Author: BNS Blog Coordinator

Bedford Numismatic Society Open Day: 23/10/2022 – Gary Oddie

This note presents the recent history of the Bedford Numismatic Society, how it survived the decline of membership over the past few decades and how its numbers have steadily risen over the past decade. The informality has been the main key to success and when it was proposed to hold an open day to recruit further members it was supported throughout by all of the members. The second part of the note describes the planning and operation during the open day which has potentially found six new members from the 20+ that came on the day. The final section is left empty and will be completed in a few months’ time when we know how successful the event was and which areas of advertising were the most useful.

Women in British Numismatics – Gary Oddie

It has long been recognised that numismatics is predominantly a male pursuit. This note presents data from several sources (British Numismatic Society, Token Corresponding Society, Museums and academia etc) regarding the gender balance within each sector. It is clear that there is a significant difference between the hobby/amateur/collector/society/voluntary side of the subject (5-10% women) and the larger scale professional/academic/museum/university side of numismatics (30-50% women). There is no discussion as to how these differences have arisen or indeed how they may be addressed, but it is hoped the data will be of use for those suggesting future directions in the subject.

A Day at The Fitzwilliam Museum – Defaced! Money, Conflict, Protest – Gary Oddie

This brief note gives details of a visit made to the new exhibition at the Fitzwilliam Museum with the title “Defaced! Money, Conflict, Protest”. The exhibition is the largest numismatic exhibition to have been created in the UK, filling three rooms of the top floor of the museum. The exhibits cover the period 1750 to 2022 and there is something for everyone interested in coins, tokens, paranumismatica and paper money. Topics of protest and dissent are covered from many countries. There is even a credit card in there!The curator, Richard Kelleher, has put together something quite original, modern and far reaching and it is definitely worth making a visit or two before it closes in early January.

The “Tercentenary” of the South Sea Company “SSC” silver coins approaches.   Where the silver came from and how it got here – Graham Birch

Almost exactly three hundred years ago In October or early November 1722, the South Sea Company’s flagship merchant trading vessel – the Royal George – slipped its moorings in Cartagena – in what is now Colombia – and set sail for Falmouth. She was on the return leg of her maiden voyage and was carrying a fabulously rich cargo including around one million “pieces of eight” as well as other high value goods such as cochineal and indigo…

Some Thoughts on the Ellerby Hoard – Weights of the Ellerby Hoard Guineas – Graham Birch

The Ellerby Hoard has featured in the news recently due to the recent (October 7th) Spink auction in London where the coins reached a “hammer price” of £628,000 for all the lots, with the final purchase price including fees calculated at £754,000. The hoard was found in 2019 when a couple renovating their 18th-century property in the village of Ellerby, near Hull, made the discovery of a lifetime beneath the kitchen floor. Buried inside a small cup were over 260 gold coins from the 17th and 18th centuries, dating from the reigns of King James I through to King George I. This article provides some interesting insights based on an analysis of the coin weights.