The United Kingdom was the last major nation-state in the world to adopt decimal currency, 50 years ago in 1971. Why was it so slow to do so? What changed politicians’ and peoples’ minds about it in the 1960s? Were Britain’s plans to join the EEC influential? What was the impact of South Africa, Australia and New Zealand going decimal several years earlier? Or did it simply happen because of common sense, with a decimal system so much easier to learn and use than pounds, shillings and pence? The route to find the right designs was a complex one, with interfering politicians, struggling artists, and at one stage an angry Duke of Edinburgh! It took over five years to get there, and then there was the seven-sided 50 pence – a design classic we would say today, but what did the media and public think of it when it was launched in 1969? When Britain Went Decimal takes readers through the changeover leading to D-Day (decimalisation day), and beyond: how smooth and successful was the process? Did newspapers secretly hope it would fail? While decimalisation might have seemed right at the time, did it lead to inflation, as many people believe today? Entertainingly written and beautifully illustrated, this first book on decimalisation since 1973 attempts to answer all these questions and more, looking as much at the design – indeed the ‘art’ behind the new coinage – as at social, economic and political history.

This meticulously researched and fully illustrated catalogue details all of the paper money of the Banco Nacional Ultramarino used in the five Portuguese African colonies of Angola, Cape Verde, Mozambique, Portuguese Guinea and Saint Thomas & Prince, between 1865 and 1975.

Published to coincide with the 104th anniversary of the most important sea battle of World War I, this comprehensive catalogue lists all orders, decorations and MIDs awarded for the Battle of Jutland, grouped according to the ships, with citations where available, and a description of the ship and her role in the battle.The Battle of Jutland was the only action between the battle fleets of the UK and Germany; 151 British ships, with a total of about 60,000 sailors, took part. Of these, 13 ships were sunk and over 6,000 British sailors were killed. Over 2,000 honours were awarded, including four Victoria Crosses, 47 DSOs, over 200 DSMs and other decorations, and MIDs were awarded for gallantry and distinguished service. Awards from France and Russia are also included.The VCs are well documented but, with regard to most of the other awards, it is difficult or impossible to identify the ship in which the man was serving. This book will therefore be of great interest to medal collectors, when reading the citation for an award, to know the ship referred to, and to find how many awards were made to each ship, in addition to giving a fascinating background to his most iconic of naval battles.

Extensively illustrated, each entry includes details on dates, mints, personalities, weight standard, important variations, and the history and meaning of the legend and design. Detailed information about the late Roman bronze coinage system. Extensive introductory notes in Chapter One discuss the life-cycle of late Roman bronze coins (manufacture, circulation, loss and the effects of burial) as well as their weight, fineness standards and contemporary value. The introductory sections of the subsequent chapters, each of which is dedicated to a short time period, cover the history of that period and the metrology (weight, size and metallic composition), overall pattern, and mint and field marks of the coinage of those years. First detailed examination of the coinage of this period by reverse design. By examining late Roman bronze coinage through the study of reverse types, this book provides different insights from those gained through an examination of the coinage by Mint (as found in The Roman Imperial Coinage series) or by emperor (as found in the Roman Coins and their Values series). Many major numismatic works covering this time period are out of date. This Handbook incorporates the latest numismatic scholarship and includes extensive footnotes and bibliography. The easy to use (indexed and cross-referenced) catalogue entries will be of interest to collectors, cataloguers and researchers. The historical and metrological discussions will appeal to scholars, numismatists and students. A focus on reverse types provides scholars working with hoards or site finds with much greater insight into dates and other aspects of the coinage than simply identifying the emperor.

Published to commemorate the 50th anniversary of decimalisation in February 2021, this compact book gives a general introduction to the biggest reform to the UK currency in its 1500-year history. The planning and implementation of decimalisation is covered from different angles including the role of the Decimal Currency Board, the production of new coins at the Royal Mint, as well as the preparation of businesses and the public for ‘D-Day’. Combining political and social aspects of the currency reform, it contextualises important moments and key challenges within a clear and compelling narrative. Featuring exclusive interviews and profiles of the people involved – from shop workers to the designer of the coinage – this entertaining book will immerse the reader in early 1970s Britain, at an important moment in its history.

The Coins of England and the United Kingdom Pre-Decimal and Decimal volumes together comprise the Standard Catalogue of British Coins, with the pre-decimal issues under Elizabeth II (and all previous coinage) listed in a separate volume. This volume of Decimal issues under Elizabeth II gives a comprehensive overview of all individual coins and sets issued by the Royal Mint since 1971 (and in circulation since 1968), offering an authoritative catalogue of modern British coins.

This brand new comprehensive guide – the first of its kind on English gold coinage – covers every type of English gold coin and includes many new varieties, along with current prices. The arrangement is by monarch, with accompanying Bull reference numbers cross-referenced to the Standard Catalogue of British Coins. The section on Provenances lists the instances of illustrations of coins and where they have appeared, potentially proving the existence of many rare examples or those only rumoured to exist. Rarity of the coins has also been looked at in light of current evidence. English Gold Coinage is a record of the major and many minor recognised types and die-varieties of English gold coins. This indispensible guide is truly the essential handbook for any collector of English gold coinage.

This new 7th edition offers an update to Maurice Bull's previous volume, with new varieties, corrections and rarity values. The arrangement is again done by monarch rather than denomination, and all Bull reference numbers are cross-referenced to the 5th edition. English Silver Coinage is a record of the major and many minor recognised types and die-varieties of English silver coins. This indispensable guide is truly the essential handbook for any collector of English silver coinage.

