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Buy into the £200,000 1937 Edward VIII Penny
Buy into the £200,000 1937 Edward VIII Penny
The value is born, not only from the rarity, but the story surrounding its design and subsequent failure to enter mass production, as a result of the Monarch’s abdication.
The value is born, not only from the rarity, but the story surrounding its design and subsequent failure to enter mass production, as a result of the Monarch’s abdication.
A Story of the British Royal Family
Coinage that never was
The 1937 Edward VIII One Penny, like many of the world's most significant and valuable coins, is a pattern. Patterns are generally used to evaluate a coin's design prior to mass production of the regular issue, which in this particular case, following Edward VIII's sudden abdication, never happened. But this wasn't the first headache the enigmatic royal caused the Mint.
Edward VIII
King for only 11 months during 1936 makes his controversial reign the shortest of any monarch in the United Kingdom's history. Uncle to Queen Elizabeth II, his desire to marry the twice divorced American socialite Wallis Simpson ensured a constitutional crisis followed, resulting in his subsequent abdication in December 1936. Was he justified in his decision to follow his heart, or did he show a lack of duty by putting his own needs above those of his country?
The darker side of Edward?
It is the relationship with Hitler and the Nazi party which casts the darkest shadow over his time as an active member of the Royal Family. The German ambassador in The Hague, Count Julius von Zech-Burkersroda, fanned the flames of defection, claiming that the Duke had leaked the Allied war plans for the defence of Belgium. Some historians such as Michael Bloch even go so far as to suggest Hitler had plans to reinstate Edward as the ruling monarch following a successful invasion of English shores.
Breaking Tradition
Since the time of Charles II, the direction the head faces on each subsequent Monarch’s coinage has alternated. With one exception… Edward VIII. Whether it was a sign of rebellion against convention or an indication of vanity to show what he considered to be his better side-profile, Edward VIII broke with tradition making this 1937 One Penny particularly special.
Unobtainable
Following his abdication, Edward requested a set of the coins but George VI refused, making this 1937 Edward VIII One Penny the second item on Showpiece that not even a King could obtain. But soon you can.
In partnership with Baldwin's
A H Baldwin & Sons Ltd has a history that dates to 1872 and is one of the largest and longest established numismatic dealers and auction houses in the world. The Baldwin family developed an infallible reputation for the encouragement and support they gave to collectors and students of numismatics.
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