We've spent a bit of time in the river this summer, and have discovered a an area which is good for finding coins and jewellery. Among the hundreds of one p's, shopping trolley tokens and euros were a handful of pre-decimal coins. I used to collect coins when I was a lad so I was quite pleased to find them and had a bit of a look under a glass when I got them home. Below the date on a certain battered penny I noticed a tiny letter "H" which I had never seen before. A quick google showed that that letter H meant I had once stood in the very building that coin had been struck in... The Birmingham Mint.
We had discussed the propect of having a pop at the mint in the car one day, but assumed due to the very nature of a building that makes money it would be a none starter. I can't actually remember where we had been that night, but Raddog, OT and I ended up pulling over and having a 'quick check' around the perimeter. Imagine my surprise when I leaned on the door handle mid stride and almost hit the deck as the door swung round... the flippin' door was open!
We hastily returned in daylight for a full explore. The place was actually amazing. Other than the machinery which had been auctioned off most of the stuff you would expect to find in a coin and medal mint was in there. The building was wonderfully dated with a groovy 70's canteen and retro offices. The toolmakers benches were still packed full of tools, and on one the fella's glasses were still carefully placed on the bench top.
Anyone exploring a mint would hope to find a coin... but they were literally everywhere in there. On the floor, in boxes and bags. It was all a little surreal.
As with pretty much every place I explored in 06 07 08 I look back at my poorly composed photos and see so much that I literally walked straight past. I've no doubt there was a whole host of epic we missed here.
As with all these old explores I like to stick them back up to show those new to the game what they missed
I did wonder where these had gone... one would assume if it was an official removal they would have taken the original box too!
Blank Euros
Lead elves had been
Medal ribbons
We had discussed the propect of having a pop at the mint in the car one day, but assumed due to the very nature of a building that makes money it would be a none starter. I can't actually remember where we had been that night, but Raddog, OT and I ended up pulling over and having a 'quick check' around the perimeter. Imagine my surprise when I leaned on the door handle mid stride and almost hit the deck as the door swung round... the flippin' door was open!
We hastily returned in daylight for a full explore. The place was actually amazing. Other than the machinery which had been auctioned off most of the stuff you would expect to find in a coin and medal mint was in there. The building was wonderfully dated with a groovy 70's canteen and retro offices. The toolmakers benches were still packed full of tools, and on one the fella's glasses were still carefully placed on the bench top.
Anyone exploring a mint would hope to find a coin... but they were literally everywhere in there. On the floor, in boxes and bags. It was all a little surreal.
As with pretty much every place I explored in 06 07 08 I look back at my poorly composed photos and see so much that I literally walked straight past. I've no doubt there was a whole host of epic we missed here.
As with all these old explores I like to stick them back up to show those new to the game what they missed
I did wonder where these had gone... one would assume if it was an official removal they would have taken the original box too!
Blank Euros
Lead elves had been
Medal ribbons
