Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2021 i World Coin News

Heritage’s final numismatic signature auctions of 2020, held December 17-19 in Hong Kong, focused on Asian coins and currency, along with a small but significant offering of ancient coins. The auction of World and Ancient coins raised over $4.5 million, highlighted by an original strike Kuang-hsü silver Pattern Tael from 1906, graded MS64 by NGC which realized $288,000. Struck just six years after the reestablishment of the Tientsin mint, the series ultimately failed to be introduced into widespread circulation. Still, the design would eventually influence the standard layout of the Imperial issues adopted after 1908. This coin is likely amongst the finest, if not the finest, certified examples of the original pattern striking. A stunning set of patterns for the iconic “Opium” Taels of Yunnan, a set of essais that…

The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization is definitely not on the side of the collector. UNESCO is a United Nations agency meant to promote world peace and security using international cooperation in education, the sciences, and culture. The word ‘culture’ is the key for the purpose of this article. UNESCO has impacted a Memorandum of Understanding between the United States and other countries regarding not only the ability to import antiquities, but to import coins from some places as well. A posting on the American Numismatic Association web site reads, “The ANA fully supports the idea of protecting cultural property, but has consistently argued that ancient coins should not be included in MOUs for a number of reasons…there is no shortage of coins in museums in nations that…

Once upon a time Canada had a 1-cent coin. Now that’s gone. Once upon a time Canada had a circulating $1, and a $2 bank note. Now they’re gone. And, what about the Canadian 50-cent coin? That circulates about as successfully as does its US counterpart. The list is about to get longer. In mid-November the Bank of Canada sent out a reminder it will remove the legal tender status of its $1, $2, $25, $500, and $1,000 bank notes as of January 1, 2021. Canada’s Parliament decided to remove the legal tender status of these notes in 2018, following amendments made to the Bank of Canada Act and the Currency Act. In 9 (1) of the Currency Act it reads, “The governor in council may, by order, call in…

IN LAUNCHING THEIR first auction of 2021, Künker Münzauktionen, has selected an array of material befitting the beginning of their 50th year. Though celebration plans are still in fluid development due to the pandemic and its restrictions, General Manager Ulrich Künker did express his sentiments as they begin their 50th year in business. “We are very proud about the anniversary and thankful for the trust of our clients and the support of our partners for half a century!” Well respected from day one, Künker Münzauktionen has always brought quality cataloging to fascinating and classic coinage. Their sales have remained a real pleasure to explore since I first encountered them in the late 1980’s. Normally the first Künker auction of the year is held in Berlin in conjunction with the World…

THIS MONTH we revisit the nation of Tanzania, which we began discussing in our last issue, and its coins from the late 19th century to modern times. There are three coinage regimes: German East Africa, (British) East Africa, and the modern country itself. A very reductionist glance at the situation there in the late 19th century shows native sultanates in decline on the mainland and foreign sultanates on the islands, of which the Sultans of Zanzibar were the top dogs. All were making their money off slaves, with a sideline of ivory, and a bit of gold. People would just go over the border of their country and steal people and sell them to the Omanis in Zanzibar. They did it for centuries. The Europeans were looking for raw material…

THE 4,500 LOTS in the upcoming Stephen Album Rare Coins Auction 39 set for January 21-25 provides a collector’s paradise of tasty numismatic treats for the New Year. Islamic, Indian, Chinese, Ancient and a bevy of interesting World Coins are on display through their downloadable pdf catalog or online live at their website ready for bidding by the time this article is in print. I spoke with Paul Montz, Chief Financial Officer of the firm and noted expert in World coins and he explained that they had not held their usual monthly online auctions late in 2020, which allowed a good deal of consigned material to be rolled into one large sale to launch the new year. Paul and I also talked about the boom in bidding at their auctions.…

THE FIFTH COIN to be issued in the Archeology & Symbolism series features Vasudhara, the Buddhist bodhisattva of wealth, prosperity and abundance. The subject of many Buddhist legends and works of art, Vasudhara is shown on theses coins in the Nepalese Mandala of Vasudhara, from textile art originating in 1015 C.E. The coins are struck with Smartminting to an ultra-high relief on 3 ounce planchets. This allows for a great deal of detail over the entire surface of the 65 millimeter in diameter coin. Issued for Mongolia in an antiqued silver 2000 togrog coin and a gilded version in the same denomination with mintages of 333 and 99 pieces respectively. Originated and distributed by NumisCollect (www.shop.numiscollect.eu), you can also purchase them from PowerCoin (www.powercoin.it) or through eBay. Prices can range…

WHEN IT FIRST launched the Big 5 coin program in 2019, the South African Mint (SAMint) made a commitment to support conservation efforts directed at protecting the very animals these coins honour. In partnership with the Wildlife Conservation Trust (WCT), who identify viable conservation initiatives and match them with organisations who have the means to fulfil them, the SAMint is taking its’ responsibility to the nations unique wildlife very seriously. Because of this stance, collectors can enjoy the beauty of these coins, while knowing we are part of solutions, not problems, for these majestic creatures. South African Mint Managing Director, Honey Mamabolo said, “Just as the SARB is the guarantor of the value in the banknotes and coins it issues, it is the duty of all South Africans to safeguard…

On February 12th of solar year 2021 a new lunar year will dawn. For the traditional Chinese calendar it is year 4718 - the 38th year of the current 79th sexagenary (60 year) cycle. In the Chinese system of Earthly Branches it is aYear of the Ox. Specifically it is a Xin Chôu [辛丑] or Year of the Metal Ox. Each Year of the Ox (YoO) is the second in the 12-year cycle of animals that form the Chinese zodiac. Their order of precedence was determined by the Great Race devised by the August Personage of Jade. The trusting Ox would have come in first but was tricked by the Rat who had hitched a ride on its back, only to jump off just before the finish line, leaving the…

SMARTMINTING Reloaded technology developed by Mayer’s Mint and CIT has advanced so much that ultra-high relief is now possible on both sides of a single coin. We reported this great news (see Numismatic News Vol. 69 No. 7, World Coin News Vol. 47 No. 4) after meeting with both firms at the World Money Fair in January 2020 and have been happily introducing our readers to various new issue commemoratives making use of Smartminting Reloaded throughout the year. Numiscollect is one of several firms that designs coins intended to make the best use of Smartminting Reloaded features. This new series centered on Lost Civilizations is a great example. The first coin in the series commemorates the city of Babylon in a 2-ounce silver coin struck for issue from Palau and…

DAVID FIERO, PHD, numismatist, author, teacher and friend passed away on December 28, 2020 at 11:20 am. His five-yearlong ordeal with Multiple Myeloma and Bladder Cancer finally came to an end. David was 70 years old and despite a successful stem cell transplant at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in 2015 his final years were marked by chronic pain. He met his wife Petra when she was nineteen, on her very first day at the University of Regensburg; the two were linked for nearly forty years by their dedication to educating students of English, Spanish, and German at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Western Washington University in Bellingham. David had inspired her and many of his other students to study abroad. David pursued his hobby of collecting coins with…