Sierra Leone, Edward VIII Cupro-nickel

This Ceylon Edward VIII piece is one of the more difficult to get in cupro-nickel. We know this better than anyone else, because Richard had them struck. We found it the other day in a storeroom, supplies are limited and all are Uncirculated.

Many collectors don’t realize that many of the 1953 Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Crowns were issued in a black plastic case. It is unusual today to see these coins in those cases; in fact, we would say that the cases are rarer than the crowns. Well as luck would have it, we bought from a coin dealer who is retiring, 100 pieces of the 1953 Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Crown in Brilliant Uncirculated condition in the original black plastic cases they were issued in. We have seen just normal examples offered for as high as £29.50 in the National Press. So we think our price in the original cases is quite a good price. Supplies are limited and once they are gone, we wouldn’t know where to find any more.

Many collectors only go for silver versions of the Edward VIII series, yet many of the Copper and Brass pieces are very low mintage and much underappreciated. But as the mintages were low, they are in short supply. These are private issued pieces but are listed in Colin Bruce’s Unusual World Coins as published by Krause Publications. Edward VIII India Brass pieces have always been very popular because the Prince of Wales spent a long time in India.