Stamps are not only small masterpieces of design, but give a wealth of information about world history, reflecting monumental historical events and often telling fascinating stories about the people caught up in them. With over 18 full-page illustrations to colour in, each accompanied by a contextual history, alongside colouring activities to make and create, this book provides hours of fun for stamp enthusiasts of all ages.

Early numismatic publications contain invaluable evidence which can throw new light upon unsolved numismatic questions. This work contains over 6000 numismatic works published between 1700 and 1800; the authors have studied each publication page by page and have meticulously categorised and analysed their contents. The first volume includes a detailed geographical, chronological and categorical analysis of all 18th century numismatic publications. It also contains the indexes which cover an extensive bibliography of 18th century publications in general, authors, editors, translators, printers, publishers, places and dates of publication, categories and more, making it easy to locate a specific book from numerous different angles. The remainder of the first volume and the following volumes - of which this is the sixth and last - consist of an alphabetical catalogue of all 18th cenury numismatic books which have been located and analysed, excluding all non-idenetifiable secondary references from other bibliographies. Each book has been the subject of a detailed bibliographical analysis, and no less than 8,785 illustrations accompany the entries. Along with the Dekesels' bibliographies of 16th and 17th century numismatic books, this biblographic opus is destined to become the standard work of reference for early numismatic books.

Who were the Kushan? Why does a powerful Central Asian empire that thrived for centuries rarely appear in world history books? To address questions raised by this obscure yet highly influential period of ancient history, David Jongeward, author of Kushan Mystique, presents a personal narrative, something of a travel memoir, along with profiles of people he encountered during his research into the Kushan era. The story begins in a lakeside cottage in northern California, where friendship with an eccentric country doctor prompted the author’s evolving interest in Kushan coinage and the Buddhist sculpture of ancient Gandhara. The narrative includes meetings with key players among a handful of specialists, including coin collectors, museum curators and historians who have been captivated by the Kushan mystique. This book brings alive the rewarding insights derived from the author’s museum-based research, together with discoveries inspired by visits to virtually unknown major archaeological sites in Pakistan that date to the Kushan era.

One hundred years after the conquest of the Persian Empire by Alexander of Macedon, we see the emergence of a new Iranian dynasty that, by 140 BC, has extended its rule to Western Iran and Mesopotamia. The Arsacid Parthians, famous for their riding and archery skills, became Rome’s most dangerous enemy east of the River Euphrates. Encounters between Roman generals and Parthian envoys are vividly described in Classical accounts of a biased nature, and unfortunately no such sources are available from the Parthian side. Here, the most important primary source is the coinage of the period c. 248 BC – AD 224. These coins reveal important information about the development of the Parthian state, its expansion and the role of the king, who, by 111 BC, had adopted the ancient Persian title of King of Kings. Rome’s interference in the region begins during the reign of Mithradates II’s and culminates in the devastating defeat of the Roman army under the General Crassus at the Battle of Carrhae in 53 BC. Over the next 300 years these two superpowers fight for territorial control in the region, particularly over Mesopotamia and Armenia. This book will highlight the rise to power of the Parthians, the long conflict with Rome, as well as the culture and religion of the Parthian Empire as seen through the coinage of this period. It is co-published with the British Museum to accompany an exhibition of the same name which opens there in April 2020.

A little short of two and a half centuries ago, the Province of Freedom was founded on the shores of what would on 27 April 1961 become an independent Sierra Leone. In the years leading up to independence, the settlement was absorbed into the orbit of the British Empire and followed a trajectory not unlike so many other colonial dominions. Echoes of Empire provides a glimpse of major events in the history of Sierra Leone through a presentation of its stamps and postal history from inception through the early 1980s. It places the country’s philatelic legacy within the historical context of the times and attempts to integrate it into the prevailing cultural, social, and political narrative. In so doing, the book draws upon what could undoubtedly be considered as one of the finest collections of Sierra Leone philatelic material ever assembled. This volume is an essential addition to the libraries of all who have an interest in social philately. Building on earlier works on Sierra Leone’s postal history, Echoes of Empire offers detailed information, new interpretations, and illustrations spanning the entire period under study, which are indispensable to keen observers including the Sierra Leone and British Empire collectors, art historians, auction houses, and research libraries.

The Distinguished Service Medal was the main gallantry medal given to naval ratings during the First World War, with over 4,000 medals being awarded. The citations for these awards are difficult to identify in surviving documents, which has meant that the reason why many of the awards were made has remained somewhat enigmatic. For the first time this book documents all the surviving recommendations for these awards as well as providing analysis of the campaigns for which the awards were made. The posthumous recommendations for the medal and also details of the other awards made to DSM recipients are included to provide a definitive history of the medal during the First World War and the Interwar period.

From the Celts to the Tudors, the Georgians to our Queen - coins from all around the United Kingdom show many wonderful designs. With 22 full page illustrations to colour in, each providing a contextual history, this book will provide hours of fun for coin enthusiasts of all ages.

The Spink Maury Catalogue has traditionally provided the highest level of detail for the stamps and covers of France and the French colonies, with thousands of top quality illustrations and prices updated every year. It was acquired by Spink in 2015, and the editors have since endeavoured to make this the premium reference work of its kind. The catalogue includes stamps on cover, tete-beche issues, blocks, reprints, military mail, specimens, telegraphs, officials, parcel post, booklets, essays, proofs, airmails, precancels, postage dues, imperforate issues, balloon mail, occupation issues, telephone stamps, siege mail and war stamps, and is the authoritative work for any collector of French stamps, or anyone interested in the fascinating area of philately. The 2020 edition showcases a wealth of new pages and is an absolute must for collectors of French stamps.