Edwardian Coin Purse
These edwardian coin purse examples combine period silver, mesh and leather into pocket-sized functional items that collectors prize for everyday pocket elegance.
Edwardian Coin Purse
An edwardian coin purse brings together small functional receptacles designed to hold loose money, sovereigns and bank notes during the early twentieth century. You encounter forms ranging from heavy sovereign cases and chain mail cocktail purses to mounted crocodile skin and beaded evening bags.
The pieces on this page span the Edwardian period alongside adjacent Victorian, George V and Art Deco eras, originating from British assay offices and continental workshops. Sovereign cases and small silver frames dominate the selections alongside larger mesh and beaded evening bags.
Makers utilised precious metals and durable hides to create compact items intended for daily carriage or social occasions. The surviving examples reflect both utilitarian pocket storage and decorative evening accessories from the opening decades of the twentieth century.
Materials and Techniques
Silversmiths constructed the primary body of these purses and sovereign cases using sterling silver and continental silver, often stamping hallmarks for Birmingham, Chester or import marks. Mechanics relied on hinged frames, spring-loaded sovereign tubes and secure clasp closures.
Flexible elements required fine craftsmanship, employing silver mesh, chain link or chain mail to create fluid evening purses. Artisans also incorporated crocodile leather, fabric linings and glass beads, alongside decorative blue guilloché enamel and petit point needlework.
Edwardian Coin Purse Retail Price Guide 2026
Typical asking prices for edwardian coin purse among the pieces listed under this phrase on Sellingantiques today, from the lower quarter to the upper quarter. They describe what is for sale here now, not the wider market.
Listings feature sterling silver, brass, crocodile leather, glass beads and fabric across Edwardian, Victorian, George V and Art Deco styles.
Assessing Quality
Quality rests on the integrity of the silver framework, the crispness of maker's marks and the original tightness of spring mechanisms in sovereign cases. Superior examples retain undamaged hinges, unperforated mesh and secure clasps that close with a distinct snap.
Artisanal detail separates standard utilitarian items from finer pieces, visible in hand-engraved scrollwork, uniform mesh links and undamaged enamel or petit point panels. The retention of original fitted leather interiors and clear hallmarks elevates the standing of an individual piece.
Charles Penny Brown·Aaron Lufkin Dennison·The Boots Company·Robert Cawley·Henry Charles Freeman·G. Norman
The Edwardian Coin Purse Glossary
- Sovereign Case
- A small pocket container specifically sized to hold British gold sovereign coins securely. These cases often feature spring-loaded compartments for single or double coins.
- Chatelaine
- A decorative belt hook suspended with chains from which utilitarian items such as coin purses, keys and sewing tools hang. Ladies wore them at the waist during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
- Guilloché Enamel
- A decorative technique where a precise geometric pattern is engine-turned into metal beneath a translucent layer of coloured enamel. It frequently appears on continental silver purses and compacts.
- Petit Point
- A highly detailed form of needlepoint embroidery stitched on canvas using a single tent stitch per intersection. It creates pictorial scenes on the panels of vintage evening bags.
- Hallmark
- An official stamp applied by an assay office indicating the purity of the precious metal, the maker and the year of assay. British pieces typically show town marks, standard marks and date letters.
Edwardian Coin Purse: Frequently Asked Questions
What is an edwardian coin purse?
An edwardian coin purse is a small pocket accessory made during the reign of Edward VII, designed to hold currency securely. They range from rigid silver sovereign cases to flexible mesh evening bags.
Craftsmen utilised sterling silver, leather and fabric to create durable items for daily use or social gatherings. These pocket items reflect the portable accessories carried during the early twentieth century.
How do you use a sovereign case?
A sovereign case holds gold sovereign coins in spring-loaded inner clips or sleeve trays. Pressing the release catch opens the lid to reveal the coin stacked safely inside.
Collectors today use them to store small tokens or wear them on watch chains. The internal springs require gentle handling to preserve their original tension.
How do I date a silver purse?
You date British silver purses by reading the hallmarks stamped into the metal frame or body. These official marks include a sponsor's mark, a purity standard mark, an assay office town mark and a date letter.
Comparing the date letter against assay office tables reveals the exact year the piece was tested and hallmarked. Foreign or continental pieces rely on style, import marks or stamped numbers.
What is a cocktail purse?
A cocktail purse is a small evening bag designed to hold minimal items like cosmetics, cards and coins during formal social events. They often feature fine silver mesh or beaded decoration.
These bags became popular alongside interwar evening wear and social gatherings. Their delicate structures make them suitable for gentle display or special occasions.
How should I clean silver mesh?
Silver mesh requires careful handling because the tiny interlinked rings can catch or stretch under pressure. Dusting with a soft microfibre cloth prevents tarnish build-up without abrasive liquid dips.
Avoid chemical cleaning solutions that seep into fabric linings or damage delicate enamel panels. Professional advice is best if tarnishing is heavy.