Edward was born on 23 June 1894 in Surrey. He was the eldest son of the George V.
He became King on 20th January, 1936 after his father George V died of influenza.
Edward VIII was the only British sovereign to abdicate voluntarily, Edward stepped
down in 1936 to marry the American divorcee Wallis Simpson.
Edward VIII abdicated before any coins bearing his name or portrait were officially
issued.
In British West Africa and British East Africa coins dated 1936 were issued but these
coins are common and don't bear his portrait.
In 1937 the mint did produce official dies and pattern coins for Edward VIII but these
were never issued for circulation, and so remain very rare.
The most frequently encountered coin out of them all is the twelve sided brass three
pence. Because of its shape, some were believed to have been supplied to
manufacturers of slot machines to experiment with and occasionally turn up at
auction.
EDWARD VIII 1936