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Un precis d'Angleterre
Numismatic Observations on Oxford and London, 29 March to 12 April
2010 Part One These are simply my recent commonplace impressions and if you know more than I do on the subject matter (as well many persons may) you can correct or append to these comments. You can also ignore them as you wish without offending me. Note: Generally, I paid USD 1.65 for GB 1 Pound during this trip. This is slightly dumb on my part; I really should use ATMs instead of bringing cash (banknotes) with me and get a better exchange rate. The pound was the cheapest that I can recall and much cheaper that when I visited in mid-2007. Coins in everyday use As I noted in earlier trips, the English use coins much more than Americans do. Small pocket-sized coin purses are in very common use (by both men and women), as the English coins are relatively larger, thicker and heavier than American coins. Of course, the range of English coin denominations represent relatively higher sums of money than America’s range of coin denominations. The new circulation coins: The “Royal Shield” and “Shield Puzzle” coins that were introduced in 2008 are starting to work their way into circulation. I obtained specimens of all denomination from the One Pound to the One Pence, ‘though I only got one example of the newly designed Fifty Pence. The newly designed Five Pence and Twenty Pence were commonly tendered, and I got multiples of each denomination with the exception of the Fifty Pence. Coins dated 2009 were starting to appear, but most bright and shiny coins encountered were dated 2008. I found NO examples of 2010 dated coins. I obtained two examples of the regular Two Pounds coin dated 2008. I obtained one example of the 2007-dated Abolition of the Slave Trade commemorative Two Pounds. I obtained five example of the 2005-dated Dr. Johnson’s Dictionary commemorative Fifty Pence. I obtained one example of the 2006-dated Victoria Cross (Two Soldiers type) commemorative Fifty Pence. The currently produced bronze-plated steel One and Two Pence coins have almost totally replaced the earlier bronze coins. Elongated coins There are at least two, two-die squished penny machines at Harrods Department Store and I essentially had to use the bronze-plated coins although my “purist” elongating friends might object. The two designs both feature the name Harrods in the well-known script and show (1) the Harrods’ building on Brompton Road, along with the date 2010, and (2) the Harrods’ Teddy Bear. Unlike America’s copper covered zinc cents which tend to split open when elongated, the United Kingdom’s bronze-plated steel pence almost always roll out very well and evenly. It seems that when the softer metal is in the middle of a coin, it doesn’t elongate very well (the outer core splits open). It seems that when the harder metal is in the middle of a coin, the soft outer metal flows well and evenly when elongated. There is probably some arcane scientific principal that explains this. There is a magnet in the cup of many penny rolling machines in England, as the product is usually magnetic and this keeps them from falling to the ground. Notes in everyday use The principal banknotes are denominated Five Pounds, Ten Pounds and Twenty Pounds. There is a Fifty Pounds banknote as well, but it can be highly inconvenient in small transactions. All of these notes are issued by the Bank of England, and I did not receive or see any Scottish bank-issued banknotes during this trip. The notes are different colors – the five pounds is blue green; the ten pounds brown orange yellow; the twenty pounds is purple and white; and the fifty pounds is red and white. The effigy on the ten pounds honors the scientist Charles Darwin and that on the Twenty honors the economist Adam Smith. The Twenty Pounds has a teeny-tiny vignette of “Britannia” as well (the dropping of “Britannia” from the design of the Fifty Pence coin back in 2008 caused a minor tempest in a teapot amongst the British Press). All notes feature H.M. the Queen’s portrait as well. The notes have different sizes, each successive denomination being slightly larger that the previous. This is obviously an aide for the visually handicapped and probably also of help to busy cashiers. Instead of laying notes flat in the cash register drawer, many retailers’ cash registers store the banknotes upright on the edges. To be continued |
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#2
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Un precis d'Angleterre
On Apr 17, 6:49*pm, oly wrote:
