The 100 year old tin that was delivered to ‘every sailor afloat and every soldier at the front’…

As they left for war in Autumn 1914, the soldiers, and the country, believed that it would all be over by Christmas of that year. We know now that the brutal conflict was to drag on for another 4 years, but Christmas 1914 became famous for being the first respite from the war

Many felt the need to show give a small token of appreciation to those who had put their lives on the line. And so, on 30th October 1914, Princess Mary launched her Christmas Gift fund. She asked the public: 

“I want you now to help me send a Christmas present from the whole nation to every sailor afloat and every soldier at the front.”

UK 1914 WWI Christmas Princess Mary Tin Silver Five Coin Set3 - The 100 year old tin that was delivered to ‘every sailor afloat and every soldier at the front’…
Princess Mary embossed on the top of the tin

And they did. Her appeal was met with an enthusiastic response, eventually raising over £162,000 (an incredible sum at the time). This led to the memorable Princess Mary’s Gift Box. It was a beautiful embossed brass box, 128 x 84 x 30mm (5 x 3.3 x 1.2 inches), containing one ounce of pipe tobacco, 20 cigarettes, pipe, a tinder lighter, a Christmas card and a photo of Princess Mary.

On Christmas Day 1914 alone, almost 500,000 Christmas tins were distributed to British service personnel. The boxes were sent to “every sailor afloat and every soldier at the front” in accordance with Princess Mary’s wishes.

UK 1914 WWI Christmas Princess Mary Tin Silver Five Coin Set4 - The 100 year old tin that was delivered to ‘every sailor afloat and every soldier at the front’…
‘Christmas 1914’ embossed on the tin – the date the tin was given to soldiers

A large number of these tins were subsequently damaged in the war, with many being blown apart by shells or corroded in the wet conditions in the trench. However, the boxes that have survived are now distinctive mementoes of the war’s first Christmas.

They are also absolutely fascinating historic artefacts  – each tin is totally unique and may have even been there in the trenches 100 years ago protecting a young tommy’s keepsakes. They each tell their own story, and just looking at them you can see the small bits of damage, the smells and stains that tell the story of how they survived 100 years to remind us of the soldiers who suffered the extreme conditions of the Great War.

UK 1914 WWI Christmas Princess Mary Tin Silver Five Coin Set1 - The 100 year old tin that was delivered to ‘every sailor afloat and every soldier at the front’…
The Princess Mary Christmas tin

With the festive season approaching, it is especially important to remember those soldiers who would have received one of these tins. It’s hard not to think about a young tommy, sitting in his trench on Christmas Day, opening his Princess Mary Christmas tin as carols drifted across No-Man’s Land. 


If you’re interested…

We have a limited number of genuine Christmas Tins available and ready to deliver for Christmas, with 5 coins all from 1918. But with such a limited number available you will need to be quick to own this ultimate Christmas gift… Check out the video to see Adam explain what makes this tin so special or click here to order yours now >>>

5 Comments

  1. T j reeves re 13464 on December 16, 2019 at 1:00 am

    I’ve got a family axmas tin as he survived the war and brought it home from the front line but I would be interested in a set of the coins if there is a chance

  2. Gary Richards on December 2, 2019 at 7:57 am

    No link for Christmas tin?

  3. Paul Geddes on November 30, 2019 at 3:40 pm

    A small correction. A brass tin cannot rust, as there is no iron content. It can however become subject to corrosion in the form of verdigree, the green corrosion product of copper.

    • Adam Turnbull on December 2, 2019 at 9:32 am

      Hi Paul, very good spot! I’ll get that amended now, thanks for letting us know 🙂

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