Spink & Son
Spink & Son is a London-based auctioneer, dealer, publisher and manufacturer specializing in coins, banknotes, medals, stamps and other collectible objects.
Last updated August 22, 2026
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Overview
Spink & Son is one of Britain's oldest continuously operating names in numismatics and the wider collectibles trade. Its origins are traced to 1666, when John Spink established a goldsmith's and pawnbroking business near Lombard Street in London. Over more than three centuries, the business developed from handling pledged jewellery and household property into a specialist enterprise dealing in coins, medals, banknotes, stamps, art objects and related historical material. The firm's early history was closely linked to the London goldsmith and pawnbroking trades. The Great Fire of London temporarily displaced the original business, but Spink returned to the rebuilt Lombard Street area. In the late eighteenth century, Marshall Spink worked at the Gracechurch Street premises of John Flude, brokering jewellery, coins and other pledged goods. After Flude retired in 1793, Marshall assumed responsibility for the business. His son Daniel entered the firm in 1807, and the name Spink & Son was adopted. Auction and numismatic activity became increasingly important during the nineteenth century. The first recorded auction associated with the company took place in 1792, while the firm was documented as an auction agent and commission bidder for numismatic material by 1818. Spink also sold commemorative medals, and its activities expanded into art, porcelain and bronze sculpture during the 1830s. The company later became known for medal design and manufacture, particularly after acquiring the Soho Mint in 1880. It has supplied ceremonial and commemorative medals and insignia for Britain and other countries, and received a Royal Warrant for medal services during Queen Victoria's reign. During the twentieth century, Spink moved to King Street and developed a close relationship with Christie's. It opened offices in New York and Melbourne in 1981, reflecting the internationalization of specialist collecting markets. Christie's acquired the firm in 1993. Spink also broadened its publishing activities, taking over the publishing division of B.A. Seaby Ltd. in 1996. This brought the Seaby coin and medal publishing heritage into the Spink business, including the long-running Standard Catalogue of British Coins and the Numismatic Circular. Spink's modern commercial activities combine auctions, private dealing, valuation and specialist advice with publishing and medal production. Its auction business covers coins from ancient to modern periods, paper money, military and commemorative medals, postage stamps and selected areas of wine, spirits and other collectibles. The company has handled major private collections, hoards and individual rarities, including high-value British and international coins, historic banknotes, military medal groups and important philatelic material. Christie's sold its remaining interest in March 2002, after which Spink continued under separate ownership. The London headquarters moved to 69 Southampton Row on 20 March 2000. In the twenty-first century, the company has maintained a prominent position in specialist auctions while adapting its sales model to online and hybrid bidding. During the first United Kingdom COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, Spink conducted a sale in which all bidders participated virtually, an approach described in reference material as a pioneering hybrid numismatic auction. Spink remains principally associated with specialist knowledge, provenance research, cataloguing and the sale of historically significant collectibles. Its publishing portfolio has also remained important, although several long-established coin catalogue titles were acquired by Sovereign Rarities Ltd in April 2024. The business continues to operate as an active London-centered collectibles brand with international reach.
