Steel Wheels: A coin trip around the world with modern coin sets

Just for a change, I took my focus off classic silver coins of the UK, New Zealand, South Africa, Canada etc and got back into another part of my collecting - modern world coins. But I like to collect these in “new” condition and many of these coins sets are often quickly supplanted or rendered useless in some of the poorer and more unstable nations.

Still they are interesting and many of these sets have value beyond face, especially in UNC or highest AU (You touch some of the coins a couple of times and they start to dull or stain). A local dealer sells these sets, but they are usually not cheap - but still the coins come from some very exotic places like Mauritania and the Seychelles.

Rather than show the 40 or so coin sets in the new acquistions threads, I may start my own thread here and talk about each one. I am not one of those collectors content with just accumulating coins, I need to know everything about them as well. Context is everything to me!

I will start off with some Zimbabwe bond coins from 2014 (I promise the countries will be more interesting as well)

These were the first coins since 2003 and came after a long period of serious hyper inflation caused by massive instability and a repressive Dictator who bankrupted the country through corruption, racism, terror and stupidity for nearly 40 years.

Zimbabwean inflation saw 3 eras of Dollar issued and they went from a Zim dollar being worth $1.25 American in 1980 to a $100,000,000,000,000 note of the 3rd dollar in 2009. The trillion dollar notes are now worth money ($10 - $20 each) and thus coins were no longer made after 2003, when the inflation got so bad it was uneconomical.

2010 - 2014 was a period of adjustment in which South African rand and US$ were used and a bond currency was introduced that year with coins from 1c to 50c minted in South Africa (The Zimbabwe govt still under Mugabe, actually did not pay them).

The coins were made out of stainless steel and had the word “Bond” on them to suggest they were trustworthy and an offical rate had them worth something. Of course it would not last, Mugabe went in 2017 and they issued a $1 and $2 coin also out of steel in 2016 and then notes.

Close up of the quarter. It is quite a nice design!

People did not really accept these coins or the banknotes, originally $2 and $5 were issued and limits placed on how many people could have (Like $50 worth), yet that same day some susso Politican was found with $100k or more of $5 notes shoved in his car in racks under the steering column!

Overtime the value fell of this new bond dollar and latest numbers show its about $150 Zim bond dollars to a US$. This now means the coins are useless and new plain looking notes recycling images from the older notes and some back to Rhodesian times are constantly issued.

And the 10 cents, much plainer but still nice

The coins themselves are nicely designed with numbers on one side and the RBZ logo of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe on the other. Again it is always nice to have African coins in UNC condition as they wear quickly there. Africa in general being a poor cash based society, means coins are heavily used and I have seen African coins used for just 3 years worn down to VG!

Most of my African coin sets are likely to have never been to Africa, either because collectors wanted them, or they were worthless by the time they were released (Nigerian coins)

Next posts will be less blabby, but more fun!

Lets have a look at the earlier Zimbabwean coins. These ones date to before the mega inflation era (2004 - 2009) but are current to it.

Please note, all pictures enlarge if you click on them, again apologies for the photos, its hard with shiny shiny coins!

This set of 8 coins dating between 2001 and 2003 was not cheap, mainly as each coin has a value of a few $ each and the lower value ones got very heavy use. The $5 is the most valuable of the coins at around $6 or $7 and its the only one not made out of cheap steel. Its a bi metallic piece and obviously minted at a time when they thought things may stabilise.

The coins 10c to $1 are basically the same as the coins issued in 1980 and again through the 80s and 90s. Size and weight are identical, except these are steel and not cupro nickel like the originals. They were issued in 2001 and 2002. By 2004 they were worthless, designs are 10c Baobab tree, 20c Bridge across the Limpopo (Or Zambezi?), 50c Sunrise at Matopo rocks and $1 Ruins of Great Zimbabwe.

The Aluminium Brass $2 coin joined the line up in the mid 1990s, and this 2001 example shows a great pangolin, an animal hunted for its “medicinal qualities”

The $5 is a joy first introduced in 2002, minted in South Africa and shows a Rhinoceros, as you will see wildlife and especially the Big 5 feature on many African coins. Almost as large as the dollar, this coin has a gold coloured outer ring and is very nice in my opinion.

Finally the Stainless Steel $10 and $25 were added in 2003 and they were practically useless when finally released. These are not as scarce as the $5 and $2. They are 7 sided (Heptagonal) and quite small (The $10 coin is about 20mm in size and $25 coin is 24mm). The $10 coin shows a cape Buffalo, an animal present on many African coins and $25 shows independence heroes. These coins actually look cheap - but they were meant to be.

No further coins were issued until 2014 with the Bond coins above, Zimbabwe went into an era of numerous bank note issues and the denominations got absurd. There were 2 more reforms of new dollars and it was during one of these around 2007, that the coins were briefly re legalised.

The low values were minted at Bulawayo in Zimbabwe and high values either at Royal Mint or South African National Mint in Pretoria.

One of the newer sets is this one, all dated 2021!

French Pacific coins - the whole set - only one is steel!

This was a combination of the coinage from French Polynesia (Tahiti, Marquesas, Society etc), New Caledonia and Wallis and Futuna. These replaced 2 separate coinages with different designs, but the same value. These older coins featured Aluminium 1, 2, 5 francs, Cupronickel 10, 20, 50 francs and a 100 franc aluminium bronze/brass coin. Several of these coins were very large and the value had faded (Especially the 5 Franc aluminium coin). The designs were also dated going back to 1967 for the high values and 1948 for the low ones (A small 50 centimes was issued too, but quickly discontinued). The currency was and still is based on the pre reform franc of 1814 to 1959!

New Caledonian old, French Polynesian old, Common Reverse on these coins

This new set combined elements of the 3 areas - French Polynesia, Wallis and Futuna and New Caledonia, which seems jarring as the cultures are different, French Polynesia is Eastern Polynesians whom are more related to Maori than Walliseans, Wallis is Western Polynesian like Samoa and the New Caledonians are Kanakas of Melanesian descent. This location also has a large number of White French and mixed race people as well.

The 5 Franc is the new low value and only steel coin in the line up. The coin shows various plants including Taro leaves, palm frond and island flowers.

The 10 and 20 Francs are Cupro nickel and show a outrigger surrounded by fish and seabirds (10 Francs) and the 20 shows a large Maori Wrasse or Grouper surrounded by other tropical fish. It looks very identical to the one on the Fijian 50 cent coin!

The 50 and 100 Francs are copper aluminium nickel and the 50 shows the Kagou bird of New Caledonian, whilst other Pacific Avian specimens surround the centre. the 100 Franc shows a native house from French Polynesia and various other houses, pestles and accoutrements of native culture.

The 200 Franc top value shows cultural symbols including Wallisean tapa and a native talking drum, ukulele, native carvings and idols are shown. This coin is bimetallic with a copper nickel aluminium centre and cupro nickel ring. These metals are the same as the 4 lower coins. This coin also has a bit of face value, being worth $3 NZD and close to 2 Euro.

Overall a nice set, if a bit plain and will be very common as its rolled out.

I like those French Pacific coins. Not seen those before. Nice addition to your collection. 

Thanks, they are replacing the current New Caledonian and French Polynesian coins. I am not sure if Wallis and Futuna had their own coins.

Next set of world steel - Yemeni Republic

Set of 5 coins 1 to 20 Rials. There is actually 2 types of 20 Rials here, one Bimetallic and one not.

Smallest coin is 1 Rial showing national coat of arms, it was issued in 1993 (1414) only and features Arabic inscriptions only

Next is the 5 Rials which is dated 2004 (1425) and was issued in 1993 and 2000 as well. The coin shows a brutalist looking Central bank building. These 2 coins are also 21 sided!

The 10 rials is next showing Shaharah bridge an old stone bridge bewteen 2 cliffs. The coin is circular with a octagonal internal rim. Face value is only 6 - 7 cents. It was issued in 1995, 2000 and 2009 (Mine)

There are 2 x 20 rials, dated 2004 and 2006. They show a Socotra Dragon Tree, again all steel although the earlier is bimetallic with a brass plated steel centre. However in 2006 they went to a single metal version. Despite being large, these coins are very thin and cheap looking. Still Yemen is a very exotic place to get modern coins from.

Face value is very low, 20 Rials is 13 New Zealand cents.

Minted by Monnaie De Paris - although coins are in Arabic and English!

PLEASE NOTE - All my conversions are to NEW ZEALAND DOLLARS, not US Dollars, Euros or Pounds. I say this as the NZ dollar is worth substantially LESS than these currencies, in some cases less than half.

Our next set takes us to the Seychelles. These coins are interesting as they pretty recycle old designs.

This set is incomplete too, there is a 10 Rupee coins, the 10 Rupee is bimetallic and shows the Aldabra giant tortoise.

Also this set has been succeeded by new designs, but essentially these are still legal.

These coins were minted by Pojoby mint to 2010, but later coins at South African Mint in Pretoria.

The 1 cent is very small and last year of a brass type shows a crab, the 5 cents and 10 cents are brass plated steel and show a manioc plant (5c) and a Tuna fish (10c).  All 3 of these coins have minimal value

The 25c is another old design from the seventies, this coin shows a Black parrot and was the last year of this type (2012) minted in South Africa. Ironically there was never a 50 cents or ½ rupee in this series and we skip straight to the 1 Rupee with a face value of 12 cents (So we have 4 coins with a face value of under 5 cents)

The Rupee shows a Triton conch shell and this nickel plated steel coin, is a much smaller coin than its original version in 1976 which was 20 cents sized, this is 24mm.

Final coin is the 5 Rupees which shows a Sea Coconut tree, famous in these isles. It replaced a multi sided large coin and the sides are marked into the rim on this smaller version. This coin has some real value too - 61 cents!

All of these coins were replaced in 2013/2014 with a similar series showing wildlife, apart from the 10 Rupees, metals and sizes were the same, hence why these coins are still legal tender. They are still issuing the 1 cent coin worth 0.12 of a cent! For an idea of how absurd this is - 82 Seychelles cents = our smallest coin a 10 cent piece!

From the Seychelles we skip to Haiti, they may seem worlds apart, but Haitians and Seychellois speak similar languages of Creole based on French. Also Haitians share African ancestry with Seychellois (Although the latter are more mixed and have South Asian and Anglophone strains as well).

Currencies could not be more different, Seychelles rupees are not worth much, but they are stable and its a wealthy place. The Haitian gourde however is barely accepted, near worthless and the country is on its knees.