Numismatic Observations on Oxford and London, 29 March to 12 April 2010 Part One These are simply my recent commonplace impressions and if you know more than I do on the subject matter (as well many persons may) you can correct or append to these comments. *You can also ignore them as you wish without offending me. Note: *Generally, I paid USD 1.65 for GB 1 Pound during this trip. This is slightly dumb on my part; I really should use ATMs instead of bringing cash (banknotes) with me and get a better exchange rate. *The pound was the cheapest that I can recall and much cheaper that when I visited in mid-2007. Coins in everyday use As I noted in earlier trips, the English use coins much more than Americans do. *Small pocket-sized coin purses are in very common use (by both men and women), as the English coins are relatively larger, thicker and heavier than American coins. *Of course, the range of English coin denominations represent relatively higher sums of money than America’s range of coin denominations. The new circulation coins: *The “Royal Shield” and “Shield Puzzle” coins that were introduced in 2008 are starting to work their way into circulation. *I obtained specimens of all denomination from the One Pound to the One Pence, ‘though I only got one example of the newly designed Fifty Pence. *The newly designed Five Pence and Twenty Pence were commonly tendered, and I got multiples of each denomination with the exception of the Fifty Pence. Coins dated 2009 were starting to appear, but most bright and shiny coins encountered were dated 2008. *I found NO examples of 2010 dated coins. I obtained two examples of the regular Two Pounds coin dated 2008. *I obtained one example of the 2007-dated Abolition of the Slave Trade commemorative Two Pounds. *I obtained five example of the 2005-dated Dr. Johnson’s Dictionary commemorative Fifty Pence. *I obtained one example of the 2006-dated Victoria Cross (Two Soldiers type) commemorative Fifty Pence. The currently produced bronze-plated steel One and Two Pence coins have almost totally replaced the earlier bronze coins. Elongated coins There are at least two, two-die squished penny machines at Harrods Department Store and I essentially had to use the bronze-plated coins although my “purist” elongating friends might object. *The two designs both feature the name Harrods in the well-known script and show (1) the Harrods’ building on Brompton Road, along with the date 2010, and (2) the Harrods’ Teddy Bear. Unlike America’s copper covered zinc cents which tend to split open when elongated, the United Kingdom’s bronze-plated steel pence almost always roll out very well and evenly. *It seems that when the softer metal is in the middle of a coin, it doesn’t elongate very well (the outer core splits open). *It seems that when the harder metal is in the middle of a coin, the soft outer metal flows well and evenly when elongated. *There is probably some arcane scientific principal that explains this. There is a magnet in the cup of many penny rolling machines in England, as the product is usually magnetic and this keeps them from falling to the ground. Notes in everyday use The principal banknotes are denominated Five Pounds, Ten Pounds and Twenty Pounds. *There is a Fifty Pounds banknote as well, but it can be highly inconvenient in small transactions. *All of these notes are issued by the Bank of England, and I did not receive or see any Scottish bank-issued banknotes during this trip. The notes are different colors – the five pounds is blue green; the ten pounds brown orange yellow; the twenty pounds is purple and white; and the fifty pounds is red and white. *The effigy on the ten pounds honors the scientist Charles Darwin and that on the Twenty honors the economist Adam Smith. *The Twenty Pounds has a teeny-tiny vignette of “Britannia” as well (the dropping of “Britannia” from the design of the Fifty Pence coin back in 2008 caused a minor tempest in a teapot amongst the British Press). *All notes feature H.M. the Queen’s portrait as well. *The notes have different sizes, each successive denomination being slightly larger that the previous. *This is obviously an aide for the visually handicapped and probably also of help to busy cashiers. Instead of laying notes flat in the cash register drawer, many retailers’ cash registers store the banknotes upright on the edges. To be continued Part Two Again, these are just my casual observations, I wasn’t seriously investigating conditions or coin shopping. Coin Shops Spink: I finally visited the showroom of Spink, on Southampton Road. Spink has a very, very nice building, very classy showroom on a busy commercial road about three and one-half blocks from the British Museum. They are also just south of Russell Square and near Bloomsbury Square, both additinal landmarks. There are many coin books and catalogs in the large front foyer, some coins, medals, banknotes and military