Page 2 - All About History - Issue 09-14

The First World War ends

circulating gold in Great Britain

But British collectors get an unexpected chance

On 4 August 1914, Great Britain declared
war on Germany following Kaiser Wilhelm
II’s refusal to honour Belgium’s neutrality.
It was the start of the world’s fi rst global

conflict but also a watershed in the history
of gold coinage.
SOLID SILVER
Since 1814, Britain had been on the LIMITED EDITION
gold standard, its coinage and banknotes
exchangeable for gold. When war was
declared, the British government
immediately began to recall its gold
supplies. On 5 August 1914, the
Chancellor, David Lloyd George,
announced the issue of One Pound and Ten
Shilling Treasury notes to be exchanged for
Sovereigns and Half Sovereigns. His appeal to
the British people to give up their gold came
with a warning that anyone selfi sh enough
Actual size
to withdraw gold from the bank would be is 38.6 mm
“assisting the enemies of his native land”.
ended the exchange of paper money for gold
Millions of British Sovereigns gone coins. Britain no longer had a circulating
In spite of concerns that the notes were too gold currency, and a 100 year old British law
small and looked like lottery tickets, the allowing exchanging banknotes for gold was as £49.95 (plus £4.95 P&P). If you are not
people dutifully exchanged their Sovereigns put to a halt. satisfied, you can return it within 14 days of

for paper. Of the £123m worth of gold coin receipt, no questions asked.
circulating in Britain at the outbreak of the Immortalised in solid sterling silver
First World War, around £100m ended up As this year marks the centenary of the fi rst Due to the memorial signifi cance
in the Bank of England. Simultaneously, the great global war and its undeniable impact on we expect quick sell out.
Bank dramatically reduced the number of British coinage, The London Mint offi ce is Please call us FREE today!

Sovereigns struck from 30 million in 1913 proud to reveal a limited edition WWI Silver
to just over one million in 1917. Commemorative. Struck in solid sterling 0800 195 2925
silver and to the highest quality possible,
Reservation code: 92008209
War ends 100 year old British tradition its superb design depicts King George V
The vast costs of the First World War saw Gold Sovereign, the last British gold coin in

much of Britain’s gold used to pay the circulation. Fittingly, the commemorative is
United States. Ultimately, far more money accented in pure 24 carat gold and is now
was printed than could ever be redeemed for available to British collectors for a limited
gold and, in 1925, the Gold Standard Act period of time. Secure yours today for as little Unrivalled experts in the fascinating world of coins
www.londonmintoffi ce.org/WW1

There is no further obligation and no on-going commitment. 14 DAYS RETURN

Subject to status. Lines are open now. GUARANTEE