It is 3pm here on the 1st day of September in cold & rainy Victoria, so it is time we start this month’s additions post!
I actually received these ones on Friday but have only opened them and photographed them today, so I am counting these as this month’s! Here is an Australian sixpence and shilling pair from 1962.
Both are in extremely nice UNC - CHUNC condition. The sixpence in particular is absolutely stunning, with well struck details on ‘Advance Australia’, and wire rims similar to those on proof issues. This one is arguably nicer than my proof sixpence of the same year!
The shilling is quite a nice example too, and probably my best QEII shilling in terms of condition.
We had some great additions posted last month, i am quite looking forward to seeing what everyone adds to the collection for this one.
Nice pair! For some reason I find so many Australian QE2 shillings I have a really worn like Fine to VF, even for 1960s dates. My sixpences are much better though and none of my Florins after 1958 are under AU. I mean many of my WW2 era Aussie coins are better than ones from the mid and late 50s.
I have been buying some weirder stuff
James I shilling of England. This is first coinage 1603/04 - Mintmark fleur de lis. Coin is cleaned clipped and has a poor portrait, otherwise good Fine and not that worn. It was cheap too and a scarce one year type. This is the most normal coin I bought and I won it last night (September 1st).
Jamaican Proof set from Franklin mint (Unopened) and will remain so as the case is toned to high heaven. Franklin mint loved making proof sets for impoverished and island countries in the 1970s. They used lots of silver and unlike their ripoff collectibles (Vases, plates etc) the coins were fairly good). This set has 6 Cupronickel coins, 1 aluminium and a 50% silver one. The top coin is 92.5% silver and contains 1.25 ounces of the stuff. I basically paid close to melt for this. The two top coins are 45 and 42mm in size. I have this now
Just bought this one, always wanted one of these huge Panamanian 20 Bolivar coins, some of the largest standard collectible coins of the 1970s. The behemoths were 61mm in size and contained 120 grams of silver or just under 4 ounces. It will be the biggest coin I have ever owned.
This 1978 set has the 20 Bolivar coin which dwarfs the one and 5 Balboas (Crown sized in themselves). In all the set contains nearly 6 ounces of silver. Also collectible in it, is the Panama Pill (2½ centavos), although its not the original 1904 Panama pill. This coin will be the smallest I own, being 1 mm smaller than the Maundy pennies.
Being 1970s Franklin Mint schtick, I paid not much over melt for it.
I love coins. Especially silver, gold and anything really old.
Member of the Royal Numismatic Society of New Zealand and the Auckland Numismatic Society
Found a guy selling some of the £5 coins whilst I was out over the weekend. A lot of them looked like they were BU removed from the packaging.
The new to me ones are 1993, 1999 Diana, 2000 Millenium (not the dome edition), 2000 Queen Mother, 2005 Nelson, and 2008 Charles. All I need now is a 2002 Queen Mother's death to finish the set; trying to avoid online.
All the ones up to 2008 Elizabeth I could be gotten from post offices & some banks loose at face value. From 2009 they only did BU/Proof direct from the mint in packaging. So that's why my collection ends there.
Also got another 2003 Entente Cordiale coin so I could display a one with Marianne the right way up just for fun. I think the one I had before with Britannia the right way up must be the frosted version. So accidentally got both variations. 😀
Some nice stuff, that sixpence is amazingly perfect.
The proof sets are cool too. Don't really know enough about those nations to make more of a comment. Had a quick look at the catalogue for the 20 Balboas though, and they look stunning & huge. Would be tempted myself if it was only melt-ish value just for the novelty. 😀
Hey all! Been a minute since I’ve posted anything. I’ve been quiet on buying recently, but I did just snag a couple things from a flea market near me that I stopped at yesterday
I got this beautiful 1746 VOC duit back in July but never posted it so I figured I’d add it to this thread since the other one isn’t active.
Now for the two flea market finds, I paid $40 for the pair. An 1893 Columbian Exposition half and a 1922 Peace dollar!
The Columbian Exposition half is one of my favorite US coins, and to find one just out and about on a random flea market trip was pretty nice! So I had to snag it
Nice pick ups there everyone, ixx_grid! $40 is a bargain for those 2!
Meanwhile I have got a couple of scarce old British medals.
One is the medallions/medals issued for Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee, kazillions of types and examples were made. The most well known series is these ones - N#403535
Minted by the Royal Mint, they were designed by De Saulles (Although TB- Thomas Brock, appears on the bust of older Viccy) the designer of the Edwardian coinage.
These ranged in size from 20mm to 55mm and featured gold (Rare), Silver (Scarce) and Bronze (still less common) versions. Common ones are the 26mm sized silver and bronze versions and the smaller 29 mm gold one is not rare either. However this is a 55mm one which is quite rare (100 on Numista and 80 something for their second type - possible duplicate post?)
