Coin Collector

Coin Collector | 37 | www.allaboutcoins.co.uk the reigns of Queen Elizabeth I (1557-1603) and James I (1603- 1625). The sort of coin from these reigns that one might get is a sixpence or a shilling. Likewise Charles I shillings of the Civil War period can be bought for around the £35 mark. Scottish coins, especially from the Civil War period, can be picked up with luck but earlier coins are very expensive and highly sort after. Saxon coins tend to be above the ‘shoe-string level’ except for the copper sceattas struck in the 8th century in the Northumbrian capital of York. Popular with many collectors are coins of the Crusades and examples can be purchased relatively cheaply, such as the French silver deniers from Toulouse or Tours which were used by the Crusaders even in the Holy Land. As for the Holy Land itself, coins of the Bohemond family from Antioch are available from around £15 and upwards; the same story also applies to coins of the French occupation of Greece after the collapse of the Byzantine Empire in 1204. Byzantine coins too are an interesting area for collecting and generally speaking there are plenty from the 6th to 14th century that can be purchased at a reasonable price. Finally, French, Spanish and Sicilian coins all provide a collector with the opportunity to build an interesting collection at relatively little cost and of great historical interest. There are a wide variety of books that are useful to the collector. A History of Medieval Coinage in Britain, published by the Greenlight Publishing company, is recommended, as is A Beginners Guide to Medieval Coins by Paul Torongo. The Spink catalogue of English coins is another must-read. This ‘fair’ Edward I silver penny from c. 1461-1471 was sold on ebay for £10.49 This Edward I (1272-1307) silver penny from London cost just £18 in an antique and collectors fair in Edinburgh last year. The reverse has an inscription ‘Civitas London’, which means ‘the city of London’. In the centre is a cross with three balls in each quarter. The obverse shows a portrait of Edward I with an inscription around it reading: ‘Edwar Angl Dns Hyb’ or ‘Edward of England, lord of Ireland.’ COST c. £18 Charles I (1625-1649) silver twenty pence piece acquired two years ago from a dealer in London for £20. The obverse shows the king’s portrait with the twenty pence value shown as XX. The inscription in Latin reads ‘Car Dg Scot Anglr et Hyb r’ which translates as ‘Charles by grace of God king of Scotland, England and Ireland.’ On the reverse is a crowned thistle with the inscription ‘Iustitia firmat thronum’ or ‘Justice strengthens the throne.’ COST c. £20 STARTER PRICES Article first published in issue one of Coin Collector magazine. With thanks to Ed Archer. CO IN COLLECTOR ‘ RARE ÆTHELRED II MULE SELLS FOR £13,640! (seepage 8 fordetails) ISSUE SEVEN SPRING 2020 ALLABOUTCOINS.CO.U K AN INTRODUCTIONTOTHE COINS OF EDWARD III £3.99 allaboutcoins.co.uk 772631 755000 9 07> IN-DEPTH COLLECTING GUIDES EXPERT INSIGHT Your guide to medieval forgeries How to start a medal collection The importance of coins in the Bible The story of the Krugerrand The gold coin that took the collecting world by storm WIN! LIMITED EDITION 50p SET • OPINION • BANKNOTES Coins shed new light on London’s history SPECIAL REPORT SCARCITY REPORT: 2018 GB COINS p01CCMCover.indd 1 19/12/2019 11:15 COIN COLLECTOR JOIN TODAY AT: ALLABOUTCOINS.CO.UK Quickly becoming the world’s favourite coin magazine. Subscribe and never miss an issue! COIN COLLECTOR ‘ NEW! 10p,50p & £2 SCARCITY REPORT WIN EVERY A-Z 10p COIN!•BANKNOTES•LATEST PRICES ISSUE SIX WINTER 2019 £3.99 DISCOVER USA ‘HARD TIMES’TOKENS YOUR GUIDE TO PROVENANCE MARKS £3.99 allaboutcoins.co.uk 772631 755000 9 06> IN-DEPTH COLLECTING GUIDES EXPERT INSIGHT In pursuit of perfection The making of Britain’s classic 1818 Crown Fifty years of the 50p: the coins to look out for The remarkable Chew Valley hoard examined Opinion: rarity doesn’t have to cost thousands Portraitmedalsexplained p01CCMCover.indd 1 26/09/2019 09:39