ANTIQUE OWL Vintage Solid Brass Old Victorian Wise Bird Gold Lustre Ornament UK

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Seller: lasvegasormonaco ✉️ (3,187) 99.7%, Location: Manchester, Take a look at my other items, GB, Ships to: WORLDWIDE, Item: 266525909725 ANTIQUE OWL Vintage Solid Brass Old Victorian Wise Bird Gold Lustre Ornament UK. France (data)IsraelUnited StatesCzech Republic. Numismatics portal. Branch mint coinage. Ruding, Rogers (1819). London: John Nichols and Son. OCLC 778858975. Archived from the original on 19 February 2018.

"Ollie the Owl"  This is an Solid Brass Owl The dimensions are 60mm x 30mm x 30mm and it weights 160 grams

A wonderful item for anyone who loves Owls

I have been told it is Victorian It would be a super addition to any collection, excellent display, practical piece or authentic period prop. This once belonged to my Grand Mother and she kept in a display cabinet for many years, but when she died it was placed in a box for storage.  I Decided to have a clear out and I hope it will find a good home In Very good  condition  for over 130 years old   Comes from a pet and smoke free home Sorry about the poor quality photos.  They don't  do the item  justice which looks a lot better in real life Like all my Auctions Bidding starts a a penny with no reserve... if your the only bidder you win it for 1p...Grab a Bargain!
Click Here to Check out my Other Antique Items & Coins Bid with Confidence - Check My 100% Positive Feedback from over 1,000 Satisfied Customers I have over 10 years of Ebay Selling Experience - So Why Not Treat Yourself? I have got married recently and need to raise funds to meet the costs also we are planning to move into a house together  I always combined postage on multiple items Instant Feedback Automatically Left Immediately after Receiving Payment All Items Sent out within 24 hours of Receiving Payment.

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Antique Collecting CollectableAntiqueAntiquities Terms EphemeraPremiumPrizeSouvenirSpecial edition Topics List of collectablesList of hobbies An antique map An antique (Latin: antiquus; 'old', 'ancient') is an item perceived as having value because of its aesthetic or historical significance, and often defined as at least 100 years old (or some other limit), although the term is often used loosely to describe any object that is old.[1] An antique is usually an item that is collected or desirable because of its age, beauty, rarity, condition, utility, personal emotional connection, and/or other unique features. It is an object that represents a previous era or time period in human history. Vintage and collectible are used to describe items that are old, but do not meet the 100-year criterion.[2] Antiques are usually objects of the decorative arts that show some degree of craftsmanship, collectability, or an attention to design, such as a desk or an early automobile. They are bought at antiques shops, estate sales, auction houses, online auctions, and other venues, or estate inherited. Antiques dealers often belong to national trade associations, many of which belong to CINOA, a confederation of art and antique associations across 21 countries that represents 5,000 dealers. Definition The common definition of antique is a collectible object such as a piece of furniture or work of art that has an enhanced value because of its considerable age, but it varies depending on the item, its source, the year of its creation etc. The customary definition of antique requires that an item should be at least 100 years old and in original condition[citation needed]. (Motor vehicles are an exception to this rule, with some definitions requiring an automobile to be as little as 25 years old to qualify as an antique.[3]) In the United States, the 1930 Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act defined antiques as, "...works of art (except rugs and carpets made after the year 1700), collections in illustration of the progress of the arts, works in bronze, marble, terra cotta, parian, pottery, or porcelain, artistic antiquities and objects of ornamental character or educational value which shall have been produced prior to the year 1830."[citation needed] 1830 was the approximate beginning of mass production in the United States. These definitions were intended to allow people of that time to distinguish between genuine antique pieces, vintage items, and collectible objects. In 1979, the British art critic Edward Lucie-Smith wrote that "Antique-dealers ... sometimes insist that nothing is antique which was made after 1830, although the barrier has been broken down in recent years by the enthusiasm of collectors for Art Nouveau and Art Deco.[4] The alternative term, antiquities, commonly refers to the remains of ancient art and everyday items from antiquity, which themselves are often archaeological artifacts. An antiquarian is a person who collects and studies antiquities or things of the past. China Traditionally, Chinese antiques are marked by a red seal, known as a 'chop', placed there by an owner. Experts can identify previous owners of an antique by reading the chops. The pre-revolution Chinese government[clarification needed] tried to assist collectors of Chinese antiques by requiring their Department of Antiquities to provide a governmental chop on the bottom of a Chinese antique. This chop is visible as a piece of red sealing wax that bears the government chop to verify the date of the antique. The government of the People's Republic of China has its own definitions of what it considers antique”. As of the Cultural Revolution and China's opening trade to other countries, the government has tried to protect the definition of a Chinese antique. Antiquing A vintage travel gear seller at Marché Dauphine, Saint-Ouen, Paris "Antiquing" redirects here. For the decorative arts technique, see Distressing. Antiquing is the act of shopping, identifying, negotiating, or bargaining for antiques. People buy items for personal use, gifts, or profit. Sources for antiquing include garage sales and yard sales, estate sales, resort towns, antique districts, collectives, and international auction houses. Antique items for sale at a roadside shop in Kolkata, India. Note that antiquing also means the craft of making an object appear antique through distressing or using the antique-looking paint applications. Often, individuals get confused between these handmade distressed vintage or modern items and true antiques. Would-be antique collectors who are unaware of the differences may find themselves paying a high amount of money for something that would have little value if re-sold. Random Power Rankings: Top 13 Fictional Owls  BY DAVID YOUNGBLOODFEBRUARY 28, 2014 Welcome to Random Power Rankings, a weekly column devoted to counting the best of whatever we feel like. This week, we debut with the top 13 fictional owls. Last year, I read the HARRY POTTER series for the first time, and made reference to Hedwig’s place among the greatest fictional owls. After Andy pointed out a couple owls I had forgotten, I realized that I needed to do a deep dive into the catalog of fictional owls with serious consideration for each one’s place in history. This was a difficult list to create, with several agonizing choices, but I now present to you the definitive Fictional Owl Power Rankings. If you disagree with my choices or think I left out a worthy candidate, then you’re probably wrong, but comment below anyway. UNRANKED: Sammy the Owl (Rice University mascot) Look, I have nothing against Rice, but it’s hard to have much respect for Sammy when he can’t even finish a watermelon-eating contest (note the girl trash talking him at the 1:16-1:25 mark: “He SHOULD cry”) and when he can’t beat two kids in some kind of paddle race.  . The Owl (Marvel Comics); Nite Owl, Owlman (DC Comics) owl2 Marvel’s Owl is primarily a Daredevil villain who got owl powers and became a crime boss after the IRS ended his career in finance, where his nickname was, I kid you not, “The Owl of Wall Street.” Missed opportunity, Scorsese. Furthermore, he has hollow bones but somehow also super strength? Yeah ok. I don’t get this character. DC’s Owlman and especially Nite Owl are a little cooler. Nite Owl is from Alan Moore’s legendary WATCHMEN series, a character with fascinating psychological depth. Owlman is intended as a counterpart to Batman in the Crime Syndicate, an alternate reality supervillain group. But ultimately, both are grown men who dress as owls. And sure, there comes a time in every man’s life where he wants to put on an owl costume, but that doesn’t mean they belong on the same list as the real things.  . Professor Owl (various Disney) He originally appeared in a pair of 1950s Disney cartoons, reappearing decades later as the host for Disney Sing Along Songs. He seems likable enough, but I have little available to judge him by. Besides, the role of “smart owl” is well-filled later in the list.  . The Guardians of Ga’Hoole I know, and I’m sorry. But I haven’t read the 15-book series or watched the Zack Snyder animated adaptation. According to Internet, maybe I should. Fans of these books (and/or the film) may complain that I cannot call my fictional owl rankings definitive without checking out an entire series about fictional owls, and they may even be correct. But blatant inaccuracy has never stopped me from making bold claims before, and I won’t let it now. So now, on to the definitive list! **************************************** 13. Big Mama (THE FOX AND THE HOUND) Big Mama is the owl who finds Tod as a baby, and remains a mentor to him after arranging his adoption by Widow Tweed. She tries to help Tod learn the realities of the challenges his friendship with Copper will ultimately face, and finds Vixey to mentor Tod in how to be a fox in the wild (and of course, the two foxes fall in love).  . 12. Pigwidgeon (HARRY POTTER series) Pigwidgeon is the replacement animal that Ron Weasley gets after his former pet rat turned out to be a dark wizard henchman who helped get Harry’s parents killed. So in terms of not being evil, Pigwidgeon is certainly an upgrade as far as Ron’s pets go. But other than that, he doesn’t really stand out amongst the series’ prominent owls. He’s small and excitable and has a name that Ron hates, but comparatively, he’s slightly forgettable. . 11. Friend Owl (BAMBI) Friend Owl is hardly the most important part of Bambi, but he gave us the “twitterpated” scene, and that alone is worthy of recognition. He grumpily warns Bambi and friends of the suddenness with which one can fall in love, and despite their assurances that they can resist, he’s proven correct in every case. We as a society don’t use “twitterpated” enough. Probably because Big Dictionary is trying to keep the little man down by refusing to recognize it as a word. But it’s still a word to me. Thanks, Friend Owl. . 10. Woodsy Owl (U.S. FOREST SERVICE) I have a thing for old public service announcements, and Woodsy Owl is a forgotten classic. He came from the golden era of PSA animals teaching lessons to kids: bears taught us to prevent forest fires, dogs taught us to take a bite out of a crime, and owls taught us to not leave our shit laying on the ground. I think the reason Woodsy didn’t endure as much as Smokey and McGruff is his slogan. “Give a hoot, don’t pollute!” scores points for rhyming, but most of his actual messages involve simple litter. “Don’t litter” is still a great moral to teach, but I’m not sure he ever made a dent in real pollution; a kid picking up his candy bar wrapper isn’t really going to cut down on smog alerts.  . 9.  The Grand Duke of Owls (ROCK-A-DOODLE) Seven Inches is your place for all things ROCK-A-DOODLE! Check out Andy’s drinking game rules for the 1991 cartoon, especially if you’re a fan of alcohol poisoning (look at Rule #1; I’m pretty sure “Chanticleer” is said about 762 times in that film).  The Grand Duke is the movie’s villain and certainly has presence, helped immensely by the great Christopher Plummer lending his voice for the character, and I’m pretty sure he terrified me as a small child. So why isn’t he higher on this list? Because I’m (arguably) no longer a small child, and here’s the thing I learned about Rock-a-Doodle as an adult: it’s a fucking terrible movie. Allow me to explain. The Grand Duke wants to bring about an eternal night, because owls. How does one do that, you might ask? He distracts Chanticleer from crowing one morning, so the rooster can see that the sun comes up without him. So then Chanticleer stops crowing, which brings about unending darkness because the sun…CAN’T come up without Chanticleer crowing. Even though the way the Grand Duke stopped the crowing was because the sun COULD. The Grand Duke feels a lot less threatening once you’re old enough to realize that his entire damn plan is built on self-contradiction.  . 8. Errol (HARRY POTTER series) Errol was the Weasley family’s first owl in the Harry Potter series. You could argue that, like Pigwidgeon, he’s relatively unimportant, but Errol BRINGS IT in terms of comic relief. He’s an elderly owl with bad eyesight who crashes and gets lost often. Anyone with a heart finds him endearing, though Ron is embarrassed by him because he’s yet another example of his family’s lack of wealth. Note how Ron goes straight for the letter in the clip above and doesn’t even check on Errol after his crash. What a dick. . 7. Owl (WINNIE THE POOH) Owl is pretty clearly the least creatively named member of this list, but he scores bonus points for coming from a beloved staple of my childhood. Owl rarely stands out amongst the Winnie the Pooh characters: he doesn’t have the memorable traits of Tigger’s boundless enthusiasm, Piglet’s constant state of terror, or Rabbit’s sarcastic exasperation. But every once in a while, like in the clip above, he gets the chance to shine.  . 6. The Great Owl (THE SECRET OF NIMH) SECRET OF NIMH came out in 1982, directed by the great Don Bluth, starting a run of animated classics by Bluth. And at least one non-classic, since he also did the aforementioned ROCK-A-DOODLE. But I wonder if part of the reason that the Grand Duke came into being was because of a desire to elaborate on what Bluth accomplished with the Great Owl: unleashing the chance for an owl to be terrifying. But while I ultimately thought the Grand Duke suffered from the plot around him, the Great Owl was a shot in the arm to NIMH. Watch the clip above. He’s nestled himself deep within a tree, covered in webs and surrounded by the bones of his former victims. He reveals himself like an elemental force, casually murdering a spider and towering like the king of the forest that he is. His voice exudes instant gravitas, courtesy of the late John Carradine. His eyes burn yellow and orange and can peer into the depths of your soul. There’s a good chance that the Great Owl is the last thing we all see before we die.  . 5. Mr. Owl (TOOTSIE POPS ads) Mr. Owl starred in this classic commercial for Tootsie Pops, in which he bites to get to the Tootsie Roll center. The ad holds up well, and has inspired a number of parodies. But Mr. Owl is a deceptively interesting character. This kid with the weirdly emphasized ass goes around asking various animals how many licks it takes to get to the center of the sucker, and each animal admits he’s never made it, and refers the kid to another. Finally, we arrive at Mr. Owl, whom Mr. Turtle has told us is “the wisest of us all.” This makes sense, since owls are associated with Athena, goddess of wisdom. And Mr. Owl is drawn to confirm this recommendation, wearing glasses (because glasses=smart) and what appears to be a graduation hat. Now, let’s stop and consider that hat. Did Mr. Owl just graduate? Probably not, since the oldest animal (Mr. Turtle) recognizes his superior wisdom. Is he an owl professor or the administrator at an animal college? Perhaps; that would go along with the wisdom theme, and faculty often wear the graduation hats at their students’ graduation ceremonies. So did Mr. Owl just come from such a ceremony? Maybe, but who wears that hat around all day afterward? No, most likely, Mr. Owl is wearing a graduation hat because he’s not just smart — he wants everyone else to know how smart he is. I can relate; when I want to pretend to be smart, I wear my Oxford hoodie so people can think I’m an alum (I’m not). But being an owl, his attire options are more limited, so he probably keeps the graduation hat on year-round. That analysis, combined with his voice inflection, leads us to the conclusion that Mr. Owl is arrogant. Pompous, even. That foreshadows what is about to happen. Whereas three previous animals all had the humility to admit their inability to get to the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop by only licking, Mr. Owl has no such self-awareness. He grabs the Tootsie Pop from the ass-emphasized child, and begins to take his licks. He does not ask for permission, because he’s Mr. Owl dammit, it’s a fucking honor for him to lick your Tootsie Pop. One, two, three licks, he counts off. Then CRUNCH. He bites the entire rest of the Tootsie Pop off in one bite, leaving nothing but a bare stick, because never forget that he’s still a bird of prey. Mr. Owl cannot even recognize the possibility that he in any way might have faltered; the stick is bare, so it must have been three licks. There’s your answer, ass-kid, and here’s your stick back. Don’t litter, because I know Woodsy Owl.  . 4. Hoots the Owl (SESAME STREET) I’ll be honest: Sesame Street was not quite the foundational program for me that it has been for many kids. I certainly have nothing against it; I just have far fewer memories of it than many other childhood classics. But Hoots automatically gets a huge boost from being created by Jim Henson, who might have been our greatest human. Although he has other hits that would have still put him on this list, Hoots gets this high thanks to the embedded song above, the classic “Put Down the Duckie,” a legitimately rocking song with guest stars ranging from John Candy to Paul Simon to Danny DeVito to Barbara Walters. I could (and have) seriously listen to that all day. The Sesame Street band as a whole might not have been the equal of Electric Mayhem, but “Put Down the Duckie” is the most rocking puppet/muppet song ever. And that’s thanks to Hoots’ jazzy, bluesy, soulful show stopper. That is one cool owl.  . 3. Hedwig (HARRY POTTER series) We arrive at last to THE owl of the Harry Potter series. Hedwig is the first birthday present Harry has ever gotten, courtesy of Hagrid, and earns quick aesthetic points for being a gorgeous Snowy Owl. But Hedwig makes the top three more for her personality. She’s loyal and affectionate to Harry, which he needs during his summers with the abominable Dursleys. But she can also be delightfully surly, reacting with distaste when Harry makes an unappreciated comment or doesn’t let her out of her cage enough. She acts annoyed by Pigwidgeon’s hyperactive behavior, and offended when Harry can’t send her to deliver a letter because she’d be too recognizable. She’s smart, unlike poor old Errol. She must have been a little intimidating; when Harry gives her instructions to not leave without a reply from Ron and Hermione, they have scars to show for their noncompliance. Because ultimately, she’d do anything for Harry. As much as I loved the Harry Potter books, Hedwig’s death was improved by the film version. Whereas Hedwig is hit in her cage by a stray curse in the book, the movie (with a clip above) lets her soar free one last time, striking back at Harry’s attacker and selflessly diving in front of a curse aimed at Harry. That’s how an owl of Hedwig’s caliber should have gone out. Just try not to dwell on the fact that she had to die but the entire Malfoy family got to live.  . 2. Archimedes (SWORD IN THE STONE) Yet another entry with an accompanying Seven Inches drinking game! And we didn’t even coordinate this! As I mentioned in the intro, the idea for this list was born when discussing Hedwig’s place among the all-time great fictional owls. At that time, I had Hedwig second. You see, I completely forgot Archimedes, and that stain is something I’ll have to live with the rest of my life. Not my proudest moment. But watching Archimedes laugh in the clip above might be among my happiest moments. If we could all have one moment of such pure joy as Archimedes has laughing at Merlin, then our lives would be well-lived. Archimedes was voiced by the late Junius Matthews, a veteran voice actor who also did the original voice of Rabbit in various Winnie the Pooh stories. Like with Rabbit, Matthews brought a sarcastic, biting sensibility to Archimedes. This helps Archimedes become one of the greatest Disney sidekicks ever (a list that will have to wait for another day). While Merlin is young Wart/Arthur’s primary teacher, he is also a forgetful old man whose magic often backfires. That leaves plenty of room for Archimedes to either mock the wizard (as above) or help make up the slack. He rescues fish Wart from certain death (Merlin certainly wasn’t going to), thereby saving the entire course of (fake) English history. Then later, he has to take over Wart’s education, both in how to read and to fly, and he stays with Wart after Merlin sullenly leaves. Archimedes combines a lot of the best traits of other owls on this list. He has the brains of Mr. Owl, the sassyness of Hedwig, the parental instincts of Mama Owl, but adds more humor than any of them. He’s a great owl, almost impossible to top. Except by…  . 1. Bubo (CLASH OF THE TITANS) True story: when I was in grade school, I had a teacher do a whole series of lessons on Greek mythology. She made it fun and all us kids got pretty into it. After we’d learned a lot, every student had to do a report on a different Greek god or goddess. However, too many kids all wanted to be Zeus or Apollo or Poseidon, so she came up with some name-drawing order for us to pick our deity in a row, and I got to go first. With the entirety of Greek mythology available to me, I picked … Hephaestus. My classmates were bewildered. Why pick the ugly god who can’t even get a girl? (I just now realized how much this foreshadowed my high school experience.) Because Hephaestus created Bubo, and that was enough for me: In the original 1981 CLASH OF THE TITANS, Athena balks at giving up her pet owl, Bubo, to aid Perseus, despite Zeus’ command, and has Hephaestus forge a mechanical replacement Bubo — whom we should really consider the Bubo, since it’s not like the nonmechanical version does anything. Mechanical Bubo, on the other hand, rocks. The late Ray Harryhausen, the legend of technical effects in his final movie, created Bubo and the other various monsters in CLASH. Harryhausen’s stop motion style adds greatly to Bubo’s charm. Stop motion was rapidly falling out of favor at the time, which makes Bubo (and the whole movie) feel all the more like a throwback to a bygone era. Bubo was the forerunner to Errol, making his mark in his first scene by being bumbling comic relief. But he becomes far more. The climax of the film has Perseus and crew trying to rescue the Princess Andromeda from the monstrous Kraken. Bubo somehow gets there first, because he can outpace a flying horse. The entire city is looking on in horror as the Kraken goes for Andromeda, but Bubo just flies right in and tries to take it on single-handedly. He gets smacked away, but succeeds in distracting the beast long enough for Perseus to get his lazy ass there. Then, because Perseus is literally NOTHING without Bubo, he loses the Medusa head, and Bubo has to shake off a blow from a gigantic sea monster to go retrieve it so Perseus can finally save the day. And that’s why Bubo is the greatest fictional owl ever. In a battle of gods and heroes and monsters, it’s a diminutive mechanical owl with a heart of gold who ultimately wins the day — and our love. « Fan Friction: I Haven’t Seen “Star Wars.” Still a Nerd. Not So Random Power Rankings: The Oscars » 13 Comments PassingReader March 1, 2014 at 3:41 am “Why pick the ugly god who can’t even get a girl?” Hephaestus was wed to Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love. Not exactly hurting in the romance department. REPLY David Youngblood March 1, 2014 at 4:24 am It’s been a while since that grade school report, but I recall Aphrodite being forced to marry Hephaestus, immediately cheating on him, and never having kids with him. If anything, wouldn’t being married to a love goddess who didn’t love you be worse than having no one? But hey, sincerely sweet that the Greek mythology crowd is out for this. Not what I would have guessed for the first comment. REPLY Cookie Monster March 3, 2014 at 6:17 am Your list is bullshit because Hedwig is obviously the best owl. Clearly Harry Potter left a mark on you with three of its magical creatures making your list, and yet, you dismiss the sassy, brave Hedwig to third place for a cackling bully of an owl and another who is so lame he needs a mechanical version to be noted in history. Disappointing. I do have to give you some credit for your appreciation of the infectious laugh of Archimedes and “bumbling” comic relief of Bubo, but it doesn’t make up for your severe oversight. Hedwig acted loyally to Harry “The Chosen One” Potter throughout her life and up to the very end. She had personality and sass. She was an original. She leaves an indelible mark on the minds of anyone who gives a shit about owls. Snowy. Protective. Awesome. That is all. #TeamHedwig REPLY Pingback: “The Land Before Time” Drinking Game - Seven Inches of Your Time Pingback: Homepage Pingback: My Homepage Pingback: Lee Jordan And The Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Bracketology - Seven Inches of Your Time Pingback: who calls me australia Pingback: WonderCon 2014: Sony’s “Deliver Us From Evil” Panel | Pop Insomniacs Pingback: Autobiography in Movies: “X-Men” - Seven Inches of Your Time Pingback: Movie Drinking Game: “The Rescuers” - Seven Inches of Your Time Pingback: Изучения английского языка Pingback: AFI Fest: 'Song of the Sea' Review – Pop InsomniacsPop Insomniacs Furniture Furniture antiques from the Chinese Liao dynasty Main article: Antique furniture Antique furniture is a popular area of antiques because furniture has obvious practical uses as well as collector value. Many collectors use antique furniture pieces in their homes, and care for them with the hope that the value of these items will remain same or appreciate. This is in contrast to buying new furniture, which typically depreciates from the moment of purchase. Antique furniture includes dining tables, chairs, bureaus, chests etc. The most common woods are mahogany, oak, pine, walnut, and rosewood. Chinese antique furniture is often made with elm, a wood common to many regions in Asia. Each wood has a distinctive grain and color. Many modern pieces of furniture use laminate or wood veneer to achieve the same effect. There are a number of different styles of antique furniture depending on when and where it was made. Some examples of stylistic periods are: Arts & Crafts, Georgian, Regency, and Victorian. An important part of some antique furniture is its hardware fittings, the style of which varies from one period to another. For example, Victorian era hardware is different from other period hardware and is perceived to be aesthetically defined; this is the reason for its popularity.[5] See also American Pickers Antiquarian book trade in the United States Antique tool Antiques restoration Antiques Roadshow Authentication Del Mar Antique Show Dolly Johnson Antique and Art Show List of antiques experts Primitive decorating, a style of decorating using antiques Relic The San Francisco Fall Antiques Show Vintage (design) References  "Definition of ANTIQUE". www.merriam-webster.com. Archived from the original on 17 August 2017. Retrieved 6 May 2018.  "The difference between antique, vintage, and collectible item. - Antique HQ". www.antique-hq.com. 13 September 2008. Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 6 May 2018.  "About: A concise history of AACA in the beginning". Antique Automobile Club of America. US. Retrieved 15 June 2014.  Lucie-Smith, Edward, A Concise History of Furniture, p. 13, 1979, Thames & Hudson, World of Art series  Decorative Hardware of the Victorian Era - An American Perspective, DHI Magazine, 11 September 2021 Collecting Collecting CollectableAntiqueAntiquities Terms EphemeraPremiumPrizeSouvenirSpecial edition Topics List of collectablesList of hobbies vte The hobby of collecting includes seeking, locating, acquiring, organizing, cataloging, displaying, storing, and maintaining items that are of interest to an individual collector. Collections differ in a wide variety of respects, most obviously in the nature and scope of the objects contained, but also in purpose, presentation, and so forth. The range of possible subjects for a collection is practically unlimited, and collectors have realised a vast number of these possibilities in practice, although some are much more popular than others. In collections of manufactured items, the objects may be antique or simply collectable. Antiques are collectable items at least 100 years old, while other collectables are arbitrarily recent. The word vintage describes relatively old collectables that are not yet antiques. Collecting is a childhood hobby for some people, but for others a lifelong pursuit or something started in adulthood. Collectors who begin early in life often modify their aims when they get older. Some novice collectors start purchasing items that appeal to them then slowly work at learning how to build a collection, while others prefer to develop some background in the field before starting to buy items. The emergence of the internet as a global forum for different collectors has resulted in many isolated enthusiasts finding each other. A collection of nutcrackers Types of collection text Stamp album used for collecting stamps See also: list of collectables The most obvious way to categorize collections is by the type of objects collected. Most collections are of manufactured commercial items, but natural objects such as birds' eggs, butterflies, rocks, and seashells can also be the subject of a collection. For some collectors, the criterion for inclusion might not be the type of object but some incidental property such as the identity of its original owner. Some collectors are generalists with very broad criteria for inclusion, while others focus on a subtopic within their area of interest. Some collectors accumulate arbitrarily many objects that meet the thematic and quality requirements of their collection, others—called completists or completionists—aim to acquire all items in a well-defined set that can in principle be completed, and others seek a limited number of items per category (e.g. one representative item per year of manufacture or place of purchase).[1] Collecting items by country (e.g. one collectible per country) is very common. The monetary value of objects is important to some collectors but irrelevant to others. Some collectors maintain objects in pristine condition, while others use the items they collect. Value of collected items Herbert Kullmann, picture sale catalogue by Bernheim-Jeune, Paris, May 1914. After a collectable has been purchased, its retail price no longer applies and its value is linked to what is called the secondary market. There is no secondary market for an item unless someone is willing to buy it, and an object's value is whatever the buyer is willing to pay. Depending on age, condition, supply, demand, and other factors, individuals, auctioneers, and secondary retailers may sell a collectable for either more or less than what they originally paid for it. Special or limited edition collectables are created with the goal of increasing demand and value of an item due to its rarity. A price guide is a resource such as a book or website that lists typical selling prices. Products often become more valuable with age. The term antique generally refers to manufactured items made over 100 years ago,[2] although in some fields, such as antique cars, the time frame is less stringent. For antique furniture, the limit has traditionally been set in the 1830s. Collectors and dealers may use the word vintage to describe older collectables that are too young to be called antiques,[3] including Art Deco and Art Nouveau items, Carnival and Depression glass, etc. Items which were once everyday objects but may now be collectable, as almost all examples produced have been destroyed or discarded, are called ephemera. Psychological aspects See also: Psychology of collecting Psychological factors can play a role in both the motivation for keeping a collection and the impact it has on the collector's life. These factors can be positive or negative.[4] The hobby of collecting often goes hand-in-hand with an interest in the objects collected and what they represent, for example collecting postcards may reflect an interest in different places and cultures. For this reason, collecting can have educational benefits, and some collectors even become experts in their field. Maintaining a collection can be a relaxing activity that counteracts the stress of life, while providing a purposeful pursuit which prevents boredom. The hobby can lead to social connections between people with similar interests and the development of new friendships. It has also been shown to be particularly common among academics.[citation needed] Collecting for most people is a choice, but for some it can be a compulsion, sharing characteristics with obsessive hoarding. When collecting is passed between generations, it might sometimes be that children have inherited symptoms of obsessive–compulsive disorder. Collecting can sometimes reflect a fear of scarcity, or of discarding something and then later regretting it. Carl Jung speculated that the widespread appeal of collecting is connected to the hunting and gathering that was once necessary for human survival.[5] Collecting is also associated with memory by association and the need for the human brain to catalogue and organise information and give meaning to ones actions.[citation needed] History "Musei Wormiani Historia", the frontispiece from the Museum Wormianum depicting Ole Worm's cabinet of curiosities Collecting is a practice with a very old cultural history. In Mesopotamia, collecting practices have been noted among royalty and elites as far back as the 3rd millennium BCE.