New Stock February 2024

Magnentius was likely born to a British father and a Frankish mother in A.D. 303 in Amiens, France. He was a committed Christian who rose rapidly to top positions in the Roman army and A.D. 350 he usurped the unpleasant & unpopular Constans, son of Constantine the Great. The murder of his brother was not taken lightly by Constantius II who finally managed to defeat the usurper in A.D. 353. We recently sold out of the last group so we have managed to buy a few more of the Magnentius’ bronze Maiorina from the Compton Dundon Hoard discovered in Somerset in 2017. The hoard was recorded as GLO-574C93, declared as treasure, and a selection acquired by the Museum of Somerset after being recorded and partially cleaned by the British Museum. This second group shows his head on the obverse with two winged Victories on the reverse. It was winged Victory that inspired the later depiction of Christian angels! The coins are Very Fine with deposits from their time underground and are priced to please.

Between 1180 and 1247 the Short Cross, and later the “Long Cross” pennies dominated everyday trading. Due to the lack of small change, the mint would cut these pennies into halves and quarters to be used as halfpennies and farthings. These cut coins were used during the reigns of Henry II, Richard “The Lionheart”, John “Lackland” and his son Henry III until Edward I’s new coinage of 1279. The Mints, Moneyers and even the King can be difficult to tell, but we’ll identify as much as possible. Here we have on offer a group of the cut-farthings from the long cross version (1247-1279).

Between 1180 and 1247 the Short Cross, and later the “Long Cross” pennies dominated everyday trading. Due to the lack of small change, the mint would cut these pennies into halves and quarters to be used as halfpennies and farthings. These cut coins were used during the reigns of Henry II, Richard “The Lionheart”, John “Lackland” and his son Henry III until Edward I’s new coinage of 1279. The Mints, Moneyers and even the King can be difficult to tell, but we’ll identify as much as possible. Here we have on offer a group of the cut-farthings from the short cross coinage (1180-1247).

For some reason the 1989 Mint Set has always been one of the more difficult to get. Perhaps there wasn’t so much interest that year and collectors didn’t buy so many. I don’t know the reason, but I do know that we are always running short of the 1989 Mint Sets. Perhaps one reason is that the 10p and the 50p for 1989 were not issued for circulation, which means that you have to break up a set to get these two coins. They are of course, in the Mint Set. The Royal Mint calls these coins Uncirculated, but they are in fact Specimen striking's. That means better than Uncirculated but not quite Proof condition. If you compare them to the coins you get in your change, you will see that they are much nicer quality. Each set contains the £1, 50p, 20p, 10p, 5p, 2p and 1p coins all struck in Specimen Uncirculated quality. Remember that the 10p and the 50p were not struck for circulation.

The creation of a unified monetary system in the Netherlands in the early 18th century saw the introduction of the guilder or gulden. Thanks to similarities in size and quality, old ducats and “rijksdaalder” became 2½ guilders. The coin was routinely nicknamed a rijksdaalder right up to the introduction of the euro in 2002. We have a number of these coins issued in silver between 1959 and 1966 and in Extremely Fine condition. These were the last of the denominations to be struck in silver before being replaced by nickel.

In 1991 Russia marked the 550th Anniversary of the birth of Ali-Shir Nava’i, also known as Alisher Navoi by striking a commemorative 1 rouble coin. Navoi was a Timurid poet, writer, statesman, linguist, mystic and painter who also promoted literature in the Chagatai language. Although born in what is now Afghanistan, former Soviet and Uzbek sources regard Nava’i as an ethnic Uzbek. As far back as 1924 Soviet linguistic policy renamed the Chagatai language “Old Uzbek”. The coins are all uncirculated.

This a wonderful offering, the Swedish 2 Kronor is much more difficult to find in the high grades than the 1 Kronor coin. Just as in the UK, the Florin is much scarcer than the Shilling. They are struck in .400 silver and in Uncirculated condition. We are listing them by type rather than by date. This type is Gustaf VI 1952-66. All are Uncirculated.

