Overwhelming public response was a well-deserved acknowledgement of the king’s popularity and understandably the coin after.

There was much excitement surrounding the occasion of the king’s 25th year on the throne, with thousands of people turning out to witness the royal processions through the streets of London every day of the Jubilee week. Although special coins for collectors had been created by The Royal Mint previously, it was the Silver Jubilee crown which paved the way for commemorative coins as we know them today. The first modern commemorative coin was issued in 1935 to mark the Silver Jubilee of George V. The 50ps struck to commemorate the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games proved hugely popular with collectors Arguably the coin which began it all Originally known as the ‘hobby of kings’, coins have been collected by royal figures, such as Prince Henry, son of James I, Victor Emmanuel III of Italy and King Farouk of Eygpt.

Collecting coins is a pastime for people from all walks of life.