[6] The Egyptian Ptolemaic dynasty collected books from all over the known world at the Library of Alexandria. The Medici family, in Renaissance Florence, made the first effort to collect art by private patronage, this way artists could be free for the first time from the money given by the Church and Kings; this citizenship tradition continues today with the work of private art collectors. Many of the world's popular museums—from the Metropolitan in New York City to the Thyssen in Madrid or the Franz Mayer in Mexico City—have collections formed by the collectors that donated them to be seen by the general public. The collecting hobby is a modern descendant of the "cabinet of curiosities" which was common among scholars with the means and opportunities to acquire unusual items from the 16th century onwards. Planned collecting of ephemeral publications goes back at least to George Thomason in the reign of Charles I and Samuel Pepys in that of Charles II. Collecting engravings and other prints by those whose means did not allow them to buy original works of art also goes back many centuries. The progress in 18th-century Paris of collecting both works of art and of curiosité, dimly echoed in the English curios, and the origins in Paris, Amsterdam and London of the modern art market have been increasingly well documented and studied since the mid-19th century.[7] The involvement of larger numbers of people in collecting activities came with the prosperity and increased leisure for some in the later 19th century in industrial countries. That was when collecting such items as antique china, furniture and decorative items from oriental countries became established. The first price guide was the Stanley Gibbons catalogue issued in November 1865. On the Internet The Internet offers many resources to any collector: personal sites presenting one's collection, tools for tracking conditions and number of items collected, item identification tools, pricing guides, online collectable catalogs, online marketplaces, trading platforms, collector clubs, autograph clubs, collector forums, and collector mailing lists. Some of the most popular collecting websites are StampWorld, Delcampe, and Numista. Some of the most spread collectables online are stamps and coins. Notable collectors Alfred Chester Beatty — various collections Barry Halper — baseball memorabilia Bella Clara Landauer — various, primarily ephemera Charles Wesley Powell — orchids Demi Moore — dolls Donald Kaufman — antique toys Forrest J Ackerman — books and movie memorabilia Geddy Lee — bass guitars George Gustav Heye — Native American artifacts George Weare Braikenridge — primarily art of Bristol Hans Sachs — posters Hans Sloane — natural history Harvey H. Nininger — meteorites Henry Wellcome — medical objects James Allen — antiques and photographs Joaquín Rubio y Muñoz — antique coins J. P. Morgan — various, primarily gems Kenneth W. Rendell — historical documents, primarily World War II King George V — stamps Magnus Walker — Porsches Margaret Bentinck, Duchess of Portland — primarily natural history Philipp von Ferrary — stamps and coins Raleigh DeGeer Amyx — historical memorabilia Sam Wagstaff — various collections Tim Rowett — children's toys and novelties Tom Hanks — typewriters William Dixson — primarily Australiana See also Antique toy show Collectable Ephemera Hoarding Scientific collection Category:Collectors Bibliography Blom, Philipp (2005) To Have and To Hold: an intimate History of collectors and collecting. ISBN 1-58567-377-3 Castruccio, Enrico (2008) "I Collezionisti: usi, costumi, emozioni". Cremona: Persico Edizioni ISBN 88-87207-59-3 Chaney, Edward, ed. (2003) The Evolution of English Collecting. New Haven: Yale University Press Schulz, Charles M. (1984) Charlie Brown's Super Book of Things to Do and Collect: based on the Charles M. Schulz characters. New York: Random House, 1984, paperback, ISBN 0-394-83165-9, (hardcover in library binding ISBN 0-394-93165-3) Redman, Samuel J. (2016) Bone Rooms: From Scientific Racism to Human Prehistory in Museums. Cambridge: Harvard University Press Shamash, Jack, (2013) George V's Obsession – a King and His Stamps Shamash, Jack (2014) The Sociology of Collecting Thomason, Alison Karmel (2005) Luxury and Legitimation: Royal Collecting in Ancient Mesopotamia. Hampshire, U.K.: Ashgate Publishing Limited. van der Grijp, Paul (2006) Passion and Profit: Towards an Anthropology of Collecting. Berlin: LIT Verlag. ISBN 3-8258-9258-1 Notes and references  For example, book collector Rush Hawkins (1831–1920) sought the first and second books from every European printer before 1501, while illuminated manuscript collector Henry Yates Thompson (1838–1928) maintained a collection of exactly 100 items, selling his least preferable items to make room for new ones.  For example, U.S. Customs and Border Protection requires that an antique "must be over 100 years of age at the time of importation". U.S. Customs and Border Protection, CBP Information Center (27 September 2019). "Duty on personal and commercial imports of antiques, artwork". Archived from the original on 14 June 2020. Retrieved 13 June 2020.  For example, the arts and crafts sales website Etsy requires "vintage" items sold on their platform to be "at least 20 years old". "Vintage Items on Etsy". 18 October 2017.[permanent dead link]  Mueller, Shirley M. (2019). Inside the Head of a Collector: Neuropsychological Forces at Play. Seattle. ISBN 978-0-9996522-7-5. OCLC 1083575943.  Schwager, David (17 January 2017). "Why Do We Want This Stuff? Eight Views on the Psychology of Collecting". CoinWeek. Retrieved 16 April 2021.  Thomason, Alison Karmel Thomason (2005). Luxury and Legitimation: Royal Collecting in Ancient Mesopotamia. Hampshire, U.K.: Ashgate Publishing Limited. ISBN 0754602389.  Chronologically some essential works are C. Blanc, Le trésor de la curiosité (1857–58), E. Bonnaffé, Les collectionneurs de l'ancienne France (1873), l. Courajod, La livre-journal de Lazare Duvaux (1873), L. Clément de Ris, Les amateurs d'autrefois (1877), A. Maze-Sencier, Le livre des collectionneurs (1893), G. Reitlinger The Economics of Taste (1961), G. Glorieux's monograph, À l'Enseigne de Gersaint (2002). External links Wikiquote has quotations related to Collecting. Wikimedia Commons has media related to Collecting. Journal of the History of Collections (archived 12 April 2009) Center for the History of Collecting at the Frick Collection (Art collecting) (archived 6 February 2009) "Amass Appeal" Essay by Richard Rubin, AARP Magazine, March/April 2008 (archived 7 September 2012). Mueller, Shirley M. (2019). Inside the Head of a Collector : Neuropsychological Forces at Play. Seattle. ISBN 978-0-9996522-7-5. OCLC 1083575943. vte Cultural heritage and historic preservation Topics and issues Agents of deteriorationArchival processingArchaeological scienceArchaeologyArchiveBioarchaeologyCalendar (archive)Conservation and restoration of cultural propertyConservation and restoration of immovable cultural propertyConservation and restoration of movable cultural propertyConservation science (cultural property)CollectingCollection (museum)Collection catalogCollections maintenanceCollections managementCollections management systemCultural heritageCultural heritage managementCultural propertyCultural property documentationCultural property exhibitionCultural property imagingCultural property storageCultural resources managementDatabase preservationDeaccessioning (museum)Digital libraryDigital photograph restorationDigital preservationDisaster preparedness (cultural property)Film preservationFinding aidFondsFound in collectionHeritage assetHeritage scienceInherent viceIntangible cultural heritageIntegrated pest management (cultural property)Inventory (library and archive)Inventory (museum)Media preservationMold control and prevention (library and archive)MuseumOptical media preservationPreservation (library and archive)Preservation metadataPreservation surveyProvenanceRepatriationRuinsSustainable preservationTreasureWeb archiving Roles and expertise ArchivistArt dealerArt handlerAuctioneerCollection managerConservator-restorerConservation scientistConservation technicianCuratorExhibition designerMount makerObjects conservatorPaintings conservatorPhotograph conservatorPreservationistRegistrar (cultural property)Textile conservator Methods and techniques Aging (artwork)AnastylosisArrested decayCradling (paintings)Cultural property radiographyDetachment of wall paintingsDesmet methodDisplay caseDigital repository audit method based on risk assessmentHistoric paint analysisInpaintingKintsugiLeafcastingLining of paintingsMass deacidificationOverpaintingPaleo-inspirationPaper splittingReconstruction (architecture)RissverklebungTextile stabilizationTransfer of panel paintingsUVC-based preservationVisualAudio Conservation and restoration of immovable cultural property by item type Archaeological sitesFrescosHeritage railwaysHistoric gardensOutdoor artworksOutdoor bronze objectsOutdoor murals Conservation and restoration of movable cultural property by item type AircraftAncient Greek potteryBone, horn, and antler objectsBooks, manuscripts, documents and ephemeraCeramic objectsClocksCopper-based objectsFeathersFilmFlags and bannersFur objectsGlass objectsHerbariaHuman remainsIlluminated manuscriptsInsect specimensIron and steel objectsIvory objectsJudaicaLacquerwareLeather objectsLighthousesMetalsMusical instrumentsNeon objectsNew media artPaintingsPainting framesPanel paintingsPapyrusParchmentPerformance artPhotographsPhotographic platesPlastic objectsRail vehiclesRoad vehiclesShipwreck artifactsSilver objectsSouth Asian household shrinesStained glassTaxidermyTextilesTibetan thangkasTime-based media artTotem polesVinyl discsWoodblock printsWooden artifactsWooden furniture Intangible cultural heritage preservation Ancient musicApplied folkloreDance notationEarly musicEndangered languageEthnochoreologyEthnomusicologyEthnopoeticsFamily folkloreFolkloreFolk artFolk danceFolk etymologyFolk instrumentFolk medicineFolk musicFolk processFolk playFoodwaysFolklore studiesHeritage languageHeritage language learningIndigenous intellectual propertyIndigenous cultureIndigenous languageLanguage deathLanguage preservationLanguage revitalizationLiving historyOral history preservationPreservation of meaningPrimitive musicTradition preservationTraditional knowledge Notable projects Conservation issues of Pompeii and HerculaneumConservation-restoration of Ecce Homo by Elías García MartínezConservation-restoration of The Gross Clinic by Thomas EakinsConservation-restoration of Leonardo da Vinci's The Last SupperPompeian frescoesConservation-restoration of the Shroud of TurinConservation-restoration of the Sistine Chapel frescoesConservation-restoration of the Statue of LibertyConservation-restoration of the H.L. HunleyConservation response to flood of Arno, FlorenceModern and Contemporary Art Research InitiativePreservation Metadata: Implementation Strategies Authority control: National libraries Edit this at Wikidata GermanyCzech Republic Categories: CollectingCollections careMuseologyMuseum collectionsLifestyles Sovereign (British coin) United Kingdom Value £1 Mass 7.98805 g Diameter 22.0 mm Thickness 1.52 mm Edge Milled (some not intended for circulation have plain edge) Composition .917 gold, .083 copper or other metals Gold 0.2354 troy oz Years of minting 1817–present Mint marks Various. Found on reverse on exergue between design and date for Saint George and the Dragon sovereigns, and under the wreath for shield back sovereigns, or below bust on obverse on earlier Australian issues. Obverse 1959 sovereign Elizabeth II obverse.jpg Design The British monarch currently depicted on the coinage (Elizabeth II depicted here) Reverse 1959 Elizabeth II sovereign reverse.jpg Design Saint George and the Dragon Designer Benedetto Pistrucci Design date 1817 The sovereign is a British gold coin with a nominal value of one pound sterling (£1) and contains 0.2354 troy oz of pure gold. Struck since 1817, it was originally a circulating coin that was accepted in Britain and elsewhere in the world; it is now a bullion coin and is sometimes mounted in jewellery. In addition, circulation strikes and proof examples are often collected for their numismatic value. In most recent years, it has borne the design of Saint George and the Dragon on the reverse; the initials (B P) of the designer, Benedetto Pistrucci, are visible to the right of the date. The coin was named after the English gold sovereign, which was last minted about 1603, and originated as part of the Great Recoinage of 1816. Many in Parliament believed a one-pound coin should be issued rather than the 21-shilling guinea that was struck until that time. The Master of the Mint, William Wellesley Pole had Pistrucci design the new coin; his depiction was also used for other gold coins. Originally, the coin was unpopular because the public preferred the convenience of banknotes but paper currency of value £1 was soon limited by law. With that competition gone, the sovereign became a popular circulating coin, and was used in international trade and overseas, being trusted as a coin containing a known quantity of gold. The British government promoted the use of the sovereign as an aid to international trade, and the Royal Mint took steps to see lightweight gold coins were withdrawn from circulation. From the 1850s until 1932, the sovereign was also struck at colonial mints, initially in Australia and later in Canada, South Africa and India—they have again been struck in India for the local market since 2013, in addition to the production in Britain by the Royal Mint. The sovereigns issued in Australia initially carried a unique local design but by 1887, all new sovereigns bore Pistrucci's George and Dragon design. Strikings there were so large that by 1900, about forty per cent of the sovereigns in Britain had been minted in Australia. With the start of the First World War in 1914, the sovereign vanished from circulation in Britain; it was replaced by paper money and did not return after the war, though issues at colonial mints continued until 1932. The coin was still used in the Middle East and demand rose in the 1950s, to which the Royal Mint eventually responded by striking new sovereigns in 1957. Since then, it has been struck both as a bullion coin and beginning in 1979 for collectors. Although the sovereign is no longer in circulation, it is still legal tender in the United Kingdom. Background and authorisation Gold coin showing a woman seated on a throne Sovereign of Queen Mary I, c. 1553 There had been an English coin known as the sovereign, first authorised by Henry VII in 1489. It had a diameter of 42 millimetres (1.7 in), and weighed 15.55 grams (0.500 oz t), twice the weight of the existing gold coin, the ryal. The new coin was struck in response to a large influx of gold into Europe from West Africa in the 1480s, and Henry at first called it the double ryal, but soon changed the name to sovereign.[1] Too great in value to have any practical use in circulation, the original sovereign likely served as a presentation piece to be given to dignitaries.[2] The English sovereign, the country's first coin to be valued at one pound,[3] was struck by the monarchs of the 16th century, the size and fineness often being altered. James I, when he came to the English throne in 1603, issued a sovereign in the year of his accession,[4] but the following year, soon after he proclaimed himself King of Great Britain, France[a] and Ireland, he issued a proclamation for a new twenty-shilling piece. About ten per cent lighter than the final sovereigns, the new coin was called the unite, symbolising that James had merged the Scottish and English crowns.[5] In the 1660s, following the Restoration of Charles II and the mechanisation of the Royal Mint that quickly followed, a new twenty-shilling gold coin was issued. It had no special name at first but the public soon nicknamed it the guinea and this became the accepted term.[6] Coins were at the time valued by their precious metal content, and the price of gold relative to silver rose soon after the guinea's issuance. Thus, it came to trade at 21 shillings or even sixpence more. Popular in commerce, the coin's value was set by the government at 21 shillings in silver in 1717, and was subject to revision downwards, though in practice this did not occur.[7] The term sovereign, referring to a coin, fell from use—it does not appear in Samuel Johnson's dictionary, compiled in the 1750s.[8] Old piece of paper money A £1 note issued in 1814 by the Gloucester Old Bank The British economy was disrupted by the Napoleonic Wars, and gold was hoarded. Among the measures taken to allow trade to continue was the issue of one-pound banknotes. The public came to like them as more convenient than the odd-value guinea. After the war, Parliament, by the Coinage Act 1816, placed Britain officially on the gold standard, with the pound to be defined as a given quantity of gold. Almost every speaker supported having a coin valued at twenty shillings, rather than continuing to use the guinea.[9] Nevertheless, the Coinage Act did not specify which coins the Mint should strike.[10] A committee of the Privy Council recommended gold coins of ten shillings, twenty shillings, two pounds and five pounds be issued, and this was accepted by George, Prince Regent on 3 August 1816.