This behemoth is a bit toned and slightly marked and dented on the 1837 side, however I grade it highest AU with the lightest rubbing on high points. Its a stunner weighing 84.15 grams of .925 silver or basically the weight of 6 halfcrowns (so 15 shillings worth of silver). Its just great and the box is a big bonus!
Even better was this much older medal and it was Numista 100, It cost me just $115 off a private seller, its age does amaze me nearly 300 years old - N#118582
A Jernegans Lottery medal of 1736/37. It shows Minerva on one side and the Queen Caroline on the other. This is the Caroline who married King George II and was Queen Caroline. The medal was apparently given as a ticket for anyone who bought a ticket to win a silver vase made by Henry Jernagan a silvermaster.
The medal was designed by John Tanner, who was a Royal Mint employee, working under John Cocker and later inspired Lewis Pingo and the first of many members of the Wyon Dynasty. The medallion is either sterling or full silver and is 39mm in size and I weighed it 19.85 grams (Likely was originally around 19.90 - 20.00 grams as its got some wear). I would grade this at a high Fine as the detail is flat on raised surfaces, and this is likely as its almost certainly full silver and lacks any toughening alloy like copper or tin.
Its basically propaganda inspiring confidence and provide, the King and Queen seen as benefactors of peace and plenty (And many call this era the high point of English peace as the UK was mainly spared the endless wars within Europe, yet it was facing challenges from France and in its colonial empire, plus on and off Jacobite/Irish issues). I love the archaic language “Fill'd”, generally before the mid 1800s words with “ed” in them were spelled as ‘d (hence spell’d etc). Its all capitals, so no long ‘s’ though, you know the one that looks like this - “exprefs'd” instead of expressed etc.
A very historic and interesting piece!
PS Wonder if anyone won the vase and if it still exists?
I love coins. Especially silver, gold and anything really old.
Member of the Royal Numismatic Society of New Zealand and the Auckland Numismatic Society
Thanks Moneytane! $40 was definitely a bargain, I couldn’t help myself. Had to come home with them
Sweet Medals!
I’ve never been too into Medals, as I tend to prefer regular circulating coins and notes, but I definitely respect them. They’re always so detailed, which I absolutely love. Maybe I should get into them at some point…
I especially like that Jernegan's Lottery piece you have! I checked the numista link you added and it’s a beaut! Awesome grab for sure
This guy came in the mail today and I’m super happy with it. Right after I took these I stuck it in the capsule I had put aside
This is a 1993 Andorra 🇦🇩 20 Diners.
25g of .925 silver with 1.5g of .917 gold inlayed in the center
Nice pair! For some reason I find so many Australian QE2 shillings I have a really worn like Fine to VF, even for 1960s dates. My sixpences are much better though and none of my Florins after 1958 are under AU. I mean many of my WW2 era Aussie coins are better than ones from the mid and late 50s.
I have been buying some weirder stuff
James I shilling of England. This is first coinage 1603/04 - Mintmark fleur de lis. Coin is cleaned clipped and has a poor portrait, otherwise good Fine and not that worn. It was cheap too and a scarce one year type. This is the most normal coin I bought and I won it last night (September 1st).
Jamaican Proof set from Franklin mint (Unopened) and will remain so as the case is toned to high heaven. Franklin mint loved making proof sets for impoverished and island countries in the 1970s. They used lots of silver and unlike their ripoff collectibles (Vases, plates etc) the coins were fairly good). This set has 6 Cupronickel coins, 1 aluminium and a 50% silver one. The top coin is 92.5% silver and contains 1.25 ounces of the stuff. I basically paid close to melt for this. The two top coins are 45 and 42mm in size. I have this now
Just bought this one, always wanted one of these huge Panamanian 20 Bolivar coins, some of the largest standard collectible coins of the 1970s. The behemoths were 61mm in size and contained 120 grams of silver or just under 4 ounces. It will be the biggest coin I have ever owned.
This 1978 set has the 20 Bolivar coin which dwarfs the one and 5 Balboas (Crown sized in themselves). In all the set contains nearly 6 ounces of silver. Also collectible in it, is the Panama Pill (2½ centavos), although its not the original 1904 Panama pill. This coin will be the smallest I own, being 1 mm smaller than the Maundy pennies.
Being 1970s Franklin Mint schtick, I paid not much over melt for it.
Thank you! I have found the same, this is my only true uncirculated QEII shilling that I have - along with a few EF and aUNCs.
Those proof sets are awesome, and almost 4 ounces of silver in one coin is absolutely mind-blowing! It is interesting the set contains such a huge coin along with an absolutely tiny coin.
For my part, a modest acquisition of two Shell coupons:
They are uniface. I'm not sure of the date: late 60s–early 70s? I'll try to find more online.
Otherwise, I keep hoarding any Charles III coins I get in my change, though I'm sure I will eventually use most of them. Earlier this year, I got several 2023 25¢, but now what I get more than anything else is the 2024 10¢.
By the time I get Charlie boy coins in my change, little Willie will be king!
