Token Publishing

The Nation Celebrates

Alyson Thomas — 20/05/2013 12:53:59

A matter of note

THE recent announcement by the Bank of England (BofE) that Sir Winston Churchill is to appear on a future banknote (probably the �5 in 2015/16, but that may change) has been greeted with the predictable responses from the predictable quarters. There are those who are praising the choice of �Winnie��after all he is one of the most recognisable of Britons�but inevitably there are others who are bemoaning the decision. A certain faction with political motivation is stating that the choice of a second Tory Prime Minister to grace a BofE note (the Duke of Wellington appeared on the series D �5) is both monstrously unfair and plain wrong, especially in today�s political environment, as the two men gained fame/notoriety (pun intended) defeating a European enemy . . . aren�t we all friends now . . .? Others are complaining that the only woman to be portrayed on a banknote, Elizabeth Fry on the current �5, is to be replaced by yet another man, why not a woman? This argument holds some weight (unlike the political one which just seems to be point scoring for the sake of it), however, a list of names given by the public to the BofE for possible inclusion on future notes shows few women and fewer of those are as well known as Churchill. I can certainly see Jane Austen or Elizabeth Browning, Grace Darling or one of the Bronte sisters turning up in our wallets and purses in the future, but others, such as Elizabeth Garret Anderson or Octavia Hill, might have the public scratching their heads in bemusement. The simple fact is that the �Great Britons� we would like to see featured on our coins and notes are more likely to be men than women, that�s because in order to be considered truly great the chances are you would have to have done something pretty remarkable and also have been dead for a while�the nature of our society up until the late 1800s meant that it was less likely women would be in a position to do something �remarkable� (at least something recognised by everybody) and so the pool to choose from is inevitably smaller. As time passes the number of women who fall into the category of �likely to be on a banknote� will grow, although with the recent furore over her death and funeral I don�t see Baroness Thatcher turning up on a tenner any time soon! Of course, as one of the (female) members of the Token Team pointed out: every single BofE note has a woman on it so people really shouldn�t be complaining about sexism!

The choice of Churchill is intriguing though�not least because he becomes one of the few who can be seen on a coin and a note. Every coin collector in the country (and beyond) is familiar with the Churchill Crown (no sorry, they really aren�t worth that much) and with this new note he will join Darwin and Dickens as the only three men to be seen on both forms of currency in England (Darwin appeared on the 2009 �2, 200 years after his birth and Dickens was similarly honoured in 2012, 200 years after his birth. Both men appeared on the �10 note, Dickens on the Series E, Darwin currently). Florence Nightingale, of course, also appeared on a �10 and the 100th anniversary of her death in 1910 was also commemorated on a �2 coin, but only her name, not her image was shown. And no, the �2 coin with the steam locomotive was celebrating Trevithick and not Stephenson�s Rocket so the Series E �5 doesn�t count, although I do accept there was a �25 gold proof coin depicting the Rocket struck in 2004�but that isn�t going to be widely seen so I don�t think that counts either. However, for me the real reason Churchill�s depiction is of interest is from a design point of view. I remember when Charles Darwin was chosen for the �10 note and Sir Edward Elgar�s face was seen on the �20, the BofE told us then that one of the reasons they had been chosen was because of their wonderful beard and moustache respectively, more hair being better for banknote design as it was an added anti-counterfeit measure. Well, in case no-one has noticed, Churchill didn�t have much of a beard or moustache, in fact the last time I looked at a picture of him he wasn�t very hirsute at all! I will be very interested to see what security measure the new note has to make up for the distinct lack of hair on the new subject!

Stolen BEM

Phil Mussell — 03/05/2013 15:23:00

On Thursday 2 May 2013, a British Empire Medal awarded to Vernon Harold Sellwood for bravery in the Auxiliary Fire Service in 1941 was stolen from the D-Day Museum in Portsmouth. His name is engraved along the edge of the medal. Any information relating to this theft would be gratefully received. Please contact either Andrew Whitmarsh at the D-Day Museum on 023 9282 6722, or Crimestoppers (crime reference number 44130158291). Thank you.

Tweet Tweet!

Phil Mussell — 01/05/2013 14:44:00

We're officially on Twitter - you can follow us on @coinsandmedals

Keep abreast of all numismatic and medal news, find out where we'll be (and real time updates on what the show is like) learn about our new books, what's coming up in the magazine and much, much more!

We can't promise you wit and wisdom, we can't promise you anything really - it's all new to us but we'll give it a go and see what happens!

Winston Churchill to grace the new �5

Phil Mussell — 30/04/2013 16:52:00

We won't get it for a while but when we do the new £5 note will bear the face of Sir Winston Churchill - arguably one of the finest, and most recognisable of all Britons.

The new note, which won't grace our purses, wallets or ATMs until 2016, will feature the face of "Winnie" taken from a photograph by Yousuf Karsh in 1941, in the background will be the palace of Westminster and the newly named "Elizabeth Tower" - more familiarly (if incorrectly) known as Big Ben. The clock on the tower shows 3.00pm - the approximate time Churchill delivered his "blood, toil, tears and sweat" speech on May 13 1940. Part of the speech is featured on the note. Also seen is Churchill's 1953 Nobel Prize for literature.

It should be noted that the choice of note - the £5 - and the date of issue - 2016 - may be subject to change.

The Mighty Hood

Alyson Thomas — 29/04/2013 10:46:11

Happy Birthday to us!

I MAKE no excuses for writing this month�s Editorial as one long �congratulations� to Token Publishing Ltd (and myself if I�m honest), as this month (April 2013�it may be the May issue but we are always a little ahead of ourselves) marks no less than 30 years since Token Publishing Ltd came into being. We (Mary, my then wife, and I) started work on the May issue of Coin & Medal News from our tiny offices above a plumber�s shop in Station Road, Liphook, Hants (the shop is still there!). I had previously been editing the magazine for Epic Publishing, based in London (having previously been employed in the stamp world by the auctioneers H. R. Harmer Ltd), but when they decided to sell off their titles I jumped in with both feet and took over the title I was working on. At the time I had no idea what I was letting myself in for, and whilst there have been trials and tribulations along the way, I can honestly say it was the best decision I ever made.

A great deal has changed in those past 30 years, both personally and professionally�when I formed Token Publishing Ltd I had my wife working with me and both sons were at school . . . now I have a different wife, Carol, as my business partner, my elder son, Philip, is a Director of the company and my two grandsons are at school! That small office above the plumber�s shop, with just two of us working there, has grown to a large office complex and a warehouse, with 14 staff and a host of �freelancers�. We have gone from publishing just the one title every month to two magazine titles (COIN NEWS and MEDAL NEWS were split in 1989), three �yearbooks�, dozens of �one off� books and now we sell accessories too. But to be honest there isn�t much about any of it I would have changed. I started my professional career in print, as an apprentice printer�s reader back in 1958, and whilst I�m not quite ready to fully retire yet, when I do I will do so as the Managing Editor of a successful publishing company�you can�t ask for much more than that! Throw into the mix that I have been lucky enough to travel all over the world with this job and that I have met some amazing people, many of whom have become very good friends, then you will realise just why I feel very fortunate to have made that decision 30 years ago to bite the bullet, take out one of Maggie Thatcher�s �Enterprise initiative loans� and go for it.

Of course, it isn�t just down to me, or my wife, son or staff�the longevity of this company has stemmed from darned hard work, and from the fact that in the early days we worked our socks off to make it work, often staying at the office until three or four o�clock in the morning on press days�and in recent years Phil has given up just about every spare weekend to make sure he was promoting the business as much as possible at fairs up and down the country. Without all that, and the hard work our staff put in too, we wouldn�t have survived. Of that there is no doubt, but the real secret of our success is, and always has been, the loyalty of our readers and advertisers. No amount of hard work, late nights or weekends away would have meant anything unless the dealers were prepared to advertise and the readers were there to support us, and many of you have done so since the very beginning. So, whilst I am very proud to have reached this milestone, and will allow myself to be a little smug about it, I would also like to take this opportunity to thank you, all of you, for the part you have played in getting Token Publishing Ltd to this point�it really is �Happy Birthday� to us all!

Sad loss

Carol — 24/04/2013 10:44:00

It is with great sadness that we report the death of one of the UK�s most popular medal dealers, Fred Walland. Fred was a well known face at many leading fairs and in particular the Britannia Medal Fair which he originally founded with Malcolm and Jeannie Gordon. A pioneer of the hobby of medal collecting, Fred�s regular lists became a familiar part of the collecting scene. We understand Fred was 74 and had been battling cancer. Our thoughts and condolences go out to his loved ones.

Astrology and the ancients

Alyson Thomas — 18/04/2013 10:19:04

To err is human!

Carol — 17/04/2013 15:59:00

There were embarrassed faces at the Central Bank of Ireland as it was revealed that the new 10 euro coin issued to commemorate legendary Irish author James Joyce had an extra word erroneously added to a famous James Joyce quote. As well as an image of Joyce there are three sentences from his famous 1922 work �Ulysses� on the new coin design. However, this has not deterred sales as we can now report, all 10,000 coins minted have sold out�in just over 2 days! Although the Central Bank has offered a full refund to any disgruntled purchasers, as yet collectors seem keen to hang on to their �error� coin.

Yate Militaria Fair

Carol — 17/04/2013 10:49:00

The Token Team, John and Carol in this instance as Phil is away in the US at the Chicago International Coin Fair, will be attending the Mark Carter Yate Medal & Militaria Fair on Sunday 21st April. As well as Medal News magazine, all of the Token titles will be available including the very latest Michael Maton title Honour The Recipients of Foreign Awards. Get up early and see you there!

Outwood Anybody?

Phil Mussell — 03/04/2013 16:17:00

We don't normally do Andrew Jukes' Outwood (Wakefield show) at the Outwood Memorial Hall, Outwood, Wakefield WF1 2NE as it's a long way "up north" to commit to attending every month (it's always the first Sunday of the month) but just occasionally Andrew can squeeze us in - and he's managed to this week.

It's an early start, 8.00am for the public, stupid o'clock for us dealers, but the one we attended in December was definitely worth it and with high profile medal dealers like Chris Dixon and Steve Sewell attending (not to mention Andrew "the Medal Centre" Jules himself) it is a decent show to come along to. See you there...!!

Medal Theft in Gleadless

Phil Mussell — 03/04/2013 12:06:00

South Yorkshire Police have informed us of a large collection going missing from a house in Gleadless, Sheffield in March - the collection, which includes Victorian campaign (NGS, MGS, Mutiny, Crimea and more) right up to WWII is beginning to appear on the market now and the police are asking us all in the medal world to be vigilant. The full list of stolen property is too large to publish here but if you purchase anything that seems too good to be true (or want the full list) then contact DC Steve Robinson on 0114 296 3464 ext 713449

Posthumous VC

Alyson Thomas — 28/03/2013 11:23:38

Man or medal?

THERE has been a debate on-line recently about medals vs men and what we as collectors should be researching and how we should be doing it. This is nothing new, it is a subject that has been brought up in conversations at medal fairs and medal clubs around the country on a regular basis for years, but I�m not entirely sure that I have covered it here. Essentially, the argument is whether we, as collectors, should be more interested in the recipient of the medal or the medal itself? In other words, are we just collecting good stories about brave men and women or are we more akin to coin and stamp collectors: collecting varieties of physical items? The arguments for the first type of collection are obvious�after all, without a man (or woman of course) there would be no medal, they had to have actually done something to be awarded that medal, be it an act of heroism, fighting in a campaign or a period of long service, but if we are simply collecting mementoes of service or heroism why is it that we don�t collect photographs? Or diaries? Surely these things are even more personal than the medals, aren�t they? Yes, many of us will eagerly search for a photo of �our man� or keep his diary with his group, but few of us would actively seek out such things were the medals not with them. We are medal collectors not ephemera collectors, but if we claim to be honouring the man then why don�t we collect ephemera?

So if we are collectors of items rather than collectors of �stories�, why don�t we collect coins? Stamps? Banknotes? Why don�t we worry too much about condition? Why don�t we care overmuch if a medal has been repaired (as long as it is original) or if comes from a broken group? Yes of course these things do matter and when confronted by a medal that is in poor condition, or previously brooched, next to a similar one in pristine condition a collector will generally go for the latter, but they are not �deal breakers�, not factors that will stop a medal collector purchasing, whereas a coin collector would be horrified at being confronted by something in such poor shape! No, we are not numismatic collectors in that sense, but there are aspects to medals that are perhaps overlooked. It is relatively easy these days to �write up� your collection. Ancestry, Findmypast and similar websites, etc., have made finding the biographical details of recipients relatively easy and thus you can research your medals far more easily than at any point in history, but do you ever bother to research the medals themselves? Do you ever take more than a cursory glance at what suspension it has? What legend the obverse bears? What the naming style is and whether it differs from others issued? How many were awarded? What metal it is made from? I suspect the answer is no. Most of us will do the obvious checks for renaming or fakery but we won�t really do much in the way of in-depth research on the medal itself, we would rather research who it was awarded to�and that is reflected very much by the types of articles that we (and even research journals like the OMRS or JOMSA) receive every week. Is this because everything is already out there? Is there maybe no reason to do the research on the medal itself because it has all already been endlessly covered elsewhere? To a certain extent this is true�there�s little point in just regurgitating the information from great works of the past, but I do feel that somewhere out there there is still some original research to be done. So here is my challenge: if you want to write something for us we would be delighted to receive it, whatever its subject matter, but we would be especially delighted to receive some research work on the medals and not just the men behind them. It is great to read about Uncle Bill in the trenches. After all, the medals without the recipients are just lumps of metal, but conversely it would be good to learn a little bit more about those lumps of metal too. So next time you feel like writing about that trio why not look at things differently�why not start researching why there was a Star as the first campaign medal of World War I not a more accepted round medal? Why the colours of the ribbon of the British War Medal were what theywere? Why the Calcutta Mint named things in one style whilst the Royal Mint namedthem in another? Why the 1914 Star had battalion numbers on but the 1914-15 didn�t?There are dozens of topics to look at and whilst I will always maintain that the menare more important than the medal, there is, I think, room for some good research onthese funny little beribboned metal things. I can�t imagine it has all been said before can you . . .?

Apri 2013 Coin News

Alyson Thomas — 21/03/2013 10:49:00

A winning way? A FEW months ago I wrote an Editorial piece encouraging local numismatic societies to boost membership, and indeed the hobby in general, by holding “open days” or organising fairs to bring the general public into the fold and teach them more about these funny little pieces of metal and paper that we numismatists and notaphiles are so obsessed with. I am certain that given a little bit of education more people would find coins and notes as fascinating as we do. So far a number of societies have come forward and said they are planning things and the Worthing and District Society has gone one further and are staging their first ever coin fair. The event will take place on Sunday, May 19, at the Chatsworth Hotel, The Steyne, Worthing BN11 3DU and I urge all those collectors in the south east not only to attend but to encourage those who have never been to a coin fair, indeed who may only have a passing interest in coins, to attend too. Now of course, I wouldn’t normally use this “comment” as a blatant advertising slot but as I was the one who first mooted the idea of societies organising such things I feel duty bound to give them a plug here! Of course, I wasn’t the first one to think of a link between societies and fairs, and, as has been pointed out to me a couple of times this year already, a number of clubs and societies are already very active with their local fair. The Yorkshire Numismatic Society, one of the most pro-active around, with their regular newsletter they send out to members, is heavily involved with the York Coin Fair every January and July, and of course in Dublin every year the Irish Numismatic Society takes a table at the popular coin and stamp fair and is always a great attraction (so too does COIN NEWS). This year they had a superb “A-Z of Numismatics” aimed purely at those people attending the fair who were new to the hobby. From the response seen at the table such a display, and the knowledge of those manning the table, was very welcome and those who took the trouble to actually ask questions and study what was on offer went from being just curious to being actively interested. Many who attended the Dublin show did so specifically to sell coins—that is always the way at this particular show, especially on the Sunday, and critics of the “Open Day” idea have pointed out that many members of the public will use such events purely as free valuation days and that they will have no real interest in numismatics but rather how much they can get for their jam-jar full of pennies. But is that so bad? Surely everybody has to start somewhere and what better way to start than by finding out that the 1905 shilling is worth more than its 1906 counterpart, or that had you taken that silver 1944 threepence as a present from your grandmother rather than the fun-looking brass one from the same year, you would actually have a far more collectable coin? There is nothing wrong with people wanting to know “what it’s worth” and half the collectors in the world have that interest as a central premise to their collecting habits. So when I see people flooding into the Dublin venue to get valuations and to sell their coins, I know that some of them at least will leave a little more interested in the hobby. So I wish the Worthing and District Numismatic Society well and I applaud the efforts of the respective societies at York and Dublin and apologise to those of you who do similar things who I have overlooked. However, to those of you who have yet to organise something or have yet to take a table at your local show, I ask “what’s stopping you?”. So the public treat it like a big free valuation day and only bring in coins to dispose of. But don’t look at that as a bad thing. At the very worst you’ll get a chance to add to your collections; at the best you’ll encourage a whole new batch of collectors. Win/win I think!

It's Harrogate Time

Phil Mussell — 19/03/2013 15:16:00

The Harrogate Spring Coin Fair takes place Friday 22 and Saturday 23 at The Old Swan Hotel. There will be over 40 dealers in attendance and the Token Team are going too!

Opening times are 11 am Friday and 9.30 am Saturday so there's plenty of time for breakfast/coffee first in the wonderful spa town. If you haven't been to Harrogate before it's a real delight, it is well worth a visit and what better excuse than there being a Coin Show there!

VC for Afghanistan

Phil Mussell — 16/03/2013 11:22:00

L/Cpl James Ashworth of the 1 Battalion Grenadier Guards who was killed in June 2012 whilst on a reconnaissance patrol in Afghanistan has been awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross.

Speaking at the time of L/Cpl Ashworth's death his commanding officer said "He was killed while fighting his way through compounds; leading his fire team from the front, whilst trying to protect his men and he showed extraordinary courage to close on a determined enemy,"

The Full citation can be found here

Britannia Time

Phil Mussell — 16/03/2013 11:14:00

Sunday March 17 sees the 9th MEDAL NEWS Britannia Medal Fair at the Carisbrooke Hall, Victory Services Club, Seymour Street, London from 9.30 until 2.00pm

The Dealers attending are as follows:

Baldwins

Bonhams

Bostock Medals

Gary Brown

Philip Burman

John Cannon

Mark Carter

Mark Cashmore (DCM Medals)

Charlie's Medals

Jonathon Collins

DNW

David Empson

Gordon's Medals (CoCollector)

Great War Medals

Tony Hall

Liverpool Medals

The London Medal Company (Chelsea Military Antiques)

The Military Archive (Jonathon Murphy)

Peter Morris

Morton And Eden

David Nuwar

Our Heritage War Medals (Bob Lynes)

The OMRS

Derek Pheasant

George Rankin

Scotmint

SMC

Spink

Steve Sewell

V J C Collectables

Steve Wheeler

Howard Williamson

Worldwide Medals

And of Course TOKEN PUBLISHING!!

Coming to Brum?

Phil Mussell — 07/03/2013 13:11:00

It's the Birmingham Coin Show this Sunday (March 0) and as it's being held in the larger room at the Motorcycle Museum (by the NEC) the Token Team are able to attend (yes we'll be at Birmingham AND Stratford this Sunday!!)

We'll have all the favourites with us - the Medal, Coin and Banknote Yearbooks as well as the new Krause Catalogues so why not come along and treat yourself!

There are always a good cross section of dealers in attendance at these larger shows so there is plenty to suit all numismatic tastes. Doors open at 10.00am and close at 3.30pm - although as with most fairs don't leave it until that time as you'll find many of the standholders have gone. Get there early enough though and you'll be pleasantly surprised at just what's on offer!

Britain's Greatest

Alyson Thomas — 06/03/2013 11:04:05

Getting stuck in

THIS month�s comment is, I am afraid, a shameless plug for Britannia�the UK�s only purist medal fair held twice a year at the Victory Services Club, Seymour Street, London, and with the next one coming up on Sunday, March 17, what better time to plug it than the March issue?

Now, many of you will know about the fair, many of you will have been attending for years and still more of you will have come along to your first one in more recent times since we took it over and really started pushing it. Those of you who have been attending for years will remember what it was like �back in the day�, and you will also remember what it was like not so long ago when the internet and on-line auction sites made everybody a �dealer� and attendance at fairs started to dwindle. It is no exaggeration when I say that at a typical Britannia fair less than a decade ago there were times when there were more dealers than there were customers. Thankfully those days are gone, and not just because we came along and took over the show but rather because there has been something of a change in attitude recently.

We only took over the show because the previous organisers decided it was time to call it a day and we realised that with Britannia�s demise there would be no purist medal show, open to all, anywhere in the country (there are some wonderful fairs, held across the UK on just about every weekend but none are pure medals and of course the OMRS Convention is not a medal fair in the strictest sense and is really for OMRS members only not the general public) and so it was the logical thing for MEDAL NEWS to come to the rescue. We didn�t do it as a money-making venture and we didn�t do it to try to expand our business empire. We took it over purely because we realised something very important�that the medal collecting community is exactly that, a proper community of like-minded people, and those people needed somewhere to get together. The rise of on-line trading, whether through dealers� websites or auctions, as well as the internet forums has meant that medal collecting has reached a wider audience, and that is excellent news. But as I have said many times before, the internet is a poor substitute for real human interaction. Certainly those who live in the far flung corners of the globe and who simply have no one around them who has a similar interest find on-line chat invaluable�and so it is, bringing together people from all walks of life who can share their passion and allowing them to share their knowledge with each other in a way simply not possible just a few years ago. But such on-line chat cannot, and really should not, take the place of proper one-to-one communication, and certainly on-line trading can never be a proper substitute for actually handling medals, feeling the weight of them, studying the naming and getting a �feel� for what is right and what is not.

Now I am in no way trying to play down the importance of the internet in this day and age, many of us have come to this hobby purely because of the research potential the internet provides, and I really do feel it adds a tremendous amount to our hobby, but rather I am trying to encourage those of you who collect purely �from a distance� to become a little more hands on. Come to Britannia on Sunday, March 17 (or Stratford or Camden the week before), join your local OMRS Branch or medal club (all details of Societies and fairs can be found every month in the back of MEDAL NEWS�and if there isn�t something local to you why not think about organising one yourself? We�ll promote it . . .) and actually get involved. Talk to people, handle medals (if you start doing it the other way round you�ll be in trouble) and soon you�ll realise that whilst armchair collecting has its merits, it is no substitute for actually getting out there. More and more people are realising this these days. More and more collectors are getting fed up with being isolated behind their computer screens or smartphones and whilst they realise the world will never be like it was before the internet, they no longer want to rely solely on the on-line world for their collecting and are remembering what it was like to actually get out there in the thick of it. And they are remembering it was a lot of fun. So with that in mind I will see you all on the 17th at the Carisbrooke Hall, Victory Service Club, Seymour Street, London from 9.30am to 2.00pm!

Bomber Command Clasp and Arctic Star - criteria

Phil Mussell — 05/03/2013 14:47:00

The MOD has announced the following as criteria for the new awards (taken from www.veterans-uk.info)

Bomber Command Clasp to the 1939-45 Star

A Clasp to the 1939-45 Star is granted to the aircrew of Bomber Command who served for at least sixty days, or completed a tour of operations, on a Bomber Command operational unit and flew at least one operational sortie on a Bomber Command operational unit from the 3^rd September, 1939, to the 8^th May, 1945, inclusive. The award of the Clasp is to be denoted by a silver rose Emblem when the ribbon alone is worn.

Eligibility is extended to those members of Bomber Command aircrew who did not meet the qualifying criteria due to service being brought to an end by death, wounds or other disability due to service, service marked by a gallantry award or taken as a prisoner of war.

Foreign nationals commissioned or enlisted into British or, the then, Dominion Air Forces (e.g. Royal Canadian Air Force or Royal Australian Air Force) are eligible provided the individuals did not receive a similar award from their own Government.

Eligibility to the Bomber Command Clasp has no effect upon eligibility for World War Two recognition previously awarded and does not suggest automatic eligibility for any further awards.

Arctic Star

The Arctic Star is granted for operational service of any length north of the Arctic Circle (66 degrees, 32’N) from the 3^rd September, 1939, to the 8^th May, 1945, inclusive. The Arctic Star is intended to commemorate the Arctic Convoys and is designed primarily for the ships of the convoys to North Russia and their Escorts. Eligibility is defined as follows:

Navy and Merchant Navy – Naval and Merchant Navy service anywhere at sea north of the Arctic Circle to include, but not limited exclusively to, those ships participating in, and in support of, Convoys to North Russia. Fleet Air Arm Personnel, not qualified by sea service may qualify under the conditions applying to the Royal Air Force.

Air Force – Aircrew of the Royal Air Force will be eligible if they landed north of the Arctic Circle or served in the air over this area. Non aircrew on operational service in the area, for example ground crew or those sailing with CAM ships (Catapult Aircraft Merchant Ships), are also eligible.

Army – Army personnel serving in His Majesty’s ships or in defensively equipped Merchant ships qualify under the rules applying to the Navy or Merchant Navy. In addition, personnel taking part in land operations north of the Arctic Circle will also be eligible.

Civilians serving with the Forces – Members of the few approved categories of civilians who qualify for Campaign Stars will be eligible if, in support of military operations, they meet any of the above qualifying criteria.

Foreign nationals commissioned or enlisted into British or, the then, Dominion Forces (e.g. Royal Canadian Navy, Royal Australian Navy) are eligible provided the individuals did not receive a similar award from their own Government.

General – Eligibility to the Arctic Star has no effect upon eligibility for World War Two recognition previously awarded and does not suggest automatic eligibility for any further awards.

Stratford on Sunday!

Phil Mussell — 05/03/2013 09:53:00

Don't forget the first Stratford Upon Avon Medal and Militaria show of 2013 takes place this Sunday (March 10).

We love going to Stratford, the town is lovely and well worth a visit and Mark Carter's show, held at the Leisure centre right in the centre of town isn't too shabby either! And yes it's Mother's Day - but there are some wonderful restaurants in town - so why not bring Mum too....!!

As with all of Mark's fairs "preview" for the early birds (all welcome, it just costs a little more) is from 9.30am with main entry at 10.30am. It's all over by 2.00/2.30pm so get there as soon as you can. We'll see you there

DNW Date Change

Phil Mussell — 04/03/2013 11:53:00

To avoid a clash with the Bonhams sale on Wednesday March 27 the DNW two day medal sale has now been moved to Monday March 25 and Tuesday March 26 - that will make for an impressive three days in the capital!

Bomber Command Clasp - update

Phil Mussell — 26/02/2013 11:56:00

Following on from the February MEDAL NEWS Editorial it seems that the forthcoming Bomber Command clasp will be attached to the 1939-45 star. More information, and a look at the design, when we have it

Arctic Star - the design

Phil Mussell — 26/02/2013 11:51:00

Readers of the Editorial in February's MEDAL NEWS will know that we aren't necessarily fans of the new Arctic Star (or rather what it represents in medal terms and what it could mean for the future) however whatever we think it is news so we must report it! According to the Daily Mail's website this is what the star will look like, that will be similar to our February front cover mock up then....! The ribbon, apparently represents the Air Force (light blue) the Navy (dark blue) and the Merchant Navy (red) with the white representing the ice of the Arctic Circle. Let's hope the actual ribbon looks better than this first impression...!

World Record

Alyson Thomas — 21/02/2013 12:25:52

THERE can be only one topic for this month�s �Comment��our front cover story�the new World Record for a single coin, no less than $10,016,875 (nearly �6.5m) paid for the 1794 �flowing hair� US silver dollar. The coin, in simply superb condition (graded �Specimen-66�) is an American numismatic �landmark� as it was the first dollar coin produced in the fledgling independent country. It was sold in January by Stack�s Bowers Galleries in New York and the price achieved (along with $1.14m paid for a 1792 half-disme and $998,750 paid for a 1793 large cent) once again highlights the difference between the US and the British markets. In Britain the top price paid for a coin was �460,000, achieved back in 2006 for the Edward III �Double Leopard�. This American record is over 12 times that price�that is a big disparity. But what causes this gap? Why is the hobby in America so very different to the one here? They have the same types of dealers, the same collectors (an eclectic mix of the truly dedicated searching for that one variety or date they don�t have and the more generalist, those happy to pick up anything remotely connected to their theme that they like the look of), and so by rights the two markets should be similar and prices at auction should reflect that. True there may well be more money in America and the hobby is bigger in terms of the number of people involved (simply because the US is a bigger country) and that would account for some disparity in prices but is there more to it? Well yes I think there is.

Any trip to an American fair will show you one very important difference between the US and the UK markets� �slabbing�. This practice, of encapsulating a coin in a permanent plastic holder, along with the associated grading system that is quite different from our standard �F, VF, EF� allows purchasers of coins to buy them knowing that their grade, and thus their value has been professionally appraised and, because of the slabbing process the coin will remain that way forever. This has, in turn allowed people to buy coins for investment, safe in the knowledge that they have bought coins that will not be affected by time, this has encouraged big money to come into the hobby and as a result coin prices have continued an upward trend�culminating in records such as this.

Now I�m not suggesting that the only people who buy coins in America are investors, far from it, the country has some very avid and serious collectors�and their recent coin programmes from the Mints have meant that new collectors are coming through all the time; however, it cannot be denied that the security that has come from a professional grading system, as opposed to a subjective one, along with the slabbing process that keeps that grade intact, has led to people buying coins with the intention of keeping them for investment�people who might not otherwise have considered purchasing such items. In the UK we do things differently: slabbing is not the norm and grading is always a contentious issue�as a result a purchaser cannot always guarantee that what he bought from one source can be sold on later at the same grade. The new buyer could dispute the grade or of course external factors may well have affected it (drop a slabbed coin and you�re ok, drop a Gothic Florin on a stone floor and you�ll know about it�). This inevitably leads to uncertainty and uncertainty is not what sound investments are made of. Now the purists will say that that�s OK�we don�t collect for investment and as such the disadvantage of having a coin wrapped in plastic that cannot be handled and savoured greatly outweighs the advantage of keeping it in an undisputed condition. And they have a point�we always say that coins shouldn�t be about making a profit but rather should be all about the fun of collecting, the enjoyment of holding history in your hands. But then those who advocate a professional grading and slabbing system in the UK will simply point to the way the American market is booming and how record prices for coins are invariably set by those pieces minted in the States. The question for us is which way do we go�yes, we want to see our market expand, want to see new collectors, record prices and a hobby that is taking off, but in order to do that will we need to go down an American-style route by adopting their systems? It is a thorny issue and one without an answer�there are British companies extolling the virtues of the slab and American companies keen to encourage us to adopt that way of grading/valuing�only time will tell whether they succeed or not. As ever, the market will find its own level!

STOP PRESS: As we go to press we learn of another potential �record breaker��the Royal Mint Museum has decided to sell duplicates from a gift made in 1859 . . . a part set of US proof coins from the copper-nickel cent to the gold $10, all suitably slabbed by PCGS, is to be sold in a special auction by Morton & Eden on March 6. For details contact the auctioneers (see page 30) or visit their website at www.mortonandeden.com.

Bromley Burglary - an update

Phil Mussell — 20/02/2013 12:05:00

Further to the item in COIN NEWS March regarding the robbery on January 12/13 it seems that the thieves who stole most of Peter Morris' Stock may not have been terribly bright...it seems that there are individuals in custody having been caught putting items on an on-line auction site that were readily identified as coming from Peter's stock (he had actually featured them in his last list - complete with pictures). At This stage we aren't sure if everything has been recovered but will keep you informed as we get more information.

In Dublin's fair city

Phil Mussell — 19/02/2013 18:00:00

The Token Team is once again looking forward to attending the Irish International Coin and Medal fair to be held at the Royal Dublin Society, Ballsbridge, Dublin on February 23-24 We love it in the city and are thoroughly looking forward to visiting once again - we hope all our Irish readers (and some from this side of the water) will be able to make it too.

If you have never been to Dublin then you really should visit, it is a beautiful city and this is an ideal excuse - as if you needed one!

Cromwell "Broad" at auction

Carol — 06/02/2013 12:33:00

Fellows auctioneers will be offering an Oliver Cromwell gold �Broad� in their forthcoming specialist Coins & Medals sale. Being in very fine condition the coin is considered an extremely rare example and therefore attracts an estimate of �7,000-9,000. Designed by Thomas Simon and depicting a bust of Oliver Cromwell, then Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland, this iconic British gold coin was issued in 1656. The coin appears as Lot XX in Fellows auction of Coins & Medals on Monday, February18 at 11am.

Ooops!

Phil Mussell — 05/02/2013 17:01:00

Apologies to those who received their original MEDAL NEWS magazines with the last four pages were missing. Hopefully you have now all recieved the correct, complete replacement - we really are sorry for the inconvenience

Medal Review

Alyson Thomas — 04/02/2013 10:38:37

Stars and bars

THE announcement at the end of 2012 that the UK Government was to implement the recommendations of the Holmes Report and issue, retrospectively, a new World War II star for Arctic Convoy Veterans (the Arctic Star) and a new Clasp for World War II Bomber Command Veterans (presumably to be worn on the Air Crew Europe Star, 1939-45 Star or France and Germany Star) has caused a great deal of controversy both among veterans groups and medal collectors alike. Now the first thing I would like to say regarding this is that no matter what the opinions, nobody I have spoken to wants to take anything away from those who have campaigned so tirelessly for medallic recognition. Their bravery during World War II cannot be in doubt and their obvious outrage at being �snubbed� (as they saw it) has not diminished over the decades�and they are to be applauded for their tenacity even if one does not agree with the outcome�and many don�t. The reasons that this latest decision has attracted so much controversy are many and all have merit so whilst the Arctic and Bomber Command veterans may be happy at last, many others are not.

The most obvious reason for the dissent is the worry that this latest decision will actually open up a flood of other claims for new awards, after all, while there is no doubt the Arctic and Bomber veterans faced great danger and hardships there are others who could claim to have faced equally dire circumstances and yet they haven�t been honoured with a separate medal. D-Day veterans could, surely, argue that they faced greater hardships than others who also qualified for the France and Germany Star, landing as they did on hostile beaches and fighting their way through enemy occupied territory�didn�t they face a far worse time than those who only came to mainland Europe towards the end of the war? And what of those captured by the Japanese and made to work themselves to death on the Burma Railway? They surely suffered far more than those who, say, served in the Royal Navy in the Bay of Bengal who are also eligible for the Burma Star. What of the members of the Special Operations Executive who served behind enemy lines and risked execution if caught? Don�t they deserve specific recognition? The simple fact is that there are many groups who could, rightly, claim that they were overlooked, that they suffered far more, were at far more risk, than others who received exactly the same medals as they did�are they now to have their cases looked at anew or was this decision based solely on the fact that the Arctic and Bomber Veterans were the ones who shouted loudest and had the right support from the right people? This may sound cynical and as if I begrudge the Veterans their latest triumph but I really don�t, I am simply questioning whether or not, after 70 years, any of us can really make a decision on which group is more �worthy� than another? There are surely cases to be made for every individual action or campaign� from Dunkirk to Arnhem and all points in between�and this was taken into account when the medals were first issued�to revisit the claims after seven decades is, I fear, going to lead to all sorts of problems. These problems were, of course, addressed when the original criteria for World War II medals was set out�nobody then thought that decades later the matter would be revisited.

The other issue we have with the new medal specifically is how does it fit into the existing system? As most of you will know there was a limit of five on the number of stars that could be awarded and worn�is this now to be rescinded too or are Veterans who qualify going to have to give up one of their existing medals? Surely a clasp to the Atlantic Star would have been more appropriate? And if we are talking practicalities, whose cypher will appear on the new Star? (I am assuming it will be of the same design as the others). The existing stars have the cypher of George VI, even if they are awarded for the first time today simply because it was during his reign that they were instituted and for a war that took place when he was on the throne, but the new star is instituted during the reign of his daughter so logically it should bear her cypher, however, she wasn�t the monarch during the conflict for which it is being awarded . . . a conundrum to be sure. There is of course, also the problem for us collectors�do we now possess an awful lot of broken groups? I have in my collection a group to a Marine. He has �big ship� service for World War II and the medals include the Atlantic Star, the Russian 40th anniversary medal and the Award Productions unofficial Convoy medal. He is now entitled to the new Star but should I add it? I, of course, can�t apply as I�m not his next of kin but undoubtedly some of these Arctic Stars will, in time, appear on the market�should I buy one and add to the group? And what of a group such as Bill Reid�s VC group as featured in the Interview with Melissa John last month? Should she try to get a Bomber Command clasp to add to the group? Is it incomplete without one? Undoubtedly veterans and their next of kin will gladly apply for these new additions to the World War II medallic family and no-one should deny them that�but are our groups now to be considered broken? These questions, and many more are ones that will undoubtedly test us in years to come and I await with interest the first of the new medals to come up for sale�what effect will they have on the price of groups I wonder? Of course if, as I fear, these new medals are just the first of many then the question of adding just one new one, or a clasp, may well become redundant�there is every chance we will soon see the introduction of a National Defence Medal, and a raft of others, meaning that we as collectors will find ourselves facing some real dilemmas. That said, medals are not introduced with collectors in mind but for the men and women who served and so I will put away my misgivings and doff my cap to those whose tenacity and passion have helped lead to this latest decision�now, as in World War II their dedication to their cause can only be applauded, even if it is a cause we don�t necessarily all agree with.

New World Record!

Phil Mussell — 01/02/2013 11:22:00

Stack's Bower's Galleries have set a new WORLD RECORD with the sale of a 1794 Silver dollar - which fetched a stunning $10,016,875! That's nearly £6.5 million! The auction, held on January 24 2013 saw the previous record of $7, 590,020 (for the 1933 Double Eagle) eclipsed by nearly 40%. For more information see COIN NEWS March

The London Coin Fair

Phil Mussell — 01/02/2013 10:00:00

The first LCF of the year takes place this Saturday (February 2).

All the main UK dealers will be there and of course your favourite coin magazine (that's us by the way) will be there too!

The show, which is held, as always at the Holiday Inn Bloomsbury (in Coram Street, just off Russell Square) opens at 9.30am and shuts at 5.00pm but get there in the morning if you want the real bargains!

George Medals Missing

Phil Mussell — 28/01/2013 10:29:00

During a recent inventory Coventry hospital discovered the loss of two George Medals - these awarded to

Sister Emma HORNE and Mary BEARDSHALL

Any information about these medals please contact

DC 5191 Craig MUNRO,

Willenhall Crime Investigation Team.

Coventry

CV3 3PS

Tel: 101 ext 6111

email: c.munro@west-midlands.pnn.police.uk

Crime number 20CV/4065Z/13

Medals Stolen

Phil Mussell — 28/01/2013 10:24:00

The following medals were taken during a recent Burglary in Warwickshire

GSM 1969 NI.

ACSM 2009.

UN Cyprus.

Rhodesia 1980.

24083667 BC FOAD REME.

Any information to:

PC 1757 BULL

Acquisitive Crime Team

Leamington Spa Police Station

Newbold Terrace

Leamington Spa

Warwickshire

CV32 4EL

01926 68 4112

Reference Inc: 262 - 17/01/13

Jim Wallwork RIP

Phil Mussell — 25/01/2013 14:07:00

Jim Wallwork DFM, glider pilot who took part in the famed Pegasus Bridge Coup de Main on June 6 1944 has died aged 93 at his home in Vancouver, Canada. Wallwork is often referred to as the "first allied soldier in France on D-Day" as when he landed his Horsa glider the impact was great enough to catapult him and co-pilot John Ainsworth through the cabin and onto the field below. For more details of Jim's life, and passing see here

Year of the Snake

Alyson Thomas — 17/01/2013 10:12:53

Too much of a good thing?

IT has come to our attention that the Bank of Canada has recently returned almost 250,000 gold 5 and 10 dollar coins to the Ottawa Mint (now of course the Royal Canadian Mint, the RCM), apparently they were part of the country�s gold reserve put down in 1912, 1913 and 1914 and thus are dated from those years. They have remained in the Bank�s vaults all these years as they were not needed and now, in a deal worked out late last year with RCM, they have come onto the open market. These coins, which were the very first of Canada�s own style gold coinage (they used English sovereigns before 1912) which feature the George V�s effigy with Canada�s arms within maple leaves on the reverse have now been �slabbed� by NGC and sold by RCM at a substantial profit, with prices ranging from $500 for one coin to $12,000 for a set of 6 (one of each date 5 and 10 dollar). Now initially collectors of Canadian coins may consider this to be a good thing, after all suddenly hitherto impossible to own coins are within the reach of many and surely that�s a good thing for the hobby isn�t it? Surely more people able to complete their collections can only be good for numismatics, can�t it? Apparently not, as many collectors are up in arms at the RCM�s decision to release these coins, having paid upwards of $2000 for those coins previously on the market. Now with thousands more out there (they have all already been sold) what will happen to the value? We all know that the price of coins, indeed most things, is directly related to supply and demand so with a sudden new supply hitting the market and the demand unlikely to match pace it is unlikely that these coins will go back to their previous value for some time, and of course there is the danger that there are even more coins out there in vaults�and if not coins of these dates perhaps there are others soon to be available? And what if the Canadian banks are not the only ones with such treasures in their possession? What if there are other coins just waiting to come to light in the US? In Europe? In Britain? What will that do to prices?

Some years ago we visited the Debden Security Printing plant in Loughton, Essex and were privileged enough to be able to witness the presses that printed Bank of England notes�and whilst that was very impressive we were also struck by the fact that not only were notes printed there but they were also disposed of there too. Any notes that come in to high street banks, whether tatty tenners printed last year and put through the wash or crisp white fivers printed last century and hidden in a bureau are exchanged for face value then sent to the Bank of England to be destroyed. At first we were horrified by this, believing that any historically important notes should be offered to collectors rather than burned or shredded but now maybe we aren�t so sure. After all if notes were routinely sent into the collector market from the bank then what would that do to prices? Undoubtedly much the same as has happened in Canada . . . Collectors of Roman, Celtic or Anglo-Saxon coins have always recognised this problem, knowing full well that they could pay a premium for one rare coin only for a hoard to come to light some time in the future, it is a hazard of such a collection and one that is left to chance�when the banks and mints start actively flooding the market, well that is a different story.

This of course begs the question�should we care more about the items themselves or their value? Should we be rejoicing in new finds and encourage banks and Mints to release any stockpiles they may have so that more collectors can enjoy the pleasure of ownership? Or actively encourage them not to? Trying instead to convince them to keep their treasures to themselves, or even destroy them so that values can be maintained? It�s never an easy decision to make�we are all numismatists, keen to encourage others to collect and happy to help others achieve their dream but we are also realists and few of us would be happy spending the hundreds, if not thousands, of pounds we may have had to get our collections to where they are if we thought we were going to lose all that money! There is no easy answer and your position probably depends on whether you are the person who already owns a 1912 10 dollar piece, obtained at a cost, or the person now able to afford one because there are lots more around!

New York, New York!

Carol — 10/01/2013 16:12:00

It's all go in the Big Apple from January 10�13 as the 41st annual ancient coin extravaganza gets under way. Held at the Waldof Astoria, 301 Park Avenue the fair provides a fantastic start to the numismatic calendar and just $10 will buy you a pass for the whole three days. Many superb auctions are held in conjunction with the show so this really is an event not to miss if you are Stateside this weekend. For further details contact Kevin Foley on 414 807 0116.

A unique Occasion

Phil Mussell — 07/01/2013 00:58:01

Art for art�s sake

THIS MONTH the Royal Mint has released their latest designs for 2013 (you will find details of the �1 coins on the Royal Mint�s Bulletin Page, page 28) and it seems they have gone back to simplistic ideas with the new �floral� reverses of the �1 coins being unadorned by anything other than the most basic rendition of national symbols (the oak and the rose for England, the daffodil and leek for Wales�arguments as to whether the oak and the leek count as �floral� will, undoubtedly come later). The new �2 coin is equally simplistic with a simple London Underground sign rendered artfully to celebrate the �Tube�s� 150th anniversary. The new �5 crown (details of these two coins will appear next month but can be seen at www.tokenpublishing.com now) is set to be just that: a simple depiction of King Edward�s crown to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. These designs are not an accident�it is obvious that the Mint has taken a conscious decision to tone down the more elaborate designs that have come out of their studios in the past and produce numismatic items that are more basic, although I use this term with no hint of derision I assure you� sometimes the most simplistic things work well and the overdesigned gets messy, as a look at some of our more �artful� coinage in recent years will attest to.

The new Royal Mint designs do not only differ from some of their own work from years gone by, but they also contrast sharply with some offerings from other countries. Phil, our Marketing Director, has the privilege of being one of the judges on Krause Publications� �Coin of the Year� panel and some of the designs that appeared on the category short-lists this year can only be described as �brave�. Rather than give away how he voted I will simply say that certain designs were so elaborate that it wasn�t easy to see that they were even coins, and others were so over-produced that it made him think that certain Mint�s designers might have too much time on their hands. . . . That isn�t to say the designs were poor, they weren�t, they just weren�t to his taste, although others had apparently found them appealing, hence their inclusion on the short-list. That, of course is the way with coin design: it won�t always be to everyone�s taste. There will be those that hate the final �Coin of the Year�, just as there will be those who love it; those who deride the Royal Mint�s new designs just as much as those who applaud them. Like any art, coin design divides us and rarely do we find one coinage, ancient or modern, that is universally liked. Perhaps the Athenian Owls and other Greek masterpieces are the closest we will get to coinage design that is liked by the majority, but even those gems find their critics. Put ten numismatists in a room with coins from across the ages and I am pretty certain you will get at least nine different opinions on what is the finest design�ten when the two who chose the same coin realise that they had actually agreed on something!

Coin design is part of what makes this hobby so diverse. The fact that we collect miniature works of art as well as date runs and rarities just makes the whole thing that little bit more interesting. But does coin design actually matter outside of our hobby? Does it really make any difference whether we have a beautiful arty piece or a utilitarian �token� that simply states what it is and what it is worth? Does it matter that Mints of the world spend thousands of pounds/dollars/ whatever and thousands of hours coming up with these works of art? Certainly, with the commemorative coins, more akin to medallions than the circulating coinage in our purses and pockets, I can see the value of spending the time and money�these are pieces that are bought as art in many cases. People buy them because they like the design. But the coins we have in use every day? Is there any real need for anything other than the most basic of information on them? There is the issue of counterfeiting of course, but as we have seen, even more elaborate designs fall foul of the criminals, so how a coin looks is hardly a deterrent. Early coins were homage pieces: paying tribute to a god or emperor and their design reflected that deity/ person�s importance, but in the 21st century do we need to do that any more? A coin is a token representing a monetary value (there is no intrinsic value in our coinage now), so shouldn�t it just look as basic as the toy money we played with as children? A denomination, a country of issue and little more? There�s something to be said for that, yes, but I for one am very glad it isn�t the case. In every walk of life aesthetics add value and whether you like or loathe the designs coming out of the World�s Mints this year, I think we can all agree that it is far better that there ARE designs than not. A world where everything is basic and utilitarian would be a very dull world indeed.

Vigo leads the way

Carol — 02/01/2013 09:38:00

Gorringes Auctioneers achieved what may well be a record price for a coin sold in a provincial auction house as the 1703 Queen Anne Vigo five guineas in their December 6 sale was knocked down at an amazing �240,000. For the full story see the February edition of COIN NEWS.

New Coins from the Royal Mint

Phil Mussell — 21/12/2012 11:10:00

The Royal Mint has produced not one, not two but THREE new £2 coins for 2013! Two to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the London underground (the "Tube") and one to commemorate the 350th anniversary of the Guinea. There is also a new design 50p to mark the 100th Anniversary of the birth of Christopher Ironside - the man who designed the new decimal reverses in 1971 and a £5 crown marking 60 years since the Coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

New �5 Crown

Phil Mussell — 21/12/2012 11:08:00

Celebrating 60 years since the Coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

New 50p design

Phil Mussell — 21/12/2012 11:08:00

A new design 50p commemorating the 100th anniversary of the birth of Christopher Ironside - the man who designed the new UK coin reverses for decimalisation in 1971

New Tube �2 Coin

Phil Mussell — 21/12/2012 11:06:00

One of two new £2 coins celebrating 150 years of the London Underground - the world famous "Tube"

Merry Christmas Everybody!

Phil Mussell — 20/12/2012 10:29:00

The Offices of Token Publishing will be closed from 1.00pm on Friday December 21 2012 until 9.00am on January 2 2013. We'd like to wish all of our readers a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

New Arctic Medal

Phil Mussell — 19/12/2012 13:12:00

The Daily Mail website and the BBC have reported that Prime Minister David Cameron has announced that there will be a new Arctic Convoy Star specifically awarded to those who served on the Russian Convoys in World War II and a clasp for Bomber Command Veterans, presumably to be worn on the Air Crew Europe Star/1939-45 Star. The Government's own website reports the finding of the Holmes report here.

This decision is sure to prove highly controversial as whilst the Arctic Convoy and Bomber Command Veterans have been campaigning for years for such medallic recognition this does rather "open the floodgates" for other Veterans' Organisations to campaign for their own medals...we shall see....

Don't forget Birmingham

Phil Mussell — 03/12/2012 14:46:00

The ever popular Midland Coin Fair at the Motorcycle Museum, just by the NEC is on this coming Sunday. The show is a regular one (every second Sunday of the month) but it's so popular that we can only get in quarterly when it moves to the larger Britannia Suite - that suite is available this weekend so we'll be there!

It starts at 9.30am on Sunday December 9 and we really hope you can make it!

And don't forget that we are happy to bring along any "special requests" - just email or call to make sure we have your order....

Valour in Afghanistan

Alyson Thomas — 29/11/2012 15:49:49

Backwards and forwards

THE joint December/January issue of MEDAL NEWS is always a good opportunity for reflection and forward thinking�those of you who know your Roman mythology will remember that the month of January is named after the two-faced god Janus who was the god of beginnings and endings, of transitions and of gateways. His two faces looked back and forward, scanning the past and the future and this issue is always a little like that. 2012 hasn�t (yet) seen the end of the world (we have a month left I accept) despite what the Mayans and Hollywood predicted and in fact it didn�t even see the end of civilisation as we know it�despite what the media predicted! As the year draws to a close the financial institutions haven�t gone into melt down, the Eurozone has, somehow, managed to survive and most of us can still afford to eat. Yes, it is true that for some money has become a little tighter as prices rise and people start worrying about their jobs, but in general those of us in the rarefied atmosphere of the medal world haven�t really been that badly hit in 2012.

As I write this we have just had the second and last Britannia Medal Fair of 2012 and once again it was a great success with both dealers and collectors commenting on how buoyant everything seemed, how there was a �buzz� around the room� and so there was. From the moment the dealers started setting up at 8.00am, through the opening of the doors to the public at 9.30am and on to the official close at 2.00pm there was activity everywhere, people everywhere and, I hope, deals being done everywhere�I certainly saw a great many happy faces. But I am not saying this just to plug how great Britannia was (although it was, and the next one is Sunday March 17, 2013 . . .), but rather as an illustration of how strong our hobby remains. This is borne out by the magnificent array of items coming up for auction and available on dealers� lists. There seems to be no end of simply stunning groups and rare singles appearing and, more importantly, disappearing just as quickly. The sheer number of amazing groups for sale might lead some to speculate that because times are hard they are coming to market because their owners are being forced to sell, and whilst I am sure that is true for some of the items coming from families, the key fact is that they are all finding new homes. Look at any list or website, any auction catalogue and you will see medals vanishing as quickly as they appear, you will see very few unsold lots and you will note that prices aren�t just holding steady but they are creeping up. True, the huge increases of a few years ago aren�t in quite as much evidence anymore, but in the main you won�t find many things cheaper now than you did before the financial crisis hit four years ago. The simple fact is, the medal market remains a very buoyant one. But that was 2012, what I wonder does 2013 have in store for us?

I don�t, of course, have a crystal ball. I can�t pick lottery numbers to save my life and the last time I bet on the Grand National my horse was still running when it came to Derby Day, but even I would hazard a guess that this coming year will see more of the same�and maybe a little bit more on top. This financial crisis cannot go on forever, they never do, everything in the world of finance is cyclical and every recession/depression we have ever had has one day ended and has been replaced by years of boom time (sorry Gordon Brown, you can�t end boom and bust�even Joseph knew that when he interpreted Pharaoh�s seven thin cows/seven fat cows dream). I don�t know when it will end, but I know it will and as it does I see our little hobby growing and growing once again�if you think prices have been strong this year, you just wait until next, when people are feeling more secure about their jobs, inflation isn�t so high, the gas and electricity companies have been censured for price fixing (we know it�s coming) and the Eurozone has finally collapsed or cemented itself secure . . . when that happens we will see �outsiders� coming back into our hobby, the family historians, the antique collectors with a yearning for something new, those with a bit of spare cash eager to move away from the paltry bank rates (we just know they aren�t going up as fast as they should). All of them will start coming into our hobby as they have done in years gone by�and the coming centenary of World War I will only add to that, and as they do so you will see a surge in prices again. Availability will tail off as families, no longer eager for cash, will stop selling and buyers will become more plentiful. As this happens so we �serious� collectors will look back on this �recession� with some fondness, I think. But please don�t get me wrong, I�m not really complaining, just pointing out that as Janus looks back so he sees a strong hobby with some great items coming up on a regular basis, all of which are snapped up by eager collectors, and as he looks forward he sees a hobby growing as more and more people come into it, with prices on the up and thus the value of our collections rising regularly. That�s not a bad gateway to be standing in now is it?

Coins of the Civil War

Alyson Thomas — 22/11/2012 16:12:02

A different perspective

IT seems that my last month�s �Comment� has been met with a reasonable amount of approval amongst the numismatic societies of the UK and beyond. I know of at least three societies planning some kind of valuation day/fair and the Numismatic Society of Ireland, which adopted the idea some five years ago with a table at the Irish International Coin fair in Dublin in February, specifically manned by Society members to identify coins brought in by the public, have voiced their support for similar events in Britain. Michael E. Kenny, Chairman of the Irish Numismatic Society wrote that �the benefits to the Society and the hobby in general have been enormous, with increased membership and attendances at our meetings�. It seems that if numismatic societies, indeed the hobby at large, are to survive and grow, then maybe this is the way to do it.

That said, I do envisage one small problem: invariably �identification� of a coin by an expert leads firstly to the one big question, �what�s it worth?�, swiftly followed by the second big question, �where can I sell it?�. The �Antiques Roadshow� mentality of the public, all ostensibly eager to find out what something is, when it was made, why and for whom, but really just keen to know how much moolah it will fetch (despite their protestations that they would �never part with it and would just like the valuation for insurance purposes�), means that any Society Open Day is sure to descend into one big valuation event or perhaps a buyer event for those who are there to �identify�. Now, that is OK if everyone knows the score before hand�if the �experts� are happy to buy (whether for their own collections or to sell on) and the public are happy to sell, then that is all well and good, but it doesn�t actually address the problem of encouraging others to join in with our hobby.

Somehow we need to draw people away from the �what�s it worth� camp and into the �isn�t it fascinating� camp. This might, of course, seem like hypocrisy from the publishers of the best-selling UK coin price guide in the world, but we cannot be na�ve about this. We all know that amongst most people who have coins, whether from their own endeavours or left to them by another, there is very much the �what�s it worth� mentality and sadly we will never change that (hence the COIN YEARBOOK�we cannot change them but at least we can help them get it right). However, I simply will not believe that everyone who finds themselves with coins they know little about is only interested in their value. I cannot believe that none of them are interested in the history of the coins, the mintages, the mintmarks, etc. The trouble is, how do we in the hobby cultivate that interest? Hopefully those Societies that are planning events (and I reiterate COIN NEWS� support for this: we will do what we can to help any Society that asks us), will be able to steer the inquisitive away from the monetary value of an item and towards its numismatic value and, with any luck, they will be able to increase their membership at the same time.

But whilst such efforts may be relatively easy in a one-on-one situation, that isn�t the case in the grander scheme of things. Sadly our hobby is one that always but always attracts the �what�s it worth?� question and I really would like to know how to get away from that. As many of you know, we also publish MEDAL NEWS and are very much involved in the medal hobby too. When we talk to �outsiders� about medals, the question of value rarely come up. Indeed most people are astounded when we tell them that medals are worth anything at all, let alone the large sums that some do fetch. With coins it is the opposite�even the humblest of coins is thought of in terms of what it will net its owner. A �basic� World War I Victory medal retails at about �10, a 1977 Jubilee crown for less than �1 (and that�s if anyone will buy one) and yet you put the two side by side and ask a member of the general public which would cost more if on sale and invariably it�s the coin they choose. How can we, as a hobby, get away from that? How can we convince the general public that it�s about far more than �what�s it worth�? You might think that coin issuing programmes such as the recent Olympic 50 pences would help, but sadly not�a quick look on line at a certain auction house will tell you that many people collected these coins just to try to make a quick buck (and seem to be succeeding. I just hope those paying through the nose for a battered coin you can get in change won�t be too disappointed when they come to sell�) and I am afraid that until we as �insiders� do something, then that is how it will stay. Coins are, or were, money and thus will always be linked in people�s minds with monetary value. I would dearly love to change that, dearly love to show the world at large how these little lumps of metal are so much more and maybe these �open days� being planned will be the start of that. So that is my Christmas wish for us all�that 2013 is the year we start changing attitudes, start the process of people thinking in terms other than a coin�s worth. It might be a long slog but we have to start somewhere�so why not now? In the meantime everyone at Token Publishing Ltd wish you and yours the compliments of the Festive Season.

George Medals Awarded

Phil Mussell — 21/11/2012 23:26:00

The men who tackled a gunman who had fired shots on board a nuclear submarine, killing a RN Lt Commander, were each awarded the George Medal for their Bravery at Buckingham Palace today (November 21). In April last year Able Seaman Ryan Donovan fired an assault rifle aboard HMS Astute, killing Lt Cmdr Ian Molyneaux who had tried to take the gun from him. Southampton City Council Leader Royston Smith and Chief Executive Alistair Neil wrestled Donovan to the floor following the killing, pinning him until police arrived. Lt Cmdr Molyneaux was posthumously awarded the George Medal which his family received in his honour at a ceremony at the Palace last Friday. For more details see the BBC's website

The Standard Catalogue of Provincial Banknotes of England and Wales - ON CD

Phil Mussell — 21/11/2012 16:21:00

This amazing, prize winning, catalogue, complete with hundreds of full colour illustrations of the notes themselves is THE definitive work on English and Welsh Provincial notes and is an absolute must for all banknote collectors. Unfortunately it sold out in book form almost a year ago - however due to popular demand a CD Version is now available! Click here for details

Yate on Sunday

Phil Mussell — 19/11/2012 09:57:00

Don't forget the Yate medal fair this Sunday (November 25) at the Leisure centre in Yate (Bristol) as always we'll be there ready for the 9.30am preview (10.30am main doors) with our usual selection of goodies - it's always worth a trip so we look forward to seeing you there.

This is this last medal fair we'll be doing this year so it is an ideal time to get those Christmas presents! We still have a few Hardback Medal Yearbooks left - not to mention our new "Saved from the Flames" and "Honour The Civilians". Phil will have all the "Honour" books with him when he goes on Sunday - including the new one so why not ask about our special deals...!?

Victoria Cross for Australia awarded

Phil Mussell — 02/11/2012 09:58:00

Corporal Daniel Keighran has become the third Australian Soldier to be awarded the Country's highest military honour - the Victoria Cross for Australia, Corporal Keighran of the Royal Australian Regiment was decorated with the VC following operation in Afghanistan when a joint Australian-Afghan Patrol came under attack and he broke cover on numerous occasions to draw enemy fire away from other members of his patrol. Further details can be found here and here

The full citation can be viewed here

Corporal Keighran becomes the 99th Australian to be awarded a Victoria Cross

Hot shots in Gibraltar

Alyson Thomas — 01/11/2012 15:12:04

Decision time

RECENT press stories have once again brought the issue of both the Arctic Convoys and foreign medals given to British Servicemen to the fore. The latest fuel added to these long burning fires has come from the Russians who, earlier this year, announced their desire to award surviving veterans of the Arctic Convoys the Ushakov Medal, a military award for courage originally instituted in 1944 and retained by the current Government of the Russian Federation. The medal has, apparently, already been accepted by the governments of the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand but the Foreign and Commonwealth office in the UK has decided that our Veterans will not be able to accept the award. Now I must admit to being somewhat confused by this as the press release sent to us by the Conservative Friends of Russia, who are spearheading a campaign to have this ruling overturned, and the website of the Russian Embassy in the UK both refer to the UK Government not allowing Veterans to accept the medal, now call me pedantic but surely the remaining veterans could be presented with the decorations as gifts could they not? What is to stop the Russians simply handing them over as a mark of gratitude? The Government surely cannot get involved with that aspect of things�can they? Is a Government Official really going to tell a 90-yearold veteran that he isn�t allowed to physically own such a gift? I doubt it. Wearing such an award is, of course, another matter, there are, necessarily, strict rules regarding the wearing of foreign awards, as well as the �unofficial� ones that abound and in this matter the Government is simply adhering to those rules, in particular those in regard to a foreign award not being given where a British one already exists and the �five year rule� which states that an award must be made within five years of an action taking place.

Now on the surface these rules make sense, retrospective awards, British or foreign, could cause all sorts of problems and as I have touched upon before, could lead to vast discrepancies in medal groups awarded for identical service; unfortunately though there are numerous cases where these rules have been completely disregarded and this is only adding to the Arctic Veterans� consternation. Personally I am not a fan of retrospective awards, whether brand new medals or existing medals given out long after the event�my reasoning behind this is simple, there have to be rules laid down, if there aren�t then chaos ensues and nobody really knows who is entitled to what�on top of that who am I, or you, or anyone who wasn�t there to say which group should be awarded a �special� medal and which shouldn�t? If we award a medal to those in the Arctic Convoys then those in Bomber Command surely have to have one too, and if them then why not the Normandy Veterans? And if you say yes to them where do you draw the line? Do you have one medal for those who went into the beaches on June 6 and another for those who went in a month later? And if that happens what about those who went in in the first wave when casualties were 80 per cent compared to those who went in later when casualties were relatively low? To put it bluntly we simply cannot start picking apart the battles and missions of World War II and start saying that one group of individuals was braver/faced more hardships than another. I fully sympathise with those campaigning for such new awards but I fear should they actually be successful then we will find every veterans group appealing to have their case hear and should each get their own �special� medal then we will be back to square one with the original campaigners claiming they should be given even more recognition and so on ad infinitum. With foreign awards the situation is slightly different, but again there has to be a line drawn somewhere and in this particular case it must be remembered that a Russian award has already been given to Arctic veterans�the 40th Anniversary medal (MYB 203A) is a Soviet award that British veterans can wear alongside their British Medals. That said I am actually in favour of the Ushakov Medal being given to, and worn by, our veterans. Why? Quite simply because there is precedence for this sort of thing�the French gave the Legion d�honneur to surviving World War I veterans back in 1998 and more recently the Malaysian Government introduced the Pingat Jasa Malaysia Medal for veterans of the Malay Emergency and that now can be worn by the Britons who served. The fact is that awards such as the Ushakov Medal have been made to, and worn by, British veterans for years�despite the rules being in place to stop them, the same rules that are being bandied about now. The rules, it seems, get bent this way at that depending on the mood of the time, and it is no wonder that the Arctic Convoy Veterans, many of whom have already been told they will receiving the award, are furious. As I�ve said I�m not a fan of retrospective awards, nor a fan of foreign awards being dished out for the same thing time after time, however, I am less of a fan of bureaucrats who make rules then adhere to them only half the time. It is about time the powers that be made a decision once and for all�either say absolutely NO to new retrospective medals, be they British or foreign, or allow them all. The time has come to stop messing about and prevaricating. Either allow the veterans their medals or adhere to the rules properly, and forever, and tell them they have no chance of being successful in their campaign. All this pussy footing around is not doing anybody any good.

A Fair weekend

Carol — 01/11/2012 12:36:00

The Token Team are out in force this weekend with John and Carol at the London Coin Fair on November 3 at the Bloomsbury Hotel for all things numismatic and Phil attending the Aldershot show on November 4. The London Coin Fair at the Holiday Inn is an event not to be missed for any serious numismatists as over 70 dealers will be in attendance. Doors open at 9.30 am and close at 5pm. The militaria and medal fair in Aldershot runs from 9.30 until 2.30 as is held at the Princes Hall, Princess Way. So come along to the event that suits you and catch up on a number of new titles from Token.

Important Portuguese Coins

Carol — 26/10/2012 12:29:00

Morton & Eden�s next auction on Tuesday November 13 features an important offering of Portuguese and Portuguese Colonial coins from the magnificent Archer M. Huntington Collection. Some 500 pieces are expected to raise around �500,000. This will be followed early next year by the sale of Huntington�s equally important Spanish Colonial coins numbering almost 1,500 items. For further details please go to www.mortonandeden.com.

Stolen medals

Phil Mussell — 23/10/2012 16:04:00

The medals of Brigadier Stanley-Clarke of the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) were stolen in a burglary earlier this year. The group comprised:

CBE (Mil)

Order of Polonia Restituta 3rd Class (Polish)

DSO with 2nd award bar.

1914 Star with clasp.

British War Medal

Victory Medal (Mid)

1939-45 Star

Defence Medal

1939-45 War Medal

1935 Jubilee Medal

1937 Coronation Medal

Legion of Honour, Chevalier class (French)

Croix de Guerre with bronze palm leaf (French)

Anyone with information concerning this group please contact Richard Ellis at The Art Management Group by email on r.ellis@artmanagementgroup.com or by telephone on 07803081749.

Last of the few

Phil Mussell — 23/10/2012 10:24:00

Battle of Britain pilot William Walker, one of the last of the "few" has died in hospital following a stroke. He was 99. More details can be found on the BBC site here

Sovereign sensation

Alyson Thomas — 22/10/2012 11:24:42

Open House?

THERE are a few subjects that dominate my �Comments� in any given year: one is high prices paid at auction (and with the recent record set at Baldwin�s I could easily do the same again this month); another is the future of our hobby with regard to encouraging new collectors and a third the fate of numismatic societies in the UK. I make no apologies this time around for rolling the latter two subjects together and I do crave your indulgence once again�

Last month Phil was the guest of the Exeter and District Numismatic Society giving his �I have got Coin News for you� talk�the subject of the Royal Mint lecture at the BANS Congress in 2010 and a number of numismatic society evenings since. In essence, the 45-minute talk comprises a short history of COIN NEWS and Token Publishing Ltd, from its humble origins as a two person company based above a plumber�s shop in Hampshire, to today�s 14-strong team in palatial surroundings of a penthouse in London�s Mayfair (OK I may have fibbed about that, we are actually on an industrial estate in Devon but we do employ 14 people). The history lesson is followed by a �State of the Hobby� address taking a look at how numismatic societies can help turn the hundreds of thousands of people with an interest in coins into �real� numismatists. This is inevitably followed by a discussion amongst the Society members and whilst some of the suggestions that get bandied about may not work, others are eminently sensible. At the Exeter and District Society meeting one member suggested that a clear way to encourage both new members and new collectors was to hold a valuation and open day/evening�persuading all those people who have jars of coins left to them by grandparents, etc., to come in and be told both the history of the coins (which actually people find fascinating once they get beyond the slightly geeky image) and the value of what they have. It was considered at the very least that members could warn those with standard �Vicky Sovs� that what they had was worth considerably more than the shyster �We Buy your gold� booths would be offering. This idea was met with full approval by all present and hopefully sometime in the Spring/Summer of 2013 the E&DNS will find itself the centre of attention as hordes descend with their hoards�we shall see.

This suggestion by our local society �which I believe to be an excellent one�got me thinking, if Exeter can do it then why can�t every other Society in the country? Every single Society has in its members enough knowledge of the various different coins/token/notes that make up our interesting hobby to be able to field any question put to them, and whilst not every Society has dealers within its ranks even the amateurs will be able to take a good guess at value, and if they can�t they will at least have a library between then that can come to their rescue. So here is my suggestion: all you Society secretaries out there, talk to your members, set yourselves a date and get a valuation day/open day organised. Wouldn�t it be great if we could co-ordinate them all to fall within the same couple of weeks? If you can organise it, then we�ll publicise it for you . . . we will put publicity within COIN NEWS, yes, but we will go further too�we can produce press releases, contact the media (local and national) and really go to town on it. Some years ago the BNTA together with the Royal Mint, organised �National Coin Week�. It was a great idea which somehow never took off, but now, with the renewed interest in �what�s it worth� TV (as demonstrated by the plethora of �Flog It/Bargain Hunt� style programmes), the huge upsurge in the �We buy your gold� outfits, the ongoing recession and new forms of communication that make publicity of such things so much easier, I believe the time has come to try again. So, if you�re interested in hosting an �Open Day�, if you think you can get your members on board, then now is the time to start thinking about it. Late May or early June would be an ideal time to hold such events but the planning has to start now. We are right behind you, but ultimately it has to be up to you. Let us know what you think . . .!

World Notgeld 1914-1947

Phil Mussell — 10/10/2012 13:01:00

At last a new version of Krause's acclaimed "Notgeld" Catalogue which was a best seller in book form a few years back.

Now produced on CD Rom for ease of access this catalogue is the perfect companion to any notgeld collection - ideal for both valuations and identifications!

Click here to order your copy today!

Just Giving....an update

Phil Mussell — 08/10/2012 16:36:00

In support of her fellow Token Team Member Abbey (left), who has recently been diagnosed with breast cancer, Klara (right) has having her head shaved for charity! Abbey has had hers shaved in readiness for the side effects of the chemotherapy.

The charity in question is FORCE, the Devon based cancer charity working to support anyone affected by cancer and Abbey has found their help and advice invaluable.

We are sure that Coin News and Medal News readers will be keen to help support this charity and the wonderful work they do for people facing cancer. If you would like to sponsor Klara then please go to http://www.justgiving.com/Klara-Bodfish.

Record Fighter Ace

Alyson Thomas — 03/10/2012 15:14:30

Dallas Delights

This year�s Orders and Medals Society of America (OMSA) annual Convention was held in the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Dallas Fort Worth Airport over the weekend of August 16�19. Dallas in August isn�t necessarily somewhere where you want to be and being at an airport hotel meant that sightseeing would be limited and thus it was with some trepidation that the MEDAL NEWS team (Phil anyway!) headed west again this year. True, the hotel wasn�t in the best of locations and any trip either downtown (a trip to Dealy Plaza and the famous book depository was a must) or to a decent restaurant meant a taxi ride, but it wasn�t a great hardship and as a hotel the Hyatt couldn�t be faulted. OMSA Convention has been held in some ropey venues in the past (anyone remember Fort Mitchell? Or the Mark Adams Hotel in Philadelphia?), often alongside other conventions that didn�t exactly gel (paint-ballers were present one year, and family reunions are almost obligatory). However, there were no such complaints with this year�s choice and it served you well if all you wanted to do was fly in, visit Convention and fly out�which many did. The British contingent don�t do that of course, we tend to want to explore a bit, after all we have travelled a long way and generally want to see more than the inside of a hotel. And so it was this year, but that wasn�t to say the Convention itself was forgotten�far from it.

There was much on offer in Dallas for those prepared to look for it, with a particular focus on Russian and other Eastern European delights. Oliver Pepys and Mark Quayle of Spink led the search for the more exotic items, keeping abreast of what was in the room as it often changed from day to day, and they were keen to handle what they could. John Millensted of Bonhams was also eager to look around and was particularly taken by a group of four at $6,200, although on closer inspection it turned out to be two pairs which shouldn�t necessarily have been put together and wouldn�t have been to everyone�s taste, but which somehow worked, enough for the combination to be widely admired by others to whom he pointed it out. Richard Black of the London Medal Company took his entire staff with him to America this year and one of them, Roan Hackney, was very keen on a pair that everyone at first believed to be Eastern European but which, in fact, turned out to be American. He kept
going back to them to time after time, despite everything else on offer around the room, and whilst I�m not certain he actually purchased them in the end, despite his insistence that come the Saturday he certainly would, he nevertheless seemed to enjoy contemplating the prospect.

As ever the �natives� were friendly and many a long hour was spent catching up with old friends and making new ones. Arrangements were made to visit the US again and promises to come over to the UK abounded. I do believe Jon Peters of the London Medal Company, for example, has arranged for an exchange student, keen on floristry and eager to learn more about differences between Americans and the British, to come and stay with him for a while, which was a nice touch.

Sadly, of course, many of our old friends just don�t come to OMSA any more. Many of those we met in 1998, when we first visited OMSA Convention, are no longer with us and others are just unable to travel the long distances necessary to make every Convention�which, unlike the UK equivalent is held in a different US city every year�and numbers have dwindled. The internet doesn�t help, as people can now sit at home and buy medals without ever needing to leave the comfort of their armchairs. But to do that misses the whole point of an event like the OMSA Convention. These conventions aren�t just about buying medals, they are about meeting fellow collectors, swapping stories, catching up with old friends and meeting new
people who will stay friends for life. Yes, you can do that to a certain extent on the internet, but trust me it isn�t the same. The experience we got at OMSA this year can be found on-line but it wouldn�t have been nearly so rewarding, or indeed so much fun. Yes, it is true that the trip to Dallas hadn�t been particularly looked forward to: the heat didn�t appeal (although that wasn�t a problem in the end, the huge thunderstorm on the Wednesday ensuring the air cleared) and the hotel wasn�t in the right place for �seeing the sights�, but none of that eventually mattered. Ultimately it was a good, very enjoyable, show and those who made the effort to attend were glad they did and our thanks must go out to the organisers, in particular John Allgood and Nathan Weiss. So I urge anyone in the US or Canada, or indeed in the UK, who isn�t a member of OMSA and hasn�t been to a Convention, to think about registering and think about going along one year. The 2013 Convention is due to be held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, which might not be everyone�s ideal destination; but in 2014 it is being held in California, south of LA, and that is definitely an interesting prospect! Whether you visit next year, the year after or the year after that (Atlanta) I can say without fear of contradiction
that you�ll remember it fondly. For those Brits attending this year, Dallas will be firmly lodged in their memories for many years to come. Details of OMSA, the Conventions and how to join
can be found on page 48.

COIN YEARBOOK 2013

Phil Mussell — 28/09/2012 13:25:00

The BRAND NEW COIN YEARBOOK 2013 is available now! Launched at Coinex on September 28 this hugely popular book is now in its 20th year - order you copy today!!

Record Sovereign!

Phil Mussell — 28/09/2012 13:21:00

A stunning £780,000 (£650,000 plus 20% buyer's premium) was paid at Baldwin's on thursday September 27 for a 1920 Sydney Sovereign - one of only three ever offered at austion.An example of this excessively rare coin was last sold in 2009 when it fetched £415,000. For full details see COIN NEWS November

Roman reforms

Alyson Thomas — 24/09/2012 10:20:48

Which way now?

THIS Comment is being written a couple of weeks before Coinex, and the related sales from the London Houses, but I am confident that as the new �season� starts so we will find that once again records are broken and that the market is strong. We have been very lucky in the coin world in these past few years�whilst the world�s financial markets headed into free-fall and the phrase �double dip� came in to common usage we were carrying on as normal, in fact our hobby has actually started growing. Certainly there has been an element of investment money that has helped boost the numismatic coffers and those of us lucky enough to have tracker mortgages have found that our spare cash, useless in the bank, has to go somewhere, so why not coins? Coins, because they are seen as �safe� places to put ones money (and I offer no investment advice at all here but would simply point to prices of quality items over the past twenty or so years�we haven�t seen many heading downwards) are considered not as luxuries, to be put on hold when money is a little tight (or rather perceived to be tight thanks to our doom-laden media) but rather as sensible alternatives to other forms of savings.

Now, the true numismatists amongst us may shun that viewpoint, but let us be honest here: none of us actually want to see our collections decrease in value do we? The point of this comment though is not to harp on about the strength of the hobby, I�ve done that many times before, but rather to ask�what�s next? As this new numismatic season starts so we also find ourselves waving goodbye to the Olympics and Paralympics (I for one will be very sorry to say goodbye to this summer�didn�t we do well?) and thus saying farewell to the coin programme from the Royal Mint that we hoped would breathe new life into a hobby that, let�s face it, isn�t exactly considered young and trendy! Whether the 50p programme or the �Countdown� programme have actually inspired any new collectors won�t be known yet. Certainly the 50 pence pieces themselves have been widely collected (all are in circulation now as far as I am aware, but you try finding one in your change) and sales of the albums to house them have been very high, but will those eager to get a full set of 29 go on to collect other coins? Will they make the move from Royal Mint circulating coins to Athenian owls? Only time will tell, but I fear that when the high from London 2012 passes, most of those still eagerly sorting through their change will simply put away their half-full albums and forget about them, bringing them out only when they need a bit of spare change for the car park. When they realise that even a full set of London 2012 50 pences isn�t worth more than �14.50 (maybe �16 with the album) many �new� collectors will simply break them up and that will be that, and that is no good for our hobby at all!

So what is next? What can we do, as coin collectors, to keep the ball rolling? The hobby is strong, yes, but if that is investment led then it is a false strength, as soon as better investments come along the money will move out, so what we need to do is find a way to take the strength we do have now (for whatever reason), use the interest generated by the 2012 programmes and build on it. But, to be honest, I am a little stumped as to how we achieve that. Do we concentrate on coins as good investments, hoping to bring in those with a bit of spare cash? Or do we concentrate on coins as items of interest? I think I would prefer the latter, but I also know full well that such an approach won�t cut much ice with young people whose lives are governed by the internet and for whom the world is full of interesting things�things we couldn�t have even considered when we were their age.

Our hobby is at something of a crossroads right now. We are in a position of strength, very much so, and when you have records being broken on an almost weekly basis and new items being discovered all the time (take a look at this month�s �Banknote News� for some wonderful new DuraNote releases that have just come to light as well as a hitherto unknown Australian note!), it is hard to see that strength diminishing. I hope it won�t, of course. I hope we will continue to carry on as we are, but as the Olympic Programme fades, as investment money turns back to banks and markets, we may find things begin to change. It is up to us, all of us, collectors, dealers, publications, societies, everyone, to make sure that change is only for the better. How we do it I don�t know. Over the next few months I�ll try to give you my ideas�I will welcome yours.

The MEDAL YEARBOOK 2013

Phil Mussell — 21/09/2012 15:12:00

The BRAND NEW MEDAL YEARBOOK 2013 is now available - once again the softcover is just £19.95 and the very limited edition hardback is still just £24.95 Order your copy today!

