A Scion Society of The Baker Street Irregulars
Numismatists Do Not Fear Change
“You shall not have a farthing from me …” – The Adventure of The Beryl Coronet (BERY) I have been following the various contributions on British coinage in your recent issues and felt that you would, perhaps, find the following useful: The 1/8 of a penny copper coin referred to by Len Haffenden is probably… Continue Reading
“… as free as an income of eleven shillings and sixpence a day will permit a man to be.” – A Study In Scarlet (STUD) Our Sherlockian friend, Len Haffenden, kindly took the time to comment on the articles which we ran in previous issues of The Sherlockian Times about British monies. Mr. Haffenden, currently a… Continue Reading
“Three bob and a tanner for tickets.” – The Sign of The Four (SIGN) In response to our previous discourse concerning the intricacies of Victorian currency (“So, how much is a Quid, a Crown, and a Bob?; The Sherlockian Times: Fall 1993) we received a welcomed epistle from that most erudite Northern Musgraver Mr. John Hall… Continue Reading
“Give up a hundred thousand quid?” – The Adventure of The Mazarin Stone (MAZA) We, as modern American readers, have always had some problem in translating the British monetary system of the Victorian era into something more tangible, such as purchasing power. One who is not completely familiar with the monetary system of the time… Continue Reading
“No living man could tell a Prescott from a Bank of England …” – The Adventure of The Three Garridebs (3GAR) Franck Medina, a French graphic and recording artist, has created a fantasy £10 banknote of the Kingdom of Great Britain that features Sherlock Holmes and various images from the stories of the Canon. Only 1000… Continue Reading
“Having completed my studies there …” – A Study In Scarlet (STUD) Last November, we published a HolmeWork assignment asking if there was a Sherlock Holmes themed token or medal for the old Granada Studios Tour. Earlier this week, we received photographs of a Granada Studios Tour medal that featured a Sherlock Holmes themed design. It… Continue Reading
“So much for the Daily Chronicle …” – The Adventure of The Cardboard Box (CARD) In 1872, a halfpenny newspaper called Clerkenwell News was launched in central London. Four years later, publisher Edward Lloyd would buy the paper and rename it The Daily Chronicle. The above token was issued shortly after this time period. Arthur Conan Doyle… Continue Reading
“… Holmes refused a knighthood …” – The Adventure of The Three Garridebs (3GAR) As we learned in Peter Jacoby’s recent post, Charlie Chaplin role as Billy the Page in William Gillette’s Sherlock Holmes laid the foundation for his future career in the theater and movies. Chaplin would go on to great fame and receive many… Continue Reading
“‘Beg pardon, sir,’ said our page-boy …” – The Adventure of The Yellow Face (YELL) Many Sherlockians are familiar with the play Sherlock Holmes, or The Strange Case of Miss Faulkner (“Sherlock Holmes”) by Arthur Conan Doyle and William Gillette. A substantial number are also aware that the play’s performance in Britain in 1903 marked… Continue Reading
“A sovereign if the lid comes off in a minute!“ – The Adventure of Lady Frances Carfax (LADY) Many Sherlockians covet a gold sovereign for their collections of Sherlockiana. Our group, The Fourth Garrideb, used the design of a gold sovereign as the reverse of our first club medal. The British Royal Mint has just… Continue Reading