A Kingston University chemistry student has now accumulated over 100 rare coins after welcoming the latest Dr Who coin to hit the market.
A student has collected rare coins for the past six years and has recently welcomed a limited edition coin from Dr Who.
A third year chemistry student, Martyn Towner, 22, has been collecting coins since the age of 16. He now has over 100 rare sought after coins and aims to collect at least one example of all denominations from each year of mintage. It was not long before he added both variants of the London Underground’s 150th anniversary £2 coins to his collection.
His coin collecting began with a single Swedish Kroner which he acquired six years ago. Since last autumn he has increased his limited edition coins from Dr Who all the way to Darwin’s 200th anniversary £2 coin. He spares no expense when it comes to buying a piece of history or any rare coins relating to science.
Mr Towner said: “I collect coins not because I have to but because I enjoy the different patterns each year and feel like it’s a collection worth having and worth showing.”
Collecting coins in all different ways
Most of the time he acquires coins from his friends who are always keen to lookout for the newest coins being released. If not through his friends he also might search online or trade with other coin collectors.
Close friends of Martyn describe his hobby as a passion after they discovered he had an interest to inspect their coin purses.
Alice Halman, 22, a third year chemistry student said: “We were in the canteen and he asked for my purse so I handed it over. He turned it upside down and emptied the coins out saying ‘let’s see if you’ve got any interesting coins’. Since then I’m always on the lookout for any rare coins for him.”
Mr Towner said: “I could come back home and find my flat mates going through their wallets and purses to show me coins that they thought I don’t have.”
Whether it is as simple as a Kroner or as elaborate as the Dr Who silver alloy coin, he never tires of collecting more. The next coin he has his sights on is the New Zealand mint of an official Dr Who coin celebrating the show’s 50th anniversary.
With that being said, Mr Towner exclaimed: “I’m always on the lookout for more.”