medals (decorations) on display in the store. Spink’s written “Royal Warrant” to H.M. the Queen as “Numismatist and Medalist” is prominently on display in the front foyer. The Royal Warrant is to the principal of the firm himself, and not to the company. There were some well above average coins (and medals) of Charles I on display, and if I recall, some eighteenth century medals by Pingo. There was some kind of 20th century German medal in porcelain, I forget the subject matter. There were several British Colonial banknotes on individual display, maybe specimens or proofs, no doubt rarities. However, the very best items on display, however, were in the area of military medals. There were several large “named” sets of medals on display (seven to nine medals all to one recipient) covering late Victorian and World War I and World War II eras. The very best item was a Victorian Crimea Medal, in silver, with five “bars” for various battles participated in. There was a second Crimea medal, also in silver, with only one or two bars. I thought that both of these Crimea medals were choice choice choice stuff. There was one person at the main show case apparently selling some modern British sets and stuff to the firm. It was a light morning for the shop, it seemed. Having no funds to spend for rare coins, I did not bother to ask to see anything additional. All the people at Spink were very polite and friendly enough. Others: Coincraft is still in place on Great Russell Street, straight across the street from the British Museum. This is probably the best sited coin shop of any in the entire world. There are wonderful things in Coincrafts’ windows to see, a small exquisite display of some desirable stuff of all eras. The show windows at Coincraft remind me of the windows at Harlan J. Berk’s shop on Clark Street in Chicago, but Mr. Berk has more windows than Mr. Lobel. A few years back, there seemed to be two coin shops here, but apparently the other shop (which primarily sold ancients) has been absorbed somehow. Mr. Lobel has also added his last name to the front of the shop, which I don’t recall being there in the past. Again, having no special funds for coins and having many other places to see (not the least of which was the British Museum just across the street), I did not dare venture into Coincraft (‘though I have done so in the past). Two other places to note: Katy-korner from the British Museum, there is a small shop one door off the intersection of Great Russell Street and Bury place which primarily sells nice small Greek and Roman antiquities, and they have some Roman coins. There is a small shop near Admiralty Arch and Trafalgar Square and the National Gallery of Art (at Pall Mall at Suffolk or Whitcomb Streets?) which titles itself as a Military Medals shop, but they have lots of coins. Both of these shops have been around a while, so if you go looking I think that they will still be there. To be continued oly |
#3
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Un precis d'Angleterre
On Apr 18, 10:31*am, oly wrote:
I agree with all of that. I thought that the salesmen at Spinks were among the best salesmen I've encountered. The prices seemed a little high when I went and my grandson had his portion of BS rather soon after we arrived so I didn't buy anything. There are some other interesting coin shops near the National Portrait Gallery but further up from Trafalgar. |
#4
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Un precis d'Angleterre
On Apr 18, 11:36*am, Peter wrote:
On Apr 18, 10:31*am, oly wrote: I agree with all of that. *I thought that the salesmen at Spinks were among the best salesmen I've encountered. *The prices seemed a little high when I went and my grandson had his portion of BS rather soon after we arrived so I didn't buy anything. There are some other interesting coin shops near the National Portrait Gallery but further up from Trafalgar. I am simply in heaven when I am in the National Portrait Gallery. I like it even better than the National Gallery of Art, which is also wonderful. However, I did wonder about the portraits of Jenny Lind (the Swedish Nightengale), Mrs. Simpson (Wallis, the Duchess of Windsor) and one other late nineteenth century fellow whose name escapes me. Were they eventually British citizens? Also, the portrait of John Maynard Keynes seemed to be AWOL. I wish I could remember the name of the other fellow I questioned, as his status seemed to me to be the thorniest of the three. It was not poet T.S. Eliott, an American (Missourian) by birth whose naturalized British status I was aware of. I still intend to write about where to see coins in Museums. It will just take a little time. oly |
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