Question Re: Commemorative Crowns.

[Garrett]

Hi everyone

Another quick question.

I've read that a lot of the crowns e.g. the gothic crown and crowns after 1902 were commemorative and not issued for circulation.

Given that I've seen some of these crowns in grades lower than EF does that indicate that they did see circulation, even though they might not have been issued as such ?

Thanks for any info ! Just interested that's all....

cheers Garrett.

[Rob]

I think a good number have been polished

[copper123]

I strongly suspect that many crowns dated 1935 and 1937 did circulate for short times .

Often kept as pocket pieces these silver crowns would stop in someones pocket as a "good luck" charm.

Probably till the owner maybe needed the money for train fare to work , or even food , he would reluctantly spend it (no credit cards til the mid sixties).

My grandfather told me he had a gold sov till the mid 1930s as a pocket piece but it got spent on a train fare to work as he had no spare cash one day just b4 pay day.

[Peckris]

Hi everyone

Another quick question.

I've read that a lot of the crowns e.g. the gothic crown and crowns after 1902 were commemorative and not issued for circulation.

Given that I've seen some of these crowns in grades lower than EF does that indicate that they did see circulation, even though they might not have been issued as such ?

Thanks for any info ! Just interested that's all....

cheers Garrett.

You're right - the last circulation crowns were those of Victoria OH type, following the Jubilee Head run. In fact, that itself was a brief restoration, as for most of the 19th Century, crowns weren't produced for currency circulation. You could almost say that 1887-1901 was not typical; it can only be surmised that the crown was a suitable denomination when decimalisation came around, especially after the double florin died an early death.

The 20th Century crowns probably didn't circulate, the main problem being that your average tradesman wouldn't be familiar with them and wouldn't have been over-willling to take them. Much more likely is that they were 'pocket pieces' as Copper says - kept by one individual in pocket purse or wallet for long enough, and it would see as much circulation wear as if it had changed hands. Not to mention enthusiastic rubbing as it was showed off to friends.

[Garrett]

Thanks very much for the replies and great information everyone.

Much appreciated !

[Red Riley]

I've probably mentioned this before but my Dad worked in shops from about 1937 on and perhaps before that as a Saturday boy. He did however remember the occasional crown being spent but whether these were Victorian or 20th century commemoratives I don't know. They clearly didn't circulate much though as the superstition was that whenever a crown was spent somebody was in for the sack i.e. too many crowns = a high turn over of staff!