The Union Copper Works was started at Danygraig, Risca, just north of Newport in South Wales and it existed for just ten years. Its trading offices were listed as Congreve Street in Birmingham. The location of the works was a good one with a nearby colliery supplying small coal which was otherwise unsaleable and the newly opened Sirhowy tramroad providing access to a supply of limestone and clay, whilst ore could be brought in on the newly built Monmouthshire canal. At its peak between 1811-1815 the output was around 34 tons per week but the works closed abruptly in 1816 most likely due to the declining demand and price of copper which was falling off at the end of the war against France and the works were offered for sale in 1817. These large copper One Penny Tokens were issued in 1812 and show clasped hands and the date below with the legend UNION COPPER COMPANY BIRMINGHAM around the outside and they grade Very Fine.

It is now 60 years since the United States introduced the cupronickel-clad quarters we see today due to rising silver prices. Before they were replaced by the so-called “Johnson Sandwich” in honour of then President Lyndon B. Johnson, the coins were struck in 90% fine silver. We can now offer you these Uncirculated Washington quarters minted in 1964, the last year they were struck in silver. The obverse shows the first president facing left, while the reverse depicts an eagle with its wings outspread and perched between two olive branches.

Today we call small coins copper, but they are struck in bronze or even Steel. The last British coins struck in copper were of Queen Victoria and dated 1859/1860. So these Victoria Copper Halfpennies we are offering you were struck between 1838-1860. Dates will be of our choice and there are none of the rare dates in the group. You have the Young Head of Queen Victoria on the obverse and a seated figure of Britannia holding a trident on the reverse. The design was deeply engraved and the thick copper planchet made the coins strike even better

Today we call small coins copper, but in fact, they are struck in bronze or even Steel. The last British coins struck in copper were of Queen Victoria and dated 1859/1860. So these Victoria Copper Halfpennies we are offering you were struck between 1838-1860. Dates will be of our choice and there are none of the rare dates in the group. You have the Young Head of Queen Victoria on the obverse and a seated figure of Britannia holding a trident on the reverse. The design was deeply engraved and the thick copper planchet made the coins strike even better

As most collectors know the Halfpenny is the most difficult denomination to find and collect. We bought out an old-time dealer of all his bronze sets of old coins and he had just 30 complete date sets of the Queen Victoria Old Head Halfpennies. These coins were issued 1895-1901 and are all in selected circulated condition. Once these are gone it will be almost impossible to put more together. Very limited stock.

In the whole Young Head series of Queen Victorian coins, the one that I have the most difficulty getting is the Sixpence. It was struck for years and years (1838-1887), but for some reason, this is one type of coin that always seems to be missing. I have a small group of these Sterling Silver Sixpences, dates will be of our choice, but the more coins you order, the more different dates we will try and give you.

John Wilkinson was born in 1728, the son of Isaac Wilkinson, a furnace worker. John also worked at the foundry and learned from an early age the science of working with metals. He rose through the ranks up to the management of a number of ironworks until he eventually entered into partnerships with his own furnaces in various locations in Shropshire where he was also one of the main driving forces in the building of the famous Iron Bridge over the river Severn at Broseley. He, too, saw the opportunities from issuing his own tokens to use as a form of payment but also for self-advertising. So much so, he even had his own portrait stamped on the coins with the words JOHN WILKINSON, IRON MASTER.

William IV (1830-37) was the third son of George III, succeeding his elder brother George IV, becoming the last king and penultimate monarch of the House of Hanover. William served in the Royal Navy in his youth, spending time in British North America and the Caribbean, and was later nicknamed the “Sailor King”. As his two elder brothers died without leaving legitimate heirs, William inherited the throne in 1830 when he was 64 years old. At the time of his death, just 7 years later, William was survived by eight illegitimate children, none of whom could lay claim to the throne. So William was succeeded by his young niece -Victoria, the rest is history! Being such a short reign, William’s coins can be difficult to find in large quantities, we’ve been putting away the popular sixpences for several years and finally have enough to offer you. They were struck for 5 years only and dates will be of our choice, more than likely 1831-35, and they’ll be offered in VG and Fine grade.