GB & Northern Ireland Brass Threepence

An attempt at market values:

O’Brien Coin Guide: GB & Ireland Brass Threepences of Edward VIII
https://oldcurrencyexchange.com/2018/01/11/obrien-coin-guide-gb-ireland-brass-threepence-edward-viii/

O’Brien Coin Guide: GB & Northern Ireland Brass Threepence of George VI
https://oldcurrencyexchange.com/2018/08/06/obrien-coin-guide-gb-northern-ireland-brass-threepence-george-vi/

O’Brien Coin Guide: GB & Northern Ireland Brass Threepence of Elizabeth II
https://oldcurrencyexchange.com/2018/09/21/obrien-coin-guide-gb-northern-ireland-brass-threepence-elizabeth-ii/

Thanks for sharing, the patterns in that first link were pretty interesting.

The year 1936 must have been crazy - old king dies, the whole country getting ready for the new king's coronation and then he abdicated. Think of all that coronation 'memorabilia' that was ordered, manufactured and then had to be destroyed.

I wonder how many people, outside of the govt actually knew he was a nazi sympathiser. Wallis Simpson probably kept the tabloids busy.

Quote: "OldCurrencyExchange"​The year 1936 must have been crazy - old king dies, the whole country getting ready for the new king's coronation and then he abdicated. Think of all that coronation 'memorabilia' that was ordered, manufactured and then had to be destroyed.
​
​I wonder how many people, outside of the govt actually knew he was a nazi sympathiser. Wallis Simpson probably kept the tabloids busy.

​A lot of it they didn't bother with getting destroyed; you can see privately-made, cheap aluminium or brass coronation medallions of Edward VIII's coronation dated the 12th of May 1937 that never ultimately happened (the same date was kept for his brother George VI's coronation though).

Here are my two coronation medallions from 1936 and 1937 respectively; they have identical reverses, but honour different monarchs (my photos, currently used in the catalogue):



https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces138442.html
https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces138443.html

The British press was relatively hush-hush about the Wallis Simpson affair until after the abdication is what I've heard, but it was gossiped at every high society dinner table across America and continental Europe.

True.

There is quite a big market + voracious appetite for Edward VIII memorabilia.

At a government level there was a mixture of concern and panic.
- they were very concerned at his nazi connections (and trips)
- they were very worried about how the Simpson affair would play out once the tabloids got wind of it
- either way, it could have been the end of the British monarchy

In the end he was given a choice: the throne, or Simpson.
He chose the latter.