Hello there! This time, I want to tell you about another hobby of mine. You'd be forgiven for thinking I spent my entire spare time taking photographs, especially if you knew the actual quantity of photographs I take! But besides being an aspiring photographer, I am also somewhat of a numismatist.
So we're looking at some coins from my collection today.
Firstly, this 1940 half-penny. It was the first pre-decimal pound sterling coin to enter my collection, and it entered the collection through rather unusual circumstances.
I dug it up.
While sifting mid in the garden, I found this coin.
The obverse bears an image of King George VI, while the reverse bears an image of the Golden Hinde, Sir Francis Drake's ship.
For a long time it was also the oldest coin in the collection until the arrival of a 1937 three-pence in June this year.
Next up is a 1992 Danish 2-krone coin. It is the only holey coin in the collection at present. It was purchased at a stall in the antique market in the town centre. If you like coins, then I recommend this place!
This coin's value is equivalent to 23 British pence.
This is an alphabet 10-pence from 2019; this one is for the letter K, for the legendary King Arthur, who is depicted on the reverse seated at the Round Table with his twelve knights. It is the only alphabet series coin I have at present; like most other coins in the collection, this one came as change.
This is a 2004 50-pence celebrating the 50th anniversary of the first four-minute mile by Roger Bannister. A pair of athlete's legs and a stopwatch are depicted on the reverse. Also came as change.
Next is an example of a discontinued decimal coin. On the right is a five-pence from 1990 found in general circulation, while on the left is a larger five-pence from 1970, when the first decimal five-pences were minted; they were minted at this size to replace the one shilling, but it was demonetised in 1990 in favour of what is the smallest coin presently in circulation.
This is a pair of Brexit 50-pence coins from 2020, found in general circulation. The design is rather modest for such a momentous occasion (but then again, I am a Brexit supporter), while the inscription on the reverse ('Peace, prosperity and friendship with all nations') could even be read by some as the opposite of what was actually being done!
In this day and age, 'peace, prosperity and friendship with all nations' can't mean with Russia!
In certain places, one may find a machine that produces souvenirs by crushing pennies. I first came across these in London in 2018, but first used one in June this year at Wollaton Hall, a product of which is shown here - the crest of the city of Nottingham.
Besides the penny that was being crushed, this particular machine also required a £1 coin for payment. There were three other designs: one with an elevation of Wollaton Hall, one with a deer and one with an image of Robin Hood (the only design I didn't make).
Another coin from the market, this time in the form of a 1988 100 Yugoslav dinar coin. When I found this market stall I decided I wanted a specimen of a coin from an Eastern-bloc country; it's also the only coin in my collection from a defunct country, as Yugoslavia broke up just four years later.
Another post-decimalisation demonetised coin is the round pound, of which I have three different designs, all found in general circulation before the coin was removed from circulation in 2017. This is my favourite, depicting the Menai Straits suspension bridge in Wales. This was minted in 2005. In contrast, the current dodecagonal £1 coin is not very diverse at all, as to date it still only has one design.
Lastly, I have several Beatrix Potter 50-pence designs from the late 2010s, all of which were . These are:
- Middle column, top: Beatrix Potter, 2016.
- Middle column, middle: Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle, 2016.
- Middle column, bottom: Mrs. Tittlemouse, 2018.
- Near-left/right column, top: The Tale of Peter Rabbit, 2017. This was the second of five 50-pence coin designs featuring Peter Rabbit between 2016 and 2020.
- Near-left/right column, bottom: Benjamin Bunny, 2017.
- Far left/right: The Tailor of Gloucester, 2018.
I have more coins besides these, but these are just the ones I have decided to show you today. Next time, we'll look at more Loughborough streets. Until then, have a great week!
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