London Mint Office

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This article is about the private business. For UK government-owned mint, see Royal Mint.

The London Mint Office
IndustrySupplier of Coins and medals
Founded2006
Area served
United Kingdom
Key people
Christopher Wood
(Managing Director)
ProductsCoins
Medals
Ingots
ParentSamlerhuset
Websitewww.londonmintoffice.org

The London Mint Office is a British mail order private company, which markets collectible coins. The company is a subsidiary of the Samlerhuset Group,[1] and is not related to the much older Royal Mint. The London Mint Office was established in 2006, with headquarters in Camberwell, and is a member of the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) since 2009.[2]

The company's key business activity is the direct marketing and sale of coins and medals, as well as other related collectibles through their website, telesales and media advertising. The London Mint Office is a customer of multiple international mints including the South African Mint,[3] the Royal Mint of Spain and the Royal Canadian Mint.

Business model[]

The London Mint Office regularly offers coins to customers for free, excluding a postage fee and optional personalisation fee. These free coins are usually part of a larger collection, which can then be sent to customers on approval, and charged for if not returned.[4][5] Customers have 14 days to return unwanted coins at no cost, provided they retain proof of posting or purchase the correct level of postal insurance.[6] This 14 day policy was extended to 3 months, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The company targets new customers through direct response advertising and telemarketing and has significantly invested in data profiling techniques.[7] Coins are typically issued to commemorate anniversaries of military or royal events, and are rarely legal tender.

Products[]

In 2017, The London Mint Office celebrated the bicentennial of artist Benedetto Pistrucci's work Saint George and the dragon which has appeared on UK gold sovereigns since 1817. The company discovered that his great-great-great great niece, Angela Pistrucci had become an accomplished artist and sculptor in her own right. They commissoned the Canadian artist to create a new interpretation of her ancestor's famous design.[8][9] Pistrucci was subsequently awarded a scholarship to hone her craft at the Italian Mint.

Exhibitions[]

The London Mint Office regularly attends coin exhibitions and numismatic events, including the annual Berlin World Money Fair.[10] The event is part-owned by Samlerhuset, the parent company of the London Mint Office.

In 2012 The London Mint Office arrange a tour with the Smithsonian to exhibit the world's most expensive gold coin, the 1933 Double Eagle.[11] The exhibition was part of a European tour organised by the Samlerhuset Group. In 2016, The London Mint Office hosted the UK exhibition of the Flowing Hair Dollar, the world's most expensive coin, selling for $10 million at auction in 2013.[12]

Promotional events[]

In 2015, the Duke of Wellington unveiled a memorial in Waterloo station, to those who died at Waterloo, which was funded by the London Mint Office.[13][14]

The following year, The London Mint Office celebrated the centenary of the Battle of Britain by putting a reporter in a war-time Spitfire plane. They also presented military wife, Caroline Lloyd with a silver commemorative medal in honour of the Queen's 90th birthday celebrations.[15]

In October 2017 the company issued the UK's first 'Comicoin', struck for the MCM London Comic Con that year. Visitors to the exhibition at the ExCeL London could queue to receive the free commemorative as a souvenir of their visit.[16]

In November 2017 the company presented a married couple with a personalised commemorative medal to celebrate their platinum wedding anniversary. They married in 1947, in the same year as Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. The presentation took place at Luton Hoo, where the Royal couple had spent their honeymoon seventy years earlier.[17]

In August 2018 the company presented with a selection of replica documents from the National Archives, that once briefed Squadron 617 ahead of their 'Dambusters' mission over Nazi Germany in May 1943. The company donated a commemorative coin issued to mark the 75th anniversary of the mission.[18][19]

In January 2019, The London Mint Office had commissioned Norwegian artist Ross Kolby to paint a portrait of "The Forces' Sweetheart" Dame Vera Lynn. The painting will hang in the Royal Albert Hall in London where Dame Vera has performed on 52 occasions.[20]