Coming to Coinex?

Phil Mussell — 21/09/2012 15:07:00

The BNTA's flagship COINEX show takes place next weekend (September 28/29) at the Millennium Hotel, Grosvenor Square, Mayfair, London.

With dozens of dealers from around the world in attendance this really is the UK's premier coin fair and it's well worth coming along if you can. Entry is a rather scary £50 if you want to get in on the Earlybird ticket (before 2.30pm on the Friday) but it's only £5 after that and free on the Saturday!

We'll be there with our BRAND NEW COIN YEARBOOK 2013 - and we hope to see you there!

Crusader hoard found

Carol — 13/09/2012 15:24:00

On the north coast of Herzliya at Tel Arshaf, during the course of a three-year dig a large cache of golden coins of the Crusader period has been uncovered. The dig, headed by Prof. Oren Tal of Tel Aviv University, unearthed a sand-filled pottery vessel under the floor tiles of the castle containing some 108 gold coins minted around 1,000 CE in Egypt. It looked like a deliberate act of concealment, probably made by the defenders during a prolonged siege by Muslim troops. The excavation has also uncovered arrowheads and catapult stones, evidence of the Arab siege. The Crusaders, who called their castle �Apollonia�, held the stronghold in the 13th century, when it was eventually conquered and razed to the ground by the Mamluks�who failed to check under the floor tiles!

The new Season

Phil Mussell — 13/09/2012 10:08:00

Both the Coin and Medal season kick off this month - and as ever the Token Team will be attending a variety of shows with our new titles - including the new YEARBOOKS. Watch this space for details of where we will be!

Bentley Priory at Spink

Phil Mussell — 13/09/2012 10:05:00

Congratulations to Spink whose Bentley Priory Battle of Britain Trust Charity auction netted nearly £160,000 for the appeal. Without a doubt the record breaking "Cat's Eyes" Cunningham Group was the highlight of the sale - it hammered at a staggering £320,000 - although there were plenty of other delights too - a full report will appear in MEDAL NEWS in November

The OMRS Convention

Phil Mussell — 13/09/2012 10:02:00

Is this weekend! We'll be there - as always - launching our new books, the MEDAL YEARBOOK 2013 and SAVED FROM THE FLAMES. This year the venue has changed to the Holiday Inn, London Bloomsbury, a short walk from last year's venue but it's far more user friendly - in fact the London Coin Fair is held there three times a year!

As last year the event is held over two days - the seminars and exhibits on the Saturday and the medal fair on the Sunday - we'll be there Sunday from 9.30am - we hope you will too!

Visit Valkenburg

Carol — 12/09/2012 11:37:00

The April Paper Money Fair Maastricht is an established event, however, don�t forget there is an autumn fair too. Taking place on September 29/30 at its usual �home� of the �Polfermolen�, Plenkertstraat 50, Valkenburg, well over 140 dealers will be stalling out, Unlike the April fair, the September event includes coins as well as banknotes so there really is so much to see. To find out more and to arrange your trip visit www.www.papermoney-maastricht.nl.

The Welsh at Mametz

Alyson Thomas — 03/09/2012 09:42:30

Building Trust

THIS month�s �Letters� page has a letter from coin and medal dealer Paul Turnbull of Coinote Services International Ltd detailing how he has fallen foul of a credit card scam and has lost a large amount of money thanks to the cloning of credit cards and the fact that the transaction was a mail order one. This letter was actually sent to our sister magazine COIN NEWS but I feel that it is as relevant for the medal hobby as the coin, so I make no apology for including it! We don�t know the full details or indeed which bank Paul is with, so cannot comment on this particular case further. However, we have included the letter to alert dealers (and would-be dealers in these days of the internet) that they maybe aren�t as well protected financially as they thought. Certainly, if you or I were to have our cards cloned (and actually I have�twice now�never let a waiter, or anyone else for that matter, walk off with your credit card . . . !), then the credit card company or bank would ensure that we are not out of pocket should the card be used on a shopping spree. But what of the retailer that has been an unwitting victim? Well, in Paul�s case, as it was a mail order transaction, it seems that the retailer is not covered therefore loses a great deal of money. This poses something of a problem: for years the move has been toward a �cashless� society, with everyone being encouraged to use cards, electronic banking or similar rather than cash. Cheques were being phased out but now aren�t, but even so the cheque guarantee card is a thing of the past, so a cheque really is just a piece of paper until it has cleared. Using PayPal or similar may be an alternative but anyone who has sold using such a system will know that those companies are very much on the side of the buyer and will automatically deduct monies from the vendor�s account, with little or no recourse, should there be any issue with the purchase. The onus is then on the seller rather than the buyer to prove he is in the right, and that can be time consuming. This, coupled with relatively high commission charges, mean that dealers outside of eBay (where offering PayPal as a payment option is compulsory�small wonder as eBay own PayPal!) and similar are turning away from this method of payment.

So, if you are a dealer and want to set yourself up to take orders by mail what can you do? Credit cards apparently are not guaranteed, cheques are archaic and pointless without a guarantee card, PayPal seems to be too much on the side of the buyer and is expensive and sending cash by post is problematic. There�s always internet banking and electronic transfer of course, but not everyone is set up for that (fears regarding security still abound and not everyone is comfortable doing everything on-line)�sadly it seems it may be the only way forward though. One of the issues of course is speed of transaction: in this high speed, high tech world we�re used to ordering things one day and receiving them the next, such is the ability of the big players, and the smaller companies have tried to keep up. This has inevitably led to people sending items out before cheques have cleared, before funds are in the bank, etc., but I fear that will soon change. Medal dealers simply cannot afford to be exposed to losses such as Coinote experienced and thus I think we will start seeing delays on mail order transactions as the dealer, quite rightly, makes sure he is completely covered before he despatches items.

There is, of course a way round this, a way I have spoken about many times before: build a relationship with your favourite dealer, visit him at shows, get to know him personally, chat with him on the �phone rather than just placing orders on his website, build up a rapport�you�ll soon find that far from having to wait days or weeks for your purchases you will actually find yourself receiving medals on approval, able to negotiate layaways and finding that the items you order are with you almost instantly, regardless of how you pay. This hobby of ours is a small one, it is based on trust and based on friendship. As the scammers get more and more sophisticated and as banks offer less and less assurances to vendors, we will, I think, find people dealing in high value items less prepared to trust strangers; the remedy to that is simple�don�t be a stranger! It�s easier than you think.

COINEX

Alyson Thomas — 20/08/2012 15:31:19

Building trust

This month�s �Letters� page has a letter from Paul Turnbull of Coinote Services International Ltd detailing how he has fallen foul of a credit card scam and has lost a large amount of money thanks to the cloning of credit cards and the fact that the transaction was a mail order one. We don�t know the full details or indeed which bank Paul is with, so cannot comment on this particular case further. However, we have included the letter, at Paul�s request, to alert dealers (and would-be dealers in these days of the internet) that they maybe aren�t as well protected financially as they thought. Certainly, if you or I were to have our cards cloned (and actually I have�twice now�never let a waiter walk off with your credit card . . . !), then the credit card company or bank would ensure that we are not out of pocket should the card be used on a shopping spree. But what of the retailer that has been an unwitting victim too? Well, in Paul�s case, as it was a mail order transaction, it seems that the retailer is not covered therefore loses a great deal of money. This poses something of a problem: for years the move has been toward a �cashless� society, with everyone being encouraged to use cards, electronic banking or similar rather than cash. Cheques were being phased out but now aren�t, but even so the cheque guarantee card is a thing of the past, so a cheque really is just a piece of paper until it has cleared. Using PayPal or similar may be an alternative but anyone who has sold using such a system will know that those companies are very much on the side of the buyer and will automatically deduct monies from the vendor�s account, with little or no recourse, should there be any issue with the purchase. The onus is then on the seller rather than the buyer to prove he is in the right, and that can be time consuming. this, coupled with relatively high commission charges, mean that dealers outside of eBay (where offering PayPal as a payment option is compulsory�small wonder as eBay own PayPal!) and similar are turning away from this method of payment.

So, if you are a dealer and want to set yourself up to take orders by mail what can you do? Credit cards apparently are not guaranteed, cheques are archaic and pointless without a guarantee card, PayPal seems to be too much on the side of the buyer and is expensive and sending cash by post is problematic. There�s always internet banking and electronic transfer of course, but not everyone is set up for that (fears regarding security still abound and not everyone is comfortable doing everything on-line)�sadly it seems it may be the only way forward though. One of the issues of course is speed of transaction: in this high speed, high tech world we�re used to ordering things one day and receiving them the next, such is the ability of the big players, and the smaller companies have tried to keep up. This has inevitably led to people sending items out before cheques have cleared, before funds are in the bank, etc., but I fear that will soon change. Coin dealers simply cannot afford to be exposed to losses such as Coinote experienced and thus I think we will start seeing delays on mail order transactions as the dealer, quite rightly, makes sure he is completely covered before he despatches items.

There is, of course a way round this, a way I have spoken about many times before: build a relationship with your favourite dealer, visit him at shows, get to know him personally, chat with him on the �phone rather than just placing orders on his website, build up a rapport�you�ll soon find that far from having to wait days or weeks for your coins you will actually find yourself receiving coins on approval, able to negotiate layaways and finding that the items you order are with you almost instantly, regardless of how you pay. This hobby of ours is a small one, it is based on trust and based on friendship. as the scammers get more and more sophisticated and as banks offer less and less assurances to vendors, we will, I think, find people dealing in high value items less prepared to trust strangers; the remedy to that is simple�don�t be a stranger! It�s easier than you think.

Michael Sharp

Phil Mussell — 10/08/2012 13:39:00

It is with great sadness we learn of the death of Michael Sharp - for a full announcement see the DNW website

It's legal tender

Phil Mussell — 08/08/2012 15:23:00

Anyone in the note world (or who has seen Michael McIntyre on stage) will know there should be no issue accepting Scottish notes in England, apparently that isn't the case in London at the moment as hordes of Scots come in for the Olympics - as this story from the BBC aptly demonstrates

Stop Thief

Phil Mussell — 08/08/2012 15:15:00

Stolen from Evesham, Worcs between Midday and 2pm on August 2 2012

MILITARY MEDAL (INSCRIBED: LANCE CPL. A.H. PALMER); 39/45 STAR; 39/45 WAR MEDAL; FRANCE GERMANY STAR; DEFENCE MEDAL; PALESTINE 1945/48 MEDAL.

Any information to MEDAL NEWS office please

SBS Gallantry

Alyson Thomas — 06/08/2012 10:51:13

Reunited we stand

MEDAL collecting is like any other hobby in as much that there are extremes�there are the Victoria Crosses that sell (as two did recently at Spink�see next month�s Market scene) for over �200,000 and then at the other end of the spectrum there are medals that fetch a thousand times less than that and yet each is just as important. Take the example from the York Con Fair recently (yes there are medals there too�come along in January) where a coin dealer asked us to put a Medal Tracker entry in the next magazine to search for his wife�s grandfather�s medals. It transpired that his wife had been researching her family tree and discovered that her grandfather�s British War Medal had been sold at auction a few years back. Knowing of a dealer in the room that specialised in the regiment in question I mentioned the search to him and he was sure that he knew who had purchased the medal.

As I write I am confident that the family will be reunited with their ancestor�s award within a few weeks. The medal in question isn�t worth a great deal monetarily but to the family it will be priceless. Such stories abound in our hobby, stories of reunites to families, or collectors, who will treasure their new acquisition just as much as if they had spent hundreds of thousands of pounds on it. Headline medals such as a VC, a special forces DCM, a Falkland�s bravery award or a high ranking officer�s Gold Cross group are always worth reporting, of course they are, I call it the Top Gear effect where we all like to see super cars tested even though we�ll never hope to own one ourselves, yet it is stories about the humble medals, the Victory medal finally reunited with its silver counterpart, the LS&GC brought back together with an IGS or a QSA remarried to its KSA that really makes this hobby so very different from most others. With coins or stamps, or indeed any other �collecting� hobby it is the acquisition that is the important thing�collectors strive to get a complete date run, a full set of those coins/stamps/notes ever issued, a selection of rarities etc, etc. but never do those items have any real connection to each other. Yes a numismatist eager to complete a run of 20th century shillings will rejoice when he finally buys a 1905 example but that coin will have nothing in common with the shillings from 1904 or 1906 apart from the fact that it looks similar and was minted in the same place. A medal collector who finally manages to secure that elusive reunite knows that he has managed to bring together a group of medals that really do belong together, that were awarded to the same man, that once before sat side by side and that should never have really been parted in the first place. The thrill of a reunite, whether to a group or a family has to surpass the achievement of even the most pernickety of other collectors�it doesn�t matter whether the coin or note you are seeking is one of the rarest on the planet�you know that eventually an example will surface and when it does only the size of your wallet will determine your success. With medals it�s different. It isn�t about money, it isn�t about whether you can dig deep and look big. What it�s about is whether or not you can bring those medals back together and it doesn�t matter whether the medal in question costs �10 or �10,000� I defy any one of us not to feel absolutely elated when we are able to �bring a medal home�. I don�t, as a rule, buy broken groups, or at least I haven�t until recently but having spoken to a number of our �medal tracker� successes this month, both collectors and families who have no real interest in our hobby apart from to own the medals of family members, I�m wondering whether I shouldn�t maybe change tactics a little. It is all very well buying complete groups to my �theme� from dealers or at auction but by doing that I miss out on that unique feeling that only we medal collectors get� that wonderful sense of achievement you get from a reunite. I�ve managed it a few times � both through �Medal Tracker� and through sheer luck and there is nothing in collecting that�s comparable to that feeling. We would do well to remember that occasionally�and remember too that just because a group is incomplete at the moment that doesn�t mean it has to stay that way and if we are the ones to make sure it gets completed again we�ll be telling the story for years to come. Ask yourself this for a second� is the group in your collection that really sticks in your mind the one you paid the most money for or is it maybe the originally broken one you managed to bring back together? Or perhaps the family medals you managed to bring back home? Worth thinking about isn�t it?

"Lost" in transit

Phil Mussell — 31/07/2012 13:01:00

Yes another one...

This time a BWM sent from Switzerland to the UK

Details as follows: 356694 R.E.JARVIS. O.S.1. R.N

Any information please contact us on 01404 46972 or info@tokenpublishing.com

Worthing and District Numismatic Society

Phil Mussell — 24/07/2012 11:35:00

Due to unforeseen circumstances the Worthing and District NS have changed venues (again) from the Kingsway Hotel Worthing to the Beechwood Hall Hotel, Wykeham Road BN11 4JD

This change is immediate (from the August meeting) but the rest of the programme (speakers, dates, times etc) remains unchanged.

See COIN NEWS for further details

OMSA Time

Phil Mussell — 23/07/2012 12:37:00

This year's Orders and Medals Society of America convention takes place in Dallas from August 16-19. We're making the trip across the pond again this year (after missing Jacksonville in 2011) and look forward to seeing all our American friends once again. For further details visit www.OMSA.org

Jersey Hoard

Alyson Thomas — 23/07/2012 12:19:33

A double-edged hoard

THIS month�s issue features no fewer than three articles focusing on hoards (pages 33�34,45�48 and 55�56), so it is perhaps fitting that my �Comment� this month focuses on them too! It is, of course, every metal detectorist�s dream to uncover that elusive �hoard�, every numismatists dream to be able to gaze upon such a sight in situ and every collectors dream to be able to label his coin with the provenance �from the XXXX hoard�. A hoard is a wonderful sight to behold, of that there is no doubt, and even if you have only ever seen one in a museum as a cleaned up �re-enactment� of how it looked when discovered, there is still something particularly appealing about all those coins together. Often such an exhibit will include the remains of the pot that once held the coins, often there will be information about when, how and where they were discovered (although that latter information is never very detailed for obvious reasons, the museum doesn�t really want a lot of amateur archaeologists scouring the site), and always there will be conjecture as to why the hoard came to be buried in the first place. Theories regarding hoards abound�from the �religious offering� theory to the tried and tested �hiding it from the Vikings* (*insert barbarian name here to suit era)� and certainly any one of the theories (indeed all of them) may well be the real reason why the coins were buried only to be unearthed centuries later by a lucky treasure seeker. Certainly the idea that money was buried to keep it safe is a logical one but if you take something like the Jersey hoard (pages 33�34) with perhaps 50,000 coins in it and a weight of nearly three quarters of a ton it seems unlikely that it was hidden in haste nor indeed by one person or family! We will of course never really know why, every so often, large numbers of coins suddenly turn up in one place, nor indeed how many more such finds are just waiting to be discovered and that poses us collectors something of a problem.

As you will know the reason certain coins fetch huge sums of money whilst others, seemingly the same, fetch very little is down to rarity�whether of date, mintmark, die flaw or anything else that sets them apart from their more everyday counterparts. But what if that rarity factor was taken away? Take the Coenwulf gold mancus (penny) for example�a �one off� discovered in 2001 by a footpath in Bedfordshire it fetched �230,000 at auction and was subsequently purchased by the British Museum in 2006 for nearly �360,000, making it the most expensive British coin at that time. It is reasonable to expect that should the museum ever need to sell that coin they could expect a similar return�but only if it remains a �one-off�. What happens if a hoard of them is discovered tomorrow? It is highly unlikely of course, but never say never, stranger things have happened and should such a discovery be made, then suddenly the value of the original has to be in doubt. Look at the 1933 American double eagle: in 2002 the only example outside the US institutions fetched $7.6 million� but would it have made that had the other ten now known to exist been discovered earlier? Such is the double-edged nature of a hoard (whether ten constitutes a hoard is open for debate�when you�re dealing in millions of dollars perhaps it is), they are a wonderful thing to find, fantastic to see but actually for collectors they can sometimes be a disaster.

The �rarity� aspect is only one of the problems a hoard might throw up however, and its discovery will often lead to a number of questions�questions that split the numismatic and archaeological communities down the middle. For example, when a hoard is found should it be kept completely intact? Should all the coins discovered be kept together or should there be a chance for us collectors to get our hands on one or two of them? If the former then the issue of rarity doesn�t come into it, after all if the hoard is to be treated as a single item then there is no danger of individual coins getting out to dilute the market, but is that fair on collectors? Shouldn�t they all have a chance to own coins from a hoard? After all, often these coins have hitherto been difficult to get hold of�is it right that collectors are still denied the right to own one even though suddenly there are dozens, maybe hundreds to choose from? And why should a hoard be kept together anyway? After all, with something like the Jersey Hoard does it matter if 30,000 or 50,000 coins are exhibited (if that�s what is going to happen to it)? Who is going to count them? I suspect those who already own examples of coins found in hoards will err on the side of keeping a hoard intact, leaving their coins as rarities outside a museum, whereas those who aren�t lucky enough to own an example of the coins found will clamour for the hoard to be split � but is it that clear cut? Is there a right or wrong answer? I�m going to sit firmly on the fence on this one, knowing that no matter what my opinion is there will be some who vehemently disagree�I would love to know your viewpoint though.

Congratuations John

Phil Mussell — 11/07/2012 10:17:00

Congartulations to John, our Managing editor who turned 70 on Monday July 9! Many Happy Returns!

August Coin News - Hoard special

Phil Mussell — 11/07/2012 10:15:00

If you dream of finding a hoard of Roman Denarii or long to gaze upon a pot full of pennies then don't miss teh next issue of COIN NEWS - on sale July 25

York - again!

Phil Mussell — 10/07/2012 09:47:00

I can't quite believe it but the York Coin and Medal fair is almost upon us once again (and with it summer is almost over, oh no., wait it never actually began...).

Next Friday and Saturday will see the Knavesmire Stand at York Racecourse play host to a large number of dealers all of whom are guaranteed to carry some fantastic stock!

The fair starts at 11.00am on Friday (July 20) and 10.00am on Saturday and, as always, entrance is completely free!

We'll be there of course, it's a long way from Devon to York but if we can make it we're sure you can too!

Congratulations Pierce

Phil Mussell — 29/06/2012 14:20:00

Congratulations to Pierce Noonon of Dix Noonan Webb and Victoria Johnson who are getting married in West Sussex on Saturday June 30th, we wish them all the very best for the big day and the future

Olympic Vision

Alyson Thomas — 25/06/2012 14:56:14

Getting it right

IN this month�s �Letters� page we have two readers who have written in, ostensibly on different themes, but ones that can actually be connected quite neatly if you think about it. Jeff Posner talks about the thorny issue of grading�something collectors and dealers have disagreed about for years (is there such a thing as �almost� uncirculated? When does VF+ become almost EF, etc.) and Andrew McNamara raises the subject of counterfeiting and the worrying appearance of the new breed of forgeries that are becoming a depressing part of our hobby. Both writers suggest that we, COIN NEWS, should take a lead in helping people recognise different grades and the new forgeries, especially as these days so much trade is done on-line and a definitive guide to what to look out for would be helpful. We don�t disagree in principle, unfortunately we aren�t sure quite how to do it...

In our COIN YEARBOOK we publish the standard grading scale from Unc to Poor although we have always been careful to use descriptions rather than photographs. The reason for this is simple: grading is a subjective area and if we were to publish photographs of coins and state that these are the definitive grades, we leave ourselves open to all sorts of criticisms. With descriptions there is enough leeway for vendor and buyer to be able to argue between themselves should a dispute arise. Grading causes more arguments in the numismatic world than anything else�and you can understand why: when you�re not dealing with exceptionally rare dates grading is everything, with the slightest mark or flaw knocking huge percentages off the price, and even with the rarest coins the collector always seeks the best grades, only accepting a lesser specimen until such a time as he can trade up. This being the case we are loathe to state categorically what is or isn�t a particular grade�we aren�t dealers, our profit isn�t on the line should we make a mistake and so we have steered clear of any definitive guide, our feelings being that those whose livelihoods depend on getting it right are better judges than we.

With counterfeiting the issue isn�t quite as straightforward. We could produce a guide about what to look out for, and indeed when we have come across a run of a particular �dodgy� coin we have flagged it up for our readers� attention. However, producing anything definitive either on paper or indeed on a website is perhaps not the best way forward. The reasoning behind this? Quite simply, that I could show you endless photographs of some of the forged coins and you would be none the wiser. Most of these coins look perfect, they look just like they should. A photograph in COIN NEWS or on any website will tell you nothing at all; even telling you that the weight or feel of the coin is wrong won�t really help . . . until you handle one of the coins for yourself. Most of the time I couldn�t tell you why I know a particular coin is a forgery and I certainly couldn�t tell you how to spot a forgery in this Editorial. I could tell you about tell-tale signs such as incorrect mintmarks for dates, the wrong hairline on a bust, or a variety of other signs to look out for, and indeed should readers have counterfeits with such obvious giveaways to tell us about, then please do get in touch, we would be delighted to share your findings with fellow collectors. But ultimately these things will not help combat the forgers�for no sooner are such flaws pointed out than they are rectified by the criminals responsible and suddenly that tell-tale sign isn�t there any more, so if all you have been looking for is that, then you may be in trouble. No, the reason I can�t tell you definitively how to spot a forgery is the same reason why I can�t show you, through photographs, a definitive guide to grading and that is because for both you really do need to handle real coins, lots of them, time and again. And again. Photographs are great, they will give you an overview of things but we could never suggest they were definitive. The only way, and I really do mean the only way of getting to know your grades, and getting to know whether something is likely to be a forgery or not is to get to know your coins. Of course there are the encapsulation companies that will put their reputation on the line (as well as their money where their mouth is) in guaranteeing both authenticity and grade, but if you don�t want to go down the �slab� route then I am afraid you have no choice�you really do have to get to know what you�re buying. Of course, if you�re only buying from shysters who grade poorly and sell fakes then you�ll end up knowing nothing and losing out big time, so only buy from reputable dealers and never from people offering things too good to be true�they usually are. After a while of handling good coins from good dealers you will realise no �definitive guide� will really help. Until then we are happy to do what we can. Just let us know how.

Don't forget Stratford

Phil Mussell — 21/06/2012 12:39:00

The summer Stratford Medal show is this sunday and although we can't be there (too much on this summer I'm afraid) we do wish the organisers luck and are sure attendees will enjoy it!.

Doors open at 9.30am and the venue is, as always, the Leisure Centre bang in the middle of the town (with excellent if a tad expensive car parking). Stratford is such a lovely town why not make a weekend of it...?

Diamond Jubilee

Alyson Thomas — 31/05/2012 10:46:48

All for a good cause

UNDER normal circumstances we wouldn�t necessarily promote one auctioneer over another nor automatically suggest that auctions are a better place to sell than through a dealer or indeed privately. Every auctioneer (indeed every auction) will have their own merits to consider as will every individual dealer, and often your decision how and through whom to sell your medals has more to do with personality than anything else�if you get on well with the person who you intend to sell through then so much the better. However, just occasionally there may be another reason that prompts you to sell through one avenue rather than another, indeed may prompt you to sell items that you had previously not considered parting with. Perhaps a star item is being offered that you know will attract the interest of bidders who also might be interested in your pieces, perhaps you manage to do a �deal� with the auctioneer for a lower commission or perhaps the proceeds of the sale are being put towards a good cause, something you believe in. Or maybe you get really lucky and all three come together! Such, I hope, is the case with the Bentley Priory Battle of Britain Trust Appeal Auction that will take place at Spink on September 6, 2012. We have publicly backed the Bentley Priory Campaign (and, yes, we have bought a badge!) as we truly believe it to be a worthy cause and it is gratifying to see that others think so too. Such is the importance of the campaign that already a variety of stunning groups have been offered for sale�including, no less, the simply outstanding CBE, DSO and Two bars, DFC and bar group of nine to �Cat�s Eyes� Cunningham the legendary night fighter who was credited with 20 �kills� no fewer than 19 of which were at night. Bentley Priory is now asking for others to come forward with anything they wish to sell at the auction in September, preferably with an RAF/flying theme but Spink will, of course, consider most items should anyone wish to take advantage of the reduced vendor�s commission of just 5 per cent. And don�t worry, you aren�t being asked to donate these items, not being asked to give away your prized possessions in the name of the Battle of Britain Trust Appeal, the money will be raised through the generosity of Spink who are donating both the Vendor�s AND the Buyer�s Premium to Bentley Priory! Any money you make from the sale of your medals will be yours.

Of course September is, traditionally a hot time for auctions, most of the big London Houses (and many of the larger ones out of �town�) have a sale round about this time and you may well have already decided to place your items elsewhere. Undoubtedly you will have your own �favourite� who you feel would do the best for you, maybe someone you have bought from in the past or just somebody you get on well with�if so then excellent, I wouldn�t want to persuade you to change your mind, after all we do pride ourselves on our impartiality here at MEDAL NEWS! However, you may well be somebody who had never before considered selling at auction, have no real preference for one �house� over another or indeed hadn�t actually considered selling anything at all�if that is the case then maybe this is your chance to make your first foray into the auction world; perhaps this can be your opportunity to raise some cash whilst at the same time helping a very worthy cause. So if you do have an RAF group (or indeed anything flying related or anything else that you think would fit nicely into the sale) that is, perhaps, not quite �right� for you, something you were maybe thinking of selling on line or using as a part exchange on a group more to your taste then why not put it forward for this sale? The cause is, as you know, very worthwhile, the commission is low and there are some star lots to attract the bidders�all that�s needed now is as many lots as possible to help raise as much money as possible�and that is up to you! Consignments are being taken up until July 10 and, as mentioned, the auctioneers are trying to attract related items to ensure there is some element of a �theme� running through the sale, but have a chat to them first before you discount anything, I�m sure they won�t turn down a Victorian Naval VC just because it doesn�t fit with the other lots! And please don�t worry if you only have Indian Mutiny medals in your collection, or World War I army gallantry, there are plenty more sales later this year and plenty more auction houses and dealers to talk to, and if you wanted to sell through someone else then that�s OK�you can still help the Battle of Britain Trust Appeal�just donate some of the proceeds of THAT sale to Bentley Priory, maybe use the money you make to buy one of their badges, I�m sure they won�t mind!

60 Glorious Years

Phil Mussell — 25/05/2012 14:45:36

In for a penny

SOME of you will have seen our very own Phil on the BBC�s �One Show� or �Breakfast� recently, or perhaps heard him on one of the various radio programmes he was invited on to, or perhaps read his comments in one of the �papers. What was the reason for this flurry of media stardom? Why did he have the honour of appearing on the BBC sofa next to the lovely Susannah Reid? (apologies to our overseas readers who have no idea what I�m talking about�I�m sure you get the gist . . .). What was the reason for the world at large to turn its attention to numismatics? Quite simply, the penny. Our humblest coin, our oldest coin is, apparently, under threat. There�s no specific threat per se, no government agency has decreed an end to the penny, neither the Treasury nor the Royal Mint has announced its demise but there are enough people, certainly in media circles, who feel that the inconvenient little coin has had its day and therefore its future is worth debating. And judging by the number of calls and comments both the programmes, and our office, have had I think they are probably right. This has all stemmed, of course, from the decision in Canada to scrap the one cent coin. Their �penny� was, apparently, costing 1.6 cents to produce each one�it was economically, therefore, a disaster and had to go. This, following on from Australia and New Zealand doing the same thing back in the 1990s, has inevitably led to the spotlight being put on our own coinage and the future of the good old �coppers�.

Now our own �copper� coinage is no such thing. It hasn�t been copper for the best part of 150 years. It isn�t even bronze now�the price of metals in the 1990s meant that we went over to copper plated steel in 1992, just as the new 10p and 5p pieces are now zinc coated steel (have you seen them yet, they are quite noticeable when compared to earlier issues) and this actually means that our smallest denomination coins still cost less than face value to produce (we are not certain of the exact cost per coin, the Royal Mint won�t release the data, but have estimated the metal value in a penny to be approximately 0.2p). This being the case the only real argument to get rid of the penny is one of convenience. The penny itself is, to many people, a trifle, an irritation that weighs down purse or pocket and it is estimated that some �4 billion worth of these coins (and their weightier 2p cousins) are out of circulation, hoarded in drawers, jam-jars, pots, down the backs of sofas, etc. simply because we cannot be bothered to use them. It is true that officially shop keepers don�t have to honour a transaction made with �coppers� if it comes to more than 20p and of course there is little around these days that costs less than that, certainly few things that cost a penny (although you can still buy penny chews) and so it does seem something of an anachronism in this day and age to hang on to our smallest coins. But is the argument �it�s inconvenient� one that holds water? Surely arguments in favour of the penny are stronger? There is the obvious historical argument that it is Britain�s oldest coin still in use (indeed, it was the only coin in existence in �Britain� from the end of the 8th century until the end of the 13th); the rather plausible argument that actually it is our unit of currency (inasmuch that a pound is 100 pennies rather than a penny being one hundredth of a pound, unlike the Americans who have a �half dollar� and a �quarter dollar� our coinage is made up in multiples of pence not fractions of pounds) and the fiscal argument that if you got rid of the penny then inevitably prices would rise�after all, none of us can envisage a world where items currently priced at �1.99 go down to �1.95 can we? We all know they�ll go up to �2�only a small rise, but multiply that over hundreds of thousands of transactions every day and inflation will inevitably follow. There have been some that suggest we follow the example of certain continental countries and round up or down at the till after all purchases have been made (the theory being that sometimes you�ll be ahead, sometimes behind and in the long run it will even out). But I can�t see that working over here� after all, you can bet that somebody will challenge the notion of prices still being in pence if you can�t actually give change!

All of these arguments are sound and safe, but there is one more I would like to offer up�and that is a simple �why?� Why on earth would we get rid of something just because it is slightly irritating or slightly inconvenient? If we applied that rationale across the board I dread to think what we would get rid of! I don�t imagine there are too many coin collectors in favour of getting rid of the penny but if there are, if you are someone who finds the penny inconvenient or irritating, then every time you get one why not give it away to a charity? There are enough collecting tins in shops and garages up and down the country to make this relatively easy and whilst charities would, I am sure, prefer larger coinage donations, none of them will turn their nose up at any donation, no matter how small. In this age of �austerity� if you can still afford to do without your pennies then do so by all means, but give them to an organisation who needs them, don�t campaign to get rid of something just because you no longer like it�because there are many of us who still do!

Counterfeit coin ring smashed

Phil Mussell — 25/05/2012 10:44:00

What is thought to be the biggest discovery ever of fake coins in the UK has resulted in three men being charged. Some four million blanks and £107,000 of finished coins were discovered in raids in Essex, Herts and North London. For more details see the BBC website

Leeds (Wakefield) this Sunday

Phil Mussell — 25/05/2012 08:06:00

Yes once again we're heading north to Eddie Smith's excellent show at the Cedar Court, Wakefield (just off junction 39 of the M1) on Sunday November 27. We try to get to Eddie's show at least twice a year but this is our first one for 2012 - it even means "splitting our forces" with half the team at the London Coin Fair and half in Wakefield - but that's OK, Eddie derserves or support for such an excellent show so we're happy to make the trip north. See you all at Cedar Court on Sunday!

Are Punts on their way back..?

Phil Mussell — 16/05/2012 17:02:00

Numismatists (and indeed ordinary shoppers) in Ireland may well be bemoaning their country's entry into the Euro and doom mongers are even contemplating what will happen if Greece and maybe other countries decide to opt out - well shopkeepers in Clones, County Monaghan are preempting the problem by heading back to the punt in droves. Apparently their are 300million Euros worth of old Irish coins and notes still floating around in Ireland and whilst they are no longer legal tender the Central Bank will still change them up. This being the case 40 shops in Clones have started taking the "old money" again as this BBC Report shows.

Do they know something that maybe we don't?

Stop Thief

Phil Mussell — 09/05/2012 16:18:00

The Quay Antiques Centre in Topsham, Exeter, was broken into on May 1. The audacious thieves braved the alarms in a swift operation which targeted the only three stands featuring gold. Unfortunately in addition to two jewellery dealers, local coin dealer Glenn Ogden was one whose stock was taken, including a number of sovereigns and half sovereigns. In addition to some sovereigns dated 2012, recognisable is a fairly worn William & Mary guinea ex-mount. If you are offered any gold or other coins in suspicious circumstances please contact Glenn on 01626 859350 or 07971 709427.

Medal review

Phil Mussell — 09/05/2012 10:01:00

The Prime Minister has announced an independent review of the rules and principles governing the awarding of military campaign medals. According to the MOD's own website the following are areas of particular interest:

Awards being considered after a period of five years has elapsed after a particular military action;

Individuals being rewarded twice for the same military campaign

Awards being based upon significant 'risk and rigour' for the individual concerned.

For more information see the MOD website

Hero of R101

Alyson Thomas — 09/05/2012 09:52:00

A TECHNICAL hitch at a London sale we attended recently meant that bidding couldn�t take place via their internet bidding system. This, on the surface, would seem a trifle inconvenient but little more, after all the �phones were fully manned and anyone wanting to place a bid could simply give the auction house a call, however, such is the importance of �new� technology (I use the inverted commas because whilst we consider the internet to be new
it has actually been around for the best part of two decades now) that the decision was taken to postpone the sale for an hour until the system was up and running � a decision fully supported by the vendor (of at least the first part of the sale) who, naturally, wanted to maximise the number of people bidding on his lots. It may seem an unlikely scenario but there was talk (at least by those of us in attendance) that the sale may be have to be put off entirely until another date, although the auctioneer seemed to think that very unlikely and within the hour the company�s �techies� had sorted the problem and on-line bidding resumed as normal. I was surprised that there was any talk at all of postponement, after all there had been ample opportunities to place bids in other ways � commission bids direct with the auctioneer, proxy bids through a third party attending on the day or the previously mentioned telephone bids � but it seems enough people were expected to log on to bid live on-line that without the internet link there was a very real possibility that the sale might not go ahead at all. The on-line bidding systems have become such an integral part of the auction process these days that to start a sale without one in operation is now, apparently, unthinkable. Now whilst I fully support attempts by any auctioneer to maximise exposure of the sale and get as many bidders as possible to achieve the best price for the vendor I cannot help but feel this reliance on the �new� systems is in some ways a backwards step. The attendance at this particular London house was around about 25�30 bidders (at least in the morning session � I am told that the big gallantry highlights in the afternoon attracted more) but on-line there were a couple of hundred or more bidders, many of whom in days gone by would have attended the sale in person. Of course, the internet has made bidding from overseas incredibly easy and for many in the UK the ease of sitting at one�s desk listening to the auction whilst still being able to get on with everyday life is a Godsend. Supporters of the new system also say that easier bidding means better prices but I�m not so sure. I have bought many things at auction � some in person, some by commission, some by proxy�but on every occasion if I wanted something I would go for it, somehow, and whilst the internet may make it slightly easier it doesn�t affect how much I am prepared to pay for something. Like many buyers I have a limit and stick to it and sitting at my desk listening to an auction on-line doesn�t change that. However, my real concern with regard to internet bidding isn�t whether it gets better prices or not but rather where it will lead to. In an increasingly frantic world with time being more and more precious I can see a scenario where the auctioneer is standing in the room on his own, surrounded by monitors, taking bids from persons unknown, no-one in the room with him except perhaps a �techie� making sure things run smoothly, no one with any time to spare to actually view the sale as it should be, just a lot of faceless bidders logging on, buying and logging off, all �real� human interaction gone.
As I mentioned I do understand why internet bidding is an absolute Godsend for some but one collector I was talking to recently (a chap with an interesting pink hue to his hair and an odd obsession with mortar shells and similar ordnance although I am sure that isn�t relevant) told me that whilst he lived less than two miles (as the crow flies) from his local auction house he simply couldn�t be bothered to attend, he�d rather bid on line and I think that is a great shame. Auctions have always been an integral part of our hobby; have always been hugely important both as places to buy and also places to go to feel part of the something bigger. The internet is great, it has opened up a whole new world for many of us and it does have its part to play in auctions but if it is at the expense of the auction as we have known it for years, if internet bidding takes the place of being in the room, if buying things is just a matter of clicking a button rather than actually going along and being part of it all then I�m not a fan. Call me a Luddite by all means but my answer to that is just because something is
easier that doesn�t mean it is better. Yes, the internet and all it offers has given us many new opportunities but sitting in front of a computer can be a lonely place and there really is no substitute for real live human interaction! It may not be possible for us all � those living in the Outback, west of the Rockies or even down here in Devon may find it difficult to get to a London sale room, I accept that, however, I will leave you with this thought � if you do live near an auction house then go along once in a while, attend in person rather than just as an anonymous number on-line. Be part of this great institution of our hobby, do it before you don�t have a chance to anymore because the auction, as we know it, no longer exists � who knows you may even enjoy the experience!

Missing from New Zealand

Phil Mussell — 03/05/2012 16:49:00

Many will recall the recent conviction of Keith Davies following extensive thefts of medals from New Zealand's National Army Museum in the late 1990s/early 2000s. Many of the medals stolen have been recovered, however many haven't and the Museum has now posted a list of those still missing. They include the following:

ANDERSON

Pte (Private)/A/Anderson/2109 8Btn Australian Imperial Forces

1914-15 Trio

ARCHER

Cpl (Corporal)/J/Archer/483 9th Coy 3rd Imperial Yeomanry UK Boer War

    Queens South Africa Medal with 2 bars ( cape colony & orange free state)

    3rd Yorkshire Imperial Yeomanry Medal 1900-1901

    South African Gold Tribute Medal from Town of Harrogate – Hallmarked JM

BAKER

Pte (Private)/H E (Henry E)/Baker/40870 Royal Inskilling 16 DIV then 30 DIV – WW2 RNZAF Solomons UK then WW2 NZ WW1

    1 1914 – 1918 British War Medal

    2 Victory Medal

    3 1939-45 Star

    4 Pacific Star

    5 War Medal

    6 New Zealand War Service Medal

BARBER

Spr (Sapper)/JR (John Ronald)/Barber/43713 Mounted Rifles Reinforcment NZEF NZ WW1

Victory Medal

BATES

T / Bates 1st Battalion Scots Fusilier guards UK Crimea

Crimea Medal with Sebastopol Clasp,

Turkish Crimea Medal

BEATTIE

Lt (Lieutenant)/M(Malcolm)/Bartlett NZ’er served in UK with Royal Berkshire Regt NZ WW1

Kings Empire Veterans “Veterans Medal”

BROWNE

Capt (Captain)/G R/Browne 88th Regt UK India Mutiny

India Mutiny Medal with Central India Clasp (1857-58 Bar)

CAMERON

Sgt (Sergeant)/K E (Kelvin Eric)/Cameron/12-1576 – LOCATED 1st Bn, Auckland Regiment NZ WW1

Military Medal, 1914-15 Star Trio and Memorial Plaque

CHURCH

Sgt (Sergeant)/(MM)/H G (Horace)/Church/511934 1/14th London Regiment UK WW1 WW2

Distinguished Conduct Medal

CLUBB

Capt (Captain) /F G (Frederick George)/Capt/Clubb/9435 26 Infantry Battalion, 2NZEF NZ WW2

Military Cross (1942 Engraved on Reverse)

COBB

Lt (Lieutenant)/ W L (Walter Leonard)/Cobb/11/26 Wellington Mounted Rifles, NZ coastal defence (WW2) NZ WW1 & WW2

    1 Military Cross

    2 1914-15 star,

    3 Victory medal,

    4 1914 – 1918 British War Medal

    5 NZ war medal 39-45,

    6 British War Medal 1939-45

COLBECK

Capt – Maj (Captain – Major)/ R W (Roy Wilfred) /Colbeck/16353 NZEF         NZ WW1

British War Medal & Victory Medal

COUPER

Tpr (Trooper)/J F (John Frederick)/Couper/9049 8th Contingent NZ Boer War

1 Queens South Africa Medal with 2 bars (1902 and Transvaal)

DALE

Sgt (Sergeant)/J/Dale/T4-244168 Army Service Corps UK WW1

    1 British War Medal,

    2 Victory medal,

    3 Meritorious Service Medal

FEARON

C/Fireman (23-748/ RF) Auckland City Fire Service NZ WW1 WW2

Long Service Medal (5 Year service) from Auckland City Fire Board

FOSTER

Foster/ Tpr/2375 ?? ?? ?? Military Medal

FREKE

J (John)/Turbit 40th Reg foot UK Peninsular War

1793-1814 Military General Service Medal ( 3 clasps Toulouse, Ciudad Rodrigo, Badajoz)

GARAWAY

Pte (Private) / A D (Alphonsus Donavan) / Garaway / 82097 2 Div Army Service Corp NZ WW2 5th Army Commemorative Medal

GERKE

Pte (Private)/H (Harold) /Gerke/ 81464 Machine Gun Corps UK WW1

British War Medal & Victory Medal with Assorted Service Documents

GIBBS

Maj (Major)/D (David)/Gibbs/4-01 New Zealand Engineers, 1NZEF NZ WW1

    1 Distinguished Service Order and bar,

    2 1914-15 Star,

    3 1914 – 1918 British War Medal

    4 Victory with MID,

    5 Volunteer Officers Decoration

    6 Colonial Auxillary Forces Medal

    7 NZ Long & Efficient Service,

    8 12 year TF

    9 and Miniatures as above

GILL

Pte (Private)/E (Edward)/Gill/6-1539 Canterbury Infantry Regiment NZ WW1

1914-15 Star trio & Memorial Plaque

GILLILAND

Pte (Private)/S (Samuel)/Gilliland Waikato Regt Then Imperial Commissariat Transport Corp NZ New Zealand Wars

NZ Medal 1861-66

GUTTERY

Pte (Private)/ H (Harry)/Guttery/78884 (NZEF) NZ WW1

British War Medal

HANCOCK

Hancock/J (John) Imperial Commissariat Transport Corps NZ New Zealand Wars

NZ war medal 1861 -66

HURLEY

Pte (Private)/ D J (Dennis Jerome)/Hurley/33525 24 Infantry Battalion NZ WW2

Memorial cross

JACKSON

Jackson/E (Edith)/H/Nurse New Zealand Army Nursing Service NZ Ww2

    1 1939-45 Star,

    2 Atlantic Star,

    3 Pacific Star,

    4 Italy Star,

    5 British War Medal,

    6 NZ War Service Medal

KEARTON

Kearton/T/Lt (Lieutenant) New Zealand Engineers NZ WW2 Italy Star

KENNEDY

Cpl (Corporal)/ H C (Harry Charles)/Kennedy/490552 2NZEF NZ Post WW2

QEII Silver Jubilee Medal (1977)

LARDNER

Lardner/ J (Joseph) /Deck Hand / 18165-DA Royal Naval Reserve UK WW1

1914-1919 British War Medal

LANGSTONE

Langstone/Alice/Mrs St John Members NZ 1930 – 1960 Order of St John Commander

LANGSTONE

Langstone/S E (Sidney Edward) /Mr St John Members NZ 1930 – 1960

1 Knight of St John Star and Neck Badge.

2 Order of St John Commander

LYNN

Lynn/EW/Bombardier/73679 27 Brigade , Royal Field Artillery UK WW1

Military Medal & 1914-15 Star Trio, British War Medal 1939-45

MALTON

Malton/G (George)/Pte (Private) Auckland militia Regt Then Imperial Commissariat Transport Corp NZ New Zealand Wars

NZ War Medal 1861-67

MASON

Mason/ G W (Geoffrey Waller) / Cpl (Corporal) / 19043947 Seaforth highlanders and General Service Corp plus Malaysian Police UK Malaya

1x unspecified medal (Possibly Police medal or General Service Medal for Malaysian emergency)

MASSEY

Massey/R C (Robert Claremont)/6-102 Canterbury Infantry Rifles NZ WWI

Victory medal

RSA badge

MCARTHUR

McArthur/J (James)/Pte (Private) Auckland militia Regt Then Imperial Commissariat Transport Corp NZ New Zealand Wars

NZ Medal 1861-66

MCKAY

McKay/C T (Charles Thomas) /Pte (Private) NZEF NZ WW1

1914 – 1918 British War Medal

MCLELLAND

McLelland / J / Cpl (Corporal) ?? ?? Boer War

Queens South Africa Medal Medal x 3 bars

MCNIE

McNie/L A (Louie Alexa)/Matron/22-144 NZ Army Nursing Service NZ WW1

Royal Red Cross Medals 1st Class

Royal Red Cross Medals 2nd class

MILES

Miles/R (Reginald)/Brig (Brigadier) /2-1045 Field Artillery NZ WW1 WW2

CBE military

Bar to DSO

MILLAR

Millar/O M (Owen Mclean)/Pte (Private) /14460 Auckland Infantry NZ WW1

Victory Medal

MITCHELL

Mitchell/ J M (John Morgan) /Brig(Brigadier) /22999 New Zealand Artillery NZ WW2

Knight the Order of St John of Jerusalem

MITCHELL

Mitchell/W H (William Henry)/Sgt (Sergeant) 90th Regiment UK Crimea

Turkish Crimea Medal

MOORE

Moore/H (Henry)/Civilian Civilian Bullock Driver in the Imperial Commissariat Transport Corp NZ New Zealand Wars

NZ War Medal 1861-69

MURRELL

Murrell/S A (Sydney Allan)/Lt (Lieutenant) /1-557 5th Wellington NZ WW1

1 14-15 Star Trio & Memorial Plaque

PHILLIPS

Phillips/R (Robert)/Sgt (Sergeant) /8/4205 NZEF NZ WW1

Military Medal and 1914 – 1918 British War Medal & Victory medal

PUSSELL

Pussell/O T (Osbert Thorndon)/ Cpl (Corporal)/ 4492 New Zealand Army service Corp NZ WW2

    1 1939 – 45 Star,

    2 Africa Star,

    3 War Medal 1939 – 45 with MID Clasp

    4 NZ War Service Medal

    5 Assorted service documents

QUIGLEY

Quigley/J (John)/Pte (Private) /9165 also S/N 175089 Worcestshire Regt UK WW1

India General Service 1908-1935 with Afghanistan North West Frontier Clasp -

British War Medal & Victory Medal

REID

Reid/W (William)/Pte (Private) Auckland Militia Regt Then Imperial Commissariat Transport Corp NZ New Zealand Wars

NZ Medal 1861-66

RICE

Rice/A/Pte (Private)/850 2/D Cornwall Light Infantry UK Egypt 1882 – 89

Egypt medal C/W Nile clasp 1884-85

ROSE

Rose/W (William) 79th Reg’ UK Waterloo Waterloo medal 1815 (copy)

SEAWARD

Seaward/C F (Cyril Frederick)/Lt Col (Lieutenant Colonel)/13-455(WW1) 69402 (WW2) Auckland Mounted Rifle,

    1NZEF, Dunsterforce, 35th Battalion 2NZEF NZ WW1 1 DSO,

    2 MC

    3 1914-15 Star,

    4 1914 – 1918 British War Medal

    5 Victory Medal,

    6 1939-45 Star,

    7 Pacific Star,

    8 BDM,

    9 British War Medal 1939-45,

    10 NZ War Service Medal,

    11 GRV & Mary Jubilee,

    12 ED

SHARMAN

Sharman/T (Thomas)/Pte (Private) Auckland Militia Regt Then Imperial Commissariat Transport Corp NZ New Zealand Wars

NZ Medal 1861-66

SHERRARD

Sherrard/S.E.G/Lt Col (Lieutenant Colonel)/30429 Royal New Zealand Army Nursing Corps NZ WW2

    1 Royal Red Cross Medal, 2nd class,

    2 1939-45 Star,

    3 Pacific Star,

    4 BDM,

    5 British War Medal 1939-45,

    6 NZ War Service Medal,

    7 QE II Coronation Medal 1953

STEVENSON

Stevenson/M (Mathew)/Pte (Private) 2nd Waikato Regt Then Imperial Commissariat Transport Corp NZ New Zealand Wars

NZ Medal 1861-66

STOTT

Stott/ G W (George William) / Pte (Private)/45751 New Zealand NZ WW1

1914 – 1918 British War Medal

THOMPSON

Thompson/F H (Francis Henry)/82364 NZ WW2

    1 1939-45 Star,

    2 Italy Star

    3 British War Medal With MID Clasp

    4 NZ War Service Medal

THOMPSON

Thompson/ W H (William Holden) /10565 Scots Guard UK WW1

British War & Victory Medals

WADHAM

Wadham/R E G (Ralph Edwin George) /WOII (Warrant Officer Second Class) / 36086/ New Zealand Army Ordinance Corps NZ WW2

    1 1939-45 Star,

    2 Africa Star With 8th Army Clasp,

    3 Italy Star,

    4 Defence Medal,

    5 War Medal 1939-45,

    6 NZ War Service Medal

WHITE

White/F A (Francis Angus)/Pte (Private) Auckland Rifle Volunteers NZ New Zealand Wars

NZ War Medal

WILSON

Wilson/ M W (Mary Webster)/ Lt Col (Lieutenant Colonel)/ 200857 and 822536 New Zealand Army Nursing Service then Royal New Zealand Nursing Corps NZ WW2

Royal Red Cross Medal

YORSTON

Yorston/A (Archibald)/E (Egilshay)/Maj (Major)/ WW2 S/N -291904 – TF S/N – 200079 Royal New Zealand Artillery NZ WW2

    1 1939-45 Defence Medal,

    2 NZ War Service Medal

     and Miniatures

    3 QE II Coronation Medal ,

    4 Defence Medal,

    5 British War Medal 1939-45

    6 TF Efficiency Decoration

If anyone has information regarding these medals please contact us on 01404 46972 or info@tokenpublishing.com

Olympic countdown

Alyson Thomas — 30/04/2012 09:53:55

Another Way

IN this month�s �letters� page there is a question from reader Roy Norris, regarding whether there are any �courses� that teach aspiring numismatists about coins. We wracked our brains but couldn�t think of anything formal to recommend, instead it seems that we can only suggest that he reads or goes �on-line�. That way he may be able to learn what he needs. That, however, seems something of a cop out�Mr Norris already reads, he reads this magazine for starters and undoubtedly has a bookshelf full of coin related books. But already I can see a flaw. He may well have the books but will he necessarily understand them? Books aimed at beginners will undoubtedly be too simplistic for anyone but the absolute newbie collector (how many times do we need to be told that cowrie shells have been used as currency) and academic works on subjects he doesn�t have a basic knowledge of may well baffle�they certainly baffle me at times and I�ve been involved in this hobby for more years than I care to remember. On-line offers a solution but only if one is able to rely on the sites one visits (there is so much rubbish and misinformation on the internet about our hobby �indeed about everything�that it scares me to think that people believe even one tenth of it) and whilst coin collecting communities and forums are incredibly useful they too have their flaws. In my experience forums are often dominated by a few vociferous individuals who can make you feel incredibly stupid if you ask questions and seem to dominate every thread and topic as if it were their own personal fiefdom. This isn�t always the case of course and some are incredibly useful and friendly places but if you do frequent such message boards, forums and the like, you will I am sure recognise that they can distort reality sometimes. There is something about the anonymity of the web that can be very comforting but it can also bring out the worst in people too.

What then should Mr Norris do? If he has to rely on his own reading he may well miss out on some of the most interesting aspects of a subject, simply because he isn�t familiar enough with it to delve further. If he relies on the internet he has to both trust what he reads and negotiate the sometime fraught world of on-line communities with all the politics therein�a daunting prospect if all you want to know is a little bit more about the production of Athenian owls.

Is there not another way? Well actually, yes, I believe there is. Last month Philip visited the Worthing and District Numismatic Society to deliver their monthly talk and he returned enthusiastic about not only the Worthing Society but Societies in general. Here was a place that anyone could go along to, no matter what their numismatic knowledge or interest. The face to face nature of it meant that there was never going to be any of the nastiness the anonymity of a computer can bring out and the breadth and depth of knowledge in the room meant that any newcomer would find his questions answered in a trice�by people glad to share. No-one there would look down their nose in disdain at a basic question, rather they would be happy to help. Over the years Society numbers have dwindled, there is no doubt about that, but it is hard to see why. If you have never been to your local society meeting I urge you to do so. You may have preconceived ideas about what you will find or how you�ll be treated, but ignore them�whatever you think simply isn�t the case. These are not places full of �anoraks� for whom it is their only social interaction, nor are they full of dry and dusty academics who only want to talk about their pet subjects. On the contrary, they are simply places for collectors just like you to meet, share your hobby and learn something new. There may not be normal courses available in coin collecting but most months the society will have a talk or lecture about one aspect of numismatics or another and what better way to learn than from those who have been interested for years? And don�t worry about whether you will fit in or not, or whether people will start asking too many questions about your collection (we all like a little privacy at times). The other society members will be interested in the �newbie� of course but they are collectors too and will respect your boundaries!

So Mr Norris, that is your answer: by all means read, by all means go on line, but to really learn more about this wonderful hobby join your local society. See page 88 for details about a meeting near you soon.

OMRS North anyone?

Phil Mussell — 27/04/2012 10:38:00

The Token Team (well Phil anyway) are eagerly looking forward to the biennial OMRS North - held once again at the Holiday Inn, Runcorn, Cheshire this time on the weekend of May 12/13 (no clashes with other fairs as there was last time).

This will be the sixth show held by the Northern Branch of the OMRS and are looking forward to this one immensely! If you can then get along on the Saturday for the exhibits and talks if not then do make sure you come along to the bourse on the Sunday - you'll be pleasantly surprised!

The One Show

Phil Mussell — 27/04/2012 10:25:00

Want to know what teh country thinks about abolishing teh penny? Tune into the One Show tonight (27/04/12) at 7.00pm to see our very own Phil with his take on the subject....!

Aldershot Medal Fair Sunday April 29

Phil Mussell — 26/04/2012 12:01:00

Are you coming to the Aldershot show at the Prince's Hall this weekend (April 29) Preview for the early birds is at 9.30am with "main" admission at 10.30am. We'll be coming along all the way from Devon so we hope to see you there too.

Always remember if there's something specific you want from our extensive (that's extensive not expensive) stock and want to save yourself the postage charges you can always call us on 01404 44166 or email phil@tokenpublishing.com and we'll bring it along to a show for you if we're attending! We do carry most items to these shows but we can't always guarantee we'll have what you want (although we'll try) - after all we might have sold out before you get there - but a simple phone call or email will reserve it for you!

In the news again

Phil Mussell — 20/04/2012 10:20:00

The press do love to bash our coinage don't they? Every time a new design is released the press criticise it; every time the number of fake £1 coins supposedly in circulation is announced the press have a field day and the introduction of the new nickel plated 5p and 10p (due in the next few weeks) has provided another chance to stir things up a little! As this story proves. Now we aren't saying the facts are right or wrong, we aren't dermatologists, however one thing is certain - it keeps coins in the news and that has to be a good thing!

Canada says goodbye to the penny

Phil Mussell — 11/04/2012 14:38:00

The 1 cent coin is no more - in Canada anyway. We reported in COIN NEWS some time ago that the Canadians were planning to do away with their smallest denomination - in line with Australia and New Zealand - and now it has finally happened with the Canadian Government officially requesting that the Royal Canadian Mint cease production.

First struck in 1858 the coin was, until its demise, made originally of copper and latterly of copper plated steel (with Zinc making an appearance in 1997-99) however the price of metals has increased so much in recent years that production simply isn't economically viable. We await the effects of this on Canadian inflation with interest...

Fakes in the news again

Phil Mussell — 11/04/2012 14:34:00

It is a story we have covered many times both on-line and in COIN NEWS but it shows no signs of going away....

Recently a survey by the Royal Mint suggested that more than 44m pound coins (that's 3% of all £s in circulation) are fakes. Spotting a fake is relatively easy for those of us "in the know" with the usual signs being a poorly defined striking, obverse and revers that don't match and erroneous edge inscriptions but for those of you still unclear what to look for the Royal Mint may be able to help - click here for details

Epic Journey

Phil Mussell — 30/03/2012 12:29:40

A sharing hobby

WE have just taken delivery of Michael Maton�s excellent new work Honour Those Mentioned: The Navies, being a full list of all British and Dominion Naval (including Merchant Navy) MiDs for World War II. This completes the Honour Those Mentioned series but isn�t an end to Michael�s endeavours and the next two books, published in November of this year and early in 2013, are sure to appeal to collectors as much as his previous works. Honour the Civilians will detail all civilian awards gazetted during the 1939�45 period and Honour the Recipients of Foreign Awards 1914�1968 will, as its name suggests, details all those gazetted awards made to British and Dominion servicemen and civilians by �foreign� governments from the outbreak of World War I until 1968, the year that such foreign awards lists for civilians were no longer published in the London Gazette. Now, as you can imagine, this latter book in particular is something of a huge undertaking and whilst Michael is an accomplished and fastidious researcher (as anyone who has purchased one of his books will attest to), there will inevitably be some areas where we may well call upon the expertise of our wonderful readers! Over the coming months we plan to help Michael out by asking you to dig deep into your vast reserves of knowledge and help out where you can�we will obviously be able to answer some of the queries, but when it comes to questions such as �Why is the number of French awards to British recipients in World War II (706) so small, compared with World War I (12,800)?� and, �Why were there more French Awards to Canadians than to British personnel�could it be that there so many awards to the British that it was not possible to London Gazette them all?�, we confess we simply don�t know! Over the years our readers have proved time and again that they are more than equal to such challenges, so we hope you don�t mind that we will be calling upon you again to help make Honour the Recipients of Foreign Awards 1914-1968 the definitive book on Foreign Awards found in British, Canadian, South African, Australian, New Zealand, India and similar groups�it will, we are sure, be a book no collector will want to be without.

Such sharing of knowledge in this hobby is not, of course a new thing, and to be honest it is what makes the hobby so pleasant to be associated with. A quick look on the on-line British Medal Forum will show you just how generous people can be with their advice and expertise and our own Medal Yearbook is testament to that too. Look back at a version of the Yearbook from the 1990s and you will see it is a rather thin affair, covering the basics of most medals but little more. Obscure facts and obscure medals were omitted, not because we didn�t want to include them but simply because we didn�t know about them. Over the years, however, our readers have helped change that and now the 540+ page yearbook is a wealth of knowledge with just about every British and �Empire� medal covered, with many Commonwealth medals included too. Thanks to all those who have shared their knowledge over the years the Yearbook has become the first port of call for collectors, dealers and �newbies� alike, but without your help it would have stayed a basic reference and little more. Our readers have excelled themselves over the years and we thank you all, every one of you, for every piece of information and knowledge you have shared with us in the past but we implore you not to stop�we�re about to start work on the 2013 edition, so if you have anything you think you can add to the book, or think should be subtracted from it, then do let us know. Only through your help can the Yearbook, or an important work like Michael�s Honour the Recipients of Foreign Awards 1914�1968, be of any use to the hobby and ultimately that�s what we all want�yes, this is a commercial activity for us, it is our business and we need to make money at it, but more importantly than that we take pride in what we produce and really do want our products to be the best, and most useful they can be. After all, we are collectors too and really are all in this together: the better products we produce the more information gets out into the hobby and the more information that gets out there the more enjoyable it is for everyone, and that is something I am sure we all want to see.

Following on from my Comment last month, Bentley Priory is still fundraising! They are very aware that the �200 donation necessary to secure one of the beautiful lapel badges offered last month is quite a hefty amount and felt that it may well have put people off from giving anything at all. The Bentley Priory Battle of Britain Trust is keen to receive any donation, no matter how small and whilst a �5 or �10 donation won�t get you a gold lapel pin it will give you the warm glow of satisfaction knowing that you have helped secure the future of one of Britain�s most important military historical buildings. Donations of any amount can be given direct to Bentley Priory (see their advert on page 23) or via text giving simply text BOBT40 �XX (XX being the amount) to 70070�you can even claim gift aid on your �phone if you�re a UK taxpayer too! Please do give something, anything, if you can; this is a very worthy cause and even if you can�t stretch to the �200 necessary to get one of the finely crafted badges, any donation, no matter how small, will be very gratefully received.

Stop Thief

Phil Mussell — 29/03/2012 16:36:00

The following medals were recently stolen from a private house in Oxfordshire/Gloucestershire:

Great War OBE and MC group of six to Captain Howard Napier Walker, 2^nd Welsh Regiment and R.A.F. (Acting Acting Lt. Col.).

Please call 101 (the non-emergency police number) with any information. The Crime Reference no. is JG4004292-12 and the Thames Valley officer in charge is PC Webb, Witney Police Station.

Come to Bromley

Phil Mussell — 28/03/2012 12:42:00

We do get around a bit you know - last weekend we were at the Harrogate Coin Show and this weekend (On Sunday April 1st) we'll be at the other end of the country - in Bromley, Kent to be precise at Ray Brough's medal fair. the show, held in the Civic Centre, Bromley starts at 9.30am and attracts some of the country's biggest dealers. We'll be there with our new books - Honour those Mentioned: The Navies and Talana: Account and Medal Roll. We hope to see you there!

Dead Sea Scrolls

Alyson Thomas — 22/03/2012 16:59:52

The good old days?

IN THIS month�s magazine you will find an advert for a �medallic coin� to celebrate the forthcoming Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty the Queen. As it has no monetary value or legal tender status it isn�t a coin per se, but it certainly bears more resemblance to a traditional crown than a �medallion� and it is fairly certain that this, or items similar to this, will be the mainstay of numismatic celebrations for the Jubilee. Over the long weekend of June 2�5, 2012 it is likely that either this medallic coin, the official �5 crown from the Royal Mint or other such coin-like strikings, will be the pieces handed out by schools, youth groups, churches, etc. They will also be the presents given by grandparents to their grandchildren and the promotional items used by companies wishing to commemorate this historic event. Now, without wishing to take anything away from the �coins� on offer�some are truly lovely�I can�t help but feel a twinge of sadness at the knowledge that because such items are commercially available, are of good quality and are reasonably affordable, it is unlikely that we will see a return to the days of the last Diamond Jubilee, in 1897, when individual towns, societies, institutions, etc., each produced their own numismatic tribute to the Monarch�s long reign.

New metals and alloys and the relative ease of production that the Industrial Revolution had enabled, meant that getting a medal struck was no longer the preserve of the big mints and the late 19th century saw a plethora of medallions and medals produced for just about everything from anniversaries to prizes for the �Best bull in show� and an event such as the unprecedented Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria was the perfect excuse for every engraver and artist in the Empire to get their work made metal. These medals are now eminently collectable and if you go to any reasonably large coin show anywhere in the country you will see a number of dealers who have a wonderful selection of such items: Tim Millet, Simon Monks, Richard Gladdle, Charles Riley, Chris Eimer, Daniel Fearon, Jan Lis, P&D Medallions and others are all well known in the trade and in the hobby that they are considered every bit a mainstream numismatic dealer as anyone else you see at Coinex, the London Coin Fair, York or Harrogate. None of them include many coins in their main stock�they all specialise in medals and there are enough collectors interested in what they have to ensure that they remain in business. In short, such medals are highly prized in our hobby. Without them numismatics would be a poorer place and whilst they don�t enjoy the glamour of hammered gold or Athenean owls or the availability of milled silver, they are every bit as collectable as anything else a bourse has to offer. Therefore I cannot help but think it a great shame that the heyday of such items may well be over. Nowadays a prize bull at an agricultural show receives a rosette and little more. Societies and institutions are more likely to give plasticky gilt-coloured cups and stay-bright shields engraved by the local key-cutter than a carefully crafted medal, and companies are more likely to entice new customers with BOGOFS and money-off coupons than with beautifully designed numismatica (remember the Cadbury�s Cocoa medals?). Town councils are too busy watching the pennies, and too conscious of elections, to dare commission such metal extravagance and schools and youth groups are more likely to choose the mass produced offering than ever try to create their own.

As I said, please do not misunderstand me: the coins and �medallic coins� being offered really are very pleasant. They have an aesthetic appeal that belies their mass production. They are not (or at least most are not) the numismatic equivalent of the stay-bright shield and anyone receiving one from a school or grandparent will, I am sure, be grateful, and rightly so. But nor are these the medallions of old. They are very much struck as coins not medals and I do feel that because of that they lack a little something. Perhaps it is because we use coins every day that I yearn for celebrations such as this to be commemorated by something more substantial.

Perhaps it is because with coins everyone immediately wants to know �what is it worth?� whereas with medals they can, sometimes, appreciate the aesthetic value over the monetary worth. But I suspect this desire of mine to see a return to towns, institutions, societies and schools creating their own medals for something like the Jubilee and not use those commercially available, is nothing to do with pure nostalgia and everything to do with my wish to acquire all the ones local to me� such is the nature of a collector!

Brilliant Britannia

Carol — 21/03/2012 16:40:00

Despite being Mothering Sunday the collectors turned out in force for the March 18 Britannia Medal Fair. Although one enthusiast did leave in a huff as the event was too crowded, collectors and dealers alike reported a successful day much enjoyed by all. The fair has become a real social event with a number of those attending commenting that the fair was as much a chance to catch up with old friends as it was to purchase or sell medals. We even managed to not run out of chicken curry this time too!

Hurrah for Harrogate!

Carol — 19/03/2012 14:35:00

The Harrogate Spring Coin Fair takes place Friday 22 and Saturday 23 at The Old Swan Hotel. There will be over 40 dealers in attendance and the Token Team are going too!

No April Fool - Westminster Auctions April 1 - now cancelled

Phil Mussell — 08/03/2012 16:12:00

For very personal reasons (his wife is due to give birth around the beginning of April) Chris Taylor has (perhaps wisely) decided to cancel the April 1 Westminster Auction - he'll let us, and his customers, know the moment a new date has been decided upon - somthing I imagine depends very much on baby Taylor!

Telephones down!

Carol — 05/03/2012 11:32:00

Apologies for those who have tried to contact us via phone in the past few days - the telephone system here at Token Publishing has developed a fault and all of our lines were down. Everything is now rectified so feel free to call!

Battle Stations

Alyson Thomas — 29/02/2012 12:33:28

Funds for the "few"

IN our particular sphere of collecting and its related areas of interest there are, of course, many �worthy causes�. There are a plethora of military welfare charities; a number of military related educational trusts and charities; numerous museums and similar and of course a good many campaigns with regard to medals that have either not been awarded, which were not awarded to the right people or which were awarded but can�t be worn! Each one of these charities or campaigns is keen to get our readers on board, keen to involve anyone with a military background or an interest in military history. Your money and your support will always be welcome by these organisations and we do, from time to feature them within MEDAL NEWS. We don�t often, however, give any of these causes our specific backing, worthy though they may be, partly because were we to do so these pages would rapidly fill up with little but appeals and partly because we feel many of the charities have a large enough presence anyway that they don�t need our help.

In this particular case though we do want to make a specific appeal to our readers as the charity we have decided to back in 2012 is not one with a vast public persona, nor one that has celebrities queuing up to represent it (at least not yet) yet it is a charity that very much deserves our attention. I am talking about the Bentley Priory Battle of Britain Trust Appeal�the charity set up to try to ensure that the wonderful building and parkland that make up Bentley Priory, home of Fighter Command in World War II, are both preserved for the nation with a view to creating a museum and educational establishment keeping alive the memory of �The Few� (as well as their latter day counterparts) for future generations. Known to many RAF historians as the place from which the Battle of Britain was co-ordinated, Bentley Priory�s future became uncertain in 2005 when it was announced that it was to be sold off for redevelopment. It was, it seems, more valuable to the Government as luxury apartments for the super-rich than as a memorial to the men and women who helped save our island in 1940 and beyond. Needless to say right thinking individuals were horrified at this plan and a campaign was launched to try to save the Priory. Today a compromise has been reached, the building and parkland is being redeveloped and whilst there will be some of those luxury apartments the Bentley Priory Battle of Britain Trust has been working closely with the Barratt Developments to ensure that much of the 18th century building itself will be used as a museum. It seems to be an ideal solution, a charity, any charity, simply could not have raised the necessary funds to buy and maintain a building (and grounds) such as Bentley Priory and yet this way the developers have refurbished the entire Priory building, are providing the Trust with a �serviced shell� within the building at no cost and are also providing an endowment of �3 million towards running costs and longer term maintenance. That, however, is not the end of the story, the Museum will still need to be kitted out with exhibits, attractions, features etc., there will be additional running costs and other expenditure and that all comes to over �2.4 million. Some of this will money be raised via the National Lottery�s Heritage grants (see those scratch cards do benefit somebody!) however, in order to be successful in that application the trust needs to raise over �1.8 million themselves and this is where we in the medal world come in.

Later this year the Trust is organising a special medal and militaria auction in association with Spink (more information on that when we get it�I am sure they will be looking for consignments and we will let readers know more as soon as we can) and in MEDAL NEWS this month you will see that the Trust, in association with Cleave and Company the court jewellers, have produced a beautiful limited edition, hallmarked, lapel badge (at no cost to them�the badge production has been paid for by Melissa John in memory of her brother Christopher John) which they are now offering for sale at �200. Of course in this case you aren�t so much buying a badge for �200 but rather receiving a token of appreciation for a donation�and let�s be honest here a donation of �200 to help preserve such an iconic building, and the memory of �The Few� for future generations is a fairly small amount�especially when many of us are happy to buy groups for our collections that cost far more. That said I am certain that Bentley priory would be glad of any donation no matter how small so please, if you can, dig deep and let the trust have what you can. I know there are worthy causes around, many of them, and I know our readers are more than generous when it comes to those causes but if you don�t yet give to any charity and have been considering it then maybe this is the one you will consider first, we believe strongly that this cause is one worth supporting and will be doing so within MEDAL NEWS�we hope that you will feel the same. Bentley Priory Battle of Britain Trust will also be exhibiting at Britannia on March 18.

Sale of a Legend

Alyson Thomas — 29/02/2012 12:33:16

True worth

COINS and coin collecting hit the mainstream media recently when an article in the Antiques Trade Gazette (a front page article no less) was picked up by the Independent and others. In essence the article quoted a leading London coin dealer�s ire at the Royal Mint and their pricing policy. His argument was that the Mint were over-pricing their Collector coins to a vast degree and that he, as a buyer on the secondary market, had to frequently disappoint purchasers of Royal Mint products as he was only able to offer them a small percentage of what had originally been paid when they came to sell to him. In essence he believes that buyers of new issues shouldn�t pay the �inflated� prices that he says the Royal Mint is charging if they are doing so for investment as they simply will not get their money back. He was backed up in the Independent by a variety of other dealers and auctioneers who all echoed his sentiments�there were also examples to show what a dealer was likely to pay for some of the new issues that are being produced this year and, as was to be expected the prices offered were substantially lower than the prices asked by the Royal Mint. On that basis alone the dealers seem to be spot on�Royal Mint prices are indeed far higher than the price you can expect to sell that same item to a dealer for. But is it that simple? If we are simply looking at economics, buying and selling, then on the basis of buying something from the Mint and then immediately selling it to a dealer, the argument is irrefutable�Royal Mint prices are high. But is that how it works? After all, if I buy from dealer A then immediately sell to dealer B I�m unlikely to get back what I paid for the item�dealer A would have sold it for market value and dealer B, who will want to also sell it for market value, will need to offer me less to make his money. Does that mean dealer A was overcharging me? And what if I were to go out and buy a new TV, new car, new vacuum cleaner, new anything, then immediately try to sell it on to the secondary market. Would I be likely to get the same money back as I paid for it? Probably not, in fact definitely not; only in very rare cases, with especially limited editions or errors, etc., are you ever likely to get back the money you spent on a new item if you try to sell it on quickly in the secondhand market.

Of course, coins are always seen as something a bit different, there always seems to be an automatic assumption that they will increase in value and people get very upset when they don�t�but why is this? In virtually no other field of collecting would you automatically assume your acquisitions will rise in value. If I was collecting model cars, for example, I would know that if I came to sell my collection they would, unless I had some incredible rarities, be worth less than I paid for them; the same with postcards, even stamps�in just about every collecting field bar coins there is no automatic belief that prices will rise, or even maintain�just a hope that they will. The problem stems from the idea of coins as �investments� . . . people buying items with the sole intention of seeing them increase in value. When this happens people often get burned, they buy badly and then object vociferously when the items they have purchased don�t sell for the same money they paid for them. Without wishing to give investment advice per se I feel obliged to point out that if someone is going to spend thousands of pounds on coins then they really should do their homework first and find out what the secondary market, i.e. the people they will one day sell on to, actually wants. Additionally they really should not expect any purchase to increase in value over a short space of time�the idea of buying a coin from the Royal Mint one day and being able to sell it on the next for anything close to what the buyer paid is clearly ludicrous. That didn�t stop the �papers of course, who loved the disparity between the Mint�s prices and the dealers, no matter how unrealistic the scenario. If all investments were simply a matter of buying from one person on Monday and then selling to another on Wednesday for a vastly inflated sum then we�d all be rich. Some coins will increase in value, even some of the Royal Mint�s �expensive� 2012 coins may one day be worth more than they are today. But which coins they are and when they�ll be worth that money I have no idea. I do know that Royal Mint year sets bought to commemorate a birth, marriage or anniversary, the base metal issues purchased as a keepsake or memento, are highly unlikely to fetch a premium if sold this year, or the next, indeed they are unlikely to make the buyer much money at all if bought as an investment. Maybe some of the gold and silver coins will be a good buy, but which ones, or how much of a good buy they are, I simply do not know�if gold climbs to $4,000 an ounce next year anyone buying gold coins now will be sitting pretty, but if it drops. . . . The simple fact is, we don�t know if the coins we buy today, any coins, new issues or ancients, are a good investment or not. We like to think that they are. We don�t like to believe that our well-loved (and expensive) collections are worthless to others, but maybe we have to accept that they might be. We at COIN NEWS have never advocated buying coins for investment�we have always sought to encourage collectors to acquire coins simply for the love of the hobby and nothing more and that advice is the same today as it has always been. Do not buy coins with a view to them rising in value inexorably; buy them for the fun of it, for the joy of it, for the pleasure of the hobby. If they rise in value then great, good luck to you. If they don�t, then maybe look at the enjoyment you have had out of them over the years�maybe that is where their true worth lies.

Unique Coin Find

Carol — 16/02/2012 09:59:00

A medieval coin from the reign of William the Conqueror is being hailed as unique by experts. Discovered in a field near Gloucester, the hammered silver coin was found by metal detectorist Maureen Jones in November. Experts from the Portable Antiquities Scheme said the coin �filled in the hole� in the dates the Gloucester mint was known to have been operating. Dating from 1077-1080, the coin features the name of the moneyer �Silacwine�. There were no known examples of William I coins minted in Gloucester between these dates. The fortunate finder of the coin, Ms Jones, is a member of Taynton Metal Detecting Club and her unique find is to be returned to her shortly.

Britannia- March 18

Phil Mussell — 15/02/2012 11:33:00

Don't forget the next Britannia show - it's to be held on Sunday March 18 at the usual venue - the Carisbrooke Hall, Victory Services Club, Marble Arch, London from 9.30am-2.00pm.

We know it's Mother's Day that day but let's be honest it's all over by 2.00pm so plenty of time to get home to spoil your wife or mother....and as a special treat there's something for every mother that attends - See MEDAL NEWS for further details!

Local currency

Phil Mussell — 06/02/2012 14:35:00

Just as we sell out of our "Standard Catalogue of the Provincial Banknotes of England and Wales" so the latest in a modern line of "provincial notes" comes into being. The Bristol pound comes hard on the heels of the Totnes Pound and the Stroud currency and promises to be the biggest such local experiment so far. For further details look at the BBC's coverage of the new money here

Missing Miniatures?

Phil Mussell — 31/01/2012 10:45:00

Did you serve in Cyprus then go on to Northern Ireland, Kosovo and Yugoslavia? Did you get this impressive length of service rewarded with an LSGC? Do you live in the Carlisle area? If the answer is yes to all of these do you still have your medals? The miniatures at least? If you don't then it appears a dry cleaner in Carlisle may be able to help - have a look here for further details!!

A group reunited

Alyson Thomas — 30/01/2012 14:19:26

Ignorance is bliss?

SITTING down one Sunday evening to watch BBC1�s new drama Sherlock (apologies to those outside the UK who may not know what I�m talking about�essentially it�s a modern day rewriting of the classic Sherlock Holmes and is really rather good), I was somewhat put out to find the great detective, usually so spot on with his observations, point to a photograph of a soldier and cite that he wore a �Distinguished Service Order� when the medal quite clearly was in fact a Conspicuous Gallantry Cross! The error was further compounded by Dr Watson stating that the picture had been taken during the �Falklands Era� when an Iraq medal was clearly visible and there was no South Atlantic Medal in sight . . . ! Now, other experts will point to the apparent anomaly of the RMP Major sporting a beard and other military errors and, quite rightly, state that the BBC obviously wasn�t going for accuracy, but for me the fact that Sherlock actually pointed out the medals and got it wrong, when he prides himself on being hyper-observant, rather spoilt things.