[11] The twenty-shilling piece was named a sovereign, with the resurrection of the old name possibly promoted by antiquarians with numismatic interests.[8] Creation A sovereign with the bust of George III on the obverse and Saint George slaying the dragon on the reverse 1817 sovereign of George III William Wellesley Pole, elder brother of the Duke of Wellington, was appointed Master of the Mint (at that time a junior government position) in 1812, with a mandate to reform the Royal Mint. Pole had favoured retaining the guinea, due to the number extant and the amount of labour required to replace them with sovereigns.[12] Formal instruction to the Mint came with an indenture dated February 1817, directing the Royal Mint to strike gold sovereigns.[13] As one troy pound (12 troy ounces) of 22-karat gold used to be minted into 441⁄2 guineas worth 44.5*£11⁄20 = £4629⁄40, each troy pound of 22K gold was henceforth minted into 46.725 sovereigns, with each coin weighing 7.98805 g (0.256822 ozt, 123.274 grains) and containing 7.32238 g (0.235420 ozt) fine gold.[b] The Italian sculptor Benedetto Pistrucci came to London early in 1816. His talent opened the doors of the capital's elite,[15] among them Lady Spencer, who showed Pistrucci a model in wax of Saint George and the Dragon by Nathaniel Marchant and commissioned him to reproduce it in the Greek style as part of her husband's regalia as a Knight of the Garter. Pistrucci had already been thinking of such a work, and he produced the cameo.[16] The model for the saint was an Italian waiter at Brunet's Hotel in Leicester Square, where he had stayed after coming to London.[17] In 1816, Pole hired Pistrucci to create models for the new coinage.[18] After completing Lady Spencer's commission, by most accounts, Pistrucci suggested to Pole that an appropriate subject for the sovereign would be Saint George.[19][20] He created a head, in jasper, of King George III, to be used as model for the sovereign and the smaller silver coins. He had prepared a model in wax of Saint George and the Dragon for use on the crown; this was adapted for the sovereign. The Royal Mint's engravers were not able to successfully reproduce Pistrucci's imagery in steel, and the sculptor undertook the engraving of the dies himself.[21] Pistrucci's George and Dragon design The Saint George and Dragon design sketched on paper Pistrucci's original sketch for the sovereign Pistrucci's design for the reverse of the sovereign features Saint George on horseback. His left hand clutches the rein of the horse's bridle, and he does not wear armour, other than on his lower legs and feet, with his toes bare. Further protection is provided by the helmet, with, on early issues, a streamer or plume of hair floating behind. Also flowing behind the knight is his chlamys, or cloak; it is fastened in front by a fibula. George's right shoulder bears a balteus for suspending the gladius, the sword that he grasps in his right hand.[22] He is otherwise naked[23]—the art critic John Ruskin later considered it odd that the saint should be unclothed going into such a violent encounter.[24] The saint's horse appears to be half attacking, half shrinking from the dragon, which lies wounded by George's spear and in the throes of death.[23] A gold coin with a man's head on one side and a crowned heraldic shield on the other The sovereign replaced the guinea. The original 1817 design had the saintly knight still carrying part of his broken spear. This was changed to a sword when the garter that originally surrounded the design was eliminated in 1821, and George is intended to have broken his spear earlier in the encounter with the dragon.[25] Also removed in 1821 was the plume of hair, or streamer, behind George's helmet; it was restored in 1887,[26] modified in 1893 and 1902,[22] and eliminated in 2009.[27] The George and Dragon design is in the Neoclassical style. When Pistrucci created the coin, Neoclassicism was all the rage in London, and he may have been inspired by the Elgin Marbles, which were exhibited from 1807, and which he probably saw soon after his arrival in London. Pistrucci's sovereign was unusual for a British coin of the 19th century in not having a heraldic design, but this was consistent with Pole's desire to make the sovereign look as different from the guinea as possible.[28] Circulation years (1817–1914) Early years (1817–1837) "Whereas We have thought fit to order that certain Pieces of Gold Money should be coined, which should be called 'Sovereigns or Twenty Shilling Pieces', each of which should be of the Value of Twenty Shillings, and that each Piece should be of the Weight of Five Pennyweights Three Grains 2,740⁄10,000 Troy Weight of Standard Gold ... And We have further thought fit to order that every such Piece of Gold Money, so ordered to be coined as aforesaid, shall have for the Obverse Impression the Head of His Majesty, with the Inscription 'Georgius III. D.G: Britanniar. Rex. F. D.' and the Date of the Year; and for the Reverse the Image of St. George armed sitting on Horseback encountering the Dragon with a Spear, the said Device being placed within the ennobled Garter, bearing the Motto 'Honi soit qui mal y pense', with a newly invented Graining on the Edge of the Piece." —Proclamation of George, Prince Regent 1 July 1817[29] When the sovereign entered circulation in late 1817, it was not initially popular, as the public preferred the convenience of the banknotes the sovereign had been intended to replace. Lack of demand meant that mintages dropped from 2,347,230 in 1818 to 3,574 the following year.[30] Another reason why few sovereigns were struck in 1819 was a proposal, eventually rejected, by economist David Ricardo to eliminate gold as a coinage metal, though making it available on demand from the Bank of England. Once this plan was abandoned in 1820, the Bank encouraged the circulation of gold sovereigns, but acceptance among the British public was slow. As difficulties over the exchange of wartime banknotes were overcome, the sovereign became more popular, and with low-value banknotes becoming scarcer, in 1826 Parliament prohibited the issuance of notes with a value of less than five pounds in England and Wales.[31] The early sovereigns were heavily exported; in 1819, Robert Peel estimated that of the some £5,000,000 in gold struck in France since the previous year, three-quarters of the gold used had come from the new British coinage, melted down.[31] Many more sovereigns were exported to France in the 1820s as the metal alloyed with the gold included silver, which could be profitably recovered, with the gold often returned to Britain and struck again into sovereigns. Beginning in 1829, the Mint was able to eliminate the silver, but the drain on sovereigns from before then continued.[32] George III died in January 1820, succeeded by George, Prince Regent, as George IV. Mint officials decided to continue to use the late king's head on coinage for the remainder of the year.[33] For King George IV's coinage, Pistrucci modified the George and Dragon reverse, eliminating the surrounding Garter ribbon and motto, with a reeded border substituted. Pistrucci also modified the figure of the saint, placing a sword in his hand in place of the broken lance seen previously, eliminating the streamer from his helmet, and refining the look of the cloak.[34] The obverse design for George IV's sovereigns featured a "Laureate head" of George IV, based on the bust Pistrucci had prepared for the Coronation medal. The new version was authorised by an Order in Council of 5 May 1821. These were struck every year between 1821 and 1825, but the king was unhappy with the depiction of him and requested a new one be prepared, based on a more flattering bust by Francis Chantrey. Pistrucci refused to copy the work of another artist and was barred from further work on the coinage. Second Engraver (later Chief Engraver) William Wyon was assigned to translate Chantrey's bust into a coin design, and the new sovereign came into use during 1825. It did not bear the George and Dragon design, as the new Master of the Mint, Thomas Wallace, disliked several of the current coinage designs, and had Jean Baptiste Merlen of the Royal Mint prepare new reverse designs.[35] The new reverse for the sovereign featured the Ensigns Armorial, or royal arms of the United Kingdom, crowned, with the lions of England seen in two of the quarters, balanced by those of Scotland and the harp of Ireland. Set on the shield are the arms of Hanover,[c] again crowned, depicting the armorial bearings of Brunswick, Lüneburg and Celle. The George and Dragon design would not again appear on the sovereign until 1871.[36] William IV's accession in 1830 upon the death of his brother George IV led to new designs for the sovereign, with the new king's depiction engraved by William Wyon based on a bust by Chantrey. Two slightly different busts were used, with what is usually called the "first bust" used for most 1831 circulating pieces (the first year of production) and some from 1832, with the "second bust" used for the prototype pattern coins that year, as well as for proof coins of 1831, some from 1832 and taking over entirely by 1833. The reverse shows another depiction by Merlen of the Ensigns Armorial, with the date accompanied by the Latin word Anno, or "in the year". These were struck every year until the year of the king's death, 1837.[37] Victorian era Gold coin with Queen Victoria on the obverse and the royal shield within a wreath on the other 1842 "Shield reverse" sovereign The accession of Queen Victoria in 1837 ended the personal union between Britain and Hanover, as under the latter's Salic Law, a woman could not take the Hanoverian throne. Thus, both sides of the sovereign had to be changed.[38] Wyon designed his "Young head" portrait of the Queen, which he engraved, for the obverse, and Merlen engraved the reverse, depicting the royal arms inside a wreath, and likely played some part in designing it. The new coin was approved on 26 February 1838, and with the exception of 1840 and 1867, the "shield back" sovereign was struck at the Royal Mint in London every year from 1838 to 1874.[39] Sovereigns struck in London with the shield design between 1863 and 1874 bear small numbers under the shield, representing which coinage die was used. Records of why the numbers were used are not known to survive, with one widely printed theory that they were used to track die wear.[40] George Frederick Ansell states in his 1870 book The Royal Mint, Its Workings, Conduct, And Operations Fully And Practically Explained that "the reverse die has been made to carry, in addition to its recognised device, a small number, with a view to determine at which coining press, and on what particular day, the numbered die was used, that bad work might be traced to an individual."[41] By 1850, some £94 million in sovereigns and half sovereigns had been struck and circulated widely, well beyond Britain's shores, a dispersion aided by the British government, who saw the sovereign's use as an auxiliary to their imperialist ambitions. Gold is a soft metal, and the hazards of circulation tended to make sovereigns lightweight over time. In 1838, when the legacy of James Smithson was converted into gold in preparation for transmission to the United States, American authorities requested recently-struck sovereigns, likely to maximise the quantity of gold when the sovereigns were melted after arrival in the United States.[42] The weight of a newly-struck sovereign was intended to be 123.274 grains (7.98805 g). It ceased to be legal currency for £1 if found to weigh less than 1221⁄2 grains[43][d] (i.e. a deficiency of 11⁄2 pence in gold per sovereign). By the early 1840s, the Bank of England estimated that twenty per cent of the gold coins that came into its hands were lightweight. In part to boost the sovereign's reputation in trade, the Bank undertook a programme of recoinage, melting lightweight gold coins and using the gold for new, full-weight ones.[42] Between 1842 and 1845, the Bank withdrew and had recoined some £14 million in lightweight gold, about one-third the amount of that metal in circulation. This not only kept the sovereign to standard, it probably removed most of the remaining guineas still in commerce.[47] The unlucky holder of a lightweight gold coin could only turn it in as bullion, would lose at least 11⁄2 pence because of the lightness and often had to pay an equal amount to cover the Bank of England's costs.[48] There was also increased quality control within the Royal Mint; by 1866, every gold and silver coin was weighed individually.[49] The result of these efforts was that the sovereign became, in Sir John Clapham's later phrase, the "chief coin of the world".[50] The California Gold Rush and other discoveries of the 1840s and 1850s boosted the amount of available gold and also the number of sovereigns struck, with £150 million in sovereigns and half sovereigns coined between 1850 and 1875. The wear problem continued: it was estimated that, on average, a sovereign became lightweight after fifteen years in circulation. The Coinage Act 1870 tightened standards at the Royal Mint, requiring sovereigns to be individually tested at the annual Trial of the Pyx rather than in bulk.[51] These standards resulted in a high rejection rate for newly coined sovereigns, though less than for the half sovereign, which sometimes exceeded 50 per cent.[52] When the Royal Mint was rebuilt in 1882, a decisive factor in shutting down production for renovation rather than moving to a new mint elsewhere was the Bank of England's report that there was an abnormally large stock of sovereigns and that no harm would result if they could not be coined in London for a year.[53] Advances in technology allowed sovereigns to be individually weighed by automated machines at the Bank of England by the 1890s, and efforts to keep the coin at full weight were aided by an 1889 Act of Parliament which allowed redemption of lightweight gold coin at full face value, with the loss from wear to fall upon the government.[51] The Coinage Act 1889 also authorised the Bank of England to redeem worn gold coins from before Victoria's reign, but on 22 November 1890 all gold coins from before her reign were called in by Royal Proclamation and demonetised effective 28 February 1891.[54] Owing to an ongoing programme to melt and recoin lightweight pieces, estimates of sovereigns in trade weighing less than the legal minimum had fallen to about four per cent by 1900.[51] A metal balance with slots Counterfeit detector. A fake will pass one test (weight or fit) and fail the other. The sovereign was seen in fiction: in Dickens' Oliver Twist, Mrs Bumble is paid £25 in sovereigns for her information. Joseph Conrad, in his novels set in Latin America, refers several times to ship's captains keeping sovereigns as a ready store of value. Although many sovereigns were melted down for recoining on reaching a foreign land (as were those for the Smithsonian) it was regarded as a circulating coin in dozens of British colonies and even in nations such as Brazil and Portugal;[55] the latter accepted it at a value of 4,500 reis.[56] In 1871, the Deputy Master of the Mint, Charles Fremantle, restored the Pistrucci George and Dragon design to the sovereign, as part of a drive to beautify the coinage.[57] The return of Saint George was approved by the Queen, and authorised by an Order in Council dated 14 January 1871. The two designs were struck side by side in London from 1871 to 1874, and at the Australian branch mints until 1887, after which the Pistrucci design alone was used.[58] The saint returned to the rarely-struck two- and five-pound pieces in 1887, and was placed on the half sovereign in 1893.[59] Wyon's "Young head" of Queen Victoria for the sovereign's obverse was struck from 1838 until 1887, when it was replaced by the "Jubilee head" by Joseph Boehm.[60] That obverse was criticised and was replaced in 1893 by the "Old head" by Thomas Brock.[61] Victoria's death in 1901 led to a new obverse for her son and successor, Edward VII by George William de Saulles, which began production in 1902; Edward's death in 1910 necessitated a new obverse for his son, George V by Bertram Mackennal. Pistrucci's George and Dragon design continued on the reverse.[62] Branch mint coinage Gold coin with a crown on one side and the denomination of one pound on the other The 1852 Adelaide Pound (on average) contains 8.75 grams of gold (0.9170 fine) and weighs 0.2580 of an ounce.[63] The 1851 discovery of gold in Australia quickly led to calls from the local populace for the establishment of a branch of the Royal Mint in the colonies there. Authorities in Adelaide did not wait for London to act, but set up an assay office, striking what became known as the "Adelaide Pound". In 1853, an Order in Council approved the establishment of the Sydney Mint; the Melbourne Mint would follow in 1872, and the Perth Mint in 1899.[64] The act which regulated currency in New South Wales came into force on 18 July 1855 and stipulated that the gold coins were to be called sovereigns and half sovereigns. They were also to be the same weight, fineness and value as other sovereigns.