The London Mint Office is insolvent
The review platform Trustpilot awards The London Mint Office four and a half stars based on 11,447 reviews. This appraisal is based on around 20 years of operation, during which The Mint Office sold gold, Silver and commemorative coins to hundreds of thousands of British customers. Nevertheless, this British direct marketing company, one of 14 national companies within the Samlerhuset Group, made its insolvency registration on 31 July 2026. The company is now in administration.
The official announcement on the website
The following notice can be found on the website: “On 31 July 2026, Michael Magnay and Jonny Marston of Alvarez & Marsal Europe LLP were appointed as Joint Administrators of The London Mint Office Limited in administration (the ‘Company’). The Joint Administrators encourage anyone with an interest in the Company’s shares or assets to contact them at: INS_THLMOL@alvarezandmarsal.com. The affairs, business and property of the Company are being managed by the Joint Administrators, who act as agents of the Company and without personal liability.” (= On 31 July 2026, Michael Magnay and Jonny Marston of Alvarez & Marsal Europe LLP were ordered to be joint administrators of The London Mint Office Ltd … The Joint Administrators ask anyone with an interest in the Company’s stock or assets to contact them at INS_THLMOL@alvarezandmarsal.com. The affairs, business and property of the Company are being managed by the Joint Administrators, who act as agents of the Company and without personal liability.)
The London Mint Office is not The Royal Mint!
To avoid any misunderstanding: despite its official-sounding name, The London Mint Office has no connection with the Royal Mint in Llantrisant. The London Mint Office is a private limited company that operates as a direct marketing firm, primarily selling contemporary coins to private customers. According to its own website, The London Mint Office was founded in the year 2006. In fact, as can be seen from the national register, the company’s history dates back to 24 November 1997, when it was incorporated under the name Fanthomrealm Ltd. and renamed The Crown Collection Ltd. in December of the same year. It operated under this name until 28 June 2007.
The London Mint Office as part of the Samlerhuset Group
According to the websites of The London Mint Office and the Samlerhuset Group, The London Mint Office is now part of the Samlerhuset Group, Europe’s largest direct marketing company for commemorative coins and medals.
What does ‘going into administration’ mean?
The word ‘insolvency’ is not mentioned on the company’s website. Instead, the term ‘administration’ is used. The meaning of this can be found on the UK Government’s website. This means that, under the Insolvency Act 1986, The London Mint Office is currently in a phase where a decision is being made as to whether the company is no longer viable due to its excessive debt, or whether individual parts of the company can be saved. Often, the company continues to operate whilst the administrators seek a buyer or sell off its assets. This phase is also used to review the creditors and prioritise their claims.
A loss of 1.7 million pounds in the year 2024
Of course, one can only speculate about the reasons that led to the insolvency of The London Mint Office. However, the first signs of difficulties were already evident in the last annual report, which was still available on the UK government’s website. It states that in 2024, the company recorded a loss of £1.7 million before tax, or £2.6 million after tax. The management attributed this to an IT system migration, which caused turnover to plummet in the second half of the year. However, the company expected to return to profit in the year 2024, as the problems were considered to have been resolved.
A challenging environment?
Furthermore, all companies currently manufacturing or selling contemporary coins must prove themselves in a challenging market. There are many complaints about slumps in sales. This may be due to a decline in customer interest, but is likely exacerbated by the fact that the number of commemorative coin issues, private mints and coin dealers has multiplied over the last two decades. Furthermore, an increasing number of mints are distributing their products themselves. Some experts have long anticipated a market shake-up. Perhaps the fate of The London Mint Office should be viewed in this context.
Sales have been suspended
In any case, it is currently no longer possible to buy coins on the company’s website. Instead, the administrators are seeking buyers interested in the stock. Furthermore, the administrators have told GB News that a large number of staff have already been made redundant.
Text and images: Ursula Kampmann
