Today is Maundy Thursday. Collectors of British coins are familiar with the coins that the King of England gives out on this day. I don't have very many Maundy sets. This 1937 set was part of King George VI's coronation set. The entire set. Here is a picture of some Maundy Money bags I found on the Internet.
I don't have any sets, but I have a few Maundy coins. 1683 Charles II three pence PCGS VF30. Back then, the assumption is that the Maundy coins weren't any different than the circulating coins. 1824 George IIII One Pence prooflike. 9,504 minted. 1892 Victoria Two Pence. 12,000 minted
I find it odd, but I have net seen that many Elizabeth II Maundy Sets offered at the shows. I ran into a dealer at the most recent Winter FUN show who had a large number of them.
Serious Maundy collectors are fairly thin on the ground with most collectors being happy with an example or two. So when they come to sell, the market is inundated with a frequently complete date run, which I assume was the case in this instance. One thing working against Maundy collections is the uniformity of the reverse design for the past 200 years. It makes them fairly 'boring' as a series on a par with the Bank of England Bank Tokens - which are similarly unpopular. At least the small silver prior to 1800 had some variation in design. Personally, I'm happy with a set from each reign, or more than one where there is a design change such as a new bust in the case of William & Mary and two new busts in the case of George III, plus 3 reverse designs for the latter. And it's worth adding a full Maundy distribution if you can get one, as you also get all the paperwork and a purse of regular currency together with the leather pouches shown above. Alms have been distributed to the poor since medieval times and probably earlier using regular currency. The first documented specially struck 'Maundy' money appears to have been an order for 10 lbs of pennies from Elizabeth I for her personal use on the 2nd April 1574 (Easter falling on the 11th April that year). Similarly small quantities were struck for the same purpose over the next four years.
My only Maundy coin, or so the seller described it, and I'm not even sure this one is genuine. Bought it on eBay. 1688/7
It looks ok to me and in a reasonable grade, so what makes you question its authenticity? These aren't something you normally see copies of, in fact I've never come across a single one in decades.
And a few Maundy sets of mine. A 2004 full distribution. 78 pence in the form of 7 full sets plus 2 x 4d. Also included a 2004 £5 and 50p coins in a black felt pouch (not leather). Victoria 1883 young head set 1953 Elizabeth I first issue set 1911 George V first coinage set 1952 George VI second coinage set 1820 George III set 1709 Anne set 1907 Edward VII set
A wonderful lesson about Maundy Money accompanied with fantastic examples. Thank to all the contributors.
Here is only really old Maundy piece I have, an 1800 penny. I bought it because of its connection to this piece. The image of George is the same as the one on the Maundy penny. This was done because the previous counterstamped pieces had been widely counterfeited.
Thanks! My reason for questioning is my own great ignorance of the type plus the fact that I bought it on eBay.
I have wanted a Great Britain Maundy coin set since I was a kid and finally got this one from 1941. Maundy Thursday is the day before Good Friday and three days before Easter. In 1941 Maundy Thursday was on April 10, 1941. The practice of English kings handing out money to poor people on Maundy Thursday was started by King John (reigned 1199 to 1216) and was made official by Charles II (reigned 1660 to 1685). The specially struck coins are silver 1, 2, 3, and four pence coins. They were originally struck in sterling silver but from 1920 to 1970 were struck in 50% silver. The Royal Maundy ceremony takes place every Maundy Thursday at London's Westminster Abbey with the recipients selected by church officials. Great Britain Maundy Coin Set 1941 - 1 Pence Silver, 11 mm, 0.47 gm Great Britain Maundy Coin Set 1941 - 2 Pence Silver, 13 mm, 0.94 gm Great Britain Maundy Coin Set 1941 - 3 Pence Silver, 16 mm, 1.41 gm Great Britain Maundy Coin Set 1941 - 4 Pence Silver, 18 mm, 1.89 gm The British Pathe film "King & Queen At Maundy Service" (1950, 4-1/2 minutes) is on YouTube: British Pathe film - King & Queen At Maundy Service (1950) - Arrival British Pathe film - King & Queen At Maundy Service (1950) - The coins Nice bright and shiny coins
I always assumed this was because many recipients would still have theirs, or perhaps their children still would, holding onto them because they're precious. All the older ones I assume have been sold off because they were just some coins that grandparents/great grandparents had and no one was interested in them.
