The Importance of Royal Maundy

Posted on by Emma Wilde

Royal Maundy is the tradition of the British Monarch ceremonially distributing small silver coins, known as “Maundy Money”, to elderly recipients. It dates back as far 600 AD and its origins lie in the story of Jesus washing the feet of his disciples after the Last Supper. The word “Maundy” comes from the Latin word “mandatum”, meaning the command that Jesus gave to his disciples to “love one another”.

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The Trial of the Pyx – What is it, and why does it exist?

Posted on by Emma Wilde
trial of the pyx
The Trial of the Pyx is one of Britain’s longest-established judicial ceremonies; held since the 12th century and remaining largely unchanged since that date and Henry III’s reign.

The word ‘pyx’ comes from the Latin word ‘pyxis’ or small box, and in this case refers to the chests used to store and transport the coins ready for the trial. Throughout the year, coins are randomly selected from every batch and denomination struck, sealed in bags of 50 and locked away in ‘Pyx’ boxes ready for testing to commence at the Trial of Pyx.

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Timeline of the 200 Years of the British Gold Sovereign

Posted on by Emma Wilde
The British Sovereign was first imagined in 1489 by King Henry VII, after he instructed officers of his Royal Mint to produce a ‘new money of gold’. Prior to that point, England had enjoyed circulating gold coinage for almost a century and a half, but the new coin, named a Sovereign, was to be the largest coin both in size and value.

Then in 1817, the ‘new sovereign’ made its debut with a newly imagined design featuring St George slaying the dragon. The new design was created by Italian gem engraver Benedetto Pistrucci and was destined to become one of the world’s most loved coin designs.

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Everything you need to know about the MV Royal Daffodil

Posted on by Emma Wilde
Our 2020 Dunkirk 80th Anniversary Gold Sovereign Range commemorates the remarkable rescue of Allied troops from the beaches of Northern France, sometimes known as ‘Operation Dynamo’.

The Gold Quarter Sovereign in particular, features a design that pays tribute to the MV Royal Daffodil, a passenger vessel that undertook no fewer than seven trips to the beaches of Dunkirk in 1940 and rescued up to 9,500 troops. On the final trip, a bomb went right through her hull and exploded beneath her; the hole was plugged with a mattress and she made it home. After the War she was refitted and proudly bore a plaque that commemorated her as a ‘Dunkirk Little Ship’.

We are taking a closer look at the Troopship Royal Daffodil and everything you need to know.

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