Jim Walker: the Coins in your Pocket

At the meeting on Thursday 10th August, our own member Jim Walker gave a talk on the subject of "The Coins in your Pocket". Over the years he had accumulated 80 different 50pence pieces each commemorating different events or anniversaries . The coins were displayed in see through sheets to enable the members to see the different engravings on the coins. The first of the coins depicted some of the characters from "The Tales of Peter Rabbit" followed by "Paddington Bear". Twenty coins commemorating the 2012 London Olympics followed, showing Archery, Shot Putt, Table Tennis, Triathlon, Wheelchair Rugby, and other events. Other commemoratives recorded, for example, 50 years of the N.H.S., 100 years of The Victoria Cross, 100 years of The Boy Scouts and 100 years of The Girl Guides, the World Wildlife Fund, and the 2022 issue of Queen Elizabeth's 70 Years on the throne. A new 50p piece marking King Charles' Coronation showing Westminster Abbey was announced on 10th August. Jim then spoke about similarly commemorative £2 Coins. The inscriptions covered such anniversaries as Marconi, First Radio Transmission across the Atlantic, the Gunpowder Plot of 1605, Act for the Abolition of the Slave Trade of 1807, Robert Burns-500years anniversary, Florence Nightingale 150 years of Nursing, London Underground 50 years, and William Shakespeare. Jim drew attention to inscriptions on the edges of £2 coins which go more or less unnoticed . E.g. Gunpowder Plot coin, " Remember remember the Fifth of November", Robert Burns coin, "Should Auld Aquaintance be Forgot" Charles Dickens coin, "Something Will Turn Up". In closing Jim suggested that Members should start to check "The Coins in Their Pockets" as they never know what might turn up!

President Ron Smith led questions to Jim and then gave the Vote of Thanks.