August 2026 Numismatic News Roundup

Welcome to the August 2026 numismatic news roundup from Rumnicoin, where we look back at some of the most interesting developments from the UK coin market alongside a smaller selection of stories from around the world.

August was particularly notable for the arrival of a new King Charles III denomination into everyday circulation, a significant development involving one of Britain’s best-known direct-marketing coin companies, continued activity across the UK fair calendar, and several major international releases and auction previews.

King Charles III’s first 10p coins enter circulation

Perhaps the most important UK circulation story this month came on 25 August, when The Royal Mint announced that the first 10p coins bearing King Charles III’s portrait had entered circulation across the UK [1].

Just over 7.1 million Capercaillie 10p coins are being released, comprising 600,000 coins dated 2023 and a further 6.5 million dated 2026. The coins are being distributed through banks and Post Office branches nationwide. [1]

For collectors, the 2023-dated issue is particularly interesting. With only 600,000 entering circulation compared with 6.5 million bearing the 2026 date, it is likely to be the date most people will be checking their change for.

The reverse features the capercaillie, the world’s largest grouse and one of Britain’s most endangered birds. The design forms part of the new definitive coinage introduced for King Charles III, with each denomination highlighting flora or fauna from across the British Isles. [1]

The 10p is now the fourth denomination carrying the King’s portrait to reach circulation, following the 50p, £1 and 5p. Coins carrying Queen Elizabeth II’s portrait will continue to circulate alongside them.

From a collecting perspective, this is exactly the sort of release that can bring wider attention back to everyday coin collecting. Unlike a commemorative purchased directly from The Royal Mint, these are coins people can actually find in their change, and the low mintage of the 2023 issue gives collectors something genuine to hunt for.

The London Mint Office enters administration

A very different UK numismatic story emerged during August when it was reported that The London Mint Office Limited entered administration on 31 July 2026 [2].

Sixbid reported on 20 August that Michael Magnay and Jonny Marston of Alvarez & Marsal Europe LLP had been appointed joint administrators. Sales through The London Mint Office website have subsequently been suspended. [2]

It is worth stressing that The London Mint Office is a private commercial company and has no connection with The Royal Mint, despite the similarity of the names. The business specialised heavily in the direct marketing of modern coins, commemoratives and medals to UK customers.

The story is significant for the wider UK numismatic trade because The London Mint Office had operated for many years and had sold coins to a very large customer base.

It will be interesting to see what happens to the company, its stock and its customer relationships as the administration process develops. It also highlights the increasingly competitive environment surrounding modern commemorative coins, where national mints, traditional dealers, auction houses and direct-marketing companies are all competing for collector spending.

For collectors, the key distinction is particularly important: a business using words such as “Mint” in its trading name should not automatically be assumed to be an official national mint.

UK coin fairs remain active through August

The traditional UK fair circuit continued through the summer, with the Midland Coin Fair held on 9 August at the National Motorcycle Museum in Birmingham and the Yorkshire Coin Fair taking place on 30 August at Cedar Court Hotel in Huddersfield [3].

Coin fairs remain an important part of British numismatics despite the continued expansion of online auctions.

There is still no substitute for examining a coin in hand. Surfaces, lustre, toning, striking quality and cleaning can all be much easier to assess physically than from even very good photographs.

Fairs also remain particularly useful for collectors whose interests do not always fit neatly into headline auction catalogues. Tokens, medals, lower-value hammered coins, world coins, mixed lots and numismatic literature can often be found alongside mainstream British material.

For us at Rumnicoin, the social side is equally valuable. Relationships between collectors, dealers and specialists remain at the heart of the hobby, even as more transactions move online.

Spink holds August World & British Banknotes e-auction

August also saw activity beyond coins themselves. Spink London ran a World & British Banknotes e-auction from 13 to 27 August, comprising more than 500 lots [4].

Banknotes remain closely connected to the wider numismatic market, and many collectors increasingly cross between coins, tokens, medals and paper money.

The continued scale of specialist banknote auctions demonstrates how broad the collecting market has become. While British coins remain our main focus at Rumnicoin, interesting historical money does not stop at metal.

World Numismatics

The legendary 1804 Dollar returns, this time in gold

One of the biggest international stories of August came from the United States Mint.

On 27 August, the Mint released the fourth issue in its Best of the Mint programme celebrating the 250th anniversary of American independence: a modern interpretation of the famous 1804 Silver Dollar struck in one ounce of 24-karat gold, accompanied by a one-ounce silver medal [5].

