Numismatic UK Tour 2025 – Day 3
Day 3, Friday, Sept. 5, the group visited the Bank of England Museum and explored the Portobello Road Market.
Today had a lighter itinerary compared to yesterday, but exciting nonetheless. Hopping on the coach bus, the group made their way to the Bank of England Museum right after breakfast. There was surprisingly less traffic than anticipated, which allowed the group to walk around outside and step into The Royal Exchange before the museum opened. While we didn’t watch any stocks being bought and sold, we did meander through the inner courtyard that is now a small shopping center with a café in the center. Luxury jewelry and clothes glittered in the windows, and of course, a few of us made sure to go into Fortnum & Mason.
We were the first ones in line as the doors to the Bank of England Museum opened, and after filing through security, we set off to explore the exhibits. The museum shared the history of the bank, from its founding to the present day, as well as the history of the bank notes it has produced along the way. There were interactive stations, including lifting a gold bar from the vault below the bank, and a spot to learn about how inflation affects the everyday products you buy from the store.
After the museum, I enjoyed asking the tour members if they had learned anything new. It can be a lot of fun to see what little facts weren’t already known by the people who have spent so much time studying the subject.
After the museum, and another quick stop in The Royal Exchange for a cup of coffee at the café, we hopped back on the bus and headed to the Portobello Road Market. Everyone was left to their own devices to browse the many stalls and get lunch. With so many antique vendors and shops, I kept my eye out for any coin bins. I managed to find a few, but digging through, I decided against adding anything to my small collection.
After a few hours, we met up once again to head back to the hotel. We lucked out with the weather all day, a sunny 72°F, the perfect weather for walking around viewing outdoor vendor stalls.
Stay tuned for tomorrow when we visit the Tower of London and the London Coin Fair.
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