A similar thing happened with the National Theatre Company�s excellent production of War Horse, where the only medals I saw on stage�a QSA/KSA pair�were worn the wrong way round. I just couldn�t help noticing! Now the medals in the theatre weren�t a major issue�a slight error and only a geek like me would notice, but the Sherlock �incident� is different. There are people employed by production companies, be they the BBC or another, purely to get the small details right and if the script called for the two major characters to make note of a photo, then you would have thought those researchers could have paid a little more attention. With the new film of War Horse hitting the cinemas now, part of me is loathe to go and see it; not only was the stage show so brilliant (I really do urge you to see it) that I worry the movie just won�t measure up. But I also worry that I would sit there and start pointing out to those with me all the medallic inconsistencies I fear I will see! Of course, ideally I should be able to just set aside my knowledge, accept that what I am seeing is just fiction and enjoy it, but you and I both know such a thing is difficult. When we are possession of the knowledge of how something should be, it is difficult to ignore it when it isn�t. Of course, inconsistencies in films, television, etc., aren�t new�any movie website or book will be full of �howlers� and mistakes . . . wasn�t there a wristwatch in Ben Hur for example? That is probably just an urban myth, although there are certainly plenty of errors seen on screen all the time, but with medals it�s so easy to get it right that I can�t help but be infuriated every time I notice an MC ribbon worn on the end of a group or hear a Defence Medal described as a �George� Medal.

At this point many of you will be screaming �geek� and �anorak� at me, and maybe rightly so, but I bet you�re exactly the same�go on, admit it! The question is though, does it matter? Is it really that important for films and television to pay attention to such comparatively small details? I�m sorry to say that actually I think it does and it is, not in the wider realm of things of course. In the real world such details have no bearing on life, but films, television programmes, the theatre, et al, are there to entertain us and when something takes away from that entertainment, no matter how trivial, then it actually does become an issue. It is not a major problem I�ll admit, but like the fly in the ointment (or soup or whatever metaphor you care to use), it does tend to spoil things somewhat. Unfortunately there is little we viewers can do, not really�errors creep into productions all the time and let�s be honest most people don�t ever notice them. It is only because we are in the know that they stick out like the proverbial sore thumb. They say �ignorance is bliss� and I am afraid that sometimes that may well be true when itcomes to our �insider knowledge�. Of course, there is another way of looking at it�the original entertainment may well be spoiled the moment you notice a medallic error but you can then make your own entertainment by seeing how many other errors and inconsistencies you can spot. It can be great fun�that is as long as you don�t mind sleeping on the couch and having your wife and children not speak to you for days; sadly I fear that not everyone appreciates putting insider knowledge to such use . . . ! Happy viewing!

Year of the Dragon

Alyson Thomas — 23/01/2012 14:29:22

Taking issue THIS month�s front cover sees the numismatic celebration of the Chinese New Year, the Year of the Dragon, and inside the magazine you will find Dr Kerry Rodger�s excellent article detailing those countries that are (and those that aren�t) issuing coins for the �world�s biggest coin programme�. Later on in the magazine you will find a letter commenting on precious metal new issues and how it is becoming virtually impossible to collect them because of the price of the metal�and this got me thinking. Whilst it is true that gold has slipped back a little in recent weeks and silver seems a little more stable the fact remains that precious metals are far more expensive to buy that they were a few years ago and most certainly our wages and pensions have not kept up with them. This coupled with the fact that the world�s mints seem determined to produce new issues to commemorate just about every possible event on earth made me wonder about the future of this branch of our hobby. It is perhaps unfair of me to bring this up now, after all the Chinese New Year coins have been around for a while and so the mints and issuing authorities cannot really be accused of jumping on a band wagon for the sake of it, but you only have to look at the coins available to realise that things have moved on quite a bit in the last couple of decades.

Where once a mint would issue one coin to celebrate an even�and then cannily issued it again in precious metal form, proof form and piedfort form (and any combination of the above) now we find there are two, three, four or more coins issued for the same celebration. Different denominations, different metals, added precious stones, added colour, clever design techniques all offering the collector a massive selection of beautiful coins to choose from. Except that isn�t how collectors work is it? We don�t actually want to choose one of the items on offer, we don�t just want a $1 coin when the full set actually includes a $2, a $5 and a $10 (or whatever) and we don�t just want a BU example if a BU example with coloured accents exists. We all know that collectors, by our very nature, want an example of everything, we don�t necessarily want more than one�we aren�t hoarding for the sake of it�but we do want to have at least an example of everything we can in our collection. It isn�t quite so bad if you set out back in the 1980s to simply have a BU base metal example of everything one mint produced�you can still do that quite comfortably even if you find yourself forking out for the odd �special edition�. However, if you decided some time ago that you were going to buy an example of every silver coin produced to commemorate the Lunar New Year (or the Olympics or any other regular event) then you may well find that as things stand you can no longer carry on collecting as once you did.

In the beginning you may have bought five or six silver coins a year�an affordable way of collecting. All the same denomination, all �standard� coins (i.e. they were coin shaped and all one colour) and all at a reasonable price (silver you will remember had collapsed in 1980). Today if you tried to maintain that collection you would find yourself confronted by dozens of coins of all sorts of denominations and weights (right up to the massive 10 kilos) with various different �design features� that make them more miniature metal pictures than coins and you have to make a choice. Either you decide to go for it and quite possibly bankrupt yourself in the process or you say �enough is enough� and rationalise your collection�not an easy task if you�ve been collecting the same thing for years. The same thing goes for those who don�t collect �commemoratives� per se and instead have collected just a particular mint�s �new issues� over the years. That was fine when they only had a few a year but now every band wagon rolling is jumped on and countries that have no logical reason for commemorating an event suddenly find themselves doing so in metal form (with the above mentioned varieties very much in evidence)�again the collector will find himself faced with an impossible choice, spend far more money than he ever envisaged when he started down this route or rationalise what he is collecting.

To non-collectors the answer is simple�rationalise! Stop collecting one of everything and cut back, that, however, isn�t how things work and we all know that the moment we say �no� to a variety then our collection becomes incomplete�and no-one wants that. I don�t have an answer to this dilemma except to say to the mints that whilst we know the recession hasn�t hit our hobby as it has others and we also know that many of your coins are struck as bullion and many who buy them are interested only in their metal content do please occasionally spare a thought for the average collector, the man in the street, who has faithfully bought your coins for years. He simply cannot carry on buying every variety you produce, not with precious metals being as they are, and if he can�t do that he may stop buying altogether rather than risk having an incomplete collection, and that would be a great shame for us all.

Under Starter's Orders! The York Coin Fair

Carol — 18/01/2012 14:28:00

DON’T forget the The York Coin & Stamp Fair this weekend (January 20–21) at The York Racecourse Grandstand. The fair gets under starter’s orders at 11am on the Friday, finishing at 6pm ready to recommence trading on Saturday at 10am (closing at 4pm). Entry is free, the parking is free and the food in the restaurant is excellent value for money (sadly not free) and includes a public bar. The fair is held over two whole floors and brings together dealers from all aspects of the hobby from ancient coins to modern issues, banknotes to tokens and even military medals. We will, as always, be in attendance to accept subscription renewals, provide a wide range of numismatic titles as well as offer an extensive range of coin and banknote accessories. We will have all of the very latest Krause catalogues for sale, along with the latest CD rom versions, the latest editions of our Yearbooks and the new Standard Catalogue. Come and spend a day, or two, on your favourite hobby, after all, you are amongst friends.

York? Already?

Phil Mussell — 10/01/2012 11:58:00

Well not quite but it's not long. The first big show of the year is only a week away with the York Coin and Medal fair taking place on Friday and Saturday January 20-21 at the Knavesmire Stand at York Racecourse. The show needs little introduction from me - it's now well established on the show calendar and is one of the most popular events around. It's free to get in so don't miss out!

The show is open from 11.00am until 6.00pm on teh Friday and 10.00am until 5.00pm on the Saturday although to be honset if you arrive at 4.55pm on Saturday you won't find many of us left so get in early!!

Record set for Greek Coin

Carol — 06/01/2012 12:09:00

The much anticipated sale of the spectacular Prospero Collection indicates that the team at Baldwin’s had a lot to smile about. Although results are still in the process of being confirmed initial figures released by the company state that the sale total for all 642 lots is approximately US$25,000,000 (including buyer’s premium at 17%), more than double the pre-sale estimate. Lot 213, the catalogue cover coin, broke all previous world records for an ancient Greek coin, selling for a phenomenal US$3,250,000 (hammer). This superb example of a gold stater from Pantikapaion depicts the head of a satyr, a character widely used in Greek mythology. Due to its incredible rarity it was no surprise when bidding soared past the pre-sale estimate of US$650,000. Around 200 bidders were in attendance for the most significant auction of ancient Greek coins in the past 20 years. Excitement grew in the Vanderbilt suite at the Waldorf Astoria hotel as lots proceeded to sell for four and five times their pre-sale estimates. See the March issue of Coin News for a full report of this landmark sale.

It's York time soon

Phil Mussell — 22/12/2011 12:52:00

Don't forget that no sooner are we back after Christmas than the York show will be upon us! The bi-annual event is always extremely popular and this year the first one will be on Friday 20 and Saturday 21 January 2012 - once again in the Knavesmire stand of the York Racecourse. Keep the date free and we'll give you more details nearer the time

Banknote Yearbook goes digital

Phil Mussell — 22/12/2011 12:07:00

Token Publishing is pleased to announce that shortly all our YEARBOOKS will be available as PDF downloads for viewing on PC, Laptop, Smartphone or Tablet. We're trialling the idea with the BANKNOTE YEARBOOK available in four sections (England, Scotland, Ireland - North and South and the Islands) and will roll out sections the COIN YEARBOOK and MEDAL YEARBOOK in due course!

To buy your pdf of a Banknote Yearbook section, either in high resolution for crystal clear images or low resolution for speedier download time simply visit www.tokenpublishing.com/shop.asp

Compliments of the Season

Phil Mussell — 22/12/2011 12:00:00

We'd like to wish all of our readers and customers the very best for Christmas 2011 and a very happy New Year 2012. We are closing the office on Thursday December 22 at 1.00pm and reopening on Tuesday January 3 2012 at 9.00am. Our first show of the year is the York Coin and Medal Fair on January 20/21 2012 - see you there!

Stolen Swords

Phil Mussell — 22/12/2011 11:51:00

Whilst not strictly medal related many collectors of medals also know about and collect swords - a recently burglary (December 16th) saw an extensive collection stolen so if any reader is offered any of the following swords please do get in touch with us or Andy Griffin of the Metropolitan Police - on 02082462655

Regiment: Irish Guards Monarch: George V Original recipient: H A O'Farrell No: 54665

Irish Guards George V B S Close 53785

RAF Edward VIII  PB Chamberlain - Cranwell Sword of Honour 65568

RAF George V   EB Webb - Cranwell Sword of Honour 60582

RAF George V   MP Skinner - Cranwell Sword of Honour 65208

1st Life Guards State Sword Victoria  Earl of Warwick 37836

Royal Horse Guards State Sword Edward VII   CEA Phillips 41993

1st Royal Dragoons Heavy Cavalry 1887/1896    Tidswell 38824

6th Dragoon Guards Special Regimental Pattern  Sadler 39335

16th Lancers Light Cavalry 3 Bar Hilt Russell 33043

17th Lancers Heavy Cavalry 1887/96  Fowler - Sandhurst Sword of Honour 43267

18th Hussars Heavy Cavalry 1887/96  Hetherington 41748

3rd Hussars Heavy Cavalry 1887/96   Gilroy 36356

4th Hussars Heavy Cavalry 1887/96   Bibby 42831

1912 Pattern 4th Hussars   Greville 43585

1912 Special Pattern 10th Hussars   RV Garton 58092

1912 Special Pattern 10th Hussars   BO Hutcheson 54645

1912 Special Pattern 10th Hussars   AEJ Duveen 62393

1912 Special Pattern Royal Horse Guards   K Fenwick 44670

1912 Pattern 21st Lancers   RA Maybery 44306

1912 Special Pattern 6th Dragoon Guards   JA Paton 56277

1912 Pattern 1st Life Guards   VA Cazalet 49831

Royal Artillery Victoria RH Wallace 13101

Royal Artillery Victoria Armitage - Woolwich Sword of Honour 22847

Royal Artillery   CH Wallace 40919

Royal Artillery George V Keenlyside 61522

Royal Artillery George V JE Upton 64395

Scottish Field Officers, Camerons George V Pringle-Pattison 65168

Scottish Field Officers, HLI Victoria Ronaldson 31162

Scottish Basket Hilt George V Sandilands - Royal Scots Fusiliers 62914

Scottish Basket Hilt George V JM Marshall - Seaforth Highlanders 63857

Scottish Basket Hilt George V Forbes - Cameron Highlanders 64892

Scottish Basket Hilt George VI Corbett, Lord Rowallan - Royal Scots Fusiliers 67808

Scottish Basket Hilt George V Henson - Kings Own Scottish Borderers 65467

Scottish Basket Hilt Edward VIII WD Clark - Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders 65882

Scottish Cross Hilt Edward VIII P Fitzgerald O'Connor - Highland Light Infantry 66119

1912 Pattern George V Nelson - 8th Royal Irish Hussars 64308

1912 Pattern Edward VIII Pilkington - 7th Hussars 65748

1912 Pattern Edward VIII (EIR) Pratt - Guides Cavalry 65838

1912 Pattern George VI TM Bell - 4th/7th Dragoon Guards 66260

1912 Pattern George VI RH Webb - The Queens Bays 68095

1912 Pattern George VI Renton - 17th/21st Lancers 68025

1912 Pattern George VI Milford-Cottam - Cheshire Yeomanry 68503

Grenadier Guards Victoria Quilter 34965

Coldstream Guards Edward VII Chinnery 41881

Coldstream Guards George V Moody 62951

Welsh Guards George V Upjohn (Levee Sword) 53330

Infantry 1892 Pattern Victoria CP Porch 31873

Infantry 1895 Pattern Victoria JAP Manson 33305

Infantry 1895 Pattern Victoria TC Hincks 32989

Infantry 1895 Pattern Victoria WD Wright VC 33674

Infantry 1895 Pattern Indian Army Victoria RC Gilchrist 35129

Infantry 1897 Pattern Indian Army Victoria DRG Oliver 37600

Infantry 1897 Pattern Indian Army Edward VII JGL Ranking - Sandhurst, Anson Memorial Sword 39664

Infantry 1897 Pattern Edward VII HC Bridges 40840

Infantry 1897 Pattern Edward VII HL Skrine 41744

Infantry 1897 Pattern Edward VII GB Legard 42362

Infantry 1897 Pattern George V GP Legard - Northumberland Fusiliers Special Pattern 43937

Infantry 1897 Pattern George V RF Morkill 43268

Infantry 1897 Pattern George V EE Calthrop - Woolwich Sword of Honour 43099

Infantry 1897 Pattern Indian Army George V JP Fullerton 44415

Infantry 1897 Pattern Victoria LE Charlton 36109

Infantry 1897 Pattern Victoria RET St John - Northumberland Fusiliers Special Pattern 37745

Infantry 1897 Pattern George V Gordon - Sandhurst Prize Sword for Drill 43187

Infantry 1897 Pattern George V Crawford - Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry 58935

Infantry 1897 Pattern George V Laing - Sandhurst Prize Sword for History 60839

Infantry 1897 Pattern Indian Army George V North - Sandhurst Prize Sword for 63344

Infantry 1897 Pattern George V Wigham - Sandhurst Prize Sword for 59269

Infantry 1897 Pattern George V Charlton 63480

Infantry 1897 Pattern George V Harding 65048

Infantry 1897 Pattern Indian Army George V JP Manson 62587

Infantry 1897 Pattern Indian Army George V PB Manson 64962

Infantry 1897 Pattern George V Nicholson 65218

Infantry 1897 Pattern Edward VIII Passy 65975

Infantry 1897 Pattern Edward VIII Bussell 66033

Infantry 1897 Pattern Edward VIII Ward 65702

Infantry 1897 Pattern Indian Army Edward VIII (EIR) Hooper 65817

Infantry 1897 Pattern Indian Army Edward VIII (EIR) Downie 65850

Royal Army Service Corps George V Anon 49032

Royal Army Service Corps George VI Horton 67777

Infantry 1897 Pattern Edward VII Briscoe - Royal Marine Light Infantry 41550

Infantry 1897 Pattern George V Snow - Royal Marine Prize Sword 65556

Infantry 1897 Pattern George V Everett - Woolwich Sword of Honour 41151

Infantry 1897 Pattern Indian Army George V Fairlie - Sandhurst Prize Sword for High Aggregate 59556

Rifle Regiments George V St George - Gurkhas 42982

Rifle Regiments George V Nepean - Gurkhas 60035

Rifle Regiments Edward VIII (EIR) Christie - Gurkhas 65868

Rifle Regiments George V Consett - Kings Royal Rifle Corps 62428

Rifle Regiments George V Sweeny - Royal Ulster Rifles 66251

Infantry 1897 Pattern George V Hill - Sandhurst Sword of Honour 63073

Infantry 1897 Pattern George VI Skewes-Cox 67829

Infantry 1897 Pattern George VI Van Der Gutch - Royal Northumberland Fusiliers Special Pattern 66256

Infantry 1897 Pattern George VI Barker 67566

Infantry 1897 Pattern Indian Army George VI Snell - Gurkhas 68016

Infantry 1897 Pattern Elizabeth II Metcalfe - Sandhurst Prize Sword 80767

Mameluke George VI Fraser - Lord Lieutenants Sword 68020

Mameluke George V Hamilton - Moore - General Officers Sword 59234

Mameluke Victoria Weldon - ADC's Sword 33603

Honourable Artillery Company - Infantry Pattern George V Bluett 50357

Honourable Artillery Company - Artillery Pattern George VI Harrap 67805

Rifle Regiments Cameronians Special Pattern George V Drew 42803

Rifle Regiments George V Mackay - Kings Royal Rifle Corps 64371

Rifle Regiments George V Bourke - Kings Royal Rifle Corps 43853

Rifle Regiments George V Downes - Rifle Brigade 42120

Rifle Regiments George V Hastings - Rifle Brigade 66986

Infantry 1897 Pattern Indian Army George V JHD Parkin 58253

Infantry 1897 Pattern George V JM Pyne - Sandhurst Prize Sword for Physical Training 61800

Infantry 1897 Pattern George V DK McLouglin - Royal Engineers 64857

Royal Navy Victoria RM Groves (Claymore Blade) 38657

Royal Navy Victoria HD Briggs 35190

Royal Navy Victoria HD Briggs - Midshipmans Naval Dirk unnumbered

Royal Navy George V EC Cordeaux 44404

Royal Navy George VI RH Hobart 64880

Royal Navy George V AR Mollison (in brown leather field service scabbard) 47320

Royal Engineers Special Pattern Brass Hilt Victoria JC MacGregor - Woolwich Sword of Honour 15729

Infantry 1874 Pattern Brass Gothic Hilt Victoria S Humphery - Sandhurst Prize Sword 22150

Infantry 1874 Pattern Brass Gothic Hilt Victoria J Penny - Indian Medical Service 30575

Infantry 1892 Pattern Brass Gothic Hilt Edward VII RP Bond - Royal Army Medical Corps 38782

RMS Titanic

Alyson Thomas — 19/12/2011 16:49:06

A marked difference?

EVER since the first decimal coins appeared, our hobby has lacked a certain something. Modern minting methods and quality control at the huge site in Llantrisant meant that the oddities and rarities that so many of us eagerly sought in our pre-decimal change became few and far between. Our currency became uniform, bland even and despite the Royal Mint�s attempts to introduce new designs, the excitement of finding a true rarity has almost disappeared. After all, even the most limited of the designs, be it on a 50p, �1 or �2 was being struck in the hundreds of thousands, if not millions and a little patience was enough to allow any collector of modern coinage to complete the set�or so we thought. There is no denying that the uniform, high quality coinage, all featuring one monarch, all featuring the correct obverse and reverse, meant that interest in coins amongst the �non-collector� began to wane; with no chance of finding anything different in his pocket the man in the street stopped checking his change and our hobby began to diminish somewhat, as there were fewer people checking their change for rarities so fewer people took their interest to the next level to become full blown numismatists. Those of us who did carry on found ourselves neglecting the post 1971 coins as we felt there was nothing worth looking out for. Then we found out about the 1983 2p and gradually things began to look up for modern coinage. The 1983 2p, for those who don�t know, is worth looking out for because there are a few out there worth far more than 2p. In 1982 the legend on the reverse of the �new coins� was changed from New Pence to whatever the denomination was: One Penny, Two Pence, Five Pence, etc. However, it seems that in 1983 some coins were minted for a promotional pack that used the pre-1982 reverse meaning that you had a 1983-dated coin with New Pence on it�today that rarity fetches �100s and it�s well worth checking your change for that one! Then back in 2009 the papers and internet were full of stories of the �dateless 20p��another reverse/obverse error that was fetching �100s but has settled down to round about �50. We also hear of the �inverted� die 2008 penny�where the obverse and reverse are �upside down� in relation to each other. No-one knows how many of those might be around but some collectors are prepared to pay serious money for the ones that do surface�again well worth keeping an eye open for. The latest rarities come from the 50p family�the Kew Gardens 50p has a mintage so low (10,000) that they are bound to command a premium when they do finally surface and in the last month or so we hear of a variety within the Olympic 50p programme that has been fetching large sums on-line. The �underwater swimmer� variety of the Aquatics 50p (where the water obscures the swimmer�s face�see �News and Views� this month) was issued in very limited numbers in the first packs and keen collectors are eagerly snapping them up�modern coins are interesting once again.

This being the case I wonder if there is something the Mint might be able to do to stimulate further interest in modern coins and from there our hobby in general? I know their remit isn�t actually to stimulate collecting and help our hobby, they are really just there to produce coin of the realm, but the numerous packs and precious metal coins they sell every year show that they have collectors� interests at heart too�this being the case I wonder if they might ever produce �limited edition� coins for circulation? I can�t see them putting an error out there on purpose�their pride in their quality control wouldn�t allow that�but maybe a limited number of coins with a special mint mark? A 1,000 of each mintage with the Royal Mint�s own crest somewhere would certainly get people looking wouldn�t it? I�m not suggesting they sell them separately, that would defeat the object, but what if they put them into circulation just like any other coin? It would certainly create an interest. But then again is that what we collectors want? Would we be interested in such a mint-marked coin? A �gimmick� such as that? Or are we only really interested in genuine rarities, the errors? The low mintages that come about because of demand rather than those artificially created? I can see some jumping at the chance of getting their hands on a �special mint-marked� �1, but others might shun such a blatant piece of rarity engineering. I think I�d probably look out for them, if only to sell on (as many others would I am sure). What would you do . . . ?

Undeclared Treasure

Phil Mussell — 02/12/2011 10:17:00

A metal detecting event in Essex discovered some amazing finds - dozens of Victorian and Edwardian Coins thought to be worth over £70,000 in total. Unfortunately only two of them were actually "declared" on the day and now the organisers of the event are appealing to those who took part to hand in the remaining finds...

For full details see the BBC's Website here

Desert Hero

Alyson Thomas — 29/11/2011 10:11:00

A medal conundrum

EARLY in November it was announced that at long last the Pingat Jasa Malaysia Medal has been approved for British servicemen to wear—bringing them on equal terms with their Australian and New Zealand counterparts. This follows a long battle by, and on behalf of, veterans who were originally denied the right to wear the Malaysian Government’s award, as a British medal (or rather in this case a clasp on a British medal) covering the campaign in Malaya/Malaysia 1957–66 already existed. This is, of course, the second successful campaign by veterans with regard to medals. The first, by those who were campaigning for a medal to cover the Suez crisis 1951–54, met with success in 2003 when it was announced that the Canal Zone clasp would be instituted for the GSM. Other campaigns, for a Bomber Command medal, an Arctic Convoy medal, a National Service medal, a National Defence medal and others, have either met with no success at all or very limited success in the form of an official badge, with the “commemorative” medal companies filling the void. The purpose of this comment is not to question the legitimacy of such campaigns nor to critique the reasoning behind them, or wonder where they might end, but rather to ask another question—one more directly related to collectors than veterans. The question is simply this: if more and more medals are awarded retrospectively, or introduced by foreign governments years after the campaign and then given permission by our own for wear, where does that leave the status of the groups already in our collections? Take, for example, the theoretical case of a John who joined the army, as part of his National Service, and who fought in the Canal Zone. When his National Service time is up he then decides to stay on in the Army and is posted to Malaya. John leaves the Army with only a single medal—the GSM with Malaya clasp—and sadly passes away in 1999. He has no next of kin and his medal now rests proudly in one of our collections. Then take the example of his comrade in arms, Bill; he too goes through National Service, he too sees action in Suez and then signs on for the regulars alongside John with whom he is posted to Malaya. He too leaves the army with one medal and he and John would proudly go on wearing that medal at parades and regimental functions for many years, happy with what they had, even though both felt aggrieved that their Canal Zone service wasn’t recognised. Bill, however, is still with us. He was awarded a Canal Zone clasp to sit alongside his Malaya clasp back in 2004 and got his PJM a year later. He wore that medal proudly alongside his two clasp GSM on Remembrance Day this year. Who knows, if he is around for a few more years he may well see an official National Service medal too. When Bill passes away his medals will also go to a collector as he has no immediate family and is happy for someone other than a museum to have his gongs. So, you have two collectors, each with the correct representation of the same service but the two groups are very different. Where once the collector who owns John’s medals knew he had his sole entitlement, now things are very different; now that solitary GSM with its lone clasp begins to look more like a broken group. It isn’t, of course, but who could blame a collector for viewing it as such when it is sitting next to Bill’s two clasp GSM and his PJM (and maybe that third National Service medal too). Where once John’s and Bill’s medals would have fetched exactly the same at auction, now Bill’s group will undoubtedly fetch more despite the two men having been involved in exactly the same actions at the same time. What then, for the owner of John’s medal? Does he go out and buy himself a Canal Zone clasp to fit to the GSM? He has no right to as he’s not John’s next of kin, but John was entitled. What about a PJM to add to the group? If John was still around he would perhaps have done it himself but he’s not, so is the collector right in making up the group that way? It is one thing to add a Jubilee medal or even a decoration that is missing from a group but which it is known the recipient once owned, but quite another to add medals/clasps which the original wearer of the medal would never have seen, and yet the temptation to do so is obvious. There is no immediate correlation between the example given and medals we are all familiar with (the 1914 Star and its related clasp is the nearest comparison to be made but doesn’t fit exactly), but I feel it is something we collectors need to consider for the future. If there are going to be a raft of retrospective awards, be they British or foreign, where then does that leave the groups we as collectors own but which do not contain these “new” medals? Are such groups, as awarded originally, going to be considered “broken”? If the groups with new medals added are considered more collectable than those without, does it matter who added those awards? Are those that contain the new medals perhaps only going to be considered legitimate if the latter awards were added, and worn, by the recipient themselves? What if the next of kin added them because they knew their relative would have wanted it as such? Are they any less legitimate because they are “second generation”? If they are considered OK, then what if a collector adds them? In the face of numerous medal campaigns, and thus potentially numerous new awards, these questions are ones we collectors should consider. Veterans of course will have no such concerns. They are only interested in what they see as justice, interested in winning their campaign—emphasising once again that whilst we may love this fascinating hobby, the medals we collect were not instituted with us collectors in mind but rather for the soldiers, sailors and air crew who were, and are, awarded them. We’d do well to remember that little fact more often.

Impressive Hoard

Alyson Thomas — 22/11/2011 16:05:29

Worth noting

BACK in 2009 the Bank of England announced that the next design of the �50 note would feature the Engineers and business partners Matthew Boulton and James Watt. Following the introduction of the somewhat controversial �Adam Smith� �20 it was assumed that the new �50 would follow soon after. This was not to be and it wasn�t until October of this year that the notes were formally put into circulation. The choice of design is an interesting one�it is the first time two people have appeared on a British note as opposed to just one and of course Boulton is already famous in numismatic circles for his work with coins (having set up the Soho Mint). It is the second time engineers have featured (George Stephenson appeared on the �5) and alongside Faraday (�20) and Newton (�1) this means �science� has been far more represented than �arts� with only Dickens (�10) and Shakespeare (�20) representing writers and Elgar (�20) Music, I�ll leave it to you whether you consider Darwin (�10) to be a scientist or not (he�s considered a �naturalist� by the Bank of England) and whether Architecture (the Wren �50) is an art or a science�! Other fields have been represented on Bank of England notes of course: nursing and social reform have given us the only female figures to grace our notes so far (the Florence Nightingale �10 and the Elizabeth Fry �5) and politics/military history gave us the Duke of Wellington on the �5 back in the 1970s. The Bank themselves got a look in with Sir John Houblon, their first Governor, but he was little known outside banking/collector circles and I doubt whether many of the general public know who he is even today�even after 17 years gracing the �50!

The exact way the Bank choose their historical figures is not known although it is assumed it is done by committee. But what is certain is that they have a freely available list of those persons whose names have been suggested as worthy to appear on our notes (and as they reserve the right to remove names from that published list as they see fit one can only assume that these people have actually been considered) and that makes for some interesting reading. Many who feature are those who you might expect: Samuel Pepys, Geoffrey Chaucer, Francis Drake (although not Sir Walter Raleigh), Josiah Wedgwood (who, interestingly was Watt and Boulton�s backer and fellow member of the Lunar Society), Lord Nelson, Jane Austen, William Wordsworth, Isambard Kingdom Brunel, Sir Alexander Fleming (even though he was a Scot and so like Smith would be a controversial choice to grace an English note) and Sir Winston Churchill, but others are less obvious. Included in the list are such �non-household� names as the writer and abolitionist Olaudah Equinao, wood engraver Thomas Bewick, economist David Ricardo, actor Ira Aldridge, professional rower and boat builder Harry Clasper and aviation pioneer George Caley (Cayley). Also found are a host of �celebrities� including the Beatles, David Beckham, Richard Branson, Robbie Williams and Jonny Wilkinson�even Sir Terry Wogan gets a look in.
Thankfully there is no listing for Katie Price at this stage. . . .

Looking at the list we can, perhaps, guess who will, or won�t be featured on our banknotes in the coming years. It is unlikely, in this �we�re all Europeans together now� era that Lord Nelson, vanquisher of the French and Spanish Navies at Trafalgar will be chosen, despite Wellington�s earlier appearance. Similarly Sir Winston Churchill may be passed over as indelicate, or at the very least politically divisive, and Sir Barnes Wallis, most famous for inventing the bouncing bombs of �Dambuster� fame stands no chance! Political considerations will probably also keep Sir Robert Peel, Lord Shaftesbury, Lord Townsend, Earl Mountbatten and Lord King from appearing, but even with party politics and all the back-stabbing surrounding that there is no reason why the first woman MP, Nancy Astor, shouldn�t be included. Indeed when you look at names such as Jane Austen, Elizabeth Browning, , Edith Cavell, Grace Darling, Emmeline Pankhurst, Beatrix Potter and Marie Stopes, you have to wonder why the relatively unknown Elizabeth Fry was chosen as only the second woman to appear on a note, and why more of the above haven�t appeared up until now. Some names clearly were included on the list to show that the Bank wasn�t entirely backward thinking, but I find it hard to envisage Sir Michael Parkinson or Sir Jimmy Saville gracing our currency and similarly cricketer Michael Vaughn might not make a short list. It is unlikely that Prince Philip, the late Queen Mother or Princess Diana will ever be featured, but others are obvious contenders. Artists such as Turner, Constable and Gainsborough cry out to have their image, and works, on a note; the daffodil design that would accompany a Wordsworth �10 would be delightful and the potential for a William Morris �5 is obvious. That all aside there are some people not on the list that I think should be: Agatha Christie perhaps? What about Lord Byron or Mary Shelley (perhaps alongside her husband?). Then there�s Captain Cook, Ernest Shackleton, William Blake, Lawrence of Arabia, Charlie Chaplin, J. R. R. Tolkien, David Livingstone, Leonard Cheshire, and a host of others. Most of those the Bank have listed will of course never appear on a note, at least not in our lifetimes and so those I�ve mentioned separately stand no chance. But think of it this way�that we are incredibly lucky to live in a country that has produced so many figures of historical importance that we have such a list to choose from. In today�s celebrity-obsessed society it is perhaps worth remembering that some of the people we admire, and who are worthy of gracing our currency, actually did something with their talents rather than just spend their time seeking more and more fame and money!

Services Rendered Volume V - Yeomanry and Cavalry

Phil Mussell — 22/11/2011 11:15:00

The fifth voilume of this incredible series detailing the Silver War Badges of World War I is now available. This latest tome, priced at £20 again, covers all those badges awarded to members of the Cavalry and Yeomanry - it is available from our shop!

A big thank you

Phil Mussell — 21/11/2011 09:43:00

To all those who made the last Britannia Medal fair of the Year on Sunday November 20 such a success - we had a fantastic turn out of both dealers and collectors and I think everyone enjoyed themselves! The next one is scheduled for March 18 2012 - watch this space....!!

More medals stolen

Phil Mussell — 17/11/2011 14:58:00

Please be on the look out for medals stolen in a burglary on November 14 - the group comprises

MBE (Military)

Iraq Campaign Medal (Engraved Capt AP Nixon RE)

Afghanistan OSM (Engraved Mr AP Nixon)

NATO Bosnia Medal

Accumulated Campaign Service Medal (Engraved Mr AP Nixon)

Queens Jubilee Medal

Long Service and Good Conduct medal (Engraved 24588027 SSgt AP Nixon RE)

Any information to the MEDAL NEWS office please

Britannia time!

Phil Mussell — 14/11/2011 11:22:00

This Sunday sees the second and last Britannia Medal show of 2011 and as ever it promises to be quite an event! The show, held at the Victory Services Club, Seymour Street, London (just off Marble Arch) is always a popular one being the only purist medal fair in the country. Its starts at 9.30am and finishes at 2.00pm -standholders include:

Baldwins

Phil Burman

John Cannon

Mark Carter

Chelsea Military Antiques

Chris Dixon

DNW

David Empson

Bill Friar

Gordon's Medals

Great War Medals

Ian Laidler

Barry Hobbs (VJC Collectables)

Andrew Jukes (The Medal Centre)

Bob Lynes (Our heritage War Medals)

Peter Morris

Morton and Eden

David Nuwar

Derek Pheasant

Steve Sewell

Murray Shaw

Spink

Fred Walland

Steve Wheeler

Howard Williamson

and of course Token Publishing!

Pingat Jasa Malaysia

Phil Mussell — 04/11/2011 10:38:00

It seems that after 6 years of fighting by UK Veterans for the right to wear the Pingat Jasa Malaysia Medal victory is theirs. It was announced in the House of Lords on October 26 that as from November 11 all eligible UK veterans will be allowed to wear the Malaysia Governments decorations - see the December/January issue of MEDAL NEWS (on Sale November 30) for more details!

New �50 - at last

Phil Mussell — 02/11/2011 10:51:00

Back in 2009 we were able to preview the "new" £50 featuring Watt and Boulton. The banknote world was very excited about this new design, featuring as it did two of the greats of engineering (not to mention Boulton's contributions to numismatics with the creation of the Soho Mint), but then nothing happened. The new note never materialised and whilst we mentioned it again in the BANKNOTE YEARBOOK there was no definitive date for its launch. Well now we can report that it IS in circulation - the design is as expected using the familiar red colouring however it does feature a new signature - that of Chris Salmon who replaced Andrew Bailey as Chief Cashier of the Bank of England back in April. For more information take a look at the BBC's website

Aldershot Medal Fair on Sunday

Phil Mussell — 01/11/2011 11:53:00

Don't forget Mark Carter's final Aldershot of the Year this Sunday at the Prince's Hall, Prince's Way, Aldershot GU11 1NX

As with all of Mark's Fairs the "preview" starts at 9.30am with main entry at 10.30am - but don't be put off - "preview" is only £1 more than main admission so why not come along early...?

We'll be there - with the new YEARBOOK (amongst other things) so why not pop along and say hello?

Britsh Empire Medal revived

Phil Mussell — 01/11/2011 11:49:00

It seems that the British Empire Medal - scrapped by John Major during his 1993 Honours review - is to be reinstated. The award, which was supposed to be replaced by the MBE and awarded by the Monarch herself (as opposed to her representative, the Lord Lieutenant of the recipient's county), was often seen as a "working class" honour and as such was discontinued in Major's "classless" Honours system. For more details see the BBC's Website

11.11.11

Alyson Thomas — 01/11/2011 10:27:20

The Hollywood effect?

THIS month�s Market Scene shows that the South Africa Medal to Rorke�s Drift defender Lance-Sergeant John Key of the 2/24th Foot sold for a whopping �28,800. In Warwick & Warwick�s December sale there are two Isandhlwana casualty medals on offer and they too will undoubtedly fetch large sums (they are estimated at �6,000 for the 1/24th Foot example to Pte T. Goss and �5,000 for the example named to Driver T. Clarke of the Royal Artillery�but will probably go higher). Now such �Zulu� medals have always commanded a premium, just as medals to Light Brigade chargers have, or those posthumously awarded to casualties who were killed on the first day of the Battle of the Somme, but I have never really understood why. Admittedly the Rorke�s drift medal is something special�the sheer heroism of such a small garrison defending its position against vastly superior numbers (who were not �simple tribesmen armed with spears� as some politically correct sections of the media would have us believe, but rather were trained and feared warriors who did have access to guns, British ones as it happens . . .) should command a premium and the small numbers of medals awarded perhaps justifies their price. They don�t, after all, come up that often. However, in the case of Islandhlwana there were over 1,300 men killed at that battle so rarity is not the main reason for the price, and even with the Charge of the Light Brigade there were famously over 600 who rode, so again these medals can�t really be called scarce and do come up for sale with reasonable regularity. The prices paid for first day of the Somme casualties are also hugely out of line with the availability of such medals and with over 19,000 killed or dying of wounds they certainly can�t be seen as rare.

So why do all these medals still command such a premium? You will note, perhaps that the three cases I have highlighted are actually all considered military blunders. The defeat in 1879 probably occurred because the British Forces were split and certainly weren�t expecting the Zulu attack to come from where and when it did; the Charge at Balaklava is well documented as a military foul up and the First Day of the Somme cannot be considered by any to be anything other than a disaster for Britain and her allies. Is it because they were failures that they hold such a place in the heart of the medal collector? That hardly seems logical does it? After all, we collect gallantry medals too and they are the very epitome of military success and heroism and it seems unlikely that we would also want to celebrate apparent failure in the same way. But it seems we can�t get enough medals awarded to those who weren�t on the winning side in a particular battle. Gallipoli casualties are a good example�the whole Dardanelles campaign ultimately failed, yet medals to men who landed on the peninsular fetch much more at auction than medals to men of units that didn�t. Operation Market Garden is another case in point�medals awarded to men who fought in the famous campaign that went a �Bridge too far� also seem to far outstrip similar North West Europe medals, with the exception perhaps of D-Day itself which certainly command higher premiums than medals awarded to men in other theatres.

Now I�m not suggesting that such premiums aren�t warranted�the market has found its own level on such things and who am I to argue? But it does puzzle me as to why that level has been found. Why, for example, do Heavy Brigade chargers, although eagerly sought after and collected, not fetch quite as much as those awarded to their Light Brigade counterparts? Surely medals awarded to those who took part in a successful charge should be more highly prized than those whose charge was less than successful, but apparently not. Perhaps the reason for this apparent disparity can be seen in what I term the Hollywood factor. With the exception of the first day of the battle of the Somme, which has an attraction for collectors all its own, the battles/engagements that seem to attract the huge premiums are those that have, at some time or another been given the Hollywood treatment and are therefore more recognisable to the average collector. Zulu Dawn with Peter O�Toole, Burt Lancaster and a galaxy of stars; Zulu with Stanley Baker and Michael Caine; Gallipoli with Mel Gibson; The Charge of the Light Brigade with Trevor Howard, John Gielgud, et al.; A Bridge Too Far with Michael Caine (again), Sean Connery, Edward Fox, Gene Hackman and many others�all have been watched and watched again many times by us collectors as we were growing up and the stories (with all their Hollywood inaccuracies) are firmly entrenched in our memories. They are part of our past and treasured as such and maybe this is why medals to these battles command the prices they do. It would certainly explain why those given for heroic encounters not committed to celluloid (such as the Battle of Bois des Buttes and the stand of the 2nd Devons in 1918, when over 500 officers and men, nearly the entire battalion, were either killed or captured, but their stand allowed the French to regroup�an action for which the battalion was awarded the Croix de Guerre) only fetch a high price when contested by two collectors �in the know�. If this is the case and the Hollywood factor has distorted medal prices then at least I know how to increase the value of my collection should I need to: I just have to write a good screenplay and get it accepted. Does anyone know a good agent . . . ?

New Sovereign design unveiled

Alyson Thomas — 25/10/2011 11:22:07

The way forward?

EVERY year the numismatic �season� in the UK starts at the end of September/beginning of October with a series of auctions in the big London Houses (and outside the Capital) and the British Numismatic Trade Society�s (BNTA) �Coinex� show held in central London. For the last few years Coinex has taken place in the Millennium Hotel, Grosvenor Square, Mayfair, a few hundred yards from its former home at the Marriott Hotel. In the intervening years a couple of different venues were tried: Earl�s Court in West London and the Excel Centre in East London, but neither was deemed suitable so back to Mayfair the event went. This was very much in keeping with the image the BNTA wanted for their flagship show�they weren�t looking to create just another coin fair, they wanted it to be the cr�me de la cr�me of British coin bourses with dealers and visitors from across the globe attending. They have certainly succeeded with the event as it now stands with a large number of US and European dealers and auction houses taking tables alongside their British counterparts. Some of the biggest names in worldwide numismatics now have a presence at Coinex and it certainly cannot be considered just another coin fair!

Of course it isn�t just those who have a table that make a coin fair ordinary or not, but those who come through the door to buy from the dealers or indeed sell to them, and here Coinex is different too. Where most shows will either be free to get in or charge a modest few pounds entry, Coinex charges non-BNTA members a massive �50 to get in on the first day before 2.30pm (a �mere� �25 after that time)�the second day though is free for all. This is sending out a very strong message to collectors and dealers alike: you can come to our event, and come in for nothing, but if you want the pick of the best stock in the world then you have to pay for the privilege. When the pricing structure was first announced our �phone lines, email in boxes and mail bags were full of indignant collectors horrified at the entry fee and you can understand why, �50 is a hefty chunk of cash to fork out for the privilege of parting with even more cash when you�re inside the room. They couldn�t understand why the �ordinary� collectors was seemingly being ignored in favour of the high rollers and a few stated that they wouldn�t be going at all�even on the Saturday�and indeed the Friday of the show was noticeably quieter than in previous years, at least for us launching our COIN YEARBOOK. That said, the dealers we spoke to all seemed to have had an excellent day and it appears that those who did pay their �50 did so because they had every intention of spending more. There may have been less people walking the floor but it was a case of quality over quantity with most of those who had tables agreeing that the BNTA had probably made the right decision.

One of the dilemmas of coin shows has always been that it takes as long to chat to and serve someone buying a �10 coin as it does someone buying a �5,000 coin, but the rewards for the dealer are obviously vastly different. Most dealers would of course happily spend their time talking to as many people as possible who are spending �5,000 or more and, whilst none would turn away someone spending just �10, you can see why they might be keener to attract the former rather than the latter. Every dealer we know will just as happily sell his low end items as the high end ones, but ultimately they have to make a living so the more high end items they sell the better�that�s business for you and cannot be denied. So when they know they are faced with a room full of the people likely to go high-end who can blame them for being delighted? Unfortunately, not all collectors fall into the �high end� category and so, rightly or wrongly, they do feel excluded from Coinex, the free Saturday notwithstanding, and that has ruffled a few feathers in the hobby. A number of people we expected to see at the show simply weren�t there, having decided they didn�t agree with the BNTA�s pricing decision, and others have told us that they won�t attend again�they feel the event has become too exclusive and it isn�t, therefore, for them. It is a shame that collectors feel that way, although it is understandable. However, I ask this question: is it really so wrong to have an �exclusive� show once a year? Is it really a bad thing to have an event where the international dealers can spend a lot of money coming over to London in the knowledge that the people they meet, at least on the first day, will be serious buyers with serious money? There are, after all, dozens of inclusive coin shows up and down the country every year�not least the London Coin Fair in Bloomsbury�that are inclusive and open to everyone, so what harm is there in holding one that�s a little different? Coinex has always been a little different, has always wanted to be seen as the premier UK event and perhaps this pricing policy is the way forward. After all, the fact that the Saturday was free means that it isn�t being elitist, just selective on day one. Is such a selectivity the way forward for this event? The dealers we spoke to would perhaps say yes, but what, I wonder, do the collectors think? We would be delighted if you would tell us.

New date for Morton and Eden

Phil Mussell — 19/10/2011 16:14:00

The next Morton and Eden medal sale will take place on thursday December 1 and NOT November 29 as previously advertised! For further details contact James Morton on 0207 4935144

George Medal Missing

Phil Mussell — 12/10/2011 10:44:00

Between Sunday 1 October and Monday 3 October 2011, a George Medal awarded to W.H. Daysh for ARP services in the Second World War was stolen from the D-Day Museum in Portsmouth. Also stolen was a circular enamel badge from the 1936 Berlin Olympics (about 3cm diameter, off white in colour with the Olympic logo and German eagle on it).

Any information relating to this theft would be gratefully received. Please contact either Andrew Whitmarsh at the D-Day Museum on 023 9282 7261, or Crimestoppers (crime ref. 44110420080).

El Cid

Alyson Thomas — 05/10/2011 16:22:05

A note of caution

LAST month�s comment regarding the recent burglary at the house of a member of the Token Team has encouraged a number of you to write into us with your own experiences of this situation. Many of these letters and emails were rather enlightening and I thought I would make a note of them here in the hope that some good may come of what has been a rather nasty business (although the police did catch the people who broke into our staff member�s house, they were caught red-handed at the scene of another house breaking and asked for his, and a number of others in the area �to be taken into consideration��sadly the items stolen had long gone.). The most obvious thing that came out of all of your correspondence was the need to keep your collection a secret�this may seem obvious to most of us and we are unlikely to sit in a pub and boast about the latest Henry VI Noble we have acquired but equally it is very easy to be tempted to chat to your friends and colleagues about your hobby, the fact you visited a coin show at the weekend or found something particularly interesting with your metal detector etc. That�s all very well but who else is listening? Do you really want all and sundry knowing you collect coins? That�s one of the reasons we put carrier sheets over our magazines when they�re delivered to subscribers� doors each month! A little discretion may save a lot of heartache. The next piece of advice that came across was �keep your collection hidden��some of you may well have your coins on display in frames on your walls�nice for you to look at but very easy for others to spot and equally easy for a thief to cart off if he does break in. Of course, I�m not suggesting that everyone who comes into your house is a potential thief but equally you don�t know who those who come into your house to do some work, read the meter etc. may tell about what they�ve seen (in all innocence of course), or who they, in turn, will tell and so on. Again far better to be safe than sorry.

There were also a number of letters and queries regarding the valuation of collection�just what extent do you need to go to to ensure you�re fully covered? We can�t give insurance advice but in our own experience it seems that most insurance companies are prepared to take a self-valuation when it comes to covering relatively low value specialist collections�the book price (using our own COIN YEARBOOK or similar) will allow you to get a good idea of what your coins are worth and, unless you have any single items that are particularly valuable (usually over �2,000 but insurance companies do vary), that may well be all you need. But please do not take our word for it, always check with your insurer as to exactly what they require. Just be sure to update that valuation at least once a year�more if you have a high percentage of gold coins in yourcollection�otherwise you may find it impossible to replace your coins as the prices are way beyond what you insured them for. For higher value collections then it may well be worth your while getting a professional appraisal from a coin dealer or auctioneer, they will usually charge for this service�you�re using up their time and expertise after all�but will give you a formal written valuation that you can present to an insurance company should the need arise. At least then you won�t have to worry too much about having to prove ownership or value and it will cut out a lot of the hassle at what is already a traumatic time.

Actually the trauma of a burglary�and the consequent insurance claim was also the subject of a number of comments, calls and letters all saying the same thing�that the horrible experience of a burglary is never helped by having to fill in countless forms and proving to an insurance company that you did have what you say you did and that it was worth the amount you say. Many readers said that they felt that they were being treated like the criminal and that they felt aggrieved that an insurance company would take money quickly enough but make the insured jump through hoops when it came for them to pay out. Sadly the simple fact of the matter is there are millions of pounds worth of fraudulent claims every year and, were it not for the apparently suspicious nature of the insurers, our premiums would actually be far higher so no matter how difficult your insurer may seem to be being, remember there is a reason behind it. The good thing is the vastmajority of those who have written in actually had their claims settled in full�so even if there was some hassle at first it all came good in the end.

The moral of the story seems to be that if you have done all you can to prevent a burglary, if you have insured your collection properly and have done your best to prove you had what you say you had then you won�t actually encounter many problems. The trouble is, of course, many of us only think about all this when it�s too late and that has been the reason for my �Comment� in these past two months�to get you to think BEFORE it is too late. I hope I have succeeded and hope too that I can talk about happier things next month!

Whitehaven

Alyson Thomas — 05/10/2011 16:21:55

Collector�s dilemma

AS we all know, there are no finer feelings in a medal collector�s life than when he manages to pick up a medal that he has been searching for some time. It might be that the medal had appeared on the market before and had been missed (how often have you cursed yourself for not going that one bid higher or getting to the �phone that little bit quicker?), or it might be one never before spotted that fortuitously comes into view. Either way, managing to fill a hole in a collection is always satisfying and often we will go to great lengths to achieve it. Often those lengths will include buying a number of other, unwanted, medals in a �job lot� in order to secure the prize, or paying over the odds for a single medal as it comes with ephemera (uniforms, paperwork, even family medals). If we do find ourselves with �extras� on top of the prized medal we are left with a dilemma and it is that which I would like to talk about this month.
With the �job lot� scenario�where you find yourself buying five British War Medals just to secure the one with your surname on or seven Victory Medals just to reunite that one�your options are fairly straightforward: you can either keep the extra medals or, and this is far more likely, sell them on to fund your next purchase. After all, the chances are the medals only came together because the dealer or auction house from whom you bought them put them together and they probably have no connection to one another other than, perhaps, a geographic or regimental one. They certainly wouldn�t be construed as �belonging� to each other, so disposal is entirely up to you. But what about the case where a medal that you have been after for a while comes with another that IS linked to it in some way�perhaps the two medals or groups belonged to members of the same family: father and son perhaps, or brothers. What then is the best course of action? If both sets of medals fit into your theme you will, in all probability (and if you can afford it), want to keep both, even if the �extra� medals are something you have an example of already. But what if the �extras� don�t fit into your collection at all? For example, you collect South Africa 1877-79 medals and finally unearth one to a unit you�re missing only to find it comes with his brother�s Egypt and Khedive�s Star. Then what do you do? In an ideal world we would all, I�m sure, like to keep family groups together and family groups are lovely to behold, we all know that. But if we are collecting to a rigid theme (be it regiment, campaign or even rank) then a family oddment may well be an expensive luxury that doesn�t sit as well in our collection as we might think and let�s be honest we aren�t made of money and the sale of that Egypt pair may well offset the cost of the �Zulu� medal, or at the very least will help fund the next purchase; but are we really in a position to be able to do that?
We are, after all, only custodians of these medals. They are only ours temporarily and if they have been kept together for so long is it really fair of us to split them up? And if you decide it is only right and proper to keep related medals together, what about other items? What if the medals you want come with associated ephemera? Papers perhaps, or a uniform, maybe a swagger stick, a sword or some trench art. Again in an ideal world all of these items would stay together but perhaps if money isn�t an issue maybe space is�after all uniforms aren�t quite as easily stored as medals and our better halves may well have something to say about musty old khaki filling the house up! Ultimately none of us would ever condone the splitting of a group (even though the recipients themselves were often less worried about such actions), but sometimes we just don�t want, or can�t have, everything else that goes with the medals�what then should we do? Are we to pass on a group we�ve wanted for ages because of what comes with it? Should we lose the chance of owning something we would treasure because it really should be kept with things we wouldn�t? Or are we to split the items up, sending the uniform one way, the weapons another, whilst keeping the awards for ourselves? There is no easy answer and perhaps there is no right answer, each of us having to take individual cases as they are presented to us. Sadly we don�t live in an ideal world: money and space are tight and sacrifices do sometimes have to be made. I can�t pretend that isn�t a shame though, and I would very interested to hear what our readers think.

Stolen Medals

Phil Mussell — 04/10/2011 13:07:00

Two groups of medals have been stolen from luggage in Zurich airport on 23 Sept 2011.

1945 DFC, 1939-45 Star, Italy Star, War Medal and log book to 186297 Pilot Officer T. C. Shiel, RAF

1945 DFC, 1939-45 Star, Africa Star, Italy Star, France & Germany Star, Defence Medal, Australia Service Medal, War Medal and log book to 400217 Flying Officer G. M. Double, RAAF

The loss has been reported to Swiss Police but should anyone have any information regarding these groups please contact Richard Black, Chelsea Military Antiques, 7 Whitcomb Street, London, WC2H 7HA 020 7352 0308

Coinex next week

Phil Mussell — 23/09/2011 12:58:00

Don't forget the BNTA's COINEX - the showcase event at the Millennium Hotel, Grosvenor Square Mayfair on Friday and Saturday! Friday is for the serious collector with a £50 entry fee in the morning but Saturday is free for all so why not come along and pick up a copy of the brand new COIN YEARBOOK!!!

OMRS on Sunday - the Yearbook is launched!!

Phil Mussell — 21/09/2011 15:56:00

Are you coming to the Orders and Medals Research Society Medal fair on Sunday September 25 at the British Medical Association Tavsitock Square? We'll be there as we launch our BRAND NEW MEDAL YEARBOOK 2012!!

The books were all delivered yesterday and look fantastic - all pre-ordered copies have now been sent out and the official launch is this weekend - don't miss it!

Krause on CD

Phil Mussell — 08/09/2011 14:36:00

A few years back the Krause catalogues came with some very useful CDs containing Pdfs of the whole book - then suddenly they disappeared - the later versions of the acclaimed volumes no longer had a CD included - much to the chagrin of collectors and dealers who had found the easily searchable - and portable format a real boon. Well now those useful little disks are back - and whilst they aren't included with a catalogue any more you can buy them separately. We have the modern issues world paper money, world coins 1901-2000 and 2001-date in stock so if you're fed up with having to trawl through the massive catalogues themselves now is your chance to downsize! See our shop for further details!

Gallipoli

Alyson Thomas — 07/09/2011 11:28:57

Safety First

THOSE of you who read COIN NEWS as well as this magazine will already know the subject about which I am writing this month, but I make no apologies for the similar �Comments� as I truly believe this to be extremely important. The catalyst for this Editorial came a few weeks ago when one of the Token team was burgled. He was out during the day and believed his house to be completely secure, but somehow the thieves got in, in broad daylight. They went through every drawer in the place and stole thousands of pounds worth of cash, laptops, watches, cameras, etc., but he was lucky. He had an extensive medal collection in the house and whilst the burglars rifled through the cabinet they stole none of them. It transpires they may well be heroin addicts (the police have now caught a couple breaking into another house in the same area in the same way, although his property is long gone) and only looking for items they could fence quickly and medals obviously weren�t on their hit list. Now, whilst the trauma of having your house broken into is bad, and knowing that someone has been rifling through your personal possessions is a horrible feeling, the fact is it could have been so much worse. That wonderful collection that he has spent almost a decade accumulating could even now be broken up, melted down even and certainly lost for ever.

This warning shot has made him re-look at his security, get an alarm, take his medals to the bank and generally be far more aware of what potentially could happen. Not only that, but what the insurance company is insisting on has also made him realise he has to be far more diligent with his record keeping. Essentially the insurance company are asking to see receipts or some proof of ownership of the items stolen. In some cases he is able to provide these, but in most not�after all, who keeps a receipt from a watch that is six years old, or a laptop that is out of warranty? Very few of us would bother to keep such things. We have the goods, they work, they�ve been paid for and every now and then we de-clutter, getting rid of their boxes and receipts pertaining to them; apparently we aren�t meant to do this �just in case� some low life decides to divest us of our worldly goods. Now, in the future he will of course keep such receipts, he�s learning the hard way. But how much worse would it have been if his medals had been stolen? Like most of us collectors he buys at auction (for which he will have proof of purchase if he�s remembered to keep it) or on line (again a proof of the transaction will be available somewhere) or at a medal fair/boot sale/antiques fair and for those transactions you can bet your life he has few proofs of purchase�after all, why would he? He has the goods and they aren�t likely to go wrong so a receipt isn�t usually required!

This then got me thinking about how he would stand in the event of an insurance claim where his medals had gone missing, and the answer is �not in a strong position��the insurance company would need him to prove he had what he says he had and for him, and most of us, that would not be very easy. The insurance company aren�t being unreasonable�they can�t pay out any and every claim without checking because we all know fraud does go on. But how do you actually go about proving the existence, or value, of a collection such as the ones we all have? Certainly he has a written record, but that�s something he wrote himself and so no proof at all in the eyes of the insurers. Apart from that what else could be done? Well, it seems that in this day and age you have to have as much proof as is humanly possible in order to satisfy insurers and so I�d like to make a few suggestions�if any readers have further ideas then please do get in touch.

Firstly, check your medals are covered in your policy�if not then take steps to insure them separately. Then, if you can, photograph your collection, both as a collection as a whole in trays, cabinets, etc., and then as individual pieces (try to do that in situ so that the insurer knows that these were actually your items and not photos from a dealers table at a fair!). Of course, this does pose a problem in terms of valuation as we all know a trio to a July 1, 1916 casualty will be worth far more than a trio to a Private in the Army Service Corps who survived the war, so if you can do your absolute best to take photographs of the naming too�never an easy task but certainly one that�s worth it if you can. Once you have taken those photos don�t leave them on the SD card in the camera or on your laptop as cameras and laptops are likely to go missing too if you get burgled. Back them up on a disk and keep that in a safe place. Also try to log every transaction. If you don�t get a receipt at least make a note of when and where you buy things. Bona fide dealers keep records too and will be able to confirm to an insurer that you did indeed purchase what you said you did. Apart from that there isn�t much more you can do except make things as difficult for a thief as possible. Consider taking your collection to a bank (if they�ll still accept them�many don�t). Think about an alarm system or maybe a safe, failing that get a lockable cabinet/strong box (most burglars are looking for easily portable items and will happily stuff a few items in a holdall quickly but won�t bother to spend time breaking into a cabinet or locked box). Ensure every window and door is as secure as it can be and, if they aren�t in a bank or safe, make sure your medals are as well hidden, or as well disguised as possible (many insurance companies won�t insure collections proudly displayed on walls�check your policy on that one). Of course, if a burglar is determined to get in to your house he will. Your job is to make it as difficult as possible for him to do so, offer him as little to steal as possible and to make it as easy as possible for you to get the value of your collection back if he does. Now, I do realise that many of you will read this and ignore it. You don�t want to hide your collections away, don�t want to take down the wonderful displays and don�t want to have to bow to the type of person who might break into your house� that is your prerogative, but if that is the case then try and get as much advice on home security as you can. You may never think it will happen to you but it can, and it does . . . often when you least expect it. Not a particularly happy subject for my usual �Comment� I know, but maybe one that will save you a lot of heartache and a lot of money.

Martini Henry Notebook - back in stock

Phil Mussell — 06/09/2011 11:27:00

The truly excellent "Martini-Henry Notebook" - the story of the legendary Martini Henry rifle has just been reprinted in very limited quantities. We have just a few in stock and already they are selling well!

Don't miss out this time - order your copy from our shop today.

Ancient Roots

Phil Mussell — 02/09/2011 13:20:51

Staying safe

I MAKE no apologies this month for writing broadly similar �Comments� in both COIN NEWS and MEDAL NEWS and I hope those of you who buy both magazines (and there are a number of you out there) will forgive me and, as you read on, I hope you will agree that the subject is worthy of covering in both magazines as it is of relevance to us all.

The catalyst for this Editorial came a fortnight ago when the home of one of the Token team was burgled. He was out during the day and believed his house to be secure but somehow the thieves got in. They went through every drawer in the place and stole thousands of pounds worth of cash, laptops, watches, cameras, etc., but he was also lucky. He had an extensive medal collection in the house and whilst the burglars rifled through the cabinet they stole none of them. It transpires they were heroin addicts (the police have now caught them although his property is long gone) and only looking for items they could fence quickly and medals obviously weren�t on their hit list. Now whilst the trauma of having your house broken into is bad, and knowing that someone has been rifling through your personal possessions is a horrible feeling, the fact is it could have been so, so much worse. That wonderful collection that he had spent almost a decade accumulating could even now be broken up, melted down even and certainly lost forever. This warning shot has made him re-look at his security, get an alarm, take his medals to the bank and generally be far more aware of what potentially could happen. Not only that, but what the insurance company is insisting on has also made him realise he has to be far more diligent with his record keeping.

Essentially, the insurance company are insisting on seeing receipts or some proof of ownership of all the items stolen � in some cases he is able to provide these but in most not, after all who keeps a receipt from a watch that�s six years old, or a laptop that is out of warranty? Very few of us would bother to keep such things. We have the goods, they work, they�ve been paid for and every now and then we de-clutter, getting rid of their boxes and receipts pertaining to them. Apparently we aren�t meant to do this �just in case� some low life decides to divest us of our worldly goods. Now, in the future he will of course keep such receipts, he�s learning the hard way, but how much worse would it have been if his medals had been stolen? Like most of us collectors he buys at auction (for which he will have proof of purchase) or on-line (again a proof of the transaction will be available somewhere) or at a medal fair/boot sale/antiques fair�for those transactions you can bet your life he has few proofs of purchase, after all why would he? He has the goods and they aren�t likely to go wrong!

This experience then got me thinking about how he would stand in the event of an insurance claim where his medals had gone missing�and the answer is �not in a strong position�. The insurance company would need him to prove he had what he says he had and for him, and most of us, that would not be that easy. Now the insurance company aren�t being unreasonable�they can�t pay out any and every claim without checking because, as we all know, fraud does go on. But how do you actually go about proving the existence, or value, of a collection such as the ones we all have? Certainly he has a written record, but that�s something he wrote himself and so no proof at all in the eyes of the insurers. Apart from that, what else could be done? Well, it seems that in this day and age you have to have as much proof as is humanly possible in order to satisfy insurers and so I�d like to make a few suggestions but if any readers have further ones then please do get in touch. Firstly, check your coins are covered in your policy�if not then take steps to insure them separately. Then, if you can, photograph your collection, both as a collection as a whole (in trays, cabinets, etc.) and individual pieces (try to do that in situ so that the insurer knows that these were actually your items and not photos from a dealer�s table at a coin fair!). Once you have taken those photos don�t leave them on the SD card in the camera or on your laptop�cameras and laptops are likely to go missing too if you get burgled�so back them up on a disk and keep that in a safe place. Also, try to log every transaction, if you don�t get a receipt at least make a note of when and where you buy things. Bona fide dealers keep records too and will be able to confirm to an insurer that you did indeed purchase what you said you did. Apart from that there isn�t much more you can do except make things as difficult for a thief as possible. Consider taking your collection to a bank (if they�ll still accept them, many don�t). Think about an alarm or maybe a safe, failing that get a lockable cabinet/box (most burglars are looking for easily portable items: they will happily stuff a few coins in a holdall but won�t run the risk of being seen or caught with a coin cabinet or case). Ensure every window and door is a secure as it can be and, if they aren�t in a bank, make sure your coins are as well hidden, or as well disguised as possible. If a burglar is determined to get in to your house he will�your job is to make it as difficult as possible for him to do so, offer him as little to steal as possible and to make it as easy as possible for you to get the value of your collection back if he does. Not a particularly happy subject for my usual �Comment� I know, but maybe one that will save you a lot of heartache and a lot of money.

Gold chain

Carol — 01/09/2011 15:57:00

Scoin Shop continue their retail expansion with the opening of their third premises in Westfield, Stratford City, London on September 13. The company have seen an unprecedented demand for gold commemorative coins over recent months with the latest UK £5 for William & Catherine proving extremely popular world wide. The company is currently the only gold coin retail chain of shops in the world.

Arrest in stolen medals case

Phil Mussell — 31/08/2011 15:51:00

An employee of the New Zealand National Army museum has been arrested and charged with stealing over 800 medals (395 groups) from the museum over a period of seven years from 1995-2002. So far some 300 medals have been recovered but police are working with Keith John Davies in an attempt to recover more. For the full story see here

The new season

Phil Mussell — 25/08/2011 14:47:00

It's almost autumn and with it the new numismatic/medal season will get underway. We will, as ever be attending a large number of shows in the forthcoming months including:

Birmingham Motorcycle Museum on September 11

The OMRS at the BMA London on September 25

Coinex on September 30/October 1

Yate on October 2 and November 27

Stratford on October 31

Aldershot on November 6

The London Coin Fair on November 19

Britannia on November 20 (of course)

Wakefield On November 27

Watch this space for further details of these and the others we hope to get to!

Record Price for Aussie VC

Phil Mussell — 29/07/2011 13:41:00

The Medals of Ted Kenna fetched over $1million (Australian) at auction on Thursday (July 28) selling in Melbourne to an unidentified buyer. the group of ten which included one of only 20 VCs awarded to Australians during World War II was in the same sale as the medals to Captain Bligh (of the "Mutiny on the Bounty" fame). For more details see "The Australian website here

Plastic Fivers

Phil Mussell — 29/07/2011 13:35:00

News has reached us that the Bank of England has been in secret talks to print the £5 on polymer paper (as used in Canada, Australia and others) there is no official line on this story but the Australian based new site " The Age" reports that a bribery scandal at the company the Bank of England were planning to use to supply the "paper" has scuppered the whole deal. For More information see The Age

Record Price

Phil Mussell — 29/07/2011 12:09:06

Guide Lines

THE 2012 edition of the much acclaimed MEDAL YEARBOOK will be launched, as ever, at the OMRS convention in September (September 24�25 at the British Medical Association, London) and once again we hope it will be a book to treasure. We�ve added in as many of the new medals as we know about (the design for the Diamond Jubilee Medal being announced just in time�it would have been a shame not to be able to include it in the 2012 book) and, of course, all prices have been revised in line with the current market which, although not as manically buoyant as it was say five years ago, remains strong even in the face of the recent credit crunch and subsequent recession. The prices are the central point of the book, yes it is an exceptionally useful tome for reference and identification but the pricing is what makes it unique and every year we are asked how we price the YEARBOOK medals and what criteria we use when doing so.

To put it simply we enlist the help of a number of dealers/collectors associations when pricing medals and take an average of their prices, along with those on other selected dealers� lists and an average of those fetched at auction. That said, auction prices are notoriously difficult to factor in because a single sale where two bidders are fighting for a particular medal may skew the final figures and may not be a true reflection of market prices, so they have to be examined very carefully. This is particularly true with on-line auction prices where true market values often have no influence on the bidding. It is all very well to say something is worth what someone is prepared to pay for it but when you have the case of a British War Medal fetching over �100 because two people with the same surname are fighting over it and when the next one with the same surname comes up it fetches the standard price because person A already has one and so doesn�t need to bid against person B you will see why that adage doesn�t always ring true. All prices are based on the medals being awarded, unless otherwise stated, to an �ordinary� ranked recipient, e.g. a Private Soldier, in a �standard� line regiment (or equivalent), i.e. not one involved in a particular action for which the regiment is famous (for example, the Light Brigade at Balaclava, the 24th Foot at Isandlwana or the �Glorious Glosters� at Imjin River). That recipient will be male unless the medal is usually awarded to women (Suffragette Medal, various nursing medals, etc.) and will not be a casualty (wounded or killed). In other words the price quoted is a starting point, other factors will, as a rule, only increase the value of a medal. We don�t include different price points for different �grades� of medal as generally speaking condition doesn�t affect value overmuch. In this respect medals are utterly unlike many other collectables (particularly coins) where condition is everything and the price of an �EF� example can be many times that of one in average condition. Yes, it is true that a particularly worn or battered medal may fetch less than a shinier counterpart (particularly if the naming is damaged or illegible in places) but that isn�t always the case, indeed some collectors actively welcome polished or worn medals as they show they were worn with pride by the recipient themselves�all adding to the story.

We are sometimes asked why we don�t value groups in the same way as �singles��we do value the more commonly found groups�such as the World War I Trio�but to go further would be to open up a can of worms (we would inevitably omit some that collectors considered �common� whilst including others considered rare) and, with the vast permutations available, it would prove nigh on impossible to include everything.

Valuing medals can never be an exact science�the rank of the recipient, their regiment, squadron or ship, the actions they were involved in, what other medals they may have, or may not have, their gender, their age, their service record, their home town, their place of birth or of death all can have a marked effect on a medal�s price and to draw up a definitive list of exactly what something should be worth would be impossible, and slightly pointless. The only true value of a medal or group is in what you as a collector are prepared to pay for it, and having done so whether you are happy with the deal. If you find a group to a recipient who shares your surname, fought with your old regiment and once lived in your village then to you its value will probably be many times what the book says�but you will, I�m sure be very happy to own it. Always remember�what something costs you and what its true value is can often be very different things. Our MEDAL YEARBOOK is a guide, a useful one I hope but a guide nonetheless, the true worth of your collection can only ever really be known to you. You collect for your own reasons and base your purchases, and the price you�re prepared to pay for them, on your own criteria�that�s one of the very reasons this hobby is so fascinating and so diverse. And one of the main reasons I love being a collector!

Elephant coins

Phil Mussell — 20/07/2011 14:01:50

Whatever next?

THE recent sale at Bonhams of Alderney�s one off gold �John Lennon� coin for �60,000 (see news and views page 10) had echoes of a similar sale at Stacks-Bowers of an Australian $30,000 gold 10 kilo coin (see COIN NEWS, May 2011) and indeed other sales before that, where coins with mintages in single figures fetch way beyond their precious metal spot price, with results in the tens if not hundreds of thousands of pounds/dollars. The fact that the Lennon coin sold well above its lowly estimate of �2,000 should come as no surprise to most, if only because of the ever-popular Beatle�s connection and the fact the proceeds of the sale were going to charity (the coin had originally been given to Yoko Ono who then donated it for sale to help the Alder Hey Children�s Hospital�s �Imagine� Appeal). But even with these factors taken into account, �60,000 is a huge sum and COIN NEWS contributor Michael Alexander of the London Banknote and Monetary Research Centre and Bonhams auctioneers are to be congratulated on promoting the sale so well. However, the question we are left asking is what, if any, relevance such a sale, indeed such a coin, has on our hobby at large.

There have always been limited edition coins of course. The Royal Mint regularly produce small numbers of precious metal versions of circulating coins and these prove ever popular with collectors who are happy to pay a premium over the spot price to get the latest issues. But such coins are not so expensive that the actual price of them bears no resemblance to the price of the precious metal therein and purchasers always know that should all else fail their acquisitions can always be sold for scrap and they will get a good percentage of their money back. With coins that fetch many, many times their melt value, the purchaser has to rely on a secondary market should they ever wish to sell their coin on and I am left wondering whether such a secondary market actually exists. Of course, it could be argued that the rarity of the coin: the fact that only a very, very limited number exist (usually less than five, often as with the Lennon coin, just one), will in itself be enough to create that secondary market, with certain wealthy individuals always prepared to shell out for unique items to add to their collections. But if this is the case, then what is to stop the mints across the world from producing countless �one-offs�� unique gold or platinum coins to sell on for hundreds of thousands of pounds? Will such results as those at Bonhams and Stacks-Bowers make the mints look again at their issuing programmes and produce more and more such coins just to cater to a few wealthy individuals? You may think this far-fetched, but it is exactly what happened in the phone card market with issuers realising that collectors were eager for rarities, so they started making them to cater for the demand. Soon practically every phone card was a �limited edition� and the market soon collapsed. Those of you who visited the early Dublin shows at Kilmainham Hospital will remember the mania surrounding the phone card business there�visit the Dublin show now and you may find one or two cards around, but they will be selling for a few euros each, certainly not the hundreds (or Punt equivalent) they were a few years ago. Could such a thing happen in numismatics? It�s unlikely perhaps�after all,a large number of coin collectors are probably not interested in that particular market, with the rarities they seek being the small mintages from years gone by. With phone cards it was all a �new issues� market and so could be manipulated, coins aren�t like that but it is worth wondering whether the new issues side of the hobby could fall victim to the same problems. To a certain extent it is already happening, with far more �limited edition� coins being produced than ever before�you only have to look at the new Krause Standard Catalog of World Coins 2001�date to see the vast numbers of coins the worldwide mints produce. Few of them will never be seen in anyone�s pockets or purse but collectors still seem eager to buy such coins and as long as they are the mints will keep striking them. That, of course, brings us round to the second part of the question asked above: what relevance the Lennon coin itself has to the hobby? Yes, it is a coin, it was struck by the Royal Mint, it has a denomination, it�s a proper �coin� as opposed to a medal. But can it really be considered in the same light as a Gothic florin or Shield reverse sovereign? Can it even be considered in the same light as any of the standard �new issues�? Isn�t it rather a golden gimmick�a memento in metal that in effect is a �thank you� for a �60,000 donation to charity? There will be those who argue that is exactly what it is, and the fact that it appeared in the Bonhams Entertainment sale rather than their numismatic auction rather seems to back that idea up. Others, of course, will argue that it is a bona fide coin and should be seen as such, the fact that it is a new issue and a one-off being irrelevant. Both views carry weight and both will have their supporters, but personally I�m just happy to see numismatics in the news and once again happy to be part of a hobby that is so diverse that we really don�t know what�s coming next!

All change at Bushey -AGAIN

Phil Mussell — 19/07/2011 14:15:00

The date of the next Bushey Coin Auction is now Thursday September 15 not Saturday August 27 - the venue has also been changed to Bushey Golf and Country Club not Watford Football Club! For further details see their website

Paul Dawson - update

Phil Mussell — 19/07/2011 11:36:00

According to various people we saw at the York Fair Paul Dawson (of Spink York) is, thankfully, on the mend following the dreadful car crash back in June. He's still in hospital in Nottingham and will have to undergo further medical procedures but he is getting better!

We wish him all the very best

Gold Still Climbing

Phil Mussell — 19/07/2011 11:32:00

With uncertainty still surrounding the global financial markets Gold (and silver) continue their upward trend with the yellow metal reaching over $1600 on Tuesday July 19. For the full story see the BBC website

An amazing Charity auction

Phil Mussell — 14/07/2011 11:12:00

An incredible 30,000 coins, all minted in the auspicious numismatic year of 1933 (think 33 penny, 33 double eagle...) are being auctioned off on eBay by their owner Jim Jacobs who has been collecting for most of his life. Jim, who was born in 1933 reckons that his collection represents some 1/700th of all the coins minted that year, a year that saw the US's lowest mintage figures for decades.

The auction, which goes live on July 20, will comprise 28,0000 lincoln cents and 2,000 Walking Liberty Half Dollars with a starting bid of $200,000.

The proceeds of the sale will go to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis

Want something specific?

Phil Mussell — 30/06/2011 14:40:00

Whilst we try to bring a good selection of products to all the fairs we attend we simply can't carry everything; so if there is something specific you'd like bringing to a show then please give us a call on 01404 44166 and we'll make sure we pack it for you!

Beatlemania

Phil Mussell — 30/06/2011 14:38:00

BONHAMS Memorabilia sale on June 29 drew gasps of amazement and a round of applause when the unique John Lennon gold coin struck for Alderney as part of the Great Britons series sold for a staggering £60,000 (pre-sale estimate £2,000). Issued in 2010, the coin originally issued in both cupro-nickel and sterling silver, with a “one-off” 22 carat gold coin struck and presented to Yoko Ono Lennon who kindly then gave it to the Alder Hey “Imagine” appeal—the children’s hospital in Liverpool of whom Yoko is an ardent patron.

Stolen BEM

Phil Mussell — 29/06/2011 15:41:00

A British Empire Medal awarded to Richard Frank Barnes has recently been stolen from an address in Petersfield, Hants - if anyone has any information regarding this please contact

PC 24215 Richard Jones on 01962 875059 or richard.jones@hampshire.pnn.police.uk . Quoting crime reference: 44110258489.

York? Already?

Phil Mussell — 28/06/2011 11:07:00

Well not quite - but it won't be long before the second of the year's two York Coin and Medal fairs is upon us. This summer's event takes place on July 15 & 16 - again at the Knavesmire Stand, York Racecourse. Ever popular amongst dealers and collectors alike it is one not to miss - get those dates in your diaries now!

Diamond Jubilee Medal unveiled

Phil Mussell — 28/06/2011 10:55:00

The long awaited design of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal has been released. Sporting a "diamond" design on the reverse and a ribbon in keeping with other "Royal event" awards the medal, designed by Timothy Noad, will be awarded along similar lines to the QGJM - i.e. to those members of the uniformed services (armed forces, prison officers, police and other emergency service personnel etc.) who have served a full five years in uniform (and are still serving) on February 6 2012. It will also be awarded to VC and GC holders and members of the Royal Household.

Full details can be found on the Government's website

Peter Ireland

Phil Mussell — 20/06/2011 09:48:00

It is with great sadness that we learn of the death, after a short illness, of coin dealer Peter Ireland of Blackpool. Peter was a founder member of the BNTA and has been a stalwart of the numismatic world for many many years. Our condolences and thoughts go out to his family.

Unbroken Tradition

Phil Mussell — 17/06/2011 12:00:10

Fair chance

THE London Coin Fair at the beginning of June, held as ever in the Holiday Inn, Bloomsbury, was a great success�a large number of people eagerly queued in the foyer before the 9.30am opening and throughout the day a steady stream of visitors ensured that the event felt busy right through to the afternoon. As always COIN NEWS was there and as always it was great to see so many old friends�even if we had seen some of them only the week before at Eddie Smith�s excellent Leeds fair (a fair that goes from strength to strength and is now so over-subscribed that the only place we could fit in was outside the main room in the foyer�and glad we were to get that spot too!). Both shows were, of course, business. We were there to do a job: to sell books and subscriptions and generally �fly the flag�, but at the same time it was good to catch up on the news, both coin-related and personal, from people we have known for years. Such events are always a pleasant mix of business and pleasure and as one collector who spoke to us in London pointed out, many of the people who come to the fairs treat them as much as social occasions as �hobby� related ones. Now that�s all very well, and it really is great to see so many familiar faces at these fairs but I couldn�t help thinking that too often it is ONLY the familiar faces coming through the door and that, having been doing the shows for more years than I care to think about, I can actually more or less guarantee exactly who I�ll see at which event.

