What are Coins?
Coins are usually flat pieces of metal which have been officially stamped to be used as currency in exchange for goods and services.
A Brief History of Coins.
The notion of person-to-person trading begins very early on in the human story where it is easy to see how early tools may have been swopped for food etc. Later more standardised systems such as using cowry shells are recorded and these became the precursor to the monetary system we see in place today.
In Britain the first form of coins found in historic records are from the Iron Age dating from over 2500 years ago. These coins were made from precious metal such as gold and silver. Various designs have been mapped to tribes located within different tribal areas around Britain. Coinage continues through the Roman period with introduction of debasement (reducing the level of precious metal within a coin) being seen in Roman coinage in Britain towards the end of Roman rule. Debasement has been used throughout history to increase revenue and as a form of monetary control.
One big problem with coinage is forgery and the copying (counterfeiting) of coins. In the early days it was easier to copy coins as being hand-struck meant they were all irregular. It was also popular to snip bits off a coin and lower its value. Over the years it has been the task of the Royal Mint to find ways to overcome these methods of creating fakes and the clipping of coins
The first recognisable mint appears in London during the Roman Period in Britain. The London Mint opened around 287 AD and closed around 337 AD. It wasn’t until much later that a regulated mint to unify and standardise coin production came into operation again.
When did the Royal Mint begin?
There has been a Royal Mint supplying Britain’s coinage since 886 AD but it hasn’t always been in Llantrisant. The Royal Mint was based in the Tower of London from 1279 to 1810. Isaac Newton became the most famous Master of the Mint in 1699. He is remembered for improving productivity at the Royal Mint and creating a network of smaller mints to support his work. Isaac Newton used his scientific knowledge to maintain a level of quality control in the use of precious metals in coin production. He is remembered on the reverse of the 2017 fifty pence piece.
From 1810 until the 1960s the Royal Mint was located in Tower Hill before moving to its present home in Llantrisant, Wales. The Royal Mint was officially opened in Llantrisant on the 17th December 1968 by the late Queen Elizabeth II. The Royal Mint makes British coinage as well as coinage for other countries that do not have a mint. You can visit the royal Mint and take a tour or learn more about coinage and its history at the museum based there.
What are coins made from?
Coins are traditionally made from precious metals such as gold and silver to alloys made from base metals such as copper, zinc and nickel. In Britain the more modern lower denominations (10p,5p,2p,1p) are now made from coated steel.
How are coins made?
Sheets of metal are press cut into blank discs. These discs are stamped with a design on one side and a portrait. The sides are shaped and in some cases inscriptions are also stamped around the edges. Over the years the size and shape of coins has been altered to continually make it more difficult for them to be copied.
Are coins made anywhere else?
In Britain there are 4 more coin mints in operation but all are in private ownership but only the Royal Mint is owned by Treasury. Currently there are 110 coin mints making coins around the world, 70 of these are government owned and the rest are owned privately. Monnaie du Paris in France was established in 864 AD and is the oldest coin mint still operating today.
What Can I See and do at the Royal Mint Llantrisant?
The Royal Mint Experience
There is a lovely museum telling the history of coin production from the early days of hand struck coins all the way to modern-day production methods. Pictures, objects and films help to tell the story of how the Royal Mint came to be and how and why it came to Wales. There are some really interesting objects on display including a set of 2012 London Olympic Medals.
Entry charges to the museum apply (check ahead online). Under 5s are free.
Royal Mint Tour
This includes a tour of the factory and a comprehensive explanation of how coins are made. There is an option to ‘strike your own’ coin (additional charge) as part of the tour package. Admission to the Royal Mint Experience Museum is also included in the tour price.
Tour charges apply (check ahead online). Under 5s are free.
Top Tip
Booking ahead for tours is advised especially around key dates and/or any ‘strike your own’ events. Tours get booked up well in advance around these times as the coin collectors compete for the latest, newest and most rare collection pieces.
What is in the Visitor Center?
The Shop
The Royal Mint has a treasure trove of coin collecting delights in its gift shop., ranging from coin collector editions to gold sovereigns and pretty much everything in between. Here you can also purchase tickets to visit the exhibition or take a tour (with option to strike your own as an addition).
Café
There is a small café on site serving food and drink. There are also toilet facilities on site.
Car Parking
There is plenty of parking at the site and it is a short walk from the car park to the visitor centre.
The Royal Mint is open seven days a week (except Christmas) opening times may vary check ahead on the website.
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