Just one more coin - a fairly worn English shilling that cost me $75, which seems a lot for a Very Good graded English shilling.
Usually such a coin would be in the $15 - $35 bracket, why $75 and marked down from $85. The reason is its date - 1851. This was the rarest year of Victorian shillings for general circulation. Just 470,071 issued. So not surprisingly such coins are very rare in any condition. It catalogues £125 in fine, so £32 equivalent for VG (And a high VG) is a bargain. It has a nice circulation cameo too.
Its the rarest date of shilling from 1816 onwards (Exact figures for pre 1817 coins are not known) and thus a real prize. Most dates of Victorian shilling were in the low millions and some into the low 8 figures.
Also an 1837 shilling of William IV had only a handful more (478,000) issued, yet it prices around half of these ones. Why? William IV coins are just less desired than Queen Victoria's ones. Victoria is an icon, an institution known over the world (Our cities and towns are full of Victoria streets, Victoria Parks etc) - yet William IV is barely remembered by anyone past ardent Royalists.
I love coins. Especially silver, gold and anything really old.
Member of the Royal Numismatic Society of New Zealand and the Auckland Numismatic Society
I've been travelling for whole of september, and have only kept two pieces of banknites so far: N#248679 in XF/AU condition from an ATM in The Valley, Anguilla, and tonight I got a UNC N#248677 in change from Cocono's in Blowing Point, Anguilla.
Great additions so far! Awesome example of the 1851 shilling - that is a beautiful circulated, but problem free example. Nice group of coins there LDC, unfortunately I can’t be of any help correctly attributing that Asian coin.
Here are my two most recent additions for the month of September - a pair of Colony of Victoria Miner’s Rights. My main collecting focus is actually not of coins, but of the Victorian gold rush (Australia, c.1850s-1890s). Sometimes these two areas of interest do collide though. There have been a number of banknote-related exonumia items over the past few months in this thread, so I believe these should fit in.
The top one has been issued in 1892 to a ‘Peter Andrews’ of Bendigo. This one sadly is missing a large chunk out of the corner. The second one is unissued, although is creased and has the typical wear you would expect for a paper item of this age.
These miner’s rights were issued for an annual fee of 5 shillings after the Eureka Stockade in 1854, and replaced the gold license. A person in possession of a miner’s right was allowed to dig for gold, could construct a cottage and a garden on a piece of land, and also the right to vote. If you look around many of the old Victorian mining towns today such as Maldon and Castlemaine, you will notice many of the houses conform with the ~179x82 feet dimensions on the miner’s right above.
The miner’s rights do actually still exist in the State of Victoria, although mine is digital.
Today the post office brought in two numismatic magazines, the first dedicated to Tanzania and the second to Bulgaria. The magazine describes the history and numismatics of this state. The album dedicated to the magazine is growing.
The album just for the magazine "Coins and Banknotes" is growing. Mainly everything is UNC. Even if the coins are scratched.
Today the post office brought in two numismatic magazines, the first dedicated to Tanzania and the second to Bulgaria. The magazine describes the history and numismatics of this state. The album dedicated to the magazine is growing.
The album just for the magazine "Coins and Banknotes" is growing. Mainly everything is UNC. Even if the coins are scratched.
Ivan
Interesting those coins are dated 1987, the designs date from 1966 and were part of a series of 4.
Your coins maybe plated stainless steel, the originals were brass. Other coins were the 50 senti and 1 Shillingi featured the dictator of Tanzania, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere who started a Ujamaa Communist system which ruined the country and made it a basket case. They were amongst the earliest coins to use Swahili (Kenya and Uganda still used English).
Inflation has rendered them worthless, heres a more modern set of Tanzania coins.
The 500 shilingi is worth a few cents now I think.
I love coins. Especially silver, gold and anything really old.
Member of the Royal Numismatic Society of New Zealand and the Auckland Numismatic Society
Today the post office brought in two numismatic magazines, the first dedicated to Tanzania and the second to Bulgaria. The magazine describes the history and numismatics of this state. The album dedicated to the magazine is growing.
The album just for the magazine "Coins and Banknotes" is growing. Mainly everything is UNC. Even if the coins are scratched.
Ivan
Interesting those coins are dated 1987, the designs date from 1966 and were part of a series of 4.
Your coins maybe plated stainless steel, the originals were brass. Other coins were the 50 senti and 1 Shillingi featured the dictator of Tanzania, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere who started a Ujamaa Communist system which ruined the country and made it a basket case. They were amongst the earliest coins to use Swahili (Kenya and Uganda still used English).
Inflation has rendered them worthless, heres a more modern set of Tanzania coins.
The 500 shilingi is worth a few cents now I think.
Have a nice day on the island 🏝️.
One interesting thing from the magazine and the state of Tanzania and numismatics:
I read that you can enter the country "Tanzania" with as much or as much foreign currency as you want.
