The Churchill Crown post

ajaan

A question for those of you who lived in England during the 60s and 70s. Did the Churchill crowns circulate? I ask this because I recently watched the movie 'Tommy', you know, the Who rock opera. Great album, sucky movie. I saw the movie when it first came out and recently watched bits of it on TV. During one scene, the scene where Sally Simpson was going to Tommy's revival, it showed her paying the entry fee, and I swear, it looked like she is paying with two Churchill crowns. I realize I may have Churchill crowns on the brain, but did these ever seriously circulate?

trozau

Information found on the web about the Churchill Crown being issued as a commemorative not meant for circulation:

"In silver, crowns were minted until 1847, among them the so-called "Gothic Crown" of Queen Victoria, probably the most beautiful coin ever made. This was followed by a gap of 40 years until the Jubilee coinage of 1887, when production was resumed. After 1902 production was abandoned, only to be reintroduced in the reign of George V in 1927, after which it became a commemorative issue rather than being intended for circulation.

COMMEMORATIVE CROWNS:
1935 Jubilee of George V (Art Deco St. George and dragon)
1937 Accession of George VI
1951 Festival of Britain in 1951
1953 Coronation of Elizabeth II in 1953
1960 British Trade Fair in New York
1965 Death of Sir Winston Churchill

This Winston Churchill crown is thought by many to be the most unattractive coin ever produced, an unfitting end to a noble series."

sumnom

Don't tell anyone but I like the Churchill crown.

pendragon1998

There are two of us. We should start a fan club. lol

Colquhoun

1935 George V Silver Jubilee Crown
I am not much of a darksider, although I do peek in once and a while. Never seen one of these before.. must have one now. Love the Art Deco St. George

wybrit

I lived in England from '66 to '76 and was doing the Whitman folder thing. I never, ever saw a Churchill crown (or any crown, for that matter) circulate. Halfcrowns were the biggest coin denomination to circulate regularly until their use was terminated prior to decimalisation.

tonyhar

At the time I got £10's worth from the bank and spent them, it was fun. For a while they did occasionaly turn up in shops tills mainly from children who had been given them. The same happened here on the Isle of Man when all school children were given a 2000 crown and a lot got spent ( usually with groans when they realised the face value was only 25p! ).

Lynch

<< <i>Don't tell anyone but I like the Churchill crown. >>



Your secret is safe with us.

sumnom

<< <i>

<< <i>Don't tell anyone but I like the Churchill crown. >>



Your secret is safe with us. >>



Thanks, man!

Hussulo

I was born in Edinburgh, but not until 1979, so a bit early for me.
I'll ask the parents though.

DorkGirl

<< <i>Don't tell anyone but I like the Churchill crown. >>



I like them too. Well, it's official, there are 3 of us in the club......

Omega

Make that four! A rebellion I tell you!!!

ozzysdad47

I've only got 2 but i love them both........I wouldn't get rid of them at any price.....

Hussulo

What I've found out so far:

No one I spoke to remembers Churchill Crowns circulating in Edinburgh.

In 1971 a letters patent was issued which which redenominated 5 coins.
The crown as 25p
The double florin at 20p
The florin at 10p
The shilling at 5p and
The sixpence at 2.5p.

The letters patent also makes it clear that pre-decimal crowns - which since 1902 had been commemorative rather than currency coins - would continue at a face value of 25p.

So as far as theory goes the Churchill could have circulated and been spent as 25p. It may have actually circulated in some areas and in deed in Edinburgh but not widely I would guess.

farthing

I sort of like 'em also - must since I have 3 of them, including a NGC 63 that I paid $20+ for from gmarguli

sumnom

I still don't have one but I will get one at some point.

StrikeOutXXX

I think I mentioned this before, but last year at the Niagara Falls Coin Show, I called Ajaan over to show him this neat coin I'd never seen before in a bargain bin. Yup... Churchill Crown. He sort of laughed at me, and said it was generally considered the ugliest made. I didn't find out he had this passion for them until later, and I never told him, but I won one at coin club a month or so later

Gazza

I've now got the two circulation piece varities, just need the satin proof to make the set.

sumnom

So what varieties are out there?