I have just acquired a second British cartwheel penny (1797 George III). I didn't intend to buy a second one, I had forgotten I had one already. But I started thinking, while standing at the backdoor smoking a cigarette, about creating a collage display of British pennies over the past four centuries: Cartwheel, through the later pennies, Victoria, George V, Elizabeth II and on to the decimal pennies and their changing designs. My first thought was to glue them into a glass-fronted box frame and hang it on the wall. But the tiny bit of purist in me thought that too destructive. I then thought about a museum-style display. Which I thought may be a little precocious, and then I started to wonder if there are any coin museums?
I know the British museum has old coins, and indeed many museums include coins in displays, but I was thinking more specialised, tracking the evolution of denominations, like the British penny for example. I expect there are many such museums in the world, and I am just ignorant of their existence, or perhaps I am a weirdo and no-one else is even remotely interested in the evolution of coinage?
For anyone aware that England extends beyond Birmingham, the Manchester Museum has a pretty impressive collection of coins. They also have one of the finest collections of Egyptian Mummys outside of Egypt. I've spent many a happy day there.
The Smithsonian supposedly houses several famous collections donated over the years but on my one and only visit I didn't get to see them due to impatient wifey. Maybe next time.
Non illegitimis carborundum est. Excellent advice for all coins.
Make Numismatics Great Again!
Quote: pnightingaleMatt, exactly how big is your house?
LOL!
I live in a 4-bedroom, terrace, former council house on a council estate! I am sure you understand the type of home, Phil, hardly the setting for a museum! Forget notions of the English country manor, or of gothic pillars, think more pregnant teenagers, chavs, people fixing up old cars, dole-scroungers and empty beer cans. But once you get out of my front garden it's not too bad <g>
They also have a nearly complete set of CC coins, every denomination but missing a few of the years. I mention this because of the way they have them set for display. Think about a sandwich of three plexiglass plates. The center plate has holes drilled to the diameter of the coin and covered front and back with clear plexiglass sheets. I've been thinking of this as a way to display some of my collection. A good method to make both the obverse and reverse visible.
--phil
I never meet a coin I didn't like until I saw the Susan B Anthony dollar coin.
Ottawa's got its very own too ! Went there for my birthday in summer 2010. You can also go the RCM and visit the mint while they're making coins, and we can also see the notes being printed at the Bank of Canada. There's also one mint in Winnipeg, as Winnipeg makes circulation coinage while Ottawa makes bullion and collectors' coinage.
Si tu cognes ta tête contre une cruche et que ça sonne creux, ce n'est pas forcément la cruche... lollll mon proverbe préféré !
Quote: pnightingaleThe Smithsonian supposedly houses several famous collections donated over the years but on my one and only visit I didn't get to see them due to impatient wifey. Maybe next time.
The Smithsonian's Museum of American History displayed the National Numismatic Collection of the United States from 1964 to 2004, containing hundreds of thousands of items. The exhibit was shuttered in 2004, and the collection was put into the Smithsonian's vaults. (At the time of its removal, the coin collection was the last surviving exhibit from the American History Museum's original 1964 opening.) The Smithsonian still has the collection, but only displays a few dozen of the more prominent specimens to the public, like the 1804 silver dollar, the 1933 double eagle, and the 1974 aluminum cent. I doubt the rest of the collection will ever be on general public display again.
I also wanted to thank all the contributors to this topic. I was searching for a December topic to post on the local coin clubs website. The links provided here will form the basis for a good article.
When I get the website updated I will post a link here for those interested.
--phil
I never meet a coin I didn't like until I saw the Susan B Anthony dollar coin.
As promised, here is the link to the website of the coin club I belong too and the article that I wrote. Please excuse the poor state of the site and formatting of the article as we are still under development.
The first paragraph is a little plug for this site. I couldn't resist.
Quote: "pnightingale"Matt, exactly how big is your house?
LOL!
I live in a 4-bedroom, terrace, former council house on a council estate! I am sure you understand the type of home, Phil, hardly the setting for a museum! Forget notions of the English country manor, or of gothic pillars, think more pregnant teenagers, chavs, people fixing up old cars, dole-scroungers and empty beer cans. But once you get out of my front garden it's not too bad <g>
Matt
Here is a visit of the Smithsonian in Washington. The video has been made by the blogger Adolfo Ruíz Calleja and is in spanish but I hope you will enjoy… https://youtu.be/K1qwP2jjWfo
Dans l'immense majorité des cas votre pièce n'est pas fautée : elle est différente...pour ne pas dire moche.
"Odi profanum vulgus et arceo"
Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge; and Cornell University, Ithaca, NY both have extensive collections, though not on public display. However, if you happen to be in the area, and have a specific area of interest, both have been known to allow viewing on appointment.
Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge is worth a visit anyway if you are in town.
(Parking is a challenge - do not park opposite the museum, most expensive parking in Cambridge! Cheap parking is a 10 min walk)
Cornell have made some of their coins available to view online:
Here is a visit of the Smithsonian in Washington. The video has been made by the blogger Adolfo Ruíz Calleja and is in spanish but I hope you will enjoy… https://youtu.be/K1qwP2jjWfo
Man, that video is amazing!
"Perfection can be achieved only through devotion" - Chanakya Nitishastra 8.10
"And fortune learnt to know her favorite" - Tacitus Agricola 13
