Royal fans have long collected commemorative items and special pieces linked to the royal family. Popular items include ceramics, coins, and signed documents, but are these really worth anything? We've called in an expert!With 34 years' experience, Auctioneer and Valuer at Reeman Dansie, James Grinter, tells us what’s what when it comes to royal antiques.
Despite being in the same industry for more than three decades, James still gets a buzz from it. "I still get a tremendous thrill discovering unusual treasures, and I am always surprised by what turns up on house visits and at the saleroom," he says. And one particular patch he loves covering is royalty.
Read on to discover which royal's personal collection reached £440,000 at auction and why royal Christmas cards are worth holding onto…
Royal memorabilia to look out for, according to James
Signed royal photographs: £300 – £5,000
Photographs from the archives are incredibly precious, and if they are officially signed, the value soars.
Presentation cufflinks: £300 – £1,000
A pair of rare H.M. The Queen Elizabeth II cufflinks sold by Reeman Dansie for a dazzling £2,900, but on average you can expect something up to the value of £1,000.
Royal tie pins: £500 – £5,000
Tie pins feature heavily on the Reeman Dansie website, often reaching hundreds of pounds at auction. Anything with a royal connection then boosts the value further.
Signed Christmas cards: £50 - £1,000
Signed Christmas cards start from £50 upwards, but bear in mind that most post-1959 signed cards are signed by an autopen machine, which simulates the signatures. The more desirable cards are hand-signed and given to close family, such as the late Queen, who occasionally swapped her formal 'Elizabeth R' signature for 'Lilibet', which can fetch between £600 and £1,000 each.
Royal plates: £50 – £5,000
Sadly, there is little demand amongst collectors for royal commemorative China, says James, unless it is pre-1840, then it could be anything from £50 to 5,000. However, as a rule of thumb, the better the quality of the items in the first place, the more likely they will be collectable in the future.
© Getty ImagesItems related to the late Queen and Princess Diana
James points out that these are the two family members that are particularly popular with collectors, Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Diana, so keeping an eye out for these items will help you achieve maximum value.
James' most interesting royal sales
The Queen Mother's items: £440,000
James cites the William Tallon Collection as one of his most memorable sales. William worked for the Queen Mother for over fifty years. During that time, he amassed an amazing collection of art, royal presentation gifts, letters, cards and other royal ephemera. It took James months to catalogue the collection, which proved very worthwhile, as it sold for £440,000 to bidders from all over the world.
Prince Albert's sketches: £30,000
In 2021, James' company sold two small pencil sketches by Prince Albert, Queen Victoria’s consort, which were his initial drawings for a diamond and sapphire coronet he designed for his wife in 1840. The coronet is considered one of Queen Victoria's most beloved jewels and was often worn by her. It was subsequently handed down through the royal family until it was gifted by H.M. King George V to his daughter H.R.H. Princess Mary, the Princess Royal and Countess of Harewood. After Princess Mary's death, it was eventually sold to the Victoria and Albert Museum. The sketches were found in the back of a book that was given by Queen Victoria to a courtier and fetched £30,000 against an estimate of £800-£1,200.
"The sketches were found in the back of a book that was given by Queen Victoria to a courtier and fetched £30,000 against an estimate of £800-£1,200."
Queen Elizabeth II's driving licence: £6,800
In 2022, Reeman Dansie sold the late Queen’s 1945 military provisional driving licence, from when she was serving in the ATS, together with an account of her service, photographs and related ephemera from her driving instructor in the A.T.S. The late Miss (Major) Violet Wellesley M.B.E. The War Department Driving Permit No.B1232 has the name 'H.R.H. Princess Elizabeth' and states she has blue eyes, is 5ft 4 inches high and has light brown hair. It is dated '1st March 1945' and signed by the Princess in ink reading: 'Elizabeth'.
© Reeman DansieQueen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh photographs: £4,700
A large pair of 2014 signed presentation portrait photographs of H.M. Queen Elizabeth II and H.R.H. The Duke of Edinburgh got over £4,000. Her late Majesty was pictured wearing a spectacular diamond tiara and necklace, Order of the Garter and Royal Family Orders, while the Duke wore his naval uniform and Orders and decorations. It was signed in ink on mounts 'Elizabeth R 2014' and 'Philip 2014'.
Queen Elizabeth II's wedding cake: £2,200
One of the more unusual items sold was a piece of the late Queen’s 1947 wedding cake, in its original packaging, which fetched £2,200. The cake was originally 2.7 metres (9 feet) high and weighed 226 kg (500 pounds), according to the Royal Collection Trust.
Queen Elizabeth II's signed Christmas card: £598
A hand-signed 1994 Christmas card sent by H.M. Queen Elizabeth II and H.R.H. The Duke of Edinburgh reached over £500. It had twin gilt embossed royal cyphers to the interior, featuring a colour photograph of the royal couple on tour in an open-top Range Rover, signed in ink 'Lilibet & Philip'. The late Queen only used her family nickname for her close family and old friends.
"The late Queen only used her family nickname for her close family and old friends"
© Reeman DansiePrincess Diana’s school rubber: £500
The rubber was from when Diana was a nine-year-old pupil at Riddlesworth Hall. The late Princess of Wales kept it even after she married her prince, but then gave it away to her secretary, Jane Parsons, according to reports.