This small set represents most of the coins currently in use there. Most Haitian gourde currency is notes and many Haitians who are better off use American dollars or Euros, rather than goudes, even the Dominican peso is more popular. That is a shame, because these are fairly nice coins!

All of these coins feature the national coat of arms on their reverse and this design goes back at least to 1813 with the first gourde currency. The present gourde currency started in 1872, and the coins before 1900 were high grade minted in France with silver in the denominations 10 centimes to 1 Gourde, however cupro nickel creeped in early around 1907 with the unstable rule of Pierre Nord Alexis.

Coin issuing was always erratic in Haiti after 1910 with only coins resumed in 1949 and fitful issues until present.

The 5, 20 and 50 Centime coins all show Charlemagne Peralte on them and he was a Haitian patriot who defied the racist American occupation from 1915 to 1934. He was murdered in 1920 by American racists and was seen as a resistance hero. More likely he would have been another rotten president (Haiti had 6 Presidents in 4 years before the Americans arrived and then they had a series of dictators that have lasted until the present - even better presidents like Aristide and Martelly went bad and the latest one Jovenal Moise was shot last year!).

These coins are steel and the 5 centimes dated 1997 was the last one minted. The 20 centimes is from 1995 and was last minted in 2000.  The gourde is worth around 1.2 New Zealand cents, so it makes sense!

The 50 centimes is later and dated 2011, this is a big coin (28mm). It was last minted in 2013.

The one gourde and five gourdes are brass plated steel. All of these coins are minted at the Royal Mint.

One gourde shows Citadel Laferriere on a mountain near Cap Haitien. Built by the crazed ruler Henri Christophe in the 1810s, it was restored in the 1980s by a UNESCO grant and a major tourist attraction. It is very majestic as well.

The 5 gourdes is the biggest coin, the size of a UK 50p coin and shows four independence heroes. These are Toussaint L'Ouverture, Jean Jacques Dessalines, Henri Christophe and Alexandre Petion.

These two high values were minted into the late 2010s, although they still are only worth a few cents each in face value. This high grade set likely never went to Haiti!

Some more nice additions mate. 

Here is the Seychelles 10 rupee.

Beautiful, love to see the other side with the tortoise!

Next we go to Nigeria, one of Africa's largest and most important countries. Nigeria has a population of some 180 - 200 million people and Lagos is one of the 3 largest or may even be the largest city in Africa.

Nigeria was the last place to abandon the Sterling Pound in 1973 and had used British West African coins to that point and then Nigerian sterling coins from 1 penny to 2 shillings. In 1973 the Naira was introduced at 1 naira to 10 old shillings. The currency was so robust then, they had a ½kobo coin and the top coin was just 25 Kobo with a 50 Kobo note. Inflation soon rendered all those coins worthless.

By 2005 a Naira was worth a few cents, yet this issue of 3 coins came out in 2006, they lasted just a few years before coming worthless.

The 3 coins I think are quite nice. The 50 Kobo is stainless steel and has recycled a design showing Maize from the 1970s.

The 1 Naira and 2 Naira are much more elaborate, the single naira is bimetallic with a brass plated steel centre and nickel steel outer ring. It shows Herbert Macauley an early independence hero and the number 1. The 2 Naira is a magnificient piece with a darker bronze plate steel ring with a nickel steel centre. It shows the Government house at the new capital of Abuja. This place became the capital in 1979 and was moved from Lagos, to make it more central and fairer to other Nigerians, as Lagos sat in the SW near the Benin border.

All 3 coins have the Nigerian coat of arms on the obverse.

These are Nigeria's last circulating coins issued to date and it is banknote economy with the 5 Naira banknote worth just 2 - 3 cents! It is around  180 - 240 Naira to a dollar and the top note is only 1000 Naira, although they may issue 2 and 5k Naira notes.

Moving across the border from Nigeria we are encountered by French speaking countries that all use these coins of the French West African Franc. This is another colonial layover like with the Pacific French coins. However it also means the currency is relatively stable in these places.

Besides the UK, France also controlled huge swathes of Africa and they divided this into Northern, Western and Central Africa (Most of the South was under British, Portuguese or German control). Nations on independence decided to use the currency as unity factor and also as part of greater African unity under the OAU.

Nearly all the countries that went alone with currencies have had severe inflation, but not these places. Basically it remains around 400 French West African or French Central African francs to a dollar. The North Arabic countries had their own currencies, which have remained more stable that sub saharan africa, but not fully stable.

There was inflation in WW2 and afterwards, but its fairly stable since the 1970s. These 5 coins are the bottom 5 of 7 (200 and 500 Franc bimetallic coins also exist and notes to 10,000 Francs). The central and western coins are interchangable and the Western Countries that use these coins are, Mali, Benin, Niger, Burkina Faso, Togo, Cote D'Ivoire, Senegal and possibly Chad. Same with Cameroon and Gabon (Although I suspect they use the Central African Franc). Guinea went their own way and so has Mauritania.

Djibouti, Republic of the Congo (Brazzaville not Zaire/DRC), Central African republic and Equatorial Guinea (Spanish speaking but joined the currency union in 1980, their version of the notes have Spanish on them too - Cincuenta Francos rather than Cinq cents Francs) use the Central Franc.

The heads designs of these coins date back to the 60s, but the reverses are later. The 3 smaller coins are brass plated steel and used to be brass. They show a antelopes head/horns on the 5 Franc, the 10 shows people working a pump well and the 25 shows a person tipping a spear or making some kind of arrow. The 50 and 100 Franc coins in steel (Formerly Cupronickel) show a stylised mask likely from Mali (Dogon people). 

These are quite nice coins and generous sized. They again are the same size as the old 1950 -59 French coinage. The 200 and 500 Francs were added in the 90s, although there was a larger 500 Franc in the 80s. All these coins are from the early mid 2010s.

The coins are minted in France and proof France still takes an interest in its former possessions.

Now we move to Libya, another country with an “interesting” history. Under various colonial regimes, it was “liberated” by the British in 1950s and an elderly man called Idris was made king in 1951. The country was poor but became wealthy with the “blessing” of oil around 1960. Foreigners dove in and made fortunes, meanwhile the King was overthrown by Muammar Ghaddafi, who started off good but became a crazed dictator who was overthrown in 2011. However people's lives improved significantly under Ghaddafis system in SOME ways.

Libya has had unstable government in various parts since then and these coins are part of it! As you will see, one is an impostor!

The set of 5 coins is the dinar system, a millenial currency meaning its sub units are 1/1000th rather than 1/100th. These sub units are dirhams. The coins here include the 50, 100 dirhams in plated steel and the ½ dinar in bimetallic ring coinage and a ¼ dinar in nordic gold. These 4 coins are “official” Libyan coins made in the Royal Mint (UK).

The 1 dinar coin that looks similar to the others is actually an impostor only legal in East Libya by the Beida bank

N#134935

Yet the style is similar to the others. It was minted in Russia. Whereas the other coins dated 2014 were issued in 2015, this dinar was issued on Nov 2 2017 and was dated that year, the central bank refuses to accept it and calls it an unapproved issue.

All 5 coins use latent imagery in one part of the coin and as you will see many modern coins now are adopting latent imagery on some or all of their denominations (Mostly high value ones). Each latent image has 2 different images on it. These are security measures to defeat forgers.

The coins I think are pretty. All of them have the denomination surrounded by Arabic script on the heads side.

50 Dirhams is copper nickel plated steel and shows a well, latent imagery is a star and crescent.

100 Dirhams is nickel plated steel and shows a walled cave village, the imagery is the same as 50 Dirhams

¼ Dinar (250 Dirhams) is nordic gold (Used on high value Swedish and Danish coins)  shows a palm tree with crossed fronds. The latent imagery on this coin has the ¼ symbol in latin numerals and other version is crescent and star together.

½ Dinar (500 Dirhams) is a cupronickel ring with nordic gold centre. This coin has a mausoleum form Gerisa on it and has the latent image like the coin above, but now with ½.

The illegal Dinar is brass plated steel and a Russian construction similar to the others. This large coin is 29mm in size and shows a stylised sylphium plant. Latent imagery shows crescent and star  with a 1.

Overall an interesting if somewhat controversial set. The quality of construction on the 4 lower coins is better than most steel sets and features some high grade alloys like Cupronickel and Nordic Gold. Normally such metals are not used on such cheap coins. The face value again is low, a ½ dinar is worth like 12 cents, the dinar is not accepted so has no real value.

Nice coins mate and some great info . 😀

Thanks Dude, and just think had CCF not been so intolerant, they could be enjoying all this!

The next few are going to be less blabberific.

Rwanda - interesting country and coming a long way since the Genocide. It is actually one of the more well off and satble parts of Africa now. Home of the Hutu and Tutsi people, it was colonised with neighbouring Burundi in the 1880s by Germany. WW1 saw it annexed to Belgium and conveniently managed next door to Belgian Congo/Zaire (now DRC and Hutu and Tutsi people are found in the Eastern Parts of DRC too).  Independence came in 1962 and Rwanda originally had a King/High Chief but then became a Republic. Francophone and also Swahili/Native language speaking. the Genocide of 1994 did a lot of damage and many thousands/even a million died. Since then it has made strides and even become English speaking, so they could join the East African Union of Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. However a visit this year by Macron, may suggest Rwanda is heading back to its Francophone roots (The colonial part of Belgium opted for Francophone rather than Flemophone speaking, due to all the French countries around DRC/Rwanda).

It has had various coins, mostly Francs over the years and these coins are all in Swahili.

These 4 coins were minted at Monnaie De Paris and are all dated 2009, except the 50 Amafranga which is 2011 (But was first issued in 2009). They are the latest ciruclation coins in use there. There also a 100 Franc coin from 2007, Bimetallic but just with coats of arms and symbols. It was minted at the Royal Mint, UK.

Its likely only the 50 has been issued again as it is the only one with any value - around 7 cents!

The 5 amafaranga has a coffee plant, 10 a stalk of bananas, these are brass plated steel. The 20 shows a tea plant and 50 showing a ripe corn ear (Maize?). These are nickel plated steel. All of these crops are grown on Rwandas fertile volcanic and mountain soils (Most of Rwanda is elevated between 1000 and 4000m including mountains and jungles).

