Numismatic UK Tour 2025 – Day 2
Follow along as we explore the Numismatic offerings of the oldest coin shop in England and the British Museum.
Today was the first day of adventures, and the schedule was packed. The group headed out early in an attempt to beat the traffic. It wasn’t quite as successful as we hoped, but we made it to the first stop on the itinerary in good time.
First up was Coincraft, a family-owned and operated coin shop in London since 1955. They boast of being a shop for collectors, never selling for investment. The storefront had displays of coins and bank notes from all over the world, and the staff shared exceptional knowledge. Owner Richard Lobel greeted everyone with a warm and charismatic welcome, telling stories and sharing his expertise as he discussed different coins with various members of the tour group. It was the perfect stop to kick off the 2025 UK tour.
Coincraft is located across the street from the British Museum, so the group headed there next. One would need at least a couple of days to be able to see and truly absorb everything the Museum has to offer, but we made do with the time allotted, making sure to head to the Money exhibit, which tells the story of money from the earliest coins to the modern use of credit cards and everything in between.
Personally, I enjoyed seeing the collections of money scattered about within the other exhibits. Coins that were discovered in hoards, or found scattered in archeological sites, or simply on display as part of the story of the exhibit. Nothing tells history quite like coins.
After lunch, the group hopped back on the bus and headed to Kensington Palace. It may be a numismatic tour, but seeing a palace or two is still a must while visiting London. We didn’t have high hopes for seeing any royalty in person, but the tour was fascinating nonetheless. Upon entering, each guest was given the option for an audio guide tour with provided headphones. The walk through the rooms tells the story of George II and Queen Caroline, William III and Mary II, as well as the childhood of Queen Victoria. Of course, Kensington Palace also has the Sunken Garden, which is now a space memorializing Princess Diana.
There was a lot to do today, and after dinner, the group was ready to end the night. We’re all looking forward to tomorrow and all the adventure it will bring.