In celebration of Maundy Thursday, King Charles will award today’s “Maundy money” to 74 men and 74 women, as this represents the monarch’s age. This is said to be a token of appreciation for their Christian services and for improving the lives of those in their local communities.
Back in 2019, the late Queen Elizabeth II distributed Maundy money to 93 men and 93 women at the Maundy Thursday service due to her age at the time.
The recipients are chosen from Church of England dioceses all over the UK. Each recipient will receive two purses from the King—one white and one red.
A collection of specially minted silver Maundy coins with the same value as King Charles’s age will be kept in the white purse.
Therefore, the coins in the white purse will currently be valued at £74, which is expected to soar in price over time.
In addition, two commemorative coins will be placed in the red purse to represent clothing and food.
According to the London Mint Office, the food and clothing coins equate to a total of £5.50 in circulating money in the red purse.
Today, one of these coins will mark the 75th anniversary of the Windrush Generation.
The other will honour the upcoming 75th birthday of His Majesty, which will take place in November 2023.
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Royal Maundy money traditionally soars in price after the service is over.
For instance, at the official Royal Mint shop, fans can buy the late Queen Elizabeth II’s Maundy case from 2002 for a whopping £15,000.
This is likely due to the historical significance of 2002 being her Golden Jubilee year.
The custom of “Maundy money” dates back more than 800 years, and since 1213, Maundy Money has been a key component of the service.
The monarch at the time distributes Maundy money, which is typically struck in silver.
One penny, two pence, three pence, and four pence are the standard denominations that are used.
Fewer than 2,000 maundy coin pairs are typically distributed, making them extremely valuable.
Such a unique collection of coinage frequently fetches high prices from collectors, with the value raised due to being handled by the monarch.
Royal fans also sometimes sell their Maundy money on eBay afterwards, fetching high prices for money associated with the sovereign.
When King Edward III turned 50 years old in 1363, he gave gifts to 50 underprivileged men.
It was then that the custom of matching the number of Maundy recipients to the monarch’s age first emerged.
King Henry IV officially proclaimed this custom, and it has since played a significant role in the Maundy Thursday ceremony.
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