A few years ago, I began seeking out collectable £2 coins and 50p pieces. One of my granddaughters had started me on the craze and asked me to keep an eye open for these coins which bore all manner of historical facts and celebratory events past and present. Periodically I would meet up with my granddaughter and delight in showing off what gems we’d manage to find in our change; swapping with each other those we had duplicated. The following Christmas, I bought two Change-Checker Albums which contained everything needed to keep our individual collections in order.
To date, I have managed to accrue a good amount of the total release of both the above coins, and all have been found simply by checking my change. I clearly recall as a kid, enjoying the pastime of collecting scraps, sticking them into notebooks and swapping the duplicates, while the boys in our family would collect cigarette cards of famous sportsmen and trade up by swapping in the same way. It was great fun and the added element of delight was the learning and the developing of sharp memory skills.
Due to the latest lockdown, I’ve had a generous amount of time to sort through and organise my coin collection in a more professional manner — sorting out and keeping the best regarding condition, their rarity and their value. I’ve discovered many duplicated specimens which I am happy to swap for coins I haven’t yet managed to find. So if you happen to be a Change- Checker-Collector, and, like me you have duplicated commemorative £2 and 50 pence coins, we could form an online group of swappers. Or, maybe you know of an existing group of online swappers? Remember, these coins are legal tender, a definite plus in encouraging saving the duplications that young children find. If you get fed up collecting, you can always spend them.
Visit: www.MargaretSherlock.net
Email: margaretsherlock@hotmail.co.uk