The Royal Mint named Newcastle one of the top five coin collecting hotspots - full list of other cities

The Royal Mint has named Newcastle as one of the top five coin collecting hotspots in the UK, as it celebrates the Royal Mint Collect 2022 Week this Autumn.

The Royal Mint - the Britain’s maker of UK coins - said up to 37% coin collectors are from Newcastle, with Southampton being the top spot for coin collection with a population of 46%.

The North East has also been found to be a hotspot for vinyl record collectors, with 25 percent of the population living in the region.

There are many reasons as to why one collects these unique finds, said The Royal Mint. While many people get into collecting as a hobby, some turn their passion into a business potential.

The research said on average, coin collectors have been building their collection for over 12 years, with many having started as children as a hobby with grandparents when they were young.

Some of those polled began collecting as young as four years old, with others only beginning their collections at the age of 70.

Meanwhile, the top motivations for collecting were revealed to be investment (20%), the desire to find unique pieces (31%), and the joy of finding pieces that hold nostalgia (39%).

And over a third (40%) of those collecting coins stated their main reason for collecting was through the intrigue of their history, with an equal number (40%) saying the same for stamp collections and the culture they represent.

Rebecca Morgan, Director of Collector Services at The Royal Mint said: “Coin collecting is a passion shared by millions of people across the globe and can be a hobby for all ages.

“There is something special about embarking on coin adventures with family or friends, and finding those rare and sought after coins.”

What are the most popular collector’s items in the UK?

According to The Royal Mint, Southampton has the largest collection of coins in the UK with a population of 46%.

Below is the full list of hotspots for coin collectors in the UK

1. Southampton (46%)

2. Cardiff (40%)

3. Plymouth (38%)

4. Newcastle (37%)

5. Nottingham and Sheffield (36%)

Below is the full list of other items and their hotspots

1. Coins - Southampton (46%).

2. Stamps - Leeds (36%) 

3. Trading cards - Cardiff (28%)

4. Vinyl records - Glasgow (32%)

5. Vinyl records - North East (25%)

6. Rare books - Glasgow (24%)

7. Trainers - London (22%)

8. Wine - West Midlands (20%)

Other collections include ceramic elephants, thimbles, egg cups, China dolls and doves in various forms.

When is The Royal Mint Collect Week 2022?

The Royal Mint Collect Week 2022 kicks off on September 26 with a day dedicated to the services available to coin collectors from The Royal Mint.

And as part of the event, The Royal Mint is also holding the Collect Week Awards 2022 to find the best collections.

There are five different categories to enter with the winners chosen by a panel of judges that include, The Best Collection, Best Collecting Story, The Largest Royal Mint Collection, Largest Date Running Coin Collection and The Best Circulating Coin Collection.

The winner from each category will be entered into a public vote to find the Ultimate Collector of Collect Week 2022, which will be announced at 12pm on Sunday, October 2 on the Collect Week Hub.