The Curious Things One Finds
My late wife’s great aunt Rita was an unusual character. She was an aunt by marriage and the engagement had lasted well upwards of twenty-five years. But things like that happened in the 1930s and 1940s.
I was reminded of her last night, when I watched a bit of the new Upstairs Downstairs. On the wall in one scene, was a piece of needlework showing flowers, that could have been done by Auntie Rita. It is very similar to three pieces that she gave my late wife and I will probably put on the wall at some time.
You might argue why would a sixty-three year-old man keep something like that in a modern house.
The reason is that Auntie Rita worked for something like the Royal School of Needlework and she taught Edward, Prince of Wales how to do it. She also is reputed to have told my mother-in-law, that he and Mrs. Simpson liked more than the odd drink.
So when I was going through my odd box, I came across this drown-sized coin of Edward VIII. Here is the obverse.
Obverse of Edward VIII Crown Coin
What is unusual is that Edward VIII is shown wearing a crown, which as he hadn’t had a coronation, wouldn’t have been shown on any official coins or medals. So I would assume it is some unauthorised souvenir.
The reverse is unusual too and unlike any other coin I’ve seen.
Reverse of Edward VIII Crown Coin
It is very art nouveau, which makes me feel it was just a crap souvenir produced by a speculator.
On the other hand, because of the needlework connection, it might be something different! If anybody has any ideas, please let me know, as I am a man with a terribly curious nature.
My late wife also had another connection to Mrs. Simpson. She regularly worked in the court, where Mrs. Simpson’s divorce was granted. In fact the adoption case mentioned in this post was handled in the same Court.
The Anonymous Widower 