However, it is an illegal "Criminal offense" to take any local currency out of the country, as the export of currency - coins is prohibited by law.
everything is described about the state and minting.
Several pages are a description of coinage errors from the beginning of coinage to the present day.
It's just to diversify your knowledge. Although today everything can be found on "Google", this is a dinosaur form of information, but still working.
Nice group - the Napoleon coins were ahead of their time, they look more modern than they are!
I went to my coin shop/come junk shop in Chch and found these beauties.
The best find was this 1917 Bradbury UK pound note from 1917, its basically the note that killed the sovereign in WW1. I was amazed how good the condition was for such an ancient note (Over 100 years old!). Its probably a high Fine with minimal damage and usual corners, some aging marks. Overall a stunner and even some paper crispness. It cost me $125.
Everything else is coins.
2 more spare Canberra Florins for $20 each (Melt is $16) and these again are high VF examples, one has a bit of lustre. I think I have 17 Canberra Florins now!
Some very nice small silvers including 1817 6d in cleaned gVF, 1921M Aussie 3d in near XF condition and a 1912 Sixpence (Scarce date) in cleaned VG condition, which replaces my famous lowball 1912 coin (I graded it Poor 0).
1914 and 1919 UK Florins, cleaned gVF/EF - despite being cleaned, at $25 each they were a steal. The 1919 is more VF and features the usual poor strike you expect in 1919 Post WW1 coins - George is very flat, but reverse is very detailed. the 1914 is a stunner and they replace barely Fine ones in my collection.
1917S Walker halve, probably VG8 or G6 - more common S on reverse type, but a nice coin as its so early and some 1930s coins are more worn!
Finally a 1919 Sixpence that cost only $15 - not bad for a near EF coin with a bad 1919 strike (Flat lion face and George) but lustre and detail on the crown elevate it into the EF grades.
I love coins. Especially silver, gold and anything really old.
Member of the Royal Numismatic Society of New Zealand and the Auckland Numismatic Society
And one of the four special edition Robert Burns commemorative issues from 1996. This one has the poem Tam O'Shanter on it. Also pictured is a standard issue from 2002, which is the rougher note on top.
This exact note was my very first “special” banknote (I.e. First in the collection). Must have had it nigh on 20 years, but it's always looked that rough.
The brand new Charles £1 coin from my change earlier in the week. Apologies on the quality, it's so shiny it's hard to photograph. 😛
As you can see, it is dated 2023 but doesn't have the Tudor crown privy so it is a circulation one, not one from a BU / proof set.
Wow good find indeed, for now none have been seen in my area as well as the Salmon 50p. Hopefully soon the Royal Mint publishes the mintage figures so we know if they are uncommon or not.
Hi to whoever is reading this. Did you know that TYPEWRITER (on a QWERTY keyboard) is the longest word you can type using only the letters on one row of the keyboard.
Here are the two latest additions to my “Science” collection. Not very ancient, but significant. Especially the Roentgen guy who was the first winner of a Nobel Prize (Physics, 1901).
Now, you may notice I included the relevant info for each coin. Why? Because both are categorized as NCLT! For a long time now I've been saying we have a problem with NCLTs on the site and yet, the show goes on. Can anyone rationally explain the correlation between “NCLT” category and such mint numbers and grades?!
Here are the two latest additions to my “Science” collection. Not very ancient, but significant. Especially the Roentgen guy who was the first winner of a Nobel Prize (Physics, 1901).
Now, you may notice I included the relevant info for each coin. Why? Because both are categorized as NCLT! For a long time now I've been saying we have a problem with NCLTs on the site and yet, the show goes on. Can anyone rationally explain the correlation between “NCLT” category and such mint numbers and grades?!
The 1981 Royal Wedding Crown (25 Pence) has a mintage of just under 27 million and that did not circulate so even NCLTs that have high mintages don't circulate the same can be said for Euro coins from Luxembourg or other micro states where some coins have a mintage of under 100,000 but are standard circulation.
Hi to whoever is reading this. Did you know that TYPEWRITER (on a QWERTY keyboard) is the longest word you can type using only the letters on one row of the keyboard.
The Brits had a habit of issuing crowns between 1953 and 1982 that were large coins, but essentially worthless as they were low face value (5/- or 25p). There were issued in Mega Quantities in the 8 figures - but you are right they were not circulating, yet were legal too. 90% of them are AU or UNC.
Today you can't given them away as they are made out of muck metal (Cupronickel which is worthless), heavy and have ugly designs or a tasteless topic (Royal anniversaries in an age of increasing socialism and equality which roars against false hegemonies).
These notorious coins are
1953 Royal Coronation - Quite a nice design, not so common)
1960 Royal Crown - Not as common as others
1965 Churchill Crown - Notoriously ugly and worthless coin, 19 million minted and never worth anything (a handful had initials which are rare but you will never find one).
