Posts by Hannah Preston
New 50ps mark the centenary of the opening of Tutankhamun’s tomb – PLUS, the FIRST coins to feature the new official British Isles Portrait of King Charles III.
November 4th 1922, in Thebes, Egypt, English archaeologist Howard Carter discovered the greatest treasure in Egyptology. The tomb of ancient Egyptian King Tutankhamun.
The excavation was slow and cautious. It wasn’t until 16th February 1923 that the third doorway was opened, revealing the Burial Chamber.
‘There before us lay the sealed door, and with its opening, we were to blot out the centuries and stand in the presence of a king who reigned three thousand years ago.’
– Howard Carter
The chamber not only contained the perfectly preserved sarcophagus of Tutankhamun, but also remarkable treasures untouched for more than 3,000 years.
And now, to mark the centenary of this incredible discovery, a collection of new 50ps has been authorised by the Isle of Man Treasury.
But most importantly, these are the FIRST coins to feature the new official British Isles portrait of King Charles III.
Five Tutankhamun 50ps authorised by the Isle of Man Treasury
To celebrate the extraordinary treasures found within King Tutankhamun’s Tomb, you can now secure these FIVE new Brilliant Uncirculated 50ps.
Featuring five iconic designs carefully curated by Joe Cummings that represent artefacts and treasures found within King Tutankhamun’s tomb. These include; the famous death mask of Tutankhamun, Anubis Shrine, the Name Pendant, a corselet, and a model of the torso of Tutankhamun.
Your coins will arrive in a detailed presentation pack to keep your coins safe for years to come.
Don’t miss out, sure ALL FIVE for just £34.95 (+p&p) >>>
Limited Edition Silver Proof 50p set restricted to JUST 795 Collectors WORLDWIDE
JUST 795 Silver Proof Sets are available worldwide. Considering The Royal Mint’s Silver Proof Tutankhamun £5 has an edition limit of 1922, how long can 795 sets possibly last?
Each 50p in this FIVE-coin set has been struck from 925/1000 Silver to a pristine Proof finish. What’s more, with the addition of 24ct Gold-plating, it comes protectively housed in a deluxe presentation box.
The ULTIMATE Presentation of Stamps and Coins – with the addition of vivid colour print!
Just 495 Brilliant Uncirculated 50ps feature a colour finish for use within this Ultimate Stamp and Coin Cover.
These covers will be officially postmarked by the Royal Mail on the 16th February 2023 – the 100th anniversary of the Opening of the Tomb.
And with ONLY 495 of these covers available worldwide, many collectors are sure to miss out.
This is the smallest edition presentation you’ll find – from a collector’s point of view, the decision is obvious. You can only secure the NEW 50ps with colour and Official Royal Mail Philatelic label in a set like this, and we guarantee you won’t find a smaller edition anywhere else.
Click here to secure the ULTIMATE Presentation for just £70 (+p&p) >>>
JUST 195 Available Worldwide – The DOUBLE DIAMETER Tutankhamun 50p struck from One Ounce of Pure Silver
Perhaps the most recognisable treasure discovered within Tutankhamun’s tomb was his iconic Death Mask. This mask’s incredible detail features on this BRAND NEW 50p with the brand new portrait of the King.
This impressive 50p has been struck to a DOUBLE DIAMETER size from 1oz of Pure Silver. That’s twice the size of a standard 50p and almost four times heavier!
Due to this rare and complicated striking technique, these remarkable coins take a little longer to produce than the rest of the collection.
This coin is available to pre-order now.
Click here NOW to pre-order one of JUST 195 Available WORLDWIDE with a deposit of just £19.50 >>>
As the FIRST coins to feature the new British Isles King Charles III portrait designed by renowned coin designer, Glyn Davies, these are expected to be extremely popular with knowledgeable collectors.
And with such low edition limits, I would suggest acting quickly to secure yours before stock runs out.
If you want something extra special, there are also gold specifications available within the collection.
Have you got THESE £2 coins in your collection?
Since its inception 25 years ago, the familiar bi-metallic £2 coin has become the commemorative canvas for some of the most exciting and collectable coin designs of our time. Sit tight for a quick-fire countdown of my top 5 £2 coins and why you should add them to your collection… if you’re lucky enough to find them.
5. The 2016 Great Fire of London £2 Coin
Issued to mark the 350th anniversary of the fire, it was later revealed that its mintage figure was mistakenly listed.
With 3.5 million less than originally thought in circulation, it’s in fact one of the rarest £2 coins in circulation.
4. The 2014 First World War (Lord Kitchener) £2 Coin
Issued to mark the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War, over 5,700,000 of these coins entered circulation, making it an easy design to stumble across.
However, a small number of these coins supposedly entered circulation without the ‘Two Pounds’ denomination anywhere on the coin. In March 2020 one of these so-called ‘error’ coins sold at auction for £500. A hefty return on a £2 coin!
