A coin for every occasion: 7th June 1866 - First mass women’s suffrage petition
Throughout the month of June, ill be looking back at historical moments from the past. From conflicts to coronations, sporting moments to royal memories, and famous firsts and lasts, with my love of all things shiny and precious, ill be trying to tie these events in with coins that have been created to commemorate these moments.
John Stuart Mill MP presented the first mass women’s suffrage petition to the House of Commons on 7 June 1866. The petition was brought to Parliament by Emily Davies and Elizabeth Garrett. The story was later told that to avoid attention on arrival in Westminster Hall, they concealed it under the stall of an apple seller, which is where Mill found it. The petition organisers recorded 1499 names, which were printed and circulated in a pamphlet. However as can be seen here, the House of Commons Select Committee on Public Petitions counted and logged 1521 signatures. Presumably the extra 22 were last minute additions.
With a mintage figure of 3,124,030, and released back in 2003, the Suffragettes 50p commemorates the centenary of the establishment of the Women's Social and Political Union. With Emmeline and Christabelle Pankhurst at its forefront, the Suffragette movement finally saw the partial votes for women in 1918, with the franchise being extended to all women over 21 in 1928.
£2.29 is a mid-point price for Suffragettes 50p coins marked as sold on eBay UK. The price range for a good condition circulated example of this 50p coin is between £2.00 and £2.69.
**Coin values based on 194 eBay sales selected from data collected 19/01/2021.
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