The coins are Rwandan Swahili which is similar to Kenyan Swahili but some differences like 10 is Icumi and Kenyan Swahili is Kumi, 5 is Itano and Kenyan 5 is Tano.

Moving to Uganda, these coins are a little older and I don't think current as they have little value now. However similarities between these and the Rwandan coins abound, steel and again showing food crops grown in the country. Uganda is a Swahili speaking country too, but also English and English features on these 1980s coins, but other Ugandan coins and Banknotes also have Swahili and even Arabic on them!

Steel wears very quickly in Africa (I have some Kenyan coins from the late 90s, which are basically flat), so I suspect these coins (My set shown above) have never been to Uganda. They would have been worth a few cents when issued, but copper plated steel back in the 80s, means they were likely very low denomination then! Now the 10 shillings is worth ½ a cent! (Slightly less actually). Current coins range from 50 to 1000 shillings, the last worth around 45 cents!

1 year of circulation - Africa is not kind to coins!

The coins show cotton on the 1 and 2 copper plated shillings. The 5 and 10 feature coffee, both crops grown in Uganda, which has some flatter land near the Nile river and Lake Victoria. Uganda does have mountains as well including the Murchison mountains.

A later Ugandan coin, also steel

These are very elaborate coins for such low values and were a reformed shilling. In 1987 Uganda had emerged from Idi Amin (1971 - 1979) and then further instability under Milton Obote (1960s - 1980 - 1985). Since 1985 it has been more stable, but still poor and known for its homophobia more than anything else. 

There was also a series of cheaply and badly made movies in the 2010s which has made the country famous too.

Bizarrely despite their low value, all these coins are still legal tender!

Staying in Eastern Africa and the Swahili Union, we have Tanzania! 

They have also only had a limited number of circulation coins mostly minted at the Royal Mint UK. Like Uganda, Tanzania was under British rule (Although before 1915 Tanganyika was German and before 1881 mostly Arab control). The country is the Union of Tanganyika (Mainland) and Zanzibar (Islands off the coast, main island Zanzibar and an Arab (Omani) controlled trading post that had a Sultan).

Early coins with Nyerere on them

Coins issued in the Shilingi (Shilling in Swahili) started under British East Africa and then independence saw its value plummet and the senti disappeared in the 1980s. All their early coins showed Julius Nyerere and later Ali Hassan Mwinyl the first 2 presidents (Karume was President of Zanzibar and later of the whole country).

This new series shows wildlife like the old ones and features the independence heroes again. All of them were minted in the UK. The 50 and 100 show a Hooked lip Rhino and Impalas. The 50 is heptagonal and shows Ali Hassan Mwinyl, the 100 circular and shows Julius Nyerere, both are brass plated steel and were designed in the mid 1990s.

The 200 is nickel brass and shows 2 lions facing, its hard to say if the smaller one is a female of juvenile. This is a nice coin decent size. Karume appears on it along with the 500. It was first issued in 1998.

The 500 is Nickel plated steel and was only issued first in 2014 and last in 2019. Again a cape buffalo is shown (Like the Zimbabwe $10 coin) and the latent imagery makes it very fancy, it says 500 on one part and BOT (Bank of Tanzania) on the other. This coin has some real value too - 34 cents.

Staying in Africa, we move to the Gulf of Biafra/Benin and reach the island nation of Sao Tome and Principe. Two main tropical islands of Sao Tome (St. Thomas) and Principe (Prince).

These islands were not settled by Africans and only by Portuguese in the 15th century. They started growing sugar and slaves from Africa were imported to cut it. By the late 19th century coffee and cocoa was being grown and in 1951 was a case of modern near slavery with the impoverished Portuguese virtually working Africans to death under an indenture system which was really slavery. In 1975 it became independent and adopted the communism in fashion through Portuguese Africa. It was not as big a flop as Angola or Mozambique at least and in 1990 went to democracy and now is a relatively well off and stable part of Africa. The country surprsingly is still Lusaphone (Portuguese speaking) and it is this language on the coins.

The first currency of Independence was the dobra and inflation ensured we never see the centimos. The coins theme mostly nature and birds. Most of the Islands are rich tropical rainforest which is partially preserved. The population of just 200,000 means little impact and many of them are a bit less poverty stricken than the rest of Africa.

The first set from 1997 I show, was the last of the old Dobra. All of these coins were minted at the Royal Mint UK

These coins are all Chromium plated steel and surprisingly 3 are heptagonal! The 2000 Dobra is the same size as the British 50p. There is a tropical theme, the 100 Dobras shows a Cessa bird (A spoonbill styled pigeon), the 250 shows a parrot like bird, both birds sit in a jungle setting. All coins show the emblem which features afluttering falcons over a shield with a star (Left over from COMMUNIST times) and a blazing banner with the motto in Portuguese - Unity, Discipline, Hard work. The slogan on the tails also exhorts people to grow more food and is a FAO issue.

The 500 Dobras first of the Heptagonal includes a monkey in a bamboo tree and the monkey looks like a small colobus one. The 1000 shows 2 flowers, one looking like a protea and finally the 2000 Dobra shows food crops in a circle, these include bananas, breadfruit, yams and coconut amongst others.

A beautiful and fairly scarce set.

In 2017 because of Inflation, the Dobra was revalued and 3 Zeroes were chopped off so 1000 old Dobras became 1 new dobra. A new set of coins also minted at the Royal Mint, came out in 2018.

Birds again became the theme of this set. They are quite small too and the largest coin is just 25mm in size. They are el cheapo copper plated steel and nickel plated steel - but still a nice set.

The 10 centimos (formerly 100 dobras) shows a Kingfisher

The 20 centimos a “Cessa” bird again

The 50 centimos shows a Gray Parrot

The 1 Dobra shows a giant sunbird

The 2 Dobra top value shows a falcon, the national bird of Sao Tome et Principe.

Already Inflation has ensured these coins have minimal value now and 1 Dobra is worth 7 cents!

There is also a beautiful set of banknotes carrying on the nature and jungle theme from 5 Dobras up to 200!

We leave Africa and head into the former Soviet Republics starting with Azerbaijan. It is one of the 3 Caucasus republics and the only one which is Islamic (The other two Georgia and Armenia are Christian, with their own Orthodox churchs, Azerbaijan however uses your standard Sunni Islam like most of the Middle East). A small part called Nagorno Karabakh is Christian and claimed by Armenia (Relations between the 2 countries are bad).

Azerbaijan is reasonably well off thanks to oil and large natural gas deposits, however suffers from the usual “Big Man” type rule, a left over from Soviet dictator days and much money has been funnelled into a show case bling capital called Khasan island in Baku. It was a series of Islamic states and under Ottoman control until taken by Russia in the mid 19th century, a local hero called Shamir tried to stand up to them though (His influence crosses into Russia).

They have had very few circulation coins of their own, some low value coppers in early Ottoman days (15th century) and then various coins in the 1992 - 2006 period. This series is the new manat and this unit is worth around $1 our money. The coins, surprisingly are all in the sub unit of them - qapik (Azeri for Kopeck).

These coins were minted in Austria and bear striking resemblance to Euro coins, the 1, 3, and 5 Qapik are all similar to the 1, 2, and 5 Eurocents. These were all minted in 2006 onwards and are undated. They are copper plated steel and show on them.

1 qapik shows instruments looking like a banjo, guitar and drum (But traditional Islamicy/Russo type ones)

3 qapik shows books (Likely holy or patriotic ones)

5 Qapik shows the maiden tower, a medieval construction

Edges are plain for the 1, a line in the middle of the rim for 3 and a wavy rim for the 5 Qapik.

The 10 and 20 Qapik are brass plated steel, the 10 looks like the planchet of a 20 Eurocent with Spanish flower edges it shows a Nagorno war helmet. 2 issues of this and the higher coins came out, undated ones from 2006 like the lower values and this series dated 2021 of which my coins are.

20 Qapik showns a winding stair, again likely medieval or older. The 50 Qapik looks like the shape of a 2 Euro, but a bit smaller. It shows 2 oil wells and some weird 70s style artwork wings. Milled edge with “Azerbaijan Republic of” on in Azeri (A Turkish style language like most of the stans).

This coin is brass plated steel centre with aluminium bronze ring, it is worth around 48 cents face value.

All of the coins have a outline of the country on the reverse and the value in numbers.

Jumping across the border, we reach Christian Georgia and the homeland of STALIN, one of the most diabolical people ever born!  Anyway Georgia's coinage history is longer than Azerbaijan's, here coin issuing goes back to the 11th century and on and off issues go through the middle ages, Ottoman, Russian and finally Independent eras.

In 1992 the current system of 100 Tetri = 1 Lari was introduced and these coins have real value. Coins back to 1993 circulate and one of the these commem coins has a face value of $6.29!  However this 10 Lari commem coin from 2000 had only 25k minted, so its likely not widely circulating.

The latest 3 coins were minted in 2006 at the Royal Mint UK and show the usual high quality finish you expect from them. However the date is frozen on these coins and there are mintages from various European mints since to the present day, all dated 2006 and to the same specifications.

The other big difference is no steel. These coins are traditional cupro nickel (Pretty much a prestige alloy in todays steel mad/muck metal world). All 3 are well designed and look quite fancy. They have some value too - 1 lari is 63 cents, so the 2 Lari is worth over a whole dollar!

The 50 tetri is the most basic and is cupronickel, even this has an inscribed milled edge though!

The 1 lari has latent hatching on the top and left sides with a stylised wreath on it, its is also inscribed and cupronickel

The 2 lari is bimetallic and looks very fancy. We have various styles of hatching and a elaborate border with the inscribed edge. Copper aluminium nickel centre with a copper nickel ring.

All 3 have the coat of arms on the other side in Georgian script.

Overall, these are some the nicest coins in circulation and easily the nicest of all the former Soviet countries. Georgia is not the wealthiest, but it is western looking and modern in its thinking in an area full of conflict and bad regimes. Georgia's is not perfect, but its a lot better than most and people at least have some rights there.

Now we move to Uzbekistan, a country covered well in the New Acquistions thread for August. This set looks very cheaply made and is missing the 1000 Som, yet it is full of history and themes!

Another southern ex Soviet country that had a very fully history before Russian/Soviet influence from the 19th century. It was the land explored by Alexander the Great and he founded many cities like Alexandra Oxiana and Sogdiana. The land was home to Scythians, Turkic nomads and some of the greatest horsemen, its likely horses were domesticated in this area with Kazakhstan and South eastern Russia, Iran and Afghanistan.

