Posts by Chris Bowditch
The reign longer than Queen Elizabeth II?
Queen Elizabeth II is Britain’s longest reigning monarch, and that means that she has adorned the obverse of our coinage since 1953 when the first coins were issued with her portrait. Her reign has seen five different portraits on our coinage and one of the biggest changes to our currency – decimalisation.
And as this month marks the 50th anniversary since the day that Britain officially went decimal, we’ve been taking a look back at British coins and how their stories have changed over time. And there’s one icon that stands out above the rest, one that has featured on coins for far longer than Queen Elizabeth II’s impressive 68 years. I am of course referring to Britannia.
Over 2000 years old!
It’s thought that Britannia first featured on coins in Britain when the Romans arrived under Julius Caesar, but the depiction is wildly different to that which we recognize today. The coins showed a figure, neither male nor female, as a warrior with an inscription along the lines of “DE BRITANNIS”.
It wasn’t until Hadrian arrived in the second century AD that the coins started to feature a female figure with the inscription “BRITANNIA”. These Roman coins are always difficult to find, and many remain buried away even today.
A 1400 year hiatus…
This female figure disappeared from coins, and culture, for over a thousand years, not reappearing until the Tudor period. And even then it wasn’t until Charles II that she finally made her reappearance onto coinage. It’s thought that the rise of Britain as a naval power was the inspiration to include Britannia on coinage again.
Britain’s largest penny
Under George III a one penny and two penny coin were introduced in an attempt to restore confidence in British currency. The intrinsic value of the metal plus an allowance for the cost of production was made equal to the nominal value of the coin. This made them very heavy and a lot larger than other coins in circulation – giving them the nickname ‘Cartwheels‘.
Importantly though, as Britannia had become more and more associated with the sea, these were the first coins to depict her holding a trident rather than a spear.
The Standing Britannia
Throughout history Britannia has been depicted on several denominations of coins, usually pennies or half pennies. Often she was shown seated with the sea in the background, and never before had she been issued on a Florin. After the long Victorian tradition of a crowned cruciform shield for the reverse, a new Britannia design was issued as King Edward VII took to the throne. A truly beautiful design, it shows Britannia with her trident, shield, and stood powerfully against the sea. Only issued during King Edward VII’s short reign, this coin has become incredibly popular for its iconic design and impressive story.
Of course the Britannia has featured and continues to feature on Britain’s coinage, with new depictions on annual releases and even special releases such as the 2019 commemorative 50p. It certainly looks like she’ll continue to have a long reign on our coinage.
If you’re interested:
Secure your very own Silver Standing Britannia Florin. At over 100 years old and with a unique design, they’re in high demand with collectors. Click here to order yours now with a deposit of JUST £13!
The Victorian attempts at decimalisation that didn’t quite go to plan…
Next month marks the 50th anniversary since the UK switched to decimal currency, leaving behind the old Pounds (£), Shillings (/-) and Pence (d) and introducing the decimalised coins we know today. You might even remember Decimal Day in 1971 yourself, using conversion charts and rhymes to learn the new currency and the excitement of seeing the new coins in your change.
In the 1820s, discussions for a new decimal currency had already begun, and in 1849 a new decimal coin was introduced in the UK. But its introduction didn’t quite go as planned and decimalisation was delayed for almost 130 years!
The Florin
The Florin first entered circulation in 1849 and had a value of 1/10th of a pound, or 24 pence (in old money). Supposedly, the name came from a similar coin issued in the Netherlands to help with decimalisation there. The Florin (or Two Shilling Coin) featured a special portrait of Queen Victoria in a medieval gothic style. It was the first time since Charles II that a monarch was depicted on a portrait wearing a crown.
Blamed for famine and sickness
The Gothic portrait was featured on the Florin when it was first introduced in 1849. Because the bust was larger than the previous Young Head portrait, the design omitted ten important letters. The words “DEI GRATIA” had been removed from the coin’s inscription. In a deeply religious society, the fact that the words meaning “by the grace of God” no longer appeared on the coin caused outrage.
Many people believed that the lack of the inscription had angered God and caused famine and sickness at the time, leading many to avoid the coin altogether.
One of the shortest-lived coins in UK history
The public outrage meant that the design was altered to include a shortened version of DEI GRATIA (d.g.) by making the diameter of the coin 2mm bigger. This coin soon became the Gothic Florin and was better received by the public, but it’s safe to say that the disaster with the Godless Florin tainted the idea of decimalisation for many years. It also meant that the Godless Florin circulated for just a few years, making it one of the shortest-lived coins in our history!
