News & Blog
All the latest news and views plus the Token Publishing Blog.
Bridge 277
/ Phil Mussell
On the shoulders of giants RECENTLY, we have decided to have a bit of a clear out. We’re closing one of our storage units and, in the process of sorting, came across the entire Medal Tracker archive, stretching back decades, and thought “these may as well go too”. It was a logical decision, a...
Read moreWeird & wonderful money
/ Karen Needs
A digital future? THE Bank of England Museum in Threadneedle Street, London, is holding a new exhibition entitled The Future of Money which starts on February 28. In addition to showcasing the new King Charles III banknotes (see “Banknote News”), it features a look at the new “digital pound”...
Read more"If I should die . . ."
/ Karen Needs
At the movies WHEN I ask people why they collect British medals I generally get one of two answers—either the collector has medals themselves, they served in the military or in the police usually and collect related to their own service, or they have an overall interest in military history....
Read moreGothic Florins
/ Karen Needs
Into the future WE are, by now, all used to “innovation” in minting. Long gone are the days when a simple metal blank was stamped with a design and a collectable coin was produced. In the 21st century, designers and mints don’t simply strike coins, they create them and we have, in recent years,...
Read moreThe Thaler
/ Karen Needs
On the move AFTER nearly 20 years at the Holiday Inn, Bloomsbury, the London Coin Fair (LCF) is on the move and will, from June, be held at the Novotel West London, Hammersmith. The new venue is a mere stroll from the two Hammersmith tube stations that are served by the Hammersmith & City and...
Read moreBombardment when war hits home
/ Karen Needs
Far too fussy WORD, it seems, has got out about my new theme and I was recently offered a pair of memorial plaques to brothers from Exeter. Whilst they were not cheap (what is these days?), the price wasn’t unreasonable, but I turned them down, ostensibly because they were from the “wrong side...
Read moreA new look for UK coins
/ Phil Mussell
Designs on change ON October 12, 2023 the Royal Mint unveiled a brand new set of “definitive” UK coins (by definitive we mean the standard everyday circulating coins as opposed to commemorative issues). The last time this happened was in 2008 when the “jigsaw” set was unveiled (so called...
Read moreWe will remember them
/ Karen Needs
We will remember PERSONAL remembrance is easy—we will never forget John, his photographs are everywhere, his presence and influence touched many lives and those who knew him will carry his memory for years to come. For the vast majority of us, collective remembrance is a different thing. When we...
Read moreEsunertos
/ Karen Needs
A time and a place ATTENDING the first coin fair after John passed away was always going to be tough, and the fact that it was Coinex (held on September 29–30), a show he went to every single year (bar the enforced Covid hiatus, of course) meant there might well have been many people wondering...
Read moreBritain's new coins!
/ Phil Mussell
The Royal Mint has unveiled eight brand new coin designs that will soon appear on official circulating UK coins, ranging from the 1p to the £2. The new designs are inspired by flora and fauna found across Britain and reflect King Charles III’s passion for conservation and the natural world. ...
Read moreThe new 1p
/ Phil Mussell
The penny: Hazel Dormouse Small in stature, the hazel dormouse is a fitting presence on the UK 1p coin. Mostly found in southern England in the UK, the hazel dormouse population in the UK has halved since 2007. However, more than 1,000 have been reintroduced in 13...
Read moreThe new 2p
/ Phil Mussell
Red Squirrel The red squirrel’s distinctive colouring blends perfectly with the reddish hue of the UK 2p coin. With 75% of its UK population found in areas of Scotland, the red squirrel can also be found in Northern Ireland, the Isle of Wight, Brownsea Island, Anglesey, Cumbria,...
Read moreThe new 5p
/ Phil Mussell
Oak tree leaf The UK 5p coin displays a leaf taken from an oak tree, signifying its role as a rich habitat for biodiversity in British woodland areas. Supporting more life than any other native tree species in the UK, the oak tree has a long association with monarchies, as ancient...
Read moreThe new 10p
/ Phil Mussell
Capercaillie Found in a small part of Scotland, the capercaillie is the world’s largest grouse and features on the reverse of the UK 10p coin. After becoming extinct once before, in the mid-eighteenth century, the species is now at risk of becoming extinct for the second time. ...
Read moreThe new 20p
/ Phil Mussell
Puffin The unmistakable seabird features on the reverse of the new definitive UK 20p coin. Striking in their appearance, around 10% of the worldwide puffin population breeds along the UK’s coastline. Classed as a Red List species, the population is predicted to severely...
Read moreThe new 50p
/ Phil Mussell
Atlantic salmon A priority conservation species, the Atlantic salmon features on the UK 50p coin. Wild populations are low due to factors like river pollution, habitat loss, river heating and overfishing. They can be found in clean rivers in Scotland and Wales along with...
Read moreThe new £1
/ Phil Mussell
Bees The £1 features a depiction of a bee, symbolising the 250+ species which exist in Britain. Bumblebees, mason bees, mining bees and more - these industrious insects play a pivotal role in pollinating many plants and fruiting trees. They can be found all over the country,...
Read moreThe new £2
/ Phil Mussell
National flowers The UK £2 features flora that symbolise the four nations of the country – a rose for England, a daffodil for Wales, a thistle for Scotland and a shamrock for Northern Ireland. Inspired by The King’s inaugural address on 9 September 2022 and personally approved by...
Read moreDefending the colours
/ Karen Needs
John William Mussell 1942–2023
Read moreCoins of conflict
/ Phil Mussell
John William Mussell 1942–2023
Read more