1972 Royal 25th wedding - First decimal one at 25p, again worthless tommyrot
1977 Silver Jubilee - Another mega common coin, although a nicer design
1980 Queen Mother's 80 th birthday - Not as bad as Churchill or Diana
1981 Diana/Charles wedding - Mega common coin that signified a pointless and stupid marriage, this coin is MEGA WORTHLESS and the bain of Coin collectors in the UK.
These coins came in cheap plastic flips made out of PVC plastic and usually given away from banks at face value, every working class Joe Plod had them and every collection I buy has one or more in them. Silver versions could be bough of the later ones, but these are the only silver coins worth less than their melt value!!!
Britain solved the problem in 1990, by making the coins £5 face value and reduced numbers minted dramatically to maybe a million at most and thus the coins which are mostly still tacky (Royalty anniversaries, every 5 years of the Queen and her cronies farting was celebrated) are now less present.
I love coins. Especially silver, gold and anything really old.
Member of the Royal Numismatic Society of New Zealand and the Auckland Numismatic Society
I was under the impression that we used the crown et al “coins” deliberately for royalty-based events so that they didn't end up on the everyday coinage. In part owing to the increasing opposition, or more frequently passiveness, of the general public to royalty, especially from the 1980s onwards. So in deference to the changing times, we didn't go overboard with royalty on the everyday circulation coins. Plenty of heraldry, but no specific royal person.
Obviously, a few special cases here & there (e.g. 1960 was the RM showcasing in the US, 1965 was Churchill's death). Once they became a proof set staple in 1996, we then started adding non-royal events in the “gap” years, and eventually they started being frequent release NCLT-esque items from about 2017, though there were some Olympic ones prior.
I believe we didn't have any modern royalty decimal coins until the 2022 platinum jubilee 50p, followed by the 2022 in memorial 50p, and then 2023 Charles coronation 50p. But then we've got no plans to release any further.
The 1981 Royal Wedding Crown (25 Pence) has a mintage of just under 27 million and that did not circulate so even NCLTs that have high mintages don't circulate the same can be said for Euro coins from Luxembourg or other micro states where some coins have a mintage of under 100,000 but are standard circulation.
If it helps, I never take Numista prices seriously, I have seen rarer coins at like $30 in VF and then $23 in XF.
Plus the coin is British and its impossible to find them under EF for modern crowns, so why would any in Good be around unless someone deliberately attacked it with a plane saw?
I love coins. Especially silver, gold and anything really old.
Member of the Royal Numismatic Society of New Zealand and the Auckland Numismatic Society
The 1981 Royal Wedding Crown (25 Pence) has a mintage of just under 27 million and that did not circulate so even NCLTs that have high mintages don't circulate the same can be said for Euro coins from Luxembourg or other micro states where some coins have a mintage of under 100,000 but are standard circulation.
And you are still sure they didn't circulate
I remember occasionally seeing them in tills, so some people clearly thought they were to be used as a circulation coin even though they weren't really supposed to be used that way. I know I paid 25p in Barclays Bank for one of mine at the time it was issued, so I assume that people thought they could use them in the same way as the Victorians used crowns, which had a value of 5 shillings (decimalised as 25p).
New additions to my collection been scarce as of late since I'm trying to save more money (and there haven't been any local events going on recently) so I have little to report. No pictures this time unfortunately.
I recently found a 1943-S war nickel and a 1964-D silver dime at work, first time getting silver in months. Also found a 1997-S proof dime, but in the condition it was in I could hardly pick it out from the rest of the change.
I also purchased an 1877-Zs 8 Reales from Mexico. I've been quite interested in Mexican silver coinage lately due to its historical importance and beauty. Plus it's always nice getting a crown sized silver coin.
In the mean time I look to further expand my collection of Chinese and Japanese silver and cash coinage. Expecting a lot (meaning grouping) of old Japanese cash coins to arrive in the mail soon and I'm looking forward to looking through it and identifying the varieties. It's always a fun challenge for me to identify cash coins and it helps me practice my Chinese character reading skills, although I'm not sure how much ancient coinage vocabulary will be of use to me in casual conversation… Either way I enjoy it a lot. I wonder how big of a hobby coin collecting is in East Asian countries. What are y'all's experience buying/selling/trading coins in places like China, Japan, Korea, etc.?
Nothing spectacular. The George V $1 note is from the 1923 series, but the McCavour / Saunders signatures belong to the 1925–1930 period. It's rather low grade and I may eventually upgrade it.
The quality of everything you have all been buying lately is just outstanding, honestly!
A great mixture of beautiful and obscure pieces!
And let me add to them, Just 4 coins, all quality and all quite strange
Danish 2 Kroner, my oldest one of this type so far (The Kroner system was only a few years old) This is a blackened tone, but easily gVF condition and of this type was only issued in 1875, 76 and a handful for 2 years in the 1890s. There was also a commem in 1888 and 1892, but compared to other European countries, Denmark minted minimal numbers of coins (The country was quite poor and rural then).