The original 1804 Dollars occupy almost mythical status within American numismatics. Only 16 examples are known, and despite the date they were actually produced decades later, initially as diplomatic presentation pieces. The U.S. Mint notes that the last original example offered at auction sold for $6 million in 2025. [5]

The 2026 gold version reproduces the Draped Bust design and includes a Liberty Bell privy mark carrying the number 250.

This is a particularly interesting example of a national mint looking backwards at one of its most famous historical rarities and reinterpreting it for modern collectors. It will never replicate the importance of an original 1804 Dollar, but the historical connection gives the issue considerably more numismatic depth than a conventional commemorative.

Austria completes its traditional dress series

The Austrian Mint completed its Trachten – Traditional and Trendy series during August with the release of the €10 Anpirschen Horn coin [6].

The issue focuses on horn craftsmanship and its use in traditional Austrian clothing, including buttons and decorative fittings. It is the fourth and final coin in the series. [6]

Modern world coins are increasingly exploring cultural history that may otherwise receive relatively little international attention. National costume, craftsmanship and regional traditions may not generate the mass-market recognition of film or sporting themes, but they often result in more distinctive and culturally specific coin programmes.

Major U.S. rarities prepare for the ANA auction season

The international auction market also gathered momentum towards the end of August.

Heritage announced that an 1879 Liberty Head Quintuple Stella, graded PR64+ Deep Cameo by PCGS and described as the finest of just four privately held examples, would headline part of its ANA U.S. Coins auction running from 31 August into early September [7].

The coin forms part of the Bob R. Simpson Collection and represents the type of extreme rarity that attracts attention well beyond the specialist collecting community.

Meanwhile, Stack’s Bowers began its Summer 2026 Global Showcase programme on 31 August, with extensive ancient, world, American and paper-money material scheduled across multiple sessions into September. [8]

These major international sales provide an interesting contrast to the circulation story here in Britain. Numismatics can involve searching through ordinary change for a 10p one day and watching internationally important rarities change hands the next.

Rumnicoin view: what caught our attention this month

For us, the standout British story is undoubtedly the arrival of the King Charles III 10p.

The 600,000 mintage of the 2023-dated Capercaillie issue gives collectors a genuine reason to start checking change again. That accessibility is important for the hobby. Someone does not need thousands of pounds, specialist knowledge or an auction account to participate. They simply need to look at the coins passing through their hands.

At the opposite end of the market, August also demonstrated the continuing importance of rarity, quality and provenance. Whether it is an 1804 Dollar design, an experimental American gold rarity or an exceptional historic British coin, collectors continue to compete most strongly for material that cannot easily be replaced.

The London Mint Office administration is also one to watch. The modern commemorative market has expanded dramatically over the past two decades, but collector spending is not unlimited. How companies adapt to changing buying habits, direct mint sales and an increasingly competitive market will continue to shape the trade.

As we move into the autumn auction season, September already looks busy across Britain, Europe and the United States.

As always, we will be keeping an eye on the market.

Happy collecting,

The Rumnicoin Team

References

[1] The Royal Mint. King Charles III’s First 10p Coins Enter Circulation. 25 August 2026.
https://www.royalmint.com/aboutus/press-centre/king-charles-iiis-first-10p-coins-enter-circulation/

[2] Sixbid. The London Mint Office is insolvent. 20 August 2026.
https://www.sixbid.com/en/blog/the-london-mint-office-is-insolvent/

[3] British Numismatic Trade Association. Events.
https://bnta.net/events/

[4] Spink. Auctions – World & British Banknotes e-Auction.
https://spink.com/auctions/index

[5] United States Mint. United States Mint Releases Best of the Mint 1804 Silver Dollar High Relief Gold Coin and Silver Medal Set. 20 August 2026.
https://www.usmint.gov/news/press-releases/united-states-mint-releases-best-of-the-mint-1804-silver-dollar-high-relief-gold-coin-and-silver-medal-set

[6] World Numismatic News. Austrian Mint’s 10 Euro Anpirschen Horn Coin Completes the Trachten Series. 24 August 2026.
https://www.worldnumismaticnews.com/2026/08/24/austrian-mint-10-euro-anpirschen-horn-coin-2026/

[7] Heritage Auctions. Bob R. Simpson’s Extraordinary Quintuple Stella Takes Center Stage at Heritage’s ANA U.S. Coins Auction. 14 August 2026.
https://coins.ha.com/heritage-auctions-press-releases-and-news/bob-r.-simpson-s-extraordinary-quintuple-stella-takes-center-stage-at-heritage-s-ana-u.s.-coins-auction.s?releaseId=5517

[8] Stack’s Bowers Galleries. Summer 2026 Global Showcase Auction.
https://stacksbowers.com/auctions/catalog-library/