Nobody Knows This About Me But I’m a Numismatist!
What is a numismatist you ask? Well, I am a collector of small objects that are used for payment… Yes, I collect coins and I love it!
My love of coins began when I was a child. I vividly remember the day my dad brought out a small tin from the cupboard and placed the contents carefully on the table. Inside were a collection of my grandad’s coins, including one in particular from the 19th Century (shown below). I marvelled at the image of a young Queen Victoria. I wondered how many thousands of people this coin had passed, all of the objects it had bought and how it was there, in my hands, over 150 years later. Ever since, I have been obsessed with coins and started to build my own collection.
My first coin
Back in 2012, aged 15 and spending my pocket money at the local shop buying chocolate, I noticed a peculiar 50p coin in my change. I ran home to show my dad, excited that I had found a strange coin of my own. It denoted a person swimming, they had their goggles on and hat in place. After searching for it on Change Checker, it turned out that it was a fairly common coin and one of many released by the Royal Mint to celebrate the London 2012 Olympics. Even though it wasn’t very rare, I still placed it in my money box, thrilled that my collection had begun.
My Collections
For the last six years I have been keeping coins that have interesting images or strange markings. Recently, I celebrated my 21st birthday. Most people receive bottles of champagne or jewellery, but my favourite present has to be that from my dad- the complete 50p collection from the 2012 London Olympics and a collection of coins celebrating the stories of Beatrix Potter. Again, they are not exactly the rarest of coins but it is really great to see a complete collection of coins together and is a lovely keepsake remembering my 21st. Other coins in my collection can be considered quite uncommon. These include the Kew Gardens 50p, the WWF 50p and the 2008 Olympic Handover £2. A list of rare £2 coins can be found on the Daily Mail.
Different Coins
The best way to find interesting coins is to simply check your change! Numerous times after a shopping spree or a night out I find my purse is bursting with change, most of which are coppers or 5ps. However, occasionally I will find an odd £2 coin or 50p. Most of the time I will take a picture of it, send it to my dad and check whether we already have it, if it’s rare and what the image on the coin symbolises. A lot of coins are released to commemorate historic events such as the Great Fire of London, the abolition of the slavery and the Rugby World Cup. Many also celebrate historical figures such as Charles Darwin, Charles Dickens and Florence Nightingale.
Rare and Valuable Coins
It’s hard to work out those which are valuable and those that everyone has. Obviously, we have the standard 50p and the classic £2 that we see daily, but how do you know if you have an unusual coin? Firstly, check the inscription and image on the coin- the most valuable coins are often those that have mint-made errors. Famous examples of this includes the £2 commemorating the Gunpowder Plot reading ‘Pemember Pemember’ instead of the correct version ‘Remember’. Similarly, if the first coin I collected (the Olympic swimmer) had the water covering the swimmer’s face, then I would be a very rich student now! Often the year of the coin can add significant value. Having an old 2p reading New Pence from the year 1983 is very rare. This is because those minted after 1982 should read ‘Two pence’ but there are a few that still have the old inscription, bringing in a tidy sum if you have one (and choose to sell it). Then there are those coins that only have a small number in circulation. Examples of these include £2s commemorating the Commonwealth Games and the Jemima Puddle-Duck 50p. It’s really quick and easy to value your coin, just go to Changechecker.org and type in the details of the coin you have. They also have a scarcity scale from 1–10 making it simple to work out how rare your coin really is.
So come on check your change! You might be a millionaire (or just a nerd like me!)