Don�t get me wrong, it really is great to see people and catch up; being based down in Devon we can sometimes feel a little out of the loop and the fairs are a great way to stay in touch, but seeing the same people from week to week does mean that we, and every other dealer who �stalls out�, has to try to keep their stock reasonably fresh. That�s obviously quite difficult for us as there are only so many numismatic books available. But it is difficult for the coin and banknote dealers too�seeing the same people all the time means they have to turn stock over quickly. If they don�t those same people quickly tire of seeing the same old same coins and in due course they�ll not bother visiting that dealer�s table at all. But the simple fact is that there isn�t that much material around and as a consequence dealers will buy and sell to each other just to keep things �going round� and keep the customers coming back.

If there isn�t that much ready stock to be found then the obvious answer is to try to sell the coins that are around to more people: get a new set of customers through the door. But that in itself is as problematic as finding new items to sell to the old customers. The challenge is, of course, how does an organiser get out to new people whilst at the same time maintaining the safety and security of the show (there are, after all, hundreds of thousands if not millions of pounds worth of material on the tables at some of these events) and without filling the place with well-meaning members of the public keen to ask questions about the 20p without a date or the �2 coin with the Queen wearing a necklace but not so keen to actually buy anything? I remember talking to a dealer once who stated that he would far rather �ordinary� members of the public (i.e. non-numismatists) didn�t come to shows at all�he wanted only serious buyers prepared to spend serious money. Of course he did, he was there to make his living�but if everyone thought like that we�d end up in an exclusive little club with dealers only selling to a select few and to each other and whilst that might be great for some it isn�t really going to help the hobby long term. Conversely, advertising a show indiscriminately may well attract new people but they may well be exactly the sort of people not wanted: the kind of people that cost the dealers money either through theft or wasted time. What then is the answer to this quandary? How can an organiser attract new people who are both interested in coins and willing to spend money at a dealers table? The answer is simple: we sell 10,000 copies of COIN NEWS every month and we estimate that it�s read by three times that number or more and yet the same 500�1,000 people are the ones we see at the coin shows week in week out. Now, taking into account that some of our readers are overseas and therefore won�t come to a UK show (although many do, as the London Coin Fair demonstrated) and others are unable to travel, but I still estimate that there are over 20,000 coin collectors who could easily get to a fair�they simply choose not to. Therefore I would like to put out an appeal to all of you out there who have never been to a show in your lives: look at the calendar in the back of COIN NEWS every month, check our website and find out where we are going to be and then make an effort to come along and say �Hello�. We love seeing the familiar faces at these events and really enjoy catching up with the news We love greeting old friends every week, but we�d also like to make some new ones from time to time�and that�s where you come in. See you at the next fair!

Afghanistan Medal for Civilians

Phil Mussell — 10/06/2011 13:28:00

A new medal has been announced for those civilians serving in Afghanistan. Similar in intent to the Iraq Reconstruction service Medal (MYB 204C) this new award recognises service by civilians and others involved in the transition to democracy in Afghanistan. It will be awarded to all those who have completed 30 days continuous service in Afghanistan since November 19 2001(or 45 days of service on working visits within Afghanistan aggregated over a period of one calendar year, provided that the visits are for a minimum of 48 hours each.) The grant of a British honour, decoration or medal (other than the Operational Service Medal Afghanistan and the Accumulated Campaign Service Medal) for services on operations during the qualifying period not amounting to the qualifying criteria specified above, will also qualify the recipient for an award. As is common if qualifying service is brought to an end before completion of the specified qualifying period on account of death, capture, wounding or other disability due to service in Afghanistan, then the award will be given. For more details see MEDAL NEWS August

Paul Dawson

Phil Mussell — 05/06/2011 13:34:00

Many of you will know Paul, formerly of B J Dawson Coins and now of Spink (he runs the York Shop in the Shambles in York). On Thursday evening he and his girlfriend Heather Hardcastle were involved in an accident with a lorry on the M1 in Nottinghamshire. Both were taken to the Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham where Heather, tragically, later died.

Paul is currently in intensive care having undergone a long operation on his head injuries. Our thoughts go out to his and Heather's families and we know you'll join with us in hoping Paul makes a full and speedy recovery. We'll let you know more news as we get it.

Update 28/7/2011

As of today there has, to our knowledge been no change to Paul's condition. We will of course let you know of any developments

A fine tradition

Phil Mussell — 02/06/2011 14:33:00

A Corporal from the 1st Gurkha Rifles has been awarded the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross for his gallant defence of his post in Afghanistan. In the best traditions of Gurkha soldiering Cpl Dipprasad Pun manged to fight off over a dozen Taliban insurgents - even resorting to using his machine gun tripod when his ammunition ran out! For full details see the BBC website

Medal Yearbook 2012

Phil Mussell — 02/06/2011 14:29:00

We're about to start work on the next edition of the acclaimed MEDAL YEARBOOK - which will be launched at the OMRS convention in September. If you have any corrections, additions or amendments now is the time to let us know - please email phil@tokenpublihing.com and we promise to look carefully at every comment sent in.

COIN YEARBOOK 2011 - another sell out!

Phil Mussell — 02/06/2011 14:23:00

Once again the COIN YEARBOOK has completely sold out! 12,000 yearbooks delivered to us in October have all gone and whilst our warehouse isn't empty (we sell an awful lot of other numismatic and medal related titles) there is definitely more space than there was!

The next edition - 2012 - will be launched at COINEX in October - we'll be taking pre-orders very soon so make sure you don't miss out next time

London Coin Fair June 4th

Phil Mussell — 02/06/2011 11:41:00

Don't forget the London Coin Fair this Saturday....!

As always this show is at the Holiday Inn, Bloomsbury, starting at 9.30am we will, of course, be there with our full range of books and magazines including the BRAND NEW Roman Coins and their Values IV and all the Krause titles...See you Saturday

Boney's Doctor

Alyson Thomas — 01/06/2011 09:19:33

Dangerous ground

WE REPORTED in the April issue of MEDAL NEWS that the Australian Government was planning to set up an inquiry to look at the issue of retrospective awards�particularly the Victoria Cross�for certain individuals. It appears that on April 16 an �independent Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal� was announced with a view to looking at �unresolved recognition for past acts of naval and military gallantry and valour�. Senator David Feeney, Australian Secretary for Defence has announced that 13 cases will be looked at and that he has �directed the Tribunal to make recommendations on the eligibility of the listed naval and military members to receive the Victoria Cross, the Victoria Cross for Australia or other forms of recognition for their service�. Now this is bound to become an emotive issue and one that is likely to polarise the medal hobby, the armed forces, historians and even the general public and if you thought the debate about the legitimacy of the Victoria Cross for Australia was heated, might I suggest �you ain�t heard nothing yet�.

My own opinion on this matter should be well known to readers�I am firmly against changing history and really do feel that once you start by opening a can of worms like this there simply is no going back and the whole thing gets quickly out of hand. It seems to me that over the past decade or so there has been a movement towards righting the perceived wrongs of the past�we have had Governments apologising for things that happened centuries ago, plans to pardon those who broke hard and fast rules and now, apparently, a fresh look at honours and awards for acts that took place decades ago. Now, of course, it may seem very noble to reward people for gallantry years after the act and it may seem honourable to apologise for making mistakes�but is it right? And is it necessary? Throughout history there have been countless examples of those in authority getting things wrong. Sometimes their mistakes are acknowledged at the time and sometimes it isn�t until decades later that their actions are perceived as incorrect. When such mistakes are noticed in time, when the wrong can be righted and the effect of the mistake negated, then I am all for ensuring that something is done. But when the mistake is one only noticed years later, with the benefit of hindsight and a different moral code, then I am not so sure that trying to �right the wrong� does anybody any real good at all. After all, who is to actually say a mistake has been made at all�yes, by today�s standards it might be seen as wrong, but that doesn�t automatically make it so in the context of the time it was actually made.

Plainly the act of apologising for certain foreign wars, etc,. is pointless�the government that apologises has no real connection with the government that went to war, and even if it did the fact remains that the war was perceived as correct at the time, by men who believed it to be justified. Today we might not agree with or even understand such justification, but that is irrelevant�we aren�t living their lives or in their era, so to judge their actions by our own morality is ridiculous. Similarly, to pardon those who we today see as victims rather than criminals is equally nonsensical; again we can�t put ourselves in the shoes of those who made such judgements a century ago, so why should we even try. This being the case, the same must be said when it comes to retrospective gallantry. Undoubtedly many men on the Australian list deserved medallic recognition and undoubtedly many others throughout history have been overlooked (Paddy Mayne, DSO and three bars but no VC comes to mind immediately) and there are probably hundreds of cases where medals, honours and decorations weren�t awarded when they perhaps should have been. Perhaps the awards weren�t made because of politics or maybe the individual was overlooked for personal reasons (rubbing your CO up the wrong way was always a good way of not getting a medal). But whatever the cause, the fact is that the awards were not made at the time and to try and gauge today whether they should have been or not is asking for trouble.

If this Tribunal does recommend 13 new VCs, where does such an inquiry stop? If any of the men on the list are posthumously given a medallic award of any kind what is to stop families or regiments from petitioning to have their man thus honoured�if not with a VC why not a DSO, MC, DCM or MM? To allow such retrospection now, to tinker with history and try to view it with the rosecoloured spectacles of today, can do no good. Yes, the families of the men so honoured will be justly proud; they will, undoubtedly, be pushing to have their loved one honoured in the highest possible way and I don�t want to take that away from them, But looking at the bigger picture I fear that if they are successful it could prove not only contentious but also very divisive�after all, if we are looking to retrospectively award then isn�t there the potential to retrospectively strip a man of a medal too? If governments are to start giving out new honours to men whose actions took place decades ago, then what is to stop them looking again at some awards that were made and deciding�in the spirit of the righting of wrongs�that actually, using the brand new moral compass of today, such and such an award was not justified and that it was made for political reasons only (or worse jingoistic, if not racist ones) and thus shouldn�t stand. Dodgy ground undoubtedly but ground that is already being trod with this Tribunal. I await the outcome of it with interest.

Record breaker

Phil Mussell — 24/05/2011 09:48:40

Stretching the limits?

AT COIN NEWS we pride ourselves on being reasonably broad in our Editorial stance�yes, we have to cover the coins that fetch over �3 million at auction, to ignore them would be silly, but we also try to ensure that we include a range of stories, features and articles on items from across the numismatic spectrum. This month, however, there was one coin-related story that we feel is stretching the bounds a little too far. It seems that a coin has been issued on behalf of the British Virgin Islands, to commemorate the 475th anniversary of the death of Anne Boleyn . . . ! Now the mints have always been known for their diverse offerings and just about every other conceivable theme has been tried and many have proved extremely popular and have become part of numismatic folklore. However, I cannot help but think this is stretching the thematic genre just a tad. Collecting along a theme has always been popular, we know that; people who would never consider themselves �coin collectors� per se would happily buy coins featuring cats, cars, fairies, rabbits, Royals, sports, etc., etc., just because that is what they are �in to�. They are the people who have the flower fairy lampshades or the cat tea towels, the Beswick figures, the commemorative mugs and all the other paraphernalia of their chosen topic and whilst we will never see them at coin shows they are as every bit a legitimate collector as someone collecting a date series of shillings or a collector accumulating as many coins from the reigns of the adoptive Emperors as he can.

The �Royalty theme� which this new BVI coin is obviously designed to fit in is, clearly, a popular one too�Royal coins have always sold well and the sight of a million people lining the streets of London to be part of the recent Royal Wedding and the news that nearly two billion watched it on television, shows that the public�s appetite for all things Royal seems undiminished. But I do feel that when 475th anniversaries of deaths are commemorated, then the theme is being stretched a little thin. It isn�t only this issue of course: the Royal Mint celebrated the 100th anniversary of the end of the Victorian era back in 2001, the 450th anniversary of the accession of Elizabeth I in 2008 and in 2009 came the 500th anniversary of the accession of her father Henry VIII! One could argue that perhaps 100, 450 and 500 are more significant milestones than 475, thus giving the Royal Mint coins slightly more weight (after all where do you stop? 455 years since this, 360 years since that, 211 years since the other), but that isn�t really the point. What is important is whether or not this is a road the coin producers should be going down at all. Don�t get me wrong, I really do believe thematics has a genuine place in this hobby and there will always be a steady stream of such coins coming from the mints of the world, but I do think that when the subjects start getting a little obscure, the links to the main theme a little tenuous and the anniversaries a little less obvious, then perhaps it is time to look again at what is being produced.

But then what do I know? The good people at the various mints aren�t stupid, they know their market and must believe such coins as these will sell, but I would still like to sound a note of caution. A theme can only be stretched so far. People only have so much money to spend and I do hope that we won�t start going down the route of the car manufacturers who, having run out of niches to fill, have started creating their own, with cars noone ever thought they�d want or need!

Every year is an anniversary of something or other and the marketing departments at the mints could, if they so wished, create a hundred coins every year for any theme they wanted: coins commemorating the start of this thing, the death of that person, the invention of that gizmo, the marriage of that couple and so on�and such coins would sell, just as these quirky new cars have. But just because something is possible doesn�t mean it should come to pass and I for one hope that, whilst we will continue to give you as much COIN NEWS as possible from across the spectrum, the spectrum itself doesn�t become too broad. �60th anniversary of the electric toothbrush� piedfort crown anyone?

Roman Coins Volume IV

Phil Mussell — 23/05/2011 10:18:00

It's been a while coming but it's here at last - the latest Volume in David Sears' wonderful ROMAN COINS AND THEIR VALUES series

This latest volume contains a comprehensive listing of the Roman coinage of the period AD 284-337 together with background information on the history of each reign. Featuring:

The Tetrarchies and the rise of the house of Constantine:

The collapse of Paganism and the triumph of Christianity,

Diocletian to Constantine I, AD 284-337

Order yours today - just click here

From Artillery to the RAF

Alyson Thomas — 12/05/2011 10:43:52

No easy answer

THIS month DNW have not one but two big collections going under the hammer with the Bill and Angela Strong collection and the Alan and Janet Woodliffe Collection of items related to the Sudan. Big �named� collections such as these have always been popular at auction (not just medal auctions either: they can be found across the collectables world) and you will often see past sales referenced in catalogue descriptions; however whenever I see them coming up I tend to find myself asking whether or not I would sell my medals that way were I to have the chance. Part of me loves the idea of the �Mussell� collection being sold all in one go, a lavish catalogue, the eager anticipation of the day, the congratulations (and maybe some commiserations) when lots soar way past estimate or perhaps fail to make reserve, the knowledge that in one hit my bank balance will swell and the pride when I see my name referenced in future catalogues. However, if I�m honest I think that�s more to do with my ego than the practicality of such a sale and, if I�m really honest, I have to accept that whilst I�m proud of my own acquisitions no auction house in the world is going to make a big song and dance about them. The forthcoming collections are stunning, they seem to have something for everybody and I am glad they are being sold as they are rather than being drip fed into the market piece by piece without us mere mortals getting the chance to see them in all their glory in one catalogue. My own humble collection could not command such attention and so, I fear the �Mussell� collection must remain a pipe dream. That, however, means that I have to think of some other way to dispose of my medals when the time comes, that�s assuming the time ever will come. And that leads neatly on to the �Comment� this month.

What will happen to our collections when we don�t collect anymore? Now, I don�t want to be morbid about this but there will come a time in all our lives when we look at the mass of metal and silk we have accumulated over the years and have to ask ourselves: what is to become of it all? I�m assuming here that the thoughts of selling are not forced�marriage breakups, ill health, sudden emergency expenses may well force our hand when it comes to disposing of our beloved collections and in those cases we may not get a choice as to how they are sold. No, in this instance I�m talking about the thoughts that come to us all in time: the realisation that we are mere custodians of these little pieces of history and that once our time as custodian is over, either because we really feel someone else ought to get the chance to appreciate them or because we recognise time is no longer on our side, we really do need to dispose of or disperse our collection properly. Of course many of you may well not be looking to get rid of your medals at all �deciding instead to leave them to your family, or perhaps you have decided to leave them to a museum. Both are good options but ask yourself these questions: does your family really want them? It�s your passion after all and if they don�t want to keep them, will they lose out by not knowing how to dispose of them properly? And does that Regimental museum who so often helped you with your research really want more medals? Most of us who are familiar with museums know that they are often overflowing with items that they simply will never get a chance to research or even display. So whilst they may well appreciate a few choice pieces, handing over an entire collection probably wouldn�t be that ideal. Assuming then that your family doesn�t share your passion and the museum of your choice gets one or two items, what happens to everything else? Money will, I am sure, be an issue�we have all spent a fair bit on our collections over the years and whilst I am sure very few of us have done it purely for profit, we don�t actually want to make a huge loss either. So what best to do? Well, if you have an eclectic mix, a collection that appeals across the board, with gallantry and campaign medals to officers and men (and indeed from different periods of history if you�re very lucky), then perhaps a one-off sale at one of the specialist auction houses would work. Who knows, if your collection is as awesome as the Strong and Woodliffe offerings you might even get your name on it�but if you have spent your time and money buying and researching maybe one or two battalions of one regiment in one conflict, then pushing them all onto the open market in one go probably wouldn�t be wise. A collection comprising a couple of hundred trios all to the same unit might look impressive, and indeed will have been a project to be proud of over the years and a worthy collection to work on, but if you try and dispose of them in one hit the chances are the price you achieve won�t be the price you paid. Selling them in one go to a dealer might work�he will obviously take his cut so you wouldn�t get full market value (he has to live you know), but he will be able to control the flow of them onto the open market and you won�t need to worry about prices dropping. You could try disposing of the collection piece by piece either to dealers, auction houses or on-line (or all three), but do remember there will always be commission or similar to pay. You could try to sell them to fellow collectors either on-line or through private adverts�you�ll get full market value for them but the hassle might not be worth it and it might take longer than you�d hoped. Realistically there is no easy answer. How you decide to dispose of your medals will depend on the type of collection you have and how quickly you want to realise the assets. What is right for you might not be right for another, so I can�t really give any concrete advice. All I will say is that if my daydreams over the �Mussell� collection are anything to go by, working out how things are going to leave your collection can be almost as much fun as working out how to get them there in the first place!

Arctic Controversy goes on

Phil Mussell — 26/04/2011 11:07:00

Whther you feel there is a place for an Arctic Convoy medal or not there is no denying that this emotive subject continues to make waves (if you'll excuse the pun) as this story from the Portsmouth News demonstrates

Martin Hewitt

Phil Mussell — 26/04/2011 10:47:00

It is with great sadness that we learn of the death, on Maundy Thursday, of Leicestershire dealer Martin Hewitt, stalwart of the "fair" scene and known to many after years in the trade. Martin was taken ill at the Harrogate show and admitted to hospital there, although he was later transferred back to Leicester he sadly never made it out of hospital.

His mother, who used to "stall out" with him at London, Birmingham, Harrogate et al predeceased him by only a few weeks. They will both be missed by collectors and dealers alike. We'll let you know more details as we have them.

The Royal Wedding

Alyson Thomas — 20/04/2011 12:05:17

Who are we�?

THIS month�s cover features the new Royal Wedding Crown, and within the pages of the magazine you will find an interview with the designer of that Crown, Mark Richards. For those of you who collect new issues such an interview will be of great interest�to those of you who aren�t seduced by the offerings of the Royal Mint or similar it probably won�t appeal that much. In fact for those of you who collect ancients, Celtic, Hammered or even early milled, the sparkle and glitz of the new issues market is probably something you have little time for and find that these new-fangled alloy pieces just aren�t for you, instead you prefer the purity of a numismatic item from history; you aren�t interested in a coin because it�s a little piece of metal used to buy something, you are interested in it because of its position in history. You�re a coin collector because coins are the most tangible evidence of an historical period that fascinates you and undoubtedly you surround yourselves with other items from that era too. Your home is a shrine to the Roman Republic, a tribute to the Celtic kings, a hallowed ground dedicated to the moneyers of the dark ages. Or maybe not. Undoubtedly some of you will have enhanced your collections with additional pieces from the era when your coins were minted, it is a period of history you will have an interest in and know something about and probably will have found a Roman lamp or Celtic amulet caught your eye at a fair or at auction and you can imagine that the person who used/wore it may very well have used some of the coins that now reside in your collection. But still more of you won�t have gone down that route, you will have coins, coins and more coins and nothing but. Not for you the wonderful antiquities you see at shows these days, you aren�t interested in anything other than the coins and that is fine but it does rather make me wonder just who we coin collectors are.

On the continent new issues are big business, they always have been, and the queues every year at the Dublin Coin Fair for the latest offering from the Irish Banks show that our cousins in the Emerald Isle have caught the new issue bug too. In the US the States quarters programme has caught the imagination of the public and has proved so popular it has been extended with a new programme covering National Parks and other areas. In the UK the new issues market has always been a little bit �different� from other areas of numismatics with many purists never dreaming of buying a modern coin or reading an article on one. Now that�s fine, if you�re a Roman or Greek collector, then a modern coin won�t sit well in your collection�any more than a collector of old photographic postcards would want a 2011 colour picture sitting in his album�but I have never quite understood the active dislike some seem to have for modern coinage or the aversion some people have with even acknowledging they are part of numismatics. If you are one of those collectors who collects �Roman� and has the lamp, the artefacts, the jewellery, the maps and everything and anything to do with Rome alongside his coins, then I can accept that modern crowns are going to be of no interest and you can gloss over the article on the Royal Wedding Crown with no censure from me whatsoever�Rome is your theme and coins are just part of it. However, if you are simply a collector of coins then may I suggest that you take a look at that article, and similar. Look a little bit more closely at other periods of history, other minting techniques and other types of coins because it is coins you are interested in and the new issues, regardless of whether you approve of them or not, are simply the successors to what you already own. New issues aren�t totally different products from the items that reside in your collections, they are simply different versions of them and really do deserve your attention, if not your devotion. Reading an article on how coins are minted now, how designs are worked on and rendered on today�s coinage may well give you a valuable insight into your own side of the hobby and you may well find it more rewarding than you ever thought possible. The reverse, of course is true too, maybe even more so. If you are a new issues collector determined only to look at the coins minted in your lifetime then I implore you to look further afield, don�t ignore everything pre-decimalisation, don�t turn your nose up at those coins made by hand rather than a machine. Reading up on hammered pennies, Celtic gold and Athenean owls might not be something you would normally do readily but take some time to delve back in history a little and you will be amazed how the coins of yesterday have shaped your collection today. The simple fact is if you are a �coin collector� rather than someone purely interested in an historical period, then the more you know about coins, from whatever era, the more rewarding and fascinating your hobby will be.

�3.7 million coin sold!

Phil Mussell — 08/04/2011 15:23:00

Congratulations go to Morton and Eden whose recent sale saw an Islamic coin fetch a staggering new record - the Umayyad dinar, dated 105h (723AD) was struck from gold mined at a location owned by the Caliph himself - known on the coins as the “Mine of the Commander of the Faithful”. An additional legend which reads: “bi’l-Hijaz” (“in the Hejaz”), makes it the earliest Islamic coin to mention a location in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It had been expected to realise £300,000-400,000, but four bidders in the saleroom sent the price spiraling ever higher to the fantastic sum of £3.7 million! Making it the most expensive Islamic coin sold at auction and the second most expensive of all time after the 1933 double Eagle (sold in 2002 for $7.59million)

A second, slightly earlier dinar (92h - 711AD) struck from gold from the same mines sold for £648,000. It had been estimated at £250,000-300,000.

All in all a good day on teh rostrum - more news on the sale in the June issue of COIN NEWS

Maastricht time again

Phil Mussell — 07/04/2011 12:56:00

Yes it's that time of year again - time for the "Maastricht" papermoney show (actually held in the town hall in Valkenburg - a lovely little market town to the east of Maastricht).

The Token team are making the long journey down there (the journey from Devon to Dover is, in reality, far worse than the journey on the Continent - that bit's a breeze!) so if you're around come and say hello. The bourse is open this Saturday and Sunday at 9.00am and we're launching our brand new BANKNOTE YEARBOOK - so don't miss out!

Medal Yearbook Pictures needed

Alyson Thomas — 30/03/2011 11:31:00

Pictures of the following medals are required to bring the MEDAL YEARBOOK up to date. If you are able to help with a high resolution picture (or indeed anb original medal) please do let us know by emailing phil@tokenpublishing.com or calling 01404 46972 - thanks!

27 Distinguished Service Order

49 Kings Police Medal South Africa

54 Distinguished Service Medal

63 Queens Gallantry Medal really

68 Sea Gallantry Medal (Foreign Services)

93 Naval Gold Medal

107 Candahar, Ghunzee, Cabul Medal

133 General Gordon’s Star from the siege of Khartoum

136 Imperial British East Africa Company’s Medal

147a Uganda Star

164 India General Service Medal - Edward VII

174 General Service Medal 1918-62 - Northern Kurdistan

176A Sudan Defence Force General Service Medal

196 South Africa Medal for Korea

198A Operational Service Medal 2000

203C Kings Hussein Medal

206b European Community Monitoring Mission Medal

208 Royal Naval Meritorious Service Medal

209 Royal Marines Meritorious Service Medal

210 Army Meritorious Service Medal

217 Royal Household Faithful Service Medals

218 Royal Naval Long service and good conduct

220 Royal Naval reserve long service and good conduct

221 Royal Naval volunteer reserve long service and good conduct

223 Royal Fleet Reserve Long Service and Good Conduct

239 Army Emergency Reserve Effiency medal

242H Air Transport Auxiliary Lapel Badge

247 Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service Medal

248 Colonial Long Service and good conduct Medal

252 Trans-Jordon Frontier Force Long Service and Good Conduct Medal

254A Royal Hong Kong Regiment Disbandment Medal

256 Victoria Volunteer Long and Efficient service medal 1st type obv

278 Ceylon Police Medal for Merit

279a Royal Falkland Islands Police Jubilee Medal

281A Hong Kong Disciplined Services Medal

286A Association of Professional Fire Brigade Officers Long service Medal

286B British Fire Services Association Medal

291AA NATO Meritorious Service Medal

293 Jubilee Medal 1887

299a Lagos Diamond Jubilee Medal

300a Visit to Colonies Medal

308a Visit of the Prince and Princess of Wales to India

312b Visit of the Prince of Wales to India 1921-22

318 Golden Jubilee Medal 2002

327 Indian title badge

353 Automobile Association Service Medal

357 New Zealand Cadet District Medal

364 Royal Warrant Holders Medal Association Medal

L2 Glasgow Humane Society Medal

L26 Humane Society of New Zealand Medals

L41 Southern Railway Meritorious Service Medal

Foreign Medals found in British Groups:

Belgium: Decoration Miniature

France: Medaille Militaire

Greece: Greek War Cross

C41 Ontario Medal for Firefighters’ Bravery

C42 Saskatchewan Volunteer Medal

SA47 75th Anniversary Medal

Unique Falklands medal group

Alyson Thomas — 30/03/2011 09:31:29

Missed Chances?

WITH the sad but inevitable news that Frank Buckles, last of the US Veterans of World War I passed away aged 110 on February 27, there are now only two people who served in the �War to End Wars� left alive and only one with any medallic entitlement from that conflict. These survivors�Claude Choules who served in the Royal Navy and who witnessed the scuttling of the German Fleet at Scapa Flow and Florence Green who joined the WRAF in 1918 and of course never saw active service abroad (she worked as a waitress in a base in Norfolk) are both �super-centenarians� at 110 and it is of course inevitable that they too will leave us soon. When they do there will, of course, be a raft of newspaper articles about their lives, television programmes dedicated to their memory and a renewed interest, for a while, in the �Great War�. That we remember those who fought and died, or who survived is of course only right and proper but as I read about Frank Buckles� passing I did start to wonder if we aren�t in danger of losing those from World War II before we know it. Great store has been placed in recent years on the tales of those who fought in World War I: Harry Patch and Henry Allingham became almost celebrities in their twilight years, but as we listened eagerly to their stories and marvelled that they had witnessed the horrors that they had, so we failed to notice that one by one those who fought in the next global conflict were leaving us�and often we hadn�t realised they had fought at all. Last month�s MEDAL NEWS featured the sad news that Ted Carter, known to many of us who attend his son Mark�s regular medal and militaria shows, had passed away quite suddenly. This in itself was a shock but of equal surprise to an awful lot of us was the fact that he had served in the RAF in World War II. Sadly, a quick look at �Fading Away� each month within the pages of this magazine, or at the obituary column of any newspaper, will show you that his story is just one of many. That brave generation is slowly but irrevocably leaving us and it won�t be too many years before we feature the last of them.

I fear that actually we may have already lost veterans whose passing should perhaps have been noticed more than it was. Are there, for example, any veterans of Dunkirk left? Of Alamein? Of Monte Cassino? Of the Battle of the River Plate or of the Battle of Singapore? Most of you will scoff and say �of course there are� and you may indeed know some veterans who fought in these campaigns and battles. But ask yourself this: if you don�t know any such veterans, do you know anyone else who does? And if you don�t, then does anybody? Have we perhaps lost the last survivor from one or more of these battles, or others, without realising it? Have their stories, their tales, their history gone forever? It is certainly possible that there simply isn�t anyone around any more to tell us about the Dunkirk evacuation from a first-hand perspective or tell us about what it was really like at Tobruk. The quantity of World War II medals that is slowly finding its way onto the market these days is testament to the fact that more and more of these Old Soldiers really are fading away and more and more of their memories are lost forever.

The simple fact is that World War II ended 66 years ago and so any survivor from that conflict must now be in their 80s. Of course, they could go on for another 20 even 30 years but sadly many of them won�t and as they do leave us so their story will fade too. That�s part of the cycle of life of course, their passing really is inevitable, but as they become fewer and fewer so I am struck again by the responsibility we medal collectors have. The medals that these men and women won might well one day be all that is left to show what they did and where they did it. Their medal groups will be the only survivors for generations yet to come. Diaries and papers will fade and crumble, tunics will succumb to moth and mildew, but metal medals will survive, their presence all that remains of a generation that is already leaving us far more quickly than any of us would like. So, if you are a collector of World War II medals please realise that you may soon be responsible for passing on the stories we all grew up with, because those whose actions gave us those stories just won�t be there any more. Keep that research up to date, keep the items that make a group attributable to one man or one action together, and don�t always assume that there will be �someone who was there� to go to to ask questions of. One day there just won�t be and the baton will have passed to us�after that there really is no going back.

Extra Special

Alyson Thomas — 28/03/2011 10:11:55

Designed To Matter

THE Royal Mint has announced that there will indeed be a �Royal Wedding� �5 crown to celebrate the marriage of Prince William and Kate (sorry Catherine) Middleton on April 29. It was perhaps inevitable that such a crown would be minted, after all the Prince�s parents had their own crown struck in 1981 and both the silver and golden weddings of his grand-parents have been celebrated numismatically too. What was also inevitable was the amount of criticism levelled at both the decision to strike a coin and the design. Whether it is right to strike such a coin in the first place is very much a matter of personal preference and there is little point in joining that debate here, however the debate about the design is very much within the remit of this magazine.

Personally I like the simple design of the happy couple facing each other, apart that is, from one thing, Miss Middleton�s teeth! I have never yet seen a coin that properly predicts somebody smiling with their teeth. I always think it makes them look something like a vampire about to go in for a bite. You will note that no obverse bust yet has a toothy grin and very few of the commemoratives ever feature anything other than a closed mouth. There is a reason for this�a smile is a temporary thing, a flash of happiness that should always be mere seconds in length, any longer and it becomes a fixed, maniacal grin, the grin of the evil or the insane and to render it in metal for all eternity is to fix it and lose its warmth and genuineness. That and the fact that numismatic designers can�t seem to do teeth.

. . . Of course this is just one aspect of a design that otherwise is quite charming, although you wouldn�t know it to read the press. As ever, various sections of the media have decided they don�t like the coin and have been happy to say so, but I wonder why? They do this every time a new coin is launched: there was criticism of the new Matthew Dent Series, of the �2 coin, of the 20p of the �1 and there will be criticism of every new coin from her to eternity�it�s what these people do. But why does it matter so much? Why in fact does numismatic design matter at all? A coin, after all, is merely a token these days: it represents a unit of currency and ultimately serves one real purpose�to be exchanged for goods or services. It no longer has to have an intrinsic value (I�m talking about circulating coins here of course, not bullion) and doesn�t really have to do anything apart from tell its owner and the person with whom they are negotiating what its value is and whether or not it is legal tender in that country. Coins could, ultimately, simply denote their denomination and country of origin, they don�t have to look pretty or have intricate designs on them, they do, I suppose have to be different shapes and colours to help differentiate between them but they certainly don�t have to commemorate anything or represent anything. And yet they do, and we care that they do. But why? Don�t get me wrong I�m very pleased that our coinage is not utilitarian, that some thought has gone into the design, that coins are issued to celebrate and commemorate and that the press devotes large amounts of its time talking about how important a design is, or how well/badly a subject has been rendered. I�m also very glad that the public take enough trouble to care what is on their coins and some of them even care enough to start becoming collectors, I know they do because I�m one of them but I�m still puzzled as to why we care that much. As mentioned a coin is really just a token to be used for purchasing and yet across the country, indeed across the globe, what goes onto coins (and notes come to that) is hugely important to a lot of people. Is it perhaps an extension of national pride, national identity, a need to be proud of our money because it represents who we are as a nation? (Look at the furore surrounding the need to have national designs on the Euro coins rather than �standard� ones and the apathy with which the designs of the Euro notes was met). Is it because having designed coins it is just something we�ve always done and, having got used to it we simply carry on? Or is it because we actually like to surround ourselves with things that are aesthetically pleasing and actually want something attractive to use every day rather than something simply utilitarian? I am sure anthropologists, psychologists and sociologists would have a field day trying to work out why we like beautiful coins why we care so much about what is featured on the pound in our pocket and I shall leave such ponderings to them, all I shall say is that I am glad the Royal Mint takes time to come up with new designs on a regular basis and I am glad that the press and public care enough to criticise those designs (justified criticism or not). We would all, I think, be far worse off if no-one cared at all.

Operational Honours

Phil Mussell — 25/03/2011 13:36:00

The latest Operational Honours list has just been announced by the MOD (April -September 2010) and includes three Conspicuous Gallantry Crosses and 13 MCs including one to a feamle medic - for more details check the MOD's Website

More �5 for cash machines

Phil Mussell — 22/03/2011 10:17:00

It's official more of the little blue notes are to be put in Britain's "hole in the wall" cash machines. Currently most "ATMs" only dispense £10 or £20 notes and £5 notes don't enter circulation that readily meaning those that are out there are grubby, dirty or torn. Look forward to getting some crisp fivers from a machine soon.

The Bank of England naturally states that this move is to encourage more £5 notes into circulation - no mention of the fact that in straitened economic times smaller notes might be more necessary than larger ones....

Frome Hoard to stay in Somerset!

Phil Mussell — 22/03/2011 10:11:00

The largest hoard of coins ever found in Britain is to stay in the County where it was discovered

Thanks mainly to a National Heritage Memorial Fund (NHMF) grant of £294,000 the Museum of Somerset has raised a total of £320,250 to keep the Frome Hoard, found last year by metal detectorist Dave Crisp from Wiltshire. It had been thought the coins might go to the British Museum in London or even abroad.

Now they will go on display in Somerset when the Museum's £6.9m revamp is completed in the summer.

Dealers at Britannia

Phil Mussell — 08/03/2011 23:43:00

The first Britannia of 2011 takes place on March 20 at the Victory Service Club, Seymour Street, London with the best range of medals on offer anywhere so far this year.

Dealers and auctioneers in attendance include:

Baldwins

Bonhams

Andrew Bostock

Phil Burman

John Cannon

Mark Carter

Chelsea Military Antiques

Jonathon Collins

Peter Cotrel

Chris Dixon

DNW

Bill Friar

Great War Medals

Ian Laidler

Andrew Litherland

Liverpool Medals

Bob Lynes

Peter Morris

Morton and Eden

David Nuwar

The OMRS

Murray Shaw

Spink

Fred Walland

Steve Wheeler

VJC Collectables (Barry Hobbs)

And of course Token Publishing!

Unfortunately a couple of the dealers listed in March Medal News are unable to attend. Malcolm Gordon can't make it this time due to ill health and Andrew Jukes is unable to make the trip south because of family commitments (which he insists he can't get out of, putting family before medals - whatever next...!) - both will be back in November!

Baldwins at Britannia

Carol — 01/03/2011 15:10:00

Despite being left out of the Britannia double page feature in the March edition of Medal News, Baldwins will most definately be in attendance on March 20. As at previous shows, David Kirk of Baldwins will have on offer an interesting range of orders and medals as well as discuss consignment options for their next auction. Make sure you come along to see David as well as the 30 other medal dealers attending the Victory Services Club, London.

Official Royal Wedding Coin Announced

Phil Mussell — 01/03/2011 11:05:00

As predicted (and hoped for) by COIN NEWS the Royal Mint have announced that there is to be an official Royal Wedding Crown for the marriage of Kate Middleton and Prince William on April 29. The £5 Crown, which features the profiles of the couple facing each other, the wedding date and the names William and Catherine (you will note Catherine not Kate) will be struck in cupro-nickel, silver, gold and platinum. We also understand there is to be a gold plated silver version and a silver piedfort.. For more information see the Royal Mint's website

For Valour

Alyson Thomas — 28/02/2011 10:56:43

Medal not metal

AS we go to press in the last weeks of February 2011 the �FTSE� is almost back at pre-credit crunch levels, hovering around the 6,000 mark and the commodities market continues to go from strength to strength, particularly for precious metals. Gold is being a little bit �jumpy� but is still ridiculously high, but as medal collectors it�s the price of silver that we should actually be watching. It currently stands at around US$30 or �19 an ounce and whilst you may consider that to be an indicator that people have money and therefore we�re all on the road to recovery, I�m afraid it isn�t as simple as that. Silver, which has actually gone up more than gold in percentage terms (surging by about 80% in 2010), is now at its highest since 1980 when the Hunt brothers tried to corner the World�s silver market. Now, admittedly, the highs of 30 years ago which saw the metal touch $50 an ounce are unlikely to be repeated (the circumstances are quite different and, if you factor in inflation and currency fluctuation, silver would actually need to be at about $135 an ounce to be comparable), but that doesn�t mean these new highs aren�t having some affect. If you are a coin collector you may well relish these developments�true it might make buying coins a little difficult but that inconvenience is likely to be offset by the knowledge that your collection is worth that little bit more, but for medal collectors it doesn�t work that way. Values of precious metal coin collections have always been linked to scrap values and whilst it is true that most �collectable coins� have a value separate from their �melt� price there is always a link and indeed certain coins can and do have a scrap value higher than their numismatic worth (think �standard� pre-1947 or pre 1920 coins�they have a lesser or greater amount of silver in them and in many cases their catalogue price is based solely on what they would fetch as scrap, numismatically they simply aren�t collected as coins that much but rather as lumps of metal. Medals of course are different.

The thing about coins is that when you have a run of millions they really are all the same and only condition tells them apart; when you have a �run� of even millions of medals every one is very different, every one awarded to an individual and, whether named or not, they simply should not and must not be seen just as �lumps of metal�. Of course, we all know this. We collectors value medals not for their numismatic or aesthetic appeal per se (although they can be beautiful works of art in their own right there is no doubt about that) but rather for what they are representations of. As a rule we don�t care over much for their condition (although I do accept that some collectors will only buy the very best, but usually that is done within the framework of a collection not based solely on condition) and most importantly, apart from when it comes to storage and occasionally cleaning we don�t really care whether they are made of precious or base metal. Certainly we�ll always have opinions on the composition of medals, maybe preferring one substance to another and perhaps looking unfavourably at new strikings, etc., but I have yet to meet any medal collector who has put together his or her collection based solely on the metal the medals are made from.

Were no medals made from silver at all, were they all struck from the basest of metals I think we would still collect�for most of us it is the story behind the medal that is the more important thing rather than the medal itself, regardless of the metal it was produced in. Unfortunately that isn�t the case for everyone. Increasingly nowadays we are seeing those who really should know better but don�t seem to, valuing medals (particularly the British War Medal) more for their silver content than their historic worth. There have been lots on internet auctions that actually show the medal on a set of scales proving its weight�these are lots that talk not of the man and the history but the metal. But what can be done? As collectors we know a British War Medal to a Private in a �standard� regiment is worth, in our market place, approximately �15�17, but now the silver makes them worth nearly �20 as scrap. Are we suddenly meant to start paying 30 per cent more for British War Medals to save them from the melting pot? Theoretically that would be the best scenario as ideally we, as dedicated collectors, would ensure that not a single man�s history was wiped away because of greed, not a single medal lost to the �pot�. But that is easier said than done. Most of us do not have limitless funds and we aren�t capable of buying up every medal we see, and that puts us in a difficult situation. If we don�t have the spare cash to buy whatever is on offer do we have to sit back and watch another generation of unknowing or uncaring scrap merchants destroy groups as they did in the 1970s? Well no, there is something we can do. We can do our best to educate those who would destroy part of our heritage for a few pounds. We can educate those who simply don�t know, explain to them that these disks are not coins and that once a medal is melted a part of history is lost forever. They might not listen, they might well simply carry on as before. But at least we will have tried and that, I think, is the least we collectors can do to preserve the memories and mementoes of those who have gone before.

An impressive group on offer

Phil Mussell — 25/02/2011 13:38:00

Smiths Newent Auctions are offering the medals of a former Director General of the Army Medical Services at their sale of March 4

The group of 22 to Sir Arthur Sloggett, which includes the KCMG, KCVO, KCB Egypt Medal, Queens South Africa Medal, Kings South Africa Medal, 1914 Star and bar trio (he was mentioned in despatches seven times in WWI!)Legion of Honour and the Order of King Leopold, charts the remarkable history of a remarkable man. It seems that at Khartoum he was gravely injured when his horse was shot from under him and he was then, apparently, he was shot in the heart. His granddaughter related how he was laid out with the dead until one his grieving nurses placed a mirror in front of his lips and realised he was still alive. He is then famously quoted as having said that he only survived the incident since ‘his heart was in his mouth’ at the time.

In 1914 he was promoted to Director General of the Army Medical Services and when war broke out one month later he was sent to the front in France where

he served until 1918. Sir Arthur was not only a brave soldier but was also found to be an excellent administrator and was much admired for his management of the Medical Services during the Great War.

The group goes on sale with an estimate of between £10,000 and £15,000

The deatils of the sale can be found here

The CBE DSO group of medals to Arthur Sloggett's son, also Arthur, were sold at DNW in December 2002 see here for details of that sale

Balloon AFM at Lockdales

Phil Mussell — 23/02/2011 16:27:00

One of the highlights at Lockdales' next auction of collectables (Sunday March 27 2011), is the the medals and ephemera of balloon pilot George Ernest Long. The group comprises the AFM (GV) named 2nd Coxswain G E Long HMA R33, 1914 Star Trio mounted as worn to J.5952 G E Long AM. IGR RNAS, a cased Civil Issue British Empire Medal (named), a boxed 1935 Jubilee Medal, a WWII Defence Medal in named box of issue, and an original set of miniatures.

Long's AFM was awarded for the successful recovery of the Airship R33 on 16th April 1925, when it broke away from its moorings. His Ministry of Aviation Recommendation for the British Empire Medal states that 'Mr Long has contributed more, probably, than any other single individual in the country to the experience which has been built up on the subject of balloons. His part in the work of Cardington has been unique and many difficult and dangerous experiments have been successfully carried out, mainly because of his ability and skill.'

Long was a co-designer and pilot of CARD 1, the great balloon at the Festival of Britain, and among his ephemera are a fantastic series of press photographs of this event. Among other things he was consulted for the film Zeppelin, and a photograph of himself with the actor Michael York is also included.

For more details see www.lockdales.com

Platinum

Alyson Thomas — 22/02/2011 12:32:04

Fair comment

On Sunday, February 6, the Token Team (well, Phil anyway) took a rather pleasant dawn drive across the New Forest to attend Rick Coleman�s brand new South Coast Coin and Medal show at Wide Lane Sports Centre, Eastleigh. We always like to support new ventures and, as we have known Rick for some years, we felt it important to give him as much encouragement as possible, especially as this was the first new show on the south coast since 1988. However, with the best will in the world we couldn�t pretend to say the show was �busy�. There were certainly people through the door and a good number of dealers in attendance. It wasn�t a disaster by any means�we have �stalled out� in far quieter places and it was good to see some new faces, both behind tables and through the door, but there were a number of people who we know live locally who didn�t attend and we feel they really should have. This is a small hobby and ultimately we�re all in it together and really should support new ventures whenever we can. Rick plans to continue to run the show on the first Sunday of each month, so those of you who live near Southampton get yourselves along there! It�s easy to get to from the M3 and M27 and there�s ample parking, or for those coming from further afield it�s very close to the airport! We wish Rick lots of success with this new venture. Of course, now I�ve preached at everyone I must confess that we won�t be able to be there every month as we have other fair commitments�quite a lot actually (remember, we attend medal fairs as well as coin fairs), and that brings me to the point of the �Comment� this month�the subject of �fairs�.

Already this year we�ve had a number of successful high profile events, both in the North and the South of the country, as well as some big events abroad. Before 2011 is over there will have been dozens more covering the length and breadth of the land. If you want to (and have the means) you can attend a coin or collectables fair somewhere in the country every weekend. And if there isn�t one local to you then there is bound to be an antiques fair or similar event where coins are to be found. But are they worth the effort? In this day and age isn�t it easier just to sit in front of your computer or in an armchair perusing a dealer�s list and buy direct? Isn�t it easier not to have to get up early and make that effort to be at the front of the queue to get the bargains? Yes, of course it is, and many do just that. But if that is the only way you buy coins then I�m afraid you are missing out. The actual purchase of coins is, I accept, far simpler from a list or website: you choose the coin you want, call the dealer or send an email, pay and lo and behold! a coin arrives in a few days. Easy. But by doing it that way and no other you are missing out on one of the most important things this hobby has to offer: the camaraderie. Let�s be honest, most of us don�t tend to talk about our hobby when we�re with non-coin people; we don�t discuss our new acquisitions or numismatic �wants� with our loved ones; instead we tend to be rather insular about our hobby. By attending Coin Fairs (or of course numismatic society meetings) we suddenly find ourselves surrounded by like-minded people: people who won�t blanch at the mention of an �overdate� or look blankly at us when we mention �roses and plumes�! These are people we can relate to, talk to, people who �get� us, and there is something particularly pleasant in sitting round a table chatting away to likeminded collectors over coffee and a cake. You just can�t do that elsewhere; start talking mintmarks to people who haven�t a clue what they are and see how quickly the conversation turns to other things�you�ll be talking house prices and the state of the economy before you know it! If you do attend fairs you�ll know exactly what I mean but if you don�t, then may I encourage you to do so as often as you can, not just to support the organisers (although that�s always a good motive for going) but also because you may be pleasantly surprised!

The Token Team will be at the Harrogate Spring Coin Fair on March 18/19 and we are organising the Britannia Medal Fair in London on March 20 should any COIN NEWS readers with a taste for medals want to come along.

All that glisters....

Phil Mussell — 14/02/2011 11:02:00

For months now we've been saying that the "Cash for Gold" companies aren't giving their customers a fair deal - it seems that the Office of fair Trading (OFT) agrees with us. See the BBC's article.

As always we would urge anyone who has gold coins to go to a bona fide coin dealer to sell and not one of these "new" companies that are cashing in on the gold boom and getting rich by some dubious practices!

Come to Southampton

Phil Mussell — 02/02/2011 16:46:00

There's a BRAND NEW show on in Southampton this weekend (Sunday 6 Feb to be precise) - it's the SOUTH COAST COIN AND MEDAL SHOW and is taking place at the Pavilion, Southampton University Wide Lane Sports Ground, Wide Lane in Eastleigh, Hants (SO50 5PE for all you with Sat Navs!)

It's a brand new event and we'll be there to support the organisers so why not come along? Doors open to the public at 10.00am - see you there

Houghton Militaria Fair

Phil Mussell — 01/02/2011 15:43:00

Please not ethe Houghton Militaria Fair is on March 6 not February 6 - the advert in this month's MEDAL NEWS is correct, the diary date isn't

Sorry for the confusion!

With the Marines in Murmansk

Phil Mussell — 28/01/2011 15:22:54

Opening a can of worms

The subject of who gets what medal and why has always been a thorny one�from how long someone has to serve with an exemplary record to get an LS&GC, through to why an MC is awarded rather than a CGC. There are always those with differing opinions, and never more so than when it comes to the subject of campaign medals. The criteria for campaign medals will always provoke debate: there will always be those who feel their service wasn�t recognised properly whilst others, who seemingly did little, are feted and rewarded with a chestful of gongs. The very fact that so many unofficial �commemorative� medals exist shows the strength of feeling amongst veterans that �they should have got a medal� and, sadly, the attempts by the last government to put a lid on the issue by instituting badges rather than medals has pleased few, if anyone. The debate was rejoined in January of this year when Prime Minister David Cameron announced in the House of Commons that he had �been in contact with the Ministry of Defence� about the idea of instituting a medal specifically for the Arctic Convoys: something veterans have been campaigning for for many years.

Currently those Royal and Merchant naval personnel who served aboard the ships that helped supply the Soviet Union during World War II are eligible for the Atlantic Star (subject to six month�s service and the award of the 1939�45 Star). However, their argument is that this medal is also awarded to those who served for that length of time anywhere in the defined area (Atlantic or home waters) and whilst those who didn�t serve on the convoys were still subject to the usual dangers of war, their service was far less dangerous than those serving in the Arctic. They have a point�Churchill himself praised those who took part in the convoys and recognised just how dangerous they were and the Russian Government has, on many occasions, awarded its own medals to veterans as a mark of appreciation (the 40th anniversary medal, awarded in 1995, has been �recognised for wear� and so may be mounted alongside British medals, subsequent awards have not). On the surface it seems logical that those who faced the hardships of the Arctic Circle should be honoured with a different medal to those who patrolled the English Channel or Irish Sea and apparently faced less hazards (U-boats notwithstanding). But the simple fact is, if you do that, where do you stop? Take the France and Germany Star for example�that was awarded for service from June 6, 1944 until May 8, 1945 in France, Belgium, Holland or Germany. In the Army service in �any operation� counted. Of course �any operation� in those fraught days would have been dangerous, but surely those who went in to the normandy beaches on June 6 itself faced more danger than those who went in to the Operational area a few weeks later. Don�t they deserve a special medal? It could be argued that those parachuted in behind enemy lines or who crash landed the gliders just short of Pegasus Bridge faced far more danger than those who came in the boats later on that week, so why don�t they have a specific medal? And what of those in the first wave on the beaches themselves, when casualty rates were expected to be between 50 and 80 per cent? Couldn�t those veterans argue that they deserved some more recognition than those who came in on the third or fourth waves? Then take Operation Market Garden? Couldn�t those who fought at Arnhem argue that they faced greater danger than those who fought at Nijmegen? Don�t they deserve their own medal? look at the humble Defence Medal: there were towns and cities in Britain that suffered devastating enemy action (London, Bristol, Coventry, Plymouth, Exeter and so many others) and those on the Home front during those raids routinely put their lives at risk, whereas in other towns and cities around the country the Home Guard and other eligible personnel had little to do but �keep calm and carry on�. Do those who were unfortunate enough to live in a place regularly targeted by the luftwaffe deserve more recognition than those who escaped the constant bombings?

Yes, the criteria for the World War II medals are perhaps inadequate and, yes, I can fully see why there are those aggrieved by what they see as having been �cheated� out of proper recognition and they do have my sympathy; but I cannot help but feel that by opening up the Arctic debate again, the Prime Minister is in danger of opening the flood gates to a torrent of appeals from other aggrieved parties, all of whom believe they too have been �cheated�. every one of those parties will have an excellent argument for why they should get a medal. every one will be able to back up their claim with cold hard facts and it will be difficult to ignore them. far better, I say, to leave things as they are�no it�s not ideal, and yes, there will be some who feel hard done by. But the trouble is, there always will be, no matter what criteria are laid down, and sometimes it is better just to stick to the rules rather than try to bend them. You start bending rules and all too often they break and then they may as well not be there at all�and that will be of no help to anybody.

The year of the Rabbit

Phil Mussell — 25/01/2011 09:42:21

Rise or fall?

AS we enter 2011 so the stock market volatility that has marred the past two years is abating somewhat and the �FTSE� is almost back at pre-credit crunch levels. However, this return to �stability� has not been reflected by the commodities market which is still seeing record prices for everything from wheat to copper and of course precious metals. As we go to press the price of gold is hovering around the $1,360 mark and silver around about $29�both down a little from recent highs, but nevertheless still at astonishing levels. To put it into perspective: silver, which has actually gone up more than gold in percentage terms (surging by about 80 per cent in 2010), is now at its highest since 1980. Now admittedly the highs of 30 years ago which saw the metal touch $50 an ounce are unlikely to be repeated (no-one to my knowledge is trying to corner the silver market and, if you factor-in inflation and currency fluctuation, silver would actually need to be at about $135 an ounce to be comparable), but that doesn�t mean these new highs aren�t having some affect. On the one hand this rise is a positive thing�we see the value of our collections increasing almost daily and the dealers are happy because more and more people are turning to coins, etc., as investments, meaning that more money is coming into the hobby and that can�t be bad. Unfortunately there is also a downside� and I don�t mean just the increase in the average price of the coins we collectors have to buy to carry on with our hobby.

Most of us by now know that pre-1947 �silver� coins are worth far more than face value (numismatic interest notwithstanding) and those minted before 1920 are worth even more as they really are pure silver. How many of us have made small profits (or indeed large ones) by buying �job lots� of coins from friends, antique shops, boot sales etc. and sifting through to find those coins with an actual silver content and happily, selling on those which do contain the precious metal to jewellers and melters? More than would be prepared to admit it I think! Now this is all very well. After all, if you have a collection of worn George V sixpences or even shillings where Victoria�s head is barely visible, then unfortunately there is little to be done with them as coins�they really do have to be viewed as lumps of silver and if you can make a bit of money to fund your next �proper� numismatic acquisition then so be it. Unfortunately, though as silver increases in value more and more, people will, I fear, be wise to the idea of apparently common coins being worth something and we will soon find people with no real interest in coins at all doing what we have done for years and searching for the early items just to sell on to be melted. Of course, I would be a hypocrite if I criticised the newcomers for doing what we collectors have been doing for years; we don�t, unfortunately, have the monopoly on old coins (no matter how much I wish we did) and if others are now cashing in then that�s life. What worries me though is those cashing in with no regard whatsoever for the actual numismatic rarity of the coins they are condemning to the pot. Those seeking just to make money on �job lots� are unlikely to bother to really research what they have. They perhaps won�t notice a 1905 shilling amongst an array of those from other years of Edward�s reign and won�t spot a 1944 threepence when there are so many others in the bag; instead they�ll simply check that the date is early enough, throw them all together and take them to their local jeweller or dealer. If we�re lucky, the coins will go to a proper bona fide coin dealer who will have the sense (and the time) to check through them all and save those worth keeping. But we all know that the chances are the bag will be taken to a local jeweller who will know the price of what he is offered but not necessarily the value. From there they will be lost forever, destined to become an ingot to be traded rather than stay a numismatic piece to be treasured.

Back in the late 1970s and early 1980s countless coins (and medals) were lost forever. I hope that such scenes will not be repeated in the �Twentyteens�, but I fear that if the world�s financial state continues as it is then it is not an impossibility. There is little, of course, that any of us can do except try our best to educate those who might otherwise condemn some wonderful rarities to the pot; sadly as I watch the rise of the �we buy gold� companies offering a fraction of the true worth of the pieces they are proffered, I fear that educating the British public on the true value of what they have might be an uphill struggle. Still, if we don�t do it no one else is going to!

A second Victoria Cross of Australia

Phil Mussell — 23/01/2011 22:57:00

Corporol Ben Roberts-Smith was awarded the second "Victoria Cross of Australia" on Sunday (23 January) for single handedly taking on (and taking out) no fewer than three Taliban machine gun posts in Afghanistan's Shah Wali Kot Region in October 2010. His Citation reads as follows:

For the most conspicuous gallantry in action in circumstances of extreme peril as Patrol Second-in-Command, Special Operations Task Group on Operation SLIPPER.

“Corporal Benjamin Roberts-Smith enlisted in the Australian Regular Army in 1996. After completing the requisite courses, he was posted the 3rd Battalion, the Royal Australian Regiment where he saw active service in East Timor. In January 2003, he successfully completed the Australian Special Air Service Regiment Selection Course.

“During his tenure with the Regiment, he deployed on Operation VALIANT, SLATE, SLIPPER, CATALYST and SLIPPER II. Corporal Benjamin Roberts-Smith was awarded the Medal for Gallantry for his actions in Afghanistan in 2006.

“On the 11th June 2010, a troop of the Special Operations Task Group conducted a helicopter assault into Tizak, Kandahar Province, in order to capture or kill a senior Taliban commander.

“Immediately upon the helicopter insertion, the troop was engaged by machine gun and rocket propelled grenade fire from multiple, dominating positions. Two soldiers were wounded in action and the troop was pinned down by fire from three machine guns in an elevated fortified position to the south of the village. Under the cover of close air support, suppressive small arms and machine gun fire, Corporal Roberts-Smith and his patrol manoeuvred to within 70 metres of the enemy position in order to neutralise the enemy machine gun positions and regain the initiative.

“Upon commencement of the assault, the patrol drew very heavy, intense, effective and sustained fire from the enemy position. Corporal Roberts-Smith and his patrol members fought towards the enemy position until, at a range of 40 metres, the weight of fire prevented further movement forward. At this point, he identified the opportunity to exploit some cover provided by a small structure.

“As he approached the structure, Corporal Roberts-Smith identified an insurgent grenadier in the throes of engaging his patrol. Corporal Roberts-Smith instinctively engaged the insurgent at point-blank range resulting in the death of the insurgent. With the members of his patrol still pinned down by the three enemy machine gun positions, he exposed his own position in order to draw fire away from his patrol, which enabled them to bring fire to bear against the enemy. His actions enabled his Patrol Commander to throw a grenade and silence one of the machine guns. Seizing the advantage, and demonstrating extreme devotion to duty and the most conspicuous gallantry, Corporal Roberts-Smith, with a total disregard for his own safety, stormed the enemy position killing the two remaining machine gunners.

“His act of valour enabled his patrol to break-in to the enemy position and to lift the weight of fire from the remainder of the troop who had been pinned down by the machine gun fire. On seizing the fortified gun position, Corporal Roberts-Smith then took the initiative again and continued to assault enemy positions in depth during which he and another patrol member engaged and killed further enemy. His acts of selfless valour directly enabled his troop to go on and clear the village of Tizak of Taliban. This decisive engagement subsequently caused the remainder of the Taliban in Shah Wali Kot District to retreat from the area.

“Corporal Roberts-Smith’s most conspicuous gallantry in a circumstance of extreme peril was instrumental to the seizure of the initiative and the success of the troop against a numerically superior enemy force. His valour was an inspiration to the soldiers with whom he fought alongside and is in keeping with the finest traditions of the Australian Army and the Australian Defence Force.”

For further details see here

Lost in transition

Phil Mussell — 18/01/2011 11:59:00

LOST IN THE POST: between UK and Australia:

Death Plaque to Ralph Blackwell (L/26599 Pte R. Blackwell RFA).

Any information to Philip Blackwell at phil@colourpatch.com

Medals forthe Convoys?

Phil Mussell — 12/01/2011 15:03:00

The debate over whether Veterans of the Arctic Convoys should get their own separate medals (as opposed to "just" the Atlantic Star which they are currently entitled to) has raged for decades and with the introduction of the Arctic Emblem (lapel badge) in 2006 it had been thought that the matter was dealt with. Not so, as Prime Minister David Cameron has publicly declared his support for a separate and specific medal....

For the full story see here and look out in MEDAL NEWS February!

Stop thief - again

Phil Mussell — 10/01/2011 16:20:00

Stolen during a house burglary at Epsom, Surrey on 15 December 2010:

Nato Service Medal with Clasp 'ISAF' (Afghanistan);

Operational Service Medal with bar, 'Afghanistan'

Named to Act.Lt.Cmdr.:T.R.W.LAPAGE-NORRIS, RNR.;

Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal;

Volunteer Reserves Service Medal, also named to Act.Lt.Cmdr.: T.R.W.LAPAGE- NORRIS, RNR.

Medals are swing mounted on a brooch-bar for wear: Any information should be passed to Detective Constable NICKY DELL at Surrey Police, CID. - Tel: 0845 1252222 quoting Crime Reference Number EP/10/5618.

Coming Soon - for God, Queen and Colony

Phil Mussell — 23/12/2010 11:54:00

For God, Queen and Colony - by Terry Sole

The muster rolls and histories of the Colonial Units in the Zulu War of 1879 - this is one book all you Zulu War enthusiasts won't want to be without! Watch this space for further details!

Spink Standard Catalogue

Phil Mussell — 23/12/2010 11:42:00

Apologies for the delay in getting this title out - we only received them in the office on December 23! All UK order have been processed and sent out via first class mail. We can't guarantee Christmas delivery anymore I'm afraid and would like to apologise to all those who were hoping to get the book in time for Christmas - we simply didn't have stocks here.

Lost, stolen or strayed. Medals to Lt Col. C J Nunn RM

Phil Mussell — 23/12/2010 11:39:00

Lost at Bordeaux, France on Friday December 10, 2010, following the Operation " Frankton " Commemoration Parade, - (canoe raid on Bordeaux harbour, December 1942.) group of medals Court Mounted as follows :-

1. OBE un-named.

2. GSM 1962 clasp "Northern Ireland" with MID bronze emblem, named to 2nd Lieut. C J Nunn RM

3. South Atlantic Medal with rosette, named to Capt. C J Nunn RM

4. NATO "Former Yugoslavia" unamed as issued.

5. QGJM unamed as issued.

Any info to ericr241@aol.com please.

New roll at the NA

Phil Mussell — 17/12/2010 14:58:00

The medal roll for the Royal Naval Auxiliary Service Long Service Medal has recently been made available at The National Archives at Kew.

The roll consists of a large sea green book containing the names of all those men and women who qualified for the medal and any appropriate bar(s), between 1967 and 1995. Arranged in alphabetical order, it records the surname and initial(s) of the recipient, if they were a Mrs or Miss is also recorded, the dates of qualifying service and to which command the medal was sent for onward presentation to the recipient.

The roll is available under the reference ADM 171/203 and it is not included in the recent release of medal rolls by Ancestry.

Christmas Opening Times

Phil Mussell — 17/12/2010 14:51:00

Yes it's almost upon us once again and, whilst we'd like to be open over Christmas we do feel it only fair to give our staff the odd day off. So we'll be closing at 1.00pm on Thursday December 23 and reopening again at 9.00am on January 4 2011. We'd like to wish all of our customers a very Merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous New Year

George Medal for Bomb disposal hero

Phil Mussell — 17/12/2010 14:48:00

WO Karl Ley has made safe more Improvised Explosive Devices IEDs in Afghanistan than anyone else - some 139 to date - losing seven of his comrades in the process. Today (December 17 2010) his courage and heroism was honoured with the award of the George Medal, presented by HRH Prince Charles. For the full story see here

New Year, new coins

Phil Mussell — 17/12/2010 14:38:02

No secret, no exception

HAVE made no secret of my support for the Royal Mint over the years�maybe the �year sets� aren�t great on the secondary market and, yes, it is a great shame when someone believes that their �nest egg� collection of Uncirculated coins and base metal commemoratives will net them a fortune when they come to sell. The arguments for and against �new issues� and their so-called investment potential have raged for years and it isn�t for me to go over them again here. No, my support for the Royal Mint comes because I believe that they are the single most important body in this country when it comes to encouraging the general public to view coins as something to be collected rather than just spent.

Without the thought that goes into our coins� designs, without the excellent designers themselves and without their desire to make excellent products, our coinage would comprise bland utilitarian discs suitable for transactions and nothing else. Numismatics, as we all know, is as much about the aesthetics of the coins as their rarity and we all appreciate the beauty of some of the gems from the past: the Athenian Owls, the Three Graces, the Gothic Florins, etc., etc. I believe the Royal Mint carries on the tradition of beauty on coins very well indeed. Certainly some of their designs have been, shall we say, �challenging� in recent years. Some have been unusual, some down right odd (my favourite �odd� design has to be Roger Bannister�s legs on the 50p), but rarely are they dull. This year is no exception as you can see from this month�s front cover. Not only do we have the next two in the �1 cities series: Edinburgh and Cardiff (has anyone come across the London or Belfast designs yet? I have yet to see them in change), but we also have two artfully crafted �2 coins�one depicting the 500th anniversary of the launch, and sinking, of Henry VIII�s flagship the Mary Rose (with typical British timing the Mary Rose herself will not actually be on display throughout the entire year as a new museum being built to house her won�t be ready until 2012!) and the second depicting the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible.

There will also be a very modern-looking 50p (as well of course as the plethora of Olympic 50 pences) that shows the work of the World Wide Fund For Nature (WWF) and a particularly striking �5 Crown to celebrate the 90th Birthday of HRH Prince Philip. Added to that we are confidently expecting there to be a Royal Wedding Crown to celebrate the marriage of Catherine Middleton and HRH Prince William on April 29 (at present the Royal Mint has only announced that there is to be an Alderney Crown to celebrate the Engagement. May I respectfully suggest, with no ill-will directed at Alderney, that this is not enough to celebrate the wedding of our future King and that as other countries will undoubtedly be producing commemoratives, the Royal Mint really should look at striking something a little more high profile). Of course, not all of these designs will appeal to everyone, but there is no denying they are impressive�the Prince Philip Crown in particular is more art medal than coin and regardless of your views on the monarchy in general or his Royal Highness I defy you not to appreciate the design for its numismatic qualities!

Of course the Mint will always have its detractors. There will always be those who criticise its work, believe it shouldn�t be in the marketing game and should simply produce coins for us to use to buy things. But to want that is to miss one very important point. The vast majority of the Great British public will never, ever, come across any coins other than the ones they use in shops . . . they won�t go to coin fairs on a whim and won�t bother checking antique shops just for fun. They will only ever come to appreciate coins as more than mere spending tokens by learning to like the coins they handle every day. By learning about the coins they have in their purses and pockets and by seeing them as more than a means with which to buy things, they can and do become bona fide collectors. Most of us started that way: by looking out for rarities and unusual coins in our pre-decimal change. There are no rare dates any more, there are no Victorian shillings to be scooped up and squirrelled away as we used to�there is only the aesthetics of coins, their beauty, their design. These are the things that get people hooked, and with that in mind I think the Royal Mint do a very good job indeed. This year is no exception.

Spink Standard Catalogue

Phil Mussell — 11/12/2010 19:53:00

Sorry if you're waiting for COINS OF ENGLAND- Spink won't release them to us yet they want to be first off the blocks- we should have them sometime next week!

Christmas Post

Phil Mussell — 11/12/2010 19:49:00

We're doing our best to get everything out before Christmas but please do get your orders in ASAP - by Monday 20 at the latest to ensure delivery by Christmas Eve and even that's pushing it a bit!

And don't worry if you haven't had your orders already placed yet - the terrible weather recently meant that our supplier wasn't as quick off the mark as they usually are - it's all on its way now and will be with you next week!

Gallantry On display

Alyson Thomas — 01/12/2010 15:39:32

The true worth

AS YOU can see from this month�s front cover, MEDAL NEWS was privileged to be amongst the first invited to view the exceptional new Lord Ashcroft Gallery and its Extraordinary Heroes exhibition with more than 240 Victoria Cross and George Cross groups. A full report on the Gallery�which you really should visit if ever you get the chance�appears within the pages of this issue where mention is made of the opening reception. What is only touched on in the article is just what an occasion that was�not because it was full of red carpets, glitz or glamour, indeed whilst not a modest affair it certainly wasn�t OTT in any way�but rather because of just who exactly was present. There weren�t many �celebrities� per se, at least not of the instantly recognisable TV/film type (although one or two more recognisable faces did stand out), but from a medal point of view it was incredible. Lord Ashcroft was there of course, his pride in the new gallery obvious for all to see, as was the emotion he showed when telling us of his love of the medal hobby, his passion for the Victoria Cross and his interest in gallantry that stretched back to when he was a boy hearing tales of his father landing on Sword beach as a Lieutenant in one of the first waves in on D-Day, and watching such classic films as �Cockleshell Heroes� and the like. But his presence was to be expected as this gallery quite fittingly bears his name (he donated �5 million to make it a reality and his collection makes up by far the largest part of its exhibit) and he couldn�t not be there. But what came as something of a surprise, admittedly a very pleasant one, was the sheer number of Victoria Cross and George Cross recipients, not to mention many others� next of kin, who had come along to see the Gallery opened at last.

As medal collectors we are thrilled if we are able to meet one recipient of a high level gallantry award, and here in one place were dozens, all recipients of the very highest awards for gallantry and valour that their countries could bestow upon them. We managed to meet, and chat to, Johnson Beharry, VC, Matthew Croucher, GC, Tony Gledhill, GC, as well as Willie Apiata, VC and Mark Donaldson, VC (both of whom, incidentally, have viewed the debate in MEDAL NEWS about their VCs not being �proper� ones with some interest and not a little derision. We are hopeful that Trooper Donaldson will write in as promised and give us his definitive answer!). We also got to chat to John Gregson, one of only two men still eligible to wear the Albert Medal (he declined the 1971 George Cross exchange) and managed to briefly meet the three Gurkha VCs still alive: Tul Bahadur, Lachiman Gurung and Rambahadur Limbu. It was quite an evening, and to see them all marching at the Cenotaph for the brief ceremony there the following day was again something we were very privileged to experience. However, the point of mentioning them being at the reception isn�t to crow about who we met and how lucky we were to be there, but rather because as we met them and chatted to them one thing became more and more obvious, something that perhaps many of us are guilty of forgetting: that the medals proudly worn, and those on display at the Gallery are not simply artefacts. They aren�t collectables in the same way as stamps and coins are; they aren�t merely things to be gawped at and hoarded, but rather they are symbols of very real acts and, in these cases, symbols of some of the most heroic deeds man is capable of. Many of you who have served, or are still serving, will not have overlooked this most obvious of points of course. You will know full well what medals actually mean, but often those of us who have never been involved with the forces directly, and who perhaps have come to this hobby through an interest in history or indeed just because medals are fascinating things to collect, are guilty of forgetting just what a medal actually is and failing to realise that whilst we pride ourselves on owning some fantastic groups, the real pride came long before as those medals and decorations were first awarded. Whilst most of the time the vast majority of collectors, whether private individuals or trusts, museums, etc., do appreciate exactly what they have, it cannot be denied that often medals get treated just like other �exhibits��by museums and collectors alike�either put on show in frames like butterflies or hidden away in safes like coins and jewellery without their true worth ever really being acknowledged. The Lord Ashcroft Gallery, thankfully, isn�t like that, but that�s because Lord Ashcroft isn�t like that; his belief that those who won these awards should be honoured and remembered with dignity is obvious and perhaps it is because of that belief, and the way he has gone about making it a reality, that so many of the recipients of these most prestigious awards, and their families, were there at the Gallery opening.

St James's

Phil Mussell — 24/11/2010 12:44:00

Unfortunately details of the forthcoming sale at ST JAMES'S AUCTIONS were ommitted from their recent advert so just to make sure no -one forgets here's a little reminder!

Auction 16 takes place on DECEMBER 7, 2010 it starts at 10.00 am and will include:

Ancient, British hammered & milled coins, British & world Banknotes,

Part IV of the Gardner Collection of Indian Coins,

World Coins including German & Austrian Thalers & multiple Thalers

Happy bidding!

Thief Stopped

Phil Mussell — 23/11/2010 16:57:00

Former para, Simon Rogers, has been gaoled for three years after stealing campaign medals, including those awarded for service in Iraq and Afghanistan, from fellow Soldiers staioned in Colchester then selling them on eBay. See the BBC's Website for further details

Spectacular results

Alyson Thomas — 23/11/2010 15:34:51

Going mainstream

I OFTEN mention in this �Comment� about the autumn being the start of the new numismatic �season� and indeed it has traditionally been the case that some of the strongest sales and best attended shows have been in the late September/October/November period. However, even I, a seasoned veteran of such new seasons, have been taken aback this year by the sheer strength of the market. Take a quick look at the Market Scene pages in this month�s magazine and you will see no fewer than seven pages crammed full of the reports on no fewer than 12 sales from four London Auction Houses�sales that each did exceptionally well in the few days before Coinex. I won�t divulge the details here and steal John Andrew�s thunder, but it is sufficient to say that large amounts of money changed hands in those salesrooms with buyers being found for just about everything numismatic, from cut and countermarked coins through medallic portraits and on to more �standard� coins and banknotes. Such was the strength of the sales that you could be forgiven for thinking that all the money in the hobby was being spent at auction. But no, reports from Coinex itself demonstrate that over the two days of the show there were more than enough collectors in the room prepared to part with their cash to make the show a great success�a success repeated at the recent London Coin Fair which had a buzz about it that seems to belie any talk of cuts and recessions. And it isn�t only in the capital that such a buzz is to be found�the provincial auction houses are all still reporting excellent figures, with the fairs likewise. Eddie Smith�s most recent Leeds show saw more attendees both through the door and �stalling out� than ever before. The doomsayers have been predicting the end of this numismatic bubble for months . . . telling us all in leaden words how the price of gold will force people out and how the moment the stock market comes back to strength those with money will rush back to their old stomping grounds in the City. But that hasn�t happened. Gold still rises (as does silver�pro rata it has risen more than gold although it isn�t such a headline grabber) and the Stock Market is almost back at pre �Crunch� levels and yet as the salesrooms and bourses show there is still an insatiable appetite for coins, banknotes, et al.

There is a recession on out there of course; cuts will bite and unfortunately many people in the UK may find the next few months, indeed years, quite tough. But this is a strange recession�on one hand the low interest rates have led to some people having more cash in their pockets than ever before as mortgage rates come down. That cash has to go somewhere and with the public mistrust of banks and financial institutions they are turning once again to the things that people have turned to for centuries when things get a bit rocky: physical money in the form of coins and notes. On the other hand, those without mortgages and with savings are finding their money is no longer growing as once it did because of those very same low interest rates and so are turning to more reliable, and more fun, ways of getting a return and they too, distrustful of the sharp tongued sharks in suits who got us in this mess in the first place, are looking at something they consider more solid: good oldfashioned physical money.

In times of financial uncertainty people like to keep their money close, like to be able to actually see what they own, and those who realise that keeping wads of banknotes under the mattress is all very well but hardly ideal, are taking that to the next level as they sit in eager anticipation in auction rooms and happily search through dealer�s stocks and at the fairs for their next acquisition. They are the new collectors and there are a great many of them.

Don�t be fooled, these buyers are not from the corporate investment funds, the pension planners keen to diversify � most of those have long since gone back to stocks and shares now the FT index has stabilised. No, these are simply ordinary people unsure of what to do with their money now that they no longer have the faith in the banks that once they did. How many catch the long term numismatic bug, as we all have, remains to be seen. Personally I think it will be far more than many of us think. I�ve seen these new collectors at sales and met them at fairs . . . they like this hobby and I fear our secret is out: coin collecting isn�t just for us funny, fussy few anymore�it�s gone mainstream.

Honour those Mentioned - the Air Forces

Phil Mussell — 15/11/2010 16:20:00

The BRAND NEW book by Michael Maton - Honour those Mentioned the Air Forces being a complete list of all Mentions in Despatch awards to the Royal and Dominion Air Forces during World War II is being launched at Britannia this Sunday (November 21) and is available to pre-order now!

Those of you familiar with Michael's other "Honour...." Books will know just how useful they are and this one will be no exception. Priced at just £75 it is an absolute essential reference work for any and every RAF or Air Force collector. Order your copy today!

Britannia - November 21. IT'S THIS SUNDAY

Phil Mussell — 15/11/2010 16:19:00

Britannia is almost on us - it's THIS SUNDAY

Entry is ABSOLUTELY FREE and all the major dealers and Auction House will be there

The full list is as follows:

ARL Collectables

Baldwin's

Bonhams

Andrew Bostock

Ray Brough

Phil Burman

John Cannon

Mark Carter

Chelsea Military Antiques

DNW

Dixon's Medals

Bill Friar

Gordons Medals

Great War Medals

The Register of the Anglo-Boer War (Meurig Jones)

Andrew Jukes (The Medal Centre)

Liverpool Medals

Ian Laidler

Peter Morris

Morton and Eden

Murray Shaw

Our Heritage War Medals (Bob Lynes)

Steve Sewell

Stephen Wheeler

Spink

VJC Collectables

Fred Walland

And of course MEDAL NEWS

Entry is from 9.30am and the venue is the Carisbrooke Hall, Victory Services Club, Seymour Street London - see you there

The Ashcroft Gallery at the Imperial War Museum

Phil Mussell — 09/11/2010 15:18:00

I've just been lucky enough to get a sneak preview of the wonderful Ashcroft Gallery at the IWM and there is little I can say except "wow"! Over 200 Victoria and George Crosses on display along with associated ephemera (Jonson Beharry's battered helmet, Matt Croucher's shredded backpack). This is a display the like of which the medal world has not seen before, it eclipses anything that has gone before. A fuller picture will appear in MEDAL NEWS next month but in the meantime if you get the chance to go along to this then do so. It opens officially to the public on Friday November 11 and is, without a shadow of a doubt something that you really should make the effort to see.

London Coin Fair November 6

Phil Mussell — 05/11/2010 11:57:00

The last London Coin Fair of the year takes place at the Holiday Inn, Bloomsbury on November 6 and, as ever, there will be plenty of dealers on hand to cater for your every numismatic whim. The Token team will be there too - complete with the new "General issues" Krause banknote book, the brand new COIN YEARBOOK, the brand new MEDAL YEARBOOK and the exciting "Standard Catalogue of the Provincial notes of England and Wales"

What more reason can you want to come along from 9.30am -5.00pm...!?