In May 2019 the company presented a gold coin commemorating the 150th anniversary of the discovery of the world's largest gold nugget to the mayor of Redruth in Cornwall. The Welcome Stranger was discovered in Australia by two Cornish prospectors, and the company organised an appeal to find descendants still living in Cornwall.[21]

Partnerships[]

The London Mint Office has partnered with charities including Waterloo 200, the Merchant Navy Association and the RAF Association, where a percentage of proceeds from sales of coins and medals were donated to their relevant charity.[22]

The London Mint Office has on occasion partnered with the Worcestershire Medal Service, holders of a royal warrant as medallists to Her Majesty The Queen.[23]

Awards[]

In 2016 The London Mint Office and PR agency Loudmouth PR won a Bronze Stevie Award in ‘PR Campaign of the Year – Events and Observances’ at the 13th Annual International Business Awards for its Waterloo 200 Campaign.[24]

References[]

  1. ^ The London Mint Office - Samlerhuset.com
  2. ^ The London Mint Office Ltd - DMA
  3. ^ London Mint Office honours 50th Anniversary of Churchill’s death with Launch of commemorative Krugerrand coin - Business Wire
  4. ^ "Am I committed to buying further coins?". londonmintoffice.org. Archived from the original on 24 November 2020. Each of the remaining coins in your collection will similarly be sent to you entirely on approval, you only need to pay for the coins you wish to keep
  5. ^ "Why do we offer a saving on the first coin in a collection?". londonmintoffice.org. Archived from the original on 24 November 2020.
  6. ^ "Terms and Conditions of Sale". londonmintoffice.org. p. 7.1. Archived from the original on 24 November 2020.
  7. ^ The London Mint Office Limited. "Annual Report and Financial Statements 2019". gov.uk. p. 1.
  8. ^ "Times Colonist (January 13, 2017) Relative of 1817 coin-engraver styles 200-year update".
  9. ^ "The Gibraltar Olive Press (10th February 2017) New Gibraltar Sovereign Coin Launched at Berlin's World Money Fair".
  10. ^ "Rückblick 2016 › World Money Fair". www.worldmoneyfair.de. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
  11. ^ "The Single Coin Worth Millions". Huffingtonpost.co.uk. 10 February 2012. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
  12. ^ Foster, Patrick (11 March 2016). "World's most expensive coin coming to UK". Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
  13. ^ team, London SE1 website (10 June 2015). "Duke of Wellington unveils Battle of Waterloo memorial at station". London-se1.co.uk. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
  14. ^ "The London Mint Waterloo Memorial". loudmouthpr.co.uk. Archived from the original on 16 August 2018.
  15. ^ "Military wife chosen to receive commemorative medal from the London Mint Office". Windsorexpress.co.uk. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
  16. ^ "MCM ComicCon The London Mint Office bring the coin of the Comic Con realm!".
  17. ^ "BBC London News (November 21st 2017) Another special couple celebrating 70 years together".
  18. ^ "ITV Wales Evening News (August 11th 2018) Porthcawl museum celebrates its links with one of the most daring missions of the Second World War".
  19. ^ "BBC News (August 11th 2018) South Wales Dambusters links marked with museum donation".
  20. ^ "Mid Sussex Times (January 14th 2019) Dame Vera Lynn portrait to hang on display at Royal Albert Hall".
  21. ^ "Falmouth Packet (May 17th 2019) John Deason and Richard Oates found world's largest gold nugget".
  22. ^ Battle of Britain medals raise £47k to date for Royal Air Forces Association - Fundraising .co.uk, 10 May 2016, added 1 June 2018
  23. ^ Farmer, Ben (11 November 2014). "Britain's Waterloo allies awarded medals – 199 years late". Telegraph.co.uk. Archived from the original on 15 November 2014. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
  24. ^ "Awards : Loudmouth PR wins a gong for their client London Mint Office - TheMarketingblogTheMarketingblog". Themarketingblog.co.uk. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
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