They only started issuing their own coins in the 1990s with liberation from Soviet colonial Communism and their first coins were in Cyrillic and featured Russian style thems, however they have switched to their Western Script and Turkic language with Islamic themes. This area was the Bukhara and Khiva Caliphates in the middle ages and up to Russian imperialism (1800s). These coins were all issued in 2018 and are already practically useless, the 500 Som is worth 7 cents in buying power. The missing 1000 som was issued in 2022, likely due to inflation.

The 50 som shows the value and the arms on the back of all coins, all nickel plated steel and unknown who mints it, likely some Russian group or even locally. These coins are very thin.

The 100 Som shows the Independence and “Goodness” monument in Tashkent which also featured on early coins.

The 200 shows a tiger and archways outside a Islamic school (Medrassa) in Samarkand (The old Maracanda in Greek times).

The 500 shows a National Palace/Museum.

It is good to see this return to religion, after Soviet Communism repressed it to death.

Moneytane

We leave Africa and head into the former Soviet Republics starting with Azerbaijan. It is one of the 3 Caucasus republics and the only one which is Islamic (The other two Georgia and Armenia are Christian, with their own Orthodox churchs, Azerbaijan however uses your standard Sunni Islam like most of the Middle East). A small part called Nagorno Karabakh is Christian and claimed by Armenia (Relations between the 2 countries are bad).

 

Azerbaijan is reasonably well off thanks to oil and large natural gas deposits, however suffers from the usual “Big Man” type rule, a left over from Soviet dictator days and much money has been funnelled into a show case bling capital called Khasan island in Baku. It was a series of Islamic states and under Ottoman control until taken by Russia in the mid 19th century, a local hero called Shamir tried to stand up to them though (His influence crosses into Russia).

 

They have had very few circulation coins of their own, some low value coppers in early Ottoman days (15th century) and then various coins in the 1992 - 2006 period. This series is the new manat and this unit is worth around $1 our money. The coins, surprisingly are all in the sub unit of them - qapik (Azeri for Kopeck).

 

   

These coins were minted in Austria and bear striking resemblance to Euro coins, the 1, 3, and 5 Qapik are all similar to the 1, 2, and 5 Eurocents. These were all minted in 2006 onwards and are undated. They are copper plated steel and show on them.

1 qapik shows instruments looking like a banjo, guitar and drum (But traditional Islamicy/Russo type ones)

3 qapik shows books (Likely holy or patriotic ones)

5 Qapik shows the maiden tower, a medieval construction

Edges are plain for the 1, a line in the middle of the rim for 3 and a wavy rim for the 5 Qapik.

 

The 10 and 20 Qapik are brass plated steel, the 10 looks like the planchet of a 20 Eurocent with Spanish flower edges it shows a Nagorno war helmet. 2 issues of this and the higher coins came out, undated ones from 2006 like the lower values and this series dated 2021 of which my coins are.

20 Qapik showns a winding stair, again likely medieval or older. The 50 Qapik looks like the shape of a 2 Euro, but a bit smaller. It shows 2 oil wells and some weird 70s style artwork wings. Milled edge with “Azerbaijan Republic of” on in Azeri (A Turkish style language like most of the stans).

This coin is brass plated steel centre with aluminium bronze ring, it is worth around 48 cents face value.

 

All of the coins have a outline of the country on the reverse and the value in numbers.

For all those numismatists out there who like word games, qapik is a valid word in Scrabble and Wordle!

You can one-up your friends on that one.

POST UPDATED - SEP 2

Some stragglers and once offers for you - 25 Kuna coins of Croatia, commems with big face value. These are nice as the other Croatian coins are quite nice, but rather plain next to these well designed beauties. They cranked one out every year from the mid 2010s and all were eyecatchers like this beauty.

Croatia 25 Kuna, circulating commem which had around $6 face value until they went to the Euro last year, really nice and big coin with all the years 1991 to 2016 on the back. Croatia issued these 25 Kuna coins with different events in the past 10 years until Euroisation made their coinage bland as the Euro ones.

UPDATE: Photo of the other and more eyecatching side added September 2.

Philippines 20 Piso new generation coin which shows the Nilad plant used in curing stomach aches, a laundry whitening agent and also its wood you can carve objects in. The Politician Manuel Quezon is also shown. The coin was minted in the Philippines and is bronze plated steel ring and nickel plated steel centre. Ironically the designer is called Julius Caezar Moraga! Mine is a Type B 2020 coin, it has a face value of 58 cents of a series going down to 1 sentimo which would be worth 0.029 of a cent!!!!

The Maldivan 2 Rufiyaa shows a large conch shell and is the top value of their new set. It will be discussed when I get rest of the set of Maldivan coins later.

We move back into the Islamic world now. First up this group of Lebanese coins.

This is an interesting group, all various types of steel and representing a hyper inflated coinage. The top value 500 Livres (Pounds) is worth a amazing 6 NZ cents! The coins started in the 1920s as 100 Piastres = 1 Livre (Pound) so there is crazzzaaayyyy inflation here.

The set ranges from 25 to 500 and there are 2 x 50 livres. The small octagonal one is the oldest coin from 1996 and is made out of steel. All of these coins are minted in Canada, however earlier ones and some earlier dates were minted in Paris as Lebanon also has the French connection, so one side of every coin is in French, the other in Arabic.

The coin has a cedar tree under the value in Arabic numerals and the number on the other side. This coin is very small at 18mm.

the 25 Livres, is therefore the smallest value and also features the same design, the coin is dated 2002 and likely that was the only minting of it. Stainless steel too.

Then the 2nd 50 Livres which is bit larger and Nickel clad steel. It shows a yacht on the French language side, dated 2006, it was minted in France.

The 100 Livres is copper plated steel and just shows numbers and the cedar like the first 50 and 25 livres. This coin was actually minted in Austria and other dates in Paris.

The 250 is in Nordic Gold and various dates of it were minted between Austria and Paris, my coin dated 2009 was minted in Austria, this one has a more elaborate design of Eliptical tracery on the French side.

Finally we reach the 500 Livres and this is a decent sized coin and a bit thicker than the others, It shows a elaborate border otherwise its numbers again. First minted in 1995 it has been minted in several places over the years - Paris, Austria and even Czechia along with Canada. My coin was minted in Austria for 2009. A later version of the same size, metal and weight came out in 2012 and through to 2017. The difference is the top has a latent panel on it.

Overall an interesting group of coins, mostly small and flimsy likely due to their low value.

These coins were not that easy to get and like most of these sets, they are worth much more as collectors pieces outside their home countries. In fact I am willing to bet, very few of these coins were used in their countries (My actual examples here, I am sure many millions of them went to their respective countries from the mints).

My second group of steel coins arrived today (The dealer had a lot of difficulties finding them and we are 3 sets down).

These last 2 sets are from the first batch, then a break to process these new coins. 15 more juicy sets from exotic countries like Mozambique, Mauritania, Angola, Cape Verde, Guatemala, Lesotho etc.

Oman is an ancient Sheikdom on the East Coast of Arabia and at one stage also controlled large parts of East Africa and Zanzibar - now its just the country on the coast. It is a fairly wealthy place and for a long time was stuck in the past until the modernising Emir - Qaboos changed that. Modern coins were issued on a currency called 1000 Baisa to a Omani Riyal. Coins only go to 50 Baisa and notes are issued from 100 Baisa upwards.

These coins came out in 2015 (AH 1437) and celebrate 45 years of National day, a Qaboos era innovation. These coins include the copper clad steel 5 and 10 Baisa and the Nickel clad steel 25 and 50 Baisa. They are in English and Arabic. They are basic coins but have some value, the 50 Baisa is worth 21 whole cents! The whole Riyal is worth over $4 and one of the highest value units in the world!

The coins have the same designs with mosque domes and Arab writing on one side and the crossed scimitar on the other with more Arabic writing.

The coins were minted in Finland and are still legal tender, however a new issue dated 2020 came out with just plain numbers, same sizes, weight, metals but under the new Sultan, Haitham bin Tariq.

The last set of this first group is some fine new coins from Saudi Arabia, its a big set with 7 coins!

Saudi Arabia started minting coins in Nabatean times, but modern coinage dates from the 1920s and the current system of 100 Halala = 1 Rial dates from 1960 and the middle unit of Qirsh/Piastre = 5 Halala and 20 Qirsh = Rial is not really used anymore.

This latest set is very nice and was issued in 2016 for the new Sultan/King of Saudi Arabia - Salman Abdul Aziz ibn Said. The coins feature English and Arabic and were minted at Monnaie de Paris (French state mint).

The coins range from 1 Halala to 2 Rials. The coins all announce the King is the servant of God and this makes sense as Makk'ah (Mecca) the holiest site of Islam is in Saudi Arabia and it is also the centre of the annual Haj (Pilgrimage of the Faithful) of Muslims from over the world. It is the goal of every good Muslim to make the Haj to Makk'ah and Madin'ah at least once in their lives and is one the 5 pillars of Islam. If they do, its likely they will encounter one or more of these coins.

The 3 lowest values 1, 5, and 10 Halala are made of nickel plated steel and like all of the coins are dated AH 1438 (2016). The script is some English but mostly Arabic. The coins show the coat of arms of Saudi Arabia on one side and numerals in Latin on the other.

The 25 and 50 Halala follow the same theme as the lower coins, but they are larger coins and brass.

Finally the 1 and 2 Rials shows a portrait of the King and have a nice Bimetallic make with Brass and Copper Nickel being used respectively vice versa for the 1 and 2 rials. They have some value too, a Rial is worth 44 cents!

Overall another beautiful set.

Give me a few days and we will restart with more coins!

All ready for Round 2 and we don't even leave the Arab world. The next set is Qatar a country known for its self sufficiency, the Soccer World cup (Football is Rugby here) and Al Jazeera TV channel.

Qatar is a Emirate and has its own Emir, the current one is Tamim who took over in the past 10 years. The coins are 100 Dirhams to a Riyal and they are all steel. Mint is not stated, but I suspect the Royal Mint in the UK as Qatar's earlier coins were made there. They used Arabian, Persian and Turkish coins for centuries but only got their own coins in 1973 under the Emir Kahlifah.

