Posts Tagged ‘£5’
Tales from The Tower’s maximum security Mint – where making coins was a dangerous business
A symbol of royal power for nearly 1,000 years, the Tower of London remains one of Britain’s most iconic attractions.
But did you know that for over 500 years The Tower of London housed The Royal Mint?
It’s safe to say that during The Royal Mint’s time in The Tower, making coins was hot, noisy and dangerous affair. So much so that tampering with coins was considered treason, and the threat of gruesome punishment alone was enough to deter most, if not all, forgers and thieves.
For me, there’s no coin stories as fascinating as the ones that originate from The Royal Mint’s time a at The Tower. Here’s a selection of my very favourite ones…
Health and Safety was not a concern
In stark comparison to the society we live in today, the health and safety of Mint workers was not a top priority during the Mint’s time in The Tower.
Mechanisation in the 1600’s was welcome relief for Mint workers, as up until this point, all coins were made by hand. As a result, it wasn’t unusual for workers to be injured, and the loss of fingers and eyes was not uncommon.
When it came to striking the coins, split second timing and staying alert could mean the difference between making a coin and losing a finger! That’s because in order to strike a coin, one worker would place a handmade piece of metal between two engraved stamps – called dies – and a second worker would then strike it with a hammer. This procedure would stamp the coin design on to the metal, but if both parties were not on the ball sometimes a finger would be removed in the process.
Even then, it actually wasn’t until screw-operated presses were introduced in the 1700’s that life for Mint workers became relatively safe.
Dirty, deadly money
Working in the Mint was dirty and dangerous work. Huge furnaces were used to melt down precious metal, and the air was full of deadly chemicals and poisonous gases. This made the coin making process a real hazard.
In the 1560’s a group of unfortunate German workers learned this the hard way. Several of them were suspected to have been poisoned by clouds of noxious gas, and they fell incredibly ill. Seasoned workers at the Mint advised them of the cure – to drink milk from a human skull! Despite the so called ‘cure’, several men died.
The mysterious case of Sleeping Beauty
Several decades prior to this, in the 1540’s, William Foxley was another victim of the Mint’s lax health and safety. Though how exactly, still no one to this day knows for sure! Foxley was a potter at the Mint, and one day he fell asleep over his pots and no one could wake him up.
It’s unclear what exactly caused Foxley’s coma, and allegedly King Henry VIII himself swung by The Tower to check out the mysterious sleeping beauty. For the majority of the British population, the only way they knew what their monarch looked like was thanks to the obverse of the coin. So Foxley will have been disappointed to have slept through his audience with the King.
This case perplexed physicians for 14 days, after which Foxley woke up and was the picture of perfect health. Remarkably he lived for another 40 years.
Tampering with coins was considered treason
Treason was not taken lightly. In fact any tampering with coins, such as shaving silver from the edge of a coin to steal it, was classed as treason and the severe punishments that awaited thieves and forgers was nearly enough in most instances to put them off.
During medieval times, the sentence for a first-time convicted counterfeiter was to remove their right hand. Any second offences were punishable by castration. It’s unknown exactly what followed this particularly gruesome punishment for a third or even a fourth offence.
But if you think this is severe, in later years and right up until the 1700’s male forgers suffered a traitor’s death – that is to be hung, drawn and quartered. Meanwhile, female forgers were either burned at the stake or transported on one of the infamous convict ships to their designated place of exile.
If you’re interested…
The Royal Mint has just released a BRAND NEW UK £5 coin to celebrate its longstanding and fascinating history with The Tower of London.
The coin is available in a range of specifications, including Brilliant Uncirculated and extremely limited edition Silver Proof and Silver Proof Piedfort. Given the historical significance of this commemorative, it is expected to be highly sought-after by serious collectors now and in years to come. That said, we do not expect to be able to offer it for long.
Welcome to the Music Legends coin family, Elton John!
From Tiny Dancer, to Rocket Man, there’s no denying that Elton John has produced some of the most recognisable and popular hits the world has ever seen. His impressive resumé includes over 4,000 performances in over 80 countries, and in excess of 300 million record sales worldwide.
Now there’s a new addition to his CV: first ever appearance on a UK coin. This makes him the second British act to feature in The Royal Mint’s Music Legends series.
