672), and his most considerable victories include the destruction of the French fleet at La Hogue, (1692), the capture of the Spanish treasure fleet at Vigo Bay (1702) and, above all, the capture of Gibraltar in 1704. Over…