The RN to the rescue

Phil Mussell — 05/11/2010 09:57:17

Rights and Wrongs

The annual service of Remembrance held on the Sunday nearest Armistice Day (November 11) and the march past the Cenotaph in Whitehall, London, is a splendid opportunity for us collectors to view a stunning array of medals as worn by those who won them. Sadly there are no recipients of World War I medals with us in the UK to take part any more and the stock of World War II veterans is inevitably dwindling as they fade away or simply become too old and frail to take part, but nonetheless there are still some amazing groups to be seen. Indeed they are to be seen up and down the country in local church parades and across the globe as veterans of many countries, and those still serving, gather to remember those who fell in the two World Wars and all those conflicts since. of course we must not forget that these parades are not held for us to gawp at the gongs on show, these men and women are not walking showcases for us to stare at with envious eyes�they are the men and women who actually won these medals, often at very great risk to themselves, or they are the next of kin of such personnel now fondly remembered but too often taken from their families far too soon. That said, it is exceptionally difficult to be a collector and ignore the rows of medals glinting in the autumn sun and we are probably all guilty of looking on in awe at the medals, as well as at those who wear them. Often of course there will only be one or two medals worn�if the recipient was a national Serviceman in the 1950s he�s unlikely to be able to match the chest full of stars and medals that a World War II veteran might be entitled to . . . or so you may think.

Every year around this time one subject manages to split the medal collecting community and every year the same, very good, arguments are wheeled out in support of both sides. Unfortunately the positions of both sides are so entrenched that arguing does little to help and to be honest the subject is so emotive, the two �sides� so deeply entrenched in their views, that I don�t think there will ever be a solution anyway. this most serious of subjects? the cause of such deep divides? . . . : the wearing of unofficial awards and the inevitable appearance of such awards at the Cenotaph parade and elsewhere.

I know that this has been covered many times before and I know that nothing I say here will change anyone�s views one way or the other. There are those who firmly, indeed passionately, believe that the purchase and wearing of such awards should never be countenanced, indeed should actively be outlawed, whilst others believe, just as passionately, that those who wear such things have every right to show the world where and when they served and if their government hasn�t allowed them to do that through official channels then they should be allowed to do it for themselves. The arguments on both sides are complex and numerous and I won�t go into them here. I will say that if you yourself have served and have earned your official medals, then I bow to your views on this subject. You have every right to agree or disagree with the practice of wearing such awards as you see fit. However, for those of us who haven�t served I think we need to take a different view of things and look at it not from a moral but from a collector�s viewpoint.

Recently I heard of a couple of collectors who have actually removed the �unofficial� medals from groups that they have acquired, stating that if it isn�t official then they aren�t interested, and I can�t help but feel that somehow this is missing the point. You may not like this so called �bling�. You may feel that those who wear it are cheapening themselves and end up looking like Christmas trees�that�s your prerogative, but I don�t believe it is anyone�s prerogative to start messing around with somebody�s history. If a veteran, now long gone and whose medals now reside in a collection somewhere, decided that he wanted to apply for an unofficial medal or two, or even three, or four, then that was his choice (and there are many who make that choice)�the collector may think it wrong but it isn�t up to him. Those unofficial medals are part of the story, part of the history of that serviceman and whilst you may personally feel they shouldn�t be worn on parade, the fact is that they often are and that�s just the way it is. The debate on the rights and wrongs of such awards is unlikely to ever reach a conclusion. As I said, the two �sides� are simply too entrenched in their perfectly valid and understandable views, but as collectors it isn�t necessarily our right to get involved in that debate anyway. The medals we now own aren�t ours by right, we didn�t win them, we didn�t serve in campaigns and wars to earn them, all we did was buy them (our own and family medals aside of course) and if we start messing around with groups in our collections just because we aren�t completely happy with the way they are, and thus start messing around with history, then I would suggest we probably shouldn�t be collecting in the first place. We aren�t the owners of these medals, we are simply the current custodians of them and personally I don�t believe it is our place to judge those who wore them first.

The eagerly awaited Ashcroft Gallery at the Imperial War Museum, London, housing the World�s largest Collection of Victoria Crosses and George Crosses, opens on November 12, 2010�we�ll be at the opening so look out in next month�s Medal News for more details!

In honour of a well decorated soldier

Phil Mussell — 01/11/2010 17:07:00

The new home of Joint Medical Command and Headquarters Surgeon General has been formally opened by HRH Princess Alexandra in Lichfield - and it's named after a man who won no fewer than five gallantry awards, including the VC, during World War I. Coltman House is named after named after Lance Corporal William Harold Coltman VC of The North Staffordshire Regiment - a stretcher bearer who won the VC, DCM and bar and MM and bar. For more details see the Burton News website

Don't forget Britannia

Phil Mussell — 27/10/2010 12:06:00

November 21 - Victory Services Club, Seymour Street, London.

A full list of dealers attending published in NOVEMBER MEDAL NEWS and posted here shortly.

Dates for 2011 are Sunday March 20, Sunday November 20 - put them in your diary

Edwardian Elegance

Phil Mussell — 22/10/2010 14:24:09

What price knowledge?

HAVING just returned from Coinex, held once again at the Millennium Hotel, Mayfair, I feel it safe to say that the event has now probably �settled in� to its new venue and is happy with the role it is playing in the coin hobby and trade�this is a prestigious, showpiece fair attracting a large number of dealers and collectors from across country and across the globe. The hotel, in the heart of one of London�s most salubrious districts is the right one for this kind of event and I am sure that it will remain the home of Coinex for some time to come. There is little point, I think, in giving a full report on the fair here�it was as you would expect such a premier event to be, with an excellent range of dealers exhibiting and some superb coins on offer. It was exactly how the BNTA want it to be and whilst the show is never going to break records for attendance, which it had never set out to, instead the aim was to attract the �numismatists� rather than those simply coming to nose around and there were indeed a decent number of �serious� collectors through the door on the Friday (when you had to pay �35 for entry if you wanted to come in before 2.00pm) and an equally respectable number in on the Saturday when the price of entry was cheaper but the real choice pieces and �bargains� were likely to have gone�or were they . . . ?

We all assume these days that it is the early bird that catches the bargains, or the mistakes, at these shows�that�s why there is always a scrum to get in and often a higher price to pay for early entry. We also assume that there are few real �bargains� to be had these days anyway, as the breadth and depth of knowledge amongst dealers and collectors is such that there is no chance of spotting a hitherto missed rarity on a table unless you�re first in, as everybody knows exactly what they are looking at these days. However, a story circulating amongst the dealers at Coinex this year shows that to be far from the truth.

Eagle-eyed readers may well have spotted two adverts in COIN NEWS last month that both featured the same coin. According to the �gossip� the coin originally appeared in a dealer�s stock at a recent fair and was spotted by an English auctioneer who, knowing it to be a rarity, advised the dealer to put it in auction to see what it would fetch on the open market. This was duly done and it made far more than the vendor originally had it on sale for, apparently some 70 times the original price�that�s quite a mark up and if the story had ended there it would have been worthy enough to tell, but it didn�t. It seems that the coin was bought by another dealer who had also spotted it as a rarity and he believed he could get more for it elsewhere � he was right and it subsequently sold in an auction in the United States for more than 20 times what he had paid for it�that�s 1,400 times the alleged original price! Now, the exact figures aren�t set in stone�you know what rumour mills are like, but the fact is that the coin sold once in one auction for far more than the vendor had believed it to be worth�so well done to the auctioneer for spotting it in the first place�and then again for a huge some that no-one could have believed possible�apart from the second dealer who obviously knew his stuff�so well done to him too!

The reason for me mentioning this here is to say that whilst we all confidently try and convince ourselves that the coin world just doesn�t have those exciting bargains any more, and that the only way any of us will ever find a true rarity is if we rush to tables before anyone else gets a chance to look, or if a collection turns up at a boot sale where there isn�t another coin collector to be found, that plainly isn�t the case. I don�t know the exact circumstances of the original discovery of this particular coin. I don�t know whether it had been sitting in the original dealer�s stock, overlooked by collectors or his contemporaries for a while or whether it was brand new to him, so I can�t comment as I only have �trade tales� to go on. But I do know that the first auction that it was placed in was a popular one, attended by dealers and collectors alike with no early bird advantage to be had, and whilst there was obviously enough interest in the coin to get the price to way beyond the original figure its true potential was missed by all except the eventual buyer. The man who bought the coin knew enough to realise it was an important piece, knew enough to realise where the best market to sell it was and knew enough to realise a very handsome return on his outlay. They say knowledge is power and nowhere is it more obvious than in a case like this. So if you want to be the one to make that kind of return, or if you want to have in your collection a coin so valuable that under normal circumstances you�d never own it, you really, really, have to know your stuff. Read all you can, talk to as many fellow collectors as you can, attend as many society meetings and fairs as you can, gain the knowledge that can net you that bargain. Be the one to know what others don�t and who knows? In fact you can start your quest for new knowledge today with the COIN YEARBOOK 2011 which we launched at Coinex and is available now!

The Strangest Hoard?

Phil Mussell — 19/10/2010 11:59:00

Buried treasure hoards aren't that unusual in the UK - they come up from time to time as the wonderful Frome hoard shows - but usually they are comprised of Celtic or Roman coins or similar - so it was quite a shock for a couple of gardeners in Hackney of all places to come across 80 American gold "double eagles"! There's no logic behind the find - the coins all date from the middle of the 19th century to the beginning of the 20th so it's unlikely they were hidden to keep them away from ravaging hordes of barbarians - so archaeologists and police are scrtaching their heads in bemusement. For more details take a look at teh Evening Standard website

Frome hoard valued

Phil Mussell — 19/10/2010 11:51:00

The magnificent Frome Hoard of over 52,000 coins discovered in April of this year (see COIN NEWS September 2010) has been valued at the interesting sum of £320,250 that's £6.10 a coin...! For more details see the BBC website here

Olympic 50p designs unveiled

Phil Mussell — 13/10/2010 15:41:00

The biggest coin programme in the UK since decimalisation took another step forward today with the release of the 29 designs that members of the public will be able to look out for in their change over the next 18 months. Comprising a vast array of different Olympic and Paralympic sports the series will, we hope, capture the imagination of the "casual collector" as they check their change for the varieties.

Look out in COIN NEWS every month to see which coins are due for release - and let us know when you see one!

The first eight sports released this month to purchase are: Aquatics, Archery, Athletics, Cycling, Gymnastics, Hockey and Rowing. The next set of eight coins will be made available to purchase direct from the Royal Mint from next month. The remaining thirteen coins will then be released from the end of this year until the start of summer in 2011 However we are assured that they will also go into general circulation with up to 87 Million coins being available - will they regularly appear we wonder - or will they be squirrelled away....!!?

Medals stolen

Phil Mussell — 13/10/2010 15:22:00

Stolen from a private house in Basildon recently - family medals to Fletcher

WW1, B.E.M, I.S.M to 184212 ALBERT FLETCHER

1939-45 STAR, AFRICA STAR, DEFENCE & WAR, RNR LSGC and Bar to RNRC/JX 343570 R.A. FLETCHER.N

RNR LSGC & QUEEN'S SILVER JUBILEE (ENGRAVED) to D111440V A.G.FLETCHER RN

Any info to the MEDAL NEWS office please

Nelson's Star to shine

Alyson Thomas — 11/10/2010 16:48:48

Changing times

THIS time last year I was sitting at my desk trying to word a tactful �comment� about the new OMRS Convention. We had always been supporters of the event, choosing to launch our MEDAL YEARBOOK there rather than anywhere else. We were thus disappointed that the 2009 version was very much �convention lite�, with far fewer attendees and far fewer dealers than in years gone by. The move to the British Medical Association was seen by many as a retrograde step, with a smaller room and rather austere security measures meaning the atmosphere created at previous Conventions was pointedly missing. So it was that this year we seriously considered whether we were going to make the trip up from Devon�the fact that the Pope was visiting and half of London was going to be closed (or so we were led to believe), didn�t help our mood. However, we were told by the OMRS officials that they had moved the venue from the smaller upstairs room to downstairs and that the security measures, that had meant you had to pre-register last year and couldn�t just �turn up� on the day, had been dispensed with (or at least circumvented). So we felt we owed it to them to give Convention another chance and decided that, whilst the Saturday events wouldn�t be practical for us, we would �stall out� on the Sunday at the Medal Fair. Happily it wasn�t a decision we regretted. True to their word, the OMRS committee had done their best to encourage a large number of dealers to attend and that, inevitably, gave the attendees far more choice than was on offer last year. This year the dealers were spread over two rooms and, whilst that meant there wasn�t the same atmosphere of the palatial New Connaught Rooms, it did mean there was a lively buzz going on� something we were worried might not happen this time around. Reports on the Saturday talks and exhibits were as positive as they had been last year (the first day being the undoubted highlight of 2009) and so it seems that the future of Convention is secure.

Of course, one of the reasons last year�s event might not have been as well attended as when it took place in the New Connaught Rooms was the simple one: that some people just don�t like change. This year they were more used to the idea that the BMA was the new venue and so came back. That may sound simplistic but it happens that whenever there is a change of location of a fair that we attend (be it coin, banknote or medal), there is a certain reticence amongst some of the �old guard� who are disgruntled that the change has taken place and there is a drop off in numbers. It often takes a while for things to get back to normal, sometimes years, and occasionally that delay is too long and the fair ceases to be. We are acutely aware of this ourselves as we consider the future of the Britannia Medal Fair. The venue for the next fair (November 21) is the same as it always has been: the Carisbrooke Hall of the Victory Services Club, just off Marble Arch�but with more people than ever wanting to come along, and more dealers than ever hoping to take tables, we are considering a move. It won�t be a drastic change, if change takes place at all, but it has to be considered. What also must be considered is the feelings of those who like it just how it is. If we move will there be those who will miss the intimacy of the venue? The familiarity of the place and the people? The chicken curry�? The answer is of course, yes there will be, but will that fear of change be offset by the excitement of being able to see even more medals than ever before (and not having to negotiate the stairs�?). It isn�t something I have a ready answer for.

One event that doesn�t have to worry about the change of venue (because they are so used to it), is the annual OMSA Convention which takes place in a different US city every year. The 2010 Convention was held �out west� in Portland, Oregon. As ever the Token Team (well one of us) was represented and we were as pleased as ever to meet up with our friends from that side of the pond, many of whom have just made the trip this way to come to OMRS. Interestingly there was talk at OMSA of changing the �roving� format and holding it in the same place each year so that people could get used to the venue and not have to try and hop from one end of the country to the other all the time (well annually anyway). I�m not sure that the geography of the US would allow that. With collectors spread over thousands of miles, the �new year, new venue� approach allows most people to get a taste of a convention once every three years or so at least, whereas a static site would encourage only those local to attend and would marginalise those further afield. However, the very fact that there was even talk about such a bold move does rather highlight the need amongst some to have the comfort of familiarity�holding OMSA in the same place every year means that people can get into a routine and many of us thrive on such routine and are happier with what�s known. Fortunately for the OMRS Convention the hiccough of last year�s break in routine is now forgotten and hopefully the new venue will serve them well in years to come. Whether such a move outside the comfort zone for OMSA will be as easily dealt with is debatable and I for one would suggest it isn�t practical, with the current format allowing as many collectors to be included as possible. As for Britannia? Well, I like the current venue, I like the familiarity, I enjoy the show immensely and it was because I enjoyed it that I was happy for MEDAL NEWS to take it over. But that doesn�t mean I�m completely adverse to change and would be willing to look at alternatives. Whether you, our readers, would be is another matter but we would love to know what you think!

One change I did approve of at OMSA was the addition of sweets and confectionery alongside medals! One particular stand holder at the show had a veritable tuckshop on his table and I can�t help but think it was a cunning ploy to lure more buyers to his stand, despite his protestations that he knew nothing about where the treats had come from! It got my vote anyway, with the M&Ms being particularly delicious!

Stop Thief

Phil Mussell — 30/09/2010 12:01:00

Medals Stolen in a burglary 23^rd September 2010

Any information contact Alan Seldon 07884187446 or DC Ian Lawson Art & Antiques Unit Metropolitan Police New Scotland Yard 02072302150 Crime Ref Number 5221697/10

Naval general Service Medal bar Syria to William Hall Clerk HMS Rodney

St Jean D’Acre Medal in silver

Army of India Medal bar AVA to John Duffell Carpenters Crew HMS Alligator

Maharajpoor Star to 966 Pte William Carnell 40^th Foot

Candahar Ghuznee Cabul Medal to 347 Pte Thomas Williams 60^th Foot

Scinde Medal Meeanee Hyderbad to 972 Pte Thomas Kemp 22^nd Regt

South Africa Medal 1853 to 2208 Pte Thomas Holyland 1^st Btn Rifle Brigade

Baltic Medal to Thomas Waterfield HMS Driver

Crimea Medal bar Sebastopol & Turkish Crimea Medal to 1593 Pte James Bagnall 1^st K D G

New Zealand Medal dated 1863-66 to Pte James Bell 1/12^th Regt

East & West Africa bar 1891-2 to 146897 O.S. Henry Lake

Second China War Medal clasps Taku Forts 1860 and Pekin 1860 to 2025 Pte Thomas McCormick KDG

Abyssinian Medal 172 Gnr Thomas Archer 5 Bty 25 Bde RHA

South Africa General Service Medal bar 1879 to 14012 Sapper C Scott R.E.

Ashantee Medal bar Coomassie to James Wilkinson LS HMS Active

British South Africa Company Medal Rhodesia 1896 to Tpr H L K Hughes BSA Police

Tibet Medal bar Gyantse to 6967 Pte A Campion 1^st Btn Royal Fusliers

East & Central Africa Medal bar 1898 to 1116 Pte Zahirullah

Transport Medal 1899-1902, 1 clasp, S. Africa 1899-1902 H. A. J. Kershaw

Africa General Service Medal 1902 clasp Kenya to 23024525 Pte B C Irwin, Devonshire Regiment in box of issue.

Natal Medal bar 1906 to Gnr C P Sperryn A Battery Natal Field Artillery

India General Service Medal 1908-35 clasps, Afghanistan N.W.F. 1919, Waziristan 1919-21 (Maj. 84-Pjbs,), Lieutenant Colonel C.A. Brown, 84th Punjabis, British War Medal (Capt.), 32 pages of papers from the India Office.

India General Service Medal 1908-35 three clasps, Malabar 1921-22, Waziristan 1921-24, North West Frontier 1930-31 7869367 Pte. F.P. Luck, Tank Corps.

India General Service Medal 1908-35 clasp Waziristan 1921-24 British War & Victory Medals 3835 Rfn Dharamraj Gurung 2-3 Gurkas

GSM GVI bar Malaya to 14083989 S/SGT W Trafford R.M.P.

CSM bar Northern Ireland to 24101849 Pte S Hughes Queens Own Highlanders with service details & copy photograph.

CSM bar Northern Ireland to 23930037 Pte W Innes Queens Own Highlanders with service details & copy photograph.

CSM bar Northern Ireland 23961304 Cpl N S Sidebottom RCT in box of issue with issue letter Leeds address

South Atlanticwith rosette (ALCK T G Rendle D150894K HMS Glamorgan), in original named card box of issue

Iraq Medal clasp 19 Mar 28 Apr 2003 to 24849073 Sgt C J McCaldin RLC

British War & Victory 2LT Frederick Alfred Cash R.A.F. with officers’ papers showing killed in a flying accident 24/7/18

Victory Medal 25214 SJT. T. JONES R.F.C. a Pilot in the Royal Flying Corps . Shot down and killed in action while piloting a plane, with his Observer in the rear seat surviving and being taken prisoner by the Germans.

Medal of the Order of the British Empire to David Ross Brown LG 2/3/1920 for meritorious services in connection with the production of munitions and materials of war in India. In case of issue.

Medal of the Order of the British Empire to 10456 Wkr J J Dippie WAAC / QMAAC military in box of issue with extensive original documentation & 2 original photographs. LG 23/1/1920

Medal of the Order of the British Empire to Robert Burton in case of issue with sons medals LG 6/7/1920 as Fireman LFB for conspicuous courage in rescuing persons from buildings wrecked by hostile aircraft.

Medal of the Order of the British Empire London Gazette 7.7.1920 Arnold, William Richard, Fireman, Barking Fire Brigade ‘For conspicuous courage and devotion to duty on the occasion of a fire at a munitions factory.’ (? For the Ajax munitions factory disaster in Barking in 1917 that killed 13 women workers)

Medal of the Order of the British Empire 12984 Sgt Alice Emily Harrold Q.M.A.A.C. London Gazette 23/1/20 in box of issue.

Medal of the Order of the British Empire, Military Division, un-named extremely fine, in John Pinches, London, case of issue

CVO in box of issue

OBE Group of Five to Sir William Walter Carlile: The Medal Of The Order Of The British Empire, London 1917, Silver Hallmarks; together with 1914 Star with Bar (W. W. Carlile B.R.C.S. & O.ST.J.J.); War Medal (W. W. CARLILE. B.R.C. & ST.J.J.); Victory Medal (W. W. CARLILE B.R.C. & ST.J.J.) and Special Constabulary Long Service Medal (Sir William W. Carlile. BART.) Very Fine to Extremely Fine, in a Spink And Son Case.

'1918' D.C.M. for Egypt Group of Four to Sergeant R.T.Coles, Bedfordshire Regiment and Royal Engineers,

Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (208846 Cpl.- A. Sjt:- R.T. Coles. R.E.); 1914-15 Star (29795 Pte. R.T. Coles, Bedf. R.); British War and Victory Medals (2979 Sjt. R.T. Coles. Bedf. R.), good very fine or better (4)

D.C.M. London Gazette 3.9.1919 '208846 Cpl. (A./Sgt.) R.T. Coles, R.E. (T.F.) attd. 20th Ind. Infy. Sig. Section Bde. For devotion to duty in the field. He had rendered most excellent service, not only in training the signal section to a high standard of efficiency, but by his own example in the front line, and during the operations towards Shunet Nimrim in May, 1918, was responsible for the delivery of important communications. He carried out his duties with entire success.'

British War Medal, Victory Medal to Rear Admiral Philip Wylie Dumas RN also entitled to St Vladimir 4^th Class 1917 & Union South Africa medal 1910 The Liddle Collection has 8 boxes of his personal diaries covering the period 1881 - 1920!! (left behind other medals awarded to him).

DSO GVI, 1915 Star Trio with MID, Union of South Africa Commemoration Medal, to Capt & Adjutant / Lt Col Lancelot Edward Becher R.E. & original issue certificate for the Union Medal.

Union of South Africa Commemoration Medal in box of issue un-named

Foreign awards to Colonel Bernard Ramsden James D.L. J.P. General Staff late Royal Warwickshire Regiment and East Surrey Regiment being:

Russian Order St Stanislas 2^nd Cl

Order of the Star of Roumania with Swords Commander 3^rd Cl

Belgium Order of Leopold with swords Officer 4^th Cl

Russian Order of St Vladimir with swords 3^rd Cl

Belgium Croix de Guerre

Serbia Order of the White Eagle with swords 3^rd Cl

Siam Order of the Crown Grand Officer 2^nd Cl

France Legion of Honnour Officer 4^th Japan Order of the Rising Sun 3^rd Cl

Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Bronze Award for Animal Life Saving (Inspector T.J. Nolan 1968), with For Humanity top brooch bar, extremely fine, in Marples and Beasley, Birmingham case of issue

BEM GVI Civil to George Flattery, with London Gazette 31^st October 1941 Civil Defence Rescue Service Liverpool. For brave conduct in the rescue of a man & child from a burning partly collapsed building during an air raid etc.. In Royal Mint case of issue.

BEM GVI Military to Volunteer Arthur Eric Jane Home Guard “Arcadia” Laira Plymouth, with London Gazette 2^nd December 1941 for gallant conduct in carry out hazardous work in a very braze manner. In home made wooden box

Territorial Decoration GVI with Territorial Suspender dated 1951 in Royal Mint case of issue.

Efficiency Medal, E.II.R. 'T.&AVR scroll suspension', with Bar (22982667 S. Sgt. S.F.Martin. Para), nearly extremely fine, in named card box of issue

ISO GVI star shaped in case of issue hallmarks 1932

ISM St Clare Carlyon Stutchbury Rudland GVI Ind Imp

NGSM Minesweeping 1945-51 Sub Lt S P Hornung RN with 1939/45 star France & Germany star and War medal.

Mercantile Marine & British War Medal Master Ernest William Hyde Furlong Born 1883, with photograph and copy of mercantile record card.

Korea Medal to 22525868 Fus R. Gothard R.N.F.

Korea Medal to 22539485 Tpr R Beveridge 5^th Royal Irish Dragoon Guards

Korea Medal to 22081117 Pte W A W Prentice Corps Royal Military Police

CSM bar Northern Ireland to RM29099 W Hutchinson MNE RM

Gulf Medal bar 16^th Jan to 28^th Feb 1991 to 24904134 Spr T Pike R.E.

Special Constabulary LS&GC Medal QEII to Supt Thomas Smith

Yate time again

Phil Mussell — 24/09/2010 14:50:00

Yes it's almost time for the penultimate "Yate" of the year (the last one is on November 28) and Phil will be there on Sunday October 3rd at the Leisure centre in Yate to once again represent the "Token Team"

The fair starts at 9.30am (for "early preview"; 10.30am for "normal" opening) - which means he has to leave home by 7.00am in order to get there to set up in time - not a great hardship in the normal course of things but as he'll have been at COINEX in London over the previous three days and that Sunday is also his birthday we think he deserves some sympathy - so we expect as many people as possible to come along, say hello and buy a BRAND NEW MEDAL YEARBOOK! It's only fair...

Coinex next

Phil Mussell — 24/09/2010 14:41:00

Yes the "season" starts with a bang next weekend at the Millennium Mayfair Hotel, Grosvenor Square, London with the BNTA's flagship COINEX show.

Taking place on Friday October 1 from 11.00am (£35 "early bird" entry - or £5 from 2.00pm) and Saturday October 1 (from 10.00am £5 or free with your ticket in COIN NEWS) the show is always a popular one and once again we're using it to launch our COIN YEARBOOK, we'll see you there...

Up North again

Phil Mussell — 24/09/2010 14:37:00

It's our last trip to Yorkshire this weekend when we'll be attending Eddie Smith's Leeds(Wakefield) show at the Cedar Court Hotel just off the M1 - we wont have the new COIN YEARBOOK with us (it's out next week but you can pre-order it at this show post free) however we will have stocks of the new MEDAL YEARBOOK, the STANDARD CATALOGUE OF PROVINCIAL NOTES OF ENGLAND AND WALES and EAST INDIA COMPANY AND ITS COINS - as well as all the old favourites - see you there...

Operational Honours

Phil Mussell — 24/09/2010 14:32:00

Some 131 Men and women have been honoured for their service in Afghanistan with no fewer than five Conspicuous Gallantry Crosses and 18 Military Crosses awarded. There was also a George Medal awarded to Acting Warrant Officer Class 2 Karl John Fairfax LEY, The Royal Logistic Corps for neutralising 42 bombs in 72 hours and three distinguished Flying Crosses including one to a helicopter pilot who managed to land his craft despite being hit eight times by enemy rounds - once on his helmet!

This full list appears on the MOD website here

Coins of Auguste

Phil Mussell — 23/09/2010 16:17:27

An old chestnut

WHAT on earth was that? Ah yes, that was summer 2010 and as the nights draw on, the weather gets colder (not that it ever really warmed up much) and as the Christmas cards start appearing in the shops we numismatists can look forward to the start of another �new season�. Admittedly the days of July and August being quiet in our hobby are long gone and fairs and auctions still abound over the summer months, but as the August bank holiday fades into distant memory and people start putting their serious �work heads� back on (for a couple of months before Yuletide at least!), there is always a feeling that autumn is very much �our time�. There�s Coinex of course, always the traditional start to the new numismatic year, with a host of excellent auctions with all the major houses eager to get you to part with your hard-earned cash, and the launch of the new price guides and catalogues�our own COIN YEARBOOK will be hitting the shelves in early October after a Coinex launch with over 2,000 pre-ordered and the promise of a bumper year to come (we�ve increased the pagination again whilst keeping the price at just �9.95 making it beyond doubt the best value price guide on the market).

This year however it won�t only be us old style collectors looking forward to the autumn as the Royal Mint�s promised Olympic 50p series is due to be launched very soon and, as I have mentioned before, having seen these coins I can pretty much guarantee that they will soon disappear, squirrelled away by those who have no idea they are even coin collectors. And that brings me to the point of this Comment. Yes, I�ve spoken about this before but I think it relevant so forgive me if I bring it up again.

Basically we are a fairly close community us collectors and I know that when I visit Coinex, The London Coin Fair, the Leeds show or Birmingham this autumn I will see many of the same people I see every time; that�s no bad thing of course, many of them are old friends and we enjoy catching up, but it is rare to find too many brand new faces in the crowd. Of course there are always some new people, but on the whole I�ll recognise the majority, they will be collectors of long standing, long term readers of COIN NEWS who have watched the hobby, and this magazine, go from strength to strength �in short, people like yourself! That�s great in one way�any hobby needs a bedrock of dedicated followers to keep it going and without you numismatics would have gone the way of the telephone card! But we need new people too and that�s where the problem lies. We know that the Royal Mint has over 100,000 people on its mailing list�people who buy coins regularly. We also know that come the autumn and the release of the Olympic 50 pences, most will vanish as people try to complete the set. We know that coins are newsworthy and that they interest people�you only have to look at the stories surrounding the �undated� 20p or the fake �1 coins or the fact that such respected institutions as the BBC and the Daily Telegraph are even reporting on the potential new composition of our coins (see page 10). That all being the case why don�t we see hundreds of new people coming into the hobby every month? Why is the circulation of COIN NEWS not 100,000 plus (well I can dream can�t I?). Why don�t we see more new faces at coin shows than familiar ones? Quite simply because those people on the Mint�s mailing list, those people who squirrel away the commemorative issues, those people who soak up the news reports so avidly, those people who phone into radio shows every time a coin expert appears would never, ever consider themselves to be coin collectors. But why not? Why don�t they take what is already an interest and take it further? It�s something I simply cannot work out. You could blame us�say we�re not doing enough to attract new collectors; blame the societies and tell them they are too dry and set in their ways to attract new members; blame the dealers and explain to them that they should be encouraging those just starting out as much as those with big money to spend and you might be right. But it isn�t as simple as that. You aren�t going to get these fledgling collectors to buy COIN NEWS or visit a local coin club or even coin fair simply because they don�t consider themselves to be in the same bracket as the people who do. They don�t think of themselves as collectors at all and whilst they may well visit on-line forums from time to time, they often do so simply to find out the value of their coins or find out where they might acquire something they are missing�rarely do they think of themselves in the same way as the others who take part. How then can we persuade them that the act of bringing coins together in a collection makes them a collector? How can we persuade them that they are just like us (whether they like it or not!) and that if they were only to take a more active part in the hobby they could find it very rewarding? I�ve lost count of the number of times people tell me they have coins at home but wouldn�t dream of thinking of themselves as a �collector� �how on earth can we get around that? If you have any ideas please do drop me a line�it�s a problem that�s been on my mind for some time now and, quite frankly it�s beginning to annoy me!

ATC Event Biggin Hill

Phil Mussell — 07/09/2010 11:33:00

A fundraising day is being held at the Air Training Corps, Raf Enclave., Main Road Biggin Hill on Saturday September 18. The event, which will include WWII Vehicles, living history displays, a flight simulator and militaria/collectables stalls, all against a backdrop of 1940s music, goes on from midday until 6pm with a 50p entry fee. For further information - or to take part if you're a dealer - contact Mike van den Dobbelsteen on m.vddobbelsteen@btinternet.com

There is also a 1940s Charity Dance taking place at Biggin Hill that evening with all proceeds going to 2427 (Biggin Hill) Squadron ATC - for tickets or information call 020 84602830 or visit www.stagedoorcanteen.co.uk

Embassy Icon

Phil Mussell — 06/09/2010 12:03:00

A piece of real history EVERY once in a while comes an event so dramatic that it is burned into the collective consciousness. We all have something that we will never forget, depending on our age: some international or national event captured on radio, television or the internet that we will remember forever. It might be Chamberlain’s announcement that “this country is at war with Germany”; Churchill’s exhortation that “never has so much been owed by so many to so few”; the day Kennedy was assassinated; the moon landings; the Challenger space shuttle disaster; the day Mandela was released, maybe the day the Berlin Wall came down or the horrors of 9/11. Every one of these has been important enough to stay with those who witnessed it throughout the years, regardless of what else has happened in their lives. Of course, as I reel out that list of iconic events there is one missing—an event that was to change the way British Forces were seen across the world and a day that has been re-enacted a thousand times across the decades by small boys eager to be heroes. I’m talking about an event that enthralled the country, if not the world, as pictures of it were beamed live by the BBC and we watched in wonderment as the Iranian Embassy Siege was finally brought to an end on May 5, 1980 by the black-clad members of B Squadron Special Air Service. The circumstances of the siege are well known, it has been written about and dramatised many times in the intervening 30 years, not least in the “Special Forces Heroes” television series on Channel Five, and for anyone over the age of 35 with even a vague interest in military (or indeed television) history it has become one of those iconic moments never to be forgotten. Even those too young at the time to know what was really happening (or those not even born) are aware of the siege and few who have ever watched the footage (now available on You Tube—I urge you to watch it again if you haven’t seen it for a while) will ever forget it. The SAS’s reputation was forged on that day and no-one who talks about that elite fighting force can avoid mentioning such an important part of their history. Later this month part of that history will come up for sale at Bonhams in their “For Valour” sale when the QGM, Northern Ireland and Dhofar, Falklands, group of three to Sergeant Tommy Palmer, SAS, comes under the hammer. Tommy was one of three SAS troopers to be awarded the Queen’s Gallantry Medal that day (with one other, and PC Trevor Lock, being awarded the George Medal) and there is little doubt that this is one of the most interesting if not important medal groups to come up for sale for some time. Sgt Palmer was one of the “abseilers” who came down from the roof of the Embassy on May 5 and threw in the first stun grenades. He was one of the first men in action and in fact was almost the first casualty when his abseil rope got caught and he found himself hanging in front of a burning window with his protective clothing catching fire—the hood he wore that day is included in the lot, complete with burns! The rope was eventually cut and Tommy survived to be one of the first into the Embassy killing at least one terrorist. Of course, such a group as this—a gallantry award with a South Atlantic and a Northern Ireland GSM to an SAS trooper—would be beyond the pockets of most of us even were that gallantry award not for the SAS’s most famous action. Factor that in and you’ll understand why I’m not thinking of bidding myself. This should fetch some serious money and with Lord Ashcroft’s stated interest in the Special Forces I would be surprised if he didn’t feature in the bidding somewhere on the day. In short, this is a group few of our readers will get a chance to own (if any of you are in a position to bid then I envy you greatly and wish you luck!) but that doesn’t actually matter. The fact is that this is an amazing group with an amazing story behind it and whilst there are medals that have fetched more in the past, and others that will fetch more in the future, few, I think, have the cachet of being for actions so indelibly printed in our memories, actions we actually witnessed. But that of course is an integral part of what makes our hobby so fascinating. Most of us collectors tend to content ourselves with the “run of the mill” groups—the trios, the singles, all named up to men whom we can’t research as individuals, instead we have to “make do” with Battalion or Regimental histories and, if we’re honest we are quite happy with that. Every now and then we are able to delve further with the research—maybe with medals to an officer or a casualty, but in the main we don’t know too much of the exact circumstances in which the award was won and even if we do the chances of the BBC actually having filmed the whole event are pretty slim . . . So when something like this comes along, something out of our past that immediately conjures up the adrenaline of such a memorable day, we look on with awe and whilst we wish we could afford it ourselves we don’t actually begrudge the future owner his purchase, instead we are happy to be part of a hobby that allows history to come alive in this way. I call it the Top Gear affect and I’ve mentioned it in this “Comment” before—we might drive a Ford Mondeo but that doesn’t stop us coveting the Ferraris or looking at one in envy and admiration as it passes us on the M1. It’s the same with medals—whatever this group makes at Bonhams most of us will be content to look on from the sidelines and remember when we saw those black-clad figures clambering across the Iranian Embassy balcony and think to ourselves that maybe one day we too will be the owners of such a prestigious group—well, we can dream can’t we?

STOP PRESS: The Group made £98,750 at Bonhams on Wednesday October 29 2010

Oh Canada...

Phil Mussell — 03/09/2010 13:23:00

For those of you on that side of the "pond" unable to make it over to this side for the OMRS or Coinex there's always the next Jeffrey Hoare

Numismatic and Militaria Sale taking Place on September 18 and 19 at the Ramada Inn 817 Exeter Road, London, Ontario.

The sale is something of a mixed bag with lots to cater for all collecting tastes from coins through tokens ad banknotes on to militaria - there is also, somewhat unusually, a large collection of "letters of credit" on offer! For full details email jhoare@jeffreyhoare.on.ca or visit www.jeffreyhoare.on.ca

Beautiful art medals

Carol — 25/08/2010 11:12:00

Collectors of post-war art medals will be spoiled for choice with Simmons Gallery's next postal auction. The superb on-line catalogue features medals from all over the world including Britain, France and Germany. Closing date for bids is September 21 and further details are available at www.simmonsgallery.co.uk.

Biggest ever

Phil Mussell — 24/08/2010 11:08:05

Taxing issues

THIS �Comment� has taken many forms over the years�I�ve talked about new coins, old coins, the state of the hobby, coin fairs, banknotes, tokens�you name it, I�ve covered it. However, it is rare that I give out and out advice, preferring instead to offer my opinion�advice gets complicated! In last month�s COIN NEWS I decided that the recent budget had been so important in terms of tax changes that both an opinion on what that meant to coin collectors, and some advice for them, was necessary. Graeme Restorick of Chards had been kind enough to pen a letter regarding the position on VAT and Capital Gains Tax (CGT) for collectors and I decided to use that letter on this page to give our readers an idea of what was going on. Unfortunately whilst Graeme�s letter was very useful it did make a few omissions and, if read wrongly, could have misled one or two readers�as a couple of people pointed out to us shortly after the magazine came out.

With this in mind we went back to Graeme, and asked the advice of a couple of other people �in the know�, and can, this month, clear up a few of the issues that were troubling our correspondents. Before we do that however, I would like to stress that we are NOT tax experts and nothing you read here (or indeed in most other places) should be taken as gospel�this is meant for guideline purposes only and anyone who thinks that there may be an issue is urged to talk to an accountant and/or the tax office! If you get it wrong please don�t blame COIN NEWS!

The key issues omitted last month concerned the assertion that gold coins issued after 1800 were free of VAT. This, according to HM Customs notices 701/21 and 701/21a (do read these if you can, they are very useful), is not strictly the case as it only applies to a gold coin that is of a purity of not less than 900 thousandths (90% or .900) that is, or has been, legal tender in its country of origin, and is �of a description of coin that is normally sold at a price that does not exceed 180% of the open market value of the gold contained in the coin�. Now this will cover most gold coins in our hobby, but there are one or two exceptions and readers should be aware of them�they would include, for example, the 1813 British Military Guinea; some foreign gold coins issued in 18ct, 14ct, 12ct, 9ct gold (or any other sub 90% gold); pattern coins (because they are not legal tender) and �off-metal� gold proofs such as those in the 2002 gold 13-coin Golden Jubilee proof set. The penny from this set would still be legal tender, but gold pennies do not normally sell for under 180% of their intrinsic gold content value, so again this would not be covered. This status can of course change because of the secondary market.

Another point that troubled some was mention of �investment gold bars�, for whilst they are VAT free, as was detailed, the definition of what makes an �investment gold bar� is quite strict�just any old bar won�t do I�m afraid and that wasn�t made clear. To qualify as �investment gold�, a gold bar must be �gold of purity not less than 995 thousandths and that is in the form of a bar, or a wafer, of a weight accepted by the bullion markets�. In other words �home made� bars of the type seen occasionally are not acceptable to the taxman.

These issues are important of course (as is the assertion that certain items were subject to CGT at 28% when it should have read �up to 28%�) but the main concern voiced by those who got in touch was regarding the example of the sale of the Krugerrand�because whilst the maths was correct there was one important omission�this particular example would not have exceeded the �6,000 lower limit set by her Majesty�s Revenue and Customs for an item to attract Capital Gains Tax. Any coin, or indeed set of coins or collection sold for less than �6,000 would NOT attract CGT. Only when a single coin or �set� is sold for more than that does CGT kick in. Below that figure and a coin is considered a chattel and thus free of tax. The whole area becomes a little murky when we talk about selling a �set� of coins compared with a collection: a set which fetched over �6,000 would be liable for CGT (on the profit element as detailed last month) regardless of the individual price of the coins therein (think an 1887 Golden jubilee 11 coin set for example), whereas a �collection� that sold for over �6,000 would not. However, if you decide to sell a �set� over a period of time to one person (i.e. with each coin being sold for less than �6,000 but the whole �set� being worth more, you�ll still be liable for CGT as set out. Then again if you sell it �piecemeal� to different collectors with each coin being sold for less than �6,000 (but the total being more than �6,000) then there would be no liability . . . see, I told you it was complicated!

And all this complication comes before we get into the realms of income tax�which is perhaps something to think about if you�re buying and selling coins on a regular basis! I hope I have made things clearer, but I suspect not, therefore I will urge you once again to get the advice of a professional if you are at all worried. Then again as we have seen, even professionals can make mistakes. So I guess sometimes all you can do is do your best.

Thanks to Edward Baldwin and Seth Freeman of Baldwin�s, Graeme Restorick and Lawrence Chard of Chards and Garry Charman of Format of Birmingham for their help in trying to straighten out this complicated subject!

Rare Civilian Awards

Carol — 20/08/2010 12:57:00

Gavin John Miller and Dean Seaward are the latest civilian recipients of the Queen’s Gallantry Medal. Miller received the award for rescuing a fire fighting colleague from a burning building on November 1, 2003. While attending a fire at an hotel, a fireman fell through the roof of the storeroom into the flames below. Crew Commander Miller entered the storeroom to rescue his colleague. Sadly the colleague he rescued later died and Miller was treated for heat exhaustion and burns but made a full recovery. Firefighter Dean Seaward rescued a family of three from a burning building on November 25, 2008. Using simple ladders, Seaward rescued one adult male before returning along a narrow ridge to rescue the man’s wife and son. Full details are recorded on The London Gazette no. 59498, dated Tuesday July 27, 2010 (Supplement no. 1).

Rare silver dollar sells for $1.2 million in Boston

Carol — 11/08/2010 17:23:00

At the Bowers and Merena "Boston Rarities Sale" on August 7, the rare 1794 silver dollar caused quite a stir when it sold for over one million dollars. With the bidding starting at $750,000, the lot quickly moved up in increments of $50,000 to its astounding final hammer price. The 1794 silver dollar was struck to replace the Spanish, English, Dutch and French coins that dominated local commerce at the time. Only 140 surviving examples of the coin are known throughout the world today. The Boston Rarities sale made a total of $9.2 million dollars.

US Resistance

Phil Mussell — 10/08/2010 10:48:00

It seems it isn't only us Brits who are nervous of change when it comes to our currency - every time a new coin or note issued the papers are full of complaints, full of those saying we ought to leave things as they are and full of people harking back to the good old days. That's as may be but to be fair we do end up using the new coins - even if we don't like them - not so in the States it seems as this BBC story tells us!

All change for change

Phil Mussell — 06/08/2010 13:51:00

Those with an interest in such things will know that our "copper" coinage hasn't been that for some years - the decimal 1p and 2p pieces were in fact bronze but that changed in 1992 when they started being minted in steel coated in copper.

Now the composition of the 5p and 10p piece is changing too with the proclamation of July 22 2010 that states all coins of these denominations will also be made out of "mild steel" - this time coated in nickel. We await to see what these coins will look and feel like and will keep you posted when they start entering circulation - if we spot them that is!

For the full proclamation take a look at the London Gazette Website

Important postal auction

Carol — 04/08/2010 15:33:00

City Coins of South Africa have advised us of an important postal auction they have coming up which was unfortunately too late to include in the Medal News August issue. Their Auction no 60 offers no less than 30 lots of decorations and more than 100 lots of single campaign medals. Don't miss this opportunity to add to your collection! Closing date for all bids is August 27. For more details contact City Coins email: nataliejaffe@citycoins.co.za or log onto www.citycoins.com.

More medals...

Phil Mussell — 04/08/2010 14:05:00

According to the MOD website many more Iraq and Afghanistan medals are about to be awarded....

The reason is a change to the qualifying criteria - formerly 30 days continuous service this has now been changed to 45 days aggregate service. These changes will be backdated to the start of each operation. For full details see the MOD Website

Outstanding result

Phil Mussell — 03/08/2010 15:55:30

Courage under fire

THIS month�s �Letters to the Editor� sees a letter from Richard Leach who feels rather strongly about the inclusion of a Victoria Cross within the honours systems of Australia, Canada and New Zealand. He feels so strongly that they shouldn�t exist (he refers to them as �bogus�) that he is rather upset that we put them in our MEDAL YEARBOOK! His letter has been included in the magazine solely to stimulate debate and I must stress that we do not agree with his sentiments that the institution of Victoria Crosses for Commonwealth countries somehow �reduces� the original award or �insults� those who received it. Of course, the inclusion of the Crosses in the YEARBOOK is inevitable: they are part of the relevant awards systems and therefore cannot be overlooked, however the fact that they exist at all has created a certain amount of consternation in some quarters, both in the UK and in the respective countries themselves, and so maybe the question of their existence should be addressed.

The first of the �new� Victoria Crosses was that for Australia as part of the ongoing revamp of their honours and awards system, started in the 1970s in an attempt to move away from the �colonial� British way of doing things. The Australian medals are indeed very different from the British ones, the designs and ribbons are very distinct and in most cases they bear very little resemblance to the awards made under the previous system�which is why it is perhaps surprising that in 1991 the Australians decided to institute a new pre-eminent award that didn�t just draw influence from an old �Empire� decoration but actually copied it completely�the Australian VC is even made of the same metal as the original Victoria Cross (the cascabels of the Chinese guns captured from the Russians during the Siege of Sebastopol in the Crimea. The New Zealand VC is also cast from the same metal and the Victoria Cross for Canada has a large amount of it in its composition). The Canadians followed their ex-colonial counterparts in 1993 with the institution of the Canadian Victoria Cross and whilst this medal�s design had the Latin Motto Pro Valore rather than the English For Valour (to reflect the bi-lingual nature of the country) and it included metals other than that from the gun cascabels in its make up (principally a Confederation Medal from 1867 and metals mined from across the country), it is still very obviously a VC. New Zealand instituted theirs in 1999 and, like the Australian version, it is true to its origins in every respect. To further cement the ties and confirm that these are very much seen as �proper� Victoria Crosses, any winners of the awards will automatically be welcomed into the very elite Victoria Cross and George Cross Holders Association.

Having established that these are �real� VCs the simple question raised by this is why did these three countries decide to go that way? Obviously there have been many incredibly brave men from Canada, Australia and New Zealand who have won the VC in the past�but they did so under the British Honours system. Surely when new systems were introduced it was right to institute a brand new �highest� honour, wasn�t it? The New Zealanders managed to do it with the George Cross�which is now superseded by the reinvented New Zealand Cross�so why not with the Victoria Cross?

Those in the UK who object to these new Crosses apparently do so because they feel that their existence somehow dilutes the �power� and �importance� of the original; those in the relevant countries who object do so because they feel there is still too much emphasis on the Colonial past, and to institute a Cross that harkens back so obviously to a potent symbol of Empire is to miss the chance to cut ties still further. I am afraid I have no sympathy with the first argument�those few men who will receive the �new� Crosses (and to date there have been just two�one for Australia to Trooper Mark Donaldson and one for New Zealand to Corporal Willie Apiata; no Canadian VCs have been awarded) are no less brave than the men awarded the original, their deeds no less worthy of the award and to suggest that the new Crosses are in some way inferior to the British one is plainly ludicrous. Similarly it has to be accepted that in countries with their own honours systems, even if they share a Monarch, to maintain a �British� award as their highest is clearly not acceptable so something had to change. So to object on the grounds that they simply should have kept what they had holds no water either.

Those who argue that the new Crosses are too reminiscent of the past do have some sympathy from me�but it only goes so far. Yes these Crosses are quite obviously meant to be seen in the same vein as the original and, yes, the VC itself is indeed a symbol of Empirical might that will be unsavoury for some, but all too often change is made for change�s sake and so I will argue that whilst the implications of keeping a Victoria Cross may be distasteful to a few, the vast majority will see it differently.

The Victoria Cross has always been the ultimate symbol of bravery, courage, valour in the face of the enemy�in all the wars, battles and skirmishes fought by British and Empire troops, encounters that have involved millions of men in the last 150 years, only a handful of VCs have ever been awarded�it really is the cr�me de la cr�me. It represents the absolute pinnacle of human bravery and is recognised as such across the globe. Look at it like that and it is small wonder that the Australians, New Zealanders and Canadians want to carry on the tradition and include the VC within their honours systems. Many of their countrymen have won and worn the VC with pride in the past and now others will have the chance to do so again. So Mr Leach, I cannot agree with you that these awards are �bogus�. I see them as part of an ongoing process to recognise the bravest of the brave and to suggest otherwise is, I think, to somehow miss the point.

OMSA Anyone...?

Phil Mussell — 31/07/2010 12:39:00

Once again we're looking forward to our annual "OMSA Pilgrimage" - this year's show is being held in Portland Oregon and, for some reason, Phil has agreed to give a talk...

The event takes place from August 12-15 at the Red Lion Hotel on the River at Jantzen Beach, Portland - for further details see the OMSA website

1 in 36....

Phil Mussell — 27/07/2010 11:05:00

No not the odds of your number coming up in Roulette but rather the estimated number of £1 coins in circulation according to the Telegraph today (July 27). I've always been sceptical of such numbers - after all they are compiled by people who actually monitor £1 coins - and a lot of those are vending machine companies. Why does that make a difference? Well think for a minute - where would you try and palm off a fake if you were unlucky enough to have one? To a shopkeeper or in a machine? Exactly - which gives a skewed view of what's actually happening. Interesting story though -and it keeps coins in the news - have a look at it here.

I think the idea of a complete scrapping of the current £1 coin is a bit far fetched- but I've been wrong before...

Krause 20th Century is here...!

Phil Mussell — 23/07/2010 12:46:00

AT last we have the BRAND NEW 20th Century Krause Catalog of World Coins in stock - those of you who know the Krause works will know how invaluable they are and this one is no exception - order your copy today! Just visit our on-line shop for details

Medal Yearbook 2011 - coming soon

Phil Mussell — 23/07/2010 12:33:00

We'll be going to press with the MEDAL YEARBOOK 2011 in August - ready for publication on September 19 2010. If you have any corrections or amendments do please let us know - you can email me on phil@tokenpublishing.com

Medal Match

Phil Mussell — 23/07/2010 12:31:00

We took the "Medal Match" feature out of MEDAL NEWS as very few entries were coming in for it - since we did we have had lots of people ask when it's coming back....! We're not sure what to do now so it's over to you - do you want it back? Do you have some lonely singles you want to get rid of? Let us know and we'll make a decision....!

Banknote error?

Phil Mussell — 22/07/2010 14:56:00

According to news reports security printers De La Rue, who print banknotes for over 150 countries (including England), have suspended production amidst fears that sub-standard paper has been used. The company has so far refused to confirm whether or not notes using the paper, which "failed to meet certain quality specifications" have entered circulation.

As well as banknotes the printer supplies security documents such as passports however it is understood that the issue of the paper is not one that affects the security aspect.

Chaplain's Medals sell well

Phil Mussell — 20/07/2010 11:27:00

The Medals of Canada's most decorated military Chaplain, Frederick Scott, have sold for CAN$28,000 at the Ontario Salerooms of Jeffrey Hoare Auctions Inc. The group of ten, which included the CMG, DSO and the Royal Canadian Humane Association Sanford medal, were purchased by the Canadian War Museum. For more details have a look here

No Comment!

Phil Mussell — 20/07/2010 10:50:00

The Editor's "Comment" is one of those features that always seems to stimulate debate - many of you are kind enough to tell us how much you like it, others are kind enough to tell us why you don't - and we value both lots of input believe me.

Invariably the subject of the Editor's "Comment" will present itself to us nice and neatly - it will be obvious what we should be talking about and we duly do so - but whilst we do our best to keep our ear to the ground and cover topical subjects of interest to most we are aware that we may well miss something. So if ever you have a subject you believe we should cover do please let us know - we'll see what we can do

York sucess

Phil Mussell — 19/07/2010 11:51:00

Lovely to see so many people at the York Coin Show this past weekend - the Friday was absolutely heaving and whilst Saturday was, inevitably, slower it was still an enjoyable weekend! The next show at the Racecourse isn't until January but we're hoping to get up to Eddie Smith's Leeds show before then - when we're not quite sure - we'll keep you posted...

Perth Mint

Phil Mussell — 19/07/2010 11:34:28

The Taxman and your coin collection

THE budget announcement by the new Coalition Government, on June 22, has put the subject of taxation back into the news. So, this month, in place of my usual �Comment�, GRAEME RESTORICK of Chard (1964) Ltd explains the implications of the new tax rules with regard to coins.

.......................................................

IN the budget it was announced that VAT was to rise from 17.5 to 20 per cent from next January and Capital Gains Tax to rise from 18 to 28 per cent for higher rate taxpayers with immediate effect. These tax increases will obviously have an effect on the price of most goods and services, including many coins, although there are some notable exceptions, as is explained below.

Since January 1, 2000, investment gold has been VAT free throughout the UK and the rest of the European Union. This includes all world gold coins struck after 1800, as well as bars. Partly because of this tax incentive, world gold coins such as Australian Nuggets, Krugerrands and Canadian Maples, as well as older coins such as ducats, 20 franc pieces and sovereigns, amongst many others, have become very popular with collectors and investors. The VAT exempt status of Investment Gold, which is EU wide, is not expected to change in the foreseeable future.

Unfortunately, whilst investment gold is VAT free, it is not necessarily CGT-free. In the UK at least, world gold coins and gold bars are now subject to CGT at the rate of 28 per cent. Although the first �10,100 worth of gains made by an individual in a single tax year is exempt from taxation, all subsequent gains are taxable. This means that if you had, for example, bought some Krugerrands (VAT free) for a total of �50,000 and you later sold them for �75,000, �14,900 of your �25,000 gain would be subject to taxation (assuming you hadn�t already used up your exemption amount for the current financial year). The other bit of bad news is that gains are not index linked to inflation. If you had bought a single Krugerrand for �350 in 1980 and you sold it for �800 in 2010, the difference of �450 would count as a gain for CGT purposes, even though in real terms, you had in fact made a loss.

However, the good news for UK residents who collect British coins is that legal tender sterling coins (including silver Britannias) are CGT exempt. The even better news is that gold coins which are legal tender sterling are also VAT exempt, making them the only coins that are completely tax free. These include all British sovereigns struck after 1837 and gold Britannias, as well as their multiples and fractions. For UK resident collectors specialising in Sovereigns and/or Britannias, this can be of enormous advantage, especially as they expect that there may come a time when they may wish to sell their collection.

Collectors of coins other than sterling and/or modern gold issues may find buying and selling coins a slightly more expensive proposition than was the case before the present budget, as a result of the recent tax increases. However, whilst they do not benefit from the tax advantages to be had from collecting modern British gold, it should not dissuade them from buying those coins which do interest them. Collecting coins is very much a matter of personal taste and most people do not get into the hobby simply to get the best return possible for their investment, and nor should they. If you are one of these collectors however, you need to be aware of the potential consequences of disposing of your collection too quickly if and when the time comes for you to sell it. Having to sell your collection at a future date may already be painful enough, without the added burden of having to pay the taxman a huge sum of money for the privilege for doing so!

.......................................................

I thank Graeme for putting this perplexing subject into perspective for us and I am sure that if any reader still has doubts or uncertainties regarding coins and taxation he would be willing to give advice�but please, ask your friendly local accountant first and then write to him, via the Editor.

York this weekend

Phil Mussell — 12/07/2010 11:28:00

I hope you haven't forgotten that this weekend sees the second of the year's Coin and Medal shows at the Knavesmire Stand of York Racecourse. As always there will be a plethora of dealers offering just about everything a collector could want. And yes the Token Team will be there too!

The fair opens at 11.00am on Friday (10.00am on Saturday) and we hope to see you on one, or both, of the days!

The Standard Catalogue of Provincial Notes of England and Wales is here!

Phil Mussell — 12/07/2010 11:07:00

Although we're officially launching the Catalogue this weekend at York, Roger Outing's fantastic new catalogue is available now! Listing as many provincial notes as have ever come on the market this incredible new work is guaranteed to become THE reference work on this fascinating subject. There is only a limited print run so don't miss out - order yours today!!

Click here for further details!

Lost in the post...

Phil Mussell — 12/07/2010 10:58:00

"Lost" in the postal system between East Anglia & Western France - 1914-15 Trio to Sgt 315783 D. Mc PHERSON. Scottish Horse/Royal Highlanders.

Any information or sightings to; Ron Withers on,ronjudy@free.fr or Philip Burman on,01553 840350

Thanks everyone!

Huge hoard discovered

Phil Mussell — 08/07/2010 11:07:00

News is coming in of the discovery of a hoard of more than 52,000 Roman Coins. The hoard, discovered after a single coin was found and reported by a metal detectorist in Frome, Somerset was first unearthed in April but details are only just emerging now. It is thought that rather than being a hoard hidden and intended for the recovery the coins were in fact part of an offering to the Gods.

More news on the subject will appear in the September issue of COIN NEWS but for more details now see the BBC's website

What? No Medal News?

Phil Mussell — 05/07/2010 11:47:00

Don't forget that the last issue of MEDAL NEWS - the June/July issue featuring "Gettysburg" on the front cover- was a JOINT ISSUE - there is no separate July offering. The next magazine will be the AUGUST issue available at the end of July

Elizabeth Cross for IRA Victim

Phil Mussell — 05/07/2010 11:41:00

The family of the last Soldier to be killed by the IRA during the Troubles in Northern Ireland have been awarded the Elizabeth Cross.

Lance Bombardier Stephen Restorick was killed by an IRA sniper at a checkpoint in Bessbrook, Co Armagh, on February 12, 1997 and in recognition of that sacrifice his parents Rita and John Restorick, from Underwood in Nottinghamshire, were presented with the medal at Nottingham's County Hall.

Read more at the Belfast Telegraph's website

Medal of Honor for living recipient?

Phil Mussell — 02/07/2010 10:28:00

According to the Washington Post the Pentagon has recommended that the Medal of Honor - the US Military's highest Award - be given to a living recipient for the first time since the Vietnam conflict. The Soldier, fighting in the notorious Korengal Valley in Afghanistan apparently ran through a "Wall of Enemy Fire" back in 2007 in an attempt to push back Taliban fighters who were threatening to overrun an American position.At this stage the name of the Soldier is not known but those of you who have read Sebastian Junger's excellent book War about the horrors of the Korengal Valley may well be familiar with the name when it is announced. In the book Junger talks about a soldier named Giunta who dashes through a "Wall of Lead" to rescue a comrade and help secure the position so it may well be him - that's just a guess mind you...!

Added July 5 2010 - it seems someone else has been reading the same book as me. Have a look here

Who next for notes?

Phil Mussell — 02/07/2010 10:18:00

With the phasing out of the "Elgar" note we now have the situation that the £50, £10 and £5 are from one "series" with the £20 from the next - which must mean that somewhere in the corridors of the Bank of England there is someone whose job it is to draw up a shortlist of those figures who will, in time, grace the other new notes when they are finally issued.

Given that we now have a Scotsman on the Bank of England £20 (an oddity considering the Scottish Banks have their own currency and their notes always features Scots) who we wonder will be next to grace the pound in our pockets? Is their room for a Welsh icon perhaps? A Northern Irish "celebrity" anyone? (dear God not Eamon Holmes please).

We await the announcement with interest - although at this stage we have no idea when that announcement may come. Watch this space!

Stop thief - again

Phil Mussell — 30/06/2010 11:13:00

Stolen from a house in Exeter three generations of family medals - a WWII framed group comprising the 39-45 star, Africa Star, Italy Star and War Medal. They were awarded to 14307011 Cpl R Harvey of the Royal Engineers and a named plaque features in the frame.

A framed WWI Trio named to 12642 Sgt C Harvey 2nd Life Guards/MMP.

A framed South Africa (Zulu War) with Egypt/Khedive's Star pair named to T/ 2265 A Harvey ASC.

Any information to the Medal News office please

Farewell to Elgar

Phil Mussell — 30/06/2010 10:41:00

June 30 was the last day you could officially use the Elgar £20 - it was withdrawn from this date and is now fully replaced by the Adam Smith £20 note issued first in 2007.

Personally I feel the loss of one of England's Greats, replaced by a Scot whom few outside the world of Economics had ever heard of before his arrival on our currency, is a great shame - but then what do I know...?

After June 30 you can change your Elgar notes at most banks, even the Post Office but shops are no longer obliged to take them

VC Stolen

Phil Mussell — 29/06/2010 12:20:00

According to press reports the Victoria Cross of L/Sgt Thomas Neely VC MM of the King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regt.) was stolen, along with the MM and his campaign medals, from the Cheshire home of his Great-Nephew Phil Jones on Sunday (June 27). Apparently Mr Jones had only had the Cross for a couple of weeks having been recently given it by his father.

Needless to say such a treasure will not be easy to sell within the medal world but collectors should keep their eyes open just in case.

$1 Million Coin sold

Phil Mussell — 29/06/2010 11:18:00

The World's Largest coin - the100 Kilo half metre wide gold CAN$1Million Maple leaf has sold for US$ 4Million at the Dorotheum Auction House in Austria. Admittedly the price of gold has had much to do with the phenomenal price but you have to ask yourself will this ever actually be melted down for its scrap value? Highly unlikely - what is likely is a rush of copycat giant coins "struck" as other Mints get in on the act. Watch this space!

Stop Thief

Phil Mussell — 25/06/2010 10:12:00

Stolen from a house in Blackler's Cross, Totnes on June 15 2 framed medal groups as follows:

WWI Pair and IGS (Clasps North West Frontier and Waziristan) to Major J. R. C V. Leir

WWI DSO Group to Major (Later Major General) E B Costin of 2/West Yorkshire Regt (The Prince of Wales’ Own).

Details to P C Chris Empson on 01803 860437

Stratford Show 27/06/10

Phil Mussell — 25/06/2010 09:50:00

Yes it's going to be a glorious weekend, yes England face the "Old enemy" Germany in the World Cup on Sunday afternoon but no that does not mean we're going to miss Mark Carter's Stratford Fair at the leisure centre....

It starts at 9.30am (for the preview - all that means is a slightly higher entry fee than "normal" membership) and officially ends at 2.30pm but in reality people start leaving a little earlier so don't worry about kick off! Come in in the morning spend an hour or two wandering round, come and say hello to the Token Team (well Phil anyway) then you can head off in time for a BBQ, a beer and an England Victory.....see you then!

Michael Fryer

Phil Mussell — 25/06/2010 09:47:00

It is with great sadness that we learn of the death of Michale Fryer of Waterloo Militaria. Michael has been a stalwart of the medal scene for many years and, despite recent ill health has still been "stalling out" regularly - at Mark Carter's Stratford Fair, OMRS North and our own Britannia. He will be missed.

A coin of Tipu Sultan

Phil Mussell — 24/06/2010 16:00:03

A golden opportunity

OVER the past few months I have speculated that the forthcoming Olympics is the best opportunity the Royal Mint has ever had to take the bull by the horns and get the general
public interested in collecting coins, using the promised 50 pence programme to stimulate the market in the same way that the American �States Quarters� programme has been so successful in the US. Things started well and while there was no established launch date or timetable for release, we were treated to views of two of the promised 29 designs and were eager to see the rest, but then nothing else happened. No coins were put into circulation and no more designs were seen. The emphasis of the Royal Mint�s marketing seemed to switch to their 2010 circulating designs and, on the Olympic side, the �commemorative crown� Celebration of Britain series was being pushed, leaving us wondering what was happening to the 50 pences. There was speculation that the number of coins was going to be reduced (it had been thought that the idea was to have 29 coins released at the rate of one a month for 29 months leading up to the Olympics but, as time raced by, that was obviously not going to happen), that the designs weren�t working as a series, that the quality of designs received wasn�t up to the high standards of the Mint, or that not enough sports were represented by the designs submitted, meaning the Mint was having to look �in house� to cover the shortfall. But such speculation was just that, it had no basis in truth whatsoever and I can now, without fear of contradiction, state that it was all totally wrong!

Having been fortunate enough to be privy to the designs for the 29 new 50 pence pieces I can now happily report that, while they are all quite different, they do all work together as a series very well and that a large range of Olympic and Paralympic sports are represented�captured by designers who, to my untrained eye, seem to be a nice blend of professional designers/artists and untrained (but obviously gifted) amateurs (the number 29 incidentally is actually the number of different disciplines that will feature in 2012 and nothing to do with a time frame at all). Some of the sports are represented in an obvious and straightforward way, leaving nothing to the imagination, while others have been tackled more subtly but all the designs are artful and tasteful and they all �work�; none jars or offends the sensibilities, they sit nicely together and all have enough gravitas to be worthy of gracing our �coin of the Realm�.

All being well, the first of these coins will be released into circulation in the autumn of this year although, as ever, there is always room for manoeuvre on launch dates and nothing is cast in stone. The idea is to launch them in limited numbers, a few designs at a time, across the whole of the UK, thus giving everyone a chance to collect the full series. But I can guarantee that some will miss out! The reason I say this is not because I don�t believe the Royal Mint capable of delivering on such a project, nor because I believe that the banks won�t be able to circulate them as they should, but rather because I truly think that these coins will disappear into collections as soon as they see the light of day.

Inevitably, with the range of sports covered in the series, some coins will be more popular than others as aficionados of a particular sport are sure to want to hold on to an example of �their� 50 pence, even if they aren�t interested in the series as a whole. This may result in coins representing some of the less popular Olympic events cropping up in change from time to time. But even then I doubt that you will see many of them in circulation. I am not sure of the exact numbers of each coin that the Mint is planning to release, but I have been assured that they will be �limited� and, such is the appeal of these new coins, that means they will disappear, and quickly.

I appreciate that this may all sound a little over the top but, having seen the coins for myself, I really do believe that the Royal Mint has got it right and, just like the Americans, we are soon going to have something in our change that will get people talking, hunting, hoarding. Of course, not every design will appeal�the armchair critics will undoubtedly decry certain depictions of certain sports and there will be those that feel things could have been done differently. That, of course, would be the case no matter what the Mint did, so forgive me if I gloss over those opinions for now and simply say that I like these coins and even if you don�t (and I�m sure there will be one or two you�re not keen on, just as there will be one or two you think controversial and one or two you absolutely love), when you do actually see them you won�t be able to deny that they will serve the purpose that we in the hobby are eager that they should. That purpose is to get the man in the street collecting coins, get him checking through his change and actually noticing these funny little pieces of metal that we seem to have such a fascination for. If he does that, as I think he will, the Royal Mint will have succeeded�and if they go further, as I hope they will in commissioning or producing a range of accessories to complement such a series (folders to keep the coins in, collectors packs, etc.), then we will, I think, see a surge in interest not seen in numismatics for 40 years. After that, I am afraid the rest is up to us as collectors�but more of that in due course!

World's Largest Coin up for grabs

Phil Mussell — 16/06/2010 11:42:00

The World's largest coin the 100kg, half metre wide $1,000,000 Canadian Maple Leaf coin will go on sale at Auction on June 25th . The coin will be sold by Vienna's Dorotheum Auction house and is expected to fetch in excess of $4,000, 000 - we'll keep you posted. For full details see the BBC Website or Dorotheum's own pages

Canada secures VCs

Phil Mussell — 09/06/2010 09:49:00

A year after a controversial auction that saw the Canadian War Museum spending nearly CAN$300,000 to ensure an historic VC did not leave the country the institute has managed to acquire two more crosses - but for somewhat less. The Somme VC of Cpl. Leo Clarke and teh Italain Campaign VC of Lt John Mahoney have both been donated to the museum by the respecive families - despite the potentially huge payday these medals could have brought had they come up for sale on the open market . For the full story see this story in the Vancouver Sun

Brand New Krause available soon!

Phil Mussell — 08/06/2010 15:51:00

The BRAND NEW Standard Catalog of World Coins 1901-2000 will be available very, very soon - to pre-order your copy visit our online shop or call 01404 44166

Missing coins

Phil Mussell — 08/06/2010 11:58:00

According to an American on-line newspaper, the Daily Reckoning, we in Britain have lost a fair few coins since the 1960s. I accept that we now mourn the loss of the farthing, the ha'penny and the threpenny bit but I am amazed that we have also said goodbye to the penny and the two pence - that will come as a shock to many of us....

Have a look here and you'll see what I mean

London Coin Fair - it's on Saturday

Phil Mussell — 03/06/2010 12:09:00

Yes it may be beautiful weather out there, yes we're in Devon and most people are heading west, i.e. our way away from the Capital but not us - no the Token Team is heading East this weekend to attend the second London Coin Fair of the Year, and the second under the auspices of Mike and Lu Veissid. Still held at the popular Holiday Inn, Bloomsbury (just off Russell Square) and still featuring all your favourite dealers this is one not to be missed. SO if you're not heading West on Saturday come and say hello to us in Bloomsbury!

Afghanistan Awards

Phil Mussell — 03/06/2010 11:58:00

Medals awarded for bravery on Afghanistan's front line have been award by Her Majesty the Queen in a ceremony at Buckingham Palace. Among those receiving awards was Rifleman Paul Jacobs who was blinded by a Taliban bomb. He received the George Medal for continuing to protect his colleagues despite his horrific wounds. For the full story see here

Gettysburg

Phil Mussell — 01/06/2010 12:37:39

MEDALS, awards and decorations have been given out for various different reasons over the years. Most people associate them with heroism or participation in a particular war, action or campaign, but we medal collectors know there are many other reasons why a medal might be earned: for long service perhaps, maybe to mark a Royal Visit or to show that the recipient is a good shot or particularly good at his job. Rarely though is a medal awarded for NOT doing something and yet it seems, in these topsy turvey days that such a medal may soon exist.

Apparently, according to various sources, there is a proposal doing the rounds in the Kabul Headquarters of ISAF (the International Security Assistance Force) suggesting that a new medal should be instituted for those on active service who show �Courageous Restraint� in minimising civilian casualties in a war zone. Whilst it appears that such a medal, if it were to be instituted, would probably be for American service personnel (it is apparently being currently considered by the Obama administration), the idea actually seems to have come from Major General Nick Carter - the BRITISH commander in Afghanistan, so it is fairly safe to assume that if such an idea is adopted by the US forces then a similar medal will find its way into the British honours and awards system. The argument for the medal is that today�s battlefields are not as clear cut as once they were, the enemy isn�t as obvious and the men and women who engage that enemy have a far harder job than their predecessors ever did in gauging who they should actually be fighting. As a consequence of this the potential for civilian, non-combatant, casualties is high and therefore those who show courageous restraint in the face of a potential enemy who then turns out not to be, so minimising such casualties, should be rewarded for acting thus. In other words don�t shoot anybody and get a medal . . .

On paper the idea appears to be worthy, it is a reward for those who use their judgement in otherwise hot-headed situations and, thanks to their clear thinking, avoid civilian casualties that would of course be both terrible in human terms but also terrible in the propaganda battle. But in practise such a medal cannot work�or can it?

If such a medal were to be instituted, isn�t that sending out exactly the wrong message? The message I see by even proposing such an award is that the high command believe that the majority of soldiers DON�T act with courageous restraint and in fact are happy to just blast away at anything that moves regardless of consequences. To have to introduce a medal to those who don�t shoot people they shouldn�t is to suggest that most automatically do! Although it might not seem like it at times, war, at least when fought by a legitimate army backed by a State, has rules�those rules include minimising civilian casualties and not just wiping out anyone who gets in the way. Yet the very suggestion of this medal would seem to indicate that such rules are not applied all the time and that when they are they should be officially recognised.

Madness of course, except it might not be�and there may be a case to answer for such a medal.

If you look at the Medal Yearbook you will find a host of medals that are not awarded for heroism or specifically issued to mark a particular battle or war at all. In fact there are dozens of medals that have been awarded over the years that are featured simply because the recipient did what they were meant to do, or was in the place they were meant to be at the time they were meant to be there and did it without making a hash of things and blotting their copy book. In other words they are medals awarded to people just for doing their job. So if the �Medal for Courageous Restraint� does ever come into being (although the negative reaction from the public, and particularly by those actually doing the fighting in Afghanistan, would indicate that it very well may not) might I suggest that it should be automatically awarded to everyone fighting as a matter of course as I have no doubt that every single one of them exhibits a commendable amount of restraint every day they are on the front line, that is their job, it is what they were trained to do and the vast majority do it very well indeed. It won�t make it a particularly valuable medal to us collectors�indeed those groups that don�t contain it will be of more interest than those that do, as there will be a story to tell. But it certainly makes more sense to do it that way round than to single out a few individuals who were just doing what they are supposed to do. After all do that and the implication is that all those who weren�t singled out are somehow guilty of not showing restraint and thus, in effect, are guilty of war crimes. Alternatively the whole idea could be quietly scrapped and the men and women fighting in Afghanistan ad elsewhere could be allowed just to get on with things�I think that might be the better option, don�t you?

Coin Portraits

Phil Mussell — 01/06/2010 12:37:00

Your help is needed I CANNOT quite believe that this issue marks the halfway point of the year—before we know it the York show will be here and gone, the summer will be over and I will be writing in this Comment about the start of another numismatic season in the autumn. Of course, with the new numismatic season comes the launch of our COIN YEARBOOK and that is something we have to think about before the year is halfway over! Most of you will, by now, be familiar with our COIN YEARBOOK—we have been publishing this annual price guide and collectors’ handbook for nearly two decades now and we like to think that each year it gets that little bit better. It has never been intended to be a full-on numismatic catalogue with every single variety and mintmark listed, but rather an easy-to-use guide to the vast majority of pieces found in your average collection, or indeed in the hoards squirrelled away in attics or jam-jars by people who would never consider themselves coin collectors, but in fact have been for years. It has never been a heavyweight tome but nor is it a flimsy throw-away booklet either. It is designed to be referred to regularly, used for a year, and invaluable during that time, and then replaced. But that notwithstanding we do still try to make it the best it can possibly be —we want to give our readers as much useful information as possible for as reasonable a price as possible (you will note, I hope, that we haven’t put the price of the YEARBOOK up in years—it still stands at £9.95 and we are hoping to do the same for 2011). However, making the book as good as it can be not only relies on our production team doing a first rate job but also on finding out from you, the readers, the collectors, the buyers of the book, what you’d like to see included year on year. For 2011 we have a number of new ideas that we would like your opinions on, as well as finding out what things we might have overlooked that you would like included. One of the main areas we are toying with is bringing in a “spiral bound” version of the COIN YEARBOOK — the American Red Book (which we also stock) has both a hardback and a spiral bound version, the latter having the advantage that it lies completely flat when open on a desk, with no damage to the spine. Would that be something of interest to you? We are also looking at “colour coding” the different sections. At the moment all the prices are to be found in the blue- edged sections of the book, but what if we introduced different colours for different types of coins —maybe red edges for Roman Coins, green for Celtic, yellow for Hammered, blue for Milled and black for Modern (as examples). Would that help or hinder you? And what of the Irish, Island and Scottish sections—do you still want those included? Do you want them expanded? Maybe they are just right the way they are. We never get complaints about them, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be improved. Are there perhaps other coins you would like to see included? Is our coverage of the year sets comprehensive enough? What about the Britannias? We have a limited section on them but does it need to be expanded? And what of the gold sections? In such volatile times as these is there merit in including “basic” gold like the “ordinary” sovereigns? We learned a long time ago that to produce quality products for our customers we have to listen to what they want. We now print over 10,000 COIN YEARBOOKS and sell out every year but we can only continue to do that if it is a book that 10,000 or more people want to buy—and they will only want to buy it if it contains the information they are looking for. So please, now is your chance to tell us what you would like included. We’ll be working on it over the summer (we always leave the pricing until last to ensure it is as up to date as possible but the rest of it gets started before the staff start disappearing for their summer holidays), so if you have any suggestions, tips, ideas or indeed (heaven forbid) complaints, then do let us know. We aren’t some “outside” organisation looking to make a quick buck by producing a price guide that no-one wants to buy. We are part of this hobby, we care passionately about this hobby and we want to produce quality publications that will help all of those involved in the hobby. With your help we can continue to do so. You can write to us at the usual Honiton address or contact us via email at info@tokenpublishing.com. We look forward to hearing from you.

The merry month of May

Phil Mussell — 31/05/2010 18:19:00

Since I started with Token back in 1996 I don't think there has been a single month where I haven't been attending one show or another somewhere in the country - or indeed the world - but May 2010 sees the Token Team staying put for once! That's right we aren't doing a single fair anywhere this month but June sees us in London (London Coin Fair June 5), Bromley (Ray Brough's Medal Fair June 6), Birmingham( Motorcycle Museum June 13) and Stratford (Mark Carter's Fair June 27) so don't worry you won't have to miss us for long!

500 Euro Ban

Phil Mussell — 13/05/2010 11:38:00

Apparently 90% of 500 Euro notes used in this country (The UK)are used by money launderers - that's according to the BBC who tell us that now Exchange bureaux will no longer be selling the notes over here.

I have to be honest and say that whilst I don't necessarily agree that such a high proportion of 500 euro notes are used by the criminal fraternity I do question the need for such a denomination in the first place. Surely 100 Euro notes are sufficient? The thought of losing such a large sum is enough to put the "man in the street" off of carrying the, that and the knowledge that if you try to buy your morning croissant with one you will be viewed with a less than favourable eye, so who uses them? The reason for their existence was to help "businesses" but surely any legitimate business wanting to deal with large sums of money would use other means than cash? Just a thought!