[65] Sovereign, 1855, from original gold coin, Sydney Mint, State Library of New South Wales, [http://archival.sl.nsw.gov.au/Details/archive/110493273 SAFE/DN/C 1 Early issues for Sydney, until 1870, depicted a bust of Victoria similar to those struck in Britain, but with a wreath of banksia, native to Australia, in her hair. The reverse was distinctive as well, with the name of the mint, the word AUSTRALIA and the denomination ONE SOVEREIGN on the reverse.[64] These coins were not initially legal tender outside Australia, as there were concerns about the design and about the light colour of the gold used (due to a higher percentage of silver in the alloy) but from 1866 Australian sovereigns were legal tender alongside those struck in London. Beginning in 1870, the designs were those used in London, though with a mint mark "S" or "M" (or, later, "P") denoting their origin. The mints at Melbourne and Sydney were allowed to continue striking the shield design even though it had been abandoned at the London facility, and did so until 1887 due to local popularity. The large issues of the colonial mints meant that by 1900, about forty per cent of the sovereigns circulating in Britain were from Australia.[64][66] Dies for the Australian coinage were made at London.[67] Gold coin in a red card 2017-I sovereign in card of issue Following the Klondike Gold Rush, the Canadian Government asked for the establishment of a Royal Mint branch in Canada. It was not until 1908 that what is now the Royal Canadian Mint, in Ottawa, opened, and it struck sovereigns with the mint mark "C" from 1908 to 1919, except 1912 and 1915, each year in small numbers.[68] Branch mints at Bombay (1918; mint mark "I") and Pretoria (1923–1932; mint mark "SA") also struck sovereigns. Melbourne and Perth stopped striking sovereigns after 1931, with Sydney having closed in 1926.[69] The 1932 sovereigns struck at Pretoria were the last to be issued intended as currency at their face value.[70] To address the high demand for gold coins in the Indian market, which does not allow gold coins to be imported,[71] the minting of gold sovereigns in India with mint mark I has resumed since 2013. Indian/Swiss joint venture company MMTC-PAMP mints under licence in its facility close to Delhi with full quality control from the Royal Mint.[72] The coins are legal tender in the United Kingdom.[73] Trade coin (1914–1979) Poster depicting the gold sovereign with text urging support for the British cause in the First World War First World War propaganda poster featuring the sovereign coin In the late 19th century, several Chancellors of the Exchequer had questioned the wisdom of having much of Britain's stock of gold used in coinage. Lord Randolph Churchill proposed relying less on gold coinage and moving to high-value silver coins, and the short-lived double florin or four-shilling piece is a legacy of his views. Churchill's successor, George Goschen, urged issuing banknotes to replace the gold coins, saying he preferred £20 million in gold in the Bank of England to thirty million sovereigns in the hands of the public. Fears that widespread forgery of banknotes would shake confidence in the pound ended his proposal.[74] In March 1914, John Maynard Keynes noted that the large quantities of gold arriving from South Africa were making the sovereign even more important. "The combination of the demand for sovereigns in India and Egypt with London's situation as the distributing centre of the South African gold is rapidly establishing the sovereign as the predominant gold coin of the world. Possibly it may be destined to hold in the future the same kind of international position as was held for several centuries, in the days of a silver standard, by the Mexican dollar."[75] As Britain moved towards war in the July Crisis of 1914, many sought to convert Bank of England notes into gold, and the bank's reserves of the metal fell from £27 million on 29 July to £11 million on 1 August. Following the declaration of war against Germany on 4 August, the government circulated one-pound and ten-shilling banknotes in place of the sovereign and half sovereign.[76] Restrictions were placed on sending gold abroad, and the melting-down of coin made an offence.[77] Not all were enthusiastic about the change from gold to paper: J.J. Cullimore Allen, in his 1965 book on sovereigns, recalled meeting his first payroll after the change to banknotes, with the workers dubious about the banknotes and initially asking to be paid in gold. Allen converted five sovereigns from his own pocket into notes, and the workers made no further objection.[78] Conversion into gold was not forbidden, but the Chancellor, David Lloyd George, made it clear that such actions would be unpatriotic and would harm the war effort. Few insisted on payment in gold in the face of such appeals, and by mid-1915, the sovereign was rarely seen in London commerce. The coin was depicted on propaganda posters, which urged support for the war.[76] Although sovereigns continued to be struck at London until the end of 1917, they were mostly held as part of the nation's gold reserves, or were paid out for war debts to the United States.[79] They were still used as currency in some foreign countries, especially in the Middle East.[80] Sovereigns continued to be struck at the Australian mints, where different economic circumstances prevailed. After the war, the sovereign did not return to commerce in Britain, with the pieces usually worth more as gold than as currency. In 1925, the Chancellor, Winston Churchill, secured the passage of the Gold Standard Act 1925, restoring Britain to that standard, but with gold to be kept in reserve rather than as a means of circulation. The effort failed—Churchill regarded it as the worst mistake of his life—but some lightweight sovereigns were melted and restruck dated 1925, and were released only later. Many of the Australian pieces struck in the postwar period were to back currency, while the South African sovereigns were mostly for export and to pay workers at the gold mines.[81][82] By the time Edward VIII came to the throne in 1936, there was no question of issuing sovereigns for circulation, but pieces were prepared as part of the traditional proof set of coins issued in the coronation year. With a bust of King Edward by Humphrey Paget and the date 1937, these sovereigns were not authorised by royal proclamation prior to Edward VIII's abdication in December 1936, and are considered pattern coins.[83] Extremely rare, one sold in 2020 for £1,000,000, setting what was then a record (since broken) for a British coin.[84][85] Sovereigns in proof condition dated 1937 were struck for Edward's brother and successor, George VI, also designed by Paget, the only sovereigns to bear George's effigy. The 1925-dated George V sovereign was restruck in 1949, 1951 and 1952, lowering the value of the original, of which only a few had hitherto been known.[86] These were struck to meet the need for sovereigns, and to maintain the skills of the Royal Mint in striking them.[87] The sovereign remained popular as a trade coin in the Middle East and elsewhere following the Second World War. The small strikings of 1925-dated sovereigns in the postwar period were not enough to meet the demand, which was met in part by counterfeiters in Europe and the Middle East, who often put full value of gold in the pieces. A counterfeiting prosecution was brought, to which the defence was made that the sovereign was no longer a current coin. The judge directed an acquittal although the sovereign remained legal tender under the Coinage Act 1870.[88] Sovereigns were struck in 1953, the coronation year of Elizabeth II, bearing the portrait of her by Mary Gillick, though the gold pieces were placed only in the major museums.[89] A 1953 sovereign sold at auction in 2014 for £384,000.[73] In 1957, the Treasury decided to defend the status of the sovereign, both by continuing prosecutions and by issuing new pieces with the current date.[89] Elizabeth II sovereigns bearing Gillick's portrait were struck as bullion pieces between 1957 and 1959, and from 1962 to 1968.[90] The counterfeiting problem was minimised by the striking of about 45,000,000 sovereigns by 1968, and efforts by Treasury solicitors which resulted in the sovereign's acceptance as legal tender by the highest courts of several European nations.[91] In 1966, the Wilson government placed restrictions on the holding of gold coins to prevent hoarding against inflation, with collectors required to obtain a licence from the Bank of England. This proved ineffective, as it drove gold dealing underground, and was abandoned in 1970.[92] The sovereign's role in popular culture continued: in the 1957 novel From Russia, with Love, Q issues James Bond with a briefcase, the handle of which contains 50 sovereigns. When held at gunpoint on the Orient Express by Red Grant, Bond uses the gold to distract Grant, leading to the villain's undoing.[93] The sovereign survived both decimalisation and the Royal Mint's move from London to Llantrisant, Wales. The last of the Gillick sovereigns had been struck in 1968; when production resumed in 1974, it was with a portrait by Arnold Machin.[94] The last coin minted at Tower Hill, in 1975, was a sovereign.[95] Bullion and collectors coin (1979 to present) From 1979, the sovereign was issued as a coin for the bullion market, but was also struck by the Royal Mint in proof condition for collectors, and this issuance of proof coins has continued annually. In 1985, the Machin portrait of Elizabeth was replaced by one by Raphael Maklouf.[96] Striking of bullion sovereigns had been suspended after 1982, and so the Maklouf portrait, struck every year but 1989 until the end of 1997, is seen on the sovereign only in proof condition.[97] In 1989, a commemorative sovereign, the first, was issued for the 500th anniversary of Henry VII's sovereign. The coin, designed by Bernard Sindall, evokes the designs of that earlier piece, showing Elizabeth enthroned and facing front, as Henry appeared on the old English sovereign. The reverse of the 1489 piece depicts a double Tudor rose fronted by the royal arms; a similar design with updated arms graces the reverse of the 1989 sovereign.[98] Reverse of the 2020 sovereign Ian Rank-Broadley designed the fourth bust of Elizabeth to be used on the sovereign, and this went into use in 1998 and was used until 2015. Bullion sovereigns began to be issued again in 2000, and this has continued.[99] A special reverse design was used in 2002 for the Golden Jubilee, with an adaptation of the royal arms on a shield by Timothy Noad recalling the 19th-century "shield back" sovereigns.[100] The years 2005 and 2012 (the latter, Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee) saw interpretations of the George and Dragon design, the first by Noad, the later by Paul Day. In 2009, the reverse was re-engraved using tools from the reign of George III in the hope of better capturing Pistrucci's design.[101] A new portrait of the Queen by Jody Clark was introduced during 2015, and some sovereigns were issued with the new bust. The most recent special designs, in 2016 and 2017, were only for collectors. The 2016 collector's piece, for Elizabeth's 90th birthday, has a one-year-only portrait of her on the obverse designed by James Butler. The 2017 collector's piece returned to Pistrucci's original design of 1817 for the modern sovereign's 200th birthday, with the Garter belt and motto. A piedfort was also minted, and the bullion sovereign struck at Llantrisant, though retaining the customary design, was given a privy mark with the number 200.[102][103] For 2022, a reverse design by Noad in honour of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, depicting his interpretation of the Royal Coat of Arms was used.[104] Following the death of Elizabeth II in September 2022, the Royal Mint announced the issue of sovereigns showing the new king, Charles III on the obverse, and with a depiction of the Royal Arms by Clark, chosen in memory of Elizabeth and her long reign. When they began accepting orders on 15 November, there was such demand that visitors to the Mint's website were placed in virtual queues.[105] Collecting, other use and tax treatment A gold coin Sydney Mint sovereign, 1857 Many of the variant designs of the sovereign since 1989 have been intended to appeal to coin collectors, as have the other gold coins based on the sovereign, from the quarter sovereign to the five-sovereign piece. To expedite matters, the Royal Mint is authorised to sell gold sovereigns directly to the public, rather than having its output channelled through the Bank of England as was once the case.[106] As a legal tender coin, the sovereign is exempt from capital gains tax for UK residents.[107] As well as being used as a circulating coin, the sovereign has entered fashion: some men in the 19th century placed one on their pocket watch chains (seen as a sign of integrity),[108] and others carried them in a small purse linked to the chain.[109] These customs vanished with the popularisation of the wrist watch. Women also have worn sovereigns, as bangles or ear rings.[108] In the 21st century, the wearing of a sovereign ring has been seen as a sign of chav culture.[110] The staff carried by the Gentleman or Lady Usher of the Black Rod (known as Black Rod) as a symbol of office, and used to strike the door of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom during the State Opening of Parliament, has a sovereign inset into one of its ends.[111] Coin auction houses deal in rare sovereigns of earlier date, as do specialist dealers.[112] As well as the 1937 Edward VIII and 1953 Elizabeth II sovereigns, rare dates in the series include the 1819,[113] and the 1863 piece with the number "827" on the obverse in place of William Wyon's initials. The 827 likely is an ingot number, used for some sort of experiment, though research has not conclusively established this.[114] Few 1879 sovereigns were struck at London, and those that remain are often well-worn.[58] Only 24,768 of the Adelaide Pound were struck; surviving specimens are rare and highly prized.[115] The sovereign itself has been the subject of commemoration; in 2005, the Perth Mint issued a gold coin with face value A$25, reproducing the reverse design of the pre-1871 Sydney Mint sovereigns.[116] See also icon Money portal Numismatics portal flag United Kingdom portal Crown gold Gold Britannia coin Krugerrand Notes  A historic claim only. See Hubbard.  The indenture, dated 6 February 1817, directed that there be 9341⁄2 sovereigns struck from twenty troy pounds of standard gold - or 46.725 sovereigns to a troy pound.[14]  The British monarch also ruled Hanover between 1714 and 1837. See Seaby, pp. 134, 153.  Changed in 1821 from a minimum weight of 122.75 grains as experience had shown that to be too small a tolerance, and reaffirmed at the 1821 figure in 1838[44][45] and in 1843.[46] References  Celtel & Gullbekk, p. 61.  "Tudor sovereign". The Royal Mint Museum. Retrieved 4 March 2018.  Clancy, p. 15.  Marsh 2017, pp. 3–4.  Clancy, p. 41.  Clancy, p. 45.  Clancy, p. 47.  Clancy, p. 57.  Clancy, pp. 52–55.  Seaby, pp. 116–117.  Marsh 2017, p. 7.  Clancy, p. 55.  Clancy, p. 56.  "Parliamentary Papers". Her Majesty's Stationery Office. 1866. p. 27.  ODNB.  Marsh 1996, p. 15.  Farey September 2014, p. 52.  Celtel & Gullbekk, p. 91.  Clancy, p. 58.  Rodgers, pp. 43–44.  Marsh 2017, p. 8.  Allen, p. 13.  Celtel & Gullbekk, p. 92.  Clancy, p. 63.  Marsh 2017, pp. 10–16.  Celtel & Gullbekk, p. 109.  Marsh 2017, p. 101.  Clancy, pp. 62–63.  Ruding, Rogers (1819). Supplement to the Annals of the Coinage of Britain. London: John Nichols and Son. pp. 47–48. OCLC 778858975. Archived from the original on 19 February 2018.  Rodgers, p. 44.  Clancy, pp. 64–67.  Craig, p. 304.  Marsh 2017, p. 13.  Celtel & Gullbekk, p. 98.  Clancy, pp. 66–67.  Celtel & Gullbekk, p. 99.  Marsh 2017, pp. 21–27.  Clancy, p. 69.  Marsh 2017, pp. 27–38.  Marsh 2017, pp. 31, 29.  Ansell 1870, p. 66.  Clancy, pp. 70–71.  Seyd, Ernest (1868). Bullion and Foreign Exchanges Theoretically and Practically Considered: Followed by a Defence of the Double Valuation, with Special Reference to the Proposed System of Universal Coinage. E. Wilson. p. 291. OCLC 574480898.  Ruding, Rogers (1819). Supplement to the Annals of the Coinage of Britain. London: John Nichols and Son. p. 48. OCLC 778858975. Archived from the original on 19 February 2018.  Ruding, Rogers (1840). Supplement to the Annals of the Coinage of Britain. Vol. 2 (Third ed.). London: John Hearne. pp. 128, 132. OCLC 771752141.  "By the Queen, a Proclamation". London Gazette. 10 October 1843. p. 3284.  Dyer & Gaspar, p. 484.  Craig, p. 310.  Craig, p. 322.  Dyer & Gaspar, p. 511.  Clancy, pp. 76–77.  Dyer & Gaspar, pp. 520–521.  Dyer & Gaspar, p. 525.  Hayter, p. 433.  Clancy, pp. 73, 78–79, 85.  Browne, W. A. (1899). "The Merchants' Handbook of Money, Weights and Measures, with Their British Equivalents".  Clancy, p. 73.  Marsh 2017, p. 47.  Clancy, p. 65.  Marsh 2017, pp. 47, 57.  Marsh 2017, p. 64.  Marsh 2017, pp. 69, 77.  Cuhaj, George S., ed. (2009). Standard Catalog of World Coins 1801–1900 (6 ed.). Iola, Wisconsin: Krause Publications. p. 82. ISBN 978-0-89689-940-7.  Celtel & Gullbekk, pp. 131–132.  Pamphlets issued by the New South Wales Commissioners for the World's Columbian Exposition, Chicago (1 ed.). New South Wales. Commission for the World's Columbian Exposition. 1893. p. 137.  Marsh 2017, pp. 28–29, 64.  Dyer & Gaspar, pp. 530–531.  