Tuesday 27 December 2016

New website

Hi, the Amateur Coin Collector is moving over from blogger to a new dedicated site.

Monday 26 December 2016

Two Pound Coin Charles Dickens

In this post we look at the two pound coin from 2012 commemorating the bicentenary of the birth of Charles Dickens.

This coin is unusual in that it features a profile portrait of Dickens' head made up from the names of his books on the reverse. This rather interesting image was designed by Matthew Dent (who also designed the new post 2008 reverses of the 1p - £1 coins and the commemorative WWF 50p coin reverse).

Charles Dickens £2 coin reverse
2012 Charles Dickens £2 Reverse


The obverse features the Ian Rank-Broadley portrait of Her Majesty and the edge inscription reads "Something will turn up" - a quotation from the character Mr Micawber in David Copperfield.

This is not a particularly rare coin (despite what you might read on some eBay listings) with over 8 million being minted and I have come across a few in my change (of which the above is one). For specifications visit the royal mint's entry HERE. You will appreciate that this coin is very much a circulated example (I posted an article a few years ago about an almost uncirculated example I found) but to me sometimes this is actually more satisfying to have in your collection to a BU example that you dare not take out its packaging and has no history to it. Coins like these still have excellent levels of detail but carry with them an unknown history and are very satisfying to spot in circulation. Of course they are not worth as much to sell but that's not really the point of collecting is it!

Monday 12 December 2016

Coins comeback (in South America at least)!

I heard about this story on the radio this morning and thought it interesting. Quite a complex issue but at least it shows that coins have perhaps a bigger role in the modern world than some people would have us believe!
Replacing notes with coins in Venezuela (BBC)

Thursday 8 December 2016

Kew gardens... I know, i know, I know!

I have seen some astronomical figures for the kew gardens 50p coins recently on ebay. As I'm sure you know, this coin has captured the imagination of the public at large and by the prices being asked for (and in some cases received) many other circulating coins of dubious scarcity. I am in two minds about this as I do think it reflects the impression I have gained in day to day life that many hitherto numismatic novices have developed an increased awareness of the hobby but on the other hand I am concerned that some younger enthusiastic newcomers to the hobby will have their fingers figuratively burned by 'investing' in some of these supposedly rare and hugely over priced coins. I hope these beginners will perhaps focus on a cheaper and less glamorous collection to start their hobby career such as something simple like a date range of pennies or perhaps even just the dates of cupronickel and plated 5p and 10p coins currently circulating before the royal mint withdraws all the cupronickel 1990s types. My philosophy on coin collecting is that it should be for pleasure, fun, pride and interest. I don't think it is an investment for most amateurs!