History
Spink & Son traces its origins to John Spink's goldsmith and pawnbroking business, established near Lombard Street in London in 1666. The business was temporarily displaced by the Great Fire of London before returning to the rebuilt City. Its later development is documented through the Gracechurch Street business operated by John Flude. Marshall Spink was apprenticed to Flude in 1778, and after Flude retired in 1793 he took charge of the London premises and a related Windsor pawnbroking operation. Marshall's son Daniel joined the family business in 1807, when the name Spink & Son was instituted. The company originally dealt principally in pledged jewellery, coins and household furnishings. Its first recorded auction took place at the Red Lion Inn in Staines on 20 March 1792. By 1818, Spink was acting as a numismatic auction agent and commission bidder, and by 1826 it was retailing commemorative medals. The business retained pawnbroking as an important activity during the early nineteenth century, while some sales were outsourced to other auction firms. During the 1830s, the range expanded to include art, porcelain and bronze sculpture. Spink also produced a presentation casket for the Freedom of the City of London awarded to David Livingstone in 1857. Numismatics and medal work became central to the company's identity. In 1880 Spink acquired the Soho Mint and began designing and manufacturing medals. The firm displayed its numismatic and medal activities internationally, winning a gold prize at the Jamaica International Exhibition in 1891. In 1894 its showroom hosted an exhibition of gold ore from Western Australia. The company received a Royal Warrant from Queen Victoria in 1900 for medal services and has continued to provide orders, insignia and medals for Britain and foreign governments, including Norway and Oman. Important specialists shaped Spink's expertise and publishing culture. William John Webster joined in 1893 after serving as an Inspector of Coin to the Royal Mint. Leonard Forrer created and edited the Numismatic Circular, first issued monthly in December 1892. The publication continued for more than a century, ending its traditional monthly run in January 2014 when the company moved toward a quarterly auction format. Other notable staff included Leonard Steyning Forrer, Rudolph Forrer, William Charles Weight, Howard Linecar and Douglas Gerard Liddell. Herbert Allen Seaby later left the firm and founded the rival Seaby's business. During the twentieth century, Spink relocated to King Street and developed a close partnership with Christie's. Auctioneering returned in-house in 1978. International expansion followed with New York and Melbourne offices opening in 1981. Christie's acquired Spink in 1993. In 1996, Spink acquired the entire publishing division of B.A. Seaby Ltd., bringing the Seaby coin and medal publishing list and the Standard Catalogue of British Coins into its portfolio. The catalogue, originally established in 1929, was divided into regional and national sections and later received substantial editorial and photographic updates, including a move to colour coin photography in 2007. Spink moved its London headquarters to 69 Southampton Row in March 2000. Christie's sold its remaining interest in March 2002, after which Spink continued under separate ownership. The auction business subsequently expanded its online capabilities and remained active across coins, banknotes, medals, stamps and other collectibles. Since 2003, the firm has worked with the Bank of England on sales of low-serial-number banknotes connected with new note issues, with proceeds supporting charity. In 2020, the company adapted to COVID-19 restrictions by running a virtual-participation numismatic auction and also remounted the campaign medals of Captain Sir Thomas Moore. Spink has continued to achieve notable auction results in coins, medals, stamps and banknotes. Examples include the sale of the Chartwell stamp collection between 2011 and 2012, major British gold coins and hoards, rare military medal groups, and internationally important banknotes. In April 2024, Sovereign Rarities Ltd acquired several Spink coin catalogue titles, including the pre-decimal and decimal Coins of England & the United Kingdom series and the catalogue covering Scotland, Ireland and the Islands. Spink remains an active specialist auction and collectibles business, although the catalogue titles acquired in that transaction are no longer planned to continue under the Spink imprint.
- 2024
Coin catalogue titles transferred to Sovereign Rarities
[1]Sovereign Rarities Ltd acquired several established Spink coin catalogue titles.
- 2020
Virtual auction model used during COVID-19 restrictions
[1]Spink conducted a specialist sale in which all bidders participated virtually.
- 2014
Numismatic Circular monthly format ends
[1]The monthly Numismatic Circular was discontinued in favor of a quarterly auction format.
- 2003
Bank of England low-serial-number note partnership
[1]Spink began partnering with the Bank of England on charitable sales of low-serial-number banknotes.
- 2002
Christie's exits ownership
[1]Christie's sold its remaining interest in Spink in March.
- 2000
London headquarters moves to Southampton Row
[1]Spink moved its London headquarters to 69 Southampton Row on 20 March.
- 1996
Seaby publishing division acquired
[1]Spink took over the publishing division of B.A. Seaby Ltd.
- 1993
Christie's acquires Spink
[1]Christie's acquired Spink & Son after the companies' long-standing relationship.
- 1981
International offices open
[1]Spink opened offices in New York in June and Melbourne in October.
- 1978
Auctioneering returns in-house
[1]After a period in which sales were frequently outsourced, auctioneering returned to Spink's own operation.
