The
core business of the company, first established in 1982 by Howard and Frances
Simmons, is the provision of a general service to the collectors of numismatic
coins and related material. Howard has been collecting coins since he was a toddler,
when a family friend gave him some old silver threepences and sixpences. Limited
finances as a teenager and student meant that he used to dig around in antique
shops and coin dealers' junk boxes. He became interested in non-standard items
such as tokens and weights, and series like those of Thailand, China, India and
Japan. At that time these were not well-collected, as more monied collectors specialised
in British Milled coinage. Despite two degrees in geology and mineral chemistry,
Howard gave up his postgraduate work (the effects of chloride on concrete) and
decided to make coin-dealing his profession. Meanwhile he married Frances (who
was researching 20th century French literature at the same London college). They
eventually set up Simmons & Simmons Numismatists Ltd, now Simmons Gallery.
We're now trading from Leytonstone, in east London, having given up our retail premises in central London (escalating rents). So you could say we're a virtual gallery with real people, real stock and a real passion for what we do.
Simmons have pioneered postal auctions for coin
weights and scales over the last 15 years. We have a good working knowledge
of world coins and specialise
in South East Asia, the Indian sub-continent and Latin America. Tokens
and other coin-related items are a speciality and we run postal auctions
for these twice a year on average. We also organise the largest show in
the country for coin collectors, the London Coin
Fair, with an average of over 70 exhibitors. 
Simmons Gallery is unique in promoting the smallest sculptural objects, namely coins and medals, as well as to larger works. We aim to blur the traditional boundaries between numismatics, jewellery and sculpture, and to promote the contemporary studio cast medal as a truly vibrant form. We also advise in the commissioning of new works, liaising between artist and client.
Historical medals and prizes form an important part of the business, particularly those of the late19th and early 20th centuries, the Art Nouveau and Art Deco period. We are also seriously interested in Olympic memorabilia - in the last ten years we have sold over 35 Olympic prize medals, apart from badges and participation medals. We're looking forward to 2012 with the Olympics right here on our doorstep in East London.
The various pieces offered on this web-site are but a part of our inventory so contact us if you have a particular interest and would like some more information.
above left: Jane McAdam Freud's life-size portrait of Howard Simmons, cast in bronze (1997)
Bottom right: View of Simmons Gallery - 1997-2003, Lambs Conduit Street.
Original design and layout of the website: Marilene Oliver, MA RCA