Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2023 i World Coin News

The first issue of the Standard Catalog of World Coins 2001-Date was spun off from the venerable 20th-century volume in the series, bringing the full SCWC series to five volumes running from 1600-present. I had been pushing for a separate 21st-century volume for several years, but when the first 2001-present SCWC returned from the printer, it seemed almost too small to have bothered. That was in 2006 and the staff was worried that maybe we had made the move to a separate 21st century volume too early. But each following year the size increased until the 21st century volume was growing at a highly accelerated pace. In 2019 the final 21st century volume was released and we were amazed to find that the 13th edition of the 2001-present SCWC was…

Once again a country is looking to drop its lowest denomination coins. This time it’s Latvia. The Latvijas Banka or Bank of Latvia has drafted a law through which the 1- and 2-cent euro coins would no longer be necessary due to price rounding. Latvia joined the European Union’s eurozone currency union in 2014, converting its lats to euros at that time. It may appear as if all Latvia must do is turn off the coin-minting presses, but it isn’t that simple. The continuing circulation of the two lowest denominations of coins has been under discussion throughout the Baltic nations (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania) since 2019. A statement on the situation released by the Bank of Latvia reads, “Currently, the Bank of Latvia, in cooperation with the Finance Ministry, is looking…

We will discuss the later Roman Empire, with emphasis on the regions that are now Turkiye (Turkey). The numismatics can be conveniently divided into two periods: that of the Tetrarchies, and then from Constantine to the split of the West from the East. The West, as of 476 A.D., basically told the East: “We’re cool here. We’re going to stop asking you for stuff and we’re not going to give you stuff either. You can keep being the emperor, that’s fine. Just don’t try to get us to do anything.” Or put another way, in reference to the political issues of the day, the West declined to help the East deal with Persia. The emperor, in Constantinople, said “OK,” being in no position to do anything to keep the West…

Discoveries of new archeological sites with treasures such as ancient coins often make their way onto the news, sparking the general public's interest in coins, other treasures, and history. The discoveries make us wonder what happened, how those coins got there, and what the owner’s life had been like. So what if these discoveries were a little reversed? The Lithuanian Mint has an ongoing series bringing lost cities onto coins, letting people collect historical moments, places, and history in a unique way. The first coin in the series featured Palmyra, an ancient city in the middle of modern-day Syria. The treasures found at archaeological sites date back to the Neolithic period. The coin's reverse features the Monumental Arch, also known as the Arch of Triumph, an ornamental archway that opens…

King Charles III is well known for his concerns and hands-on approach. Among the many things for which he has a passion is biodiversity. The edge inscription of his new £2 coin, chosen personally by King Charles reads: In servitio omnium, which translates to ‘In the service of all.’ This was taken from the monarch’s Sept. 9, 2022 inaugural speech. Charles’ passions go much further than an inscription on a coin. The new king is the patron of 420 charities. The king has personally supported 43 charities, two of which are the Orphan Working School and the Hospital for Sick Children. The circulation coinage he has recently approved for the United Kingdom is designed to help children identify figures and learn to count. The United Kingdom has waited more than…

During the late fall of 1796 and the early winter of 1797, the new government of Paul I, Emperor and Autocrat of All the Russias since the death of his mother, Catherine II, on November 7, struggled to find a method to put the country back on hard currency; the curse of assignats (paper currency) was a drain on the economy. Patterns were struck in late 1796, but it was not until Jan. 20, 1797, that the final decision was put in writing. On that date, the Czar signed a formal ukase (decree) that ordered the minting of silver coins in a new weight and fineness. Prior to 1797, the amount of pure silver in each ruble of .750 fineness was 18 grams, but the January 1797 decree changed this…

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE he holidays are upon us and it’s time to start looking for gifts for our loved ones. Gifts don’t have to be extravagant; they are something to show our loved ones we care about them. Of course, that doesn’t stop many from trying to find the perfect gift. Or perhaps you’re in the complete opposite situation. You’ve just been asked the question, “What would you like for the holidays?” and now you have to come up with a list of things to send to your family so they know what to get you. And we all know saying you don’t want anything isn’t going to cut it with a few of your family members. Well, we here at Numismatic News, World Coin News and Bank Note Reporter…

The debate has been settled. King Charles III will appear on upcoming circulation strike coins of Australia. Australia is a sovereign nation, but it is also part of the British Commonwealth. As a commonwealth nation, Australia is a free associate with other sovereign states that comprise the United Kingdom and some of its former dependencies. Due to their commonwealth association, King Charles is recognized by Australia as being Australia’s king despite Australia being a representative democracy. Australians elect members of Parliament; however, the king is technically the head of state. This also makes Australia a constitutional monarchy. The king has little if any power since he is required to follow the Australian Constitution. There had been some speculation regarding if Charles would appear on Australia’s currency. The late Queen Elizabeth…

The durability of gold is incredible. It could have been mined 2,000 years ago, made into a goblet, then later melted and made into jewelry, melted again and made into ingots, then melted once yet again and made into coins. Gold doesn’t react with oxygen, so it doesn’t rust. The wedding ring you may be wearing might be composed of gold that was mined recently, but it might be gold that has been mined a millennium or two ago. Gold coins may likewise have been minted using gold that has been freshly mined, or it might be sourced from earlier gold coins that have been melted. Many of the gold ingots stored at Fort Knox are composed of gold from recalled $20 double eagles and other U.S. coin denominations. England…

Several European rarities certified by Numismatic Guaranty Company® (NGC®) were among the top highlights in MDC Monaco’s Numismatic Auction 13: Ancient and World Coins sale on Oct. 12-13, 2023. In total, 12 coins each realized six figures in the sale. The top lot was a France 1640A 8 Louis d’Or graded NGC MS 61 and pedigreed to The Paramount Collection (lot 1560), which realized €312,000 (about $330,000). This gold coin was created as a homage piece to the King of France, Louis XIII. The front of the rarity depicts an effigy of the king, who reigned from 1610 to 1643. This particular example is the finest of five in the NGC Census. Meanwhile, another French rarity from the same astounding collection was also a highlight of the auction: a France…

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE hether the holidays mean for us a whole lot of fun, family and friends, or the stress and dread of figuring out presents that will be appreciated – even by folks we have not seen for a year – there are some good possibilities for coins as gifts. Seasoned collectors always like to add something to their collections, even if it is unexpected. People who have never collected at all also like to receive eye-catching, gorgeous gifts, which describes many coins and coin sets that are available today. Let’s take a look at a handful of possible coins or coin-related gifts that will make somebody’s day – or at least lessen any holiday stress we might have when it comes to some serious giving. Proof Sets The…