British Numismatic Society

Promoting the Study of Coins, Medals, Tokens and Banknotes

Minutes of the February meeting

Minutes of the Meeting of the British Numismatic Society, held at the Society of Antiquaries of London on Monday, 23 February 2026, Dr Screen, President, being in the chair and 34 other people present [17 in person, 17 on Zoom].

The minutes of the meeting held on 26 January 2026 were approved.

NOMINATIONS: Mark Heinrichs (USA) and Amber Powell (Herefordshire) were nominated for Ordinary Membership.

ELECTIONS: Michael John Burrough (Australia), Felix Grovit (London), Revd. Daniel Robert Sully (Lancashire), John Velissarios (London) and Stephanie Walker (USA) were elected to Ordinary Membership.

DEATHS: Neil Beaton (Devon, 2014), the Society’s Independent Examiner, died on 15 February 2026, aged 86, Dr John Francis Rainey, MBE (Co Down, 1982) died on 10 February 2026, aged 75, and Philip Skingley (London, 1997), formerly the Society’s Membership Secretary, died on 4 February 2026, aged 54.

The Secretary said that printed programme cards were available from the front desk after the meeting.

The Secretary then read a brief joint tribute to Mr Beaton, Dr Rainey and Mr Skingley.

EXHIBITION: By Dr Courtney Nimura. A laser-printed reproduction of a typical Iron-Age coin.

Dr Courtney Nimura read a paper entitled Britain’s earliest coins: past, present and potential.

The President then announced the date of the next meeting and closed the meeting.

 

 

Our next meeting – and the link to join it on Zoom

The Society's meeting this month is at at our regular London venue, the Society of Antiquaries of London, next Monday, 23 March, at 6.15pm GMT.

Our speaker, Susan Walker, is a final year PhD candidate at the Department of Classics and Ancient History at the University of Warwick. Her research explores the deposition of coinage on Romano-British sanctuary sites, with a particular emphasis on imitation coinage. By utilising artefact assemblages from excavated strata at the sanctuary, our understanding of ancient numismatic and local circulation patterns is enhanced. An experienced archaeologist, the speaker has worked in the commercial sector, with interests in archaeological small finds, particularly of the Iron Age and Romano-British periods. Her talk is entitled Imitations and fifth-century occupation at the sanctuary of Uley and related sites: new insights and approaches.

The SAL is located at Burlington House, on the north side of Piccadilly, opposite the Fortnum & Mason department store. Proceed through the archway leading to the House and the SAL is on the ground floor of the west wing of the building, at the far end of the courtyard, entered through a pair of brown doors.

The nearest Underground stations are Piccadilly Circus and Green Park, both 5 minutes' walk away. Those attending meetings in person will be required to sign the SAL's Visitors' Book.

If you are in London that day we look forward to your company, otherwise please join us on Zoom. To join the meeting online, please use the following registration link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82327268559 and the passcode 467913
. If you are using the desktop version of Zoom, please ensure that you are using the most up-to-date version before joining us. The meeting itself will commence with formal business at 6.15pm and the lecture will begin immediately after that.

Image courtesy of Leu Numismatik AG

 

Our lecture on 23 March
 
Coins are ubiquitous at late Roman sanctuary sites and offer important evidence for dating archaeological sequences and to establish phasing of the site. This paper examines numismatic finds recovered from the late fourth- and fifth-century strata of the cella and timber annexe of the sanctuary at Uley, Gloucestershire. Here, for the first time, numerous imitations recovered from these layers can be assessed within their archaeological context. The paper will highlight the diverse range of coin losses from the late fourth- to early fifth-centuries and set these within the context of earlier regional and national studies.
 

The Lyon centenary: last call for short papers

This year's evening of short papers, and hopefully exhibitions, planned for 27 April, takes on a different approach in that it will commemorate the centenary of the birth of the late Dr Stewart Lyon. Dr Lyon was among the leading numismatists of the second half of the 20th century, highly regarded for his work on Anglo-Saxon and Anglo-Viking coinages. Young and established scholars with an interest in this period are invited to provide a title and a two-line synopsis of their proposed paper to the Director, William MacKay (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) by 31 March. Just a reminder – presentations will need to be given in person at the Society of Antiquaries in London.

 

Large grant deadline fast approaching...

The Society has recently raised the thresholds for its grant awards. A small grant threshold is now £750 (previously £500); a medium grant is now £1,250 (previously £1,000). Applications for either of these can be dealt with throughout the year. However, applications for large grants (£1,250 to a maximum of £5,000) close at the end of March each year, so if you are thinking of applying, this year's deadline is fast approaching.

See https://www.britnumsoc.org/the-society/funds for further details and the relevant application forms.

 

The Society's new distributor for our publications

Effective from 1 February 2026, the Society's new distributor for our Special Publications and other volumes is Script Publisher Services, based in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, England. Several past Special Publications are now on offer at discounted prices on Script's website; for other titles not reduced in price members are entitled to a discount  – please submit voucher code 25BNS at the checkout to apply this. 

Dates for your diary

March 23.  Society meeting (London)

April 10-12.  BANS Congress (Dún Laoghaire).  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

April 17.  Hambleden Hoard (London).  spink.com

April 22.  Green Collection, Part I (London).  noonans.co.uk

April 24.  Silver, Steel and Beyond: Rethinking the impact of the Viking Great Army (Cambridge).  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

April 27.  Society meeting (London)


May 8-10.  BAMS Congress (Farnham, Surrey).  www.bams.org.uk

May 26.  Society meeting and EGM (London)

June 6.  London Coin Fair (London).  coinfairs.co.uk

July 11.  12th Medallion Congress (Stratford-upon-Avon).  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

July 17 and 18.  York Stamp & Coin Fair (York).  www.stampshows.net/york-stamp-coin-fair/

August 25 to 29.  American Numismatic Association Convention (Pittsburgh).  www.money.org/worldsfairofmoney/

September 3 to 11.  13th Vienna International Numismatic Summer School (Vienna).   This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

September 5.  London Coin Fair (London).  coinfairs.co.uk

September 25 and 26. Coinex (London).  www.bnta.net

October 2 to 4.  44th Annual Token Congress (Northampton). This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.tokencorresThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

October 20.  FIDEM 2026, Interim meeting (Prague).  www.fidem-medals.org

November 7.  London Coin Fair (London).  coinfairs.co.uk