Capture of Taku Forts

Phil Mussell — 07/05/2010 14:45:00

Good times As you are reading this editorial, both Spink and Bonhams will have just held what I am sure were very successful sales. These follow on from some excellent auctions at Warwick & Warwick and, as you can read in Market Scene this month, before that there were some superb results at both Bosleys and DNW. Later this month (May) we have Wallis & Wallis, A. F. Brock and Lockdales (who incidentally were NOT the auction house mentioned in Letters to the Editor last month—apologies to them if anyone thought they were); then in early June we have Bosleys again and then Morton & Eden. We also have Baldwin’s keen to develop their medal side (it was good to see them at the recent Britannia Medal Fair), as well as the postal and internet based auctions. Wellington Auctions bi-monthly catalogue is always eagerly awaited by our readers, Neateauctions.co.uk continues to go well and DNW’s desktop sales are going from strength to strength. These are all in addition to eBay and good old Speedbid (don’t forget Speedbid, it may be David to eBay’s Goliath but there are some interesting medals on there). And, of course, you can’t forget the “provincial” non-specialist houses, some of whom, like Mellors & Kirk or Woolley & Wallis, will have sales with large medal sections, whilst others will have gems of medal-related lots hidden within their general sales. In short, there is plenty of choice when it comes to buying at auction—more choice than ever before in fact. But does that mean the traditional dealers are suffering? Does it mean that more and more people are turning towards the auctions to buy or sell, rather than going to the dealers such as Chris Dixon, Chelsea Military Antiques or Phil Burman—long established “names” in the medal world? Far from it—if you look at their stock over the past few months, indeed the stock of most established dealers, you will see that they have offered some phenomenal groups recently. You only had to see the items available at Britannia to realise that whilst the auction houses may be doing well (there was no doubt that the two VCs and Army Large Gold Medal that Spink had on display were the stars of the show), the dealers are easily holding their own with some remarkable items for sale. Yes, there is still a great deal of “standard” stuff around, there always will be, but there really are some lovely choice pieces too and that begs the question —where is it all coming from? And, in turn, who is buying it? I’ve been involved in the medal game for nearly 30 years now and in that time I have seen some simply stunning medals come up for sale at prices which, when I look back on them, seem so very cheap. But in the past couple of years I have seen more quality medals than ever appear in catalogues and lists and, of course, I’ve seen prices rise too. Every month another record seems to be set; every month another glossy catalogue featuring groups that are guaranteed to fetch mega-money lands on my desk; every month another list is perused at length and I am always left in awe at what is on offer and every month I ask where on earth does it come from? The cynics will say that the hobby is so small that it just gets shuffled from one dealer to the next and that the market isn’t as buoyant as it seems. Yes, it is true that you will see things appearing at auction that then appear on a list, and items may well be on one dealer’s website one week and another’s the next. But that’s not new, that’s how dealers make their money: by dealing, and it happens in every area of collecting. What the cynics don’t spot is the fact that those dealers aren’t so foolish as to just keep buying and selling to each other—there wouldn’t be enough money in it, so tight are their margins—so there must be customers out there somewhere who are willing to part with serious money, and so there are. Take the most recent sales for example. Choose an auction house and then choose a few random lots. You may find one or two of them appearing on the tables of dealers at Mark Carter’s next fair or at Britannia, but not many. Most of those lots will go straight into collections and you can pretty much guarantee that you won’t see them again for some considerable time to come. That being the case, I ask again: where is all this wonderful stuff coming from? It might be, of course, that as prices rise so more people, who had been holding onto what they considered to be fairly worthless trinkets, begin to realise that they could make a bob or two. It could be that collectors, eager to buy some of the choicer pieces sell off some of their own items to fund new acquisitions. Whatever the reasons it is gratifying to see so many wonderful groups (and singles of course) being offered up by so many people; it is gratifying to see that they are still selling and that prices are continuing to hold strong, and gratifying to see so many collectors able to add some fantastic items to their collections. In the past 30 years I’ve seen situations where there has been too much stock and too few collectors (or at least collectors willing to spend) and I’ve seen the opposite—too many collectors scrabbling around for too little stock, with the dealers unable to find nice pieces anywhere. Today the balance seems to be spot on. Certainly the dealers will always like to be able to get their hands on more stock, that’s just the nature of the game, but at least what they are getting is superb. The quality of items on offer today is better than I’ve seen in three decades, and all those items seem to be finding homes—this is a great time to be in medals.

Thomson Roddick and Medcalf

Phil Mussell — 29/04/2010 17:13:00

The advert for TRM Military Auctions in the May issue of MEDAL NEWS erroneously gives their next sale dates as June 24 and 25 (it wasn't our fault - honest guvnor...). The sale actually takes place the week before on June 17 and 18.

Don't say we didn't warn you - and don't miss out, they've got some great pieces coming up!

Spink Success

Phil Mussell — 22/04/2010 11:51:00

The two VC groups that Spink had on display at the last Britannia have just sold for no less than £210,000 (hammer £252,000 including premium) EACH! The first - to Major John Knox of the Rifle Brigade was a very early award being for Valour in action during the Crimean War 1854/55. It was sold with his campaign medals and a cannon ball - reputed to be the one that smahed his left arm during the assault on the Redan in June 1855!

The second lot of the day - and the second VC - was a much later award being the posthumous award to Act.Wng. Cmdr Hugh Malcolm Gordon RAF for commanding an attack on Bizerta Airfield in November 1942. Gordon was killed in Action a month later. It was sold with his World War II campaign medals.

The other wonderful group on display at Spink's table at Britannia was the GCB, large Army Gold Medal and Portuguese Order of the Tower and Sword group to Lt-Gen. Kenneth Alexander Howard, Earl of Effingham. This fetched a magnificent £58,000 (hammer - £69,600 including premium)

Look out in the June/July MEDAL NEWS for further highlights including the Battle of Britain DFC group that fetched £150,000 and the unique "Mau Mau Emergency" DCM that fetched £72,000 !

Pondering �progress�

Phil Mussell — 19/04/2010 15:06:00

Comment May 2010

I Was standing behind a gentleman in the queue at my local supermarket last week and was horrified to discover that the reason the simple transaction was taking so long was that he was paying for a £2 lottery scratch card with a debit card. Not a swipe card that requires no interaction you understand but rather a full blown “insert card/remember pin number/enter pin number/wait for transaction/remove card/wait for processing/take receipt” type of card. The whole thing, which could have been over in mere seconds had he reached into his pocket and produced a £2 coin took over a minute—not a great deal of time admittedly but multiply that across every transaction in every supermarket everyday and you will see why we are spending so much of our time queuing! So much simpler, surely, to have some kind of token, equivalent to the value of goods, that you could exchange for those items quickly. If the goods were worth less than the token you could perhaps get smaller tokens as “change” which you could then exchange for other goods later on. Wouldn’t that be quicker, easier, more straightforward than having to stand there pressing buttons and waiting for electronic approval while the people behind you get increasingly irate? I’m being facetious of course, but I think I have a valid point—in this never ending quest to embrace technology we seem to have made things more complicated for ourselves, we seem to have added steps that weren’t there before, and we seem to have forgotten that things that have been around for centuries have been around for so long because they work! Slowly, it seems, technology is replacing many of the things we know and love and while there have been some incredible advances, not everything is necessarily for the better. Just because it’s shiny and new doesn’t mean it has to be preferable to what has gone before, as people are beginning to realise. Take the recent furore about the phasing out of cheques—there was much trumpeting in the press about how the banks were going to get rid of cheques by 2018, then it was realised that actually this might not be practical after all, as even though there are fewer and fewer of them being written every year “fewer” still means millions and for some transactions there is just no viable alternative. For mail order particularly the cheque is a Godsend, not everybody wants to use on-line electronic shopping, few people want to send cash through the post and many baulk at the idea of sending all their credit card details out so openly—in this case, and for things like paying the plumber or decorator, the cheque is ideal. The banks, in their desire to embrace new technology (and save themselves money) hadn’t really thought it through and now it seems they have gone back to the drawing board. And actually I’m rather glad they have. Don’t get me wrong, I am not a Luddite—I have no desire to hang on to the past for the sake of it but I do feel we are in danger of hurtling headlong into the future without considering the consequences. Our hobby is, essentially, one that relies on history—even those who collect new issues do so because they recognise the place new coins have in the history of numismatics and those of us who collect ancient, hammered even pre-decimal milled all know how important our coins are in shaping our knowledge of the past. Often coinage is all that is left of an emperor, an era (without coins the Dark Ages would be even blacker) and they have taught us much. It’s the same with banknotes, or with cheques, issued by long forgotten banks that would have disappeared forever were it not for those little pieces of paper. Our hobby, the things we collect, help us and others understand what has gone before and only by understanding that can we truly appreciate what the future may hold. Now however, there are those who seek to do away with coins, with notes, with cheques, they are eager to see everything done electronically, but to my mind this is incredibly dangerous. Even if you ignore the “Big Brother” implications of having every transaction you ever make noted by somebody somewhere, you cannot ignore the issue of recording the now for those who come later, how much poorer would our understanding of history be if all we had to go on was little slips of paper with numbers on in the style of a credit card receipt rather than coins depicting emperors or goddesses? It’s not just coins and notes of course—we are, I fear, in danger of losing an awful lot to progress. Who, for example, keeps a diary, a proper diary, these days? “Blogs” abound but such is the transient nature of the electronic world that most will, in time, be lost forever, victims of system failures, software upgrades or similar—and as for photos? Well, the rich archive of memories committed to celluloid that make family history come alive for so many won’t be there for future generations—photographs are rarely seen outside of a computer screen these days and I for one think that’s a great shame. Technology is wonderful, it has given us things we could only dream of just a few years ago but being “whizzy” and electronic doesn’t necessarily make it better. There are some things, simple things, that just work—coins and notes work—and if it ain’t broke why fix it? So, nexttime you’re in a supermarket paying by cash remember this—you aren’t just helping preserve our hobby for the future, you’re actually helping to preserve history. Oh, and you will also be helping to preserve the sanity of those behind you in the queue!

Yate? Yep!

Phil Mussell — 19/04/2010 00:09:00

Are you coming to Yate this Sunday? As ever the Token team will be at Mark Carter's Medal Fair at the Leisure Centre Yate on Sunday (April 25th) - 9.30am start for "preview" 10.30am for the "normal opening" (but you wouldn't want that now would you - you might miss something).

Yes we know that it's OMRS North on Sunday too - and we'll be there as well (Phil's doing that one, John and Carol are doing Yate) but that won't affect Mark's show too much - let's face it if you're in the South you'll probably go to Yate - in the North you'll head to Runcorn - only the Midlanders have a dilemma!

Wither way you won't be able to escape from us - we'll see you at one of them!

Coin Quiz

Phil Mussell — 14/04/2010 21:36:00

According to the Payments Council (who? Is this where our Tax goes?) within five years coins and notes will make up less than 50% of transactions. To be honest I'm surprised it isn't lower than that already (see COIN NEWS May...) but the BBC think it's worth a mention, they've even done a quiz- have a look here

Aldershot on Sunday

Phil Mussell — 14/04/2010 15:30:00

Don't forget Mark Carter's Aldershot show this Sunday (April 18th) at the Prince's Hall, Prince's Way, Aldershot. We try to get to at least one a year and this weekend we're heading up the A303 and M3 to Hampshire to attend. As with all of Mark's fairs a good selection of medals and militaria is sure to be on offer - the event starts at 9.30am for "preview" and 10.30am for the regular opening. For those of you who don't know "preview" is open to all - you just pay a little more!

"Youngest MC" since World War II

Phil Mussell — 14/04/2010 15:18:00

18 year old Private Alex Kennedy of the 2nd Battalion The Mercian Regiment has been hailed as the youngest recipient of the Military Cross since World War II. The Full story can be found here.

However no mention is made of young recipients of the Military Medal - we're sure that there must have been at least one or two awarded to soldiers of 18 or under prior to the decoration being made obsolete in 1993 when the MC was made available to all ranks and we would like to hear from readers with any information regarding such awards.

Not that we wish to denigrate the heroism of Pte Kennedy in any way but we do feel that the full story, with all the facts, should be covered!

The Red Book 2011

Phil Mussell — 07/04/2010 11:18:00

For some bizarre reason the Americans like to launch their "annual" price guide some 8 months before the year on the front cover (and we thought we were bad with our Yearbooks launched in September!) which means the 2011 (yes 2011) edition is out now!

We have got stocks of both the usual "hardbound" edition and teh spiral bound version too - order your copy from outr shop!

The role of the RN in NI

Phil Mussell — 01/04/2010 10:12:00

Medal Misconceptions The recent news that bomb disposal expert Staff Sergeant Olaf Schmidt, who was killed in Afghanistan in October 2009, is expected to be awarded a posthumous George Cross spawned a raft of inaccurate reports in some of the UK’s most respected newspapers and on radio and television. That certain amateur websites, run by enthusiasts rather than professional journalists, made errors is one thing but to have such revered organs as the Sunday Telegraph (March 14, 2010) and Daily Telegraph (March 15, 2010) stating that the George Cross was “second only to the Victoria Cross” and still others claiming it to be “the civilian award for Gallantry” is something else. Yes, mistakes do happen (we should know) but there are some fundamental items in a news story that should be correct and all too often the media get it wrong. We’re all used to seeing flagrant disregard for the history or the order of wear of medals and decorations on television and film — examples such as the ribbons sported by Clive Dunn’s Lance Corporal Jones of “Dad’s Army” fame have gone down in medallic folklore so unlikely is the combination (he is seen wearing an 1882 egypt ribbon alongside an IGS 1895, Queen’s Sudan, QSA, KSA, IGS 1908, World War I Trio, and LS&GC, a ribbon that looks like a Royal Visit to either Ceylon or Ireland and a Khedive’s Sudan — admittedly they are in the right order but assuming he had to be at least 16 to fight in egypt he would have been 48 at the outbreak of World War I and 74 in 1940 when the comedy series was set — with a service history to rival any hitherto seen!) but one assumes that news reporters, who are dealing with facts every day, would do their best to get things right. Admittedly we haven’t always got things right here at MEDAL NEWS but unfortunately the level of medallic ignorance amongst the general media beats us hands down, these reports of the George Cross being just the latest in a long, long list, but should we be surprised? The ignorance in the media simply reflects the general ignorance of the public at large, many of whom still assume that a medal, any medal, is solely a bravery award and wouldn’t know an official medal from “bling” if you paid them. The very fact that the SAS “faker” Roger Day (who had his recent conviction quashed thanks to a legal technicality) was able to fool not only his wife but apparently a good number of others, including veterans, with his unlikely display of “gongs” highlights the lack of knowledge amongst those not directly involved in the hobby or the forces. This being the case it is small wonder that the unofficial medal trade has prospered in quite the way it has in recent years—the general public have no real knowledge of what should be worn, and how. Therefore it should come as no surprise that those who seek medallic recognition but who never got it officially resort to purchasing these “commemoratives” in order to show others where they served. Whether or not this actually matters per se is a moot point and the debate would rage long into the night were we to reignite it here. We’re on the fence ourselves, we were responsible, back in the early 1980s, for the design and production of the Bomber Command Medal (through a MEDAL NEWS competition) and don’t regret that decision, however the proliferation of so many “service” medals more recently has led us to feel that it has got a little out of hand—to say the least. But again the question is raised—does that matter? If your goal is actually to be seen by others as having taken part in a particular campaign or action and the Government hasn’t given you a medal for it then buying one must be seen as the next best thing—far better, one assumes, to buy a medal to which you would be entitled were it official than to sport an array of awards that you couldn’t hope to have earned in a month of Sundays à la Mr Day! The point is that, sadly, the general public, or indeed until it’s pointed out to them the media, won’t be any the wiser, and with so many medals having been proudly and legitimately won over the years, often at great personal cost to the recipient, I find that ignorance a great shame. There is not a great deal we can do of course, when such trusted institutions as the Sunday and Daily Telegraph can’t get it right there appears to be little hope that the man in the street is going to wise up any time soon! As already mentioned we at MEDAL NEWS don’t always get it right and our mistake at showing the unofficial Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal (“news & Views”, february 2010) landed us, quite rightly and understandably, in trouble with more than a few readers. However, I still stand by my contention that it is a finer looking medal than the official one and apparently others seem to agree with me — see “Readers Letters” on page 41.

Russian Honours

Phil Mussell — 25/03/2010 11:26:00

According to this story the Russians have once again honoured those who took part in the Arctic Convoys that kept Russia functioning despite the Nazi threat. Such honours have become a bone of contention in recent years with the medals awarded on the 40th anniversary being given the "official" seal of approval to be worn alongside British decorations whilst subsequent awards have been overlooked. What will happen with this latest offering remains to be seen.

Some luck....

Phil Mussell — 25/03/2010 11:22:00

Captain Wayne Owers, who has diffused a record 93 bombs in Afghanistan and has been awarded the QGM says that he only has only survived through "sheer luck" for the full Story see the Telegraph website here

Britannia - another success!

Phil Mussell — 25/03/2010 11:16:00

If you were one of teh hundreds who turned up for the Britanna Show on Sunday March 21st we'd like to extend our thanks for helping to make the show another great success. The dealers all seemed happy, the collectors all seemed happy and the Token Team - well we were happy to - if a little exhausted!

The next fair is on November 21 2010- same place, same time - see you there!

Harrogate and our new book launch!

Phil Mussell — 25/03/2010 11:13:00

Don't forget the Harrogate show -taking place on Friday 26 - Saturday 27 March at the Old Swan Hotel in the beautiful Yorkshire Spa town of Harrogate.

The Token Team (well Phil anyway) are driving all the way up from Devon and we'll be launching our latest book - The East India Company and it's coins with the author on hand to sign copies!

Don't miss out - we'll see you there

Flying the Flag

Phil Mussell — 19/03/2010 12:39:52

An unfair dig?

AN interesting story broke in early March that had coin collectors and metal detectorists all of a lather. A Ludlow woman, Kate Harding, became the first person successfully prosecuted under the Treasure Act 1996 for failing to report a find. She was given a three month conditional discharge and ordered to pay �25 costs after failing to report a 14th century French Piedfort to the County Coroner. On the surface there are a number of worrying aspects to this story for numismatists: firstly the �coin� was, apparently, given to Ms Harding when she was only 9 years old, some 14 years ago�it had been found by her mother some time before that, i.e. before the 1996 Treasure Act came into being, so was it right that she should be prosecuted under that law? Secondly, the Act is quite clear about single coins. It states that any object found, other than a coin, more than 300 years old with a precious metal content of more than 10 per cent must be declared. Single coins, regardless of their composition, are exempt. Coins need only be declared if two or more with a precious metal content of more than 10 per cent or 10 or more (regardless of precious metal content) are found together. In other words why did this single �coin� need to be declared at all? Hasn�t Ms Harding been treated very unfairly? The first point I won�t comment on � the exact date of the find cannot be proven and thus the prosecution was made under the 1996 Act, whether that was right or wrong is not our concern�but what of the need to declare a single coin? Now that is an interesting question. The fact is what Ms Harding actually had was not a coin at all but a piedfort, which were special items designed probably as commemoratives or presentation pieces, being twice the thickness and weight of the standard coin on which they were based. This was not an ordinary circulating coin used to buy the groceries, in fact this is an important piece and one of only four ever to have been found in this country. And that is why it was necessary for her to declare it, not for its monetary but rather its historical value. In fact the real issue here isn�t actually whether she should have declared the find�after all she would not necessarily have known about the 1996 Treasure Act. But whilst ignorance of the law is no defence, one might still feel sympathy for her were it not for one salient point. Ms Harding was only convicted after taking the piedfort to Ludlow museum for identification under the Portable Antiquities Scheme and being told (after further identification by experts at the British Museum) that it was of historical importance and needed to be reported. This, apparently, she refused to do, despite repeated attempts to contact her by the Finds Liaison Officer and the Coroner. So let�s get this straight. Someone goes to a museum where they are told that what they have is important and needs to be declared, but they refuse. They are then repeatedly reminded that they really do need to declare this item and again refuse. Is it any wonder a prosecution was the result?

Needless to say there are those up in arms about the conviction and the on-line community is buzzing with talk of a miscarriage of justice, heavy handed tactics, etc., and there numerous people keen to drum up support for Ms Harding and get her conviction quashed. The same people also seem to be scare-mongering in the coin world telling us that this is just the beginning and soon every find will be snatched by the state and we numismatists will have nothing. We even had emails coming into us at COIN NEWS after we were quoted (rather worryingly verbatim) on the BBC website as saying that Ms Harding�s actions were �bloody stupid� in not declaring the find. The authors of the emails are keen to let us know that they disagreed with what we�d said and that poor Ms Harding couldn�t possibly have known the implications of the Treasure Act.

Well, sorry, in this case we do consider the actions to be �bloody stupid��not because she didn�t declare the item in the first place, not everyone can be expected to know the full Treasure Act (although if you detect regularly you really should read it) and she wouldn�t necessarily have known at first that this wasn�t a coin and therefore should be declared. No, the stupidity has come purely because she was told to do something and didn�t. She was then advised to again and again and still refused. To expect no come-back is na�ve in the extreme, stupid at best.

Of course one of the major issues about declaring an item has always been the fear that the finder will lose out, that somehow the State will snatch away your lovely finds and you will be left with nothing. The fact is that if your item is declared Treasure you may well lose it. It won�t have a place in your collection that�s true, but you won�t lose out entirely. You will get the market value for your find and something is only ever �taken away� because it is believed to be of historical or archaeological importance and is subsequently offered to museums. The Treasure Act isn�t there to rob us, and it certainly isn�t there to �destroy� numismatics, it is there to safeguard the heritage of this country and to allow far more of us to enjoy seeing coins (and other artefacts of course) that we might not necessarily otherwise get to view. But that is actually irrelevant � whether or not you agree with the Treasure Act, whether you think it is good or bad for our hobby really doesn�t matter in this case. What does matter is that if you take something to be identified or valued and someone tells you to declare it, you then get repeated requests from those in authority to do just that then you would be wise to actually do so. Anything else, well that would just be stupid wouldn�t it?

Two George Crosses Awarded

Phil Mussell — 18/03/2010 14:40:00

We knew that there might be one coming but apparently two George Crosses are to be awarded for Gallantry in Afghanistan - both to bomb disposal experts. A Postumous award goes, as expected, to Staff Sergeant Olaf Schmid who was killed in October 2009 whilst the other award is being made to Staff Sergenat Hughes for his work in enabling a minefield rescue

For the full story see here

Two more for Britannia

Phil Mussell — 17/03/2010 16:54:00

We've just added Andrew Litherland and "Scotmint" to the list of dealer's who are "stalling out" at Britanni athis Sunday - not sure where we'll put them but I'm sure they can go somewhere.

Don't forget - Victory Services Club, this Sunday (March 21st) 9.30am - 2.00pm - don't miss out!

Stratford Upon Avon

Phil Mussell — 13/03/2010 14:24:00

Don't forget the first Stratford show of the year - it's on tomorrow at the Leisure centre in Stratford (in the town centre) and is always a good event - as always we'll be there - hope you will too!

9.30 am for preview 10.30 am for the "standard" entry

Canine Hero

Phil Mussell — 10/03/2010 16:56:44

All that glisters . . .

THE recent award of the PDSA�s Dickin Medal, the �Animal VC�, to the bomb search dog Treo serves as a timely reminder that our hobby isn�t always about the more obvious campaign and gallantry medals. The Dickin Medal itself is of course a gallantry award, given to animals whose bravery in the line of duty deserves recognition. Since its inception in 1943 27 dogs, 32 messenger pigeons, three horses and famously one cat (Simon of HMS Amethyst) have been awarded the medal and it remains highly prized by collectors. However, its award does highlight how diverse our hobby is. Yes, it is a gallantry award and, yes, it was awarded for action in a war zone�but it was awarded to an animal�hardly a standard issue gong like most in our collections!

It is all too easy to think of medals purely as �souvenirs� of war given to service personnel as �mementoes� of bravery or deprivation on campaign and whilst it is true that the medals with the really interesting stories attached, those awarded for famous actions or to particularly vicious battles or wars, do fetch the most money at auction or grab the headlines in the press, we must not forget that there is far more to our passion than just them. A quick look at the MEDAL YEARBOOK will reveal that of the 370+ medals in the main section of the book (this discounting the Life Saving, Commonwealth and Unofficial sections), only 48 are gallantry decorations (although some orders are awarded for gallantry of course) and 166 are included in the campaign section to denote action of some kind (this includes the badges, memorial plaque, etc., where appropriate). In other words, well over a third of the book is concerned not with bravery or war per se but rather with medals of commemoration of some kind, be they celebrating long service, Royal Coronations or Jubilees (sorry about that mistake last month!), good shooting or anniversaries of the award of other medals! And the recipients are as diverse as the medals themselves. We have medals awarded to children; medals issued to women starving themselves in the name of equality and emancipation; medals issued to members of the Royal Household and Royal messengers; medals awarded to those who excel in the fields of science or art; medals for nurses, prison officers, policemen, the fire brigade and for �loyal� government servants; medals for recruiters; medals for service in a motoring organisation and of course medals awarded to animals.

Ask any non-collector about medals and the VC will, naturally, be uppermost on their mind as bravery is what they normally associate medals with. Few, I suspect, will think about an independence medal or Coronation gong and yet often it is these very medals, the innocuous ones that hang around amongst bigger, more important-looking awards that actually make our hobby so much more interesting. It is all too easy to forget that those medals that come after page 205 of the YEARBOOK all have a story to tell too. Of course, most of us will gravitate towards the conventional campaign or gallantry collecting and many of us will not really consider the �miscellaneous medals� as important parts of the group at all. But consider this: a World War I trio or QSA/KSA pair with an LS&GC attached might not have the romance of an MC group, but the inclusion of that long service medal tells us much about a man who had to serve for a long time (21 years in the case of the early Victorian Army or Navy) often enduring terrible conditions. A bravery award can be won in a hot-headed instant but a long runner can only be achieved after years of level-headed slog. A �Royal Visit� medal can pinpoint the recipient�s historical location just as assuredly as any gallantry award. A Polar medal will speak of conditions just as harsh as those endured on many campaigns and a good shooting medal will tell of training and dedication on a par to that of any soldier in battle. Yes, it is true that the �hot-headed� bravery awards have the romance factor and the good old campaign medals have the research advantage, but don�t forget the quirky ones, the unconventional ones, they have a story to tell too!

Read more about the �unconventional� MSM in the second of Ian McInness� excellent series of articles on page 14 and, of course, don�t forget there will be a fine array of �miscellany� on offer at the Britannia Medal Fair on March 21. For a full list of dealers attending and for more details see pages 28-29. It�s not too late to send in your �wants� on the form that appeared in last month�s MEDAL NEWS.

New Medal for holocaust survivors

Phil Mussell — 09/03/2010 21:17:00

According to news reports a new medal honouring "ordinary Britons" who helped save Jews from the Holocaust has been presented to two men (with 26 posthumous awards) by Gordon Brown. We'll try to find more about this story in the next few days - in the mean time the BBC report can be found here but don't be fooled by the picture that's a Knight's Batchelor's Badge (KB) that Sir Nicholas is holding!

Canada to go plastic

Phil Mussell — 08/03/2010 12:46:00

It has recently been announced that Canada will be the latest nation to introduce the harder wearing polymer notes into circulation. Anyone who has ever holidayed in Australia will be familiar with these almost indestructible notes which last far longer than their "paper" (actually cotton) counterparts and are far more difficult to forge. For the full story see here

Elgar �20 to be withdrawn

Phil Mussell — 08/03/2010 12:41:00

It was, of course, inevitable - the Elgar £20 note first introduced in 1999 is to be withdrawn from circulation on June 30 2010. After that date it will cease to have "legal tender" status meaning there will be no obligation on the part of retailers to accept is as payment. Old notes will, of course, be able to be exchanged at most banks far into the future and the Bank of England is obliged to exchange any of their issued notes regardless of their age. In fact the Bank of England will still give you £5 for an old white fiver - but you'd be nuts to take them up on that one!

When is a coin not a coin...? When it's treasure of course

Phil Mussell — 04/03/2010 15:20:00

The story of the Ludlow woman who took a "coin" into her local museum, was told it was of historical significance and that she should hand it in but didn't - incurring the wrath of the Coroner and a subsequent criminal record has split the numismatic world.

Were the authorities just being jobsworths or was Kate Harding pushing her luck? After all she'd taken it to a museum so the authorities were aware of the coin (actually a French piedfort) so to not follow it up by declaring it, even when she was told too was pretty silly - wasn't it?

Have a look at the story here and tell us what you think. Yes I was taken out of context but the crux of my argument is still valid!

Timely Auction

Carol — 01/03/2010 16:41:00

Timeline Auctions very first catalogue has arrived on the Editor's desk and very impressive it is too! This beautifully put together catalogue for their coins and antiquities sale on March 19 arrived too late for inclusion in the March issue of Coin News but it warrants a mention here. For catalogue details or view consigned items go to www.timelineauctions.com

New Look for Jersey's notes

Phil Mussell — 23/02/2010 12:47:00

Jeresy's banknotes are being given a radical new make over - the first re-design in 21 years!

For the full story see here

The Olympic Coins....

Phil Mussell — 22/02/2010 14:09:00

Looking to the future . . . THE imminent arrival of the “biggest coin programme since decimalisation” (the Olympic 50 pences) inevitably throws up questions about coins, coin collecting and, more importantly, coin collectors themselves. We all know why the majority of us started—we started way back in the days when there were such things as rare dates, errors, mint marks and die flaws, the days when getting a handful of change elicited great excitement and much poring and sorting. Those were the days when a pocketful of pennies could have included the effigies of five monarchs and when a simple thing like a different date on a coin would have had us jumping for joy. Today’s collectors can only get that joy from buying from dealers, auction houses or on the internet, and the surprises have all disappeared as every coin is catalogued and priced accordingly. Apart from the recent 20p “error” there has been little to excite the average collector in his pocket change since the last of the pre-decimals were phased out, and that has had a fundamental affect on our hobby. Whether we like it or not there are far fewer young collectors now than there were 40 years ago and whilst much of the blame for that can be put at the feet of all the other activities young people can now partake in, some of the responsibility has to lie with the whole decimalisation programme that robbed us of much of the variety that had made our hobby so interesting. With the 50 pence programme—full details of which we will give you as soon as we have them, I promise (we do know the next coin features cycling as the theme and has been designed by Yorkshire teenager Theo Crutchley-Mack, but when it will be issued is still a mystery!)—the Royal Mint hopes to stimulate the collectors once again by giving a new generation a reason to check their change and start sorting through their pockets and purses. Having spoken to the Royal Mint we are assured that there will be collectors packs, folders, etc., etc., made available so that the school children of the 21st century can have as much fun as we did searching for those elusive last few coins to complete the series and, hopefully, this will lead them on to collecting more in the future. The idea behind this programme is not just to get everyone looking out for the latest 50p but rather to get them to appreciate our coins in general—who knows where that may lead! But perhaps it isn’t as simple as that. Perhaps we’ll never get back to the heady days of pre-decimalisation and maybe to hope for such a return is to hope in vain. Whether we like it or not the “younger generation” just are not the same as we were, collecting just doesn’t feature like once it did. Oh, certainly they have their fads: they’ll collect football stickers, pokemon cards (or whatever the latest trend is), but these are flash-in-the-pan, five minute wonders, as quickly forgotten as they were once enthused about. It seems that collecting, OK hoarding, as we knew it, just isn’t part of the 21st century psyche if you are under 30! If that’s the case is the Royal Mint wasting millions on a coin programme that just won’t work or is there hope after all? If you look at the US Quarters programme, the benchmark for any such release as this, you will see that it has actually been phenomenally successful and even though American teenagers are much like our own, when it comes to their leisure habits somehow the US Treasury has done the unthinkable and has actually created new collectors. Will the Royal Mint be able to do the same? There is another possibility of course, one that hasn’t really been considered, and that is the chance that these coins will prove popular not as a series but as individual pieces, with those interested in cycling eager to pick up as many cycling coins as possible, those interested in swimming doing the same for their sport (I am assuming swimming will feature somewhere) and so on, with each new release being eagerly awaited not by the series collectors but rather by those who have a vested interest in the sport depicted. You may think this far fetched but there are mints across the world making vast amounts of money by milking the thematics market, so why should the Royal Mint be any different? Of course, all this is conjecture, we don’t know how successful the programme will be, but one thing is certain, in one way or another it will surprise us all. Collectors in the UK are an odd bunch (yes we are) and there is no accounting for what they’ll do—look at the silver Britannia series for example, originally struck as bullion coinage with no immediate collecting potential but it is proving more and more popular, so much so that we are going to have to add a Britannia section to the next Coin Yearbook! With this in mind I can pretty much guarantee that no matter what we all think the Olympic 50 pence programme will deliver, it will probably do something else entirely. I can’t wait to find out what!

Money Laundering

Phil Mussell — 16/02/2010 12:10:00

Well this is different....

Chilean error

Phil Mussell — 12/02/2010 09:32:00

The recent "dateless" 20p showed that even an institution as rigid about standards as the Royal Mint can get things wrong - but it's doubtful that they, or indeed most national Mints would make the mistake discovered in Chile recently - somehow they actually managed to get the name of their country wrong!

News reports on February 12 indicate that the general manager of the Chilean Mint, Gregorio Iniguez, and several other employees have been dismissed after it was discovered that "thousands" of 50 peso coins (equivalent to about 6p) were issued in 2008 with the country misspelled C H I I E rather than C H I L E.

Needless to say the coins have rapidly become collectors items and the Mint has not withdrawn them from circulation.

New Olympic design announced.

Phil Mussell — 10/02/2010 10:00:00

The next Olympic 50p design has been unveiled - depicting "Cycling" as the sport the coin was designed by 16 Year Old Theo Crutchley-Mack from Halifax. There's still no news as to the exact date of the launch of this new programme nor how many of each coin will be issued but we will keep you informed I promise!

Dickin Medal Awarded

Phil Mussell — 08/02/2010 08:18:00

A "bomb sniffer" dog working in Afghanistan is to be honoured with the "animals" VC - the Dickin Medal.

Princess Alexandra will award black Labrador Treo the Dickin Medal at the Imperial War Museum,making him the 63rd animal to have won the award since its institution in 1943 and thr 26th canine recipient. The last, Sadie, also a black Labrador, was also awarded the medal for work in Afghanistan back in 2005.

For the full story see here

Brazil's new notes

Phil Mussell — 04/02/2010 12:10:00

Brazil's Central Bank has unveiled new banknotes with superior print quality and new security features to prevent counterfeiting.

The new bills unveiled Wednesday are in denominations of 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 reais, Xinhua reported.

The new notes have different sizes and notches so that they can be easily identified by touch.

Central Bank governor Henrique Meirelles said technological upgrading is needed to make counterfeiting more difficult.

New notes of 50 and 100 reais will start circulating in the first half of 2010, while those of lesser face value will be phased in by 2012.

Those currently in circulation remain valid until complete replacement, so people do not need to rush for new notes, said Meirelles.

Krause 1801-1900 AT LAST!!

Phil Mussell — 02/02/2010 17:04:00

Yes after seemingly months of waiting the BRAND NEW Standard Catalog of World Coins 1801-1900 is now available. We have them in stock NOW so order yours today - click here for details

Another record smashed

Phil Mussell — 01/02/2010 16:54:38

Nothing new...

MANY of you will have seen the recent news concerning the �soldier� Roger Day who appeared at an Armistice Day parade in Warwickshire sporting a chest-full of medals and proudly wearing an SAS beret and insignia. Those of us in the know instantly spotted that this character couldn�t possibly be entitled to most of the gongs he wore (which included a DSO with MID emblem, an MC with MID emblem, a QGM, an MM, a DCM an MSM, various campaign medals amongst which was the South Atlantic Medal and Gulf War Medal, some foreign awards and an LS&GC!), or if he was he should have been very famous indeed. Putting two and two together it didn�t take a genius to realise that if he wasn�t entitled to most of them, the chances were he wasn�t entitled to any. Indeed, so it proved and this latter day �Walter Mitty� with no military service experience at all was recently sentenced at Nuneaton Magistrates Court to 60 hours community service after pleading guilty, under Section 197 of the Military Act 1955, to unlawfully using military decoration�claiming that he had only started the deception to impress his third wife.

Now such bizarre characters as this are not unheard of, indeed in the US, where veterans enjoy certain privileges, the problem of �imposters� became widespread enough to warrant the introduction of the Stolen Valor (sic) Act of 2005, which addresses the unauthorised wear, manufacture, sale or claim of any military decorations or medals�an act that had US collectors worried for some time until its purpose was clarified. What is interesting is that all these oddballs, British, American, whoever, seem to claim membership of some Special Forces outfit such as the SAS or Navy Seals. Either that or, as in Mr Day�s case, they seem to sport a particularly impressive combination of awards and decorations. If they are wearing just one or two medals you can bet they�ll be biggies: the Congressional Medal of Honor perhaps or, as in the case of the man who introduced himself to me at the York Coin and Medal Fair last summer, the Victoria Cross itself (I was pleased and proud to meet him until I quickly realised he couldn�t possibly be who he claimed to be). No-one, apparently, fantasises about being in the Army Pay Corps and being awarded a long runner . . . ! As a rule of thumb you can more or less guarantee that those who talk at length about their exploits in the Special Forces and the awards they won therein aren�t worth listening to. Those that keep mum are the ones with the real stories to tell.

Now you may believe that, whilst not unusual, such �Walts� are a relatively modern phenomenon� but actually you would be wrong, as the following excerpt from the Gloucesteshire Echo, sent in by reader Mick Kippin shows:

A tall, well-setup man named George Roberts was placed in the dock at the Cheltenham Police Court on Thursday morning charged with wearing military decorations without authority. He was stated to be on the Army Reserve and to be 38 years of age.

Capt E. B.Towse, who conducted the prosecution, said the decorations which the prisoner was found wearing consisted of the ribbons of the Victoria Cross, the Distinguished Conduct Medal, the Military Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Mons Star, one red and three blue chevrons and nine wound stripes. He also wore the uniform of a regimental sergeant-major, and was masquerading as such when he was seen at Gloucester on the 28th August by the Military Foot Police. On the 30th he (Capt Towse) saw the prisoner himself in the city, interrogated him and finding that he could not give satisfactory answers, he brought him to Cheltenham. There, as he was being taken into the Police Station, Supt Hopkins recognised him as a man who had served several terms of imprisonment for various offences.

Inquiries went to show that the prisoner joined the Gloucestershire Regiment in 1914, but afterwards deserted and joined the Yorkshire & Lancashire Regiment. From that he was discharged to the Army Reserve. Therefore, not only was he not entitled to the decorations he was wearing, but he had no right even to be in uniform. The only decoration he was entitled to wear was one chevron and one wound stripe. Capt Towse said the authorities looked upon the offence as a very serious one and asked for the full penalty of imprisonment.

The prisoner pleaded guilty to the charge and admitted previous convictions at Birmingham, Gloucester and Cambridge for house-breaking and theft for which he had served terms of 9 months, 12 months and 3 months respectively. He was now sentenced to six months hard labour.

This was from the Echo�s report of September 5, 1918�it seems that there really is nothing new under the sun. I wonder how Mr Day would have coped with hard labour...?

THOMSON, RODDICK & MEDCALF - OCTOBER 23, 2009

Phil Mussell — 30/01/2010 09:00:00

Market scene October - December 2009

The sheer number of sales in October, November and December 2009 means that we aren't able to accommodate full reports for each within the pages of MEDAL NEWS therefore we have highlights within the magazine with the full reports appearing here:

Thomson Roddick & Medcalf, the Carlisle auctioneers, included a smaller number than usual (46) of medal or medal-related lots in their October sale in Shaddongate.

An impressive group comprised Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath, Crimea Medal clasp Sebastopol, Turkish Crimea, Jubilee Medal 1887 to Lt John Ommanney Hopkins, RN [524]; the catalogue provided brief biographical details, including the fact that he was promoted Admiral in 1896, and was at one time C-in-C of the American and West Indies, and later the Mediterranean, Fleets. This easily beat the top estimate of £2,500 to reach £4,025 (including buyers’ premium of 15 per cent).

Among the World War I lots was a Military Medal (GV), British War & Victory Medals to (Sgt) R. C. Bourhill, 52/King’s Regiment [501]. Presented in a wooden frame with a photograph, the medals were, unusually, accompanied by a document setting out the impressive citation for his gallantry on September 1, 1918. This was not enough, however, to ensure that the lot met its lower estimate of £800, and it sold for £750 (hammer, £863 in total). Even more interesting was Lot 541, which was catalogued as a BWM & VM pair to Lt P. Broatch, 23/Northumberland Fusiliers, who was recorded as having been awarded the Military Cross in 1917. It was estimated at £50–80, but the Military Cross came to light after the catalogue was printed; it was sold with the pair, and the lot made £1,495. Territorial Force War Medals, even as singles, are usually popular, and the medal to Pte W. Barton, Wiltshire Regiment [518], realised the top estimate of £150 (hammer, £173 in all). Probably the most impressive sale of the day in relative terms was the 1914–15 Star Trio, Scroll and Memorial Plaque to Pte William Henry Wilson, 11/Border Regiment, who was killed on July 1, 1916 [544]. This battalion was recruited mainly from the Westmoreland area, and the lot was therefore a local group for TRM, so the estimate of £200–300 was surely a misjudgement. 1914–15 Star Trios to First Day of the Somme fatal casualties have been selling for £450–500, and this lot was bid up to £1,093; it was an exceptional price, but probably reflected the unusual completeness of medals, plaque and scroll, and the local connection.

An attractive World War II group consisting of General Service Medal 1918 clasp Palestine, 1939–45/Africa/Italy Stars, Defence & War Medals (MiD), Croix de Guerre, Dunkirk Medal, to Tpr H. L. Turrell, 11th Hussars [514]. As the group was mounted as worn, it appeared to be worthy of detailed research (neither the MiD nor the Croix de Guerre was catalogued with an award date), but it did not appeal hugely to the bidders, achieving no more than £190 (hammer, £219 in all) against a bottom estimate of £240. The same fate met the Queen’s Korea and UN Korea pair to J. E. Brown, SM RN [510], which had a lower estimate of £120, but which was knocked down at £95 (£110 in all).

Lockdales November15 2009

Phil Mussell — 30/01/2010 09:00:00

Market scene October - December 2009

Sale number 75 from Lockdales included a medals and militaria section comprising 354 lots, of which 181 were medal or medal-related lots.

The sale included two Waterloo Medals which were interesting for different reasons. The medal to Robert Hill, 1/52nd Foot [Lot 1291], just beat its top estimate of £1,900 to make £2,345 (including the buyer’s premium of 17.25 per cent), in spite of his entitlement to an absent seven-clasp Military General Service Medal. The other Waterloo Medal [1293] was clearly catalogued as “renamed” to “Wm Walker, 43’d Reg’t Volunteers”; with a top estimate of £350, it sold, amazingly, for £516.

Unusually, several lots of apparently attractive Victorian medals failed to sell, despite having realistic estimates, but others achieved good results, one of which was the Crimea Medal with four clasps, Long Service Medal and Turkish Crimea Medal to Thomas Griffiths [1179]; the Crimea Medal was catalogued as “neatly and contemporarily engraved in upright serif capitals” to him in the 13th Light Dragoons; the Long Service Medal was impressed to 18th Hussars. The catalogue recorded that this group was last auctioned at Spink (April 2007, when it sold for £2,400 hammer). Clearly the successful bidder was convinced of the genuineness of the medals, and of Griffiths as a “Charger”, paying the bottom estimate of £3,000 (hammer, £3,518 in total). Another good Victorian lot that found a buyer was an Indian Mutiny Medal with clasps Lucknow, Relief Of Lucknow, to George Reynolds, 1/23rd Fusiliers [1173]; although it did not make its bottom estimate of £450, it got as far as £420 (hammer, £492 altogether). A South Africa Medal 1877 clasp 1879 to Pte J. Clarke, 2/4th Foot [1248], appeared to have a high estimate at £420–430, but it was bought for £425 hammer (£498 in all). An 1882 Egypt Medal and Khedive’s Star pair awarded to Leading Seaman H. Walters, HMS Inconstant, in NEF condition [1100], sold for the bottom estimate of £200 (£235 in total). A well researched group comprised Lot 1106: Queen’s South Africa Medal clasps Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal (Pte, 1/Suffolk Regiment) and 1914–15 Star (Pte, Essex Regiment) to George Fleming; sold with a variety of ephemera and documentation it easily beat its top estimate of £250 to realise £352. A single QSA clasps Cape Colony, Orange Free State to Pte J. Carter, 2/Grenadier Guards [1220], who was wounded at Senekal, came in mid-estimate at £135 (hammer, £158 with premium).Yet another QSA with clasps Cape Colony, Wepener, Transvaal, Wittebergen appeared in this sale, named Edmund Keighley, 1/Brabants Horse [1216]; several QSAs with these clasps have been on the market in the last year, the most recent being to ORC W. Harrington, Brabant’s Horse, which achieved £380 (hammer) at Bosleys in September, and to Pte J. J. Cronin, Cape Mounted Rifles, which made £360 (hammer) at Bonhams in July. Keighley’s medal, with a top estimate of £320, sold for £380 (hammer, £446 in total), confirming the market price for these relatively scarce medals.

As usual, Lockdales offered a large number of diverse World War I lots. There is still a strong market for even single medals to fatal casualties of World War I, and this was exemplified by the British War Medal to John Brown, 1/Black Watch, who was killed in action in October 1914 [1055]; with a top estimate of £35 it made as much as £53. 1914 Star & Bar Trios are even more popular, as witnessed by Lot 1200, to Arthur Archer, a reservist in 1/Northamptonshire Regiment, killed in January 1915; the top estimate was £225, but it achieved £270. Lot 1007 was an attractive 1914–15 Star Trio to 2/Lt C. Bellamy, 2/King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (Pte, Rifle Brigade on the Star); Bellamy was commissioned in December 1917, and was also stated to have served in the Royal Air Force. Worthy of much more research, this group sold mid-estimate for £115 (hammer, £135 in total). Another 1914–15 Star Trio, this time to the Royal Navy and with a service record, was awarded to A. G. Barton [1019]; it reached the bottom estimate of £75 (hammer, £88 in all). A really fine and researchable British War & Victory Medal pair, Memorial Plaque and Scroll, was awarded to Job Munford, 1/Essex Regiment, who was killed in April 1917 [1066]; he came from Shelfanger (north of Diss), Norfolk, almost local for Lockdales, and the top estimate of £150 was easily overtaken with the successful bidder paying £235. Another fatal casualty group to beat its top estimate (of £250) was the 1914–15 Star Trio and Scroll to Frank Emms, 1/5th North Staffordshire Regiment [1199], who was killed in April 1916; together with various documents and ephemera it was bid up to £317. The BWM/VM pair and Medaille de la Rheine Elisabeth to VAD M. Kirkham [1307] was accompanied by a photograph album of wounded soldiers, and cleared its top estimate of £200 to sell for £363.

An intriguing group comprised 1914–15 Star Trio (Pte, 18th Hussars), India General Service Medal 1908 clasp North West Frontier 1930–31 (S-Sgt, IASC) and Indian Army Long Service Medal (Sub-Conductor) to F. Berry [1154]. The intriguing aspect was the inclusion in the lot of a group of miniatures which included 1939–45/Africa Stars, India Service Medal and War Medal. Together with a great deal of supporting documentation, the lot easily beat its top estimate of £250 to reach £399. Lot 1194 was worthy of much greater research, connecting as it did the two World Wars; it was awarded to William Joseph Jarvis, and consisted of 1914–15 Star Trio, Long Service Medal (HMS Marlborough), Naval Good Shooting Medal (HMS Bonaventure), 1939–45/Atlantic Stars, War Medal (as well as three Chatham Port Shooting medals). The lot included a service record, and although the medals were polished, the successful bidder had to pay £492 against a top estimate of £400.

A World War II group comprising 1939–45 Star, Defence & War Medals, Efficiency Medal clasp Territorial (GVI), Dunkirk Medal, King Albert 1 FRVRA–KVVKA Veterans’ Medal (Belgium) was awarded to William Alfred Bright, RA [1097); although the catalogue recorded that the group was accompanied by research, the top estimate of £90 was presumably low as the medals were polished, but the lot was bid up to £164, clearly a desirable buy even in this condition.

Of the post-war medals, a General Service Medal 1962 clasp Northern Ireland to L/Cpl S. C. Harris, Queen’s Lancashire Regiment [1086], possibly because of its edge knock, failed to reach its bottom estimate of £65, making £60 (hammer, £70 in all). Similarly an unusual (and unresearched) GSM 1918 with clasps Palestine 1945–48, Cyprus to Gunner F. Wiles, RA [1158], also achieved its bottom estimate of £75 (£88 total).

There was very little gallantry material in this sale, but the Military Medal and 1914 Star Trio to T/Sgt H. Barrell, 54/F Coy RE [1185], catalogued as in mint condition, and unresearched apart from the London Gazette date, was bid up to a mid-estimate of £450 (hammer, £528 altogether).

Spink November 19 2009

Phil Mussell — 30/01/2010 09:00:00

Market scene October - December 2009

Spink auction “Sherrishitti 9033” began with a section of gallantry medals, of which Lot 1 was a real bang: the Victoria Cross group to F/Lt William Reid, RAFVR (1921–2001), comprising the Cross, 1939–45/Air Crew Europe Stars, War Medal, Coronation 1953, Jubilee 1977. He won his Cross for superb courage and leadership in 61 Squadron; his Lancaster was crippled by two fighter attacks during a raid on Dusseldorf on November 3, 1943. Although wounded and with his windscreen smashed, he succeeded in dropping his bombs, and eventually piloted the aircraft back to the UK, an incredible feat of skill and determination. He was later transferred to 617 Squadron, and on a raid near Rheims on July 31, 1944 a bomb from another aircraft dropped on his, splitting it in two, and he baled out, ending up as a prisoner of war. The selling price was clearly going to be high, but it reached an astonishing £290,000 hammer, £348,000 including the buyer’s premium of 20 per cent. It has been reported that the purchaser was Melissa John, who bought the group in memory of her late brother, Christopher John, a collector of Royal Air Force medals, whose ambition was to own a Victoria Cross.

Lot 2 was almost a Victoria Cross group, but the VC was a copy, as was the South Africa Medal 1877, but the Queen’s South Africa Medal clasps Cape Colony, South Africa 1902, named for Francis Fitzpatrick, VC, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders was genuine. Fitzpatrick (1859–1933) had been awarded his Cross when he was in the 94th Foot for saving the life of an officer in the attack on Sekukuni’s Town, November 1879. He sold his original pair sometime before 1906 (these medals are now held by the National Army Museum), but was known to wear this particular trio in later life in Belfast, which, estimated at £4,000–6,000, made £5,500 (hammer, £6,600 in total). The splendid group awarded to Lt-Gen James Conolly (1818–85) [Lot 4], who distinguished himself in the charge of the Heavy Brigade at Balaklava, comprised Commander of the Bath, Crimea Medal clasps Balaklava, Inkermann, Sebastopol (named Cavalry Staff), French Legion d’Honneur, Turkish Order of the Medidjie, Turkish Crimea. Conolly was a Captain at the time of the charge and was General Scarlett’s Brigade-Major; having been ordered by Scarlett to bring up reinforcements, Conolly managed to attach himself to a troop of the Inniskillings, and took part in the action. The group reached its bottom estimate of £6,000 (hammer, £7,200 in total). Another superb group comprised Order of St Michael & St George; India General Service Medal 1854 clasp Hazara 1888, India Medal 1895 clasp Punjab Frontier 1897–98, QSA clasps Cape Colony, Transvaal, Wittebergen, King’s South Africa Medal two clasps, 1914–15 Star Trio (MiD), Delhi Durbar 1911 [6], named for Colonel Thomas Daly, RAMC (1861–1917). Daly had a steady career in the medical service up to the time he was drowned when the Arcadian was torpedoed in the Aegean. This lot was bid up to £2,760 against a top estimate of £2,000. A really well researched group to the RNAS/RAF consisted of Order of the British Empire, Officer’s Breast Badge, Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Force Cross, 1914–15 Star Trio (MiD), War Medal, 1935 Jubilee to Albert William Fletcher [10]. Fletcher earned his DFC in the Kronstadt Raid in August 1919, and his AFC for his work at the Airship Station East Fortune. The lot included a large number of documents, including log books and various certificates, and although the medals were catalogued as “cleaned”, the successful bidder had to pay £15,000 (top estimate £5,500). A unique group of Distinguished Conduct Medal (V), Queen’s Sudan Medal, Queen’s South Africa Medal clasps Cape Colony, Tugela Heights, Orange Free State, Relief of Ladysmith, Transvaal, Laing’s Nek, Long Service Medal (EVII), Khedive’s Sudan was awarded to William John Jack, Middlesex Regiment [19]. He was a Divisional Staff Sergeant when awarded the DCM for Omdurman (mentioned in Kitchener’s Despatch), and he was also mentioned in a despatch from Lord Roberts for the part he played at Alleman’s Nek. Perhaps the condition of the medals (lacquered, contact marks) kept the bidding to no more than the bottom estimate of £4,500 (hammer, £5,400 altogether). Although it beat its higher estimate of £1,000, the DCM (GV), 1914–15 Star Trio, Defence Medal to John Alfred Howard, 8/East Surrey Regiment [23], looked as though it should have made more. Howard’s DCM (awarded for bravery in March 1916 when he was a Sergeant) had a good fighting citation, he was wounded on July 1, 1916, and he was a Home Guard officer in World War II, but the lot reached no more than £1,800. A lot that made as much as some Victoria Cross groups might achieve was awarded to Melvill Keith Townsend. Another unique DCM (for Dhofar), it comprised the DCM (EII) (Royal Signals), General Service Medal 1962 clasps Northern Ireland, Dhofar (Royal Signals), South Atlantic Medal (with rosette) (Royal Signals [SAS]), UN Cyprus Medal, Accumulated Campaign Service Medal (Captain, WFR). Melvill won his DCM for his gallantry in the Sherrishitti battle in Western Dhofar, and this was well written up in the catalogue. Intriguingly, a second (replacement) medal group was sold with the lot, Melvill’s original medals having been reported stolen, but then returned to him. It easily beat its top estimate of £60,000 to achieve £120,000. The following lot [26] was another superb group: Conspicuous Gallantry Medal (Flying), 1939–45/Atlantic Stars, War Medal to Harold Arthur Corbin, RAFVR. Corbin was a Coastal Command Mosquito pilot who flew 42 operational sorties, and was finally shot down over France (Caterpillar Club badge included with the medals). Together with his log book and two photographs, the lot had a top estimate of £14,000, but eventually sold for £20,400.

The Campaign Groups and Pairs section of the sale was no less attractive. An unusual but interesting group [51] to Alfred Prendergast (1855–1930) comprised South Africa Medal 1877 clasp 1879 (Lt, Lonsdales Horse), Cape Of Good Hope General Service Medal 1880 clasp Basutoland (Corporal, Natal Mounted Police), QSA clasp Natal (Inspector, Natal Police), and Natal Medal 1906 with clasp (Major, Natal Police); before he died in Durban he had been appointed a Justice of the Peace. This lot appealed hugely to the successful bidder who had to pay £2,640 to take it away (top estimate £850). As at Lockdales, Spinks offered a QSA with clasps Cape Colony, Wepener, Wittebergen, and KSA (two clasps) to Brabant’s Horse [65]; these clasps appear now to be relatively common, as several examples have appeared in the last year. This lot, to Sgt R. W. Meiring, made the top estimate of £400 (hammer, £480 in total), compared with the example at Lockdales which made £380 hammer. A very collectable group with research potential was awarded to Alfred Griffiths, Essex Regiment [67], consisting of QSA clasps Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902, Africa General Service Medal clasp Somaliland 1902–04, British War & Victory Medals. These were displayed with several shooting medals, and accompanied by his record of service booklet and certificate. Like the group to Prendergast, this soared above its top estimate of £350, to be knocked down for £1,320. One of the highest achieving lots of the sale appeared in this section, and that was Lot 79, which also exemplified how difficult it is to estimate with any accuracy groups containing Russian awards. Telegraphist Ernest Stuart Charles Holt, a member of the crew of HM Submarine E13 on its way to the Baltic, was one of 15 sailors killed in cold blood by a German motor torpedo boat on August 19, 1915; he was awarded the Cross of St George 4th Class. Added to his 1914–15 Star Trio and Memorial Plaque, this was bid up to £13,800 (top estimate £1,800).

The section of single campaign medals was equally exciting. Lot 124 set the scene: a Naval General Service Medal 1793 clasps Egypt, Martinique, to the man who was to become Admiral of the White Sir Thomas John Cochrane KCB (1789–1872), one of Britain’s best-known sailors (Captain on the medal). A 12-year-old Midshipman in 1801, by 1809 he was Captain of the Ethalion. Unsurprisingly this fascinating piece of history achieved £9,600 (top estimate £5,000). As only one of six Army of India Medals with clasps Allighur, Laswarree, Capture Of Deig, Lot 129 to G. Hunter, 29th Light Dragoons, sold for an expected mid-estimate £5,500 (hammer, £6,600 altogether).Considering the historical context of the recipient, the Waterloo Medal to Ensign (later Colonel) Thomas Josiah Wedgwood, 2/3rd Guards [132], was remarkably bereft of research (he was grandson of the Josiah Wedgwood, and cousin of Charles Darwin); the lot clearly surprised the estimator by selling for £7,200 (top estimate £3,200). A pleasing Indian Mutiny Medal [146] named to Captain (later Lt-Col) Toovey Archibald Corbett, 61st Native Infantry (1826–1918), was accompanied by useful research, including the information that at the time of his death he was one of the last few Mutiny survivors, and it sold for £600 (top estimate £380). A medal with very little research potential easily beat its top estimate of £1,400: an East & West Africa Medal clasp Uganda 1899 [160] to Charles Edward de Vere Beauclerk, KRRC (1875–1900). This young man was commissioned in 1894, and lost his life in east Africa, attached to the Uganda Militia, as a result of blackwater fever, having served militarily for only a few weeks in the Wakedi Field Force. It made enough of an impact to relieve the successful bidder of £2,760. Lot 193 was catalogued as rare: it was one of the 106 no clasp KSAs to Army Service Corps staff, in this case Conductor K. Henry. With no additional research, it reached the top estimate of £220 (hammer, £264 in all). Yet another Tibet Medal to the Royal Fusiliers turned up in this sale, but this lot [197] was rather special, named for Major Steuart Menzies. With very little research, but with a plaid brooch, a seal and a portrait photograph of the recipient, it made £1,620 against a rather conservative top estimate of £800. Even single Memorial Plaques, if named for aircrew, have sold well recently, and such was the case with the Plaque to Charles James Cameron Sheridan [218]; with enough research to establish his death while flying, it achieved £264 against a very conservative top estimate of £80. An unresearched MiD oakleaf (apart from the London Gazette reference) on a General Service Medal 1918 clasp Malaya to S-Sgt A. M. E. Hoare, REME helped the lot to sell for £780, when the top estimate was only £240. In contrast, a lot which looked as though it should have done better than it did was the South Atlantic Medal (with rosette) to Lance-Corporal Doug Padgett, RAMC [228], who served with 16th Field Ambulance in the Falklands, and was on the Sir Galahad when it was bombed. Even though his very emotional account of what he did on that occasion was published in the catalogue, the lot failed to reach its bottom estimate of £1,400, making no more than £1,200 (hammer, £1,440 altogether).

A miniature medal group that looked as though it had actually been worn by the recipient [233] was attributed to Colonel Solomon Charles Frederick Peile (1855–1932). The group consisted of Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire, Delhi Durbar 1903, Second Afghan War Medal, India General Service medal clasps Burma 1885–7, Burma 1887–9, Burma 1889–92, Chin Hills 1892–93, King’s Police Medal (GV). Although it had a top estimate of £250, the successful bidder had to pay £660 to secure it.

Lot 249 was extremely interesting for its associations: Voluntary Medical Service Medal to Lady Carola Mary Anima Lenanton (1897–1978), who was the daughter of Sir Charles Oman (well-known historian and numismatist), and who achieved her own fame as a successful novelist and county President for the Hertfordshire British Red Cross Society. The top estimate of £35 was easily overtaken, the lot being knocked down for £204.

Morton and Eden November 30 2009

Phil Mussell — 30/01/2010 09:00:00

Market scene October - December 2009

This sale (catalogue 40) was, like Gaul, divided into three parts, only the third of which (Lots 1280–1398) offered British orders, decorations and medals. This part of the sale opened with a very attractive and unusual Naval General Service Medal 1793 [Lot 1280], with three clasps Egypt, Trafalgar, Basque Roads, to Stephen Hilton (1785–1872). Described on the medal as Master’s Mate, he joined the Royal Navy as a ten-year-old volunteer, and ended his naval career as Commander; the catalogue, recorded that he served on Minotaur at Trafalgar. Estimated at £8,000–12,000, it achieved £9,000 (hammer, £10,350 including buyers’ premium of 15 per cent). A theme of this sale was that several medals were awarded to medical personnel, and one of these was the Military General Service Medal clasp Sahagun & Benevente to Assistant Surgeon Thomas B. Davis, 7th Light Dragoons [1282]; although Davis had a very short career of only two months in the Peninsula, and although the medal was catalogued as “cleaned”, the lot was bid up to £3,220 (against a top estimate of £2,000). The medal of another Assistant Surgeon, Thomas Batt, 2nd Foot (1782–1848), had clasps Vimiera, Fuentes D’Onor, and his career was researched in some detail, showing that he was one of only two men of 2nd Foot to receive the Fuentes clasp; despite this, but perhaps because the medal was catalogued as “polished”, the lot [1285] made no more than the bottom estimate of £1,500 (hammer, £1,725 in all). An intriguing MGSM [1288] with clasps Maida, Talavera, Busaco to Sgt Thomas Butler, 61st Foot, was catalogued with a report from the Commanding Officer of 2/61st, recording that Butler was wounded and captured at Talavera, but escaped and returned to his unit; the successful bidder paid £1,800 (hammer, £2,070 in all) against an estimate of £1,500–2,000. Two outstanding medals to men of the 88th Foot (a unit described by Arthur Bryant as “a tough crowd from the bogs of western Ireland with a bad reputation for filching Portuguese chickens and goats”) made the best prices in this part of the sale. The ten-clasp medal (Talavera to Toulouse) awarded to Samuel Langsdale [1297], even without research, was bid up to £4,600 against a top estimate of £2,800, and the same estimate was easily beaten by the ten-clasp medal [Busaco to Orthes] to John Walsh [1298], which achieved £5,290.

There were 14 single Waterloo Medals on offer, all very collectable in their own way. The best price was realised by the medal to Captain Henry Andrews, 12th Light Dragoons [1301], for which the successful bidder had to pay £4,830 (top estimate £3,000). The medal of yet another Assistant Surgeon, William George Burrell, 1/79th Foot [1305], also exceeded expectation, making £4,140 (top estimate £3,000). The price achieved for the medal of Edward Gardiner, 2/73rd Foot [1305] at £1,840, even though it was catalogued as polished and it beat its top estimate of £1,100, was perhaps disappointing for the vendor compared with the medal to James Carr, of the same regiment, which made £3,565 (including premium) at Warwick & Warwick on February 11, 2009. There were four MGS/Waterloo pairs on offer, possibly the most attractive of which was awarded to James Staples, 7th Light Dragoons/Hussars [1318]; the MGS had clasps Orthes, Toulouse, he was wounded at Waterloo, and the catalogue included interesting research. This lot was bid up to £5,060 (top estimate £3,000). An Army of India Medal clasps Asseeghur, Argaum, Gawilghur/MGSM clasp Fuentes D’Onor pair to Alexander Liston, 94th Foot [1315] still sold for £11,270 (top estimate £9,000), although the MGS had the rank “Sergeant” neatly engraved on it, and the pair was not in the best condition.

A superb group of Sutlej Medal 1845 with Ferozeshuhur reverse and clasp Sobraon (Surgeon, 29th Foot), India General Service Medal 1854 clasp Pegu (Surgeon, 80th Foot), Crimea and Turkish Crimea (both un-named) was awarded to Doctor John Robert Taylor CB [1322], who started his Army career before 1837, and ended as Inspector General of Hospitals and an honorary surgeon to the Queen. It overtook its top estimate of £1,000 to achieve £1,840. An interesting single medal was the South Africa Medal 1877 clasp 1879 to Pte G. Rowley, 94th Foot [1330], a victim of the Boer ambush at Bronkhorstspruit, December 1880; although the clasp had brooch-mounting, the lot made £805 (top estimate £600). This was immediately followed by Lot 1331, a Second Afghan War Medal to 2/Lt Edwin Christy, who was accidentally killed at Rawalpindi in 1880; this more than doubled its £300 top estimate to make £863.

An intriguing British War & Victory Medal with Coronation Medal 1911 [1343] to Victor Alexander Charles Harbord, Scots Guards (1897–1943), was estimated at £300–400; accompanied by research confirming that there was no missing Star, it came in at £360 (hammer, £414 with premium). For collectors of Indian material Lot 1347, comprising BWM/VM pair, Territorial Force War Medal, Indian General Service Medal 1908 clasp Afghanistan NWF 1919 to Harvey Allen, 4/Devons and 2/Somerset Light Infantry was very attractive; the lot was accompanied by a large number of postcards with photographs of India, and some of a more personal nature to his fiancée. Estimated rather high at £300–400, it nonetheless came in at £320 (hammer, £368 in all). One of the modern lots in the sale was 1357: GSM 1962 clasp Northern Ireland/South Atlantic pair to Pte C. P. Stewart, 3/Para, estimated at £1,500–2,000; even with no research at all this lot made £1,600 (hammer, £1,840 in all). A superb group was awarded to (Sgt) G. A. Powell, RA [1362], consisting of GSM 1962 clasp Northern Ireland, South Atlantic Medal with rosette, UN Cyprus Medal, First Gulf War Medal with clasp and rosette, Long Service Medal (EII). Totally unresearched, this group sold for the top estimate of £900 (hammer, £1,035 in all).

A very attractive group [1368] to the Indian MedIcal Service was awarded to Lt-Col Henry Warwick Illius (1875–1941), and comprised Companion’s Neck Badge of the Order of the Indian Empire, India Medal 1895 clasp Waziristan 1901–02, Tibet Medal with clasp, 1914–15 Star Trio, GSM 1918 clasp Iraq(MiD) [1368]. The catalogue gave a brief appreciation of his extensive military service, but the lot failed to reach the bottom estimate of £2,500, selling for £2,400 (hammer, £2,760 in all). Proving once again the attraction of gallantry, the Distinguished Conduct Medal (GV) and 1914–15 Star Trio awarded to L/Sgt J. Stone, 7/Yorkshire Light Infantry [1392], even with no research apart from a fine fighting citation from November 1916, was bid up to £2,530 (top estimate £1,500). The same trend was followed by the following lot [1393], a Military Medal (GV) and 1914–15 Star Trio to L/Cpl J. Maguire, 11/Royal Fusiliers (Finsbury Rifles), catalogued without research, but with a condition of “extremely fine or better”. The top estimate of £350 was easily beaten, with the lot achieving £575.

Bosleys December 2 2009

Phil Mussell — 30/01/2010 09:00:00

Market scene October - December 2009

Bosleys offered 121 lots of orders, decorations and medals in their December sale, and the eclectic mix remained the same.

Sometimes it is interesting to see how a superficially unattractive lot can sell well. The China War Medal 1842 to Sgt T. Patterson, 26th Foot [Lot 468], was catalogued as “fitted with a replacement suspension bar and evidence of brooch marks. Edge knocks”, and its top estimate of £100 reflected this; however, the successful bidder was prepared to pay £150 (including buyer’s premium of 15 per cent) for it. An enigmatic group [536] which appealed to the room comprised Crimean War Medal clasp Sebastopol, South Africa Medal 1877 (without clasp), Turkish Crimea Medal to Randall Ironside Ward, Royal Navy and 90th Foot. Ward served as a Midshipman on Hannibalin the Crimea, later transferring to the Army, and becoming (as a Captain) the only officer of his regiment to receive the medal without clasp during the Zulu War. The top estimate of £1,200 was beaten, the lot achieving £1,438. A small collection of Indian Mutiny Medals to the 90th Light Infantry included a medal with clasps Lucknow, Defence Of Lucknow to Samuel Juniper [533]; the estimate of £600–800 looked on the high side, but it reached the lower figure (£690 altogether). Another Mutiny Medal [535] with similar clasps, to Jonas Harper, 84th Foot, an original defender of the Residency and a survivor of the campaign, was bid up to £1,955 against a top estimate of £1,000. Certain Scottish regiments saw extensive service in Egypt and the Sudan, and the four-clasp Egypt Medal (Tel-El-Kebir, Suakin 1884, El Teb Tamaai, The Nile 1884–85) to Robert Malcolm, Gordon Highlanders [506] exemplified this, beating the top estimate of £400 to reach £575. The Gordons featured again with a fine campaign trio [504]: India Medal clasps Relief Of Chitral, Punjab Frontier 1897–98, Tirah 1897–98, Queen’s South Africa Medal clasps Elandslaagte, Defence Of Ladysmith, Transvaal, Laing’s Nek, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, King’s South Africa Medal with two clasps to Pte A. Hendry; with no research at all, and estimated at £500, this highly researchable lot sold at £633. The East & West Africa Medal clasp Juba River 1893 [516] to H. Singer, Ordinary Seaman, HMS Blanche, was obviously a desirable lot (the catalogue recorded only 42 of these clasps having been awarded), but it reached only its bottom estimate of £1,500 (hammer, £1,725 in all). A very researchable lot [455] was the South Africa/World War I group awarded to Robert Street, comprising Queen’s South Africa Medal clasps Cape Colony, Paardeberg, Driefontein, Transvaal, Wittebergen, King’s South Africa Medal two clasps (Pte, Seaforth Highlanders), 1914–15 Star Trio (Pte, Royal Fusiliers); with no research apart from a Medal Index Card showing that he served with the 25/Royal Fusiliers and 8/London Regiment, it had a top estimate of £300, and sold at £391.

Fatal casualty groups to officers killed in World War I have always been a popular collecting theme, and so it proved with the 1914–15 Star Trio and Plaque to (Lt) The Honourable Philip Granville Jones Fitzalan Howard, Welsh Guards [503], who died of wounds in May 1918; once again, the estimator was taken by surprise, setting the upper estimate at £600 while the successful bidder paid £2,300. A 1914–15 Star Trio with a General Service Medal 1918 clasp N.W.Persia awarded to Pte C. Revill, York & Lancaster Regiment [463] reached its top estimate of £150 (hammer, £173 in total).

Within this sale was a mini-collection of 20 lots consisting of medals to women, overwhelmingly connected with the nursing services. A remarkable lot of British War & Victory Medals [488] to Driver S. M. Hext, FANYC, was catalogued as “a scarce pair”; apparently Hext worked in France from June 1918 to April 1919, one of no more than 120 members of the Field Ambulance Nursing Yeomanry working with the Red Cross in August 1918. With a top estimate of £120, it eventually sold for £575. On a rather more modest level, the BWM/VM pair and GSM 1918 clasp Iraq to Staff Nurse A. Steel [491] was catalogued with a small amount of research, but this appealed to the bidders, achieving £575 against a top estimate of £300. The most interesting lot in this little collection was 499, Royal Red Cross 1st Class, Queen’s & King’s South Africa Medals without clasps to (Matron) Frances Rosa Holmes. She earned the South Africa medals at Hospitals in Cape Town and Bloemfontein, and was still serving when she landed in France in August 1914 (the trio was not included in the lot), earning her ARRC award in June 1917 as Acting Matron, 6/General Hospital. With a realistic top estimate of £600, it nevertheless came in at £863.

A World War II group [548] struck a chord with the room, and the successful bidder had to pay £633 for the Indian General Service Medal 1936 clasp North West Frontier 1936–37, GSM 1918 clasp Palestine, 1939–45/Africa/Italy Stars, Defence & War Medals to Pte E. E. Hodges, South Wales Borderers, which had a top estimate of no more than £300.

An item catalogued as rare was the Long Service Medal (EII) with clasp Gibraltar to Cpl M. Sene [445]; the top estimate of £300 was overtaken easily with the lot reaching £518.

Of the gallantry medals in this sale, and of the sale altogether, the biggest price was made by the group to Squadron-Leader Jozef Jeka, a Polish airman who joined the RAF in February 1940, and whose group [500] comprised Virtuti Militari 5th Class, Cross of Valour (two clasps), Air Force Medal, 1939–45/Air Crew Europe Stars, War Medal. Included with the lot was a large number of documents and ephemera, and the catalogue recorded extensive biographical details about Jeka’s wartime and subsequent service (apparently he was killed in 1958 flying clandestinely for the United States CIA). The top estimate of £8,000 looked realistic, but the lot was bid up to an astonishing £35,650. The second highest seller was another gallantry group: Conspicuous Gallantry Medal, Distinguished Conduct Medal, 1914–15 Star Trio to (Chief Petty Officer) Joseph James Reed, RN (1887–1923). His DSM was awarded for the Ostend raid in April 1918, and the CGM for the Zeebrugge raid in May 1918. The medals were accompanied by “a quantity of research”, including a framed photograph of the recipient, and this time the estimate of £20,000–25,000 was very accurate, as the lot [542] sold for £21,000 (hammer, £24,150 in total). Another DSM for the Zeebrugge raid was awarded to Stoker William Carter on Vindictive; he was wounded during the raid but survived. His DSM and 1914–15 Star Trio was bid up to £2,070, beating the £1,500 top estimate. World War II gallantry groups can usually be relied on to sell well, even though they sometimes lack an officially named medal, such as Lot 511, which comprised a Member of the British Empire badge (civil), Military Cross (privately engraved), 1939–45/Burma Stars, Defence & War Medals to (Major) Peter W. Burton, 5/16 Punjab Regiment. There was a fine fighting citation for the MC, which was recommended in April 1944 for his contribution to the action at Buthidaung, but the estimate of £1,800–2,200 was too much for the room, and the lot sold for no more than £1,500 (hammer, £1,725).

DNW December 2 2009

Phil Mussell — 30/01/2010 09:00:00

Market scene October - December 2009

The sale began with “A Collection Of Medals To The Indian Army, The Property Of A Retired Indian Army Officer” (Lots 1–97); unusually the anonymous vendor contributed a short introduction to the sale, which contained many delightful medals. One of these was the China Medal 1842 to Assistant Surgeon J. McIntosh, 2nd Madras Native Infantry [Lot 17]; with minimal research, it reached its bottom estimate of £500 (hammer, £600 including buyers’ premium of 20 per cent). An intriguing Indian Mutiny Medal clasps Delhi, Relief Of Lucknow, Lucknow to Sowar Punjab Sing [sic], 1st Regiment of Hodson’s Horse [27], had a top estimate of £1,200, but, because of its rarity, sold for a magnificent £4,080. A Queen’s South Africa Medal clasps Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Johannesburg to Sgt E. I. Lockhart, Lumsdens Horse [49], even with no catalogued research, appealed to the room to the tune of £384 (top estimate £140). A really impressive and well researched group [58] was awarded to a member of a famous family, (Lt-Col) Henry Lyell (1804–75), 43rd Bengal Light Infantry, comprising Candahar Ghuznee Cabul Medal 1842, Maharajpoor Star 1843, Sutlej 1845 Medal for “Sobraon”, where he was severely wounded. The top estimate of £1,800 was easily overtaken, the lot making £2,760. A very well received lot [95] was the Burma Gallantry Medal (GVI) group to Ambulance Sepoy Saw Tha Nyunt, who dived into a rapid of the Dhareswali River June 25, 1944, to save a comrade from drowning; the rest of the group (1939–45/Burma Star, War Medal) was un-named. The lot was bid up to £4,800 (top estimate £3,500).

The next section (Lots 98–133) was a collection of medals to the name “Lyon”. The first of these was awarded to (Captain) Kenneth Lyon (1886–1956), who ended his career as Under Secretary of State at the War Office during World War II, comprising CB, CBE (civil), BWM/VM (MiD), Defence Medal, Coronation 1911, Jubilee 1935, Coronation 1937, France Legion d’Honneur, and a medal named for him as Master of the Glass Sellers’ Company. A pre-World War I civil servant, Lyon served in the Royal Field Artillery 1916–19, subsequently resuming his civilian career. The top estimate was £1,000, and the successful bidder paid £1,320, a good deal less than the buyer of the group when it was sold at Morton & Eden, December 12, 2008, for £2,415. The medal group of Kenneth Lyon’s younger brother, Maurice, formed Lot 100: Distinguished Service Cross (GV), 1914–15 Star (AB, RN), British War & Victory Medals (MiD) (Major, RAF), Defence Medal, Order of the Nile 4th Class. His DSC (February 1917) was awarded for service with No 14 Kite Balloon Section in Mesopotamia, and his two Mentions were respectively for Mesopotamia (August 1917) and the Mediterranean (June 1919). The top estimate was £2,500, but the group was bid up to £3,600. A well-researched group appealing to a wide range of collectors was the 1914–15 Star Trio to Lt Walter Scott Stuart Lyon, 9/Royal Scots [112]. A pre-war Territorial, he was appointed Staff Captain to the Lothian Brigade at the outbreak of war, re-joining his battalion in March 1915; he was killed in action May 8, 1915. Although Lyon was catalogued as a war poet, the lot was given a conservative top estimate of £500, but it was a pleasant surprise for the vendor when it realised £1,680. An enigmatic lot with a large amount of research [127] was the British South Africa Company Medal 1890 with “Mashonaland 1897” reverse to Alfred Herbert Lyon (1873–1939), BSA Police. His career as catalogued indicated that he was also awarded a QSA Medal, British War & Victory Medals, and recorded that Lyon had applied for a replacement BSA Medal, which may never have been issued. The top estimate of £280 was just beaten as the lot sold for £360.

