Description
Britain’s World War One Coin Set
World War One had a dramatic and lasting impact on Britain and one of the more permanent reminders of this is our coinage of that era – the war era coinage was in fact the ‘last of its kind’.
One of the principle challenges was of resources: gold was urgently needed to pay for war materials and imports and so from the first few months of the war gold sovereigns and half sovereigns were withdrawn from circulation, never again to reappear. This was the end of the Gold Standard.
However, the war also changed forever the rest of our coins in circulation. Rising silver prices meant that our silver coinage could no longer be minted from sterling silver – but how could ‘sterling’ no longer be sterling? It was a travesty – one that brought to an end eight hundred years of history – but one that could not be avoided. The last issue of sterling silver coins was the 1919 halfcrown, florin and shilling, and the 1920 dated sixpence and threepence.
This set brings together one of every different silver and bronze coin value in
Britain’s wartime coinage: the halfcrown, florin, shilling, sixpence and threepence all in sterling silver, along with the bronze penny, halfpenny and farthing. All eight coins are originals of the war years 1914-1918.
The British coins of World War One mark the end of an era – they are a reminder of the price paid for victory and should have a place in every family.
This set it also available with 1914 dated gold coins!
World War One also brought an end to gold coins in circulation, so this set can also be bought as a TEN coin set – the eight coins in the silver and bronze set plus the 1914 gold sovereign and 1914 gold half sovereign – the last two gold coins to be released into circulation in Britain. For more information call 0333 234 3101.