Marsh 2017, pp. 69–72, 81.  Marsh 2017, pp. 78–87.  Rodgers, p. 46.  "Chindambaram rules out lifting ban on import of gold coins". The Hindu. 22 October 2013. Archived from the original on 1 March 2014.  "MMTC PAMP Sovereign web page". MMTC PAMP. 7 September 2014. Archived from the original on 26 December 2014. Retrieved 21 February 2018.  Rodgers, p. 47.  Clancy, p. 78.  Keynes, p. 155.  Clancy, pp. 89–91.  Josset, pp. 143–144.  Allen, p. 7.  Marsh 2017, p. 77.  Josset, p. 141.  Clancy, pp. 92–93.  Allen, p. 10.  Marsh 2017, pp. 88–89.  "'Never meant to exist': Edward VIII coin bought for record £1m". The Guardian. PA Media. 17 January 2020. Retrieved 17 January 2020.  "1937 British gold sovereign realizes $2.28M record in Heritage March 2021 sale". CoinNews.net. 29 March 2021. Retrieved 30 March 2021.  Marsh 2017, pp. 90–91.  Clancy, p. 95.  Allen, pp. 15–16.  Clancy, pp. 95–97.  Marsh 2017, p. 97.  Dyer & Gaspar, p. 598.  Seaby, p. 173.  Clancy, pp. 94–95.  Marsh 2017, pp. 94, 97–98.  Clancy, p. 99.  Celtel & Gullbekk, pp. 116–117.  Marsh 2017, pp. 98–99.  Celtel & Gullbekk, pp. 118–119.  Marsh 2017, pp. 100–101.  Clancy, p. 102.  Marsh 2017, pp. 104–105.  Marsh 2017, pp. 95–96, 106.  Clancy, pp. 102–103.  Alexander, Michael (15 November 2021). "United Kingdom: New 2022 gold sovereigns released — the first coins in the Platinum Jubilee Collection". Coin Update. Retrieved 6 March 2022.  Abbott, Lauren (15 November 2022). "Royal Mint's website runs queuing system as collectors rush for memorial Sovereign with King Charles' portrait". Rutland & Stamford Mercury. Retrieved 16 November 2022.  Clancy, pp. 99–103.  "Gold and capital gains tax". Royal Mint. 15 November 2015. Retrieved 6 March 2018.  Allen, p. 14.  "Sovereign cases: Sampson Mordan & Co Ltd". Antiques in Oxford. Retrieved 5 October 2020.  Rumsey, Nichola; Harcourt, Diana, eds. (2014). Oxford Handbook of the Psychology of Appearance. Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press. p. 12. ISBN 978-0-19-872322-6.  "Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod". Armchair Travel Complany. Retrieved 16 November 2020.  Marsh 2017, pp. 186–192.  Marsh 2017, p. 10.  Marsh 2017, p. 31.  Allen, pp. 56–57.  Celtel & Gullbekk, p. 133. Bibliography Allen, James John Cullimore (1965). Sovereigns of the British Empire. London, United Kingdom: Spink & Son, Ltd. OCLC 493287074. Ansell, G. F. (1870). The Royal Mint: its working, conduct, and operations, fully and practically explained. London: Effingham Wilson. Celtel, André; Gullbekk, Svein H. (2006). The Sovereign and its Golden Antecedents. Oslo, Norway: Monetarius. ISBN 978-82-996755-6-7. Clancy, Kevin (2017) [2015]. A History of the Sovereign: Chief Coin of the World (second ed.). Llantrisant, Wales: Royal Mint Museum. ISBN 978-1-869917-00-5. Craig, John (2010) [1953]. The Mint (paperback ed.). Cambridge, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-17077-2. Dyer, G.P.; Gaspar, G.P. (1992), "Reform, the New Technology and Tower Hill", in Challis, C.E. (ed.), A New History of the Royal Mint, Cambridge, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press, pp. 398–606, ISBN 978-0-521-24026-0 Farey, Roderick (September 2014). "Benedetto Pistrucci (1782–1855), Part 1". Coin News: 51–53. Hayter, Henry Heylyn (1891). Victorian Year-Book for 1890–91 (18th ed.). Melbourne: Sands & McDougall Ltd. Hubbard, Arnold (14 July 2003). "How George III lost France: Or, Why Concessions Never Make Sense". Electric Review: A High Tory Online Journal of Politics, Art and Literature. Archived from the original on 5 December 2008. Josset, Christopher Robert (1962). Money in Britain. London: Frederick Warne and Co Ltd. OCLC 923302099. Keynes, John Maynard (March 1914). "Currency in 1912". The Economic Journal. Royal Economic Society. 24 (93): 152–157. doi:10.2307/2221837. JSTOR 2221837. Marsh, Michael A. (1996). Benedetto Pistrucci: Principal Engraver and Chief Medallist of the Royal Mint, 1783–1855. Hardwick, Cambridgeshire: Michael A. Marsh (Publications). ISBN 978-0-9506929-2-0. Marsh, Michael A. (2017) [1980]. The Gold Sovereign (revised ed.). Exeter, Devon: Token Publishing Ltd. ISBN 978-1-908828-36-1. Pollard, Graham (2004). "Pistrucci, Benedetto". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/22314. Retrieved 3 July 2017. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.) Rodgers, Kerry (June 2017). "Britain's Gold Sovereign". Coin News: 43–47. Seaby, Peter (1985). The Story of British Coinage. London: B. A. Seaby Ltd. ISBN 978-0-900652-74-5. External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sovereign (British coin). The Sovereign | The Royal Mint Gold Sovereign History | The Royal Mint Benedetto Pistrucci – Historical Royal Mint Artists | The Royal Mint Museum Gold Sovereigns | CoinParade Sovereign (Pre-Decimal), Coin Type from United Kingdom vte Sterling coinage Decimal 1 / 2 p1p2p5p10p20p50p£1£2 Pre-decimal Quarter farthing ( 1 / 16 d) (British Ceylon)Third farthing ( 1 / 12 d) (Crown Colony of Malta)Half farthing ( 1 / 8 d)Farthing ( 1 / 4 d)Halfpenny ( 1 / 2 d)Penny (1d)Three halfpence (1+ 1 / 2 d) (British Ceylon & British West Indies)Twopence (2d)Threepence (3d)Fourpence (4d)Sixpence (6d)Shilling (1/–)Fifteen pence (1/3d) (Australia)Eighteen Pence(1/6d) (British Ireland)Florin (2/–)Half crown (2/6d)Thirty Pence(2/6d) (British Ireland)Double florin (4/–)Crown (5/–)Six Shillings (6/-) (British Ireland)Quarter guinea (5/3d)Third guinea (7/–)Half sovereign (10/–)Half guinea (10/6d)Sovereign (£1)Guinea (£1/1/–)Double sovereign (£2)Two guineas (£2/2/–)Five pounds (£5)Five guineas (£5/5/–) Commemorative 3p (Tristan Da Cunha)6p25p60p (Isle of Man)70p (Ascension Island)£5£10£20£25£50£100£200£500£1000Maundy money Bullion BritanniaQuarter sovereignHalf sovereignSovereignDouble sovereignQuintuple sovereignLunarThe Queen's BeastsLandmarks of Britain See also SterlingSterling banknotesList of British banknotes and coinsList of British currenciesJubilee coinageOld Head coinageScottish coinageCoins of IrelandList of people on coins of the United Kingdom Authority control: National libraries Edit this at Wikidata IsraelUnited States Categories: British gold coinsCoins of AustraliaOne-base-unit coinsBullion coinsSaint George and the Dragon Owl Temporal range: Late Paleocene to recent 60–0 Ma  PreꞒꞒOSDCPTJKPgN Portrait of owls.jpg Left Strigidae: Tawny owl (Strix aluco), Eurasian eagle-owl (Bubo bubo), Little owl (Athene noctua), Northern saw-whet owl (Aegolius acadicus); Right Tytonidae: Barn owl (Tyto alba), Lesser sooty owl (Tyto multipunctata), Tasmanian masked owl (Tyto novaehollandiae castanops), Sri Lanka bay owl (Phodilus assimilis). Scientific classificatione Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Clade: Telluraves Order: Strigiformes Wagler, 1830 Families Strigidae Tytonidae Ogygoptyngidae (fossil) Palaeoglaucidae (fossil) Protostrigidae (fossil) Sophiornithidae (fossil) Owl range.png Range of the owl, all species. Synonyms Strigidae sensu Sibley & Ahlquist Owls are birds from the order Strigiformes[1] (/ˈstrɪdʒəfɔːrmiːz/), which includes over 200 species of mostly solitary and nocturnal birds of prey typified by an upright stance, a large, broad head, binocular vision, binaural hearing, sharp talons, and feathers adapted for silent flight. Exceptions include the diurnal northern hawk-owl and the gregarious burrowing owl. Owls hunt mostly small mammals, insects, and other birds, although a few species specialize in hunting fish. They are found in all regions of the Earth except the polar ice caps and some remote islands. Owls are divided into two families: the true (or typical) owl family, Strigidae, and the barn-owl family, Tytonidae.[2] A group of owls is called a "parliament".[3] Anatomy Burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia) Cross-eyed owl Owls possess large, forward-facing eyes and ear-holes, a hawk-like beak, a flat face, and usually a conspicuous circle of feathers, a facial disc, around each eye. The feathers making up this disc can be adjusted to sharply focus sounds from varying distances onto the owls' asymmetrically placed ear cavities. Most birds of prey have eyes on the sides of their heads, but the stereoscopic nature of the owl's forward-facing eyes permits the greater sense of depth perception necessary for low-light hunting. Although owls have binocular vision, their large eyes are fixed in their sockets—as are those of most other birds—so they must turn their entire heads to change views. As owls are farsighted, they are unable to clearly see anything within a few centimetres of their eyes. Caught prey can be felt by owls with the use of filoplumes—hairlike feathers on the beak and feet that act as "feelers". Their far vision, particularly in low light, is exceptionally good. Owls can rotate their heads and necks as much as 270°. Owls have 14 neck vertebrae compared to seven in humans, which makes their necks more flexible. They also have adaptations to their circulatory systems, permitting rotation without cutting off blood to the brain: the foramina in their vertebrae through which the vertebral arteries pass are about 10 times the diameter of the artery, instead of about the same size as the artery as in humans; the vertebral arteries enter the cervical vertebrae higher than in other birds, giving the vessels some slack, and the carotid arteries unite in a very large anastomosis or junction, the largest of any bird's, preventing blood supply from being cut off while they rotate their necks. Other anastomoses between the carotid and vertebral arteries support this effect.[4][5] The smallest owl—weighing as little as 31 g (1+3⁄32 oz) and measuring some 13.5 cm (5+1⁄4 in)—is the elf owl (Micrathene whitneyi).[6] Around the same diminutive length, although slightly heavier, are the lesser known long-whiskered owlet (Xenoglaux loweryi) and Tamaulipas pygmy owl (Glaucidium sanchezi).[6] The largest owls are two similarly sized eagle owls; the Eurasian eagle-owl (Bubo bubo) and Blakiston's fish owl (Bubo blakistoni). The largest females of these species are 71 cm (28 in) long, have a 190 cm (75 in) wing span, and weigh 4.2 kg (9+1⁄4 lb).[6][7][8][9][10] Different species of owls produce different sounds; this distribution of calls aids owls in finding mates or announcing their presence to potential competitors, and also aids ornithologists and birders in locating these birds and distinguishing species. As noted above, their facial discs help owls to funnel the sound of prey to their ears. In many species, these discs are placed asymmetrically, for better directional location. Owl plumage is generally cryptic, although several species have facial and head markings, including face masks, ear tufts, and brightly colored irises. These markings are generally more common in species inhabiting open habitats, and are thought to be used in signaling with other owls in low-light conditions.[11] Sexual dimorphism Sexual dimorphism is a physical difference between males and females of a species. Female owls are typically larger than the males.[12] The degree of size dimorphism varies across multiple populations and species, and is measured through various traits, such as wing span and body mass.[12] One theory suggests that selection has led males to be smaller because it allows them to be efficient foragers. The ability to obtain more food is advantageous during breeding season. In some species, female owls stay at their nest with their eggs while it is the responsibility of the male to bring back food to the nest.[13] If food is scarce, the male first feeds himself before feeding the female.[14] Small birds, which are agile, are an important source of food for owls. Male burrowing owls have been observed to have longer wing chords than females, despite being smaller than females.[14] Furthermore, owls have been observed to be roughly the same size as their prey.[14] This has also been observed in other predatory birds,[13] which suggests that owls with smaller bodies and long wing chords have been selected for because of the increased agility and speed that allows them to catch their prey.[citation needed] Another popular theory suggests that females have not been selected to be smaller like male owls because of their sexual roles. In many species, female owls may not leave the nest. Therefore, females may have a larger mass to allow them to go for a longer period of time without starving. For example, one hypothesized sexual role is that larger females are more capable of dismembering prey and feeding it to their young, hence female owls are larger than their male counterparts.[12] A different theory suggests that the size difference between male and females is due to sexual selection: since large females can choose their mate and may violently reject a male's sexual advances, smaller male owls that have the ability to escape unreceptive females are more likely to have been selected.[14] If the character is stable, there can be different optimums for both sexes. Selection operates on both sexes at the same time; therefore it is necessary to explain not only why one of the sexes is relatively bigger, but also why the other sex is smaller.[15] If owls are still evolving toward smaller bodies and longer wing chords, according to V. Geodakyan's Evolutionary Theory of Sex, males should be more advanced on these characters. Males are viewed as an evolutionary vanguard of a population, and sexual dimorphism on the character, as an evolutionary “distance” between the sexes. “Phylogenetic rule of sexual dimorphism” states that if there exists a sexual dimorphism on any character, then the evolution of this trait goes from the female form toward the male one.[16] Hunting adaptations All owls are carnivorous birds of prey and live on diets of insects, small rodents and lagomorphs. Some owls are also specifically adapted to hunt fish. They are very adept in hunting in their respective environments. Since owls can be found in nearly all parts of the world and across a multitude of ecosystems, their hunting skills and characteristics vary slightly from species to species, though most characteristics are shared among all species.[citation needed] Flight and feathers External video video icon Experiment! How Does An Owl Fly So Silently?, from BBC Earth Most owls share an innate ability to fly almost silently and also more slowly in comparison to other birds of prey. Most owls live a mainly nocturnal lifestyle and being able to fly without making any noise gives them a strong advantage over prey alert to the slightest sound in the night. A silent, slow flight is not as necessary for diurnal and crepuscular owls given that prey can usually see an owl approaching. Owls’ feathers are generally larger than the average birds’ feathers, have fewer radiates, longer pennulum, and achieve smooth edges with different rachis structures.[17] Serrated edges along the owl's remiges bring the flapping of the wing down to a nearly silent mechanism. The serrations are more likely reducing aerodynamic disturbances, rather than simply reducing noise.[18] The surface of the flight feathers is covered with a velvety structure that absorbs the sound of the wing moving. These unique structures reduce noise frequencies above 2 kHz,[19] making the sound level emitted drop below the typical hearing spectrum of the owl's usual prey[19][20] and also within the owl's own best hearing range.[21][22] This optimizes the owl's ability to silently fly to capture prey without the prey hearing the owl first as it flies, and to hear any noise the prey makes. It also allows the owl to monitor the sound output from its flight pattern. A great horned owl with wet feathers, waiting out a rainstorm The feather adaption that allows silent flight means that barn owl feathers are not waterproof. To retain the softness and silent flight, the barn owl cannot use the preen oil or powder dust that other species use for waterproofing. In wet weather, they cannot hunt and this may be disastrous during the breeding season. Barn owls are frequently found drowned in livestock drinking troughs, since they land to drink and bathe, but are unable to climb out. Owls can struggle to keep warm, because of their lack of waterproofing, so large numbers of downy feathers help them to retain body heat.[23] Vision Eyesight is a particular characteristic of the owl that aids in nocturnal prey capture. Owls are part of a small group of birds that live nocturnally, but do not use echolocation to guide them in flight in low-light situations. Owls are known for their disproportionally large eyes in comparison to their skulls. An apparent consequence of the evolution of an absolutely large eye in a relatively small skull is that the eye of the owl has become tubular in shape. This shape is found in other so-called nocturnal eyes, such as the eyes of strepsirrhine primates and bathypelagic fishes.[24] Since the eyes are fixed into these sclerotic tubes, they are unable to move the eyes in any direction.[25] Instead of moving their eyes, owls swivel their heads to view their surroundings. Owls' heads are capable of swiveling through an angle of roughly 270°, easily enabling them to see behind them without relocating the torso.