[Image credit: The Sun]
3. The 2012 London Olympics Handover £2 Coin
Undoubtedly one of the greatest national events in my lifetime. London hosting the Olympic Games in 2012 will remain etched in my memory forever.
Unsurprisingly, the event has been immortalised on official UK coinage. The London 2012 Handover £2 coin was issued to mark the handing over of the flag to the next host city, Rio. Just 845,000 of these historic £2 coins entered circulation.
2. The 2022 25th Anniversary £2 Coin
It would be remiss of me not to mention the coin issued to mark this year’s special 25th anniversary. This is a re-issue of the first ever definitive UK £2 coin.
Despite not entering circulation, this could be the last Commemorative UK £2 coin to feature the effigy of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Undoubtedly, this one will hold great importance for collectors for years to come.
1. The 2021 UK H.G. Wells £2 Coin
As a fan of The War of the Worlds, taking the top spot is last year’s HG Wells £2 coin. This was issued to mark the 75th anniversary of his passing.
But there’s another reason.
Eagle-eyed collectors will call this an ‘error’ coin. Spotting an additional leg on the Martian, famously known to be a tripod but controversially depicted on the coin with a fourth leg!
To celebrate this year’s 25th Anniversary of the £2 coin, you can own the UK 2021 HG Wells £2 Coin for JUST £2 (+p&p) when you trial the Best of British £2 Coin Collection. There’s no obligation to continue collecting – cancel at any time.
Click here to claim your HG Wells £2 Coin for JUST £2
Alternatively, if you’d like to collect the latest UK £2 coins issued by The Royal Mint and receive them as soon as they’re released, you can visit our sister brand Change Checker and sign up to the Official £2 Coin Subscription: www.changechecker.org/subscription
Honouring a legendary war hero — NEW Commemoratives issued to mark the 40th Anniversary of the Douglas Bader Foundation
This year marks 40 years since the founding of the Douglas Bader Foundation. To celebrate the occasion a range of NEW commemoratives have been issued in partnership with the charity. But, before I go into any details about these new issues, I want to tell you about the fascinating life of the foundation’s namesake – Group Captain Sir Douglas Bader.
Sir Douglas Bader
Douglas Bader was born in London in 1910 and was commissioned into the Royal Air Force in 1930. Tragically, 18 months later he was in a plane crash in which he lost both legs.
Due to this accident, he was discharged from the RAF and was forced to find work elsewhere.
However, after the outbreak of the Second World War, Bader was able to rejoin the air force. He became a leading airman during WW2, flying Spitfires and Hurricanes at Dunkirk and the Battle of Britain. In 1941, he was shot down and held as a prisoner of war.
During his descent, Bader lost his right artificial limb. He persuaded his German captors to radio England to ask them to send over a replacement leg. On the night of 19 August 1941, during a normal bombing raid, his new leg was dropped from a Blenheim, along with some stump socks, tobacco, and chocolate.
Despite his disability, he made several escape attempts. Bader was eventually placed in Colditz until its liberation in 1945.
Douglas Bader was a charismatic and controversial character. After the war, he campaigned tirelessly on behalf of amputees and people with disabilities. He inspired millions with his example and was honoured with a knighthood in 1976. He is considered a national hero for both his war efforts and his work with the disabled which he was involved in up until he died in 1982.
The Douglas Bader Foundation
The Douglas Bader Foundation was established immediately following his death in 1982 by his friends and family, many of whom had flown by his side during the war.
For 40 years, the Douglas Bader Foundation has worked to help people with disabilities, supplying prosthetics, grants, and support to many people.
To support this fantastic charity, a donation from the sale of each of the brand-new commemoratives will go directly to the Douglas Bader Foundation.
So, let’s take a closer look at the new range ….
The Silver Spitfire Commemoratives
These incredible Silver Spitfire commemoratives feature a 3D Spitfire model crafted from a genuine piece of aluminium from a Spitfire AB910.
AB910 flew in The Dieppe Raid – one of the most significant air battles in history and flew cover patrols over Normandy beachheads on D-Day.
I can’t think of a more fitting tribute to Douglas Bader and the Douglas Bader Foundation. The daring airman flew Spitfires over Dunkirk and during the Battle of Britain.
These are available in both 1oz and 5oz silver specifications. With a small amount of this historic metal available, just a limited number of these commemoratives can be made.
Click here for more details and to secure your 1oz today >>
Click here for more details and to secure your 5oz today >>
Douglas Bader Medal Box Set
Strictly limited to JUST 250 worldwide, a spectacular box set has been released to honour the extraordinary life of Douglas Bader. This set brings together not one, but three full-coloured commemoratives designed by artist Adam Tooby.
Alongside these commemoratives also sits replicas of three of the many medals that Bader received during his astonishing military career.
As this set comes beautifully displayed in a presentation box with a numbered certificate of authenticity, it is the perfect collector’s piece.