Coins

The name of a new Iron Age ruler or king has been discovered on a coin dug up in a field in the Test Valley, Hampshire.

In the 1790s a dire shortage of small copper change caused great difficulties in the small transactions of everyday life.

A collection of Greek coins formed over 20 years ago by a European connoisseur will be sold by Morton & Eden in London on September 26-27.

On October 3 Noonans will sell two single-owner collections.

The Coinex extravaganza brings out the big guns of the UK numismatics trade alongside continental European dealers.

Spink will conduct the Official Coinex Auction on September 28.

The latest edition of the Coin Yearbook is published this month.

Richard Beale, director of the London auction house Roma Numismatics, has pleaded guilty to a series of charges in connection with unlawful sales of ancient coins.

A round-up of art and antiques news from the previous seven days, including an Edward VIII halfcrown that was never issued being offered at Noonans.

A Brutus Eid Mar-type silver denarius, struck shortly after the murder of Julius Caesar, has become the most expensive numismatic object ever sold at auction in Scandinavia.

A Panticapaeum gold stater, struck in present day Crimea c.350-300BC, has regained the rank of the world’s most expensive classical coin.

The final proof coin set bearing Queen Victoria’s portrait was issued by the Royal Mint in two sets in 1893.

Richard Beale, the owner and managing director of London coin auction house Roma Numismatics, has been arrested in New York in connection with the sale of a record-breaking classical coin.

One would hardly call a 13in x 2ft 1in (34 x 63cm) copper block, weighing more than 32 pounds (14.6kg), a convenient method of payment, but in the mid-17th century such plates were indeed issued in Sweden under King Charles X Gustav.

The record business enjoyed by London’s coin auction houses during Covid lockdowns largely continued last year.

An unusual visitor to UK shores last year was this gold ‘Liberty head’ quarter eagle (two and a half dollars) from 1830.

Struck c.1500 in Lisbon from Guinean gold provided by the explorations of Vasco da Gama, the 10 cruzados piece or Portugués do ouro of Manuel I (1495-1521) is a coin synonymous with the Age of Discovery.

Henry III (1216-72) issued his ‘gold penny’ for probably less than a year from August 16, 1357.

Harmers’ (20% buyer’s premium) third numismatic auction held on September 26 was topped by this Indian rarity, a Gold Mohur issued under the Mughal emperor Nur al-Din Muhammad Jahangir (1605-27).