{ the enigma of the Mallard – image by Mik }
Jemima Puddleduck is a rare coin. In fact, it is right up there with some of the rarest ones of all. That’s why it will usually set you back by fifteen quid or more on average (at the time of writing). I mean, with a mintage of only 2,100,000 this does kind of make sense. Or does it? Once it has been compared to its neighbouring coins…..
Check this –
Jemima Puddleduck 2,100,000
Isaac Newton 1,801,500
2017 Royal Shield Section 1,800,000
Whoa! Hold on a minute…. This means that both Newton and the Shield are substantially rarer than the Duck. How can this be? ‘Has there been some kind of mistake?’ I hear some readers ask. After all, you can pick either one of the others up at half or even a third of the price.
????????
So, now we need to find an explanation. There has to be some reason for this dramatic difference in value and for the whole thing being completely on its head with the mintage.
Perhaps the lofty price of a Duck has something to do with ‘Cutesy Appeal’. Newton was a beautiful release, one of the most beautiful and intricate release for a good many years (in my humble opinion). But it isn’t the kind of design that most children will start gooing over. And the Shield….. well, as clever as the whole ‘putty-all-the-coins-together-to-make-a-bigger-picture’ thing is, there is nothing special about it whatsoever. I mean, apart from the date, it looks identical to any other Royal Shield Section fifty pence piece. And at the end of the day it is a definitive coin and it does its job perfectly well, so one cannot really complain too much. Perhaps this is merely a rare item for the more seasoned collector?
Jemima on the other hand….. Well, she is a pretty little thing. And most people would agree that there is something very nice about this fifty pence. Perhaps it is the simplicity of the design. Or maybe the indistinguishable look on Miss Puddleduck’s face. I wonder what was going through her mind whilst she was sitting for her portrait? Hmmm, this is almost akin to pondering on the Mona Lisa’s smile……
Just the simple fact that Jemima Puddeduck is an integral part of the first wave of Beatrix Potter coins gives her an immediate head start. All the hype surrounding their release and then the frenzy as people began to realise that she was actually the most elusive of the four characters. Yet, even taking all of that into account, you would think it might have blown over by now; that the Duck would have come down quite a bit in price…. It also seems totally nuts that Isaac Newton is selling so cheaply by comparision. Such a gob-smackingly nice coin and we all know it is more scarce.
I suppose this whole thing comes down to people and which coins they find the most desirable. And this in turn will be reflected in their value.
Just a bit of a strange one is all……
© Article and images (where stated) copyright Mik Smith 2019