We’re delighted to provide you with all the details you need to know about this latest edition to the Music Legends family…
Design fit for a British icon
Importantly, this is the very first time that Elton John has featured on a UK coin. What’s more, the design has been approved by Elton John himself.
The design, by Bradley Morgan Johnson, features imagery that is synonymous with the star of the coin – Elton’s boater hat, bow tie and glasses. The design exudes a sense of fun and is an authentic tribute to the singer and his incredible career.
BU Pack
To give as many collectors as possible the chance to own the first ever UK coin to feature Elton John, The Royal Mint has issued it in Brilliant Uncirculated quality, which is coveted by collectors as it means each coin is free from any marks you would find on circulated coins.
Each one is protectively encapsulated in its attractive original Royal Mint packaging to preserve its quality for generations to come. What’s more, you can secure this BU Pack at The Royal Mint issue price of just £13 (+p&p). Click here to find out more >>
Half Ounce Silver Proof £1 Coin
The design has been issued expertly struck from half an ounce of .999 pure silver to a pristine proof finish. What’s most significant about this coin though, is its specification. That’s because the Half Ounce Silver Proof specification is very rare and tends to be reserved only for flagship Britannia issues. And even then, it is often reserved as part of a fractional set, not available as a single issue.
JUST 14,000 Half Ounce Silver Proof Coins have been released worldwide – certainly not enough for British collectors, let alone the worldwide interest guaranteed for this issue. It comes ready to display in an eye-catching bespoke Perspex presentation box and is available for The Royal Mint issue price of £60. Click here to find out more >>
1oz Silver Proof £2 Coin
There is one coin in the range that stands out above all others – it’s the 1oz Silver Proof £2 Coin. It is the ONLY coin in the range to have two special features:
- Colour printing – colour printing technology accents details within the design to make it stand out.
- Special edge inscription – a decorative star pattern and in incuse letters the inscription “ELTON JOHN”.
These two features make this coin unique, and easily makes it the most desirable coin in the range. It will be sought-after by knowledgeable collectors in years to come.
JUST 7,500 coins have been impeccably struck from one full ounce of .999 pure silver to a proof finish and issued worldwide. This is the same number as the Queen 1oz Silver coin that completely sold out earlier this year, so high demand and another sell-out is expected. It’s available today for £125. Click here to find out more >>
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Hello UK Elton John Coins!
From Tiny Dancer, to Rocket Man, there’s no denying Sir Elton John has produced some of the most recognisable and popular hits the world has ever seen. His music catapulted him to global stardom in the 60s and 70s, and he is now one of the world’s best-selling artists of all time.
And now, the Royal Proclamation issued on the 14th of February 2020 confirms that a range of Elton John coins will be released this year. I can’t think of a better way to celebrate his legacy and contribution to British music than with a UK coin!
Not many details have been released yet by The Royal Mint, but if you want to be the first to know when they’re released simply register your interest below.
In the meantime, let’s take a closer look at the Royal Proclamation to see what’s in store for this exciting new coin range…
Next Music Legend?
This news comes following the exciting release of the first coin in The Royal Mint’s Music Legends coin series – the Queen £5 – earlier this year.
I think we can safely assume that Elton John will be part of this series and we’re sure that collectors and Elton fans alike will be feeling the love for this new coin.
At the moment, the designs are still top secret but the reverse is said to feature Elton John’s boater hat, glasses and bow tie set against a union flag and the inscription “ELTON JOHN”.
It also looks like this commemorative Elton John coin will be issued in a variety of base and limited edition precious metal specifications and denominations. This includes a Brilliant Uncirculated £5 coin and a 1oz Silver £2 coin that will be the only coin in the range to feature a special edge inscription – “a decorative star pattern and in incuse letters the inscription “ELTON JOHN”.”
Register your interest
It goes without saying that Elton John has leagues of fans worldwide, so I expect these new commemorative issues to be amongst the most anticipated new issues in 2020, and as such will be in high demand. That means when the coins are released you’ll have to act quickly to secure yours!
If you want to be kept up to date and be the first to know when these coins are available then simply register your interest below and we’ll email you as soon as we have more information.