Portraits of a Prince. Coins, Medals and Banknotes of Edward VIII. Joseph S. Giordano Jr. Spink, 2009. xx + 679pp, illus in monochrome throughout. Hardback, £49.50.
This large quarto book is published in an edition of 350, each one individually numbered. The Foreword, contributed by Graham Dyer, sets the scene. It was only after the retirement in 1970 of Sir Jack James, Deputy Master of the Mint, that the mystery of the whereabouts of the intended King Edward VIII (hereafter KE8) coins was solved – 49 patterns from £5 gold down to bronze farthings were discovered in his safe ! After the death in 1972 of the Duke of Windsor (hereafter DoW), Peter Seaby suggested ‘… that the opportunity should be taken to publish a detailed description of the coins of Edward VIII.’ Subsequently Graham Dyer produced a booklet in 1973 (published by HMSO), but he restricted himself to describing the official patterns of the proposed British coins, for there were ‘just too many unofficial privately struck medals and the like.’ This volume is the result of 25 years’ collecting and research – Graham Dyer says: ‘His [Giordano’s] net has been cast commendably wide and the result is more than a mere catalogue of objects, more than a collector’s handbook; it is in a real sense a biography of a tragic figure who had a part to play in the history of the twentieth century.’
As is well known to probably all LNC members, it has been the convention since the reign of Charles II (1660-85) for the busts of succeeding British monarchs to face alternately left and right. George V had faced left, so his son, KE8, should have been portrayed facing right, but he preferred his left profile to be represented, and so broke with tradition. The author says, ‘As this medallic reference begins to unfold for you, as if turning the historic pages and chapters of David’s life [Edward VIII was known as David within the Royal family], you too may be drawn to pause and reflect as to whether the cards of fate were stacked against him.’ Indeed, was he essentially the architect of his own misfortune?
The Acknowledgements show wide the author has spread his net over a wide spectrum of public sources as well as archivists, coin collectors and dealers. There is special mention of Richard Lobel of Coincraft, and details of his personal collection have been incorporated, as well as the Royal Mint’s own outstanding collection of KE8 patterns and proofs.
In the Rarities Index & Price Guide the author offers some important lucid and informative points to bear in mind when considering rarity. These pieces did not circulate like coins, but they still suffered from attrition either by being worn or jumbled with other objects. Mintage figures for medals are not as readily available as for coins, and they also tend to be struck in less robust metals and alloys, e.g. aluminium and lead. An important point to bear in mind is that the fantasy pieces are usually more common then popularly supposed or marketed because re-strikes can be and are made subsequently to suit demand. ‘The term “rare” when referring to medals tends to be applied rather loosely since it is often very difficult to prove’. Values are given in US$.
The catalogue covers the whole range of pieces struck for Edward as Prince, as Prince of Wales, as King Edward VIII and, finally, as Duke of Windsor. The catalogue is divided into four main parts: Pre-Accession, 1895-1935; Accession, 1936; Retrospective, 1973-2006, and Fantasies 1954-2007, each section being numbered separately and with further subdivisions. Although a little bit fiddly, the areas are well set out, described and easy to use with many of the pieces represented being interspersed with photos of Edward, accompanied by informative notes and comments.
The Pre-Accession section features his many Royal visits spanning the globe as well as some very rare pieces such as a set of whist counters. These show the only known portrait of Edward as Prince Edward of York. This section also includes Investiture and Coronation medals, plaques, badges and Masonic badges, awards and prizes – many of them being ‘unrecorded’, until here. One item, a fine plaquette, commemorates a visit to St Cyrienne Military Academy in 1926, and is shown together with a homage recognition presentation piece, the latter acquired by the author from the sale of the Duke’s collection. This section ends with the contemporary currency notes, those issued by Australia and Canada between 1902 and 1935 showing Edward in vignettes. Numerous essays and proofs from several issuing banks carry their Pick numbers where previously recorded, but notable amongst the unrecorded is a 100 Rupee essay of the Reserve Bank of India.
The Accession section features the official coinage trials, Imperial pattern coins and official overseas coins. There is a listing of nearly 250 main types of official contemporary medals and badges, many previously unrecorded. Notable here is the bronze Canadian War Memorial Vimy Ridge medal, dated 1936, dedicated to the 60,000 war dead there in 1917 – this example coming from the King’s own three-medal set issued in bronze, bronze-gilt, and silver.
The Retrospective section covers modern medals, 1973-2005, and modern coins, 1980-2006. The post-1936 coins are a tricky and contentious issue, even ‘Edward VIII coins’ appearing in 1980 from the Cayman Islands, and others during the current reign.
A two-page introduction to the fantasy medals and coins addresses the history of the issuing of these pieces, not condemning them but succinctly explaining the reasoning behind the dates used, 1936 and 1937, and the passing on and alteration of dies. The detailed listing here by metal type, design, issues and size will help, hopefully, in identifying and distinguishing these fantasy pieces from the contemporary pieces, and the ability to recognise them for what they are is important. Many of the pieces issued by Geoffrey Hearn, the Pobjoy Mint, Coincraft, the Tower Mint, and international numismatic agencies, are almost coin-like in their design and striking. The source for the portrait used was the official Humphrey Paget model, but many of the pieces are downright poor.
Importantly the author does not make judgements but has treated everything without discrimination as being of equal numismatic interest and status – they all get recorded, catalogued and illustrated. That is where the true value of this book lies because there is no other book available that is so comprehensive in its coverage of the many facets of the man who became, finally, the Duke of Windsor.
A detailed four-page Bibliography lists the wide variety of sources, followed by an Index of Medallists and a General Index. This will undoubtedly be the standard work for many years to come.
Anthony Gilbert