A second attempt
The Victorian’s made a second attempt at decimalisation in 1887 in the form of the Double Florin (equivalent to 1/5th of a pound, or 48 pennies), issued with a new portrait of Queen Victoria for her Jubilee. But this coin also wasn’t received well and was withdrawn from circulation completely by 1890.
One of the features that makes the Double Florin stand out in history is that it was almost indistinguishable from the crown coin. Neither carried the denomination, and the only difference between the two (apart from the value) was that the Double Florin was 2mm smaller – not something that was easy to spot by eye. Because the two coins were so easily confused, the Double Florin became infamous for causing barmaid to lose their jobs after they short-changed pub owners!
The Victorians are famed for their innovation and sweeping changes in technology, industry, and culture. The Florin as a denomination did circulate until 1993 when it was eventually demonetised, and whilst there were countless experimentations with coinage and new denominations under Queen Victoria, it seems that the UK wasn’t quite ready for a change as big as decimalisation.
If you’re interested:
With such a fascinating story and sense of history behind it, it is no wonder that the Double Florin is such a highly-regarded British coin. Those that do remain are very difficult to track down and we have a very limited number available. And now you can spread your payment across 5 interest free instalments of JUST £19. Click here to secure yours today before they sell out!
The BRAND NEW £2 coins in honour of literary legend Charles Dickens…
Charles Dickens is widely regarded as the greatest novelist and social critic of the Victorian era. He created some of today’s best-known ‘classic’ characters including Oliver Twist, Ebenezer Scrooge and Nicholas Nickleby, to name just a few.
And now, to mark 150 years since his passing, a brand new set of £2 coins has been issued for release by Jersey Treasury and fully authorised by Her Majesty the Queen.
The FIVE new British Isles coins, celebrate some of Dickens most famous works, of which a vast majority were based on events from his life. For example, after working in a blacking factory, both ‘David Copperfield’ and ‘Great Expectations’ were fictionalised.
Throughout his life, Dickens was a vocal critic against poverty and the Victorian social hierarchy. His novels gained unprecedented popularity during his lifetime, and by the 20th century, critics and scholars had recognised him as a literary genius.
Find out more about these BRAND NEW £2 coins below…
The COMPLETE Charles Dickens BU £2 Coin Collection
This remarkable collection features FIVE £2 coins, each struck to a Brilliant Uncirculated quality and depicting some of Dickens’ most famous works, along with iconic lines from each book. The set includes:
- Great Expectations “Ask no questions, and you’ll be told no lies”.
- Oliver Twist “Please Sir, I want some more”.
- David Copperfield “Never do to-morrow what you can do today”.
- A Christmas Carol “God Bless Us, Every one!”
- Charles Dickens himself “1812 Charles Dickens 1870”.
What’s more, the coins will come protectively housed in bespoke Charles Dickens packaging. This set is one of the only ways you can own all FIVE coins and demand is expected to be high. If you’d like to secure one for your collection for JUST £49.95 (+p&p) then click here >>>
The STRICTLY LIMITED Charles Dickens Silver Proof £2
The Silver Proof version of this stunning £2 coin features a specially commission illustration of literary legend himself, Charles Dickens, adorning the reverse. The coin has been struck to a flawless Proof finish out of .925 Sterling Silver with selective 24ct Gold-plating.
The Silver Proof editions are without a doubt the collector’s favourite and almost always acquire fast sell-outs. With an edition limit of JUST 2,020 coins, time is short to secure one for your collection… Click here to guarantee yours >>>
The ULTIMATE Charles Dickens Silver Proof £2 Collection
This Silver proof set is by far the most limited way to own these coins. Not only are they strictly limited to JUST 995, but four of the coin designs, by illustrator Andy Walker, also feature full colour. This truly is the ultimate Charles Dickens £2 Coin Collection.
Sterling Silver, 24ct Gold-plating, full colour illustrations and only 995 available worldwide – Don’t miss out on yours… Click here >>>
The Charles Dickens Stamp & Coin Set
If you’re looking for something special, this Coin and Stamp Presentation is for you. This set features the Charles Dickens Brilliant Uncirculated £2 alongside the new ‘Oliver Twist’ stamp issued by Jersey.
Beautifully presented in a box, and carefully encased in protectively sealed numismatic capsules, only 500 collectors will be able to secure one… Click here to secure yours today >>>
If you’re interested…
Charles Dickens remains not only one of the greatest novelists of the Victorian Era, but in the whole of British history, and these coins are already proving phenomenally popular.
To view the full range of coins and secure yours, please click here >>
