Scots have the chance to get their hands on some Royal history as a rare coin goes on sale later this month.
The 1937 King Edward VIII penny never made its way into the public circulation amid a constitutional crisis in the Royal Family at the time.
Prince Edward was worried about how the parting of his hair looked on the coin and insisted on breaking Royal tradition, which requires the Monarch’s effigy face the opposite direction of their predecessor.
The Royal Mint had scheduled the release of the penny for January 1, 1937 - but the plans were abandoned after Prince Edward abdicated the throne just weeks before.
This came amid a deepening constitutional crisis over Edward’s relationship with the American socialite Wallis Simpson, who the royal had been forbidden from marrying because of her status as a divorcee.
The scandal caused a dramatic split in the Monarchy, which has been likened to the rift between Princes William and Harry over the latter’s relationship with Meghan Markle.
Following his abdication, King Edward’s title then became Prince Edward, Duke of Windsor.
Historians say that George was furious at what he saw as the selfishness of the abdication and made it clear in subsequent phone calls to his brother that he was determined to cut his access to public monies - including his famous penny.
Edward would never get his hands on the penny, and the coin’s whereabouts were shrouded in mystery.
The coin surfaced in an auction in 1978, when it fetched for £25,000 before being sold again in 2019 for £133,000.
Its current price tag of £200,000 makes the coin 500 times more previous than gold on a gram for gram basis - the penny weighs in at 9.36g and measures at 3.08cm.
Royal enthusiasts have now been offered the chance to own their own part of the coin through collectables platform showpiece.com.
Ownership of the coin has been divided into 4,000 pieces - or shares - which people will be able to purchase at £50.
Dan Carter, co-founder of Showpiece.com, commented: “Few treasures are steeped in more intrigue than the 1937 King Edward VIII Penny.
“From the fuss over the parting of the King’s hair, to the scandal which caused him to lose his crown, this is an irresistible story which will captivate historians and the public alike.
“This is a unique opportunity for members of the public to acquire a stake in this famous coin and we are expecting significant interest.”
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