British and World Coins from the Collection of Ivor Brecker

Ivor Brecker

Our Father started collecting coins seriously in 1959 and remained interested in numismatics throughout his life, still adding to his collection in his final year. He was meticulous in keeping track of sales and dealers' offerings and improving and expanding his collection as better examples became available.

Ivor enjoyed his time at Leyton High Grammar School and, while he excelled at the sciences, he also loved history and remained interested in history and politics throughout his life, which also inspired his love of travel. He trained in dentistry at the Royal Dental Hospital which then occupied a fine building in Leicester Square, not too far from the central London coin dealers. On graduating he worked for many years as a dentist in London, building up his own practice in Perivale. Dentists work with metal amalgam and with gold, and maybe this contributed to his love of owning beautiful coins. 

After marrying his wife, Yvonne, in 1956, they made a home together in North London to bring up their family.

Ivor's coin collections reflected his interests. Being the sort of person he was, once he set his mind to a theme, he was...