Spink & Son (established 1666) are an auction and collectibles company known principally for their sales of coins, banknotes, stock and bond certificates and medals. They also deal in philatelic items, wine and spirits, and other collectible items.
 | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Auction |
| Founded | 1666 |
| Founder | John Spink |
| Headquarters | London, United Kingdom |
Key people | Olivier Stocker (Chairman & CEO) [1] |
| Divisions | Spink China Spink Singapore Spink Switzerland Spink UK Spink USA |
| Website | www |
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History
John Spink founded a goldsmith's and pawnbroker's business near Lombard Street, London, in 1666.[2] The Great Fire of London caused a temporary relocation before Spink returned to the rebuilt Lombard Street. In 1770 the firm moved to 2 Gracechurch Street where they traded in jewellery and coins.
In the 1850s, Spink started to deal in oriental art and in the 1880s they bought the Soho Mint and began to design and manufacture medals.[2]
Publishing
The company published the Numismatic Circular from 1892 until 2014 when it was discontinued in favour of a quarterly coin auction format for selling coins. It was "the oldest continually published coin and medal catalogue".[2] In 1996, Spink acquired the Seaby imprint, publishers of the Seaby Coin & Medal Bulletin.
Spink is particularly well known for its annual Coins of England price guide and handbook, the 50th edition of which was published in 2015. From 2015 onwards the decimal section (coins struck from 1971 onwards) was removed and included into a separate publication whilst the Coins of England book remains and references coins up until 1968.
Controversies
In 2021, prosecuters and investigative journalists probed Spink & Son's relationship with antiquities trafficker Douglas Latchford, and in particular the creation of false documentation for Khmer antiquities.[3][4] Latchford was indicted but Spink & Son was not charged.[5]
References
- ^ Olivier D. Stocker, Chairman & CEO. Spink & Son. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
- ^ a b c Our History. Spink & Son. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
- ^ Whoriskey, Peter; Politzer, Malia; Reuter, Delphine; Woodman, Spencer. "Global hunt for looted treasures leads to offshore trusts". Washington Post. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
Museums holding antiquities linked to Latchford. The reporting team tracked relics that museums received directly through Douglas Latchford, and the Doris and Nancy Wiener gallery or the London auction house Spink & Son, which prosecutors say helped him sell looted antiquities
- ^ Conn, David; Politzer, Malia (5 October 2021). "Offshore loot: how notorious dealer used trusts to hoard Khmer treasures". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
Latchford was alleged in the legal action to have bought the Duryodhana in 1972 knowing it was looted, consigned it to a London auction house, Spink & Son, then conspired with Spink's representatives to "fraudulently obtain export licences".
- ^ "How we tracked Cambodian antiquities to leading museums and private galleries - ICIJ". 5 October 2021. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
External links
Media related to Spink & Son at Wikimedia Commons
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