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?