British Numismatic Society




Minutes of the November meeting

Minutes of the Anniversary Meeting of the British Numismatic Society, held at the Society of Antiquaries on Monday, 24 November 2025, Dr Screen, President, being in the chair and 52 other people present [37 in person, 15 on Zoom]. 

The minutes of the ordinary meeting held on 27 October 2025 were approved.

NOMINATIONS: Iain Davidson (Merseyside), Cary Tonne (USA) and Susan Walker (Worcestershire) were nominated for Ordinary Membership.

ELECTIONS: Emilio Peris Blanch (Spain) and Prof. Charles Simon Herrington (Edinburgh) were elected to Ordinary Membership.

DEATH: Thomas Edward Klunzinger (USA, 2016) died on 13 November 2025 at the age of 81.

The Secretary declared that the following 20 members were amoved for non-payment of their subscriptions under By-Law IV.7: Rowley Butters (Australia, 2003), Pretom Chakraborty (Birmingham, 2020), Timothy Cleghorn (USA, 2011), Damian Dawber (Lancashire, 2021), Nicky Harris (Mid-Glamorgan, 2020), Barry Hepplewhite (Cumbria, 2023), Stephen Humphries (Berkshire, 2004), Chloe Knox (Sussex, 2021), Ivo Kostandinov (Surrey, 2023), Peter McClelland (London, 2023), Peter MacGahan (USA, 2016), Prof. Kenneth Mackay (New Zealand, 2009), Alessandro Rohl (Dumfries-shire, 2021), Jacob Skipper (USA, 2023), Joseph Sparey (Worcestershire, 2023), James A. Thompson (USA, 2023), Joseph White (Edinburgh, 2023), Rachel Wilkinson (Cambridgeshire, 2013), Dr Thomas Williams (London, 2017) and the State Library of Victoria (Australia, 1904).

With the approval of members present, Bradley Shepherd and Anthony Gilbert were appointed scrutators and the ballot for retaining the subscription rates was declared open.

The Treasurer presented the accounts for the year ended 31 December 2024, prepared to Financial Regulation Standard 102, and declared the Society’s finances to be in good health. The accounts were adopted by the meeting.

The President presented 50th anniversary of membership medals to Richard Fynes, David Greenhalgh and Peter Thompson (see above). A further medal was sent to Oliver Burrows, who could not be present in person.

The President offered the Society’s congratulations to John Porteous on achieving his 70th anniversary of membership (see above). Mr Porteous thanked the Society for the honour.  

The President delivered her review of the Society’s activities in 2025. The results of the ballots were announced. A total of 68 votes had been cast, all but one in favour of the paid annual subscription remaining unchanged at £32.

The President delivered her presidential address, Britain and the sea in the first millennium, 4: commerce and contacts with the Baltic Sea.

On completion and on behalf of the membership, Dr Kevin Clancy thanked the President for all her endeavours on behalf of the Society during the fourth year of her presidency.

The Director read out the Society’s programme for 2026. The President then closed the meeting and invited members and their guests to stay for the Anniversary Reception.

 

 

Our next meeting: in-person only

As has been customary in recent years, the Society's New Year begins with our meeting held next week in conjunction with the important annual New York International Numismatic Convention. This year marks the fifth event at the Convention's latest home, the InterContinental New York Barclay, located at 111 East 48th Street, between Park and Lexington avenues and a short walk from Grand Central station. The meeting is being held on Friday 16 January in the hotel's Morgan Suite, and starts at 4pm.

This year, though, is one with a difference as our lecturer, the late Dr Gary Oddie, recorded his talk before his untimely death in February 2025. It was always his plan to present his paper, Bermuda’s hog money: a simple story buried in heaps of speculation, at the NYINC in person, but fate meant this was not to be so.

Dr Oddie combined enthusiastic collecting along with scholarly knowledge of all he collected, including tokens, counterfeits, coins and other numismatic material. He was highly regarded by all who knew him on both sides of the Atlantic and his death is a great loss to numismatic studies.

If you are in New York for the convention that day we look forward to your company for what promises to be a lecture not to be missed. The meeting will be in-person only but it is hoped that permission may be forthcoming for the recording to be made available on the Newman Numismatic Portal, as well as on the Society's website later in 2026.

Image courtesy of Noonans Mayfair Ltd
Our lecture on 16 January
 
This presentation covers the introduction of what has become popularly known as ‘hog money’, a local token currency executed in 1616 for use in what is now known as Bermuda. The late Dr Oddie researched this coinage over many years, unravelling previous work on it along with closely examining provenances to demonstrate that the pervading view that the coinage as American was erroneous. His work showed that in reality the Bermuda hog money is a very early British Colonial issue. His presentation will set out the arguments for believing this to be so. 
 

2026 subscriptions are now due –
and do tell us if you change your address!

With the coming of the New Year it's time to remind members that prompt payment of your subscription not only means you keep receiving E-NEWS, and your annual copy of the British Numismatic Journal, but you will also save our Treasurer, David Young, a lot of time and effort spent chasing up outstanding payments. 

Fortunately, the Society is financially sound and thriving; membership fees have remained unchanged since 2003. About half of the UK membership pay by standing order (click here for a standing order form), which is a Treasurer's delight: others are encouraged to pay by using the attached form here.

The Society has suspended its use of WorldPay as a means for subscription payments. In the interim, UK subscribers are strongly encouraged to set up a standing order arrangement (see above). For overseas members, who have previously used WorldPay, we suggest either international bank transfer or use of our PayPal payments page, which also offers the facility for credit and debit card payments.  Further details are to be found at https://www.britnumsoc.org/membership/renewals2026v. 

Alternatively, and especially to assist overseas members, subscription payments may be made in US dollars, cash, at the prevailing exchange rate, at the Noonans booth at either the Florida United Numismatists Convention (Orlando, 8 to 11 January) or the New York International Numismatic Convention (New York, 15 to 18 January).

If you are a UK taxpayer, why not consider making any payments to the Society, whether in respect of subscriptions or a donation, by way of Gift Aid? The Society can reclaim the tax paid on your donation, which amounts to £25 on every £100 for basic rate taxpayers. Higher rate taxpayers can claim relief of 20% and the Society benefits by a similar amount. Click here to access the relevant form and for more details.

Whichever way you pay, we appreciate your support – and because we want to ensure that you receive your next copy of BNJ safely, please don't forget to inform us if you change address.

 

The Lyon centenary: have you a short paper to share with our audience?

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.

 
Dates for your diary
 
January 8-11.  71st Florida United Numismatists Convention (Orlando).  www.funtopics.com/fun-convention.html

January 14.  Richardson Collection (New York).   stjauctions.com

January 15-18.  54th New York International Numismatic Convention (New York).  www.nyinc.info

January 16.  Society meeting (New York)

January 16-17.  York Coin Fair (York).  https://stampshows.net/york-stamp-coin-fair/

January 26. Society meeting (London)

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

February 19.  Money and Medals Training Day, Engaging diverse audiences with numismatic collections (Warwick).  https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/arts/classics/research/money-and-medals/events/

February 24. Kent Archives (Canterbury).  Talk by Dr Barrie Cook, The coin hoards of medieval Kent, 1180-1560.  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

March 11.  Silich Collection, Part IV (London).  noonans.co.uk

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

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

 

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