History of the UK Royal Mint

August 19, 2011 - by mosesbet · Filed Under History of Gold Leave a Comment 

Royal Mint - Serving the UK Since the 13th Century

If you want to convert your financial assets into liquid assets, investing in gold bullion is an option you might want to consider. When it comes to investing in precious metals, the first name that comes to mind is UK’s Royal Mint (RoyaMint.com). This London-based mint is the world’s leader in producing export quality mint, producing coins and medals for more than 55 countries.

The Royal Mint has been producing coins made from precious metals for over 1,000 years now, and is presently the oldest existing mint in the world.

Royal Mint UK- A short history

In its millennium long history, the Royal Mint has changed its location more than once. The mint was located at the Tower of London for more than five centuries. It was at the beginning of the 19th century that the company shifted to Tower Hill to accommodate the new steam-powered machinery. With the business expanding and steam energy giving way to electrical energy, tremendous pressure was placed on the company and the building was constantly renovated. By the turn of the 20th century, several branches were built across the UK.

The Royal Mint Collection was established in 1816 by William Wellesley Pole. The Collection, which had 2,000 coins by 1818, now is home to over 70,000 different coins. The Collection includes coins made in the ancient days right down to the contemporary machine made ones. Presently, the Royal Mint hosts one of the world’s finest numismatic coin collections. Besides coins, the Collection also includes proofs, trial pieces, patterns, medals, seals and more than 30,000 different tools and dyes.

1st Location of the Royal Mint

Gold Bullion from the Royal Mint

For investor seeking to buy gold purely for its asset value, bullion coins and bars can be options worth considering. The Royal Mint produces gold bullion in the form of coins and bars. British sovereigns are the best known form of bullion gold produced by the mint. The sovereign is renowned the world over for its remarkable aesthetic value and its reputation as a bullion.

The sovereign was first made in the late 15th century and discontinued at the beginning of the 17th century, only to be revived again in the 19th century. Although production of sovereigns halted for a few years in between, the company has been consistently producing sovereigns from 1957 up to this day.

Bullion bars are also available at the Royal Mint in varying sizes and weights, from the brick sized bars weighing in pounds to tiny ones found in novelty stores (these weight a few ounces, and are commonly given as gifts). The large variety in terms of size and weight allow the gold bullion to cater to various budgets. Gold bullion from the Royal Mint is offered in various forms; as presentation sets, collections, historic coins and medals. Gold bullion is also offered in gift sets for various occasions including birthday gifts, wedding gifts, anniversary gifts and retirement gifts.

For the investor who wants to invest in gold not for its aesthetic value, such as in items like jewelry or other crafts but solely as a liquid asset, gold bullion is the way to go. With its enviable reputation and existence for over a millennium, few places in the world are as reliable when it comes to purchasing pure gold bullion as Royal Mint in the UK.

 

 

 

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