Happy with it, as most of my Christian IX coins are heavily worn.
Back to familiar territory for the next 2 sold as one lot. We have a Maundy 2d and 4d which are stunning and have a nice steel blue tone to them that is not noticeable in the photos. These are practically UNC and likely lifted from a set box they sat in for decades (Between 1887 and 1910, Maundy coins were sold commercially from the mint). Somewhere is the 3d and 1d and I want them.
Despite their dinky size, Maundy coins are always collectible, especially ones in this condition, mostly only 2k were issued and at most 12 or 13k issued, hence their desirability and they are only handed out in a ceremony to pensioners by the monarch.
Another dinky and rare coin, don't let the photo fool you, this dinky silver penny is 11mm in size and weighs 0.51 of a gram! These coins were not Maundy and actually issued as circulation pieces, silver pennies lasted until 1797 when copper ones came out (Mainly as they got too small and easily lost). This very late issue shows weirdly the young portrait of the King by Croker (1670 - 1740) cut in 1727, it seemed the older head placed on higher value coins in 1743, maybe that die did not translate here. This teeny coin cost me $60! worth every cent.
Silver pennies were universal in the Middle ages, but various size and weight reductions along with changes in technology, saw the coins shrink from 1.28 - 1.40 grams and 21mm in size before 1344, down to just 0.50 grams and 11mm size by 1671 when the first milled penny came out and this size remained through to 1800. The Maundy penny was standardised at 0.47 grams in 1817 and stayed that way since.
Basically your silver threepence coin made after 1817 was the same weight as a medieval penny, but much smaller due to the bulkier shape of milled/machine made coins, whereas medieval pennies were like flat slithers.
Its interesting too that many people think Britain stopped making silver coins between 1758 and 1816, apart from one or two issues of silver in 1763 (Shillings), 1787 (Shillings and sixpences) and 1811 - 16 (Bank tokens), but the production of small 1d to 4d coins for circulation and Maundy carried on until 1800 at least.
I love coins. Especially silver, gold and anything really old.
Member of the Royal Numismatic Society of New Zealand and the Auckland Numismatic Society
Beautiful maundy coins! There is some nice reverse toning on that fourpence.
Two more additions of mine for September - a pair of Australian proof sixpences.
I know that this phrase gets thrown around a lot, but it is absolutely true with these coins that the photos do not do them justice. They are both absolutely stunning!
This 1961 proof sixpence was still in its original 2x2 holder from I.S. Wright in Melbourne from many years ago. I have since upgraded both of these sixpences to Quadrums, like the majority of my coins. This coin unfortunately has a rather large tone spot on the reverse, but the extremely sharp details and strong strike make up for this.
Proof sixpence number two, this one from 1963. This is by far the easiest date to acquire any Australian proof pre-decimal coinage, this sixpence having a mintage of just over 5000, from memory. I purchased this one mostly due to the mirror effects. Pre-decimal proofs were not struck with mirror finishes and cameo effects, so this one definitely stands out as being a nicer example. This cameo is quite impressive in person, although not shown in the photos above sadly. I will have to attempt at retaking them in better light. The seller‘s photos do show this quite nicely though.
That 1963, you could get lost in the pools of mirror polish on the fields. Those coins are just outstanding, real treasures.
I love coins. Especially silver, gold and anything really old.
Member of the Royal Numismatic Society of New Zealand and the Auckland Numismatic Society
i enjoyed a lot of of interesting additions, thanks for sharing.
My best addition of september should be this one ( in the twilight beteeen coin collecting and bullion invest). Got a complete set of norway's silver commemoratives 1991-93 about olympic games. Containing 9 oz fine silver for a total price of 289€.
This is an upgrade; I had a low grade VG+ one which I got from circulation many years ago. It will eventually go for swap at face value like a number of other lower grade notes.
Here is a Canadian 2001 $10 of the “Journeys” series, Knight/Dodge signatures (2001-2003):
Nice Journey Ten@Camerinvs. This series was the one that got me back into collecting in 2002. We had a monster garage sale & I noticed a lot of the new $10 were in terrible condition. I wondered why, since they were only a year old. So I registered on the Canadian Paper Money Forum & started to go to shows. Eventually I discovered that they were trying a new cotton-paper blend substrate. People forget but at the time only a few new Journey Fives were appearing but everything was the Birds Series (until 2004). It was easy to get new Birds Fives & Tens back in 2002 b/c tellers did not cull the old notes like they did later when polymer arrived.
I also ordered my first brick (1000 notes) when you could do that & found my first radar:
Very interesting, @Serial_Number_8 — I was not actively collecting back in the early 2000s and I was wondering why I had saved such a low grade note as the one I had until now. Your explanation is probably the answer.
It's true that the transition from cotton-based to polymer was quite abrupt. They were also very quick in updating every denomination (2011-2013), which was a first since the 1954 series. I suppose so many devices needed to be updated to accept the new notes that it was best to renew the entire stock. It's sure much easier to feed polymer in a vending machine than the old notes. On top of it, they added (as you know of course) security features to the Journeys series, so we have two major varieties of the $5 and $10.