[25] This ability keeps bodily movement at a minimum, thus reduces the amount of sound the owl makes as it waits for its prey. Owls are regarded as having the most frontally placed eyes among all avian groups, which gives them some of the largest binocular fields of vision. Owls are farsighted and cannot focus on objects within a few centimetres of their eyes.[24][26] These mechanisms are only able to function due to the large-sized retinal image.[27] Thus, the primary nocturnal function in the vision of the owl is due to its large posterior nodal distance; retinal image brightness is only maximized to the owl within secondary neural functions.[27] These attributes of the owl cause its nocturnal eyesight to be far superior to that of its average prey.[27] Hearing A great horned owl perched on the top of a Joshua tree at evening (twilight) in the Mojave Desert, U.S. Owls exhibit specialized hearing functions and ear shapes that also aid in hunting. They are noted for asymmetrical ear placements on the skull in some genera. Owls can have either internal or external ears, both of which are asymmetrical. Asymmetry has not been reported to extend to the middle or internal ear of the owl. Asymmetrical ear placement on the skull allows the owl to pinpoint the location of its prey. This is especially true for strictly nocturnal species such as the barn owls Tyto or Tengmalm's owl.[25] With ears set at different places on its skull, an owl is able to determine the direction from which the sound is coming by the minute difference in time that it takes for the sound waves to penetrate the left and right ears.The Hearing of the Barn Owl The owl turns its head until the sound reaches both ears at the same time, at which point it is directly facing the source of the sound. This time difference between ears is about 30 microseconds. Behind the ear openings are modified, dense feathers, densely packed to form a facial ruff, which creates an anterior-facing, concave wall that cups the sound into the ear structure.[28] This facial ruff is poorly defined in some species, and prominent, nearly encircling the face, in other species. The facial disk also acts to direct sound into the ears, and a downward-facing, sharply triangular beak minimizes sound reflection away from the face. The shape of the facial disk is adjustable at will to focus sounds more effectively.[25] The prominences above a great horned owl's head are commonly mistaken as its ears. This is not the case; they are merely feather tufts. The ears are on the sides of the head in the usual location (in two different locations as described above). Talons While the auditory and visual capabilities of the owl allow it to locate and pursue its prey, the talons and beak of the owl do the final work. The owl kills its prey using these talons to crush the skull and knead the body.[25] The crushing power of an owl's talons varies according to prey size and type, and by the size of the owl. The burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia), a small, partly insectivorous owl, has a release force of only 5 N. The larger barn owl (Tyto alba) needs a force of 30 N to release its prey, and one of the largest owls, the great horned owl (Bubo virginianus) needs a force over 130 N to release prey in its talons.[29] An owl's talons, like those of most birds of prey, can seem massive in comparison to the body size outside of flight. The Tasmanian masked owl has some of the proportionally longest talons of any bird of prey; they appear enormous in comparison to the body when fully extended to grasp prey.[30] An owl's claws are sharp and curved. The family Tytonidae has inner and central toes of about equal length, while the family Strigidae has an inner toe that is distinctly shorter than the central one.[29] These different morphologies allow efficiency in capturing prey specific to the different environments they inhabit. Beak The beak of the owl is short, curved, and downward-facing, and typically hooked at the tip for gripping and tearing its prey. Once prey is captured, the scissor motion of the top and lower bill is used to tear the tissue and kill. The sharp lower edge of the upper bill works in coordination with the sharp upper edge of the lower bill to deliver this motion. The downward-facing beak allows the owl's field of vision to be clear, as well as directing sound into the ears without deflecting sound waves away from the face.[31] Camouflage The snowy owl has effective snow camouflage The coloration of the owl's plumage plays a key role in its ability to sit still and blend into the environment, making it nearly invisible to prey. Owls tend to mimic the coloration and sometimes the texture patterns of their surroundings, the barn owl being an exception. The snowy owl (Bubo scandiacus) appears nearly bleach-white in color with a few flecks of black, mimicking their snowy surroundings perfectly, while the speckled brown plumage of the tawny owl (Strix aluco) allows it to lie in wait among the deciduous woodland it prefers for its habitat. Likewise, the mottled wood-owl (Strix ocellata) displays shades of brown, tan and black, making the owl nearly invisible in the surrounding trees, especially from behind. Usually, the only tell-tale sign of a perched owl is its vocalizations or its vividly colored eyes. Behavior Comparison of an owl (left) and hawk (right) remex. The serrations on the leading edge of an owl's flight feathers reduce noise Owl eyes each have nictitating membranes that can move independently of each other, as seen on this spotted eagle-owl in Johannesburg, South Africa. Most owls are nocturnal, actively hunting their prey in darkness. Several types of owls are crepuscular—active during the twilight hours of dawn and dusk; one example is the pygmy owl (Glaucidium). A few owls are active during the day, also; examples are the burrowing owl (Speotyto cunicularia) and the short-eared owl (Asio flammeus). Much of the owls' hunting strategy depends on stealth and surprise. Owls have at least two adaptations that aid them in achieving stealth. First, the dull coloration of their feathers can render them almost invisible under certain conditions. Secondly, serrated edges on the leading edge of owls' remiges muffle an owl's wing beats, allowing an owl's flight to be practically silent. Some fish-eating owls, for which silence has no evolutionary advantage, lack this adaptation. An owl's sharp beak and powerful talons allow it to kill its prey before swallowing it whole (if it is not too big). Scientists studying the diets of owls are helped by their habit of regurgitating the indigestible parts of their prey (such as bones, scales, and fur) in the form of pellets. These "owl pellets" are plentiful and easy to interpret, and are often sold by companies to schools for dissection by students as a lesson in biology and ecology.[32] Breeding and reproduction Owl eggs typically have a white color and an almost spherical shape, and range in number from a few to a dozen, depending on species and the particular season; for most, three or four is the more common number. In at least one species, female owls do not mate with the same male for a lifetime. Female burrowing owls commonly travel and find other mates, while the male stays in his territory and mates with other females.[33] Evolution and systematics A great horned owl (Bubo virginianus) sleeping during daytime in a hollow tree Recent phylogenetic studies place owls within the clade Telluraves, most closely related to the Accipitrimorphae and the Coraciimorphae,[34][35] although the exact placement within Telluraves is disputed.[36][37] See below cladogram: Telluraves Accipitrimorphae Cathartiformes (New World vultures)Vintage Vulture Drawing white background.jpg Accipitriformes (hawks and relatives)Golden Eagle Illustration white background.jpg Strigiformes (owls)Cuvier-12-Hibou à huppe courte.jpg Coraciimorphae Coliiformes (mouse birds) Cavitaves Leptosomiformes (cuckoo roller) Trogoniformes (trogons and quetzals)Harpactes fasciatus 1838 white background.jpg Picocoraciae Bucerotiformes (hornbills and relatives) Picodynastornithes Coraciiformes (kingfishers and relatives)Cuvier-46-Martin-pêcheur d'Europe.jpg Piciformes (woodpeckers and relatives) Australaves Cariamiformes (seriemas)Cariama cristata 1838 white background.jpg Eufalconimorphae Falconiformes (falcons)NewZealandFalconBuller white background.jpg Psittacopasserae Psittaciformes (parrots)Pyrrhura lucianii - Castelnau 2.jpg Passeriformes (passerines)Cuvier-33-Moineau domestique.jpg Cladogram of Telluraves relationships based on Braun & Kimball (2021)[38] Some 220 to 225 extant species of owls are known, subdivided into two families: 1. true owls or typical owls family (Strigidae) and 2. barn-owls family (Tytonidae). Some entirely extinct families have also been erected based on fossil remains; these differ much from modern owls in being less specialized or specialized in a very different way (such as the terrestrial Sophiornithidae). The Paleocene genera Berruornis and Ogygoptynx show that owls were already present as a distinct lineage some 60–57 million years ago (Mya), hence, possibly also some 5 million years earlier, at the extinction of the non-avian dinosaurs. This makes them one of the oldest known groups of non-Galloanserae landbirds. The supposed "Cretaceous owls" Bradycneme and Heptasteornis are apparently non-avialan maniraptors.[39] During the Paleogene, the Strigiformes radiated into ecological niches now mostly filled by other groups of birds.[clarification needed] The owls as known today, though, evolved their characteristic morphology and adaptations during that time, too. By the early Neogene, the other lineages had been displaced by other bird orders, leaving only barn owls and typical owls. The latter at that time was usually a fairly generic type of (probably earless) owl similar to today's North American spotted owl or the European tawny owl; the diversity in size and ecology found in typical owls today developed only subsequently. Around the Paleogene-Neogene boundary (some 25 Mya), barn owls were the dominant group of owls in southern Europe and adjacent Asia at least; the distribution of fossil and present-day owl lineages indicates that their decline is contemporary with the evolution of the different major lineages of true owls, which for the most part seems to have taken place in Eurasia. In the Americas, rather, an expansion of immigrant lineages of ancestral typical owls occurred. The supposed fossil herons "Ardea" perplexa (Middle Miocene of Sansan, France) and "Ardea" lignitum (Late Pliocene of Germany) were more probably owls; the latter was apparently close to the modern genus Bubo. Judging from this, the Late Miocene remains from France described as "Ardea" aureliensis should also be restudied.[40] The Messelasturidae, some of which were initially believed to be basal Strigiformes, are now generally accepted to be diurnal birds of prey showing some convergent evolution toward owls. The taxa often united under Strigogyps[41] were formerly placed in part with the owls, specifically the Sophiornithidae; they appear to be Ameghinornithidae instead.[42][43][44] The ancient fossil owl Palaeoglaux artophoron For fossil species and paleosubspecies of extant taxa, see the genus and species articles. For a full list of extant and recently extinct owls, see the article List of owl species. Unresolved and basal forms (all fossil) Berruornis (Late Paleocene of France) basal? Sophornithidae? Strigiformes gen. et sp. indet. (Late Paleocene of Zhylga, Kazakhstan)[45] Primoptynx (Early Eocene of Wyoming, U.S.)[46] Palaeoglaux (Middle-Late Eocene of West-Central Europe) own family Palaeoglaucidae or Strigidae? Palaeobyas (Late Eocene/Early Oligocene of Quercy, France) Tytonidae? Sophiornithidae?[citation needed] Palaeotyto (Late Eocene/Early Oligocene of Quercy, France) Tytonidae? Sophiornithidae?[citation needed] Strigiformes gen. et spp. indet. (Early Oligocene of Wyoming, U.S.)[40] Ypresiglaux (Early Eocene of Essex, United Kingdom and Virginia, U.S.)[47] Ogygoptyngidae Ogygoptynx (Middle/Late Paleocene of Colorado, U.S.) Protostrigidae Eostrix (Early Eocene of United States, Europe, and Mongolia). E. gulottai is the smallest known fossil (or living) owl.[48] Minerva (Middle – Late Eocene of western U.S.) formerly Protostrix, includes "Aquila" ferox, "Aquila" lydekkeri, and "Bubo" leptosteus Oligostrix (mid-Oligocene of Saxony, Germany) Sophiornithidae Sophiornis Tytonidae Genus Tyto – the barn owls, grass owls, and masked owls, stand up to 500 mm (20 in) tall; some 15 extant species and possibly one recently extinct Genus Phodilus – the bay owls, two to three extant species and possibly one recently extinct Fossil genera Nocturnavis (Late Eocene/Early Oligocene) includes "Bubo" incertus Selenornis (Late Eocene/Early Oligocene) – includes "Asio" henrici Necrobyas (Late Eocene/Early Oligocene – Late Miocene) includes "Bubo" arvernensis and Paratyto Prosybris (Early Oligocene? – Early Miocene) Placement unresolved Tytonidae gen. et sp. indet. "TMT 164" (Middle Miocene) – Prosybris? Strigidae A long-eared owl (Asio otus) in an erect pose The laughing owl (Ninox albifacies), last seen in 1914 Genus Aegolius – the saw-whet owls, four species Genus Asio – the eared owls, eight species Genus Athene – two to four species (depending on whether the genera Speotyto and Heteroglaux are included or not) Genus Bubo – the horned owls, eagle-owls and fish-owls; paraphyletic with the genera Nyctea, Ketupa, and Scotopelia, some 25 species Genus Glaucidium – the pygmy owls, about 30–35 species Genus Gymnasio – the Puerto Rican owl Genus Gymnoglaux – the bare-legged owl or Cuban screech-owl Genus Lophostrix – the crested owl Genus Jubula – the maned owl Genus Megascops – the screech owls, some 20 species Genus Micrathene – the elf owl Genus Ninox – the Australasian hawk-owls or boobooks, some 20 species Genus Otus – the scops owls; probably paraphyletic, about 45 species Genus Pseudoscops – the Jamaican owl Genus Psiloscops – the flammulated owl Genus Ptilopsis – the white-faced owls, two species Genus Pulsatrix – the spectacled owls, three species Genus Strix – the earless owls, about 15 species, including four previously assigned to Ciccaba Genus Surnia – the northern hawk-owl Genus Taenioptynx - the collared owlet Genus Uroglaux – the Papuan hawk-owl Genus Xenoglaux – the long-whiskered owlet Extinct genera Genus Grallistrix – the stilt-owls, four species; prehistoric Genus Ornimegalonyx – the Caribbean giant owls, one to two species; prehistoric Fossil genera Mioglaux (Late Oligocene? – Early Miocene of West-Central Europe) – includes "Bubo" poirreiri Intutula (Early/Middle – ?Late Miocene of Central Europe) – includes "Strix/Ninox" brevis Alasio (Middle Miocene of Vieux-Collonges, France) – includes "Strix" collongensis Oraristrix – the Brea owl (Late Pleistocene) Placement unresolved "Otus/Strix" wintershofensis: fossil (Early/Middle Miocene of Wintershof West, Germany) – may be close to extant genus Ninox[40] "Strix" edwardsi – fossil (Middle/Late? Miocene) "Asio" pygmaeus – fossil (Early Pliocene of Odessa, Ukraine) Strigidae gen. et sp. indet. UMMP V31030 (Late Pliocene) – Strix/Bubo? the Ibizan owl, Strigidae gen. et sp. indet. – prehistoric[49] Symbolism and mythology African cultures Among the Kikuyu of Kenya, it was believed that owls were harbingers of death. If one saw an owl or heard its hoot, someone was going to die. In general, owls are viewed as harbingers of bad luck, ill health, or death. The belief is widespread even today.[50] Asia In Mongolia, the owl is regarded as a benign omen. In one story, Genghis Khan was hiding from enemies in a small coppice when an owl roosted in the tree above him, which caused his pursuers to think no man could be hidden there.[51] In modern Japan, owls are regarded as lucky and are carried in the form of a talisman or charm.[52] Hootum Pyanchar Naksha by Kaliprasanna Singha (1841–1870), first published in 1861, is a book of social commentaries influential in Bengali literature. The name literally means "Sketches by a Watching Owl". Sumerian and ancient Semitic cultures In Sumerian, Akkadian, and Babylonian culture, the owl was associated with Lilith.[53] This association also occurs in the Bible (in some translations) in Isaiah 34:14.[54] Ancient European and modern Western culture The modern West generally associates owls with wisdom and vigilance. This link goes back at least as far as Ancient Greece, where Athens, noted for art and scholarship, and Athena, Athens' patron goddess and the goddess of wisdom, had the owl as a symbol.[55] Marija Gimbutas traces veneration of the owl as a goddess, among other birds, to the culture of Old Europe, long pre-dating Indo-European cultures.[56] T. F. Thiselton-Dyer, in his 1883 Folk-lore of Shakespeare, says that "from the earliest period it has been considered a bird of ill-omen," and Pliny tells us how, on one occasion, even Rome itself underwent a lustration, because one of them strayed into the Capitol. He represents it also as a funereal bird, a monster of the night, the very abomination of humankind. Virgil describes its death howl from the top of the temple by night, a circumstance introduced as a precursor of Dido's death. Ovid, too, constantly speaks of this bird's presence as an evil omen; and indeed the same notions respecting it may be found among the writings of most of the ancient poets."