The third section was Single Campaign Medals (Lots 134–254), which opened with four Naval General Service Medals 1793, the most interesting of which [137] was the medal with clasps 14 March 1795, St Vincent, awarded to Able Seaman John Cameron, who served on HMS Captain for both engagements. With no research other than the medal roll, the lot had a top estimate of £5,000, but the successful bidder had to go to £10,200. In contrast, a superb Military General Service Medal clasp Maida [138] to Major William Smythe Plenderleith, who commanded the 81st Foot at the battle, surprisingly failed to reach the bottom estimate of £3,500, since the catalogue recorded a fascinating history surrounding Plenderleith’s conduct and leadership during the battle (July 4, 1806). It appears that some senior officer colleagues blackened his name, resulting in his not receiving the Gold Medal for the battle, and in his early retirement in June 1808. It went for £3,200 (hammer £3,840 with premium. The MGSM with clasps Martinique, Albuhera, Ciudad Rodrigo, Badajoz, Salamanca, Vittoria, Pyrenees, Nivelle, Orthes, Toulouse to John Roberts, 23rd Foot [147] was well researched, showing that Roberts was wounded at Badajoz, and was also entitled to a Waterloo Medal. The estimate of £4,000–5,000 was entirely realistic, if not conservative, considering that when the medal was sold at DNW in June 2006 it made £6,800 (hammer). This time it sold for £4,200 (hammer, £5,040 in total). This sale included six single Waterloo Medals, perhaps the most intriguing of which militarily was the medal to (Captain) Stephen Holmes, 78th Foot [151], a unique award to the regiment, (he was serving as a Brigade-Major in 6th Division). Holmes distinguished himself at Burgos in the Peninsula as an officer in the 24th Foot, but he died in 1839, and did not receive the MGS Medal. The top estimate of £8,000 was overtaken, and the lot realised £10,560. The Crimea Medal clasp Sebastopol to Lt-Col Thomas Bunbury Gough, 33rd Foot [165], was catalogued with basic career details, but was clearly worthy of much deeper research; he was severely wounded at the Alma, but survived to be wounded again at the September 8, 1855 assault on the Redan, dying ten days later of those wounds. The catalogue stated: “Although this medal is entirely as issued it should also have the clasp for Alma”. Just so, but this fact did not deter the bidders, one of whom paid £3,480 (top estimate £2,500). An intriguing Indian Mutiny Medal clasp Central India, to Sgt Michael Sharry, 88th Foot [170], surprisingly failed to stir the room enough to reach its lower estimate of £400, selling for £390 (hammer, £468 altogether), despite the fact that he was severely wounded in October 1858, and the lot begged for more research. The success of the Egypt Medal 1882 clasp Suakin 1885 to Cpl W. T. Marchant, Army Post Office Corps [187], clearly surprised the estimator, although the catalogue recorded that Cpl Marchant (who had the service number 5) came under fire at Kassassin in September 1882. The top estimate of £800 was soon left behind as the lot was bid up to £2,400. Hong Kong Plague Medals to the Shropshire Light Infantry [198] are always marketable, and this well researched example to William Humphreys was no exception; it had a top estimate of £1,200, but realised £1,920. A routine medal but with clear research potential [204] was the India Medal 1895 clasps Punjab Frontier 1897–98, Tirah 1897–98 to Pte G. Hartop, 1/Dorset Regiment, who was dangerously wounded by gunshot at Dargai in October 1897; it beat the top estimate of £350 to realise £444. A superb medal with even greater research potential was a QSA Medal with clasps Cape Colony, Tugela Heights, Orange Free State, Relief Of Ladysmith, Transvaal, Laing’s Nek, South Africa 1901 [223] to Captain Alexander Richard Mildmay, 3/KRRC; not only was this an unusual medal in the number of its clasps, but Mildmay (1873–1901) was Mentioned in Despatches twice and killed in action near Blood River Poort. A top estimate of £3,000 was in the right area for this numismatically and militarily appealing medal, which sold for £4,080. Of the post-war medals one that stood out was the General Service Medal 1962 clasp Lebanon to OEM1 A. V. G. Potts, RN, in box of issue [250]; the high top estimate of £650 was fully justified, as the lot, even with no research, was bid up to £936.

Then followed Single Orders and Decorations (Lots 255–280), of which one of the most attractive pieces was the Royal Red Cross 1st Class (unattributed) [280], estimated at £600; it clearly impressed the bidders, selling for £1,560.

Next came Long Service Medals etc (Lots 281–313), and the most appealing lot was the Royal Marine Meritorious Service Medal (V) (2nd Issue) to 1st Class S-Sgt John Downer, RMA [281], issued January 1889; although his Long Service Medal was missing, the lot beat its estimate of £700 to achieve £960.

Life Saving Awards came next (Lots 314–321), of which the most intriguing (and the most expensive) was the group to AB Robert Charles William Brown, Merchant Navy [315]. The group consisted of Sea Gallantry Medal (GV) (SS Usworth, 14 December 1934), 1939–45/Atlantic/Italy Stars, War Medal, Lloyds’ Medal for Saving Life at Sea, Liverpool Shipwreck & Humane Society Marine Medal, Shipwrecked Fishermen & Marines Royal Benevolent Society Medal, Life Saving Benevolent Association of New York Medal. All four of the life-saving medals were for the same event: the rescue by sailors of the SS Ascania (including Brown) and the Jean Jadot of survivors from the SS Usworth, severely damaged by a hurricane. The top estimate of £2,500 was in the right area, as the group realised £3,480.

After Ribbons from the Collection of Henry Pownall (Lots 322–360) came Miniature Medals (Lots 361–363). Lot 361 was a group of nine dress miniatures attributed to Major-General Stuart MacDonald, RAMC. The catalogue recorded that the full-size group and the miniatures were sold together at Spink in May, 2001, nevertheless this depleted lot made £312 (top estimate £140).

Miscellaneous (Lots 364–380) and Original Squadron Crests (Lots 381–397) were followed by World Orders and Decorations (Lots 398–428). Lot 398 was the group of 23 orders, decorations and medals awarded to Lt-Gen Maurice Robert Hector Delvoie, Belgian Army; of these 23, the 1939–45/France & Germany Stars, Defence & War Medals were British. The top estimate was £3,000, the lot made £5,280.

Militaria (Lots 429–445) and Books (Lots 446–453) were followed by Campaign Groups & Pairs (Lots 454–581), which opened [454] with a beautiful and unusual (unique?) group to Charles Stuart Campbell, CB (1779–1854). The group consisted of Field Officer’s Gold Medal for St Sebastian, MGS Medal with clasp Corunna (Captain, 26th Foot), Portuguese Peninsula War Cross, Portuguese Commander’s Medal for Vittoria and St Sebastian. The catalogue recorded the major events of his military career, including the fact that he commanded the 3rd Portuguese Regiment at Vittoria and St Sebastian, being severely wounded during the assault of the latter, but the lot reached no more than its bottom estimate of £18,000 (hammer, £21,600 with premium). A superb regimental group to Joseph Ellicock, 32nd Foot [457], comprised Punjab Medal clasps Mooltan, Goojerat, India General Service Medal clasp North West Frontier, Indian Mutiny Medal clasp Defence Of Lucknow, Long Service Medal (V); Ellicock was Orderly to the Lucknow garrison Commander, Sir John Inglis, and mention was made of him in the diary of Lady Inglis. With a top estimate of £3,000, the lot was bid up to £4,920. A Light Brigade “Charger’s” group was a highlight of the auction: Lot 463 was the Crimea Medal with four clasps (contemporary engraved naming), French Medaille Militaire, Turkish Crimea Medal to John Andrews, Sergeant, 4th Light Dragoons. Accompanied by his original parchment discharge certificate (December 17, 1860), the group achieved the bottom estimate of £6,000 (£7,200 in all). Another excellent regimental group was awarded to T/ Sgt-Maj J. Mobbs, 20th Hussars [477], comprising Egypt Medal clasps Suakin 1884, Tofrek, Long Service Medal (V), Meritorious Service Medal (GV), Khedive’s Star; Mobbs was wounded at Tofrek, and this was therefore a very scarce group, so it was no surprise when it was bid up to £1,800 (top estimate £800). A QSA/KSA Pair [496] with virtually no research but with a scarce clasp was awarded to (Sgt) G. Pile. His QSA, with the service number 6 in the Protectorate Regiment Frontier Force, had clasps Orange Free State, Defence Of Mafeking, Transvaal; the KSA (two clasps), named for him in the Border Scouts. The top estimate of £1,100 was not far from the final price of £1,440. An apparently simple 1914–15 Star Trio [525] more than doubled its top estimate of £250, because it was awarded to Hugh Norton Tate, a civilian, and the medals were impressed: “Service With The Royal Navy” after the recipient’s name; with a certain amount of career research, the lot was knocked down for £624. Among the more modern groups, Lot 560 was of some interest: 1939–45/Italy/France & Germany Stars, Defence & War Medals, Queen’s Korea Medal, UN Korea to (Sgt) L. Kent, KOSB (on the Korea Medal); the catalogue recorded that he was wounded on the bridge at Arnhem while serving with 2nd Parachute Regiment. The top estimate of £1,000 was left behind with the lot realising £1,920. A very modern group [580] to L/Cpl J. S. McCullough comprised GSM 1962 clasp Northern Ireland (Royal Irish), UN Cyprus, Jubilee 2002, Accumulated Campaign Service Medal with three clasps (Ulster Defence Regiment), Long Service Medal (EII) (R Irish). Totally unresearched, this group was knocked down for £1,020 (top estimate £550).

The last section was Gallantry and Distinguished Service (Lots 582–663). This opened [582] with the superb group to General Sir George Anson, GCB (1769–1849), which included the unique Large Army Gold Medal with clasps Salamanca, Vittoria. His career was set out in the catalogue, recording his various honours and awards, and the lot reached the top estimate of £50,000 (hammer, £60,000 with premium). Another highly attractive lot [585] was the group awarded to (Rear-Admiral) Christopher Theodore Jellicoe, RN (1903–1977): Companion of the Bath, Distinguished Service Order (GVI), Distinguished Service Cross and Bar (GVI), 1939–45/Atlantic/Africa/Italy Stars, War Medal (MiD), Coronation Medal 1953 (the World War II campaign medals having privately engraved naming). The catalogue described Jellicoe as “the epitome of the gallant destroyer captain”, and his career and awards fully justified this. The top estimate of £10,000 was not enough to secure the lot, which sold for £16,800. A very unusual lot [587] was the group awarded to Hervy Hardinge Golding, Merchant Navy (1887–1982), consisting of Officer of the Order of the British Empire, BWM, Mercantile Marine War Medal, 1939–45/Atlantic Stars, War Medal, Southern Railway Company’s Meritorious Service Medal. Golding was Master of the SS Isle Of Jersey, the last ship to leave the Channel Islands before the German occupation. His award was for his calmness, bravery and competent handling of his ship when it came under fire from enemy aircraft at St Peter Port, June 28, 1940. This scarce group had a top estimate of £5,000, and was accompanied by a huge amount of personal memorabilia and photographs; it was unsurprisingly bid up to £8,400. A more orthodox gallantry group [601] was the Military Cross and Bar, 1914–15 Star Trio to (Captain) Dering Addison, Seaforth Highlanders (Private on Star), whose awards were for Ypres, July 31, 1917 and Mont Huwy, October 28, 1918 (according to the engraving on the MC); this excellent regimental group, estimated very conservatively at £2,200, cost the successful bidder £4,440. Another group [625], this one much rarer, was awarded to (C/Sgt) Benjamin White, RMA: Conspicuous Gallantry Medal (V), Egypt Medal 1882 clasp Tel-El-Kebir, Jubilee 1897, Coronation 1902, Coronation 1911, Long Service Medal (V), RM Meritorious Service Medal, Khedive’s Star; the CGM was awarded for his actions at Kassassin, which helped prevent the enemy from turning the British left flank. The top estimate of £15,000 looked about right, but the group finally realised £25,200. The highest price paid in this sale was for Lot 660, which comprised Military Medal (EII), GSM 1962 clasp Northern Ireland, South Atlantic Medal 1982 (rosette), UN Cyprus Medal, NATO Medal clasp Kosovo, Jubilee Medal 2002, Long Service Medal clasp Regular Army (EII) to (Cpl) Ian P. Bailey, 3/ Parachute Regiment. This iconic award, for Bailey’s gallantry at Mount Longdon, when he charged with rifle and fixed bayonet alongside the late Sgt Ian Mackay, VC, was sold by the recipient himself, and was realistically estimated at £60,000, as it included important original documentation. However, the final figure achieved was £84,000.

Bonhams December 16 2009

Phil Mussell — 30/01/2010 09:00:00

Market scene October - December 2009

Although this sale included relatively few medals, much of what was on offer was worth commenting on, and was attractive and (generally speaking) affordable for many collectors.

Five Naval General Service Medals 1793 opened the single medal section, the most interesting of which was awarded to Owen Anning, Carpenter’s Crew, HMS Revolutionaire, with clasp St Sebastian [Lot 2]; catalogued as having “heavy bruising and contact marks” (the latter indicating a missing medal, perhaps), it was correctly estimated at £900–1,200, selling for £1,050 hammer (£1,234 including buyers’ premium of 17.5 per cent). The Waterloo Medal named for James Allison, 6th Inniskilling Dragoons [6], was accompanied by minimal research, and estimated realistically at £1,600–2,000; however, the successful bidder had to pay £3,643 to take it away, making it one of the most expensive Waterloo Medals sold at auction this year. The next lot [7] was, compared with the Waterloo Medal, very well written up in the catalogue: “China Medal 1842 to William Backhouse Monypenny, Lieutenant on HMS Sulphur; as a result of his actions during this campaign he was promoted to Commander”. The top estimate of £1,000 was just beaten, the lot achieving £1,351. An attractive Crimea Medal clasp Sebastopol [12] to Cpl S. Hudd, 34th Foot, catalogued as “toned, almost extremely fine”, and with a top estimate of £200, topped this to the tune of £294. Yet another Indian Mutiny Medal clasp Defence of Lucknow to the 32nd Light Infantry appeared here [16], this one to Samuel Smith, who died of wounds in November 1857. Several of these medals have appeared on the market in 2009, notably at Bosleys in March when the medal and similar clasp to Sgt J. Farrall (killed September 1857) sold for £1,725 (including premium); in June when the medal and clasp to C/Sgt Robert Gee (died March 1858) made £1,380; and at DNW in September when the medal to Henry Bushell (died July 1857), made £1,920. It was probably disappointing for the vendor, therefore, when Smith’s medal made no more than the bottom estimate of £600 (hammer, £705 in total). Perhaps the condition (“refixed suspension”) went against it. The attractive New Zealand Medal, reverse 1863–1866 [18], to (Brigadier Surgeon) Robert Alexander Peter Grant, 43rd Light Infantry (1835–1916) was accompanied by an outline of his career; the lot sold for £780 (hammer, £917 in all) against an estimate of £600–800. Abyssinia Medals are not common on the market currently, and it was therefore slightly surprising that the example to Pte P. Collins, 33rd Foot [21], did not even reach the bottom estimate of £280, making no more than £270 (hammer, £318 altogether). Two damaged, but iconic, lots appeared in this sale, giving a collector of modest means a chance to acquire an example at a reasonable price. Lot 22 was a Second Afghan War Medal to Pte J. Nolan, 66th Foot; although the medal’s condition (“evidence of brooch fitting . . . refixed suspension, polished . . .”) was against it, and Nolan was not a casualty of Maiwand, the selling price was only £100 (hammer, £118 altogether), not even reaching the bottom estimate of £140. Similarly, Lot 24 was a Tibet Medal with clasp to Pte J. Sewell, Royal Fusiliers, catalogued as “fire damaged, poor”, with a top estimate of £150; even in this condition, the lot was bid up to £212, but this would still be within the reach of the majority of collectors, whereas the similar medal to Pte J. Scott made £960 at DNW in September.

Among the campaign groups was yet another pair of medals, several examples of which have appeared on the market recently: Queen’s and Khedive’s Sudan Medals to Pte H. Gammon, 21st Lancers [40], who was catalogued as having been in A Squadron and listed as a Trumpeter. Similar pairs to this regiment have made varying amounts recently. The pair to Cpl J. Range, who was slightly wounded in the charge, realised £5,400 at DNW in June 2009; that to Sgt G. Lelliott made £2,280 at Spink in July 2008; the pairto Pte T. Kevins sold for £1,351 at Bonhams in December 2008. Gammon’s pair beat its top estimate of £1,800 to achieve £2,233, therefore selling competitively.

The Memorial Plaque to Lilian Kane [25] was enigmatic. The catalogue stated that this name was not recorded by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, but the Imperial War Museum recorded her as attached to the Land Army. The General Register Office index records a Lilian Kane, who died in Sussex, aged 18, in the December quarter 1918. Clearly worthy of more research, this lot reached the bottom estimate of £1,500 (hammer, £1,763 in all). An intriguing Lot [41] consisted of a 1914 Star Trio to (Commander) P. H. Ridler, RN, Armoured Trains. [With the group, but probably not influencing the bidding unduly, was a 1935 Jubilee Medal, miniatures, and assorted coins, medallions and 36 £1 notes!] The top estimate of £700 was trebled, the lot selling for £2,115. An attractive lot [48] for collectors of officer casualties was the group to (2/Lt) John Jarvie: 1914–15 Star Trio, Memorial Plaque and Scroll, the Star being named for him as Sergeant, Royal Scots; he died of wounds in April 1917 serving with 7/8th King’s Own Scottish Borderers. The catalogue recorded some of his personal details, which hinted that more rewarding research could be done, and the estimate of £500–700 was just about right, the lot making £620 (hammer, £729 with premium).

The gallantry medals in this sale generally conformed very much to estimate. A single Distinguished Conduct Medal (GV) to Gilbert McKie, 7/Cameron Highlanders [28], who was killed in action in March 1918, did not quite meet the bottom estimate of £800, selling for £780 (hammer, £917 in all); perhaps the fact that the citation was not an overly fighting one told against the lot. The single Military Medal (GVI) to Sgt R. Cox, Corps of Military Police, in spite of a glowing citation, and there having been no more than 63 MMs to the CMP, reached only the bottom estimate of £1,200 (hammer, £1,410 with premium). However, this was reversed with the superb group to Frederick Charles Willoughby, Royal Marines [38], consisting of Distinguished Service Medal (GVI), 1939–45/Africa/Italy/Burma Stars, Defence & War Medals, Royal Fleet Reserve Long Service Medal (GVI). His citation was for Norway, and the top estimate of £1,800 was easily beaten with the successful bidder having to pay £2,703.

Stamp of Honour

Phil Mussell — 29/01/2010 14:24:00

A stamp celebrating the first black man and one of teh first Canadians to win the Victoria Cross goes on sale on Monday February 1 2010 across Canada.

The Stamp, featuring William Hall who won his V.C. Serving with the Royal Navy at Lucknow during the mutiny, will officially be launched at HMCS York on Monday - read the full story here

You can read more about Hall in this excellent article

Service Rendered Volume 2

Phil Mussell — 27/01/2010 11:38:00

The latest Volume in Alan Stuart Excellent Silver War Badge Series is available from Token Publishing now!

These books are a must have for any World War I Collector listing as they do the complete roll for the War (Wound) badge both by badge number and by surname - was your medal recipient wounded....?

Volume one dealt with Officers this latest work looks at the Nursing Services, the Cyclists, The RFC and other "Small Corps". You can buy your copy here

Medal News Market Scene

Phil Mussell — 26/01/2010 15:04:00

Market Scene October - December 2009

The sheer number of sales in October, November and December 2009 means that for this month only (February) we are not able to accommodate full reports for each within the pages of MEDAL NEWS.

Your magazine will still carry the highlights of course and two pages are devoted just to them - the full reports will appear on-line from Saturday January 30 at 9.00am! (If it's after 9.00am on Saturday - you need to refresh your browser - you shouldn't be looking at this!)

Watch this space....!!

If you would like a paper copy of these reports please don't hesitate to get in touch with us

The Year of the Tiger

Phil Mussell — 26/01/2010 10:18:00

A thriving situation . . . IF any further proof were needed that the British (if not the world’s) media loves to look on the bleak side of things then the headlines that cropped up over the festive period were surely enough to convince even the most hardened sceptics. Faced with the fact that during 2009 house prices had, on average, actually gone up; unemployment had stayed below the magic three million; interest rates had stayed at a record low; inflation hadn’t hit the roof and oil remained volatile but nowhere near the disastrous levels seen in 2008, the newspapers, websites and television news channels turned their attention elsewhere—and really started scraping the bottom of the barrel. In headlines such as “Has gold gone cold?”, “Has the gold bubble burst?”, etc., the press sought to worry us that the inexorable rise of the precious metal had come to an end and that anyone who had bought in the past few months was sure to come a cropper. And their basis for this? The fact that the high of over $1,200 an ounce wasn’t sustained and the price of gold fell back a little (and I really do mean a little). But wait a minute—it might have fallen back initially to under $1,100/oz but it still was at dizzying heights and already, as January trading takes off, it is back at near $1,150/oz and climbing—in other words the pundits once again hadn’t got a clue and, as is their wont, they jumped on a bandwagon that actually wasn’t rolling very far at all. The fact is that gold has consistently done well in the past decade, rising over 400 per cent in the ten years since the “dotcom” bubble burst in 2000, and there are no immediate signs of any kind of dramatic correction. Gold is, and continues to look like, a “solid” investment. What though does that have to do with us at COIN NEWS? We’re not an investment magazine so why does the price of gold matter to us? Well, whether we like it or not the investment side of our hobby is pretty big at the moment and whilst I know I’ve spoken about this before it is, I think, worth mentioning again. On the whole our little pastime has done reasonably well out of the “worst recession since the 1930s” (that’ll be the press again)—a look at any auction house’s prices realised or any coin fair bourse will show you that, far from suffering in the midst of a depression, the coin market is actually doing OK. Every month auction records continue to tumble and every month queues to grab the early bargains at the shows grow longer. The BBC, no less, has featured coins and coin shows (the monthly Birmingham show specifically) as being a way to invest for the future and there can be no denying the fact that we are seeing new faces come into the hobby every week — and we all know that many of these are coming in as investors not numismatists. Another reason people are getting so interested in coins and precious metal is the sudden rise of the “we buy your gold” companies all keen to help us out by relieving us of all that unwanted gold we just happen to have lying around. The more astute members of the public are beginning to realise that for these companies to make money in a rising market they might not be giving quite the full market value for the items offered and so we are finding more and more people buying price guides (our own Coin Yearbook has again almost sold out despite printing 3,000 more copies this year than last) and more and more people approaching bona fide coin dealers for an accurate and fair valuation of what they have. The result of all this is that the coin hobby is awash with new people, and of course new money, and that has to be a good thing. Yes, it is true many of these people won’t stay coin collectors forever and many sceptics will point to the fact that when the stock market stabilises these investors will move their money back into stocks and shares—but may I respectfully point out that the FTSE has actually been rising steadily for the past twelve months and as I write this in January 2010 it now stands a full 2,000 points above what it was in March 2009—has the coin market shrunk in a similar way? Has the price of gold tumbled to reflect the return to the more standard trading in the city? Quite simply, no, and that’s something I think we should be very grateful for. Too often the purist numismatists have looked down on the investors with disdain, they have felt that those with a lot of spare cash but not much knowledge shouldn’t really be considered collectors like the rest of us. But may I put it to you that without these investors, without those willing to spend their money on coins—for whatever reason—this hobby and trade would not be in the enviably strong position it is now. I have no idea what 2010 will bring for any of us but I do know that now that Christmas is over and a new year is beginning, all of us should look back at 2009, breathe a little sigh of relief and thank our lucky stars that, despite the doomsayers in the national press, the bubbles haven’t been bursting and actually we are all still doing alright. So, next time you hear of someone buying sovereigns as a nest egg or moving his money out of the FTSE and into numismatics, don’t turn up your nose at his plans, rather you should shake him by the hand and thank him for allowing the hobby you love so much to thrive!

Korea DSC donated

Phil Mussell — 22/01/2010 10:53:00

An exceptionally rare Distinguished Service Cross awarded to Australian Pilot Lt (later Commander) Guy Beange for flying Sea Fury Aircraft from HMAS Sydney during teh Korean War has been donated to the Australian War Memorial. For the full story see here

Iranian Banknotes - all change

Phil Mussell — 21/01/2010 12:16:00

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has stated that Iran needs to "re-denominate" its banknotes and apparently the Central Bank is looking to cut three zeros from the notes. The rial is the official currency of Iraq and currently there are about 10,000 to one US$ - that looks set to change with the new denominated currency equalling just 10 rial to the US$ For more information see here

It isn't only here....

Phil Mussell — 21/01/2010 12:11:00

Following the tale of "Walter Mitty" wannabe Roger Day and his array of medals at an Armistice day parade MEDAL NEWS can report that this isn't just a UK phenomenon.

A Tampa Bay, Florida man, Angel Manuel Ocasio-Reyes, has recently pleaded not guilty to wearing medals to which he was not entitled. He was charged in December under the Stolen Valor Act and faces three counts: falsely wearing medals authorized by Congress, falsely representing himself to have been awarded decorations and medals, and falsely altering a military discharge form. Punishment could be a year in prison and a $100,000 fine for each count.

VC hero back on duty

Phil Mussell — 21/01/2010 12:06:00

The New Zealand Government has expressed its anger over news pictures in the New Zealand Herald that identified NZVC winner Cpl. Willie Apiata on duty in Afghanistan. Cpl. Apiata was shown as one of two soldiers patrolling a street in Kabul after Taliban gunmen attacked the city earlier this week. The full story can be found here

French honour for Gloucestershire man

Phil Mussell — 21/01/2010 11:49:00

Alex Rowe of Stonehouse, Gloucestershire is to be awarded the French Legion of Honour for bravery in Afghanistan with the French Foreign Legion - not bad for a lad who was refused entry into the British army because of a sight problem. You can view the full story here

Heading North

Phil Mussell — 21/01/2010 11:43:00

We'll be heading up the M5/M42/A42/M1 (yes it's a long way) again on Sunday January 31 to attend Eddie Smith's "Leeds" show at the Cedar Court Hotel Wakefield, just off junction 39 of the M1

Eddie's show has gone from strength to strength in recent years and we always like to support it if we can, unfortunately this will be the only one we can get to for a while (the fair is always on the last Sunday of the month and we have Dublin in February, Harrogate in March, the Orders and Medals Society North show in April, holidays booked in May and another medal fair in June) so if you want to come and see us January it has to be!

We'll always bring a good selection of our books and accessories with us to this show but if you want something specific please do drop us a line - we'll do our best to bring it up.

See you then!

"Walter Mitty" Admission

Phil Mussell — 12/01/2010 15:30:00

The "soldier" who caused outrage at an Armistice Day parade in Warwickshire has admitted to "unlawfully using military decoration". The full story can be found here

New Britannia Design

Phil Mussell — 11/01/2010 16:07:00

The Royal Mint have just announced the design of the 2010 Britannia. A more relaxed image graces the new coin with Britannia portrayed in classical style, hair and robes flowing and sporting a "Corinthian" style helmet.

Judge for yourselves!

Coin of the Year 2009/2010

Phil Mussell — 08/01/2010 11:22:00

According to a Krause press release today "Ten outstanding 2008-dated coins have been honored with Coin of the Year Awards by World Coin News magazine."

An international panel of judges selected the winners from hundreds of nominated coins during a final round of balloting that concluded in late December. The awards will be presented Jan. 30, in a special ceremony at the World Money Fair in Berlin, Germany, by World Coin News executive editor David C. Harper.

"Krause Publications and World Coin News have sponsored the Coin of the Year Awards for nearly 30 years, and each year the entries get better and better," said Lisa Bellavin, Coin of the Year coordinator for KP. "This round of voting was no exception. The creativity, innovation and craftsmanship shown by mints around the world is nothing short of breathtaking, and we are pleased to honor those who continue to push coin design and manufacturing to new heights."

The winners include:

Most Historically Significant: Kazakhstan, 100 Tenge, silver, Genghis Khan

Best Contemporary Event: Israel, 10 New Shequalim, silver, Israel's 60th anniversary

Best Gold: Latvia, 20 Lati, gold, Coin of Latvia

Best Silver: Germany, 10 Euro, silver, Franz Kafka

Best Crown: Austria, 10 Euro, silver, The Abbey of Klosterneuberg

Most Popular: United States, 1 Dollar, silver, American Eagle

Best Trade: Cyprus, 2 Euro, bi-metallic, Ancient statue cross

Most Innovative: Austria, 25 Euro, silver, Fascination Light

Most Artistic: Poland, 200 Zlotych, gold, Warsaw ghetto uprising

Most Inspirational: Canada, 2,500 Dollars, gold, Towards Confederation

Voting for the overall Coin of the Year, as well as the People's Choice award, will conclude soon, with winners also unveiled at the World Money Fair in Berlin.

Faking it

Phil Mussell — 07/01/2010 10:26:00

Fake £1 coins are never far from the news as this story from Northern Ireland shows....

Let that be a lesson to us all!

Snow joke

Phil Mussell — 07/01/2010 10:24:00

Apologies to anyone waiting for Token Publishing book/accessory orders - the snow has meant that key members of staff (me for example :) ) haven't been able to make it into work so there is a small backlog of orders waiting for despatch. We will get onto it as soon as we can!

The York Stamp and Coin show

Phil Mussell — 22/12/2009 11:35:00

Now why would you - a MEDAL NEWS reader want to come to a stamp and Coin show? Well you'd be surprised at just how many medals are on offer at the bi-annual event, many Coin dealers have them on their tables and there are always one or two specialist medal dealers too - but there isn't the competition amongst the medal collectors as far fewer go along than they do to the specialist Medal and Militaria shows! The next fair is on January 15 and 16 - at the usual venue of the York racecourse - it might be worth your while coming along. And as it's free to get in what have you got to lose....!

The first show of 2010.....

Phil Mussell — 22/12/2009 11:30:00

For the token Team at least will be the York Stamp and Coin Fair (there are medals there too!) on January 15 and 16 at the tried and tested venue of the Knavesmire Stand at York Racecourse. We love York, the show is great, the city is wonderful and the people are always friendly - if you haven't been to the show before you really should come along, it's free to get in and is well worth the trip - we'll see you there.

For full details of the venue, opening times, dealers attending etc. see the January issue of COIN NEWS

Christmas deliveries

Phil Mussell — 22/12/2009 11:23:00

By the end of play today (Tuesday 22 December) all orders received will have been posted out, the only exceptions being those items not in stock which all customers should have been informed about.

We have been exceptionally busy this year but all Alyson has done sterling work in getting everything out by Christmas - most items ordered up until Friday were posted out via first class post yesterday (Monday 21) if not before! Only those ordered within the past 24 hours, or those for which we are awaiting stock, have been left until today!

If you haven't received a pre-ordered item please note that everything has gone out - but once it leaves us we are at the mercy of the Royal Mail - we do hope everything arrives in good time but should you still be missing something on January 4 2010 when we come back after the Christmas break do get in touch and we'll see what we can do!

Christmas opening hours

Phil Mussell — 22/12/2009 11:20:00

We can't quite believe it but Christmas is upon us already and, nice employers that we are, we're giving our staff a bit of a break over the festive period. We'll be closing on Wednesday 23 December at 1.00pm and will be back full of turkey (or in the case of the vegetarians in the company some nut roast or similar) on Monday January 4 2010.

We'd like to wish all of our customers a very, very Happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year!

New legal tender UK coins

Phil Mussell — 21/12/2009 16:07:00

Opportunity knocks . . . THE Royal Mint’s “new releases” for 2010 circulating coinage, as featured on the front cover this month, have come as something of a surprise. We all knew there would be new coins of course, there always are, but the extent of the new releases has got us at the COIN NEWS office somewhat baffled. The £5 coin—depicting the restoration of the Monarchy and the stylised but rather attractive £2 coin commemorating the centenary of Florence Nightingale’s death were expected—after all, both the larger denominations have traditionally been used to represent Royalty (think Henry VIII and Elizabeth I) and famous people (think Brunel and Guy Fawkes) and these two choices seem admirable enough, however, the introduction of not one but two brand new £1 coins was not expected. After all, it was only just under two years ago that the new “jigsaw” series of circulating coins was introduced so we didn’t think we would see anything else quite so soon. The new coins herald an entirely new £1 coin series, although with a difference—this time the reverse will depict not one “home country”, as was seen with the flora and fauna, bridges or heraldic series, but all four, with symbols for the four capitals being shown all together with one being larger to denote which country is actually being represented. It sounds complicated but really it isn’t—think “all countries are equal but on these coins one is more equal than others” (sorry Mr Orwell!). This is, to our knowledge, the first time a new series has been launched with two coins rather than one and is certainly the first time all four constituent parts of the United Kingdom have been depicted together on a £1 coin (that’s excluding the obvious national symbols of the shield and the coat of arms). At a time when there is more talk than ever about devolution and the break up of the Union, is this the Royal Mint’s way of promoting unity we wonder! More of a surprise than having three £1 coins in circulation in 2010 was the inclusion of a new 50p—this time representing 100 years of the Girl Guides. In itself this is understandable—after all, the Scouts had their Centenary 50p back in 2007 so in the interests of equality, if nothing else, the Guides had to have a look in too. But consider this—March of this year sees the start of the Olympic 50p release, the UK’s very own version of the States Quarters programme so successful on the other side of the pond, with a new 50p representing a different Olympic and Paralympic sport being issued every month between March 2010 and the start of the London Olympics in August 2012. Given that there will therefore be a plethora of new Olympic related 50p designs in our pockets (as well as the standard reverse to complete the jigsaw) it is perhaps odd that the Royal Mint decided to add to the mix by introducing yet another. Do they perhaps believe that the Olympic 50 pences will disappear as quickly as they get released? Hoarded away by those back room collectors who would never consider themselves numismatists and yet avidly collect every commemorative that they get in change? If you don’t believe such people exist, ask yourself this—when was the last time you saw a Brunel £2 coin or a Victoria Cross 50p in your change? They were released into general circulation just like every other coin and yet they, and just about every other commemorative, just seem to disappear. If this is the case and the Mint expect these coins to vanish, then they must believe that there are thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of people interested enough to squirrel them away. But if that’s the case then don’t those people, and indeed us “proper” numismatists, deserve to know just what it is we’re collecting? At this stage all we know is that there will be 29 coins each representing a different sport, but we don’t know exactly what sports will be depicted or indeed in what order they will be released. The “Blue Peter” competition winner, nine-year-old Florence Jackson of Bristol, chose the high jump as her theme and we believe that that will be the coin that kicks off the programme but we aren’t certain. Let us hope that by the time March comes around we will know a little more. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have a return to the “check your change” days when half the population was on the look out for the rarities in their pockets? Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have the general public eagerly adding to their own fledgling collections every time a new coin hits the streets? I would love to see albums and folders full of these new 50 pences being carried around fairs as the new collectors desperately try to fill in the gaps. I’d love to see the rarer ones being traded at shows or on-line however, unless we know what we’re looking for, the albums and folders can’t be produced, the new collectors will end up confused and the opportunity will be missed. 2010 is a chance for the Royal Mint to re-ignite the public’s interest in coins and collecting. They have already announced how they plan to do it and I do so hope they will live up to expectations. We can only wait and see.

Birmingham Motorcycle Museum

Phil Mussell — 10/12/2009 12:07:00

Are you coming to the Motorcycle Museum near the NEC this Sunday (December 13)? This regular show is held every second Sunday of the month and is always a popular venue amongst dealers and collectors alike - so popular that once a quarter the organisers have to move to the bigger room - the Britannia suite - to accommodate everyone! This move means that every so often your favourite publsihers (that's us by the way) can have a table - so hopefully we'll see you there!

Oh and for all you medal collectors out there - this isn't just a coin fair - the bigger shows always have an excellent range of medals on offer!

Bomber VC sets new auction record

Phil Mussell — 04/12/2009 11:16:00

Keeping everyone happy AGAIN I’m afraid I have to split this Editorial in two—I was all ready to talk about our Britannia medal fair and our ideas for the future when suddenly not one but two Victoria Crosses sell for incredible money. The first to Flight Lieutenant Bill Reid, a Lancaster Bomber pilot, sold at Spink for a staggering £348,000, bought, apparently, by the late Chris John’s sister as a tribute to him. A fine tribute indeed and a record for a VC group to a British recipient. No sooner had we digested that incredible piece of news (for more information see page 6) but we learn via the Daily Telegraph that Lord Ashcroft has paid an astonishing £1.5 million (or thereabouts—the exact figure is unknown) for the wonderful VC and bar awarded to Captain Noel Chavasse, one of only three “double VCs” ever awarded. The medal had, some time ago, been bequeathed by the Captain’s family to St Peter’s College, Oxford (founded by Captain Chavasse’s Father, the Reverend Francis Chavasse, in 1929). It now rests in the superb Ashcroft Collection and no doubt will form the centre piece to the Ashcroft Victoria Cross Gallery that will open in the Imperial War Museum next year. Now regular readers will know that we are firm supporters of Lord Ashcroft’s endeavours, believing his quest to form the largest collection of the ultimate gallantry award and then display them in London for all to see, to be an excellent idea and one that ultimately benefits us all—public and collector alike. However, in this particular case we are somewhat more reticent with our enthusiasm. In the main Lord Ashcroft’s acquisitions have, until now, either come from public auction or from private treaty—often with the family or, in some cases, the recipients themselves. In this case, however, he has bought the medal from those to whom it was donated and that begs a few questions. To my mind when a medal has been bequeathed or donated to an organisation, be it a museum, regiment or college, it has been done so because that is the will of the recipient or their next of kin. Is it therefore wrong for that organisation to profit at a later date from that item’s sale? After all, if profit were to be made shouldn’t it have been made by the recipient or their family in the first instance? Of course, I don’t know the full details of this transaction and the current descendants of Captain Chavasse may have been consulted at every turn (although I do not know whether the family is still involved with the College at all today) but nevertheless, I feel that even if this were the case they are not those who made the bequest and therefore cannot really speak for them. While I am sure that the money received from the sale will be put to excellent use, and will carry on the educational work that Reverend Chavasse intended the college for, I’m still not entirely convinced. To my mind if something has been donated it is not for the beneficiary to later make money from that act of generosity and whilst I do not begrudge the Ashcroft Collection this fine piece and can understand why Lord Ashcroft wanted to acquire it, I can’t help but feel a “permanent loan” to the gallery and perhaps a donation to the college by Lord Ashcroft may have been a more palatable way of doing things. The outcome would have been, to all intents and purposes the same, but somehow there’s a moral difference. Maybe I’m just being old fashioned but if I were the owner of a high end gallantry group I think I might now fear to donate or bequeath it, believing that it too could, in time, simply be sold on. I think I’d rather have the money myself! On a completely different note, I would just like to thank all who attended an incredibly successful “Britannia” on November 22. We had 34 dealers taking a total of 54 tables and that attracted over 500 collectors through the door throughout the day—with 124 queuing before opening at 9.30am! From what we can ascertain, most people had a very enjoyable time and a great many of the dealers and collectors alike took the time to congratulate us on making the day such a good one. A full report, and pictures, will appear in the next issue of MEDAL NEWS. This, of course, was the second of our shows and we have now proved, beyond doubt, that we can get the dealers in and the public in. However, of course, there will always be the potential problem that the former don’t have what the latter are looking for—if that’s the case then simple numbers mean nothing. To counter this age-old problem we have decided to launch a “Britannia Wants” list. Quite simply, if you plan to come to the next Britannia (March 21, 2010) then let us know, before the beginning of that month, what you collect and what you’d like to see on offer. We’ll circulate that list to all dealers attending and they will do their best to bring stock that suits your needs—or maybe source it if they don’t have it. There will be no obligation to buy, your name won’t be passed on, all that will happen is that the dealers will know that there will be people attending the fair who collect X, Y or Z—all you then have to do is check out their tables and hopefully they will have brought something of interest along and you can make your decision whether to buy or not! Dealers would always rather bring things they have a good chance of selling and collectors would rather see things on tables they’d like to buy—the answer is simple—tell us what you want, and we’ll pass it on. Look out in the February issue for more details and a “wants” form, but in the meantime write to us or email us (we’d like your wants in writing please so don’t call in with them) and we’ll start compiling that list now. We will then circulate it to the dealers stalling out in March and, with luck, everyone is happy. That’s the theory anyway!

World Record for an MM group

Phil Mussell — 03/12/2009 17:43:00

The DNW sale of Wednesady December 2 saw an amazing £70,000 paid for the Falklands MM group awarded to Captain (then Corporal) Ian Bailey for the full strory see news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/surrey/8390468.stm

Stop thief MC group missing

Phil Mussell — 30/11/2009 16:09:00

In the early hours of Thursday 19^th November a family collection of 14 medals including an MC group was stolen from a house in Leicester. The medals missing are as follows:

Lt Col Edward Cecil Barton:

Military Cross (engraved with recipients deatils and "Ypres 1917")

1914/15 Star

British War Medal

Victory Medal

India General Medal with North West Frontier Clasp

King George VI Coronation Medal

1939/45 Star

War Medal 1939/45

Defence Medal

Lt Reginald Frederick Barton:

1914/15 Star

British War Medal

Victory Medal

Edward Robert Barton:

2 unknown medals

If anyone has any information on the whereabouts of these medals or would like to help further please contact Tom Barton on 07825 439518 email him at stolenmedals@yahoo.co.uk, speak to Leicestershire police 0116 222 2222 or anonymously on Crimestoppers 0800 555 111

Tony Fitzsimmons 1925-2009

Phil Mussell — 26/11/2009 15:18:00

It is with great sadness that we learn of the death of Tony Fitzsimmons on November 24 2009.

Tony was a regular "helper" of Steve Sewell's across nearly 30 years and anyone who has seen Steve at any medal fair, be it Bromley, Bristol or Britannia, will have known his father in law Tony. A true gentleman he was always ready to say hello and share a joke or two with yo and he will be greatly missed by many in the trade.

Our sympathies and condolences go out to Steve and his wife Geraldine, Tony's daughter.

Britannia Success

Phil Mussell — 24/11/2009 11:04:00

Thank you all - dealers and collectors alike - who made Britannia on Sunday such a success, the weather was against us, the underground was against us but we still managed to get over 500 people through the door! The room was buzzing and on more than one occasion I heard the comments "it's just like the old days" - praise indeed.

There were a couple of complaints of course - the main one being too many people - sorry about that but it's a problem I'm happy to have! The only other concern was that a few people said they couldn't find anything on the dealers' tables to suit their needs.

That will always be a problem - we can't dictate what people collect or what dealers will bring - but we think we may have a way round it - look out in the next MEDAL NEWS - and on this site next week - for further details.

The Ultimate VC

Phil Mussell — 22/11/2009 23:50:00

According to the Daily Telegraph Lord Aschroft has paid a staggering £1.5million for the magnificent "VC and Bar" to Captain Noel Chavasse - one of only three double Victoria Crosses ever awarded. According to the 'paper's website Lord Ashcroft bought the medals from St Peter's College Oxford to whom they had been bequeathed sometime ago. For the full story see www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/6624138/Lord-Ashcroft-pays-record-price-for-ultimate-Victoria-Cross.html

The Ship Noble

Phil Mussell — 20/11/2009 12:57:00

We have the power . . . A RECENT TRIP to my local antiques fair left me in shock—I discovered a veritable hoard of rarities—a pile, literally a pile, of 1804 silver dollars on one dealer’s stand. My goodness, what a find! Here was I in the middle of Devon and I’d discovered a hitherto unknown source of one of the world’s rarest coins and they were all reasonably priced too! Thoughts of the riches to come buzzed around my head and I was giddy with excitement, until I picked up one of the rarities and reality crashed back in. They were of course fakes, copies, probably emanating from China and, to the trained numismatist, not even very good ones. They were too light, didn’t feel right and it didn’t take a genius to work out that with a pile of them on offer these weren’t going to be the real McCoy. I’d known this of course but you can’t blame me for getting a little carried away . . . I didn’t bother talking to the dealer. I cannot be bothered to waste my breath on those pedalling such trash, but it did make me think—I wasn’t fooled and the chances are the seller (who wasn’t specifically dealing in coins) wasn’t intending to sell these as anything other than “replicas”. But we all know that people are taken in, every day, and that there are many who will happily sell on such rubbish as original. Therefore I am using this “Comment” to once again jump on my soap box and talk about the problem that faces us all—and ask everyone of you, dealer and collector alike to help do something about it. Whilst the problem of fakes is real, and the threat posed by the copies coming out of the Far East has to be tackled, the number of “copies” out there is still relatively small—we just don’t want it to get any bigger! A number of influential American organisations, including the American Numismatic Association (ANA) and the Professional Numismatists Guild (PNG) are already on the case. In a recent press release they state that more than a million counterfeit coins manufactured in China have been fraudulently sold in the States and that this poses a “significant financial risk for unsuspecting consumers”. Well of course it does—if there are fakes out there (and we know there are) then someone is going to get stung—the secret is to make sure it isn’t you. Unfortunately, it is a fact of modern day life, with computer-aided manufacture, that anything, anything at all, can be and is being forged, and yes, it seems that China is one of the main culprits, with the Chinese authorities either unwilling or unable to act and the western authorities powerless. The fact is that the manufacture of these coins as replicas is not illegal—what is against the law, certainly in Europe and the USA, is the selling them on as original and, sadly, that is what is happening on various internet sites and indeed at markets everywhere—with the poor unsuspecting buyer soon finding his “rarity” is nothing of the sort but is, in fact, just a cheap copy. But hold on a minute—I use the term “unsuspecting buyer” too loosely—if we look carefully at those who do buy from anonymous sources on-line or manage to discover a fabulous rarity at a local boot sale, we will find they are not, in fact, “unsuspecting” at all—rather they are doing it in the hope of turning a quick profit. They think they know exactly what they are doing and are hoping to cash in on a mistake or oversight to make a fortune. We can’t blame them of course. How many of us don’t relish the thought of picking up a rare date or variety nestling unspotted in a junk tray? But ask yourself this: if you see something like an 1804 dollar on the stand of a dealer who doesn’t specialise in coins, isn’t it worth just wondering for a second where he got it from? Isn’t it worth asking how he came by such a delight? And isn’t it worth asking whether or not he doesn’t have one or two just like it under the counter? Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that there are no bargains to be had any more, but let’s be honest about it, such things happen very, very rarely and to believe that you’ve struck it rich by buying a 1933 penny from somebody on an internet auction site whose previous sales have been fake perfumes and dodgy handbags is naivety in the extreme. The answer of course is simple: if you see something a little bit suspect then walk away—because you can guarantee if it looks too good to be true, it will be. It’s easy really, just steer clear of the cowboys and those whose reputations leave something to be desired. Get to know, and buy from, only the regular, bona fide dealers and above all get to know your coins—only by handling real coins will you ever truly be able to spot a fake. Yes, there are fakes out there, as there are with everything valuable from paintings to watches to designer shirts, but they will only really become a problem in this hobby if people keep buying them, and people are only buying them in the hope of getting rich quickly by getting a bargain and selling it on or because they aren’t prepared to pay the “going rate” for something they want in their collection. If you value your hobby, indeed if you value your collection, you won’t buy this tat; you won’t succumb to the lure of the easy money or the cheap option; you’ll buy only from those dealers that you, and everyone else in the trade, trusts (and it doesn’t matter which medium you use to buy—bona fide dealers are selling on-line too—just because something is on the internet doesn’t make it bad, just be sure you know who you’re buying from) and you will shun those who peddle such rubbish. If there isn’t a market for fakes those making them will soon move on to something else but for as long as collectors want something for nothing, want to make that fast buck, then these things will still be around. We have the power to do something about this situation—let’s start now.

Stop Thief

Phil Mussell — 20/11/2009 10:42:00

STOLEN during October 2009 from a private house in E Devon 14/15 Trio to S/N M Hankinson TFNS/QAIMNS plus silver Nursing Badge St Pancras Hospital engraved M Hankinson 1 October 1906 in brown box of issue together with BWM and Victory to 9583 Cpl A R Hankinson KRRC. Please contact DC C Campbell D&C Constabulary Honiton 08452 777444 Ext. 2639. Crime Ref: KH/09/939

Record price for a VC

Phil Mussell — 20/11/2009 10:12:00

A new world record auction price for a Victoria Cross to a British recipient (Flight Lieutenant W. 'Bill' Reid).was set at Spink on November 19 2009. The medal group sold for a staggering £348,000 (£290,000 plus 20% premiumn) to an anonymous bidder in the room. According to the Daily Mail on November 20 that anonymous the buyer was Melissa John, sister of well known medal collector Chris John who died last year at just 47. The newspaper reports that she bought the group "in memory of him" as he had alwasy wanted to own a Victoria Cross

The following is taken from the Spink Catalogue:

'The Outstanding Second War Bomber Command Victoria Cross Group of Six to Lancaster Pilot, Flight Lieutenant W. 'Bill' Reid, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, who whilst on a sortie with 61 Squadron to Dusseldorf, 3.11.1943, was 'wounded in two [fighter] attacks, without oxygen, suffering severely from cold, his navigator dead, his wireless operator fatally wounded, his aircraft crippled and defenceless, Flight Lieutenant Reid Showed Superb Courage and Leadership in penetrating a further 200 miles into enemy territory to attack one of the most strongly defended targets in Germany, every additional mile increasing the hazards of the long perilous journey home.' He was later posted to the famous 617 'Dam Busters' Squadron with whom he was 'Bombed-Out' on a 'Tall Boy' sortie over Rilly La Montagne, 31.7.1944, 'just as he emerged, the Lancaster broke in two and Reid tumbled down, accompanied by a hail of metal fragments from his aircraft.' He and his wireless operator survived to be taken prisoner of war, tragically the rest of the crew perished in the crippled plane.

'On the night of November 3rd, 1943, Flight Lieutenant Reid was pilot and captain of a Lancaster aircraft detailed to attack Dusseldorf. Shortly after crossing the Dutch coast, the pilot's windscreen was shattered by fire from a Messerschmitt 110. Owing to a failure in the heating circuit, the rear gunner's hands were too cold for him to open fire immediately or to operate his microphone and so give warning of danger; but after a brief delay he managed to return the Messerschmitt's fire and it was driven off. During the fight with the Messerschmitt, Flight Lieutenant Reid was wounded in the head, shoulders and hands. The elevator trimming tabs of the aircraft were damaged and it became difficult to control. The rear turret, too, was badly damaged and the communications system and compasses were put out of action. Flight Lieutenant Reid ascertained that his crew were unscathed and, saying nothing about his own injuries, he continued his mission. Soon afterwards, the Lancaster was attacked by a Focke Wulf 190. This time, the enemy's fire raked the bomber from stern to stern. The rear gunner replied with his only serviceable gun but the state of his turret made accurate aiming impossible. The navigator was killed and the wireless operator fatally injured. The mid-upper turret was hit and the oxygen system put out of action. Flight Lieutenant Reid was again wounded and the flight engineer, though hit in the forearm, supplied him with oxygen from a portable supply.

Flight Lieutenant Reid refused to be turned from his objective and Dusseldorf was reached some 50 minutes later. He had memorised his course to the target and had continued in such a normal manner that the bomb-aimer, who was cut off by the failure of the communications system, knew nothing of his captain's injuries or of the casualties to his comrades. Photographs show that, when the bombs were released, the aircraft was right over the centre of the target.

Steering by the pole star and the moon, Flight Lieutenant Reid then set course for home. He was growing weak from loss of blood. The emergency oxygen supply had given out. With the windscreen shattered, the cold was intense. He lapsed into semi-consciousness. The flight engineer, with some help from the bomb-aimer, kept the Lancaster in the air despite heavy anti-aircraft fire over the Dutch coast.

The North Sea crossing was accomplished. An airfield was sighted. The captain revived, resumed control and made ready to land. Ground mist partially obscured the runway lights. The captain was also much bothered by the blood from his head wound getting into his eyes. But he made a safe landing although one leg of the damaged undercarriage collapsed when the load came on.

Wounded in two attacks, without oxygen, suffering severely from cold, his navigator dead, his wireless operator fatally wounded, his aircraft crippled and defenceless, Flight Lieutenant Reid showed superb courage and leadership in penetrating a further 200 miles into enemy territory to attack one of the most strongly defended targets in Germany, every additional mile increasing the hazards of the long perilous journey home. His tenacity and devotion to duty were beyond praise.'

Britannia - November 22. IT'S THIS SUNDAY

Phil Mussell — 18/11/2009 14:11:00

Are you coming to Britannia this Sunday? It's now officially (and by some margin) the UK's biggest MEDAL FAIR with over 30 dealers stalling out. They are:

Bonhams

Philip Burman

Andrew Bostock

John Cannon

Mark Carter

Chelsea Military Antiques

Chester Militaria

Peter Cotrel (unfortunately Peter is unwell so may not be able to make it)

David Desborough

CJ & AJ Dixon

DNW

Tom Donovan

David Empson

Find-a-medal.com

Bill Friar Medals

Andrew Fryer

Gordon's Medals

Great War Medals

Tony Hall

M&D Medals

John Manning

Medals of England.com

Morton and Eden

Peter Morris

The O.M.R.S

George Rankin

Steve Sewell

Murray Shaw

Spink

V J C Collectables

Fred Walland

Waterloo Militaria

Stephen Wheeler

And of course the Token Publishing Team

The show starts at 9.30am in the Carisbrooke Hall, Victory Services Club, Seymour Street (just off Marble Arch) on November 22 and goes on until 2.00pm

See you there!!

50p celebrates the Girl Guides

Phil Mussell — 18/11/2009 13:10:00

100 years of the Girl Guides is the theme for the 2010 50 pence - interestingly two designers initials appear on the rather simple reverse - we're not quite sure why it needed two people to come up with the fetching but fairly straightforward design but it seems that that is the case with Jonathan Evans and Donna Hainan both being credited with the work.

We're also not sure just how many of these 50pences will actually ever be seen - after all the standard design will still have to be issued (otherwise the shield will be incomplete) and of course we start the 2012 Olympic 50p issue in April. The UK will, it seems, be awash with new 50 pences next year!

Florence Nightingale �2 design

Phil Mussell — 18/11/2009 13:05:00

The circulating £2 coin for 2010 will be a tribute to the Crimean War nurse Florence Nightingale 100 years after her death. The rather stylised design, depicting Florence's healing hands holding a patient's hand (the hands are artfully designed to ensure that the nurse and the patient are easily told apart) will appear in our pockets next year - let us know when you see one!

Brand New One pound Series launched

Phil Mussell — 18/11/2009 12:55:00

The Royal Mint today unveiled their new look £1 coins for 2010 and for the first time we're to be treated to a coin that has not one but FOUR reverses. Ok That's not actually true but what they've done is very clever - the coin has been designed to represent each one of the Capital cities of the constituent Countries of the UK with the first released being Belfast and London. However it isn't ONLY the representation of that city that appears - all four cities will have their symbol on the reverses - just slightly smaller. So with the Belfast coin it's the Belfast reverse that takes up the majority of the space with Edinburgh, Cardiff and London at the bottom. It sounds complicated but really it isn't and actually it's really quite clever - have a look at the picture and you'll see what I mean! See the January 2010 COIN NEWS for further information

Stop Thief - 3 generations of medals stolen.

Phil Mussell — 11/11/2009 12:08:00

Again local to us down here in Devon a burglar has left another veteran distrught. We'll post more details about recipients etc.as soon as we know them, we are in touch with the local police, but in the mean time the bare bones of the story can be seen here www.thisisexeter.co.uk/news/Exeter-hero-s-medals-plea-thief/article-1502085-detail/article.html

The only information we have at this stage is somewhat confusing but we have ascertained that the following medals have been stolen:

General Service Medal clasp South Arabia awarded to P H F Bourne RM

Africa Star, Defence and War (with MID) Air Efficiency, J H Bourne RAF

QSA (Clasp Cape Colony), KSA R Wright

Also assorted medals to Cochrane

More information as we get it.

Through the roof?

Phil Mussell — 10/11/2009 11:45:00

Gold continues its seemingly relentless upwards trend on Monday November 9 it peaked at over $1,100 an ounce - quite a remarkable sum. Can the trend continue or will the bubble burst....?

Read the full story at news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8351154.stm

London Coin Fair November 7

Phil Mussell — 05/11/2009 10:43:00

We're gearing up for the last LCF of the year - held as ever at the popular Holiday Inn, Bloomsbury just off Coram Street. The venue is one of the best ones on the "circuit" and is always well attended by dealers and collectors alike, John and Carol are making the trip up the A303 this time and will be taking with them our usual stock of books (including all the Krause Catalogues and our new COIN YEARBOOK and MEDAL YEARBOOK) as well as a wide range of accessories - why not come along and say hello....!

A cross to bear.

Phil Mussell — 02/11/2009 14:55:00

FORGIVE me if I split this “Comment” in two but there are a couple of things that need my attention this month and they can’t really be amalgamated into one editorial. The first concerns the latest “medal” to be issued—the Elizabeth Cross. Now, whilst I wholeheartedly support the institution of this badge given to the next of kin of those who lose their lives whilst on active duty, I cannot help but feel the retrospective nature of the criteria, and the fact that only one Cross is awarded per fatality, could well lead to all sorts of problems. Take for example the case of a young soldier who lost his life in the Falklands Conflict. He was newly married but had still listed his mother and then father as next of kin. In the intervening years his parents have divorced in an acrimonious split and his mother now lives in America, his widow has remarried and the MoD have long lost touch with all members of the family. The father hears about the Elizabeth Cross and applies for it and it is duly sent to him. Some months later the widow hears about it and she wants to apply, only to find the Cross has already been awarded. After all, the MoD is under no obligation to try and trace any other members of the family who might have a better claim, so why shouldn’t they have awarded the Cross to the father? And what about when the mother returns from the States and learns about the Cross? She too will want to apply for it, but she too will be thwarted—this will inevitably lead to tabloid stories featuring grieving widow and/or grieving mother for whom the pain of loss is exacerbated by their being told that they can’t have the official Commemoration of their loved one’s life for it has gone elsewhere. This is hardly going to be the sort of publicity the Government wants associated with this latest offering and I question the wisdom of inviting such problems by making the eligibility so chronologically wide-reaching. Far better, I would have thought, to make the award eligible only to the next of kin of those lost in the recent Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts. At least in those cases the possibilities of family politics getting in the way are far less! I’m being cynical of course, and I do hope that such problems do not occur, but when you realise that the award will span over 60 years and that inevitably there will have been deaths, splits and family schisms in that time, you will see that working out who is eligible to receive the Cross and who isn’t might well not be as straightforward as some might hope. Part of the problem lies in the fact that this is something that must be applied for and as far as I can see there is no clear cut way of the MoD making sure that the person who applies is indeed the person who should receive the Cross. I have spoken with the Medal Office and I am assured they do their best in every case but with so many possibilities and permutations and no clear cut indication of just what the definition of next of kin actually is (is it the father or mother? What about a live-in partner of many years? Are they less eligible than husband or wife? What about a legitimate child versus an illegitimate one? And so on. Another problem lies with the time-span involved. As the years have gone on so it has become more and more likely that those once listed as “Next of Kin” by the service personnel who fell are themselves no longer with us and now perhaps only distant branches of the family are still around to claim. There was no clear way round this of course, even multiple awards wouldn’t have pleased everybody, but given the scenarios outlined above it easy to see how the award of the Elizabeth Cross could become a bone of contention for some. On an entirely different note I beg your forgiveness for shamelessly promoting our Britannia Medal Fair once again. If you take a look on pages 36–37 of this issue you’ll see that word has spread about the success of the last fair and that this time around the show, on November 22, features more than 30 dealers from across the UK, making this, without a doubt, the country’s biggest medal fair! I do hope you’ll be able to come along to the Victory Services Club in Seymour Street just off Marble Arch. If you do you’ll find some of the best medals in the country on offer as well as some great catering facilities and a warm welcome! It is free entry for MEDAL NEWS readers and we’re offering everyone who comes through the door a £2 gift voucher to spend with us and the chance to win £100 to spend with anyone of the dealers stalling out on the day. Come along if you can—this is the MEDAL NEWS show for MEDAL NEWS readers and together we can make it the best medal show in the world. I look forward to meeting you on the day!

Stop Thief - Elizabeth Cross missing

Phil Mussell — 28/10/2009 10:51:00

Stolen in the postal system (the envelope was delivered, contents removed) an Elizabeth Cross engraved Captain G. Shaw Ulster Defence Regiment. His widow was returning it as the Captain had been promoted to Major shortly before his death and the rank was incorrect.

Any information to the Medal News office please

Gone missing

Phil Mussell — 23/10/2009 12:24:00

Would readers please keep an eye out for two RAF log books of Air Vice Marshal Leonard William George GILL, DSO. They have gone missing, in the London area in the past two months and could surface attached to a group at some point in the future - if anyone sees them please do get in touch with us at the MEDAL NEWS office.

Bun penny smashes record

Phil Mussell — 23/10/2009 09:33:00

Coinex comes home Last month I wrote about the (then) forthcoming Coinex fair, the British Numismatic Trade Association’s (BNTA) flagship show, and wondered whether the move to its new home of the Millennium Mayfair Hotel, Grosvenor Square, London would be a successful one. Well now, a few days after the event, I can say that yes, I believe on the whole it was. The location itself was nothing if not salubrious (even if it was very reminiscent of the “old days” and the Marriott just around the corner) and the main room (and indeed the foyer and smaller Waterloo Room off to one side) were plush enough to declare to everyone that this was going to be a top-class affair. Coinex has struggled in recent years to develop an identity all its own—was it trying to be a top-class, top-drawer bourse attracting serious numismatists (and serious money) from across the globe or was it trying to be the biggest “massmarket” coin fair in the country? At the DNW sponsored reception (and the International Association of Professional Numismatists’ prize giving) the night before the bourse opened, Chris Martin, the current BNTA chairman, set the record straight. This event was to be the crème de la crème of UK numismatics, the BNTA wanted to attract the best; the best dealers, the best customers and the best coins. The message was clear—there were many other coin fairs that you could attend to buy coins, every month sees a coin fair somewhere in the country and at least two very popular ones are held in the Capital regularly, but if you wanted the absolute best then Coinex should be the place to come to find it. That wasn’t to say there weren’t affordable pieces in the room the following day, far from it, the range on offer was commendable—from the simplest Roman bronzes and modern milled through to the rarities seen only occasionally, there was still something for everyone and indeed the collectors themselves seemed pleased enough. Admittedly the best coins would have gone to those happy to pay the £30 “early bird” entrance fee on the Friday morning rather than those who used their free COIN NEWS ticket to come in Friday afternoon or Saturday but no matter, everyone knows that that is the way things are at coin fairs—and you can’t expect to pick up that elusive rarity or stunning bargain if you come in hours after the initial rush. What you did get though, no matter when you came in, was a good array of coins and a wide variety of dealers to choose them from. Admittedly there were perhaps fewer dealers than last year, one or two notable by their self-imposed absence, but to be honest the room’s size meant getting any more tables into the bourse would have been a problem. As things were the numbers, both of dealers and collectors, was just about right. In fact numbers for the Saturday were, if anything, up on previous years, certainly we at the COIN NEWS stand were busy throughout the two days rather than finding ourselves twiddling our thumbs half way through the second! Another sign, perhaps of the strength of the hobby as much as the strength of the event? Inevitably it wasn’t all plain sailing, there were one or two unhappy faces in the room and the smaller number of dealers and the few noted absentees did draw criticism that the variety of coins available wasn’t as great as in previous years but that sort of talk was bound to happen, you’re never going to please all of the people all of the time, and there will always be those who won’t be happy no matter what the BNTA, or indeed any other show organiser, tries to do. As fair organisers ourselves (we now run the Britannia Medal Show at the Victory Services Club, just off Marble Arch, the next one is on November 22—come along if you’re at all interested in medals, free entry to COIN NEWS readers!) we know that despite our best efforts there will always be those who seek to tell us where we have gone wrong and that has certainly been the case with Coinex in recent years, but we certainly aren’t going to add our voices to that group. We believe that with the decision to be at the very pinnacle of the UK coin trade the BNTA has made the right move; there are, as was pointed out, plenty of other coin fairs to choose from—but there’s only one Coinex. We haven’t changed our view on a couple of things though—we would still be eager to see the BNTA join forces with the IBNS and create a wonderful “weekend of money” rather than see the two hobbies split as they were again this year and, most importantly, we would still urge the Association to remember that elite doesn’t necessary mean elitist and you can have a crème de la crème event that welcomes everyone; but all that aside we will give praise where praise is due and say “Well done”, Coinex worked this year and we look forward to the BNTA building on that success in 2010.

Heading North

Phil Mussell — 21/10/2009 13:17:00

The Token Team will be at Eddy Smith's Leeds (Wakefield) show on Sunday (October 25) held as always at the Cedar Court Hotel, Wakefield (just by Junction 39 of the M1). This popular show continues to go from strength to strength and we always try and get up there at least once or twice a year. This month we will, of course have our BRAND NEW Coin and Medal Yearbooks on offer as well as a wide range of other books and collectors' accessories - why not come and say hello!

Britannia - the latest

Phil Mussell — 21/10/2009 10:25:00

It's only a month now until the next MEDAL NEWS Britannia fair and we are finalising the list of dealers attending - would you believe there are going to be 32! That's individual dealers not tables - the table count is far higher! That means Britannia is officially the biggest medal fair in the country!

Dealers coming to the Victory Services Club, Seymour Street (just off Marble Arch) on November 22 are as follows:

Bonhams

Philip Burman

Andrew Bostock

John Cannon

Mark Carter

Chelsea Military Antiques

Chester Militaria

Peter Cotrel

David Desborough

CJ & AJ Dixon

DNW

Tom Donovan

David Empson

Find-a-medal.com

Bill Friar Medals

Andrew Fryer

Gordon's Medals

Great War Medals

Tony Hall

M&D Medals

John Manning

Medals of England.com

Morton and Eden

Peter Morris

The O.M.R.S

Steve Sewell

Murray Shaw

Spink

V J C Collectables

Fred Walland

Waterloo Militaria

Stephen Wheeler

And of course the Token Publishing Team

See you there!!

Postal Strike

Phil Mussell — 13/10/2009 10:10:00

Whatever your thoughts on the looming industrial action by postal workers are the fact is that a strike will inconvenience most of us - those of us trying to run a mail order business most of all. In order to minimise the impact of the strikes we are looking at alternative means of getting books and magazines out to our customers (larger orders already go by courier) so please don't stop ordering just because you fear things may not arrive - they will - I promise!

Overseas customers will not be affected as we don't use the Royal Mail for any international post.

And of course for our subscribers there is always the FREE digital magazine - a web based version of COIN NEWS or MEDAL NEWS identical to the paper version but with added hot links for websites and email. If you haven't signed up for it (it's totally free for UK and World Airmail/European subscribers) then let us know your email address straight away and we'll do the rest!

"Blue Peter" 50p coin launched

Phil Mussell — 13/10/2009 08:38:00

The first UK coin designed by a child (no quips about previous designs thank you) has been unveiled by the Royal Mint. The coin - the first in a series of 29 50pence pieces designed to represent a different Olympic or Paralympic sport in the run up to the London Olympics in 2012 was designed by nine year old Florence Jackson of Bristol (who chose the theme of teh high jump) following an open competition on the BBCs "Blue Peter" television show.

For more details see the BBC story news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8302165.stm

Reform of the Umayyad coinage

Phil Mussell — 07/10/2009 16:23:00

Getting together AS I write this Editorial the skies are grey, the wind is whipping up and there’s a definite chill in the air—yes, I accept that this description could have been of any given day in our “barbecue summer” of 2009 (overseas readers will just have to bear with us on this —UK readers will know EXACTLY what I’m talking about!), but in fact it’s now September and autumn is coming in, and with it so the new numismatic season gets under way. The launch pad of the season has always been the British Numismatic Association’s “Coinex” show in London, for years held at the Marriott Hotel, Grosvenor Square. However, the fair has moved about in the past few years, first going to the Excel Centre in the Docklands and then moving latterly to Earl’s Court. This year it is on the move again, heading back into the centre of the Capital and again to Grosvenor Square in the West End of London: the Millennium Mayfair Hotel being its new home. Coinex has always been something of a unique show, with no-one quite sure whether it should be seen as an all-inclusive coin fair for the masses or an elite event for the hardened numismatists. Personally I feel it should be a mixture of both: an elite trade show showcasing the best numismatics has to offer, whilst also welcoming all with open arms—let us hope that this new venue allows them to do just that. Of course no matter what the BNTA do, they will never be able to compete with some of the larger international shows —as we saw when we visited the American Numismatic Association’s (ANA) “World Fair of Money” in Los Angeles in August. This huge event is attended by dealers and collectors from across the globe but, more importantly, it is supported by hundreds of dealers from the USA. Like so many things American it is vast and as the hobby in this country doesn’t have the same following, or anywhere near the number of dealers involved as it does Stateside, there is no chance we’ll ever be able to hold an event on such a sprawling scale—but then would we want to? The ANA is held over the best part of a week—it needs to be to both allow collectors to visit every table and to encourage those who have to travel vast distances to get there to attend (after all, would you travel 3,000 miles just to attend a fair that was all over in a few hours? I doubt it), but is that something we would want to embrace over here? There are moans enough from some quarters about two day shows, with the second day always being far quieter than the first, and it is hard to see how anything longer would ever take off in the UK. Our British mentality seems very much to treat the coin show as a means of acquisition, a place to buy coins and little more. Yes, of course, collectors do get together in the venue’s bar or in nearby restaurants to pore over their new purchases, but in the main the fair is just a “shop window”, a place where coins can be bought and sold in person rather than on-line and little more. It is very much “in and out” and once the dealing is done, the show is over and everyone goes home, there is nothing else to do. There are conventions and “congresses” over here of course and they do sometimes have small bourses, or at least members’ own offerings available, but even they are generally weekend only affairs with everyone keen to get back to the “real world” come Monday. Is there any mileage, I wonder, in trying to stretch things out a little? Maybe amalgamate a convention, with its dinners, speeches, etc., with a coin fair? Personally I feel not, the hobby here is different from that in the US. I can’t say exactly why and every time I try I fail—it isn’t that our numismatists are less passionate than theirs. It isn’t that we don’t have people keen to sit and talk coins for days and it isn’t that we aren’t as keen to see this hobby prosper as they are. But there is a difference although I just can’t quite work out what! That all said, I will jump on my soap box briefly and say that whilst I don’t see the UK ever hosting a huge ANAstyle “World Fair”, I do think that we need to somehow get our act together when it comes to the fairs that we do hold. Once again this year the International Bank Note Society Congress (IBNS) and Coinex clash, which means that there are two hugely important “money” events going on at the same time in different parts of London. Surely it would have made more sense to somehow combine the two, wouldn’t it? OK, so we’re never going to have a week-long “money fest” in this country, but a weekend spent in one good central venue, with both coin and banknote collectors and dealers (who like us with our related publications are often one and the same) able to make the most of both sides of the hobby in ease and comfort, certainly holds some appeal! Maybe next year . . . !

From Balaklava to Windsor

Phil Mussell — 07/10/2009 16:23:00

A bold move, but . . . Don’t miss the next Britannia Medal Fair on November 22 — why not bring a friend with the free entry ticket enclosed? THIS “Comment” is being written at the absolute last minute. The magazine is all ready, it’s on the presses, but I couldn’t give the go-ahead to print until after the new look Orders and Medals Research Society (OMRS) Convention had taken place (on September 20) as I felt there would be something to report and that our readers who couldn’t attend would like to know a little about what they had missed. Convention 2009 was a bold move for the OMRS—the event has been held in the New Connaught Rooms near Covent Garden for well over a decade and was firmly established there. However, for various reasons, a move was necessary and the BMA in Tavistock Square was chosen as the new venue. With the change of venue came a change of tack, with the emphasis of Convention being taken away from it being a “Medal Fair with exhibits” and towards being more of a research weekend with talks, exhibits, etc., on the Saturday and a bourse on the Sunday. From what we hear, the Saturday was a great success and enjoyed by most, if not all of those who decided to make a weekend of it. However, I can only really comment on the Sunday’s event as we, as a commercial organisation, were there to launch our Medal Yearbook 2010 and “stall out” to meet the collectors and, hopefully, cover the expenses of three of us and two cars (those Yearbooks are heavy—one car just won’t do the job) on a trip to London from Devon. Initially we had been worried that the lack of porters and the tighter security at the new venue would be a problem — we had been told that we had 15-minute slots to unload—not an easy task when you have as much stock as we did, but in fact it was simple. A lift near the unloading door and the unloading time slots not rigorously enforced meant that the day started well and we viewed the salubrious new room with optimism. It was certainly a smaller venue than the previous cavernous room, but well lit and well appointed, and it had the upmarket feel that Convention needs. Whilst it was a bit of a trek to get to the main room from the foyer, that’s academic and, certainly at first glance, you could see why it had been chosen. Unfortunately whilst the new venue might have been a worthy successor to the new Connaught Rooms, in some ways it carried its own problems. The pre-registration of all attendees was a requirement of the BMA, for security purposes, and this was rigidly enforced, meaning that you couldn’t just “turn up” on the day. That, coupled with the fact that it was absolutely “members only” this year, so no guests or even partners of members (unless family members in their own right) could come along, meant that numbers were inevitably down. This knowledge in turn had led to quite a few of the dealers either reducing the number of tables they had or not coming at all, and there were a number of high profile dealers noticeable by their absence. This meant that the 2009 event was very much a shadow of its former self, with far fewer dealers catering for fewer attendees. Now, in theory, that should have been OK. After all, if you have 30 medal dealers catering for 500 visitors, then surely half that number (there were 13 actual medal dealers at the Convention this year with the other tables being taken up by publishers, book sellers, auction houses and of course the OMRS themselves), catering for fewer people would work out the same . . . wouldn’t it? Unfortunately not. Those who did attend the bourse this year were the die-hard medal collectors, the “serious” buyers in the hobby, and they, of course, were already familiar with the vast majority of stock on offer as they were already good customers of most of the dealers who stalled out! This inevitably meant that as a commercial venture for many of the dealers, it simply wasn’t worth it. It also, to a certain extent, annoyed the attendees as they didn’t have the opportunity to view new medals and instead were faced with items they’d known about for some time—this, of course, meant that they didn’t hang around for long and, quite shockingly, the room was empty by 2.30pm (not the OMRS’s fault at all as they had the room booked until 5.00pm but there just weren’t enough dealers to hold the attention of the visitors, and vice versa!) Not all fared badly of course. I spoke to most of the dealers in the room on the day and some had had an excellent show, one in particular stating it to be his best ever. But others really hadn’t had a good day and the feeling amongst those was that the move and the new look Convention really wasn’t for them: they wanted as many people as possible through the door, not just their existing customers. However, that was never going to happen, not at this venue. There were other problems with the BMA too: the OMRS had provided complimentary tea, coffee and biscuits, but there were no other catering facilities and there was nowhere decent nearby to grab a good lunch or a pint and pore over your new purchases with a friend, something that had become something of a fixture with the previous venue. In addition, the move to a Sunday had angered some who simply couldn’t get into the capital because public transport is so sporadic on the Sabbath. Of course, it’s easy for me to sit at my desk and criticise the OMRS for Convention 2009, and it did have its faults. But there were plus points too, that must not be forgotten, and certainly I hear only good things about the Saturday and the research side of things. When all is said and done they are a Research Society after all and are to be highly commended for making Convention into more than just a medal fair—at this time of year there is hardly a dearth of those! The OMRS will never please all of the people all of the time but they tried their best this year. Unfortunately from a commercial point of view, for many the bourse was not a success and that will inevitably lead to questions about next year. It’s catch 22: if the dealers aren’t there, the visitors won’t come; if the visitors aren’t there, and spending, the dealers won’t want to attend. So what can the OMRS do? The research side of things, the coming together to “talk medals”, went down well. It was only the bourse that faltered (and even then it certainly wasn’t a disaster, it just wasn’t what it has been in the past), but without a bourse is there a Convention? Personally I feel “yes”, there can be, and that maybe the future for the Convention lies that way: in steering away from a bourse completely and concentrating solely on a weekend of research, exhibits, talks, etc. But that’s very much a personal opinion and it will be a very tough decision to make. I certainly wouldn’t like to be in the committee’s shoes when it comes to deciding what to do next.

Coinex is coming!

Phil Mussell — 28/09/2009 17:17:00

Are you coming to Coinex this weekend (Friday 2 - Saturday 3 October)? Taking place at the Millennium Mayfair Hotel, Grosvenor Square, the BNTA's premier Coin Fair regularly attracts dealers and collectors from across the globe - see this month's COIN NEWS for a full list of dealers attending.

We'll be there - we hope you will too - if you do make it then come and say hello to Phil - it's his birthday on the Saturday!

Making money

Phil Mussell — 17/09/2009 17:37:00

Following the success of the "Totnes" and Lewes £s it seems that other areas are cottoning on to the idea of making money in the recession....

Brixton, an area not immediately associated with private banking has produced its own "Brixton pounds" in an attempt to keep money within the local economy. It's an idea used elsewhere in the UK - and reported in COIN NEWS - and one that looks et to continue.

For the full story see news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8245276.stm

Stratford upon Avon - October 18

Phil Mussell — 16/09/2009 11:09:00

Stratford's a lovely town, if you haven't been before you really should get along there - and what better excuse than combining your trip with a visit to the Stratford Medal Fair held at the leisure centre in the very heart of the town?

As with all of Mark Carter's fairs it starts at 9.30am for the preview andg oes on until about 2.30pm - but get there early it's generally all over before the official end time. That said it's always very popular and well attended both by dealers and collectors and well worth the trip. We'll be there with our new books - in particular the BRAND NEW MEDAL YEARBOOK 2010. What more could you ask....?!

Yate? We'll be there

Phil Mussell — 16/09/2009 11:05:00

Our "local" show is one we always try to attend and the one on October 4 will be the first with the BRAND NEW MEDAL YEARBOOK 2010!

Mark Carter's fairs are always well attended by both dealers and collectors alike and are always a pleasure to go to - as always it's being held in the Yate Leisure Centre (not too far from Chipping Sodbury) and starts at 9.30am for "preview" - come along then f you can, it only costs a little more than standard entry (which starts at 10.30am) and you may well bag an early-bird bargain!

The missing penny - Radio 4!

Phil Mussell — 03/09/2009 16:56:00

Those who missed Phil's BBC Radio 4 programme on the "Missing Penny" - the story of the 1933 penny - when it was brodacast last year - well now's your chance to "listen again". It's being repeated on Radio 4 on Wednesday September 9 at 9.30am!

