My top 5 sell-out stories of 2013 so far …
Less than half way into the year and a number of 2013 coins have already been making the headlines – in some cases, selling out extremely quickly. Here’s my list of top 5 sell-out coins for the year so far.
1. The Britannia ‘DateStamp’ Silver Set
With the new year came a new Britannia struck, for the first time ever, in 999/1000 Silver up from 958/1000 – bringing Britannia in line with coins like the US Eagle and Canada’s Maple Leaf and securing her position as Britain’s purest silver coin.
Featuring one of the last ‘958’ coins and one of first ever ‘999’ versions, all 495 Britannia ‘DateStamp’ Silver Sets were snapped up by collectors in just 15 days.
Other ‘DateStamp’ products are still available to buy here .
2. The Canadian Maple Leaf Premium Set
In January, The Royal Canadian Mint announced all 600 of its 2013 Gold Maple Leaf Premium Sets had sold out. This year’s set was all the more sought-after as it featured the 1 oz Gold coin in high relief – only the second ever struck by Canada.
Considering the demand for the rare high relief Gold coin and the rapid sell-out of the 2011 and 2012 versions and it’s no wonder the 2013 set sold out in weeks.
3. The Canadian Ice Hockey Silver $20 Coin
Continuing the trend of the previous six coins, the $20 Silver Ice Hockey Coin became the latest sell-out in the Royal Canadian Mint’s $20 silver coin series – now the fastest-selling silver coin series in the world – with all 250,000 pieces now officially sold out.
Every single coin in this series has sold out incredibly quickly – but none more so than the Polar Bear whose record 25 days beat even the Diamond Jubilee coin. Few doubt the next one, the Wolf, will sell out quickly but can it beat the Polar Bear?
This has now sold out.
4. The Coronation Jubilee Gold £5 Crown
This beautiful Gold £5 Coin was issued exclusively by The Westminster Collection with a tiny worldwide edition limit of just 95 pieces.
The significance of the occasion, the coin’s 22 Carat Gold content and the beauty of its designs proved popular with royalty collectors looking to mark this year’s 60th anniversary of the Queen’s Coronation – and investors keen to add this piece to their portfolios.
5. The 2013 Australian Silver Holey Dollar and Dump Set
In March, I reported that an original Holey Dollar and Dump dating back to 1813 had sold for AUS$495,000.
An intriguing coin with a fascinating story, 2013 saw The Perth Mint issue their own 200th anniversary tribute to the Holey Dollar. All 4000 sets of 2013 1oz Silver Holey Dollar and Dump sold out not long afterwards.
New Portrait of the Queen revealed by Royal Mail
Royal Mail’s first ever commissioned portrait of the Queen by Nicky Philipps
Royal Mail has unveiled its first ever commissioned portrait of Queen Elizabeth II to coincide with her 87th birthday yesterday. The new portrait by Nicky Philipps will be the centrepiece of a special 6-value stamp issue, ‘Six decades of Royal Portraits’ featuring the finest painted portraits of the Queen from the last sixty years.
A world-first for Royal Mail
Celebrated portrait artist Nicky Philipps was chosen for Royal Mail’s first ever commission after consultation with the National Portrait Gallery.
This isn’t the first time the artist has painted Royalty – in 2010, Nicky painted the first ever double portrait of Princes William and Harry. She also painted the Duchess of Cambridge last year. The new portrait, featuring the Queen in her Garter robes, was painted over three sittings at Buckingham Palace during the autumn of 2012.
Six of the best
The 1st class stamp featuring the new portrait of the Queen will be issued, along with five other Coronation Anniversary painted portrait stamps, on 30th May to mark this year’s 60th anniversary of her Coronation.
2nd class stamp
Terence Cuneo was the official artist for the Queen’s Coronation in 1953. It proved to be a highlight of his career, bringing his work to the forefront of the public’s attention. The Queen is wearing the Imperial State Crown in this portrait.
78p stamp
One of two life-size portraits of the Queen by Andrew Festing painted in 1999 for the Royal Hospital in Chelsea where it still hangs today. It depicts the Queen wearing robes for the State Opening of Parliament and the Diadem Crown.
88p stamp
This romantic portrayal of the young Elizabeth taken in 1956 earned Italian portrait and fresco painter Pietro Annigoni huge international acclaim on its release. It remains arguably the most iconic portrait of the Queen’s reign.
£1.28 stamp
Taken from the 8ft tall ceremonial portrait by Sergei Pavlenko in 2000 depicting the Queen in her Garter robes. The portrait was personally unveiled by the Queen herself and is reported to be her favourite since the Coronation.
£1.88 stamp
This 1992 painting by Richard Stone involved seven one-hour sittings with the Queen at Buckingham Palace. Unveiled at the National Portrait Gallery in 1992 to mark 40 years since her accession, it currently hangs in the Town Hall of the artist’s home town of Colchester.
Antarctica issues new Queen Elizabeth Land Stamps – just in the nick of time!
When William Hague announced that part of British Antarctica would be renamed ‘Queen Elizabeth Land’ in honour of Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee, little did he know it would be the start of a race against time for one of the world’s smallest and most remote postal administrations!
Against the odds
The gesture put this tiny island in the South Pole – one of the UK’s 14 British overseas territories – back on the map. For the British Antarctic Post Office, the opportunity to issue new commemorative stamps was not to be missed even though it presented some very big challenges!
With no telephone, internet, running water or electricity, daily life in this inhospitable region can be difficult at the best of times. And as the island can only be accessed during its summer months of October to March, there was also a deadline to beat …
79 days and counting
Following the Foreign Secretary’s announcement on 18th December 2012, in order to issue the new Queen Elizabeth Land stamps before October 2013, they had to be designed, approved, printed and on board the last ship from the Falklands to Antarctica by 7th March. That gave them just 79 days!
It was going to be tight, but soon enough, stamp designs were submitted and approved by the relevant authorities, including the Queen herself, and the presses started rolling. Hot off the press, the first stamps were quickly taken to RAF Northolt to be airlifted to Port Stanley on the Falklands where the ship was waiting.
The finished cover featuring the new Queen Elizabeth Land Stamp
It had been a close shave but on 18th March, the new stamps arrived on Antarctica, ready to be affixed and postmarked, along with 495 exclusive First Day Covers which had also made the long journey south.
The Queen Elizabeth Land Commemorative Silver Coin Cover was later completed with a new silver proof crown, issued by the island’s Government also in celebration of the new name.
Now sold out.