There are 5 coins and are the most recent series excepting 6 or 7 x 1 Riyal coins celebrating the Soccer World Cup, these circulate and it helps as 1 Riyal is worth 46 cents, meaning the 50 Dirhams here is only worth 23 cents. They probably get little use as Qatar is one of the richest countries in the world, although it has many subcontinent guest workers who are very poor.

The coins also feature Latin Numerals for the first time being Arabic ones previously. All are dated 1437AH, 2016AD. The words State of Qatar are in Olde English/Gothic Script which is very interesting for an Arab country! All of the coins except the 5 and 10 Dirhams was also minted in 2020. The 1, 5 and 10 Dirhams are all copper plated steel and the 10 Dirhams is quite a big coin! The 25 and 50 are nickel plated steel.

All of the coins are showing the coat of arms which features the prow of a dhow, two date palms and two crossed Arabic “Sinbad/Ali Baba” style scimitar swords. Words in Arabic and English complete the coins. As we all know Al Jazeera is broadcasted in Arabic and English, a staple of many cable TV networks. I like the channel as it provides a more balanced view of the middle East and global news outside the USA is ok stereotype on our news.

Thank you Moneytane for showing us the these modern beauties and description about them. Sometimes this smaller countries coinage is under appreciated and rarely given a second thought. 

Thanks I like them too. I partly brought them as I love shiny coins and have since I was a toddler. Plus its good to know what people are using as money around the world now!

Next country is Jordan (We are staying the Middle East for the next few posts!).

Jordan is an interesting place which also has ancient roots going back to the Neolithic era - but was not a proper country in its own right until 1918 when the British took it from the Ottomans and made it Transjordan. Its population was mostly Bedouin Arabs, who were mostly Muslim, but also a large Christian contingent which has roots going back to Nazarene times. It was given a king from the Saud clan (Abdullah) and this royal family has survived to this day. The currency of these coins the Dinar was made up of 100 Piastres and previously each Piastre was 10 fils. However the smallest coin in this set is the 1 Piastre and its a decent size!

The coins in this set range from 1 Piastre to ½Dinar and all feature Abdullah II the current ruler. All are minted at the Royal Mint in the UK and apart from the Country's name (The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan) and denomination in words, the coins are entirely in Arabic.

The 1 Piastre is copper plated steel and basically the size and weight of an old British Halfpenny. The design on the 3 lower coins is quite modern looking and was first used in 1992 on coins of King Hussein. The next coins 5 and 10 Piastres are nickel plated steel, but basically similar to the 1 Piastre in designs and size. I think they would get easily confused, as there is only 2mm size difference! Although face value of 10 piastres is  only 24 cents.

The ¼ Piastre is different again (25 Piastres) and is heptagonal and similar to the 50p UK, but smaller. It is nickel brass. Finally the ½ dinar is a bimetallic coin and features a copper nickel centre (Copper nickel is still used on some higher value coins) and brass ring. Both high value coins have a nice floral garland surounding the centre detail of these coins.

The ½ dinar has a decent face value ($1.12) and is a decent piece. There have been 1 dinar coins in the past, but none in this current reign, they were also heptagonal. These were late 1990s along with the last ½ piastre coin, similar to the 1 but a bit smaller in size.

From one new Arab Kingdom to another - Bahrain, here I have 2 sets of coinage to show you. One is older from the 1990s and early 2000s, the second set is 2010s.

Bahrain like many of these states has less than 50 total types of circulation coin (Just 25 types since 1965) and the first set covers the era of 2 Sheikhs, Isa and then Hamad. Bahrain was also under British control for a while after Ottoman and Persian times. Like all Arabian countries, its been Muslim since the 7th century AD. Like Qatar, Oman and the UAE - Bahrain is a very rich sheikdom, through oil wealth and these coins have some real face value and are a high quality product minted in the UK.

Coinage system is 1000 Fils = 1 Dinar, but unlike Jordan there is no middle unit, so all coins are denominated in Fils. the first set has a 500 Fils coin, but the latest set stops at 100 Fils. This makes sense as a Bahraini dinar is worth $4.50!

The first set was first issued in 1992 and was their first coins since the 1965 - 1966 set.

The 2 smallest coins 5 and 10 Fils are Brass and show a palm tree (Likely date palm) on their sides. Arabic lettering and numbers and the word Fils in English are the rest of the design. The 5 fils was only issued in 1992, so is Isa only. Sheik's names are not mentioned, but coins to 1999 are Isa and after that year under Hamad.

The 25 and 50 fils are cupronickel and show a seal of the Dilmun civilisation on the 25 and a stylised boat (Dhow) on the 50 fils coin. The 100 Fils is a bimetallic coin and shows the coat of arms of Bahrain. The coin is a brass ring with Cupronickel centre.

The 500 Fils shows the Pearl monument on it. This was erected in 1982 for a conference but destroyed during the Arab spring in 2011 during revolts. This coin was only issued in 2000 - 2002 with my 2000 example being minted in France, but the later 2 dates in the UK. The coin is still legal tender, but has not been issued since 2002. It is possible because of the monument's destruction or the fact people wanted a paper 500 fils note. The coin is also cuprnickel ring with a brass centre. The inverse of the 100 Fils.

This later set is from 2009 to 2020 and is exactly the same as above except for 2 things.

1. The 5 and 10 fils are now brass plated steel (Cheaper than brass)

2. There is no 500 fils coins

2a - The coins are much shinier.

Just to confirm, the Pearl monument was demolished by the govt as it became the main meeting ground to protest against the monarchy. With coin issues being a prerogative of the govt, it’s not hard to conclude they‘d like everyone to sooner forget

The Hashemite rulers descend from the last hasanid Sharif of Makkah. His children came to the thrones  in Syria, Iraq and Jordan on the downfall of the ottomans. However his eldest son lost the Hejaz to Al-Sauds. Eventually only the Jordanian branch of the Sharifs family is still in power today

Thanks - so that was the reason why the coin was nixed. Silly really as the 100 fils is worth only 46 cents - but as this thread has shown, most of the developing and Arab world is littered with coins in use, that have little practical value.

I mean at least reissue the coin with a different reverse or say a 250 or 200 fil coin.

Knew about the Kings, just had forgotten the dynasty name. Not sure what happened to Syrian one, but knew Iraqi king overthrown in 1958 in a revolution which eventually led to Saddam Hussein. They were pretty much puppet rulers as France and Britain were the real controllers of these countries.

Nice stories with your coin series!
To add to Sao Tomé é Principe history: Portugal issued coins for its colonies in the late thirties, fourties and early fifties of the previous century with the text ‘Colonia de’ Angola, Cabo Verde, Mozambique, Sao Tomé é Principe and Timor (Guinea Bissau does not have issues in that time frame, they left out ‘colonia’ in the Estado da India coins of that time).

Edo Timmermans

Nice stories with your coin series!
To add to Sao Tomé é Principe history: Portugal issued coins for its colonies in the late thirties, fourties and early fifties of the previous century with the text ‘Colonia de’ Angola, Cabo Verde, Mozambique, Sao Tomé é Principe and Timor (Guinea Bissau does not have issues in that time frame, they left out ‘colonia’ in the Estado da India coins of that time).

Curious as to why the Portuguese chose “estado” vs “colonia” in the case of Goa? 
 

i know in the 1950s with the republic of India making it clear they wanted the Portuguese out, the Salazar junta declared Goa an overseas province/part of Portugal proper. But what was the status before that?

The Portuguese wanted to hold on to their colonies longer as they had a fascist government called the “Nova Estado” under the Salazar regime and then Caetano one. He was moving people out to the colonies in the 1960s and into the 1970s. Timor was annexed by Indonesia, Togo and Benin, although French and Independent in 1962 still had the Portuguese trying to get it back and some incident with a car in the embassy. All the African colonies had armed guerillas fighting against Portugal and Goa was annexed by the Indian Republic in 1961 (Very late as it was declared in 1950). Basically our Portuguese friends could not let go.

White people were resettled in Angola, Mozambique and India, hence given the terms “estado” new state and colonia's were mostly native people or places not salubrious to live in like Guinea Bissau and Sao Tome.

Not until 1974 when Caetano was overthrown by a Liberal junta, was this madness ended. In 1974/75 all former Portuguese possessions or colonies were given independence.

Next set in the series and last in the Middle East - Iran. To be honest these are amongst the most bland and boring coins of all. For a country that has issued coins on and off continuously since the 6th century BC, these are beyond dull. Boring Aluminium Bronze and very small these coins.

It also does not help inflation ensures they are almost completely useless. No mint is given, but I assume its likely in Iran itself (Teheran).

We have 2 series here, the earlier one from 2003 - 2006 is the 50 and large 100 rials (If 23mm can be considered large!). The coins show various Islamic shrines mostly in Iran but the 1000 rials (Worth 4 whole cents) shows the Kaaba in Mecca.

The second series are the same metal and have a 100, 500 and 1,000 rials and are used up to 2020. The 1,000 is a circulating commem and coins up to 5,000 rials as circulating commems were issued up to 2017. A good set to have as Iran is one of the most pariahed countries in the world.

Next another controversial place - North Korea, which may have the world's most repressive government.

My first 5 coins of North Korea and these are amongst the cheapest and meanest looking coins in use of the whole world. Basically a obselete currency, their current won is also basically worthless. I only hope that liberation comes the way for these poor and suffering people from this farcical and ridiculous regime.

The coins are all made of el cheapo aluminium and were likely minted in North Korea or China/Russia if I am wrong. The 3 lowest coins 1, 5 and 10 chon are dated 1959, but likely minted much later. There are 3 grades of coin issued, these are general issue for use by North Koreans (Hence they are scarce and hard to get, as North Korea bans the export of its coinage outside of its border). There are two other types which have stars on the numeral sides. A big star for Capitalist Visitors and a huge star for Communist ones - so Tourist money basically.

These coins show the coat of arms and in UNC condition look decent, but wear and dullness must make them look awful. The 50 Chon shows the flying Horseman known as “Cholima speed” something about the rapid progression of True socialism in the Juche era under Kim il Sungism (Ideological nonsense basically).It is dated 1978 and celebrated the 30th year of the Peoples Democratic and Socialist Republic of Korea 🤪

Like the chon, the 1 won is a circulating commemorative - It shows the Peoples central Library - which no doubt limits what people can access it and what they can read. Only people considered loyal by the “Party” can even live in Pyongyang anyway. Dated 1987.

All of these coins were demonitised years ago and are basically souvenirs now. A new third won was introduced in 2008 and already they have notes up to 5,000 won which are worth sub a dollar.

