Innholdsfortegnelse for September 2019 i World Coin News

If my records are correct, this is my 192nd column in World Coin News. It only took twenty years of writing under three column names and three publishers. To lead off, a neat little, undated uniface coin from the German city of Buchhorn. From Buchhorn our trip will take us to Greece with coins from the Kingdom, the Second Republic and the Third or Hellenic Republic. With the last two, it was necessary to add two more copper alloys to my collection, copper nickel and aluminum bronze. In this, the information age, it seems everything we need to know is available on the internet. However, this is not always the case; the only information about Buchhorn on the internet was that in 1811 the city of Friedrichshafen was created out…

Did Columbus really discover America? A single Norse coin suggests otherwise. Did Captain James Cook discover Australia? Well, an African coin may also suggest otherwise--actually, several coins. It is certain Cook reached Botany Bay in what is today Sydney in 1770. He claimed the continent for Great Britain, declaring the continent “terra nullius.” The first Englishman known to have physically landed on the Australian mainland was former pirate William Dampier (1651-1715). Since that time accolades have been heaped on Cook for his discovery. The evidence is slim, but it is looking more and more like Australia was visited by any number of people following the time the aboriginal natives settled there between 40,000 and 60,000 years ago and when Cook first arrived during the late 18th century. The aboriginal settlers…

An experiment based on an analysis of the ceramic molds discovered by archaeologists excavating the medieval markets of Tadmekka, Mali appears to have identified the process through which the gold ore for locally issued gold coins was refined about a thousand years ago. Tadmekka was an early Islamic Trans-Sahara market town along the caravan routes in Africa. West African gold, slaves, and ivory originating in Gao were shipped to the markets to Algeria, Libya, and Tunis through Tadmekka. In Book of Roads and Kingdoms written in CE 1068 Arab geographer al-Bakri described Tadmekka as “a large town… better built than Ghana or Gao.” Al-Bakri also described what he called a pure gold coinage. The local Sub-Sahara economies of this time typically traded glass beads as currency, while the North African…

On July 12, new 100- and 500-yen coins rolled off the press at the Osaka Mint in Japan. What makes these coins different is that they are the first to carry the regnal date Reiwa 1, the first year of issue during the reign of recently enthroned Emperor Naruhito. Regnal dates ‘date’ from antiquity. There is no year zero for the initial year of the rule of a sovereign when using this system. Ancient Greek coins carried ‘regnal’ dates that sometimes began Year One from an event such as the founding of the city (also called Foundation dates) or of an important battle or other special event. Seleucid Syria began its dating system as Year One from 312 BCE when the kingdom was founded. Regnal years were used on coins…

On October 18-27 the 7th Summer CISM Military World Games will be held in Wuhan, China. These games were first held in 1995. They were created for sportspeople drawn from the military throughout the world by the Belgium-based Conseil International du Sport Militaire (CISM). This year’s event will involve over 100 countries participating in 23 disciplines along with one demonstration sport: tennis. For the first time boxing for military women is on the schedule. In addition track, field and archery competitions have been organized for para athletes. To mark the occasion the People’s Bank of China has released one .999 fine gold proof and five .999 fine silver proof coins minted by Shenzhen Guobao and Shenyang Mints. These comprise: a 20 mm, 5 g gold ¥80 (silhouette of a marksman);…

The World Coin News club show and commercial events calendar is a guide to events with a focus for world-coin collectors. Domestic events scheduled up to 10 weeks in advance of the issue date and foreign events up to six months in advance are listed. Abbreviations used: “A” – Admission charge; “T” – number of tables; “F” – Table fee; “N/A” – not available. Other data required for submitting a listing: name and address of show site, and name and address of bourse chairman or other contact person. SEPTEMBER Sep 1 CA, Anaheim. North County Monthly Coin Show. Embassy Suites Hotel, 3100 E Frontera St.,. SH: 9am - 4pm. SP: Pacific Expos LLC. A: $1. T: 22. F: $150-$300. Kerry Pieropan, PO Box 69A06, West Hollywood, CA, 90069. PH: 714-…

I recently saw a French Third Republic coin on which Napoleon III had been re-engraved to look like a vampire. Is there something symbolic about this? The coin was meant to be satirical when it was re-engraved and ‘re-issued’ in quantities following the defeat of France in the Franco-Prussian War in 1870. The unfortunate nephew of Napoleon I was captured in the Battle of Sedan and deposed several days later. Did Japan issue any coins or bank notes for their planned occupation of territory of the Soviet Union during World War Two? Paper money was printed in denominations of 10 and 50 kopeks, 1 and 5 rubles, and 1 chervonetz with Cyrillic script translating The Government of Great Imperial Japan. It does not appear it was ever issued. Did Japan…

The extensive coinage of Nicholas I, who ruled Russia from 1825 to 1855, is among the most interesting in the entire series of imperial numismatics. There is a variety of denominations and designs, enough to keep the most dedicated collector busy for many years. The future Emperor Nicholas I, the third son of Paul I (1796–1801), was born near St. Petersburg in the summer of 1796. The eldest son (Alexander I) inherited the purple in 1801 when Paul was assassinated by army officers, but no one thought Grand Duke Nicholas would become emperor and so his schooling was primarily designed for a future role in the Russian army. In late 1825 Alexander I died unexpectedly at Taganrog in the south of Russia. Alexander did not have any surviving male children…

