British and World Coins from the Collection of William N. Clarke

William N. Clarke

On Christmas Day in 1956, seventeen-year- old William N. Clarke received one of his most-cherished coins, a 1788 George V ‘laurel head’ portrait gold piece, as a gift from his parents. It cost £50, an astronomical sum for his family at the time. “I don’t know how dad convinced my mother to spend that kind of money,” he used to say. “She was very tight with the purse-strings.” This coin, for now, is a family heirloom.

My dad was already a ‘seasoned collector’ by the time he received this coin. In 1951, he won first prize at the London (Ontario) Hobby Fair in the coins and medals youth category (in 1952, he placed second). A few years later, in 1955, he became the youngest member of the London Numismatic Society (LNS), eventually being elected to several positions, including Editor of the monthly club newsletter - which won several awards from the Canadian society whileunder his management - Secretary, Vice-President, and President. In 2016, he was named the LNS’s first Honourary President in recognition of his long- standing commitment to the club and his dedication to numismatics. My father was also a proud member of the British Numismatic Society and kept his initial acceptance letter framed on the wall of his ‘den’.

I became aware of dad’s collection in my teens. At that time, his collection focused on the Tudor period. I recall vividly how in 1986 he visited my high school English history class to exhibit some of his numismatic treasures; their tactile qualities brought history alive for me and my classmates. Dad’s collecting led to several opportunities for travel and the building of many lasting friendships. In the final years of his life, when he took on the caregiving of my mother, and then faced his own battle with cancer with an inspiring combination of optimism and humour, he often said that the coins were a lifeline during these very difficult times.

Coin collecting was a huge part of my dad’s life but he had many other interests. He conducted a local community orchestra for 40 years and played the violin and piano. He compiled a large collection of memorabilia of his hometown of London, Ontario, several items from which are being acquired by the city’s museum. For 22 years, he was the Head Zookeeper at Storybook Gardens, a children’s theme park and tourist attraction in the region from the late-1950s through the 1980s. He loved being surrounded by animals and would often confessor to have “the best job in the city.”

But, because family was so important to him, I think William N. Clarke would most want to be remembered as a good dad and husband, and he was. Kind-hearted, generous, funny and intelligent, he was always there for my mother and sister, his grandchildren, and me. His family misses him immensely.

William J.S. Clarke 6/2/26