Why Do You Collect British Coins?

My mum is from England and a lot of other relatives too. Ever since I started collecting coins, I've received coins from my grand-parents and grand-uncle.

Mainly because I am British. I have large modern collections from every country I have lived in, expect China as it is harder to collect in China due to fakes, though I have some coins (that I need to post up here to see what people think, when I get around to it.). But my collecting started with a bunch of US coins I had, plus the Euro coming out in Spain. So I started collecting the Peseta coins, and then the Euro coins, bought myself an album and then when I went back to the UK I looked at UK coins for the first time, and knew I had to collect them.

But I much prefer the modern coins, I do not have that much interest in re-decimal, though I will, at times, try and add some to my set if I am there for long enough to go to a show.

Sap has said it for me, exactly word for word.
As it happens, we seem to have exactly the same collecting approach.
Good thing we are not in competition, we live in different cities!

I did some serious impulse buying of British coins at a coin show this fall, and I've taken quite a fancy to silver British coins. I've been buying a few here and there, mostly pre-1946 but pre-1920 when I find a bargain, generally shillings and florins, but sometimes sixpences or half crowns. It satisfies my craving for silver coins at affordable prices. The ASW of a 50% silver florin is nearly the same as a 90% silver Washington quarter, and generally much cheaper.

My prize English coin, however, is a hammered penny from Edward I, who is my 21st-great-grandfather. That makes Her Majesty QEII my 22nd cousin, and I must say, she is not a very attentive cousin at all -- she never writes, she never calls....

Jan

EVERY American who is numismatically inclined should collect British coins before 1776. They are part of America's ancestoral heritsge.

The same applies to Australians before 1910, when a distinctive Australian coinage was introduced.

Probably the first British coin I purchased was a Trade dollar as part of my chopmarked coin collection. It's really a great depiction of Brittania. I just started to acquire other British coins over the past year or so. The reverse designs on most of them are very attractive. Right now I'm kind of focused on the penny series ... another good depiction of Brittania on a decent sized, and generally affordable coin. If you keep your eye out, many of the silver coins can be purchased here in the US in VF or better at bullion or below.

An old topic but, I guess, I've finally gathered my thoughts and ready to report.

When I got my own money to spend in high school I started actively acquiring coins. I was getting everything I liked and everything I could afford. Many of the coins were shillings, and florins, and pennies of UK, and also some from Australia and NZ. I've always considered the last two as some far away exotic places that I'd like to visit one day. And I liked the looks of young Liz (I think I've mentioned it once or twice in other threads).

So when I heard that you're supposed to specialize in something, otherwise you're not a mature collector but a mere scatterbrain, your collection is worthless pile of everything and nothing in particular, I decided to go with the British monarchs.

Yet I never wanted to part with my other stuff, and I was acquiring more every chance I could. And I'm glad now I didn't let any of my coins go.

I still consider my "main collection" that of British monarchs, but I also have a sizable World collection, and I'm mature enough to not care of what others may think or say about it.