Products and positioning
A heritage-led specialist auction house and collectibles dealer positioned around expert cataloguing, historical knowledge, international market access and high-value numismatic, philatelic and medal material.
Numismatics
Coins
Spink auctions and deals in coins from ancient, medieval and modern periods, with particular strength in British issues and historically important international pieces. Its sales have included rare gold coins, patterns, hoards and coins associated with major political and monetary periods.
Paper money
Banknotes
The banknote business covers British and international paper money, including colonial, national and institutionally issued notes. Spink has also handled low-serial-number Bank of England notes in charitable sales connected with new note designs.
Medals and orders · 1880
Medals and ceremonial insignia
Following the acquisition of the Soho Mint in 1880, Spink developed design and manufacturing capabilities for medals. It has supplied military, commemorative and ceremonial pieces, including orders and insignia for the United Kingdom, Norway and Oman, and holds a Royal Warrant for ceremonial insignia and medals.
Philately
Postage stamps and postal history
Spink conducts specialist philatelic auctions involving rare stamps, blocks, covers and historically significant collections. Its recorded sales include major British, Mauritian, American and international rarities as well as large private collections.
Reference publishing · 1929
Coins of England & the United Kingdom
This long-running reference series developed from the Standard Catalogue of British Coins, founded in 1929 and later published through Spink's Seaby-related publishing activities. The series was divided into pre-decimal and decimal issues and provided collectors with descriptions, classifications and market-oriented reference information. The relevant titles were acquired by Sovereign Rarities Ltd in 2024.
Specialist publication · 1892
Numismatic Circular
The Numismatic Circular was a specialist periodical and sales catalogue associated with Spink's coin and medal business. It began publication in 1892 and continued for more than a century before its monthly format ended in 2014 in favor of a quarterly auction-oriented format.
Controversies
2021
Khmer antiquities documentation investigation
Prosecutors and investigative journalists examined Spink's historic relationship with Douglas Latchford, who was accused of falsifying documentation connected with Khmer antiquities. Latchford was indicted, but Spink & Son as a separate entity under new management was not charged.
Marketing campaigns
- 2020Captain Sir Thomas Moore medal remounting
United Kingdom
Spink remounted the campaign medals of Captain Sir Thomas Moore during the COVID-19 period.
Outcome. The work preserved and presented the medals of a prominent British military veteran and charitable fundraiser.
- 2003Bank of England low-serial-number banknote charity sales
United Kingdom
Spink partnered with the Bank of England to offer low-serial-number banknotes associated with newly issued designs, using the sales to raise money for charity.
Outcome. The partnership became an established charitable sales program.
Brand decisions
2024
Transfer of established coin catalogue titlesM&ABackground
Spink's long-running coin reference titles had become an established part of the British numismatic publishing market.
Action taken
Sovereign Rarities Ltd acquired the Coins of England & the United Kingdom pre-decimal and decimal titles and the catalogue covering Scotland, Ireland and the Islands.
Aftermath
The next editions were planned under Sovereign Rarities branding rather than the Spink imprint.
2020
Shift to virtual auction participation during lockdownStrategyBackground
United Kingdom COVID-19 restrictions announced in March 2020 made conventional room-based auctions impractical.
Action taken
Spink ran a hybrid specialist sale in which every bidder participated virtually.
Aftermath
The sale allowed numismatic auction activity to continue during restrictions and demonstrated the viability of remote participation.
1996
Acquisition of B.A. Seaby's publishing divisionM&ABackground
Spink sought to expand its specialist publishing activities and strengthen its position in numismatic reference works.
Action taken
Spink took over the entire publishing division of B.A. Seaby Ltd.
Aftermath
The transaction brought the Standard Catalogue of British Coins and related Seaby publications into the Spink portfolio.
1993
Christie's acquisition of Spink & SonM&ABackground
Spink had developed a close relationship with Christie's during the twentieth century, including cooperation in auctions and specialist markets.
Action taken
Christie's acquired Spink & Son.
Aftermath
Christie's later sold its remaining interest in March 2002, after which Spink continued under separate ownership.
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