With a history stretching over 1,100 years, The Royal Mint has forged a fascinating story through the world of historic coins. As the second oldest mint in the world, and the oldest company in the UK, their history is entwined with the 61 monarchs who have ruled England and Britain.
The Royal Mint has struck coins for every monarch, creating an unrivalled collection of coins, each one with its own history to unravel. Many of these historic coins have increased in value over time, making them an ideal collector’s item too.
In this video Dan Snow gets a rare glimpse of the hidden treasures kept behind the doors at The Royal Mint Museum. He discovers the fascinating story behind the Edward VIII Sovereign, a 22-carat gold coin that was created when Edward ascended the throne. However the coins were never released to the public as Edward VIII abdicated to marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson. With only six ever made, these are the rarest British coins in existence. But why does Edward face the wrong way on his coin?
Up Next in Medieval
-
The Ashmolean Up Close: King Alfred's...
The fifth film in our series exploring the remarkable collections of the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford.
Dan Snow joins Museum Director Xa Sturgis, to delve into the museum's Anglo-Saxon treasures, including the famed Alfred Jewel. Alongside other exquisite artefacts, such as a warrior's sword and v...
-
Rebels: William Wallace
Who was the real William Wallace? And what kind of rebel was he? Was he like Mel Gibson's 'Braveheart', or a more nuanced rebel, battling amidst the complex Anglo-Scottish power politics of over 700 years ago?
In this new series, conflict analyst Professor Michael Livingston travels the length a...
-
Agincourt: The Real Story
On October 25th 1415, Henry V of England took on the mighty French forces at the Battle of Agincourt. Despite being heavily outnumbered, his troops won. It would become one of the most legendary victories in English history - a tale of bravery and triumph against all the odds, inspiring everyone ...
3 Comments