Baldwin's

From Pokémon trading cards to retro gaming consoles, the growing market in modern collectables is bringing new buyers and consignors to the market – and providing new business opportunities

A letter from Robert Falcon Scott – aka Scott of the Antarctic – came up for sale at Canterbury Auction Galleries (20% buyer’s premium) on April 11-14.

A look at some of the numismatic lots that caused a stir in 2024, starting off with a scarce example of Civil War coinage

The 1705 silver crown is one of the key rarities in the Queen Anne (1702-14) series.

Total sales across London coin and medals auctions were £61.6m in 2023, just a fraction down on 2022’s record aggregate

Daniel Eccleston, a retired well-to-do West Indian and American merchant based in Queen Street, Lancaster, planned to issue this halfpenny token in 1794.

Strand Collectibles Group, the parent company for stamp specialist Stanley Gibbons and coin specialist Baldwin’s, has announced a new structure.

This halfpenny featuring a ‘wild man’s head’ from northern Japan actually promotes a rather less fiercesome individual: Richard Summer, a perfumer and dealer in curiosities in Cavendish Street, London.

In the 1790s a dire shortage of small copper change caused great difficulties in the small transactions of everyday life.

The unexpected but very welcome increase in demand that the market experienced amid Covid lockdowns continued in 2022 as restrictions eased – and auction houses are optimistic about another strong performance this year

The sale of gallantry awards held by Baldwin’s (20% buyer’s premium) on September 15 included this Edward Medal Exchange George Cross awarded for bravery at the Hedley Pit in 1930.

Coin dealer Patrick Deane first became interested in 17th and 18th century trade tokens in 1970 when working at Spink and Son. He sold his first collection of around 1250 pieces in 1984.

This ‘cameo’ version of the 1847 gothic crown is one of the finest available for commerce.

Cyrene, founded by Greeks c.631BC in the uplands near present-day Shahhat in Libya, reached the height of its prosperity in the 5th century BC.