But we're back to the policy of the last 50+ years of updating only gradually… with a vengeance… The next vertical note, as you know, will be the Charles III $20 in 2027, almost a decade after the $10, and a year or two later it will be the $5. This is interesting to me because I organize my note by signatures, i.e. by chronological periods to reflect the reality of their use in real life. I remember a friend in the early 90s who told me he had seen someone with a $1000 note. I pointed out to him it must have been the “old” notes (i.e. 1954 series) at a time when we had a mix of “multicolored” and “bird” notes in circulation. He said “Yes!”, kind of surprised he didn't point it out himself.
Very interesting, @Serial_Number_8 — I was not actively collecting back in the early 2000s and I was wondering why I had saved such a low grade note as the one I had until now. Your explanation is probably the answer.
It's true that the transition from cotton-based to polymer was quite abrupt. They were also very quick in updating every denomination (2011-2013), which was a first since the 1954 series. I suppose so many devices needed to be updated to accept the new notes that it was best to renew the entire stock. It's sure much easier to feed polymer in a vending machine than the old notes. On top of it, they added (as you know of course) security features to the Journeys series, so we have two major varieties of the $5 and $10.
But we're back to the policy of the last 50+ years of updating only gradually… with a vengeance… The next vertical note, as you know, will be the Charles III $20 in 2027, almost a decade after the $10, and a year or two later it will be the $5. This is interesting to me because I organize my note by signatures, i.e. by chronological periods to reflect the reality of their use in real life. I remember a friend in the early 90s who told me he had seen someone with a $1000 note. I pointed out to him it must have been the “old” notes (i.e. 1954 series) at a time when we had a mix of “multicolored” and “bird” notes in circulation. He said “Yes!”, kind of surprised he didn't point it out himself.
Yes: some transitions were gradual while others were very abrupt (like the “Original” Journey series).
Since I started collecting in the mid 70's (& had examine the two 1954, Scenes of Canada, 1979 & Birds series) I assumed that the Original Journey series were going to be a failure. At first I (mistakenly) figured it would be their poor substrate (short longevity) but after meeting collectors, we realized it was their inefficient security features. They were easily photocopied & the fakes were being passed off for real. I loved their design (the reverse) but many collectors I met hated them.
Check out this wiki entry on the Journey series (scroll down to “Counterfeiting”). The update was all the buzz by 2003 so us collectors knew to snap up what we could. Trouble was: getting notes in decent condition! Even new notes showed problems. Many production issues included notes with “as made wrinkles” or cockeyed designs, etc. One of the reasons they were a treat to collect was that there were so many short year/signature change-overs plus short & even a few “lost prefixes (eg BEL)" when they were being withdrawn (in 2005). The 2002 FIVES weren't nearly so much “fun” with much fewer change-overs & no “short prefixes until the 2004 ”HOH."
Most Canadians don't take notice of their money (IMO) b/c we have had several staggered (multiple) series including the 1954 $1000 note being used with the Scenes of Canada (1969/1979 series) & the Birds. Whenever I have talked to Canadians about their money most of them tell me they use plastic (& aren't interested). Very few noticed that the Original series ($5 & $10) were revised with a security strip (& new design).
I was hoping there would be a newly designed vertical $5.00 (as promised years ago) but I guess I will have to settle for the new KCIII $20 version (& see what happens from there).
I take good note of this Wikipedia page, which I didn't know — and the others like it for the Canadian banknote series.
One of the reasons they were a treat to collect was that there were so many short year/signature change-overs plus short & even a few “lost prefixes (eg BEL)" when they were being withdrawn (in 2005).
Three pairs of signatures for the short period when the $10 w/o upgraded security features were being released. And now we just had the 2020–2021 period with four pairs of signatures from the end of Wilkins/Poloz to the start of Rogers/Macklem.
I was hoping there would be a newly designed vertical $5.00 (as promised years ago) but I guess I will have to settle for the new KCIII $20 version (& see what happens from there).
In some ways I'm happy the BoC is prioritizing the new $20 Charles III. He has cancer and we don't know how long his reign will last. Whether one is a royalist or not, it would be unfortunate if the current ruler of Canada was missing from the banknote series, like Edward VIII is missing from the coinage.
Just a quick “pop in”. It has been many months since I have posted on Numista.
Aberfoyle Antique Market (Canada's Oldest?) had their semi-annual BIG SHOW this past weekend and one vendor had a coin collection which he claimed was purchased 25 years ago. Based on the prices on the flips, I believe that was the case!
Too many for pictures, but I got just about a full set of South African ½ cent through 1 Rand coins from 1965-1986. Most were from mint sets and some from proof sets that they unfortunately broke open after purchasing-to the point that it's difficult to tell if they're proofs or not in some cases. I was able to fill in most of the 61-64 dates too except for the 50 cents. I think it came out to 205 coins.
