Coin News – September 2026

Summary

1066 — the year of three kings — dominates the September 2026 issue of Coin News (Vol. 63, No. 09, £5.25), with the cover feature "COINAGE of Conquest" launching a multi-part series on the coinage of the Norman Conquest. The issue, winner of the NLG Best International Coin Magazine award, also includes a Token Publishing free entry ticket to COINEX.

Ed Archer's Researcher's Notebook (page 41) starts "The Coinage of 1066 — Part 1", while Sergey Firsov continues "The Gospels" series with Part 9 on the Face of Christ on late Roman Empire coins. Clive King traces "The Birth of the Modern Sovereign Part 11" at the Melbourne Mint, and Elana Hagler covers football-themed coin designs in "Designs on the beautiful game".

Regulars include Coin News & Views (page 12), Numismarket (page 24), Royal Mint Bulletin (page 29), Auction Highlights (page 33), Banknote News (page 73), Letter from America (page 84), Coffee Break Quiz (page 89), Societies (page 94) and a comprehensive diary of events (page 92).

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Content Guide

▸ Cover Feature / Researcher's Notebook / Ancients / Background / Regulars

p.41 · The Coinage of 1066 — Part 1 — Ed Archer
Archer opens a new series dedicated to the coins struck during the transformative year of the Norman Conquest. Part 1 covers the Saxon coinage in circulation when William landed, the mints operating in 1066, and the immediate transition after Hastings. The research draws on recent hoard evidence. The Ely hoard of 2024 rewrites the estimate of Saxon mints active in 1066 — Archer cites it directly.

p.36 · Designs on the Beautiful Game — Elana Hagler
Hagler examines football-themed coins from around the world, covering World Cup commemoratives, club-specific issues and the growing market for sport numismatics. The piece includes market values for key World Cup coins. The 1966 World Cup commemorative crown in uncirculated condition now trades at £45-55 in dealer lists.

p.38 · The Gospels — Part 9: The Face of Christ on the Last Coins of the Roman Empire — Sergey Firsov
Firsov continues his series on Christian iconography in late Roman coinage, focusing on the portrayal of Christ on the final issues of the Eastern Roman Empire. The article includes detailed die analyses and theological context. The gold solidus of Justinian II (AD 705-711) is the first coin type to show Christ with a cruciform halo.

p.49 · The Birth of the Modern Sovereign Part 11 — The Melbourne Mint — Clive King
King traces the Melbourne Mint's role in producing sovereigns for the British Empire, covering its establishment, operational peaks and the specific design variations that distinguish Melbourne sovereigns from Sydney and Perth issues. The 1887 Melbourne sovereign with the "M" mint mark is rarer than its Sydney equivalent by a factor of roughly 3 to 1.

p.24 · Numismarket
The regular price guide lists current dealer asking prices for British and world coins. The table format covers hammered, milled and modern issues with condition grades and prices. This month's standout: a 1937 Edward VIII gold sovereign in EF is listed at £12,500. Use the Numismarket table as a sanity check before bidding at auction — it reflects actual dealer stock, not auction estimates.

p.33 · Auction Highlights
A round-up of notable lots sold and upcoming at UK coin auctions. Each entry includes the hammer price, pre-sale estimate and a brief condition note. This month's top lot: a 1649 Commonwealth broad hammered at £28,000 against a £15,000-18,000 estimate. Watch for the Spink November sale — the catalogue includes a previously unrecorded Anglo-Saxon penny from the Ipswich mint.

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Editor's Take

This is a strong, theme-driven issue with genuine collecting value: the 1066 series launch is well-researched, and the Melbourne Mint sovereign piece fills a gap in the sovereign literature. The auction highlights and Numismarket data alone justify the £5.25 cover price for active collectors. Weak area: the "Out and About" Rembrandts token piece feels like padding. Best for: British coin specialists and medieval collectors; the 1066 series will be worth keeping.

Strengths
• Coinage of Conquest 1066 series launch with fresh hoard data
• Melbourne Mint sovereign history with mint-mark rarity ratios
• Auction Highlights section with real hammer prices, not just estimates

Weaknesses
• Leiden local-currency feature sits oddly in a British-focused title
• Dealer's Lists section occupies 4 pages of essentially paid space

Verdict: Essential — The strongest Coin News issue this year; the 1066 series alone makes it a keeper for medieval collectors.