The British Museum has some Bitcoin items on display

[nullama]

If you're in London, make sure to visit the British Museum, as they have some interesting stuff: https://www.britishmuseum.org

Since 2012 they have a Casascius coin, donated by Mike Caldwell: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/C_2012-4040-4


Interestingly, it looks like in 2013 they had 2 Casascius coins on display: https://www.reddit.com/r/Bitcoin/comments/1rnez1/back_in_2012_casascius_donated_some_coins_to/


But in a recent photo, it looks like there's only one now: https://www.reddit.com/r/Bitcoin/comments/wg9me1/bitcoin_cassascius_coin_2011_in_the_british_museum/


They also have a couple of Denarium coins from Finland, but not on display. They were donated by the company in 2020:

https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/C_2020-4004-2


https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/C_2020-4004-3


And they also have one Polymerbit note:
https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/C_2018-4089-1


The creator of the Polymerbit note is still active in this forum: polymerbit

[crwth]

This is an exciting post. If ever I will go there, I would love that to be put on the agenda if ever I travel. Hopefully, I will be able to because I'm interested in these things. It's not always common to see stuff like this. I'm curious about the Casascius coins that one is missing now. Maybe someone cashed it in or something, lol.

[buwaytress]

Huh that is interesting. Was actually there circa 2015 and am pretty certain I did a full tour, would have remembered seeing that. Probably on loan on and off and on certain types of exhibits (rather than permanent exhibit).

Be cool to get a sense from the curator what made them think these pieces meant other than the obvious fame.

[nullama]

Huh that is interesting. Was actually there circa 2015 and am pretty certain I did a full tour, would have remembered seeing that. Probably on loan on and off and on certain types of exhibits (rather than permanent exhibit).

Be cool to get a sense from the curator what made them think these pieces meant other than the obvious fame.

It's in Room 68, maybe you missed it?
https://www.britishmuseum.org/sites/default/files/2022-07/british_museum_map_june_2022.pdf

Here's a virtual visit to it:
https://artsandculture.google.com/streetview/british-museum/AwEp68JO4NECkQ?sv_h=0&sv_p=0&sv_pid=RxkgTGyMeXwHSmisqagmRg&sv_lid=3582009757710443819&sv_lng=-0.1265454358926945&sv_lat=51.51884274440813&sv_z=0.6911292499459274

Here's a video from the British Museum explaining the reasoning behind this in particular, which is an exhibition about money:
Bitcoin, cryptocurrency and their 17th century counterpart I Curator's Corner S4 Ep2

And here's the link of the museum gallery about money:
https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/galleries/money

[TheNineClub]

Ah, it's probably the only thing in the British Museum that dosen't need to be returned to the country from where it was stolen XD. But it signifies what impact BTC (and crypto) actually had so far, enough to be mentioned as an important footnote in history.

[Lucius]

Ah, it's probably the only thing in the British Museum that dosen't need to be returned to the country from where it was stolen XD. But it signifies what impact BTC (and crypto) actually had so far, enough to be mentioned as an important footnote in history.

You are not far from the truth, although they do not treat it as theft in the literal sense, but as saving valuable artifacts from decay in countries that at that time did not consider themselves capable of protecting their national treasures. However, some things should be returned to where they belong. because a lot has changed in a positive sense in those countries.


I hope that visitors will not misunderstand such exhibits, because some still think that Bitcoin comes in physical form, and I believe that there are many physical coins on the market that are completely worthless considering the cheap materials and large quantities in which they are made.

[Upgrade00]

Would be a great destination for a Bitcoin enthusiast around the area. Hopefully, they have guides who can properly explain to the public how it works and that bitcoins are not usually represented in its physical form.

You are not far from the truth, although they do not treat it as theft in the literal sense, but as saving valuable artifacts from decay in countries that at that time did not consider themselves capable of protecting their national treasures. However, some things should be returned to where they belong. because a lot has changed in a positive sense in those countries.

Anyone can come up with an excuse to justify their actions, doesn't mean it is applicable.
No one was appointed custodians of art to preserve art you didn't create. Anyone who is capable of making it, should get to keep it, whether or not one thinks they can preserve it.
In my opinion, it wasn't right to take them at all, and the fact that they've not been returned shows that the intentions were not as selfless as it is being painted from the go.

[Rruchi man]

But it signifies what impact BTC (and crypto) actually had so far, enough to be mentioned as an important footnote in history.

It is also an indication that bitcoin has attained a level of recognition in Britain, recognition enough to be put in a museum on display to the public. This exhibition has the potential to influence and affect positively people's opinions about bitcoin first and then crypto in general. The long term effect is that it will also facilitate it's adoption amongst many British men and women who had an unaccommodating opinion about bitcoin.

[DaveF]

Very cool. Wonder what will happen over the years with all the exhibits out there of BTC stuff.
Things like this, the mining museum and so on. Will they pop up all over or stay as little specialized exhibits. 

