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News from the World Money Fair – sell outs, baby coins, nano technology and much, much more…
9.00am. Friday 1 February 2013. Over 500 people are queuing in the lobby area of Berlin’s Hotel Estrel. All keen to be among the very first collectors to gain entry to the World Money Fair in search of a collector’s bargain, long sought-after coin or a glimpse at the latest issues from the world’s leading national mints.
There is no coin show quite like the World Fair of Money. That is why each year our team of buyers attend, meeting the Mint Masters and Sales Directors of the leading mints, like the Royal Mint, Royal Canadian Mint and the Royal Australian Mint as well as some of the most well-connected secondary market coin dealers.
Here are a few of the highlights from this year’s show that I can share with you.
Royal Mint at the World Money Fair
The Royal Canadian Mint will be issuing more $20 silver coins during 2013, continuing its trend as the world’s most popular silver coin. However, I also heard mention of something that I am pretty sure this could create even more of a storm than the $20 coins. I’m afraid I can’t say more until later this year!
I would also suggest that you look out for some very exciting and collectable issues to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the Silver Maple.
I was excited to hear the Coronation Anniversary coins are also in the pipeline for Australia and New Zealand, which will prove historic issues with some serious collector demand.
New Zealand were also able to share with us the immense popularity of their Hobbit coins – guaranteeing that they will remain a collector favourite over the next 2 years of films.
Exciting Innovation
Elsewhere, continued innovation excited. Perhaps my favourite was the ability to in-bed a nano chip into a coin, containing detailed information, visible only under a microscope. There is already talk of how to use such technology to include the works of Shakespeare in a nano chip on a coin to commemorate the 450th anniversary of Shakespeare’s birth in 2014.
Looking further ahead…
With almost 80% of you wanting a coin for a royal baby, there is some encouraging news. A number of the major national mints are having discussions with the Palace about issuing a coin with the Duke & Duchess of Cambridge’s baby this summer.
Looking further forward, I spent a considerable amount of time discussing plans to commemorate the centenary of the outbreak of World War I. I think it is safe to say that this will be the major collecting theme of 2014 and beyond with coins expected from the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and even many of the occupied countries.
We look forward to being able to tell you more about these and many more important issues over the coming months.
Royal Mint abandons Britannia Silver
After 25 years the Royal Mint has abandoned Britannia Silver as a standard for UK coins.
First introduced under the 1696 Coinage Act to combat the melting down of sterling silver coins, the Royal Mint most recently revived the standard in 1987 for the introduction of the £2 Silver Britannia Coin. As a nod to its design, the Royal Mint opted to strike this coin to the Britannia standard – 958/1000 silver (95.8% pure).
Whilst this made the Silver Britannia Britain’s purest silver coin, it created a problem with its international popularity, as the rest of the world does not recognise this uniquely British silver standard.
For quarter of a century, the Mint continued to maintain the Britannia standard but this year they have finally abandoned it in favour of the more internationally accepted 999/1000 purity, bringing the silver Britannia in line with other 1 ounce silver coins, like the US Eagle, Chinese Panda and Canadian Maple Leaf.
For keen-eyed collector, you will notice the diameter and overall weight of the coin has fractionally reduced as less total metal is required from the new purer alloy to give the coin 1 full troy ounce of pure silver.
So what do you think? Is the loss of a long-held silver quality from the UK’s coinage a sad loss to tradition or should the Royal Mint move with the times and ensure that our nation’s coins remain amongst the most popular the world-over?
Boy or girl? Coin or no coin?
The Royal Mint issued a UK commemorative coin for the Royal Wedding but will they do the same for a royal baby?
This week’s royal baby news has sparked great excitement as the perfect finale to an incredible year. But should the third in line to the British throne have a UK coin issued in his or her honour?
From jubilees and coronations to landmark birthdays and wedding anniversaries, The Royal Mint has a marked the most important moments in the history of our Royal Family with new UK coins. Well most of the time that is …
Never before has a UK coin been issued to celebrate a royal birth. But should the Royal Mint change tradition next summer? Tell us what you think.
Celebrate the royal baby news with a selection of Royal Baby Commemoratives