You might gaze upon a “Sixpence” coin and assume it’s worth six pence today—yet in our modern age, that humble coin often commands several pounds. This phenomenon isn’t merely nostalgic but the result of shifting economies on the worldwide stage. Over the centuries, ancient pennies and silver sixpences have slipped from daily pockets into collectors’ cabinets, their metal content now outstripping the original face value and transforming simple currency into coveted commodity.
When coins vanish from circulation—some melted down for their bullion, others lost or carefully hoarded—their scarcity grows. Simultaneously, global metal prices rise, ensuring that even a copper farthing, once worth a quarter of a penny, can fetch more as scrap alone than it ever did as legal tender. Consider a pre-1920 sixpence: struck from 92.5% sterling silver and weighing around 2.8 grams, it contains nearly £1.80 of silver at today’s rates, not including its appeal to historians or collectors.
Coins are made of base metals, and humans have been minings and using these base metals for thousands of years... think the Iron Age, Bronze Age etc. Mining becomes more risky, energy inefficient and hard as reserves demise and therefore recycling metals becomes a more sustainable and economical way of producing coins for other uses. For example, in the twentieth century, out of circulation coins, tools, vehicles and railings were surrendered to turn them into almery needed for the WWII efforts.
Yet these days thankfully, true magic lies beyond mere melt value. Rarity breathes life into a coin’s story—Edward VIII issues, low-mintage years, or coronation pieces hold a mystique that transcends bullion. Pristine condition, intricate design, and the echo of bygone eras all elevate a coin from metal to miniature museum exhibit. A 1910 sixpence might trade hands for £25 or more in collector circles, while a crisp wren farthing could command a premium far above its scrap-metal worth.
At Prenoa, we breathe fresh spirit into these treasures, whether time worn or proof. Each pendant and bracelet features genuine coins—never plated replicas—imbuing our jewellery with authentic historical resonance and intrinsic metal value. We respect the changing market of these coins, pay a fair price for the coins we gather and hand them on to you at a price that is commensurate to both the value of the coin and the value we add.
Wearing a sixpence from 1910 is to carry a whisper of Victorian markets, royal ceremonies, and artisan mints—a tangible connection to our shared heritage, reimagined through modern craftsmanship.
Whether you’re drawn to the silver sheen of a shilling, the patina of a bronze farthing, or the storied relief on a bronze thrift threepence, each piece tells its own tale. In transcending mere currency, coin jewellery becomes an eloquent celebration of history, design and enduring worth.
In conclusion, as economies change, natural resources become more strained, mining costs rise, inflation rises and assets grow, so do too the value of the coins whose metal becomes more precious.
Explore our Prenoa collection today to discover how little pocket change of days gone by can offer a world of meaning to someone you know and love.