Coins: tangible History
Abbeygate Coins was founded in 1975 when I was stationed with the US Air Force in East Anglia. England reignited my interest in history because everywhere you turned, history would smack you in the face. One spring, the farmer next door to me plowed up a pot of Roman coins and together we also uncovered a mosaic belonging to a long forgotten villa. Just down the road were seven Viking burial mounds from the 9th century, casualties of a longship raid on Ipswich and untouched since an exploratory trench was dug by archeologists in the 1930s. Medieval castles, ruined abbeys and large parish chuches built from wool trade wealth dotted the countryside. The common linkage between these historic places and periods were coins. Two thousand years of coinage history was all around me and I was hooked. Over the years, as a small private dealer, I had the privilege to supplement or build a number of fine British collections. The experience allowed me to handle some of the rarest coins and commemorative medals in the English series. Over time I was able to set a few treasures aside. It was an amazing experience, but now it is time to give others a chance to own some rare and interesting pieces..