[57] A list of "omens drear" in John Keats' Hyperion includes the "gloom-bird's hated screech."[58] Pliny the Elder reports that owls' eggs were commonly used as a hangover cure.[59] One of the etymologies offered for the name of the German folk hero Till Eulenspiegel is that it means "Mirror for Owls". An owl-shaped protocorinthian aryballos, c. 640 BCE, from Greece An owl-shaped protocorinthian aryballos, c. 640 BCE, from Greece   A Roman owl mosaic from Italica, Spain A Roman owl mosaic from Italica, Spain   A Manises plate, c. 1535. A fantastical owl wearing a crown, a characteristic Manises design during the first half of the 16th century A Manises plate, c. 1535. A fantastical owl wearing a crown, a characteristic Manises design during the first half of the 16th century   The Little Owl, 1506, by Albrecht Dürer The Little Owl, 1506, by Albrecht Dürer   Wooden Owls of Natungram, West Bengal, India. The wooden owl is an integral part of an ancient and indigenous tradition and art form in Bengal along with its auspicious association with Goddess of wealth, Laxmi. Wooden Owls of Natungram, West Bengal, India. The wooden owl is an integral part of an ancient and indigenous tradition and art form in Bengal along with its auspicious association with Goddess of wealth, Laxmi. Hinduism The Hindu goddess Lakshmi with the owl In Hinduism, an owl is the vahana (mount) of the goddess Lakshmi, especially in the eastern region of India.[60] Owl is considered a symbol of wealth, prosperity, wisdom, good luck, and Fortune. This is the reason why Owl is seen with Godden Lakshmi, who is also the goddess the fortune, wealth, and prosperity. The Goddess Lakshmi is known to have a White Barn Owl as her vahana. At the same time, owls are also associated with evil times in Hinduism. At times, Chamunda (fearsome form of Chandi) is depicted seated on an owl, her vahana (mount or vehicle). Hindus believed that owls are messengers of death.[61] Native American cultures People often allude to the reputation of owls as bearers of supernatural danger when they tell misbehaving children, "the owls will get you",[62] and in most Native American folklore, owls are a symbol of death. According to the Apache and Seminole tribes, hearing owls hooting is considered the subject of numerous "bogeyman" stories told to warn children to remain indoors at night or not to cry too much, otherwise the owl may carry them away.[63][64] In some tribal legends, owls are associated with spirits of the dead, and the bony circles around an owl's eyes are said to comprise the fingernails of apparitional humans. Sometimes owls are said to carry messages from beyond the grave or deliver supernatural warnings to people who have broken tribal taboos.[65] The Aztecs and the Maya, along with other natives of Mesoamerica, considered the owl a symbol of death and destruction. In fact, the Aztec god of death, Mictlantecuhtli, was often depicted with owls.[66] There is an old saying in Mexico that is still in use:[67] Cuando el tecolote canta, el indio muere ("When the owl cries/sings, the Indian dies"). The Popol Vuh, a Mayan religious text, describes owls as messengers of Xibalba (the Mayan "Place of Fright").[68] The belief that owls are messengers and harbingers of the dark powers is also found among the Hočągara (Winnebago) of Wisconsin.[69] When in earlier days the Hočągara committed the sin of killing enemies while they were within the sanctuary of the chief's lodge, an owl appeared and spoke to them in the voice of a human, saying, "From now on, the Hočągara will have no luck." This marked the beginning of the decline of their tribe.[70] An owl appeared to Glory of the Morning, the only female chief of the Hočąk nation, and uttered her name. Soon after, she died.[71][72] According to the culture of the Hopi, a Uto-Aztec tribe, taboos surround owls, which are associated with sorcery and other evils. The Ojibwe tribes, as well as their Aboriginal Canadian counterparts, used an owl as a symbol for both evil and death. In addition, they used owls as a symbol of very high status of spiritual leaders of their spirituality.[73] The Pawnee tribes viewed owls as the symbol of protection from any danger within their realms.[73] The Puebloan peoples associated owls with Skeleton Man, the god of death and the spirit of fertility.[73] The Yakama tribes use an owl as a totem, to guide where and how forests and natural resources are useful with management.[73] Rodent control A purpose-built owl-house or owlery at a farm near Morton on the Hill, England (2006) Encouraging natural predators to control rodent population is a natural form of pest control, along with excluding food sources for rodents. Placing a nest box for owls on a property can help control rodent populations (one family of hungry barn owls can consume more than 3,000 rodents in a nesting season) while maintaining the naturally balanced food chain.[74] Attacks on humans Although humans and owls frequently live together in harmony, there have been incidents when owls have attacked humans. For example, in January 2013, a man from Inverness, Scotland suffered heavy bleeding and went into shock after being attacked by an owl, which was likely a 50-centimetre-tall (20 in) eagle-owl.[75] The photographer Eric Hosking lost his left eye after attempting to photograph a tawny owl, which inspired the title of his 1970 autobiography, An Eye for a Bird. Conservation issues See also: List of Strigiformes by population The snowy owl is very endangered in Scandinavia[76] and Finland, where it is found only in northern Lapland.[77] Almost all owls are listed in Appendix II of the international CITES treaty (the Convention on Illegal Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) with four species listed in Appendix I. Although owls have long been hunted, a 2008 news story from Malaysia indicates that the magnitude of owl poaching may be on the rise. In November 2008, TRAFFIC reported the seizure of 900 plucked and "oven-ready" owls in Peninsular Malaysia. Said Chris Shepherd, Senior Programme Officer for TRAFFIC's Southeast Asia office, "This is the first time we know of where 'ready-prepared' owls have been seized in Malaysia, and it may mark the start of a new trend in wild meat from the region. We will be monitoring developments closely." TRAFFIC commended the Department of Wildlife and National Parks in Malaysia for the raid that exposed the huge haul of owls. Included in the seizure were dead and plucked barn owls, spotted wood owls, crested serpent eagles, barred eagles, and brown wood owls, as well as 7,000 live lizards.[78] References  Cholewiak, Danielle (2003). "Strigiformes". Animal Diversity Web. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology. Retrieved 31 December 2022.  Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (2022). "Owls". World Bird List Version 12.2. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 31 December 2022.  Lipton, James (1991). An Exaltation of Larks. Viking. ISBN 978-0-670-30044-0.  "International Science & Engineering Visualization Challenge: Posters & Graphics". Science. 339 (6119): 514–515. 1 February 2013. doi:10.1126/science.339.6119.514.  "Owl mystery unraveled: Scientists explain how bird can rotate its head without cutting off blood supply to brain". 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"Feeding Ecology of Four Sympatric Owls" (PDF). The Condor. 76 (1): 45–61. doi:10.2307/1365983. JSTOR 1365983. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 October 2022.  Einoder, Luke D. & Alastair M. M. Richardson (2007). "Aspects of the Hindlimb Morphology of Some Australian Birds of Prey: A Comparative and Quantitative Study". The Auk. 124 (3): 773–788. doi:10.1642/0004-8038(2007)124[773:AOTHMO]2.0.CO;2. S2CID 86011581.  Shamim1410 (22 April 2020). "Owl Bird Traits, Adaptations and Surprising Facts". Bird Baron. Retrieved 4 February 2022.  Owl Pellets in the Classroom: Safety Guidelines. Carolina.com  Martin, Dennis J. (1973). "Selected Aspects of Burrowing Owl Ecology and Behavior". The Condor. 75 (4): 446–456. doi:10.2307/1366565. JSTOR 1366565. S2CID 55069283.  Jarvis, Erich D.; Mirarab, Siavash; Aberer, Andre J.; Li, Bo; Houde, Peter; Li, Cai; Ho, Simon Y. W.; Faircloth, Brant C.; Nabholz, Benoit; Howard, Jason T.; Suh, Alexander; Weber, Claudia C.; da Fonseca, Rute R.; Li, Jianwen; Zhang, Fang; Li, Hui; Zhou, Long; Narula, Nitish; Liu, Liang; Ganapathy, Ganesh; Boussau, Bastien; Bayzid, Md. Shamsuzzoha; Zavidovych, Volodymyr; Subramanian, Sankar; Gabaldón, Toni; Capella-Gutiérrez, Salvador; Huerta-Cepas, Jaime; Rekepalli, Bhanu; Munch, Kasper; et al. (12 December 2014). "Whole-genome analyses resolve early branches in the tree of life of modern birds". Science. 346 (6215): 1320–1331. Bibcode:2014Sci...346.1320J. doi:10.1126/science.1253451. PMC 4405904. PMID 25504713.  H Kuhl, C Frankl-Vilches, A Bakker, G Mayr, G Nikolaus, S T Boerno, S Klages, B Timmermann, M Gahr (2020) An unbiased molecular approach using 3’UTRs resolves the avian family-level tree of life. Molecular Biology and Evolution. https://doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msaa191  Prum, R.O. et al. (2015) A comprehensive phylogeny of birds (Aves) using targeted next-generation DNA sequencing. Nature 526, 569–573.  Houde, Peter; Braun, Edward L.; Narula, Nitish; Minjares, Uriel; Mirarab, Siavash (2019). "Phylogenetic Signal of Indels and the Neoavian Radiation". Diversity. 11 (7): 108. doi:10.3390/d11070108. ISSN 1424-2818.  Braun, E.L. & Kimball, R.T. (2021) Data types and the phylogeny of Neoaves. Birds, 2(1), 1-22; https://doi.org/10.3390/birds2010001  Mortimer, Michael (2004): The Theropod Database: Phylogeny of taxa Archived 16 May 2013 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2013-03-02.  Olson, Storrs L. (1985): The fossil record of birds. In: Farner, D.S.; King, J.R. & Parkes, Kenneth C. (eds.): Avian Biology 8: 79–238 (131, 267). Academic Press, New York.  Mayr, Gerald (2005). ""Old World phorusrhacids" (Aves, Phorusrhacidae): a new look at Strigogyps ("Aenigmavis") sapea (Peters 1987)". PaleoBios. 25 (1): 11–16.  Alvarenga, Herculano M. F. & Höfling, Elizabeth (2003). "Systematic revision of the Phorusrhacidae (Aves: Ralliformes)". Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia. 43 (4): 55–91. doi:10.1590/S0031-10492003000400001.  Larco Herrera, Rafael and Berrin, Kathleen (1997) The Spirit of Ancient Peru Thames and Hudson, New York, ISBN 0500018022.  Peters, Dieter Stefan (January 2007). "The fossil family Ameghinornithidae (Mourer-Chauviré 1981): a short synopsis" (PDF). Journal of Ornithology. 148 (1): 25–28. doi:10.1007/s10336-006-0095-z. S2CID 27322057. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 October 2022.  Mourer-Chauviré, Cécile (September 1994). "A large owl from the Paleocene of France". Palaeontology. 37 (2): 339–348. Retrieved 27 March 2021.  Mayr, Gerald; Gingerich, Philip; Smith, Thierry (July 2020). "Skeleton of a new owl from the early Eocene of North America (Aves, Strigiformes) with an accipitrid-like foot morphology". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 40 (2): e1769116. doi:10.1080/02724634.2020.1769116. 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Owlcation.  Sex and gender in the ancient Near East: proceedings of the 47th Rencontre Assyriologique Internationale, Helsinki, July 2–6, 2001, Part 2 p. 481.  Isaiah 34:14  Deacy, Susan, and Villing, Alexandra (2001). Athena in the Classical World. Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, The Netherlands, ISBN 9004121420.  Gimbutas, Marija (2001) The living goddesses, University of California Press, p. 158. ISBN 0520927095.  Thiselton-Dyer, T. F. (1883) Folk-lore of Shakespeare, sacred-texts.com  Keats, John. (1884) 49. Hyperion, in The Poetical Works of John Keats. Bartleby.com.  Dubow, Charles (1 January 2004). "Hangover Cures". Forbes. Archived from the original on 17 January 2003.  Chopra, Capt. Praveen (2017). Vishnu's Mount: Birds In Indian Mythology And Folklore. Notion Press. p. 109. ISBN 978-1-948352-69-7.  "Owl in Hinduism". Tamil and Vedas. Retrieved 8 June 2021.  Lenders, E. W. (1914). "The Myth of the 'Wah-ru-hap-ah-rah,' or the Sacred Warclub Bundle". Zeitschrift für Ethnologie. 46: 404–420 (409).  "Stikini, an owl monster of Seminole folklore". Native-languages.org. Retrieved 25 October 2015.  "Big Owl (Owl-Man), a malevolent Apache monster". Native-languages.org. Retrieved 25 October 2015.  "Native American Indian Owl Legends, Meaning and Symbolism from the Myths of Many Tribes". Native-languages.org. 25 July 2008. Retrieved 25 October 2015.  "Mictlantecuhtli". World History Encyclopedia.  "Cuando el tecolote canta, el indio muere". La Cronica. 27 July 2008. Archived from the original on 3 September 2010.  "The Popol Vuh". meta-religion.com. Retrieved 23 July 2008.  "Owls". Hočąk Encyclopedia.  Radin, Paul (1990 [1923]) The Winnebago Tribe, Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, pp. 7–9 ISBN 0803257104.  Smith, David Lee (1997) Folklore of the Winnebago Tribe, Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, p. 160  "Glory of the Morning", Hočąk Encyclopedia.  "Owls in Lore and Culture". The Owl Pages. 31 October 2012. p. 3. Retrieved 25 October 2015.  "The Hungry Owl Project". Hungryowl.org. Archived from the original on 13 August 2003. Retrieved 9 April 2010.  "Man needed hospital treatment after owl attack". Daily Telegraph (London). 25 January 2013.  Juvonen, Arto; Muukkonen, Tomi; Peltomäki, Jari; Varesvuo, Markku (2009). Linnut vauhdissa (in Finnish). Tammi. pp. 178, 187. ISBN 978-951-31-4604-7.  Harrison, Colin; Greensmith, Alan (1995). Koko maailman linnut (in Finnish). Translated by Laine, Lasse J.; Nikander, Pekka. Helsinki Media. p. 198. ISBN 951-875-637-6.  "Wildlife Trade News – Huge haul of dead owls and live lizards in Peninsular Malaysia". TRAFFIC. 12 November 2008. Further reading Calaprice, Alice & Heinrich, Bernd (1990): Owl in the House: A Naturalist's Diary. Joy Street Books, Boston. ISBN 0-316-35456-2. Duncan, James (2013). The Complete Book of North American Owls. Thunder Bay Press, San Diego. ISBN 9781607107262. Duncan, James (2003). Owls of the World. Key Porter Books, Toronto. ISBN 1552632148. Heinrich, Bernd (1987): One Man's Owl. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press. ISBN 9780691084701. OCLC 15486687. Johnsgard, Paul A. (2002): North American Owls: Biology and Natural History, 2nd ed. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, D.C. ISBN 1-56098-939-4. Maslow, Jonathan Evan (1983): The Owl Papers, 1st Vintage Books ed. Vintage Books, New York. ISBN 0-394-75813-7. Sibley, Charles Gald & Monroe, Burt L. Jr. (1990): Distribution and taxonomy of the birds of the world: A Study in Molecular Evolution. Yale University Press, New Haven, CT. ISBN 0-300-04969-2 External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to Strigiformes. Wikispecies has information related to Strigiformes. Look up owl in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. The Owl Pages Owl Brain Atlas Smithsonian Snowy Owl Info Archived 27 November 1999 at the Wayback Machine World Owl Trust Athenian Owl coins Eurasia: World of Owls – Northern Ireland's only owl, bird of prey and exotic animal centre Current Blakiston's Fish Owl Research in Russia North America: List of Owl Species Breeding In North American and Owl Photos Oceania: iprimus info. re Australian owls and frogmouths vte Birds (class: Aves) Outline Anatomy BeakCrop MilkDactylyEggsFeathersFlightPreen glandPlumageVision Behaviour SingingIntelligenceMigrationForagingSexual selectionLek matingSeabird breedingIncubationBrood parasitesNestingHybrids Evolution Origin of birds TheropodadinosaursOrigin of flightEvolution of birdsDarwin's finchesSeabirds Fossil birds ArchaeopteryxOmnivoropterygiformesConfuciusornithiformesEnantiornithesChaoyangiformesPatagopterygiformesAmbiortiformesSonglingornithiformesHongshanornithidaeGansuiformesIchthyornithiformesHesperornithesLithornithiformesDinornithiformesAepyornithiformesGastornithiformes Human interaction RingingOrnithologyOrnithomancyBird collectionsBirdwatching Big yearBird feedingConservationAvicultureWaterfowl huntingCockfightingPigeon racingFalconryPheasantryImpingEgg collecting Lists Families and ordersGeneraGlossary of bird termsList by populationLists by regionRecently extinct birdsLate Quaternary prehistoric birdsNotable birds IndividualsFictional Neornithes Category Commons Portal WikiProject Taxon identifiers Wikidata: Q25222Wikispecies: StrigiformesADW: StrigiformesAFD: StrigiformesAvibase: 4850C24AB2D9A585BOLD: 335CoL: 466EoL: 696EPPO: 1STRIOFauna Europaea: 10803Fauna Europaea (new): d33abea5-db2a-4d10-9392-ce56fb80f9c6Fossilworks: 39397GBIF: 1450iNaturalist: 19350IRMNG: 11624ITIS: 177848NBN: NBNSYS0000161067NCBI: 30458NZOR: 1dda25b8-3165-4046-872a-dc85cce5b7aePlazi: AB0787CD-0A47-FF98-FDAB-F890E64C23CCWoRMS: 196061 Authority control: National libraries Edit this at Wikidata France (data)IsraelUnited StatesCzech Republic
  • Condition: Used
  • Condition: In Very Good Condition for its age
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  • Bird Type: Owl
  • Manufacturer: Owl
  • Material: Metal
  • Item Type: Ornament/ Figurine
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  • Country/Region of Manufacture: United Kingdom

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