Toy Coins

[DrLarry]

One of the greatest enjoyments I have had in the last 4 years is the collecting, of often very beautiful, miniature coins dating from the 19thC and early 20thC.  Made by the company of L Ch Lauer and a couple of other toy manufacturers Balmberger and Cooke (in the UK ?) These tiny copies usually around 13 mm are almost perfect replicas of the coinages of Victoria, Edward VII and George V (rare) with a couple of others George IV along with sets for each country.

   

  A rather expensive book by D J de Solar Rogers cover the subject in some detail and there is a wonderful online collection at the Fitzwilliam Museum donated by this author.  In the four years I have been collecting the price seems to have climbed in the rarer country types USA, Germany, Belgium, French, Spain , and others. 

  The detailing is wonderful 

They were made essentially as toys of course for children but of course mostly for girls in part ,I am sure, as a learning tool to learn home economics hence the name dolls House Coins.  They are made of zinc, copper, tinned, brass and iron coated with gold and silver and copper.  I wondered if anyone else is interested in this more obscure numismatic area of interest? 

[bagerap]

Yes, I have rather too many but they are great fun.

[DrLarry]

LOL  yes I do too, do you have them because you are collecting them ?

7 minutes ago, bagerap said:

Yes, I have rather too many but they are great fun.

 

[bagerap]

I'm a dealer so I do sell, but only if I have a better example in my collection.

[DrLarry]

oh Ok let me know if you have any GV ones, I was lucky enough to find a small hoard of Spanish ones uncirculated which are not listed in Rogers (if you ever get collectors always happy to swap)  I am always interested in the rarer Baviens and Balmberger types.  Let me know Larry.  I do miss Dorset so much  

[PWA 1967]

 

I have a lot of the Joseph moore model pennies Larry including some of the scarcer types ,not the ones as you mention above.They are much harder to find in top grade than people think as were not put away as coins may of been .The models are also covered in a book called simply.... Bimetallic Model Penny (the author is a forum member ).A couple of collectors on here who collect the Lauer and cardboard coins although they very rarely post , now you have started a thread hopefully they will contribute to it 

Pete.

Edited July 20, 2018 by PWA 1967

[DrLarry]

14 minutes ago, PWA 1967 said:

 

I have a lot of the Joseph moore model pennies Larry including some of the scarcer types ,not the ones as you mention above.They are much harder to find in top grade than people think as were not put away as coins may of been .The models are also covered in a book called simply.... Bimetallic Model Penny (the author is a forum member ).A couple of collectors on here who collect the Lauer and cardboard coins although they very rarely post , now you have started a thread hopefully they will contribute to it 

Pete.

I hope so I know it is not strictly coins but they are interesting history.  I do have a few Moore pennies and half pennies and the tiny ones I found one in its tiny little box the other day in the US still wrapped in the paper .  I like model coins I think the design for the two shillings with Britannia in her cart with the sea horses is a beautiful item I wish it had been made into a coin.  :) 

[will1976]

6 hours ago, DrLarry said:

 

 

[will1976]

6 hours ago, DrLarry said:

I hope so I know it is not strictly coins but they are interesting history.  I do have a few Moore pennies and half pennies and the tiny ones I found one in its tiny little box the other day in the US still wrapped in the paper .  I like model coins I think the design for the two shillings with Britannia in her cart with the sea horses is a beautiful item I wish it had been made into a coin.

I too like that design and am lucky enough to own an example along with a few others. I did post pictures to the site a while back but I don't recall the name of the thread

[will1976]

Found them! Listed under 'Royal Mint trial coins' in the free for all section

[Peckris]

I have the tiny Albert PoW one, which has his baby bust one side, and '12 PENCE MAKE ONE SHILLING' on the reverse.

[DrLarry]

12 hours ago, Peckris said:

I have the tiny Albert PoW one, which has his baby bust one side, and '12 PENCE MAKE ONE SHILLING' on the reverse.

yeah those are cute characters too there are a few in that series of different denominations .  I may be wrong I assumed them to be some kind of educational teaching aid to learn the rather complex system of £ S D. at the moment I have only the shilling and penny 

[PWA 1967]

1 minute ago, DrLarry said:

yeah those are cute characters too there are a few in that series of different denominations .  I may be wrong I assumed them to be some kind of educational teaching aid to learn the rather complex system of £ S D. at the moment I have only the shilling and penny 

Are they the ones were the saying "Know your onions" comes from ?.

[DrLarry]

Oh ....yes I am sure now you say it you are right 

30 minutes ago, PWA 1967 said:

Are they the ones were the saying "Know your onions" comes from ?.

by S G Onions , it is strange that  in the  listing of  these little coins  by Rogers  he does not make that connection, but I am sure you are right. I would have thought it was the kind of novel thing he would have said.  

If the 'onions' referred to in the phrase is indeed human rather than vegetable, there is another Mr. Onions that could be our man. S. G. Onions (they were strong on initials in those days) created sets of coins which were issued to English schools from 1843 onwards. These were teaching aids intended to help children learn £.s.d. (pounds, shillings and pence). They looked similar to real coins and had inscriptions like '4 Farthings make 1 Penny' or, as in the example pictured, '12 Pence make 1 shilling'. We can imagine that 'knowing your Onions' might be coined, so to speak, in those circumstances.

although it does say the first in print reference was in 1920 

I'm going to write that in my addition of Rogers in case anyone should update it at some point 

i do wish someone would there are a lot of varieties that even I have noticed which differ from the numerous ones he lists.  They are the kind of collection you do need a microscope for I would not have a hope in hell of seeing anything at all if not LOL 

 

Edited July 21, 2018 by DrLarry
To keep the post economical rather than rambles

[PWA 1967]

Someone told me some were made by onions ages ago ,but as i dont collect them i am not sure which type.

Edited July 21, 2018 by PWA 1967

[DrLarry]

by S G Onions , it is strange that  in the  listing of  these little coins  by Rogers  he does not make that connection, but I am sure you are right. I would have thought it was the kind of novel thing he would have said.  

[DrLarry]

If the 'onions' referred to in the phrase is indeed human rather than vegetable, there is another Mr. Onions that could be our man. S. G. Onions (they were strong on initials in those days) created sets of coins which were issued to English schools from 1843 onwards. These were teaching aids intended to help children learn £.s.d. (pounds, shillings and pence). They looked similar to real coins and had inscriptions like '4 Farthings make 1 Penny' or, as in the example pictured, '12 Pence make 1 shilling'. We can imagine that 'knowing your Onions' might be coined, so to speak, in those circumstances.

although it does say the first in print reference was in 1920 

[DrLarry]

m going to write that in my addition of Rogers in case anyone should update it at some point 

[DrLarry]

i do wish someone would there are a lot of varieties that even I have noticed which differ from the numerous ones he lists.  They are the kind of collection you do need a microscope for I would not have a hope in hell of seeing anything at all if not LOL 

[PWA 1967]

Might help you Larry............There is a edit button underneath your post (next to quote) if you click on it you can add anything else for upto an hour to keep the post together.

[DrLarry]

13 minutes ago, PWA 1967 said:

Might help you Larry............There is a edit button underneath your post (next to quote) if you click on it you can add anything else for upto an hour to keep the post together.

LOL  yes I know I have to use it often when I write gibberish 

There you go I added it all to the first one as a economy measure 

Edited July 21, 2018 by DrLarry

[Peckris]

Yes, my tiny model (teaching?) coin does have the initials SGO.