Edward VIII coins facts for kids
Edward VIII coins are special coins made in 1936 for King Edward VIII. He was the king of the United Kingdom and many other countries in the British Empire.
King Edward VIII was king for only 326 days. He then chose to step down from being king. Because of his very short time as king, most of these coins were never used by people. They stayed as sample coins.
We don't know exactly how many Edward VIII coins still exist. Most of the coins made for the United Kingdom were melted down by the Royal Mint. This happened after he stepped down. Some sample coins are kept by the Royal Mint Museum. Other coins were bought by private collectors. In 2020, an Edward VIII sovereign coin sold for £1 million. This was the highest price ever paid for a British coin at that time. Later, in 2021, a five-pound gold coin sold for $2,280,000, setting a new record.
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Rare Coins from the United Kingdom
The Royal Mint planned to start making Edward VIII's coins on January 1, 1937. But he stepped down in December 1936, before this could happen. Reports from the Royal Mint show that over 200 coin designs were already made. These designs were for coins, medals, and seals. Most of these were later destroyed by the Mint. Only a few sample coins were saved.
Six special sets of four gold coins were also made. These were for his planned coronation, which never happened. Today, only two complete sets are believed to still exist. One set is in the Royal Mint Museum. The other is owned by a private collector.
The table below shows some of the types of coins planned for the United Kingdom. Many of these are extremely rare.
| Coin Type | Known Number of Samples | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Penny | 1 | Very rare |
| Sovereign | 6 | Four are in museums, two are privately owned. |
| Double Sovereign | 6 | |
| Five pound | 6 |
Coins from Other Countries
Some parts of the British Empire also made coins with Edward VIII's name. These included the Indian states of Kutch and Jodhpur. The 1936 coins from Jodhpur are hard to tell apart.
Coins from Kutch had the name of the local ruler on one side. The British king's name was on the other side. In 1936, Kutch first made coins with King George V's name. Then they made coins for Edward VIII, and later for George VI. Common silver coins from Kutch were 1 kori, 2.5 kori, and 5 kori.
Other countries that made Edward VIII coins in 1936 include Fiji and New Guinea. British West Africa made three different coins. East Africa made two different coins. These coins do not show a picture of the king. This is because they had a hole in the middle. But they do have "Edward VIII" written on them. The New Guinea coin has the letters "ERI" instead.
Reproduction Coins
No official coins with King Edward VIII's picture were ever used by the public. However, many private companies have made replica coins. These replica coins often show a picture of King Edward VIII. Most of them are dated 1936, even if they were made many years later. These replicas allow coin collectors to have a full set of coins for all the recent kings and queens.
Famous Coin Auctions
Edward VIII coins are very rare. Because of this, they can sell for very high prices at auctions. Here are some examples:
| Date | Coin | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 13 coin sample set | £1,350,000 ($2.1 million) | A very rare collection of sample coins. |
| 2019 | One Penny | £111,000 | The final price, including fees, was £133,200. |
| 2021 | Five pound gold coin | $2,280,000 | This set a new record for a British coin. |
