21^st May 2026

Next club meeting Monday 1^st June 2026.

Annual General Meeting and Display Competition

Monday 6^th July 2026

English Half-groats 1321-1662 by Paul Woods

Meetings are held at the Abbey Baptist Church, Abbey Square, commencing at 7.00 p.m.

Notices:

• The June meeting is the AGM where the Committee officers report the status of the club and initiatives for the future. It is also where the membership voices their opinions, concerns and ideas for the future. The committee welcomes/needs direction from the membership, please start thinking about it now.

• The committee also needs members. Please consider joining, it is not fair to leave the running of the club to the same small number of members every year. If you are willing to become a member of the committee, please notify one of the current committee, members namely Henry, Tony or Jawaid.

• Our Treasurer proposes that the annual membership subscription be raised to £30 for the year 2026/2027. This will help in reducing the costs of running the club, and still represents good value for members.

• Remember the AGM is when the Annual Display Competition for the Michael Broome Memorial Cup is held. Please try and bring an entry along this year.

May Meeting

Alastair Mackay gave a talk to the club on The Rise and Fall of the local Pound in the 21^st Century

While banknotes and local currency have been produced at various times during the 16^th to 19^th centuries, Alastair’s talk was focussed on the 21^st century notes produced between 2007 and 2025 in response to the 2005 Transition Towns initiative, which promoted local selfsufficiency, economic growth and green initiatives. Local banknotes helped to ensure that money spent locally would benefit independent town traders. Local committees would draw up lists of participating outlets where the notes could be used, and people were encouraged to exchange BoE banknotes for the local currency or receive the local as part of their change from these outlets. The scheme specifically excluded chain store and supermarket outlets.

Typical values of the local currencies were 1, 5, 10 and 20 Pounds, although some towns also had 2, 4.5, 15 and 21 Pound denominations.

The first town considered was Totnes in Devon. The 1^st issue Pound of March 2007 was limited to 300, but the 2^nd issue saw 10,000 printed of which 6,000 were in circulation and were accepted by 50 outlets. A third issue in January 2008 saw 10,000 of the Pound banknotes printed of which 8,000 were circulated and now accepted at 75 shops and businesses. In April 2014 the 4^th issue of the Pound saw 10,500 notes featuring Mary Wesley CBE, but also 5, 10 and 20 Pound notes issued featuring respectively Charles Babbage (4,500 notes issued); Ben Howard (1,500 notes issued) and Dorothy Elmhirst (1,500 notes issued). The first issue design was copied from an early 19^th Totnes bank design, the second design was a rather plain brown design, while the third was a simple design of local views, but the fourth design were colourful notes of local landmarks and famous citizens.

Totnes 2^nd Issue Totnes 4^th Issue

Leaving Totnes, Alastair then focussed on Lewes, East Sussex, which had the longest series of note issues running from 2008 to 2025. The obverse of the Lewes notes features Thomas Paine, the political thinker and revolutionary. Before 2014 the only denomination issued was 1 Pound, but in 2014 notes of 5, 10 and 21 Pound were also issued.

The Stroud, Gloucestershire, notes were issued in September 2009 featuring an obverse of

Stroud buildings, and reverses of Sunflowers (1 Pound), Edward Budding (2 Pounds),

Adonis Blue butterfly (5 Pounds) and Laurie Lee MBE (10 Pounds). An unusual feature of

Stroud currency is its demurrage of 3% every 6 months intended to discourage hoarding the notes. An adhesive sticker was attached to the note every 6 months, otherwise the note became invalid. The concept didn’t catch on and the currency ceased in 2013.

Lewes Pound 2008 Lewes Pounds 2013, 2014 and 2017

Stroud 2009 notes showing demurrage amounts on obverse. Right – reverse designs.

Brixton issued notes of 1, 5, 10 & 20 Pounds in 2009, 2011and a commemorative 5 Pounds note in 2014. Generally, they were of colourful designs featuring local notable features of the area and well-known people associated with Brixton (including Vincent van Gogh!).

Other colourful and artistic sets of notes were issued by Bristol, and are reckoned to the most successful of all Transition Town issues, running to 3 series, professionally printed and with security strips and holograms. The various series featuring wildlife, community action, technology and innovation and art works ran from 2012-2015 (1^st issue), 2015-2018 (2^nd issue) and 2018-2021 (3^rd series). In all some £5 m were spent over the years of the project.

Other towns that printed notes were Hawick, Exeter and Kingston. At Hawick, in the Scottish Borders (Roxburghshire) the scheme only ran for three months. In Exeter despite its larger population the scheme lasted 3 years and not only 1, 5, 10 and 20 Pound notes were issued but also those of 4.5 and 15 Pounds. Several of the reverses featured football and rugby union scenes. Kingston upon Thames also issued notes of values 1, 5, 10 and 20 Pounds, and these featured local landmarks in their designs. After some early trials these notes, £100,000 total in value wee issued in 2018 expired in 2021.

The Lake District, although not being a transition town used the concept to support two local charities. There were two issues, the first in 2018with an nine-month life span and the second in 2019 with a twelvemonth validity. Both issues were colourful with mountain or lakeside obverses with reverses of local celebrities.

2nd Issue Lake district notes featuring Charlotte Mason, Beatrix Potter, Sir Chris Bonnington and Canon Hardwicke Rawnsley reverses.

The Transition Towns local currency initiative ended on 31^st August 2025.

The club roundly thanked Alastair for his informative presentation, which it warmly applauded.

Future Events.

London Coin Fair – Shortlands, London, W6 –13^th June 2026

Midland Coin Fair – National Motorcycle Museum 14^th June 2026

Noonans, Mayfair, W1J 8BQ – 26^th May, 9^th & 30^th June 2026

Morton & Eden –Spring 2026

St James Auctions – 10^th June 2026

Past Events

• 10 years ago – Stuart Adams spoke on ‘Writing a Book and other Token Tales’.

• 20 years ago – David Powell gave a talk on ‘American Civil War Tokens’

• 40 years ago - Mr. J. Andrew delivered a talk on the Exeter mint.

• 50 years ago – Members ‘Short Talks’ evening.

Club Secretary