Apologies if I got too political with North Korea, these next countries are less controversial, we have 2 Latin American sets before retreating back to Africa.

First is Guatemala and these are some nice coins. The currency is the standard decimal peso line up - but since 1932 Guatemala has given its currency a Mayan name - The Quetzal, named after a brightly coloured parrot, yet its units are the standard centavos. Next door Honduras has also used a unique name - the Lempira - but at this stage I have no Honduran coins.

This set of 5 coins dates from the early 2010s and features the coins from 5 centavos to 1 Quetzal. They cover the changeover from Nickel brass to stainless steel. In this set the 25 centavos is the older type and others the newer type.

The designs are nice all showing a quetzal surrounded by a scroll with the date of Independence in Spanish - 15 September 1821. The 5 centavos is tiny and shows a tree (Jungle type one) with the inscription Free grows fertile. This coin like the 10 centavos is stainless steel. That coin shows a carved stelae from Quirigua (A Mayan site). Guatemala being next to Mexico shares a similar heritage and most people are part or fully Mayan heritage. Most people are Mestizo, and are ethnically closer to Amerinidian than Spanish or African ancestry.

The 25 Centavos is Nickel brass and a handsome coin, it shows the head of a Mayan in a Toyocan head dress. First designed in 1950 it was modified slightly in 1960 to show Santiago Ramirez, Mayan peace activist and this portrait has persisted to this day. This coin was reissued in 2012 in stainless steel and the same size, yet weighing half as much as this coin. A Quetzal is worth 22 cents, meaning this coin is worth 5.4 cents - so makes sense to make it lighter.

The 50 Centavo shows the White Nun Orchid, the National Flower and this is a new design from 1998. It was issued in Nickel Brass along with the Quetzal until 2011, but in 2012 was issued in Brass plated steel. No mint is given but likely in Guatemala itself (It had a mint in colonial times) or neighbouring Mexico. Finally we reach the Quetzal, a large coin too and this shows the word Paz (Peace).

This coin shows a stylised peace dove and a war that ended on Dec 29 1996. Overall a nice set.

Nice presentation again!

Those specific Iranian coins may appear relatively dull, yet also among Iranian coins in general that is the case. Iran's first bimetal as well as first 250 rials coin for example looks really nice (in my experience) with the lotus. Another 1000 rials of the same size as the one with the Kaaba has a very original geometrical design on it, with a shape in the form of Imam Ali's name repeated 4 times forming a labyrinth, perfectly placed inside a shamsa (8-pointed star) formed of unit squares. The denomination sides of Iranian coins are very basic in design, but therefor also very practical by showing big value numerals to aid recognition. Well done Iran for that part of their coin designs! Also I appreciate it that so far they never issued aluminium coins, in spite of sanctions and inflation.

I suppose it is nearly impossible to talk about North Korea in a non-political manner. Merely stating a fact: due to a lack of nutrition, North Koreans on average are quite a bit shorter compared to South Koreans.

The 1 to 50 chon coins also exist with either 1 or with 2 stars. The 1 star series was meant for visitors from communistic countries, the 2 star series for visitors from other countries. Before the Berlin Wall came down it was nearly impossible to find the 1-star coins in the West, already it was extremely hard to find coins from the other series at that time, a time that I was very pleased with my one 5 chon coin without stars. North Korea is the only country that has ever issued three kinds of circulation coins for three different purposes concerning general trade. 

About the quetzal: these beautiful birds are known for their immense sense of freedom, they tend to die of misery when kept in captivity.

Hi Edo, thanks - you may notice my 1000 Rials coin is that Kaaba one. I saw the 250 Rials too.

The North Korean coins were the first I had got in 5 years of collecting - so happy to have them.

Now we go to Africa for some coin sets starting with Mozambique!

Mozambique is on the SE coast of Africa and is bordered by South Africa, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi and Tanzania. It was settled by Bantu African peoples around 500BC - 0AD, with Arab incursions and ports like Sofala (now Beira) being set up around 800AD and the Portuguese arrived around 1500. The coast of Mozambique also offered trade access to Great Zimbabwe and the Mpuamalanga civilisation in northern South Africa (Transvaal). 

However until the 1880s, not much of it was colonised with ports on the coast being mostly settled. Infrastructure came only with the late 19th century railways and the help of the British with the Salisbury to Beira Railway and there were private companies and separate colonies all over modern Mozambique. In 1920 we had Nyassa Company, Mozambique Company, Colony of Mozambique and separate stamp entities, Beira, Quelimane, Lourenco Marques (Maputo), Tete, Companiha da Nyassa and so on.

The 60s saw civil war between Soviet backed Communist forces led by nurse Samora Machel and Eduardo Mondlane and colonial Portuguese forces with South African Apartheid based support. In 1974 the country won and got independence, with Portugal backing off with a new liberal government. Sadly happiness was short lived, with the Communist government led by Machel (Mondlane was killed in 1969 but appeared on banknotes afterwards), and then a group of Western backed guerillas fighting them. The same thing happened in Angola too. This civil war bankrupted Mozambique and ever since this country has been on its knees. Today there is no more war, but frequent natural disasters and a lack of infrastructure ensures the country remains extremely poor. To make matters worse, Islamic insurgents have been causing issues in the far north. This is a large country too and infrastructure is poor, so problems in the far north on the border with Tanzania (12 degrees south), are not easily solved from Maputo (26 degrees south).

Coins there started with Arab coins from the coast and then Portuguese currency started in the 1500s with coins for Mozambique from the late 1700s. The colonial Escudo started in the 1930s and lasted until Independence. Coins up to 1960 featured silver for higher denominations.

Colonial coins of Mozambique 1950s to 1960s

In 1975 Independence was gained, but no coins were minted until 1980 and these featured a metical system, which was 1 to 1 with the old escudo. Cheap coins in Aluminium were issued from 50 centavos to 20 Meticals, but inflation saw more coins issued through the years in Aluminium, cheap brass and nickel and steel. Finally by 2003, a 10,000 metical coin that was bimetallic showing a rhino was issued and this was basically worthless by 2006. Many of the themes on these coins were re issued on the set I am about to show. Notes were even worse with notes up to 1 and 5 million meticals issued. Most of these recycled the themes on 1980s banknotes, although some of the blatant communist imagery was toned down in the 1990s. One note from 1980 shows soldiers standing around a giant eternal flame made out of a giant communist star!

Just proof that communism never works and is a failed system, although it was better than harsh colonial rule by the inept Portuguese. Pretty much for colonial masters, the Portuguese would grade a solid F.

Here is the new set of Mozambique coins. They were all minted in the UK at the Royal Mint.

There are 9 coins in all, which is a lot for a modern group of coins.

The smallest coin is the centavo and this shows the same Rhinoceros as the 10,000 Meticals of 2003. There is a good reason for this, the new metical was worth 1 million old ones, so technically both coins are worth the same, which is now around 1/38th of a cent! This teeny coin is minted in copper plated steel, the cheapest and nasty metal you can use besides aluminium, iron or lead!

The 5 centavos also of the same metal, shows a cheetah - these coins have lost the communist star in the coat of arms - but its a bank logo now. The 10 centavos we switch to brass plated steel and this small coin shows a tractor in the process of ploughing a field. This design was carried over from the 1994 steel coins of the earlier metical.

The 20 centavos, also brass plated shows a cotton plant, one of the few crops growing commercially in Mozambique. The 50 Centavos shows a giant Kingfisher. This is the first coin minted since 2006, as the 4 lower coins had lost all their value by 2012.

The 1 to 5 Meticals are all nickel plated steel and the 1 metical is heptagonal and shows a woman reading, another old image - in which literacy was promoted, so your zeks could read all the silly propaganda pumped out by communist regimes. To this day, less than 60% of people can read and write there, with females much lower than males - so the coin is wishful thinking. However before communism, the true rate was likely under 10%, so its an improvement.

The 2 Meticals shows a Coelacanth, one of the oldest and most primitive fishes in the world found in the western Indian Ocean and in these waters. The fish appears to be swimming. These coins now have some value and were all minted in 2012 and 2021.

The 5 Metical, the largest coin in the set shows a Timbale type xylophone, a local instrument made easily out of wood and bamboo. The Makonde people in the North are skilled wood carvers and the people in the south have many instruments like this and the Mbira (Nose flute). This coin is worth 13 cents!

Finally we have the top value, the 10 meticals worth a staggering 26 cents. It is bimetallic and shows the Bank of Mozambique building. It is a brass ring with a nickel plated steel centre.

All of these coins were designed by the non Mozambican Michael Guilfoyle.

Next door to Mozambique is Eswatini, known until 2019 as Swaziland. This set of coins is still legal tender there despite being “Swaziland” on the coins. I am not sure where these are minted, but my guess is South African Mint in Pretoria or Royal Mint UK. Probably the former as the Lilangeni (Plural Emalangeni) is pegged to the Rand.

This set features animals, crops and coats of arms. E Swatini/Swaziland is the Kingdom of the Swazi people, one of the many Bantu (African) peoples in Southern Africa. the Kingdom has mountains and borders South Africa and Mozambique. Originally a sub state in Boer republics, it became a British Protectorate in 1933 and a fully independent Kingdom in 1968 under Sobhuza II the paramount chief. In 1986 he died and 18 year old Mswati became new king/chief, although most power also resides in the Queen Mother who is depicted on  1 Lilangeni coin.

The king has many tens of wives apparently and now in his mid 50s.

Swaziland got its first coins in 1974 and inflation means that they have changed and shrunk over time. The 1, 2 and 5 cent coins have disappeared and this new set starts with the 10 cents coin. Some designs have been retained over the years.

All coins have a portrait of the King and the name of the state (Swaziland, although in 2021 an identical set with “E SWATINI” in place came out. These coins are still legal tender.

The 3 lower coins are stainless steel and 3 higher ones are aluminium bronze.

The 10 cents shows a sugar cane plant and  8 internal scallopings. The 20 cents shows a tusked bull elephant (Likely African judging by ear size) and the 50 cents shows the royal coat of arms, all 3 coins have plain edges.

The Lilangeni shows the Queen Mother Ntfombi Ndlovukati, The 2 Emalangeni shows lilies and the 5 Emalangeni, a big coin shows the same coat of arms as the 50 cents. these coins all have reeded edges.

Overall an interesting set.

You're welcome for my previous response!