The right direction

Phil Mussell — 03/09/2009 16:55:00

THERE was a time when the medal fair was, apart from a visit to a specialist shop or an auction, the only way a collector could add to their collection. It was also an ideal way to dispose of unwanted items and boost your cash reserves (although invariably the ready cash you’d just pocketed would be fished out again before the end of the day and spent on a new acquisition—often from the same dealer you’d sold to!). Then came the internet and things changed. Suddenly the on-line auctions gave the collector a way of getting a good price for his “surplus” and allowed him to buy too. Dealers all had websites and the fairs were no longer such an essential part of the business—some thought they would die altogether. That hasn’t happened; indeed the fairs have come back into fashion in recent years as any regular visitor to Yate, Aldershot, Bromley, Wakefield, the new Britannia (next one November 22—make a note) or any of the other popular venues on “the circuit” will tell you. It seems that collectors realise that there is no real substitute for looking at and touching the medals first hand and that dealing with somebody face to face is infinitely more preferable to dealing with a username or disembodied voice. The internet sales, forums, etc., still boom, of course they do. They are, in the main a great asset to the hobby and after all not everyone can get to a fair. But the important thing is that fairs have proved more resilient than many gave them credit for and as we come out of the first decade of the 21st century all facets of the hobby are finding they can slot together nicely . . . or can they? There is no doubt that auctions, be they live or internet are here to stay; dealers’ websites are essential; the fairs are seeing a new lease of life, but will this extend to the conventions I wonder? This month sees the first “new look” two day OMRS Annual Convention, with talks, seminars, exhibits, etc., on the Saturday and the bourse on the Sunday. It’s a brave move and one designed to take the Society back to its research roots and away from being seen simply as a fair organiser, but is that what the collectors want? MEDAL NEWS (well Phil anyway) has just come back from the Orders and Medals Society of America (OMSA) Convention in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and whilst the event was excellently organised, as ever, and a pleasure for us to attend, it has to be said that it wasn’t as vibrant as it has been in recent years and there were some notable absences. There were a number of people who we’d grown accustomed to seeing year in year out who simply didn’t come to this one and whilst the location of the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel (a lovely hotel in a beautiful spot, but not the easiest place to get to) and the current economic climate might have had something to do with it, we can’t help but feel that for many with ailing health a four day event is just too much. Of course conversely, if you shrink the event down too much it won’t be worth members travelling thousands of miles to attend. It’s very much a “catch 22” and how the organisers tackle the problem in coming years remains to be seen (for those interested next year’s convention is to be held in Portland, Oregon and in 2011 it is back to Jacksonville, Florida). It is sad to report that the numbers of British dealers and visitors was down too, with some notable names missing this year. However, we are proud to say that we kept the Union Flag flying as did the OMRS themselves in the form of Norman and Jean Gooding. The auctioneers and dealers were, this year, represented by James Morton of Morton & Eden (who sponsored the wine for the annual OMSA banquet), Richard Black of Chelsea Military Antiques, Pierce Noonan and Nimrod Dix of DNW and Oliver Pepys and Mark Quayle of Spink, light on their feet as ever, always ready to pounce on that Army Gold Cross group should it come into the room—sadly it just never did. Of course, the OMRS Convention is a different matter entirely—people aren’t crossing thousands of miles of prairie-land to be there and the Committee aren’t proposing a four day event, just a two day one. But is it what collectors want over a “standard” in-and-out show? It seems to have worked quite well at OMRS North but will it work in the capital? And will it attract the overseas visitors? As we will be there ourselves, supporting the Society and launching the MEDAL YEARBOOK, we’ll let you know! As they say in all the best columns: watch this space. No “Comment” about OMSA can run without mention of “Yash” Yasinitsky, the founder of the Society who passed away earlier this year. He was a genuinely lovely man with a real passion for medals and for the Society he formed. Whilst he hadn’t attended recent Conventions because of ill health we had hoped to see him again at a future event, sadly it was not to be. A full obituary appears in the July/August issue of the OMSA Journal.

By Royal Command

Phil Mussell — 24/08/2009 12:29:00

Mule madness... I have long maintained that the hobby of coin collecting is far larger than any of us realise. We know how many COIN NEWS readers we have, know how many people buy the COINYEARBOOK each year, know how many people buy our coin accessories, know how many people attend fairs and how many buy at auction (there’s naturally a huge crossover but not always), but I have never believed that to be the true picture. A few weeks ago the Mail on Sunday ran an article about the 1983 2p and the current craze of the undated 20p, in that article they suggested that anyone wishing to know more about coins or collecting could contact us at Token Publishing for a free sample copy of COIN NEWS. We were inundated. On the Monday after the newspaper came out there were 278 messages on our answer phone and as many emails—all requesting samples. Throughout that day the ‘phone didn’t stop and every member of staff (with the exception of Phil who had somehow managed to arrange a holiday for that week—did he know something we didn’t?) was fl at out taking names and addresses. The same thing happened the next day, and the next, and the next and the next—throughout that week all we did was take names and addresses, stuff envelopes with magazines and despatch them out to the eager public, budding coin collectors all. And it didn’t stop there. The next week was just the same, 100 calls a day or more and, as I write this “Comment” four weeks after the paper was published, the calls are still coming in (why someone would keep a Sunday paper for four weeks is beyond me). To date we have despatched nearly 2,500 samples of the magazine (we rapidly ran out of our usual “sample copies”, the overs we always produce as “giveaways” and had to send out back issues stretching back months and increase the August print run just to keep up with demand) and that is without counting the hundreds who were happy to receive a digital only version. Of course the vast majority of these requests will come to nothing—most of those asking for the magazines being more interested in seeing how to make a fast buck from Royal Mint errors than in the intricacies of numismatics, but already many have borne fruit. We have dozens of new subscribers come in off the back of the giveaway and have now sold out of our (reprinted) COIN YEARBOOK 2009 as people who hadn’t really thought about it before suddenly realised that actually yes, they DO have an interest in coins. This, of course, is our biggest problem. In the real, non-numismatic, world there are thousands, hundreds of thousands, of people who have coin collections. They may be old pre-decimal pennies sitting in a jar or foreign coins brought back from long forgotten trips, they may not be worth anything at all but they are collections—and the people hoarding them are, by definition, coin collectors—but if you tried to tell them that they’d laugh at you. If you don’t believe me ask yourself this—how often have you been with friends and mentioned your hobby only to have them look at you oddly at first, laugh and ask where your anorak is, only to then confess that they too have some old coins somewhere that “maybe you could take a look at sometime”? It happens to us all and is proof, if proof were needed, that the coin world really is far bigger than any of us may think. This theory is backed up by the fact that whenever there is a coin related story (take the 20p for example) it runs and runs—with most of the papers and much of the audio-visual media picking up on it too. So if this is the case why aren’t we selling hundreds of thousands of magazines? Why aren’t the coin fairs turning people away? Where are all these collectors? We know they exist so why do we never hear of them? Sadly I fear we only have ourselves to blame—whether we like it or not we are seen as a little bit too “nerdy” to be “mainstream”, our obsession with die-flaws, over-dates and varieties is too much for the man in the street, he just wants to collect coins because they remind him of his holidays or because they might be worth something one day. He isn’t interested in the minutiae of long cross pennies, the mintmarks on Charles II halfcrowns or tide variations on Edward VII pennies—he just has a few coins in a jar somewhere and doesn’t really think about them much until he’s reminded to by his Sunday paper. But the thing is he could think about them more—all it will take is a little nudge, all that’s needed is for someone to tell him how interesting these things can be. So next time one of your friends says he has some coins he’d like you to look at, don’t glance at them and tell him it is all rubbish (we are all guilty of that—you know we are) just because there is nothing of real numismatic interest or value. Instead take sometime to explain to him, in un-nerd like language please, why these little pieces of metal are so interesting to you and maybe, just maybe, he will start to see things the way you do. The Mail on Sunday and the television coverage recently, has proved that there are many, many more collectors out there than we ever realised. Let’s try not to scare them off!

First Elizabeth Cross Awarded

Phil Mussell — 18/08/2009 20:34:00

Karen Upton, widow of Warrant Officer Sean Upton of the Royal Artillery, killed whilst on patrol in Helmand Province in July, received the first of the new "Elizabeth Crosses" at his Funeral at Catterick.

For full details see the BBC's website at news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/nottinghamshire/8206604.stm

The Last Tommy - Harry Patch RIP

Phil Mussell — 27/07/2009 17:04:00

It is with great sdaness that we learn of the death, at 111, of Harry Patch, former private in the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, last survivor of the terrible trench warfare of World War I.

Harry took part in the third Battle of Ypres in 1917 (better known as Paschendale) and was invalided out after a shell exploded on his machine gun party, killing his three comrades and wounding him with shrapnel. He was the last British resident eligible to wear the World War I "pair", Henry Allingham, ex RN and RAF last survivor of Jutland having died at age 113 last week.

Brand New Krause now available!

Phil Mussell — 03/07/2009 16:37:00

The latest edition of the Krause Standard catalog (sic) of World Coins 1901-2000 is now available! This essential reference once again comes with the complete book on DVD and is an absolute must for 20th century collecors - order your copy from our on-line shop today!!

"Elizabeth Cross" announced

Phil Mussell — 01/07/2009 15:03:00

A new "medal" akin to the Canadian and New Zealand Memorial Crosses has been announced. The "Elizabeth Cross", looking very much like the Memorial Crosses is the first medal for 60 years to bear the name of the reigning Monarch and will be given to the families and next of kin of all those killed on duty from September 1945 (Palestine) up to the present day - it is estimated that around 8,000 families will be eligible for the new award.

At this stage it is understood that the medal will take the form of a brooch with pin suspension rather than with a ribbon and only one (along with a miniature) will be issued - to the Next of Kin of the deceased. In the case of a married serviceman or woman that will mean their husband or wife but in unmarried cases it appears that the father will be the recipient. In this day and age with so many divorces and broken families that is sure to be a contentious issue - how long we wonder before "official copies" are available....?

See here for further details http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1196791/Elizabeth-Cross-given-families-Britains-war-dead.html

More on the 20p....

Phil Mussell — 01/07/2009 14:54:00

Well apparently they're selling for well over £7,000 now......www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1196644/Rare-20p-coin-sells-7-100-eBay-thats-35-500-times-face-value.html

Pte J Barry

Phil Mussell — 01/07/2009 14:52:00

If anyone has any information on the medals of 19932 Pte J Barry of the South Lancashire Regiment please contact the Medal News office on 01404 46972

The coin with no date!

Phil Mussell — 29/06/2009 09:00:00

Incredibly this is suddenly big news - but we broke the story back in December 2008!

Here's what we had to say back then......

Check your change everybody - after 25 years (the last instance being with the 1983 New Pence/Two pence reverse) the Royal Mint have let a mule slip through their usually strict quality control!

The 20p coin has been minted with the old obverse and new "jigsaw puzzle" reverse so of course it has no date - at this stage we don't know how many coins got out but it won't be many so start looking!

As far as we're aware this is the first time, since the advent of milled coinage certainly, that a circulating coin has appeared with no date.

A Royal Mint spokesperson said:

�The Royal Mint can confirm that a small number of new design 20 pence coins have been incorrectly struck using the obverse from the previous design, resulted in these coins having no date.

�The issue has now been resolved and the Royal Mint would like to reassure members of the public that these coins are legal tender.

�Prior to the new reverse designs which were launched in April 2008, the date appeared on the reverse side of the 20p. As the date on the new designs has been moved to the obverse side, minting the coin with the new reverse but previous obverse has meant no date appears on the coin.�

We understand that currently these coins are being bought by the London Mint Office at �50 each!

Solidus at Spink

Phil Mussell — 25/06/2009 15:44:00

Stop Press***Stop Press***Stop Press

An important ninth century Anglo-Frisian Solidus, recently found near Salisbury, fetches �9,300 at auction at Spink in London - see the August COIN NEWS (On sale July 22) for further details

Medals of dishonour

Phil Mussell — 25/06/2009 15:41:00

Commemorative medals are usually struck to celebrate a famous victory, an invention, a worthy life well lived - not, apparently, always - as this exhibition at the British Museum demonstrates.....! Click here for details!

Coins in the news

Phil Mussell — 19/06/2009 16:04:00

Phil was on the radio again this week - on the Roy Noble Programme (BBC Radio Wales) talking about the new �5 "Henry VIII" crown. He'll be appearing on BBC Radio Devon next week talking on the same subject. We tend to forget that outside our hobby people are still genuinely interested in the coins of the realm - Phil's regular radio "appearances" are testament to that.

How many "coin" stories appear in newspapers/on radio/TV etc every month I wonder - I bet it's more than we think. Maybe our readers can let us know when they spot one!

World Paper Money Volume III - new edition

Phil Mussell — 19/06/2009 16:02:00

A brand new edition (The 12th) of "the standard catalog of World Paper Money Volume III 1961-date" is available now! It came into us this week and is hot off the press - order your copy today

Congratulations Joe!

Carol — 17/06/2009 16:17:00

It was a long way to go for dinner (8 hour round trip) but we wouldn't have missed it. Yesterday, June 16, John Mussell, Phil Mussell and Carol Hartman joined coin and medal dealer Giuseppe Miceli in Northampton to celebrate his 40 years of being in business. Friends, family and business associates joined Joe, as he is affectionately known, for a superb dinner at a river-side restaurant. There have been many ups and downs for Joe over the years however he keeps smiling and continues to keep busy buying and selling coins and medals via his regular lists. We extend to him many congratulations and of course thanks for his kind hospitality.

New faces for the �50 note!

Phil Mussell — 30/05/2009 16:49:00

Further to the design of a new �20 two years ago the Bank of England has just announced that the �50 is also due an overhaul with not one but two historical figures featuring on it.

The Bank of England issued the Following press release on May 29

"The renowned 18th century business partnership of entrepreneur Matthew Boulton and engineer
James Watt provides the historical figures to be portrayed on the Bank of England�s redesigned
�50 banknotes. Bank of England Governor, Mervyn King, made the announcement this evening
when he opened a new exhibition at the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery: �Matthew
Boulton: Selling what all the world desires�.
Commenting on the choice, the Governor said, �Just as the Bank of England plays an essential
role in the economy as the United Kingdom�s central bank, so too did Boulton and Watt�s steam
engines and their many other innovations as essential factors in the nation�s Industrial Revolution.
So many of the advantages society now enjoys are due in large part to the vital role of engineering
and the brilliance and foresight of people such as Boulton and Watt whose development and
refinement of steam engines gave an incredible boost to the efficiency of industry.�
�The unique and rare opportunity that the Bank has through its banknotes to acknowledge and
promote awareness of our nation�s heritage of artistic, social and scientific endeavour is an honour
for us. The Bank�s choice of Boulton and Watt, a reminder of the invaluable contribution from
engineering and the entrepreneurial spirit to the advancement of society, I think, well reflects
this.�
The Boulton and Watt �50 banknote, to be launched in around eighteen months time, will be the
second note in the Series F �family�which began with the introduction of the Adam Smith �20
note in 2007. Therefore its overall appearance will be similar. But for the first time two portraits
will appear together on the reverse of the note, those of Boulton and Watt, along with the image of
a steam engine and the Soho (Birmingham) Manufactory. As with the Adam Smith �20 banknote however, continuity is provided with the current portrait of Her Majesty The Queen, which was
first used in 1990 and which will be retained on the front of the note. Further details of the design
and the range of security features to be included on the new note will be revealed when the new
note is launched, within a full promotion and awareness campaign.
Andrew Bailey, the Bank�s Executive Director � Banking Services and Chief Cashier, whose
signature appears on Bank of England banknotes, also attended the Birmingham exhibition
opening. Commenting on the plans for the new �50 banknote, he said, �Not only am I delighted
with the proposed design for the banknote but I am pleased too that the Bank has the opportunity
again to introduce advances in anti-counterfeiting measures which have come on stream.�
As new-design banknotes are introduced so the notes they replace are withdrawn - although they
can always be exchanged at the Bank of England for their face value. The Boulton and Watt �50
banknote will therefore circulate in tandem with the current �50 banknote first introduced in 1994.
This earlier note, which features Sir John Houblon, the first Governor of the Bank of England, will
be gradually withdrawn from circulation with the final date for its status as legal tender to be
announced in due course.
ENDS
Notes to Editors
1. An image of the concept design for the reverse of the new note, for media use only, and
restricted to illustration of this story only, is available on the Bank's website.
https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/publications/MediaCentre/ssl/login.aspx
NB Publication of the image is also EMBARGOED to 19:00 hrs BST.
You will need to contact the Bank's Press Office on 020 7601 4411 to obtain login details. After
6pm your call will be forwarded to the Press Officer on duty.
2. The design includes separate portraits of Boulton and Watt, developed from images held by the
Bank of England (Bank of England copyright). The image of the Soho Manufactory, where
Boulton produced small metalware and which became the first steam-powered mint and another,
of the Whitbread steam engine designed by Boulton and Watt and installed by Samuel Whitbread
in his London brewery, are worked from images owned by Birmingham City Council. Permission
to use these two images was kindly given by the Council"

For more news see COIN NEWS July on sale June 24

Could you have been one of the greats? It's competition time......

Phil Mussell — 29/05/2009 14:56:00

Do you think you could have been a coin designer? Do you think you could have done better at Una and The Lion, the Gothic Crown or the Wren farthing? Do you think your design would have gone down in history? Well now's your chance to find out!

Thanks once again to the generosity of reader Geoff Simm you have the chance to show the world how you would have done things - and have the chance to win some serious money whilst doing it!

We are offering readers the chance to re-design a �British� coin (for this competition that term is defined as English, Scottish or pre-1928 Irish)- any coin at all - from the depths of numismatic history right up to the present day. The only criteria being that it must be recognised as a coin as opposed to a medallion or medal - i.e. it must be British in origin and have a recognised denomination. So patterns (Una and the Lion, the three Graces, the Petition Crown etc) are acceptable but art medal/military medals are not.

There are three categories - for gold, silver and copper/bronze coins (for the sake of the competition �1 and �2 coins will be judged as �gold� and the brass threepenny bit as copper/bronze) with the prize breakdown as follows - �250 to the best entry in any category with two further prizes of �150 to the winners of the remaining categories. There will also be two further prizes of �150 and �100 to the best and second best junior (under18) entry (in any category) whose entry was not judged an overall category winner. Juniors may, of course, win any of the open categories so it�s possible we could have five winners all under 18!

The rules are simple - redesign a coin as you think it ought to have been issued and send it into us by September 30 - that way we can have some of your ideas on our table at Coinex for the numismatic world to see! You can enter with as many different designs for as many different coins as you like (or indeed lots of different designs for the same coin) - just make sure it�s obvious to us what coins they are! And don�t think you have to stick to convention - if you don�t want the decimal 50p to be seven sided then don�t make it seven sided; if you felt that the shilling should have been triangular or the half crown a semi-circle, quite literally �half a crown�, then so be it - but be aware we will be judging your entries as practical items for every day use - and ones that could theoretically have been struck - so please, no illogical shapes or intricate detail that would be impossible to duplicate in miniature!

So get your thinking caps on, get your pens and paper out and get designing - and please don�t worry if you�re not a fantastic artist or designer, it doesn�t matter that your sense of perspective is slightly ropey or that your can�t draw much more than a stick figure or two - we won�t actually be sending any of these to the Royal Mint for consideration so you don�t need to be a Pistrucci, Wyon or Gillick - just do you best!

Good luck!

"Celebration of Britain"

Phil Mussell — 29/05/2009 14:50:00

The next three in the silver �5 Crown series of 18 coins "celebrating Britian" in the run up to the 2012 Olympics will be launched soon - look out in July's COIN NEWS for details!

Stop Thief

Phil Mussell — 27/05/2009 10:17:00

Sadly the number of medals going missing seems to be increasing - keep your eyes and ears open for these if you would - any info to the MEDAL NEWS Office please

Stolen May 16:

D.S.M. awarded to p/jx385418 P.R.W. Houghton
(D-Day Award)
1939-45 star
Atlantic Star (France and Germany Clasp)
Italy star
Defence and War

Honour the Officers - it's here!

Phil Mussell — 12/05/2009 16:52:00

The latest in the invaluable "Honour the..." Series by Michael Maton has arrived.

HONOUR THE OFFICERS gives a complete listing for all honours and awards given to WORLD WAR I officers from Britain and the Empire. The huge volume lists all recipients alphabetically and details which awards were won, the theatre of war in which they were awarded, the date of the award and the London Gazette page on which the award can be found allowing the researcher to cross reference.

At 850+ pages it's the biggest book yet in this fascinating series and is well worth a look! Check out our on-line shop for full details

Metal detectorist jailed over fakes

Phil Mussell — 12/05/2009 16:47:00

We all know that there are a number of fakes in the market today but I wouldn't have thought somebody from within the metal detecting hobby would have been resposnsible for putting them out there.

According to The Times Yesterday (May 11) David Hutchings, organiser of a detecting club in Coventry, had been using legitimate digs to "discover" fakes and then selling them off into teh trade and thence the hobby. He was jailed for six months at Warwick Crown Court adter pleading guilty to numerous counts of fraud.

The full story can be found here

Birmingham next Sunday

Phil Mussell — 01/05/2009 15:22:00

Don't forget the regular Birmingham Coin Fair at the Motorcycle Museum (just off the M42 by the NEC) on Sunday May 10 - it's always hugely popular and even we can't get a table for this month's fair! We'll be at the next one though on June 14 so see you there

Stop Thief II

Phil Mussell — 01/05/2009 15:21:00

Family medals stolen from a house in Worthing, West Sussex,

Police Incident number:WWSL/09/01/00123

Inspector W. Hughes-Halls, B.S.A.P.
Member Order of British Empire
Colonial Police Long Service Medal
King George V Silver Jubilee Medal
Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
Meritorious Service Medal
2nd World War Medal

W.W. Halls
Afghanistan Medal & Clasp � Ali Musjid {Corporal}
Egypt Medal & Clasp � ElTeb-Tamai {Tr Sgt Major}
Khedives Star
Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
Medal for First World War

Major G.P.M. Clift, Royal Artillery & Ox & Bucks L.I.
1939-45 Star
France & Germany Star
Defence Medal
War Medal
GSM Palestine 194-1948

F.L. Bristow
First World War Medals

Any info to Q&C Militaria 01242 519815 or Worthing Police

Stop Thief

Phil Mussell — 01/05/2009 15:12:00

Lost in transit - RMA 1468-S Cpl. J. Brown, Great War pair with a defence medal & certificate and Great War pair to RMA 12746 BMR. J. A. Turner. Posted from St Pauls Cray Parade, near Orpington on the 30th March 2009 @10.04am vi special delivery but they apparently never left the building and now are untraceable

Any info to teh MEDAL NEWS office please

Gurkha defeat for Brown

Phil Mussell — 29/04/2009 16:59:00

Many of you will be following the debate about allowing Gurkha servicemen the right of British settlement. We at MEDAL NEWS are heartened to hear that Prime Minister Gordon Brown's motion to allow only limited numbers to stay in the UK was defeated today (April 29)

as seen here

We at MEDAL NEWS wholeheartedly support the campaign to allow ALL Gurkha soldiers the right to settle in this country - we allow enough "others" to come in and permission should not be denied those who fought in the British Army.

For more information see this website for the Gurkha Justice campaign

Dickin Medal sells for �24,250

Phil Mussell — 24/04/2009 15:14:00

April 24 at Spink saw the sale of the Dickin Medal awarded to Rip sell for an amzing �24,250

Rip was a stray dog found homeless and starving after a heavy raid in 1940 by A.R.P. Warden Mr. E. King, who worked at post B132 in Poplar, London, during the World War II. He was soon adopted as the post's mascot, and acted as an unofficial rescue dog, sniffing out casualties trapped under buildings. During the Battle of London he located more than 100 air raid victims

It was partly due to Rip�s success that the authorities decided towards the end of the War to train dogs officially to trace casualties. For his great bravery and valour Rip was awarded both the P.D.S.A. Dickin Medal and the Our Dumb Friends League Blue Cross Medal. Rip wore the Dickin Medal on his collar for the rest of his life. He died in 1948, and was the first of the supreme animal heroes to be buried in the small P.D.S.A. Cemetery in Ilford, Essex, under a headstone that reads 'Rip, D.M., "We also serve", for the dog whose body lies here played his part in the Battle of Britain.'

The Dickin Medal was introduced in 1943 by Mrs. Maria Dickin, the founder of the P.D.S.A., and was awarded to animals displaying conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty whilst serving or associated with any branch of the Armed Forces or Civil Defence Units during World War II and its aftermath. It was awarded 54 times between 1943-49, to 32 pigeons, 18 dogs, three horses, and to one cat. Twelve of the recipients, including Rip, are buried at the newly restored Ilford Animal Cemetery.

Spink last sold a Dickin Medal in 2004 which was awarded to Commando, a red chequer cock pigeon, for gallantry with the Resistance and Special Operations Executive in France during 1942. It sold for �9,200.

Royal Mint to be privatised?

Phil Mussell — 22/04/2009 13:51:00

The "inevitable" move of privatising the Royal Mint in Llantrisant took a step closer today with the publication of the final report of the Treasury's Operational efficiency Programme. Full details can be found here

The Royal Mint's Chief executive responded to the announcement with the following statement

�I warmly welcome the Government�s decision to vest the Royal Mint into a company structure. This change will allow the business to take advantage of wider commercial opportunities, including amongst other things, the possible introduction of private capital in the future. This decision recognises the success of the business. Our performance has improved significantly over the past few years as a result of an increasingly diversified and commercial strategy as well as enhanced productivity.

�We have a strong strategy, strong team and strong order book in place and I believe that vesting will facilitate further growth, and better secure the future sustainable success of the business for our staff and customers. It will allow us to pursue further commercial opportunities and expand more rapidly, taking advantage of the freedoms and flexibilities which come from a move to company status, thus confirming our position as a high-quality British manufacturer and the world�s leading exporting mint.�

Watch out in COIN NEWS for further developments...

Stop Thief - medals stolen in Dorset

Phil Mussell — 17/04/2009 15:41:00

The following two family medals were stolen from a private residence in Dorset between 1 and 14 April 2009.

MGS Clasp Sahagun & Benevente named to Assistant Surgeon T B Davis 7th Hussars

Crimea Clasps Sebastopol, Inkerman and Alma named to Major T Davis 95th Regiment

Crime reference: Bridport Police C09D12434 - PC B Puttock

Family may be contacted through General Secretary, Orders & Medals Research Society

generalsecretary@omrs.org

01494 441207

Yate - again?

Phil Mussell — 17/04/2009 15:37:00

I can't quite believe it but our "local" show is almost upon us once again!

Next Sunday (26/4) sees the second of Mark Carter's Bristol shows at the Yate Leisure centre near Chipping Sodbury

As ever the preview will commence at 9.30am with the main fair opening at 10.30am. All this actually means is that you have to pay a little bit more to get in early - but it's not much so bite the bullet, dig deep and come in at half nine - it's worth it I promise you!

Aldershot here we come

Phil Mussell — 17/04/2009 15:35:00

Don't forget the Aldershot Medal Fair this sunday (19/4) at the Princes Hall, Princes Way Aldershot from 9.30am (preview - 10.30am for everyone else!)

It's our first Aldershot of the year so we're looking forward to it - hope to see you there!

Coin Yearbook 2009 -reprint now available

Phil Mussell — 06/04/2009 17:01:00

Last year we sold out of the COIN YEARBOOK by the end of April - this year they'd all gone by the end of February! We felt this was a tad too early (seeing as the next one wasn't due out until the autumn) so ordered a reprint - taking the opportunity to update a few of the gold prices whilst we were at it! Unbelievably almost half of that 2,000 copy reprint as been sold before it is available - so if you want a copy you'd better hurry! It's still just �9.95 making it the best value coin price guide by a long, long way!

Banknote Yearbook - it's here!

Phil Mussell — 06/04/2009 16:59:00

And it's already selling fast - be sure to secure your copy....!

Still only �19.95- not everything goes up (although a lot of the banknote prices listed in the book certainly have....!)

Stop Thief

Phil Mussell — 06/04/2009 16:57:00

STOLEN on 20th February 2009, from his home in Penerely Road, Rainham, Essex. The medals of Pte Ernest "Ron" Jones, Parachute Regiment.

1939-45 Star,
France & Germany Star,
Defence medal,
War medal,
General Service Medal Bars "Palestine" and Malaya.

He served with the 21st Independant Parachute Company.

He sadly died on the 18th March 2009 - his family are appealing for return of his medals. Any information please contact 01708-760478.

VC Register - a correction

Phil Mussell — 01/04/2009 12:23:00

Apologies to those trying to ring the Number for "This England" with regards to the Addendum to the VC Register. A typo gremlin some how got into the office and we printed the number incorrectly. It should have been 01242 537 900.

Sorry about that....

Banknote yearbook 6th edition

Phil Mussell — 31/03/2009 17:41:00

Is almost upon us! The book will be in to us within 24hours and will be immediately posted out to everyone who has pre-ordered.

We've had our "preview" copy and even though I say so myself it does look pretty good.....!!

Britannia Success

Phil Mussell — 31/03/2009 17:39:00

A BIG thank you to all who attended (both dealers and customers alike) the event was a great success with hundreds of people through the door!

All the comments have been overwhelmingly positive and we're already looking forward to the next show on Sunday November 22 - although we hope to see some of you way before then!

Banknote yearbook 6th edition

Phil Mussell — 10/03/2009 17:11:00

The eagerly awaited new BANKNOTE YEARBOOK is at the printers now - ready for launch at the Maastricht Papermoney fair in April.

Once again it's hardback and retails at a very modest �19.95 - We're offering it post free if you pre-order!

Check our "books" section now

Banknotes at Valkenburg

Phil Mussell — 10/03/2009 17:07:00

Don't forget the "Maastricht" Paper Money show in Valkenberg, the Netherlands this weekend (April 2-5).

The event is one of the biggest banknote and paper money fairs in the world and is attended by dealers from across the globe. Whatever your banknote interests Valkenberg will cater for you!

We'll be there to launch the BANKNOTE YEARBOOK 6th edition and if we can make the long drive across four countries we're sure you can too! Actually that said the hardest part is the drive from Devon to Dover - the bit on the continent is a doddle....!!

Britannia Medal Fair March 29th - don't miss out!

Phil Mussell — 10/03/2009 15:14:00

So far Britannia looks pretty full - it's going to be a GOOD day!

Dealers who'll be having a table include:

Andrew Bostock
Phil Burman
John Cannon
Chelsea Military Antiques
Peter Cotrel
David Desborough
Chris Dixon
DNW
Tom Donovan
Bill Friar
Great War Medals
Gordon's Medals
Meurig Jones/Find a medal.com
John Manning
Steve Sewell
Murray Shaw
Fred Walland

And of course the Token Publishing Team....!!

The show is easy to get to - it's being held at the Carisbrooke Hall, Victory Services Club, Seymour Street just off Marble Arch - entry is free so why not come along and say hello!

Don't forget Harrogate

Phil Mussell — 04/03/2009 14:15:00

The North of England has always proved a hotbed of coin collectors - the bi-annual York Fair continues to go from strength to strength and the Monthly Leeds show is always popular. The Harrogate show has always had something of a more "chequered past" with it's popularity waning in recent years - until that is Simon Monks took it over! Last year's event, held as ever at the Old Swan Hotel, was very well attended both by dealers and collectors and we're expecting the same this year!

Once again it's a two-day event spanning Friday 20 and Saturday 21 March, starting at 11.00am on the Friday and finishing at 6.00pm and starting again on the Saturday at 10.00am and running until 4.00pm - although as with most fairs if you leave it until the last minute there won't be many stallholders left!

We're coming all teh way up from devon and are looking forward to a fun weekend!

Birmingham anybody?

Phil Mussell — 04/03/2009 14:08:00

Once again the Token team will be at the Motorcycle museum in Birmingham (just by the NEC) for the monthly Coin Fair - held on the second Sunday of each month. Sadly we can't be at every show - other commitments just won't allow us to be - but we'll do our best to come to three or four a year! We'll be bringing all of our books of course - although the COIN YEARBOOK has currently sold out and we're reprinting - and we'll also be bringing some of the vast range of accessories. If there's anything specific you'd like us to bring do let us know on 01404 46972 or by emailing phil@tokenpublishing.com

Britannia - the latest

Phil Mussell — 04/03/2009 14:05:00

Plans are well underway for the next Britannia show on March 29th - many of the country's best known medal dealers will be in attendance and with the event being promoted in a number of Family History and Antique magazines as well as MEDAL NEWS we're expecting a good turn out!

Look out in the March issue of MEDAL NEWS for a list of who's coming - we're looking forward to a fun day!

Who do you think you are...?

Phil Mussell — 24/02/2009 17:21:00

Come and find out on Friday, Saturday and Sunday February 27-March 1 at Olympia. This huge family history show has proved immensely popular in the past two years and this time around we're hoping it will be even better!

MEDAL NEWS will be in attendance (stand 1003) and we look forward to welcoming our existing readers and maybe converting a few new ones too!

If you're interested in getting two tickets for the price of one (�20 for two adults) then call 0844 412 4629 and quote reference "medal241"

The show starts at 10.00am and runs until 6.30pm on the Friday, from 9.30am until 6.00pm on the Saturday and from 9.30am until 5.00pm on Sunday!

Meet the Author

Phil Mussell — 18/02/2009 15:42:00

Why not come along to the Britannia Show at the Victory Services Club on Sunday March 29th and meet some of the men behind Token Publishing's best selling books - we've got Jeff Elson, author of the popular "Staffordshire Regiment" books. David Biggins, author of "The Battle of Elandslaagte, Account and Roll" Allan Stanistreet, our book reviewer and author of "Heroes of the Albert Medal" and Peter Singlehurst, author of "Afloat and Ashore". All happy to sign copies of their books or answer any questions you may want to put to them!

Medal Tracker success

Phil Mussell — 09/02/2009 15:55:00

So far February has brought three reunites from February's MEDAL NEWS - including the wonderful group of General Holland Pryor featured in "News and Views" on page 8 - the current owner and the family are now in touch with eachother, more in the March issue of the Magazine!

Britannia update

Phil Mussell — 06/02/2009 14:19:00

So far we've had a number of dealers promising their support for the MEDAL NEWS Britannia show on March 29 - as well as promises from dozens of readers that they'll come!

Those dealers who have already confirmed they can attend include

Andrew Bostock
Phil Burman
John Cannon
Cheslea Military Antiques
Chris Dixon
DNW
Gordon's Medals
Peter Morris
Steve Sewell
Fred Walland
Steve Wheeler

And we've had interest from a number of dealers who haven't been to Britannia for years - we'll keep you posted!

VC Guns on the move

Phil Mussell — 06/02/2009 12:45:00

Two iconic examples of Britain?s rich military heritage, the historic artillery pieces that have provided the metal for over 800 Victoria Crosses since 1914, are on the move. The VC Guns, two 2.5 ton bronze Chinese-built cannons dating from the mid-19th Century, are set to be moved as part of a reorganisation of Firepower, The Royal Artillery Museum?s public displays. The cannons are preserved at the Museum in the historic Royal Arsenal in Woolwich, south-east London and will be moved at 11am on Tuesday February 10. The historic artillery pieces will be carefully transported about 100m in the open between two of the listed buildings occupied by the Museum.

Museum Curator Mark Smith explains, "The VC Guns are the most popular exhibits on display in the Museum because we tell the stories behind how the VCs have been won. Our visitors are gripped by these true stories of heroism, often against overwhelming odds, which is why many VCs are sadly awarded posthumously. As a museum we not only preserve the VC Guns and the medals, but also present these inspirational stories of courage, resourcefulness, leadership and endurance."

According to the Museum's own press release the "VC Guns are cannons weighing 2.5 tons each without their carriages, which each weigh another half a ton. The guns are Chinese of about 18 pounder calibre and were captured by British troops at the Taku Forts in China during the Second Anglo-Chinese War of 1860. They are used to supply the metal to Hancock's Jewellers, manufacturers of over 800 VC medals since 1914"

Now we'd always believed them to be Chinese guns captured by the Russians, used at Crimea and then captured in turn by the British, it seems there may be some investigating to do...!!

London Coin Fair February 14

Phil Mussell — 05/02/2009 14:42:00

Yes I know, I know it can't possibly be time for the London Coin Fair again - but it very nearly is! Next Saturday (yes Valentine's day) sees the first LCF of the year, once again being held at the Holiday Inn, Bloomsbury.

This now well-established venue has easily taken over from the Cumberland Hotel of the LCF's previous incarnation (and how long ago that now seems) and is well attended by dealers and collectors alike.

We'll be there - of course - with our usual books, magazines etc AND a selection from our very popular accessories range.

If you'd like something specific though please don't leave it to chance, we won't be able to bring everything so far better that you let us know in advance what you'd like us to bring and we'll make sure we do. Call us on 01404 46972 or email

Bromley this Sunday!

Phil Mussell — 29/01/2009 12:08:00

For those of you in the South East why not come along to the Civic Hall, Bromley this Sunday from 9.30am for the first Medal Fair there this year?

We'll be there with our new book - "Inside Mafeking" as well as all the old favourites...!

Local notes

Phil Mussell — 26/01/2009 10:41:00

Following the success of the "Totnes pound" and other local currency schemes it seems that Lewes in East Sussex is the latest town to go back to the days of Provincial banking and issue their own notes more details can be found here

Police Medal Review

Phil Mussell — 26/01/2009 10:27:00

Following the recent campaign by Warwickshire Police Officer Ken Fowler, which has won wide spread support across all parties, the Home Office announced on 21/01/09 that a review will be conducted into the award criteria of the Police Long Service & Good Conduct Medal.

As recently as 12/01/09 the Policing Minister Vernon Coaker MP had refused to review the current award point of the Police medal with is awaded to officers upon completion of 22 years service, in relation to those awarded to Fire, Ambulance and Prison officers who receive their medal after 20 years.

The Home Office stated in a comunication to all Chief Police Officers that a review has been ordered, and this review wil need time to consider all the facts.

Scottish banknotes move south...?

Phil Mussell — 21/01/2009 17:20:00

A new bid has been launched to force English retailers to take Scottish Banknotes in the same way they do bank of England ones! Apparently no English retailer is obliged to take a Scottish note as they are not backed by the force of Law - Bank of England ones are. This new bid, by Shadow Scottish Secretary David Mundell is designed to put both types of banknotes on an equal footing.

For more details see this story from the BBC

Thanks a trillion

Phil Mussell — 20/01/2009 11:42:00

Zimbabwe, already the producer of the biggest denomination banknotes in history is going one better - with the printing of a one hundred trillion dollar note!

Last year the Zimbabwe Government lopped ten zeroes off of the currency in an attempt to make the banknotes more realistic but with inflation at stupidly staggering levels (over 200million %) that has done nothing to halt the slide - it's estimated that the $Z 100,000,000,000,000 is only worth about US$32! Full details

here

Australian VC Awarded

Phil Mussell — 20/01/2009 11:13:00

The first Australian VC (as opposed to a VC awarded to an Australian) has been awarded to Trooper Mark Donaldson of the Special Air Service. Details are as follows

ON THE AWARDING OF THE VICTORIA CROSS TO

TROOPER MARK GREGOR DONALDSON

It is with great pride that I announce that today, the Governor General will award an Australian Soldier � Trooper Mark Donaldson of the Special Air Service Regiment � the Victoria Cross for Australia. As Australia's highest military honour, it is only awarded to those who display the most conspicuous gallantry in the face of the enemy. In the history of our nation, only 96 Australians have been accorded this ultimate recognition of gallantry, dedication and sacrifice. Trooper Donaldson becomes the 97th Australian recipient of this award, and the first recipient of the Victoria Cross for Australia instituted in 1991.

Trooper Donaldson has been awarded the Victoria Cross for his gallantry under fire during operations in Afghanistan in September 2008. An excerpt from the citation for the award is as follows:

On 02 September 2008, during the conduct of a fighting patrol, Trooper Donaldson was travelling in a combined Afghan, US and Australian vehicle convoy that was engaged by a numerically superior, entrenched and coordinated enemy ambush. The ambush was initiated by a high volume of sustained machine gun fire coupled with the effective use of rocket propelled grenades. Such was the effect of the initiation that the combined patrol suffered numerous casualties, completely lost the initiative and became immediately suppressed. It was over two hours before the convoy was able to establish a clean break and move to an area free of enemy fire.

In the early stages of the ambush, Trooper Donaldson reacted spontaneously to regain the initiative. He moved rapidly between alternate positions of cover engaging the enemy with 66mm and 84mm anti-armour weapons as well as his M4 rifle. During an early stage of the enemy ambush, he deliberately exposed himself to enemy fire in order to draw attention to himself and thus away from the wounded soldiers. This selfless act alone bought enough time for those wounded to be moved to relative safety.

The patrol was forced to conduct numerous vehicle manoeuvres, under the intense enemy fire, over a distance of approximately four kilometres to extract the convoy from the engagement area. Compounding the extraction was the fact that casualties had consumed all available space within the vehicles. Those who had not been wounded, including Trooper Donaldson, were left with no option but to run beside the vehicles throughout.

During the conduct of this vehicle manoeuvre to extract the convoy from the engagement area, a severely wounded coalition force interpreter was inadvertently left behind. Of his own volition and displaying complete disregard for his own safety, Trooper Donaldson moved alone, on foot, across approximately 80 metres of exposed ground to recover the wounded interpreter. His movement, once identified by the enemy, drew intense and accurate machine gun fire from entrenched positions. Upon reaching the wounded coalition force interpreter, Trooper Donaldson picked him up and carried him back to the relative safety of the vehicles then provided immediate first aid before returning to the fight.

On subsequent occasions during the battle, Trooper Donaldson administered medical care to other wounded soldiers, whilst continually engaging the enemy. Trooper Donaldson's acts of exceptional gallantry in the face of accurate and sustained enemy fire ultimately saved the life of a coalition force interpreter and ensured the safety of the other members of the combined Afghan, US and Australian force. Trooper Donaldson's actions on this day displayed exceptional courage in circumstances of great peril.

In accepting this award, Trooper Donaldson has also shown tremendous humility and has recognised that his actions were undertaken as part of a team. All Australian Soldiers should feel tremendously proud of the actions of Trooper Donaldson, and the recognition that the award of the Victoria Cross represents. His actions, and those of the other members of his patrol, are exemplars of the very best in Australian soldiering.

On behalf of all members of the Australian Army, I congratulate Trooper Donaldson on his being awarded the Victoria Cross for Australia.

K.J. GILLESPIE, AO, DSC, CSM

Lieutenant General

Chief of Army

16 January 2009

Rule Britannia!

Phil Mussell — 20/01/2009 09:49:00

It was with great sadness that we attended the last Britannia show at the Victory Services Club in November - Fred and Jeannie had done so much to help the hobby over the years that to see them retire was a great shame. Such a shame that we felt we had to do something - so we have!! As of 2009 MEDAL NEWS will be running the Britannia show!

The first one will be on March 29 with a second hopefully in November!!

Watch this space for details

Design a coin for 2012

Phil Mussell — 14/01/2009 14:36:00

The Royal Mint has just launched their latest initiative and this one looks like it could well prove very popular indeed! The idea is that the public are to design 29 new reverses for the 50p piece - these coins will then be issued, one a month starting in March next year. the "general" public have been invited to design 27 of the coins with one being designed specifically by secondary schoolchildren, the other by viewers of Blue Peter.

If you're interested you can get more details from the website Royal Mint Competition

But hurry - the closing date in April 29 2009.....!!

All the Ys...York and Yate

Phil Mussell — 14/01/2009

As well as the York Medal and Coin Fair on this Friday and Saturday (January 16 and 17) at York Racecourse Medal News (well Phil anyway) will be at the Yate (Bristol) Medal Fair on Sunday January 18 .

It's the nearest show to us and is one we always try and attend - even if it comes straight after the trek back from "up North"

The show starts at 9.30am for "preview" with entry proper commencing at 10.30am

We'll have stocks of all the old favourites as well as the chance to buy the brand new MEDAL YEARBOOK as well as the Charge of the Heavy Brigade and the fantastic new book on the Royal Artillery at Woolwich

See you there I hope!

A quarter sovereign!

Phil Mussell — 02/01/2009 14:25:00

Back in 1853 two pattern quarter sovereigns were produced - the coin was never generally issued though and those patterns are the only quarter sovereigns we've ever had - until now that is!

In February the Royal mint will issue just 10,000 quarter sovereigns - depicting the classic Pistrucci "George and the Dragon" on the reverse the 13.5mm coin will appear in the five coin gold sets and will also retail individually at �54.95...!

See February COIN NEWS for more information and for dealers stocking the coins

Christmas Opening times

Phil Mussell — 18/12/2008 16:54:00

The Token Publishing offices will close on Tuesday December 22 at 1.00pm and will then re-open on Monday January 5 at 9.00am

May we wish all of our customers and clients a very merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year

The Charge of the Heavy brigade

Phil Mussell — 11/12/2008 16:50:00

The long awaited sister publication to Roy Dutton's excellent "Charge of the Light Brigade" is now available and priced at just �20 (plus p&p)

We only have limited numbers and are shipping now for Christmas - don't miss out click here to buy yours!

Bristol Theatre Tokens

Phil Mussell — 11/12/2008 14:21:00

The Britsol Old Vic is seeking help with the whereabouts of the silver tokens issued when the Theatre Royal Bristol was opened in 1766. The tokens were sold in May 1766 as a way of raising money to pay for the theatre that still stands on King Street in Bristol. Fifty of the tokens were made and sold, each individually numbered 1 to 50 (although we know of at least two where instead of the number, the original owners name was engraved on the token) and sold for �50. Each coin is 3cms/1.25inches in diameter, inscribed with �KING STREET Theatre Bristol May 30 1766� on one side and �The Proprietor of this Ticket is Entitled to the Sight of Every Performance to be Exhibited in this House�, with the number of the individual token on the other.

The theatre is currently undergoing a refurbishment and following the fundraisers of 1766 another fifty silver tokens have been minted by the theatre, in the 1766 design. The new tokens are numbered 51 to 100 and are being given in return for donations of �50,000 or more.

The theatre are trying to trace the tokens both for the history of the theatre and in the hope that it may lead them to people who would be interested in helping the theatre with its redevelopment.

If anyone out there knows anything then contact Lucy Topham on appealassistant@bristol-old-vic.co.uk

Yearbooks selling fast

Phil Mussell — 05/12/2008 13:38:00

Unbelievably we only have just over 1,000 each of our COIN and MEDAL yearbooks left - now that might seem like a lot but when you consider we printed 10,000 coin Yearbooks and 7,500 Medal Yearbooks and they only came out two months ago you'll realise why actually this figure is quite startling!

The 2008 COIN YEARBOOK sold out in April and the 2008 MEDAL YEARBOOK was sold out by June - at this rate both will be sold out long before those dates in 2009 - better order your copy soon!

New record for British Coin

Phil Mussell — 27/11/2008 09:35:00

Last night's sale by Ginza Coins of Tokyo saw a new record set for a British milled coin - with �360,000 being paid for a gold Gothic crown! The coin last sold in Tokyo back in the 90s and has trebled the price it made then.

The Ginza Coin Auctions sale was actually in two parts - the second being a sale of 100 choice rarities - 43 of which were British. Look out for the full report of the sale - including those other rarities in next month's COIN NEWS

Up North

Phil Mussell — 27/11/2008 09:31:00

We'll be at the Leeds show at the Cedar Court Hotel, Wakefield (just off Junction 39 of the M1) this Sunday - why not come along too? It's a great little show with coins, banknotes and medals on offer and it's well worth a visit - see you there!

Some good news!

Phil Mussell — 14/11/2008 14:43:00

Medals stolen from Marines based at Plymouth have now, thankfully, been recovered - see the full story here!

The last Britannia

Phil Mussell — 14/11/2008 14:43:00

Are you coming to what will be the last Britannia medal show organised by Fred Walland and Jeannie Robinson? These stalwarts of the fair circuit have decided it's time to bow out and whilst we hope that Britannia may well live on with someone else (watch this space...) the show on November 23 will certainly be their last.

Held as ever at the Victory Services Club, just by Marble Arch, London the show has been a firm favourite amongst dealers and collectors alike - don't miss your chance to visit it for one last time - the doors open at 9.30am

New Record at St James's

Phil Mussell — 07/11/2008 15:19:00

The stunning Elizabeth 1755 20 roubles that featured on Last month's COIN NEWS front cover sold for an incredible �1.55million! A new record for a non-US coin!

This amount eclipses anything gone before and shows once again teh bouyancy in certain market sectors

A full report will appear in "Market Scene" in the January issue

Another "Tommy" fades away

Phil Mussell — 06/11/2008 11:57:00

One of the few remaining WWI veterans has died at his home in Sydney, Australia age 108. Born in Leicester in 1900 Sydney Maurice Lucas was drafted into the Sherwood Foresters aged just 17 in August 1918 - only the Armistice of 11/11/18 saved him from a life, and maybe death, in the trenches. He did go on to serve briefly in World War II with the army of his adopted homeland Australia however ill health forced his discharge in 1941.

Birmingham anybody?

Phil Mussell — 03/11/2008 12:25:00

The Coin News team (well half of it) will be at the Monthly Birmingham Coin Show this Sunday - we'll have some of our wide range of accessories with us but space dictates we can't bring everything - so if there's anything specific you want do let us know before hand!

The show takes place from 9.30am at the Motorcycle Museum just by the NEC - see you there

Reward offered

Phil Mussell — 03/11/2008 12:19:00

A �50,000 reward has been offered for the return of a "unique" collection of Scottish coins.

The collection, worth an estimated �500,000, was stolen last year and is thought to have been one of the most imporatant collections of Scottish Coins ever formed - for the full story see the BBC's website here

London Coin Fair

Phil Mussell — 03/11/2008 11:45:00

It's only a couple of days until the Winter London Coin Fair!. Held as ever at the very popular London Bloomsbury Holiday Inn Hotel off Russell Square the show continues to attract dozens of dealers and hundreds of collectors. For those of you who haven't visited it yet it's quite unlike most shows inasmuch that you'll find dealers' tables over two floors and in the corridors! It's well worth a trip to the Capital - why not combine it with a weekend away?

The next show is on this Saturday and, as always the Token Team will be there - and this time we're coming tooled up! We'll have the new Krause catalogues that have only just come out alongside our own brand New COIN YEARBOOK 2009 and of course some of our wide range of accessories, we look forward to seeing you.....!

Medal Thief admits his guilt

Phil Mussell — 24/10/2008 11:32:00

It's bad enough to know there are low-lifes out there who will steal medals from servicemen - when it's one of their own colleagues it makes it so much the worse. If you've bought any modern medals from eBay or similar recently you might want to check out the full story here

Leeds( Wakefield) Show

Phil Mussell — 17/10/2008 15:33:00

The Coin News team does its best to get to Eddy Smith's Wakefield show (held at the Cedar Court Hotel just off the M1) at least once or twice a year and we do like coming up in October. Unfortunately we can't make it this year - we'll do our best to be there in November though!

Special Forces heroes

Phil Mussell — 17/10/2008 15:28:00

Lord Ashcroft is launching a new book in November. The country's most famous medal collector, whose trust owns more than 150 Victoria Crosses, has recently revealed that as well as the VC he also collects medals awarded to men (and presumably women) of the Special Forces.

We don't know too much about the collection at this stage but MEDAL NEWS has been invited to interview Lord Ashcroft for the December/January issue of the magazine so all will be revealed then!

If you have a question you'd like us to put to Lord Ashcroft (about the Special Forces collection rather than the VCs although we're bound to mention them once or twice I'm sure) please email phil@tokenpublishing.com - we'll do our best to include as many as we can in the interview

George Cross Hero

Phil Mussell — 17/10/2008 15:25:00

Those responsible for failings that led to the death of a UK soldier in an Afghan minefield should "hang their heads in shame", a coroner has said.

Cpl Mark Wright, 27, of Edinburgh, died and six others were injured in the blasts in September 2006.

Cpl wright was awarded a Posthumous George Cross for his part in trying to save the lives of his comrades despite being desperately wounded. The full story can be found here

Stratford Time

Phil Mussell — 17/10/2008 09:41:00

The excellent fair at Stratford is this weekend!

We'll be there, as ever, with the BRAND NEW MEDAL YEARBOOK - don't miss out!!

The fair is at the Stratford Leisure centre and starts at 9.30am for the early preview, 10.30am for the "main" opening

�1 Million note sold!

Phil Mussell — 02/10/2008 17:00:00

On October 1 2008 Spink sold the famous Number Eight �1,000,000 note for �78,300 to a private UK based collector. It is believed that only two notes of this high denomination exist in the world today, the other numbered 000007. The million pound note was issued in connection with the Marshall Aid Plan after World War II and was intended for internal use as �records of movement,� for a period of six weeks only. It is believed that eight examples were produced and only two, Numbers Seven and Eight, survived. The two notes were given as mementoes to the respective U.S. and U.K. Treasury Secretaries. The Number Seven was first sold in 1977 and is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as being the highest denomination note in private hands.

The Number Eight note is dated 30 August 1948. It bears the signature of E. E. Bridges in the lower right hand corner and is cancelled over the signature and stamped 6 October 1948, Bank of England. It was consigned to auction by Mr. Bill Parkinson.

Medal Yearbook 2009

Phil Mussell — 02/10/2008 14:54:00

Once again the MEDAL YEARBOOK was launched at the OMRS convention - and it's already selling well.

It's available to order now by visiting our on-line shop, calling 01404 4166 or by filling in the leaflet you'll find in this month's MEDAL NEWS!

Coin Yearbook 2009 out now!

Phil Mussell — 01/10/2008 14:59:00

The next COIN YEARBOOK is now availaible! The 2008 edition sold out three months ago and we've had dozens of people clamouring for the new one - well here it is! It was launched at COINEX last week and you can order your copy from our on-line shop today!

Fake �1 coins

Phil Mussell — 22/09/2008 11:35:00

Apparently the number of "fake" �1 coins in circulation has doubled in the past five years according to this report.

If you're worried about fakes in your change there are some easy ways to tell if what you've got is genuine or not, as well as those mentioned in the report here are a few other ways to spot those counterfeits!

1) know your metal. The metal used by forgers isn't the nice nickel-brass the Royal Mint use - it's likely to be a lead alloy and not capable of holding a decent "strike". This will mean that the image on the coin is faint compared with a real one, it wears more easily and the coin itself will be softer - capable of being scratched easily. The chances are it will be "painted" in some way too - lead is dull silver, not the gold of the �1 coin - so if the colour comes off - it's fake!

2) Know your coins - forgers often get their dates wrong and will marry up the incorrect reverse to an obverse or use a picture that shouldn't be on the coin for that date at all - look in the COIN YEARBOOK to find out which dates had which reverses!

3) Know your inscriptions! Round the edge of many pound coins are mottoes or legends, forgers often don't bother to get the right ones on the right coins. For example if you find a Welsh legend on the edge of a pound coin with a Scottish Lion on it you can bet you've got a wrong 'un!

4) Know your countries - not all "odd" looking �1 coins are forgeries - some may be from Guernsey or Jersey and are perfectly legal tender - in the Channelk Islands!They can't be spent in the UK unfortunately but that doesn't mean they're worthless, charity shops will be glad of them!

Lost medals

Phil Mussell — 20/09/2008 10:20:00

Thankfully there's still some respect left for our veterans - how often do you hear of divers being mobilised for other losses in the Thames.....!

See here for details

Medal Yearbook - on its way!

Phil Mussell — 17/09/2008 16:48:00

Yes it's coming soon - the MEDAL YEARBOOK 2009 will be with us on Wednesday September 24th ready to be posted out the followning day ready to land on collectors' mats in time for the big launch at the OMRS in London on Saturday 27th!

there's still time to pre-order your copy.......

Coming soon!

Phil Mussell — 17/09/2008 16:42:00

The Coin Yearbook is launched at Coinex next week - all pre-order copies will be sent out on Wednesday 24th so order yours today!

This increasingly popular book is used by dealers, collectors and the general public as an easy to read, practical price guide covering all English, Scottish, Irish and Island coins. We'd completely sold out of the 2008 version by April of this year - such is the popularity of the book, we're printing more than ever this year but even so don't leave it too late!!

Especially as this year we've included a brand new section on IRISH DECIMALS!!

Little bit late....

Phil Mussell — 28/08/2008 14:06:00

Don't worry - Medal News September is on its way, it was delayed slightly because we've been hard at work on the YEARBOOK but it will be with you soon - I promise!!

Medal News goes Stateside

Phil Mussell — 11/08/2008 14:53:00

Anyone coming to OMSA? The Orders and Medals Society of America's annual convention is being held in Florida this year - Jacksonville to be precise. The convention takes place this Thursday - Sunday at the Hyatt Regency Waterfront hotel - if you're a n OMSA member you can come along any day - if not then Saturday 16th is "Public day" come along and say hello - we'll be there, in fact I'm leaving now....!

$100,000,000,000 note!

Phil Mussell — 24/07/2008 17:31:00

In response to rampant inflation the Zimbabwe Reserve Bank have announced the introduction of a hundred BILLION dollar note - believed to be the highest denomination ever issued anywhere ever!

It's a sad indictment on the country's regime when you realise just 7 months ago the world was agog at the issuing of a �10million dollar note in Zimbabwe. Inflation is so rampant there that even this new note won't by a loaf of bread

Fighter Aces Medals at Spink

Phil Mussell — 24/07/2008 17:26:00

The DSO, DFC and Bar Group of Battle of Britain Ace Wing Commander H C Mayers sold for an astonishing �66.800 today at Spink. Myers was credited with shooting down eight enemy aircraft during the Battle of Britain and was shot down himself four times, on the last occasion his plane was found, cockpit open but the Wing Commander's body was never recovered.

The group had been expected to fetch between 18 and 20,000.

For more details see the September issue of MEDAL NEWS

George Cross Awarded

Phil Mussell — 23/07/2008 16:44:00

Lance Corporal Matthew Croucher of the Royal Marines has been awarded the George Cross for throwing himself on a grenade triggered by a booby trap in Helmund Province Afghanistan in February of this Year.

Upon triggering the trap he immediately dropped to the ground and lay across the grenade which detonated but, thanks to the fact that his pack was full, he escaped with no more than "a nosebleed and a headache". the three comrades whose lives he undoubtedly saved suffered only minor cuts and bruises.

The George Cross is, of course, awarded for exemplary acts of Courage whilst not "in the face of the enemy" - and is equalled only by the Victoria Cross in the order of precedence

Prison service Long Service medal

Phil Mussell — 15/07/2008 17:00:00

It has just been announced in the House of Commons that there is to be a Long Service and Good Conduct Medal for members of the Prison service bringing them in line with other uniformed services like the Police and Fire Brigade. It is believed that the medal will be awarded for 20 Years service

More info as we get it!

Accessories!

Phil Mussell — 11/07/2008 13:49:00

We're proud to announce that Token Publishing has taken over Lodge Accessories and now stock all manner of items for Coin, Naknote and medal collectors from flips to albums to pages to trays to tweezers to magnifiers to those little round pieces of paper!

Currenty we're running Lodge Hill shop separately from this site so please visit that for more information but within the next two weeks we hope to have everything integrated over here!

Ashcroft VCs at the Imperial War Museum

Phil Mussell — 08/07/2008 00:01:00

Lord Ashcroft�s Victoria Cross collection - the largest in the world - is to go on public display following his �5 million donation to the Imperial War Museum

The world�s largest collection of Victoria Crosses (VCs), belonging to the Michael A Ashcroft Trust, is to be displayed publicly for the first time in a new gallery at Imperial War Museum London

The 152 medals, which range from the Crimean to the Falklands wars, will be displayed alongside the 50 VCs and 29 George Crosses (GCs) already held by the Museum.

The medals to go on show in the new gallery are the result of a collection of VCs first started 22 years ago by Lord Ashcroft, the Tory peer, international businessman and philanthropist. The new display, in what will be called the Lord Ashcroft Gallery, is due to open in the autumn of 2010.

It is estimated the new gallery will cost �5 million and the project has been made possible by a donation from Lord Ashcroft. The collection of VCs is also worth several millions of pounds.

Among the medals to go on display are the VC awarded to Lieutenant (later Rear Admiral) John Bythesea, who during the Crimean War became only the second man to earn and receive the award; the medal to Lieutenant (later Captain) William Leefe Robinson, who shot down the first Zeppelin over British soil during the First World War; and the posthumous medal to Sergeant Ian McKay, of the Parachute Regiment, which is one of only two VCs awarded during the Falklands War.

It's York time again

Phil Mussell — 07/07/2008 14:13:00

Yes it's that time of year again and this weekend sees the second Coin Fair of 2008 at the Knavesmire Stand of York Racecourse

The fair is on for two days and yes it is a weekend earlier than normal -it takes place from 11.00am on Friday 18 and from 10.00am on Saturday 19 and there are over 50 coin and medal dealers in attendance - it's always good fun and well worth a visit - see you there I hope!

The Ashcroft Collection

Phil Mussell — 07/07/2008 14:00:00

Important new about the Ashcroft Collection of VCs coming soon - keep your eyes on this news page for details.....!

News from the National Archives

Phil Mussell — 04/07/2008 12:16:00

We've just heard from William Spencer at the National Archives that the Army medal rolls for remaining clasps of the IGS 08-35, covering NWF 30-31 to NWF 35, the rolls for IGS 36-39 with clasps NWF 36-37 and NWF 37-39 and perhaps more significantly the rolls for the GSM 18-62 for both pre and post war Palestine, SE Asia 45-46 and both Bomb and Mine Clearance clasps will be available at The National Archives in WO 100/494-554 by the middle of July.

July Medal News

Phil Mussell — 04/07/2008 10:49:00

Don't forget the last issue of MEDAL NEWS was a JOINT One (June/July) so there's no separate issue this month (the same goes in January we have a joint December/January issue).

I'm afraid it's the only way we can ever get the YEARBOOKS done (we're working on the 2009 editions of them now) so you won't get another magazine until the very end of July I'm afraid!

Standard Catalog of World Paper Money - out now!

Phil Mussell — 24/06/2008 12:27:00

The latest edition of Krause's Standard Catalog of World Paper Money Volume III (Modern Issues 1961 -date) - the old "Pick" for those of you who can remember that far back - will be in stock in our warehouse within the next two days! So order your copy today

This year it comes with a free DVD - the complete book in DVD form for you to use on your PC, we're not sure how successful these will be but hey - they're free!

Krause 20th Century - on its way!

Phil Mussell — 24/06/2008 12:22:00

The new edition of the acclaimed "Standard Catalog of World Coins 1901-2000" is on its way to these shores as I write! We're expecting them within the next 2-3 weeks so put your order in today!

Rumour has it that this year's book comes with a free DVD - we're assuming it's a scanned version of the book itself to use on your computer at home but who knows it may be the latest Hollywood blockbuster....!!

They are available from this website or by calling 01404 44166 today!

Coldstream Guards Medals stolen

Phil Mussell — 12/06/2008 10:02:00

Over a two year period various medal groups have been stolen from Victoria Barracks in Windsor. These medals HAVE been sold into the trade and many were bought by a dealer in good faith - he has since sold them on and the police are trying to trace them.

The complete list is a long one but here goes:

Medals Stolen from 1st Battalion COLDSTREAM GUARDS, Victoria Barracks, Sheet Street, Windsor Berkshire, SL4 1HF.

1. WATERLOO Medal Private CALLICAT
2. WATERLOO Medal Private J.MOORE
3. Waterloo Medal Private BASLEY
4. Waterloo Medal or Long Service and good conduct medal Private MORGAN
5. Waterloo medal Private SIMPSON
6. Sultans Medal for Egypt 1802 Captain C.PHILLIPS
7. WATERLOO Medal Private BOON
8. Waterloo Medal Private AYRES
9. Waterloo Medal Private CARR
10. CRIMEA War Medal clasps Alma, Inkermann, Sebastopol, Balaklava Drummer MARTIN
11. Crimea War Medal clasps Alma, Inkermann, Sebastapol, Balaklava Private BAKER
12. Crimea War Medal Clasps Alma, Inkermann, Sebastapol, Balaklava Private PRICK
13. Crimea War Medal Clasp Alma, Inkermann, Sebastapol, Balaklava, Turkish Crimea Medal Private SHORT
14. Crimea War Medal Clasps Alma, Inkermann, Sebastapol, BALAKLAVA, Private BLISSETT
15. Crimea War Medal Clasps Alma, Inkermann, Sebastapol, Balaklava, Private FEWINGS
16. KHEDIVES STAR Private WRIGHT
17. EGYPT Medal 1 Clasp Private ROBINSON
18. EGYPT Medal 1 Clasp Private TURNER
19. EGYPT Medal 1 Clasp Private YOUNG
20. Distinguished Service Order Sergeant TROTTER
21. EGYPT Medal 2 Clasps Private HINDS
22. EGYPT Medal 1 Clasp Private FRY
23. KHEDIVES Star Private FAULKNER
24. Queens South Africa Medal 6 Clasps Private GARRETT
25. Whitehead Cup Medal Lieutenant G.IVES
26. QUEENS South Africa Medal 6 Clasps, Kings South Africa Medal clasps South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 Private CUMMINGS
27. QUEENS Police Medal, KINGS Police Medal T CLAY
28. QUEENS South Africa Medal 3 Clasps, KINGS South Africa Medal Clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 Corporal WHITEHOUSE
29. QUEENS South Africa Medal 6 Clasps, KINGS South Africa Medal Clasps South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 Private WALKER
30. QUEENS South Africa Medal 5 Clasps, QUEENS Police Medal, Kings Police Medal Corporal McGRATH
31. QUEENS South Africa Medal 6 Clasps, KINGS South Africa Medal Clasps South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 Private MYERS
32. MBE, Distinguished Conduct Medal, Queens South Africa Medal, 1914 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal, 1939-45 War Medal, Long Service And Good Conduct Medal, Meritorious Service Medal RSM T BRITTON
33. Crimea Medal, Turkish Crimea Medal J CHALKLEY
34. British War Medal GILLEY
35. QUEENS South Africa Medal 6 Bars, Kings South Africa Medal Clasps South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 BATES
36. OBE, 1914 Star, British WAR MEDAL, Victory Medal, 1939-45 War Medal, 1937 Coronation Medal, Belgium; Order of the Crown Major R T BURTON
37. OBE,1939-45 Star, Italy Star, Defence Medal, War Medal, 1953 Coronation Colonel PEMBROKE
38. Egypt Medal 1 Bar, Khedives Star, Queens South Africa Medal 3 Bars, 1911 Coronation Medal, Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, Private THOME
39. Crimea 4 Clasps, Turkish Crimea Medal Private LEWIS
40. Egypt Medal1 Bar, Khedives Star, Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, HAWKINS
41. Military Medal GV, Queens South Africa Medal 6 Bars,
Kings South Africa Medal, Clasps South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 DOUGLAS
42. MBE, British War Medal, Victory Medal, Defence Medal, 1939-45 War Medal, Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, Meritorious Service Medal Sergeant C ROBINSON
43. Queens South Africa Medal and 5 Bars, Kings South Africa Medal clasps South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 Private LOVICK
44. Queens South Africa Medal 6 Bars, Kings South Africa Medal Clasps South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902, 1914 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal ROBINSON
45. Military Cross, 1914 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal, (MID), Chevalier de Merit Agricole DARELL
46. Military Cross, British War Medal, Victory Medal Lieutenant LANG
47. Military Cross, 1914 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal, (MID), Long Service And Good Conduct Medal COURT
48. Military Medal, 1914 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal ADKINS

In addition there are a few medals for which the recipients are unknown but these may have been sold or offered along with those named above.

49. Distinguished Service Medal
50. Replica Victoria Cross
51. 1911 Coronation Medal
52. Distinguished Service Order
53. Order of the British Empire

If you have any of these medals, or know of their whereabouts please contact the Ministry of Defence Police South East Divisional Control Room on 023 92 722707 or 023 92 722421, quoting incident number 132 of 13/03/08, this is a 24 hour control room.

Scottish Banknotes safe..!!

Phil Mussell — 11/06/2008 16:55:00

There had been talk in some quarters that the long tradition of Scotland's banks producing their own banknotes was under threat. Apparently plans to force banks to lodge funds with the Bank of England to cover the value of their notes had put the production of banknotes from the Clydesdale Bank, Bank of Scotland and Royal Bank of Scotland in jeopardy - according to the BBC all has now been resolved!

Eugene Ursual

Phil Mussell — 10/06/2008 16:07:00

It is with great sadness that we learn of the death of Canadian Dealer Eugene Ursual who passed away this morning after a short battle with cancer. We've known Gene for many years and he will be sorely missed both as a friend and as a dealer - our condolences go out to his wife Tanya
A full obituary will appear in Medal News in due course

Ouch! Johnson Beharry VC endures more pain...

Phil Mussell — 05/06/2008 12:23:00

Apparently this hurt more than the injuries Pte Beharry sustained whilst winning his Victoria Cross.....

We're not sure about that but we are sure this is some work of art and one thing's for sure - he won't lose it!

Birmingham anybody?

Phil Mussell — 05/06/2008 12:17:00

Straight after the London Coin Fair on Saturday the Token Team (well Phil to be precise) will be heading up to Birmingham NEC for the Coin, Medal and Banknote fair at the Motorcycle Museum on Sunday the 8th

This is a regular show that attracts a loyal following every month, we can't always get there but always try to "stall out" at least twice a year.

If you haven't been before it's well worth the trip - come and say hello!

Medals at Birmingham

Phil Mussell — 21/05/2008 11:52:00

Every month the Birmingham Motorcycle museum plays host to a very popular coin and banknote fair - and every three months the organisers try to expand it to incorporate medals too! The next event, taking place on June 8 coincides with a large Militaria fair at the same venue - so why not kill two birds with one stone and pay it a visit? We'll be there!

All change for the Greenback?

Phil Mussell — 21/05/2008 11:26:00

The US Government has been told to change the much loved Greenbacks to enable the blind or partially sighted to recognise the different denominations more easily.

For more information see the BBC's news site here

OMRS North

Phil Mussell — 09/05/2008 15:08:00

Can you believe it was two years since the last medal fair at the Holiday Inn Runcorn? No neither can we but it is which means that very soon (May 17-18) we'll be heading up the M5/M6 again to attend the 2008 show. The main bourse is on Sunday but there's a dinner the night before and of course the all important exhibits - it should be a good weekend, see you there!

Coin yearbook 2008 - sold out!

Phil Mussell — 09/05/2008 15:04:00

Unbelievably every single copy of the COIN YEARBOOK 2008 has sold out - that's nearly 10,000 copies sold in six months, and we're still getting order in!

We were thinking of doing a reprint but logically were better off putting all of our efforts into ensuring the 2009 is better than ever - it will be published to coincide with Coinex at the end of September and will be available for pre-order before that.

At just �9.95 it is without a shadow of a doubt the best value coin price guide around - watch this space for details of the next edition...

Medal tracker

Phil Mussell — 06/05/2008 12:45:00

Following the huge numbers of people attending Who do you think you are? at Olympia over the weekend we know that in the coming weeks there will be dozens of new entries added to medaltracker.com

We must have chatted to well over 200 people regarding how they should find out what medals their ancestors were entitled to and what to do when they had found that out and a further 300+ who already knew what they were looking for but didn't know how to go about it - at least some of those are sure to want to go on-line and add their details to our site!

So take a look over the coming days - maybe you've got that lonely BWM or 1914/15 star that the family is so eagerly seeking - wouldn't it be great to see it go back home?

Jonny Wilkinson on a �5 note...?

Phil Mussell — 29/04/2008 14:15:00

Yes it's true - 500 of these special Travelex notes are being given away to anyone who uses a Travelex currency exchange shop to buy Euros in Heathrow's Terminal 5.

The Tfiver uses Jonny, England's Rugby World cup winning drop-goal scorer, as he's one of their brand Ambassadors and it's redeemable at a number of retailers at the Terminal. How long I wonder before they start turning up on the internet auction sites...?

See this story on the Travelex website for more details

Who do you think YOU are?

Phil Mussell — 29/04/2008 11:29:00

Are you coming to Olympia this weekend? We're hoping 20,000+ people will be as it's the second WDYTYA Live exhibition - coupled this year with Military History live!

The event was huge last year and we're all geared up for the same thing again on Friday through Sunday - so why not come along - you can get two tickets for the price of one by logging on here

The show starts at 10am on each of the three days and runs until 6pm on Friday and Saturday and 5pm on Sunday

See you there!

Coming to Harrogate?

Phil Mussell — 21/04/2008 11:00:00

This Friday and Saturday (25 and 26) sees the return of the "Harrogate Show" held in the beautiful setting of the Garden Room at the Old Swan Hotel.

With a number of big name dealers attending and Harrogate itself being such a pleasant Georgian Spa town there are far worse ways to wile away a spring weekend - come say hello to the Token Team (well me at least) as I'm coming all the way up from Devon!

Harrogate - next week

Phil Mussell — 18/04/2008 10:56:00

The Old Swan Hotel, Harrogate once again hosts what used to be COINEX North but is now, successfully, run by Simon Monks.

The fair takes place on Friday 25 and Saturday 26 in the "Garden Room" of this wonderful old hotel and with many big-name dealers coming it will be well worth the trip.

Harrogate itself is a beautiful Spa town and with such delights as the Georgian architecture and Betty's Tea rooms (complete with their famous "Yorkshire fat rascals") it's a lovely place to visit in its own right - why not bring the family!

Kiwi Scorpions - the return....

Phil Mussell — 18/04/2008 10:54:00

It's here, it's ready to ship - the reprinted Kiwi Scorpions (the story of the New Zealanders in the Long Range Desert Group) is available now - it's been updated and amended and is only �29.95 - order your copy today!

Who do you think YOU are?

Phil Mussell — 15/04/2008 14:56:00

Unbelievably the second WDYTYA show is almost upon us and takes place on May 2-4. Last year the show was aimed primarily at the Family history market however, jumping squarely on the military bandwagon, this year it is billed as "three shows in one" comprising "Military History Live", "Who do you think you are live" and "Discover Archaeology live"

We're going, of course, and whilst we'll be "stalling out" in the military section we are hoping that there'll be plenty of family historians who have no prior medal knowledge tuning up as well!

If you're interested in coming along, or maybe someone in your family is compiling the family tree, see the advert in the April, or forthcoming May, edition of MEDAL NEWS for your chance to get discounted tickets!

New designs - the reaction

Phil Mussell — 15/04/2008 14:46:00

There have been some interesting stories coming from the National media regarding our new coinage - the Daily Telegraph called a number of dealers (and us) the day of the launch in order to try and find someone prepared to put a negative spin on the whole thing and the BBC's on-line magazine has been running this having run this for a few days!

Before the launch, and without knowing what the coins were going to look like, we confidently expected there to be a general backlash against them, after all people don't like change - and the media like it even less and true to form there indeed been an adverse reaction from some. However it has not been universal, there have been many who have applauded the Mint's bold move.

The real test, of course, will come when the coins enter circulation and people start handling them for the first time. When exactly that will be we don't yet know - if you find one in your change be sure to tell us won't you!

Aldershot this Sunday!

Phil Mussell — 15/04/2008 09:25:00

Don't forget the Aldershot Medal and Militaria fair this Sunday (April 20) at Prince's Hall, Prince's Way. All those of you who missed Britannia because of the Marathon really ought to come along to this fair - one of the most popular of Mark Carter's events!

As ever preview is 9.30am and the main event starts at 10.30am we'll be there, hope you will too!

The missing penny - Radio 4 today!

Phil Mussell — 13/04/2008 09:00:00

The story of the 1933 penny is well known - but Phil our Marketing Director finds out a few things even seasoned numismatists may not know. Listen to the programme at 2.45pm today straight after Gardener's Question time!

Listen out....

Phil Mussell — 12/04/2008 14:24:00

Phil our Marketing director is on Radio 4 tomorrow - talking about the 1933 penny!

He's interviewing one or two people some of you may know as well.....

2.45pm Radio 4 - straight after Gardener's Question time

The new designs - what do we think?

Jen Welch — 03/04/2008 10:20:00

So they've been unveiled, the designs that will grace the reverses of British coinage in years to come. In a bold move on the part of the Royal Mint the new coins no longer depict a complete image on each one (with the exception of the �1 coin) but instead make up a "jigsaw puzzle" with the picture that emerges when all the coins are placed together being that of the Royal Shield of Arms.

All those who were worried that the new coins would ignore our history and heritage can breathe a sigh of relief. The Royal Shield of Arms is nothing if not "historical" - and has a serious numismatic pedigree (having first appeared on the coinage of Edward III and regularly throughout history since). Those who wanted fresh and bold new designs will also be happy - there is no doubt that this ground breaking concept is innovative and contemporary, the best of both worlds then?

Well yes, and no - the concept is a superb one, very cleverly executed and in the pack we received yesterday at the press launch the coins all look stunning together, but will they work as individual numismatic pieces? Is each design strong enough to stand alone, as coins must? I'm not so sure and whilst I applaud the Royal Mint and designer Matthew Dent for their creativity I feel the jury is still out on whether these coins will be accepted into the public's hearts. Already we're hearing the voices of dissent - the fact there is no numeral on the new coins is an odd decision and rightly questioned. After all if you're a foreign visitor (or even an immigrant) and English is not your first language how will you know what denomination you're spending? And the lack of a Welsh symbol (there's no representation of Wales on the shield) is already raising a few eyebrows on that side of Offa's Dyke. The inclusion of the 1p and 2p in the overall design also crushes the hopes of those who have been campaigning for the demise of our smaller denominations and of course the argument about Britannia no longer featuring will run and run.

Do I like the coins? Yes I do, they're clean, fresh and as a "set" aesthetically pleasing, the design concept, as I said is a brilliant one. Are they classics of numismatics? On that score I'm not so sure

Philip Mussell

New coins released!

Alyson Thomas — 02/04/2008 11:27:00

All circulating coins, with the exception of the �2 coin, will bear the new designs.

A different detail from the shield of the Royal Arms is shown on the reverse of the 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p and 50p coins and when placed together the coins reveal the complete shield. This is the first time that a single design has been used across a range of United Kingdom coins in such a way. The reverse side of the �1 coin shows the complete shield of the Royal Arms. The front of the coins will continue to bear the existing portrait of Her Majesty The Queen by Ian Rank-Broadley FRBS, approved for use on United Kingdom coins from 1 January 1998.

Twenty pence coin

Alyson Thomas — 02/04/2008 11:26:00

Twenty pence coin depicting the middle right-hand section of the shield.

The new Fifty pence coin

Alyson Thomas — 02/04/2008 11:26:00

Fifty pence coin showing the bottom of the shield. Note that the coin is actually upside down, with the point of the heptagon now at the bottom.

The 10p

Alyson Thomas — 02/04/2008 11:25:00

Ten pence coin showing two of the three lions of England.

Goodbye to the thistle - the new Five pence coin

Alyson Thomas — 02/04/2008 11:24:00

Five pence coin--- the very centre of the shield.

What? No Feathers? The new 2p

Alyson Thomas — 02/04/2008 11:23:00

Two pence coin depicting the Scottish lion Rampant.

One penny

Alyson Thomas — 02/04/2008 11:22:00

One penny coin, the very top of the Irish harp.

One pound coin - seem familiar?

Alyson Thomas — 02/04/2008 11:21:00

One pound coin: "the jigsaw box lid". The picture is complete.