On September 15 Elizabeth Cottam of Chris Rudd will be auctioning two rare, gold, Celtic quarter staters recently unearthed south of the River Thames. Both were minted in Iron Age Britain around 55-40 BCE. The first found near Basingstoke is a ‘Petal Saltire’ type (ABC 809). The obverse shows a cruciform wreath motif with a saltire of petals and rings in the angles. The reverse displays one of those wonderful Celtic horses along with suns/ cogwheels and rings. The second from Hungerford is described as a ‘Robinsun’ type (ABC 2105) named after the late Dr Paul Robinson of Devizes Museum. The obverse is heavily decorated with a partial wreath, stylized wings and pellet suns. The reverse has the usual Celtic horse and assorted pellets with a sun above. Full details…

It would be exciting for anyone to discover a long-lost high quality coin collection. You might anticipate the excitement when such a collection was recently unearthed in Keszhely, Hungary. This collection, however, has a dark side associated with it, being that the find suggests its original owner likely died in the Holocaust during World War Two. Coin finds, be they single pieces, a hoard, or a nicely assembled collection can assist archaeologists in fleshing out information on the dig site where the coins were encountered. While this is true regarding the recent Keszhely find, it is locating any survivors from the family whom is suspected to have owned the collection that may become of paramount importance. According to the ACF news agency, the find consists of 2,776 gold and silver…

Too many coin and bank note denominations with which to deal is being blamed for the withdrawal of some coins and the introduction of a new bank note denomination during this coming October by the National Bank of Ukraine. In a recent press conference National Bank of Ukraine President Yakiv Smolii said coins of 1, 2 and 5 kopeck denominations will no longer be available as a means of payment in Ukraine. The coins will be withdrawn from circulation on October 1. The 25-kopeck coins will be more gradually withdrawn, although no reason for the different timetable was given. According to Smoli, a new 1,000-hryvnia bank note will be issued on October 25. The note would, at the time this article was being written, have an exchange of about $38…

For a number of years Tuvaluan silver dollars celebrating the many deadly & dangerous critters that stalk the Lucky Country have proved remarkably popular with collectors. The first issued 1 oz are currently fetching over A$1,650 apiece. Now it is the turn of the Solomon Islands to repeat the formula. Downies have released a set of 11 mm, 0.5 g .585 fine gold $1 featuring six D&D Aussies: Red-back Spider, Saltwater Crocodile, Great White Shark, Dingo, Eastern Brown Snake and Blue-Ringed Octopus. Mintage is limited to 500 sets. The 14 carat coins come described as “prooflike”. Each coin bears a ‘Double D’ that Downies term a “mint-mark”.…

At the time of writing Heritage Auctions ANA sales were still a month off. Yet such is the way of today’s numismatic world that shortly after these conclude in mid-August Long Beach waits just around the corner. In point of fact consignments for that Sept. 4-9 sale closed on July 5. Internet bidding is scheduled to open pre-ANA on Aug. 12. As a consequence the catalog was a well-advanced work-in-progress come early July. By mid-July some fine lots had already been posted on the www.ha.com website. They are somewhat like a wedding in having both somethings old and somethings new. The oldest item in the catalog is a light 8.08 g, gold stater of Croesus [Kroisus] struck at Sardes c. 553-539 BCE. It displays the classic headshot design of lion…

Gold coins of Roman Emperor Theodosius II, who ruled between CE 402 and 450, are not necessarily rare, but when one of these coins is found in what is today Israel, that is another story. On July 3 Fox News and other news agencies reported the find of a gold solidus in the Galilee region by a group of Israeli students. Further details of the context in which the coin was found were not available at the time this article was being written. According to Israel Antiquities Authority numismatist Dr. Gabriela Bijovsky, “The gold coin is a solidus minted by the emperor Theodosius II in Constantinople around 420-423 CE. Similar coins are known from the Eastern Byzantine empire, but this is the first of its type discovered in Israel.” In…

Some nations are rushing to embrace cryptocurrencies while abandoning their cash, but not everyone is on board with the concept. It is true only about one percent of Sweden’s economy is now represented by bank notes and coins. About 95 percent of citizens in the 18 to 24 age group use debit cards almost exclusively when making a ‘cash’ transaction. Sweden’s government is considering launching an e-krona government sponsored digital currency. Eliminating physical cash makes for greater traceability by your government as well as by private companies. Any despotic regime will likely embrace cryptocurrencies, either government or privately controlled for that reason. In a July 12 The Good Men Project online article the author wrote, “We can only wonder what will happen when credit cards disappear and we move toward…

In late June the Royal Canadian Mint released a new $20 commemorative proof struck entirely from Nunavut-sourced gold. Nunavut [Our Land] is the newest, largest, and most northerly territory of Canada. Its creation in 1999 was the first major change to Canada’s political map since the incorporation of the province of Newfoundland in 1949. The new coin marks the Territory’s 20th anniversary. Its reverse displays Germaine Arnaktauyok’s iconic drummer design that first appeared on a circulation Canadian $2 released in 1999 to celebrate Nunavut’s founding. The .9999 fine gold used in the coin was mined at Agnico Eagle Mines’ Meadowbank mine near Baker Lake and TMAC Resources’ mine at Hope Bay. The new 20.00 mm 3.14 g (1/10 oz) coin has been struck on a thin but wide flan identical…

Over the past six months the Pobjoy Mint has released six, selectively colored 24.40 mm, 8.00 g Virenium® dollars celebrating the world’s six flamingo species. The coins have been struck on behalf of the British Virgin Islands (BVI). Mintages are 3,500 apiece. January’s BVI dollar featured the American or Caribbean Flamingo. This is the well-known pink species, the color coming from its plankton diet that is rich in carotenoids. February commemorated James’ Flamingo that lives in the high Andes. This species is named after Harry Berkeley James, a British naturalist who financed an expedition that located a remote population in 1956 long after the bird was believed to have become extinct. Unlike the American Flamingo the plumage is a very pale pink with bright crimson and carmine streaks around the…