About Mozambique:

Actually, 8 fascinating little known coins were minted in fairly large numbers dated 1975, but they were never released for circulation. They all carry the face of Samora Machel and on the reverse nice images of plants. Machel's father was a farmer.

A lot of history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samora_Machel
Machel also loved guns, that is probably why the Mozambique coat of arms has an AK-47 on it, present on all of the old metacal coins.
In the image: a 1975 5 centimos coin that never circulated, as well as the lowest and highst denominoations of the old metacais:

About Swaziland:

The first Swaziland series that you mentioned is remarkable, as it is the first ever series of milled regular circulation coins of which NONE of the coins are round, as far as I know. 1 cent: 12-sided, 2 cents: square, 5, 10, 20 cents: scalloped with 5: 12, 10: 8, 20: 12 bumps, 50 cents: 12-sided.

In the design for the new coins those shapes were retained by the shape of the rim.

Yes I agree, they could really be adventurous. But inflation ensured they needed to pare it back with the fancy shapes. In 1974 10 Swazi cents was worth about a Lilangeni and then some now. Possibly as the currency was pegged to the rand when it much stronger and Swazi/Lesotho citizens were not liable to apartheid.

Now we go to Lesotho, the country that I always mix up with Eswatini/Swaziland, mainly as its also a tiny landlocked kingdom surrounded by South Africa, although this one is deeper in the country and most of it is high elevation with the Drakensburg Mountains on its SE flank. I always confused the two with capitals (Mbabane/Maseru). Anyway Lesotho is the Kingdom of the Sotho people, who are also found in neighbouring South Africa (Southern) and even a few in Zimbabwe (Northern Sotho), they mainly grow maize and raise cattle.

They also have a king, current one is Letsie III who became king in 1997 and he took over from the popular Moshoeshoe II. Lesotho uses the Loti (Plural Maloti) made up of 100 Lisente (Singular sente). Their coins started in 1979 and were originally brass and cupronickel, the series I show you were started in 1996. As far as we know, all Lesotho coins come from the Royal Mint in the UK (Although I suspect later ones could be South African Mint).

The first thing you can say about these coins, is how small they are. The Lisente ones are all under 20mm and the 5 Maloti is only 25mm, these next to Eswatini are quite dull, although the eagle eyed may notice the colours are reversed, high values are light and low values brass coloured instead of the other way around.

The Obverse shows the coat of arms. Unlike earlier coins, the King is not even mentioned let alone shown on them. The series originally began with a 5 lisente (It was 1mm smaller than the 10) but this coin was not minted after 2006. The 10 lisente shows a angora goat and 20 lisente shows flora including what looks like a protea and various succulents found i the high semi arid mountain scape (Lesotho's climate is actually more temperate than tropical being between 1200 and 3500m above sea level and 31 degrees south). The 50 lisente shows a Sotho man on horseback wearing the heavy clothes expected of the “bracing” and unafricanlike climate. All of these coins are brass plated steel and have reeded edges.

Moving into the high values the Loti shows Moshoeshoe I, the originalruler in traditional royal sotho costume. This coin like all the Maloti ones is nickel plated steel, it has a plain edge. The 2 Maloti shows Maize stalks and has a reeded edge like the lisente coins, finally the 5 Maloti shows wheat stalks and has a mixed edge of flat areas interspersed with ridging.

All of these coins were minted at least from 1998 to 2018. My 2 lowest values are dated 1998, but the 50 lisente up are dated 2010 and my Loti is dated 2016. These coins are current, but the earlier 1, 2,  and 5 lisente are not used now, although they are still legal tender.

Sorry for the long hiatus - just 4 sets to go for now.

Next Uruguay, another South American country that is quite properous and stable, but had its share of inflation. We have just 4 coins here of the Peso Uruguayano showing animals.

Originally minted in the UK, later examples have been minted in Kremnica Slovakia and Spain. These coins are of the Peso Uruguayano which replaced the Neuvo Peso in 1993 and they have been quite stable with 1 PU worth around 4.4 cents.

These are nice coins and a decent side showing native animals of Uruguay (And pretty much most of South America outside Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego). They are amongst the first series not to show independence heroes, particularly General Artigas. Here we have a coat of arms and the official name “Republica Oriental del Uruguay” = Eastern Republic of Uruguay.

The 3 lower values are made out of cheap brass plated steel, but look nice mint. The 1 PU shows a Armadillo called a Mulita. This armoured animal is a forager mostly and so is the Capybara a giant rodent on the 2 PU. This very large and docile animal is found throughout Tropical and Warmer Temperate South America (Uruguay would be near its southern limit). The 5 PU shows a Rhea that almost looks like an Ostrich. 

The 10 Peso is a nice bimetallic coin showing a large cougar surrounded by 19 rays. This device has been used on Uruguayan stamps and coins at least since the 1920s. This coin was minted solely in the UK and is brass plated steel centre and a nickel plated steel ring. It is an elegant coin.

A commemorative 50 PU coin was issued in 2011 celebrating Independence and the General Jose Artigas. The copper coin is worth $2.25. Also several high value silver pieces were released.

You could also mention in East Africa the coin series of Eritrea and South Sudan (a nice series for those who collect coins with animals).

But let's come back to North Korea, which you have already mentioned, and more particularly the third won with the revaluation at the end of November 2009. There was general panic, without explanation the government announces the revaluation of the currency at the rate of 100 old won for 1 new won, specifying that only 150,000 old won (around $30 on the black market) can be changed into new notes. All of people's savings are crushed, they have nothing left. All North Korean currency that individuals possess in excess of that amount becomes worthless under the revaluation.
And to make things better, the new banknotes were available only seven days later. For a week everything stops, shops and transportation close, sporadic riots break out, the army is called in for reinforcements.
In panic, banknotes and coins were issued that had been minted in 2002 in anticipation of a previous revaluation which did not take place and other coins minted in 2008.

The aim of this revaluation was to pull the rug out from under the feet of the black market and local markets. In the past year, North Korea has put increasing pressure on local markets, closing several and limiting the range of goods that can be sold in them. Security forces in North Korea had broad discretion to detain without trial nearly anyone who buys or sells in the local markets. But if traders can pay bribes, security officials will often leave them alone. U.N. officials have estimated that as much as half the calories consumed by North Koreans come from food bought in local markets.
Piles of old bills were also set on fire in separate locations across the country, old paper notes were dumped in a stream (against laws of the desecration of images of Kim Il Sung), and two black market traders were shot dead in the streets of Pyongsong by local police, according to international reports. Authorities threatened "merciless punishment" for any person violating the rules of the currency change.

Under popular pressure, the state finally raised the exchange ceiling to 500,000 old won per person, then accepted savings of more than 1 million old won if they were validated after investigation.

The coins were finally released into circulation in December 2009, but due to the flawed nature of the revaluation, these coins again have very little value, the 1 and 5 chon coins in particular being virtually irrelevant.
However, this revaluation was proved to be a failure.
In February 2010, some of the curbs on the free market were eased, and a senior party official was sacked after incidents of unrest. Pak Nam-gi, the director of the Planning and Finance Department of North Korea's ruling Workers' Party, was executed later in 2010.

Then ... North Korea denied any serious crisis relating to the revaluation.

Frenchlover

You could also mention in East Africa the coin series of Eritrea and South Sudan (a nice series for those who collect coins with animals).

 

 

I could but the dealer never supplied the Eritrean coins I paid for. I will write about them when I get them. Love the post about North Korea, I bought my 5 coins on the full knowledge they are worth nothing but curiosity value. Usually when your whole coinage is aluminium that means your country is broke or really cheap and crazy. North korea to a tee.

I only have 3 sets to go - all Africa

Cape Verde

Angola

Mauritania

Moneytane

... Love the post about North Korea …

in addition, North Korea has the record for the largest unoccupied building in the world!

Apparently one middle floor is open and operates as a hotel for westerners.  Other parts are not even finished. Anyway lets leave Uruguay head out NE across the Atlantic and land in Cape Verde Islands (Isla Cabo Verde). These group of Islands off the coast of West Africa around 15 degrees north (Not quite tropical Africa, not quite Saharan Africa). These Islands which are volcanic were setlled by the Portuguese around 1440 or so (Just to allay the pedants who come up with the exact year and chastise me for being wrong).

Needless to say the Islands became an early spot for growing sugar cane and other crops in which they used African labour and over the centuries the modern people emerged - mostly African but with Portuguese admixture and to this date their culture is heavily Portuguese influenced. In the 1960s there was the usual independence wars with Portugal's fascist Salazar/Caetano regimes and the Independence came in 1974 under a communist who loved beanies called Amilcar Cabral (Hannibal). However unlike Mozambique and the other places - there were no civil wars and the communism melted away around 1990 and now by African standards at least, Cape Verde is a well off place, kept afloat by remittances of Cape Verdeans overseas. There are big communities in Spain, Portugal, France, Brazil and even the USA. Actress Sara Martins, who played Camille in Death in paradise is of Cape Verdean descent. Several Famous Fada (Portuguese sad songs) singers are also Cape Verdean.

Coinage only came in 1930 (Although foreign mostly Portuguese coins used before then), and was the usual colonial escudos. With Independence they kept the Escudo and there was only mild inflation. The coins I am showing you are nearly 30 years old and are still current. They have value too! The 100 Escudo coin is worth $1.65 (Not a huge amount, but these are real money here).

These coins were minted at the Royal mint as well. They all date from 1994, a year in which coins with 3 different obverses were issued for each value. These were a mix of flowering plants, wildlife and sailing craft. All were described as circulating commemoratives. In most cases mine are flowering plants series.

The 1 escudo, the smallest coin shows a loggerhead turtle (Tartaruga) and brass plated steel. Unlike the others, only this 1 escudo was issued in 1994. The coin is worth a 1.7 cents - quite a lot for the smallest coin in series in Africa. All of the coins have a reverse with the coat of arms surrounded by 10 stars, wheat ears and two chain links at bottom (To signify revolution, agriculture and the slavery/oppression of the people in the past). This single Escudo has the number 1 on the coat of arms, but all the other coins have denominations away from the coat of arms. This coin and the 5 are plain edged

The 5 escudos is copper plated steel (Strange as brass is usually higher value than copper) and shows a yacht called Belmira. There are also 5 escudo coins with an eagle and a flowering plant. The 10 escudos is the first of 3 nickel plated steel coins and this time, we have the bird coin and the bird shown is a grey headed Kingfisher. As you can see Kingfishers are popular birds for coins.