And for humor since it's the British Museum:

[m2017]

Since 2012 they have a Casascius coin, donated by Mike Caldwell: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/C_2012-4040-4

For almost 10 years, the British Museum has kept this coin and during this time no one from this forum even noticed this? I begin to have doubts about the cultural level of participants if no one don't visit The British Museum for decades.

Over such a long period of time, someone should have noticed these coins much earlier.

I'm curious about the Casascius coins that one is missing now. Maybe someone cashed it in or something, lol.

Both of these coins can be cashed it in long time ago. As far as I understand, private key or qr-code (what should be there) is on the reverse side of this coin and it is not visible whether the security sticker is damaged or not. But it seems to me that the "used" the Casascius coin would lose its historical value, although visitors to the museum can't check or "touch" this in any way. Bitcoin is primarily a digital currency. Even without a protective sticker, the administration of the British Museum leave the 2nd coin as a showcase sample.

[hugeblack]

These physical Bitcoin coins and even if they are historical or related to an event, are not directly related to Bitcoin or its origins, I can understand things like the computer that mined the first known Bitcoin, the personal devices of people like Hal^[1], physical objects associated with the early days of Bitcoin and others and not products of companies.

[1] https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?action=profile;u=2436

[bakasabo]

I believe that some of our users have bigger collection than British Museum. But, I must admin that British Museum is doing a really good thing, by making Bitcoin a bit more popular. Just hope there are some explanations or a guide that can tell what Bitcoin is. Because some people, while walking by might think that these are "just ancient money".

[Ultegra134]

I believe that some of our users have bigger collection than British Museum. But, I must admin that British Museum is doing a really good thing, by making Bitcoin a bit more popular. Just hope there are some explanations or a guide that can tell what Bitcoin is. Because some people, while walking by might think that these are "just ancient money".

When I first joined the forum in 2014, I remember a few users creating and selling such physical coins in the marketplace section. Some even went as far as integrating a wallet (I remember them having a QR code) in the coins, so they were actually worth Bitcoin. I wish I had bought one back then.

[Lucius]

In my opinion, it wasn't right to take them at all, and the fact that they've not been returned shows that the intentions were not as selfless as it is being painted from the go.

If you misunderstood me, I do not support theft in any sense, regardless of how someone once defined it in the past. But big and powerful states (empires) like the UK have been doing whatever they can think of for hundreds of years and are still doing it today, only in a slightly more subtle way.

But it's poor excuse when the museum doesn't return the artifact when the origin country ask them to do so.

I don't expect a different reaction, not only from the museum in question, but also from many well-known museums across Europe that have works that do not belong to them in their exhibitions. Many famous works of art looted by the Nazis still hang in museums today as their heirs fight to get them back, 75+ years after the end of World War II.

[kryptqnick]

I haven't been to London yet, but I plan to visit it, so thanks op for sharing this information. Coins are quite common in museums, but usually they're Ancient, belong to a notable time period or something like that, so seeing Bitcoin-related stuff is surprising to me (and in a British Museum no less!). When visiting big museums like that, it's hard to see all of the stuff because it takes way too much time, but now I'll know the specific thing to look out for and where to find it.
Regarding TheNineClub's comment, I've been to several museums in the UK, and I was surprised by how much they've stolen from their colonial times and now basically present it as theirs, even though it's clearly not.

[The Cryptovator]

Interesting. But those who aren't familiar with Bitcoin or have not heard about Bitcoin they won't notice Bitcoin-related stuff. Because they will think it's just a Symbol of something unless they become curious to search Google. But still good to me, who knows some people would get interested in Bitcoin due to this museum. If I visit London, I would love to visit this museum, thanks for sharing with us.

[hZti]

Very good that those coins are displayed in the museum, thanks for sharing. I think stuff like this helps to give bitcoin credibility that is needed for a trusted currency. I could imagine that people will not notice it so easily but now at least we know.

[usekevin]

Britain had good base for the bitcoin.British economy was developed economy in the Eurozone.So they are promoting the bitcoin by keeping in the museum.This is the way of promoting bitcoin to the common people,so it will looked by the most of the people.When the people trust the government announcement like this,they will start to make some investment into the bitcoin.We may able to earn good money from the price increase in the bitcoin price.

[hZti]

Britain had good base for the bitcoin.British economy was developed economy in the Eurozone.So they are promoting the bitcoin by keeping in the museum.This is the way of promoting bitcoin to the common people,so it will looked by the most of the people.When the people trust the government announcement like this,they will start to make some investment into the bitcoin.We may able to earn good money from the price increase in the bitcoin price.

If you read the starting post correctly than you can see that the Coin is already on display there since 2012! I know what you mean about the advertising but I think for that we would need to donate bitcoins to a few other museums to get new attention.

[wiss19]

British museum... it is such a historically dark place that I still can't believe they are fine and people do not have any problems with it. Cool to see that they are displaying some crypto stuff, but let's not forget that this is the same place that literally took things all around the world and put it on a museum. Over half of the things that are shown there are things that have been stolen from other nations without their will, and this isn't just small time African nations, I mean stuff even from Italy and Greece are there as well, historical stuff too.

All in all, even if I happen to be in London one day, I would not visit there, because of the terribleness they have done so far.