The 20 escudo is also nickel plated steel and is a decent sized coin worth 33 cents! It shows a flower called Carqueja which is a gorse flower found through Portugal and the north warm atlantic, the flower has healing qualities. All of the animal and floral coins have Latin and Portuguese names. The coin also has an incessed decagonal rim.

The 50 escudo is the biggest coin and again its a floral coin, it shows the Macelina flower which is basically a clematis type flower. The coin has a reeded edge like the 10 and 20 escudos.

Finally the huge 100 escudo which shows the Saiao flower - a succulent aster flower. the coin is decagonal and features a brass ring with cupro nickel centre. These coins have a round centre portion and a plain edge. Originally they had bronze rings, but changed to brass, possibly to cope with the tropical conditions which are harsh on bronze.

It should be mentioned, nearly all of the flowers featured had some curative properties as well, likely used by Cape Verdeans before modern medicine arrived.

Several 200 and 250 Escudo coins were issued after 1994, but coins 100 Escudos and below were not issued after 1994. It is possible that these coins are frozen dated and still being minted.

If we leave Cape Verde and sail slightly northeast we reach the African mainland and the country of Mauritania (Sailing directly east you will still hit Senegal near St. Louis).

Unlike the rest of former French Africa, Mauritania is more desert and less tropical although the people are mostly Black African like the south, there are some Touaregs and Berbers and the culture is more Arabic like the North of Africa (Maghreb). Mauritania might also be the poorest and most backwards country on earth. They still have slavery and most people live in medieval style mud brick houses or tents. Almost no one is literate and women basically have no rights. Yet as you will see their coins are famous, being one of the few African nations to win coin of the year and have a trimetallic circulating coin!

In its history Mauritania has issued just 19 different circulating coins (One of the least in the world). The currency is the ouguiya and its made up of 5 khoums. A khoum was equivalent to 5 old French African Francs, so the 20 Ouguiya coin is basically 100 old Francs. There was a first Ouguiya which was superseded in 2018 by this series of 10 old to 1 new.

The coins were likely minted by Kremnica mint in Slovakia as they minted the first Ouguiya coins. These coins are all cheap steel variants including the bimetallic ones and feature mostly plated steel. The original set seems to be all but the 2 ouguiya which was added a year later in 2018. Coins were dated 2017, but not released until Nov 2018 after the reform. Some like the 5 and 20 have been issued since 2018 as well. Coins are in Arabic mostly with French only for some numbers and the word “Ouguiya”.

The small copper plated steel coin is the 1/5 Ouguiya or basically the 1 Khoum coin - it is denominated as the latter. The coin shows a small fish that looks like a baby shark or mackerel of some type. My coin is dated 2018. It has a plain edge. Next is the nickel plated steel single Ouguiya. Its worth 5 times more than the 1/5 coin and much larger. It shows a traditional teapot, and has a reeded edge. Both coins were minted only in 2017/18 so far and mine is 2018.

The 2 Ouguiya is next and even larger showing instruments, a cricket bat shaped guitar thing, a local banjo type guitar and a skin drum. Added in 2018, its stainless steel. Edge is reeded. Next is the 5 Ouguiya which is smaller nickel plated steel - but 7 sided (Polygoning usually done for higher face values). This coin shows more musical instruments and was only issued in 2017/18 my coin the latter year. Plain edge.

Next is the bimetallic 10 Ouguiya. This coin is 10 sided and shows a cow that looks a bit like a Bramin cattle with a less serious hump. The coin is nickel and brass plated steel and again was issued 2017/18. My coin is 2018. Edge has some reeding interspersed by flat edges on each of the 10 sides.

Then the trimetallic 20 Ouguiya - this coin won circulating coin of the year in the awards. It is actually more steel with brass plated outer ring, nickel plated inner ring and copper plated steel core, still a technological marvel and a lot of work for a coin with a face value of just 89 cents. This coin shows a mother and baby camel on it.

Overall a fascinating set and one with some collector value. Because of their design and make up, a set retails for around $20 or more here. Until other countries start regularly making trimetallic coins - this will remain this way. If you see these coins, you should buy them or at least the 20 Ouguiyas.

Frenchlover

You could also mention in East Africa the coin series of Eritrea and South Sudan (a nice series for those who collect coins with animals).

 

But let's come back to North Korea, which you have already mentioned, and more particularly the third won with the revaluation at the end of November 2009. There was general panic, without explanation the government announces the revaluation of the currency at the rate of 100 old won for 1 new won, specifying that only 150,000 old won (around $30 on the black market) can be changed into new notes. All of people's savings are crushed, they have nothing left. All North Korean currency that individuals possess in excess of that amount becomes worthless under the revaluation.
And to make things better, the new banknotes were available only seven days later. For a week everything stops, shops and transportation close, sporadic riots break out, the army is called in for reinforcements.
In panic, banknotes and coins were issued that had been minted in 2002 in anticipation of a previous revaluation which did not take place and other coins minted in 2008.

The aim of this revaluation was to pull the rug out from under the feet of the black market and local markets. In the past year, North Korea has put increasing pressure on local markets, closing several and limiting the range of goods that can be sold in them. Security forces in North Korea had broad discretion to detain without trial nearly anyone who buys or sells in the local markets. But if traders can pay bribes, security officials will often leave them alone. U.N. officials have estimated that as much as half the calories consumed by North Koreans come from food bought in local markets.
Piles of old bills were also set on fire in separate locations across the country, old paper notes were dumped in a stream (against laws of the desecration of images of Kim Il Sung), and two black market traders were shot dead in the streets of Pyongsong by local police, according to international reports. Authorities threatened "merciless punishment" for any person violating the rules of the currency change.

Under popular pressure, the state finally raised the exchange ceiling to 500,000 old won per person, then accepted savings of more than 1 million old won if they were validated after investigation.

The coins were finally released into circulation in December 2009, but due to the flawed nature of the revaluation, these coins again have very little value, the 1 and 5 chon coins in particular being virtually irrelevant.
However, this revaluation was proved to be a failure.
In February 2010, some of the curbs on the free market were eased, and a senior party official was sacked after incidents of unrest. Pak Nam-gi, the director of the Planning and Finance Department of North Korea's ruling Workers' Party, was executed later in 2010.

Then ... North Korea denied any serious crisis relating to the revaluation.

Interesting story, should be added to the catalogue! (at present there is just a brief two lines comment on this matter)
When I checked what is written about these coins in Comments, I noticed a series of patterns exists as well. It turns out that the ones I got as a set a couple of years ago are actually patterns sold as regular coins. A 500% increase of pattern coins in my collection! Weird.
I also wonder why they created these 2002 ½ chon, 1 chon (brass!) and 2 chon (copper-nickel!) coins that are listed as non-circulating old won coins. Maybe they were designed to be used as circulating coins for a new won as well? That would match the style of DDR coins, with the brass 20 pfennig along with aluminium 1 pfennig upto 2 mark coins.

WARNING: Post may be “Politically intense” for some more “softer and more 2020s” attuned people. Read at caution. My style of narrative is very 1951 USA if you get the point.

And now my final country for a while - Angola

Angola has a long association with Portugal, settled in the late 1400s, they converted the African Bakongo kingdom (Located in the NW of the country in the Jungle zone near DRC) to Catholicism and it thrived for a while under rulers like Joao and Afonso (1500s). However a rebellion under the great Queen Nzinga (1640s) saw the end of friendly relations and some nasty colonialism which only really took off after 1900. The usual Portuguese model of near bankruptcy, disfunction, genocides, land raping and overt racism and repopulation ensued under the Caetano/Salazar regime and again Independence came in 1974 with the communists under Agostinho Neto took over. Straight away so called Democratic rebels started attacking the country and war ensued. Bascially like Mozambique and Guinea Bissau - Angola was another Lusaphone African basket case racked by idiotic communism, which exacerbated state control and accelerated poverty - the notes from 1976 have me guffawing with the latent and naive communist imagery (Honestly I think Joe McCarthy liked communism more than me!).

Imagine grinning Africans with kalashnikov rifles saluting a communist star and an Africanised Lenin with clenched fist whilst kerchiefed women work happily in cotton mills and teach literacy to kids, whilst doctor Neto in his Lenin cap seems frozen in conversation on the front. Later notes showcase ugly Brutalist concrete buildings built by Soviets or Cubans and now likely demolished or bombed out.

However around 1990 with inflation at crazy levels (We had a Kwanza and then a Kwanza readjusto and now a Nova Kwanza which is the rapidly losing value new Kwanza), the communism disapated as the country was “blessed” with oil discoveries which means Luanda is very rich and full of cashed up foreigners and a few cronies of the formerly Communist, but now enjoying the bounties of Capitalism government. Meanwhile your average Angolan basically lives on the breadline and has almost no money or work and survives by graft. 

These coins sum it up too - plain and socialistic and minted in Russia. But they are quite well made and feature some nice finishing and metals. The bimetallic coins also look quite elegant. Since 2015 we have a 20 Kwanza coin with Queen Nzinga on it. 50, 100 and 200 Kwanza coins minted between 2015 and 2022 are not bimetallic but look similar to these. They replaced a plainer looking series of coins ranging from 10 centimos to 5 Kwanzas minted in 1999.

Despite communism ending in 1990, we still have stars, crossed rifles and the usual communist/war symbology. When issued back in 2012 they may have been worth something - but now we have coins up to 200 Kwanzas, all muck metals of course and minted in Russia. Russia when the USSR also minted the earlier Kwanzas and Lwei.

The set has 4 coins which was all they needed back in 2012, there is more now. The 10 Kwanzas has 2 cents face value, the 200 Kwanzas coin I mentioned is worth 40 cents. My guess is the cashed up Luandans do not use these.

The 50 cents is copper nickel plated steel and has a plain edge. The single Kwanza is brass plated steel and features a Diagonal pattern right of the number, it has a plain edge too. Both coins show BNA on the heads side and ringlet of wheat stalks. flowers and then a machine cog on the right over a star. Banco Nacional Angola is on the edge.

The bimetallic 5 and 10 Kwanzas have a different reverse with a full coat of arms, book open with a sunrise surrounded by a hoe and machete. The 5 has a copper nickel centre was brass steel ring. The 10 has cheaper metals, all plated steel nickel plated on outside and brass plated inside. Both have patterns on them and a reeded edge.