Shouldn't proof coins even from the 60s be easy to distinguish from normal coins? They are not real/literal proofs like in the olden days where they were hardly different from any other business strike, just clearer/ slightly better struck.
Some proof coins were polished to a high degree even in the 1900s. Many 1960s sets were issued in excess and packaged in corrosive plastics like PVC, Pliofilm and the Vinylette cases and thus survived poorly.
A much later proof set is this one - New Zealand's newie, just 750 issued, mine is #288
The theme is dark sky and light sky and this is on the 2 x $1 pure silver coins. Each is half an ounce of silver.
Dark sky is the dark sky reserve in Wairarapa (Lower North Island, our third) and the coin has been darkened gray for the effect.
Light sky refers to the Aurora Australis, which appears in our Southern regions in the 15 hour long nights of winter. The coins are quite nice, but my opinion a bit basic looking, the colour panels are good though.
* Aurora Borealis is Northern Lights, Australis is Southern lights which appears in the Southern Hemisphere where NZ is located.
Some pretty terrible pictures of the new portrait on our standard coins. I feel its light weight and leaves too much bare space.
Virtually impossible to take good photos of proof coins, the overall quality was mediocre, the capsule on the 50 cent coin was loose and was easily opened. The others more secure and the capsules on the silver $1 coins were openable but much better with spikes that anchor each coin in the middle. But for $259, this set was rather overpriced. However low mintages will ensure it keeps its value.
Many recent NZ coin sets have maximum mintages of the high hundreds or low thousands and now only minted when sets are sold, so even with 750 limited, they may not reach set 750. I mean mine was 288, so theres 462 to go.
I love coins. Especially silver, gold and anything really old.
Member of the Royal Numismatic Society of New Zealand and the Auckland Numismatic Society
I also bought a big group of old Australian decimal notes for less than double face. They were mostly common $1 and $2, but a good range of some better values and types (Apologies for some awful photos).
Yes its another cheap “Instant collection” I bought! But it is pretty good and proof that Kiwis seem to value Aussie stuff quite lowly, no way I would have found these at the prices I paid over the ditch!
One dollars include a 1966 Coombs/Wilson and 1972 Philips/Wheeler Commonwealth type, also a 1976 Knight Wheeler
Next photo shows the last two 1979 Knight/Stone and the supercommon 1982 Johnston/Stone that was issued in piles before the $1 coin came out. Also shown is a 1966 Coombs/Wilson $2 note. The conditions of most of these notes is at least VF and these low values AU/UNC
These two are better notes, the first is a scarce 1967 Coombs/Randall in gVF (Cat $55 VF and $95 VF in Renniks 2023) and this note cost me $3.50! Under it is a 1972 Philips/Wheeler Commonwealth (The lower notes lost the “Commonwealth of” part in 1974 and these were in the Philips/Wheeler rule like the Hardies of NZ). Its a $20 note usually, but this is last prefix HBQ which is $175 in VF. Higher numbers of HBQ have the Australia only title and are worth even more! Not shown is the 8 or 10 commoner notes of Knight/Wheeler 1976, Johnstone Stone 1983 and the common 1985 Johnston/Fraser of the pre $2 coin era.
Much less exciting for the $5 and $10, both of them are later late 80s and early 90s signatures which are common, but they grade AU and UNC so are nice notes. The $5 are 1985 and last era 1991, the $10s are the last two signature combinations 1989 and 1991.
Interesting fact - The $5 was only added in late 1967, the original 1966 notes were $1, 2, 10 and 20 replacing the old 10 bob, £1, 5, 10.
The $20s are where it gets juicy again and yet I bought 5 notes (1 not shown) in the 3 following lot decisions - 1. 3 x $20 old Aussie notes for $80 (Two C of A and one A), 2. Australia $1 - $20 set and 3. Australia $1 - $100 set (Included the C of A Philips/Randall).
Notes are a very scarce 1968 Philips/Randall in AU condition (A $280 note) and another one in gFine (Not shown Cat $75)
Also a 1972 Philips Wheeler in worn Fine condition (Still $50).
The two later ones are an early 1985 Johnston Fraser and last issue 1993 Fraser Evans (Before the 1990s style Polymer note came out).
Finally the 2 biggies - both cost me around 180% of FV (And bear in mind a NZ$ is worth 93 Australian cents).
The $50 was introduced in 1973 and was the first note to say Australia without "Commonwealth of', so the other notes followed suit in 1974. This one is AU/UNC and a fairly scarce Fraser Higgins issue of 1990 (7th out of 9 signature combinations and a 1 year type)
Finally the $100 introduced in 1984 and only used for 10 years until replaced by the polymer note. This one is a decent EF and the2nd of 4 signature combinations - Johnston/Fraser. Its a beautiful note and fascinates me as its a different style to the $1 - $50, losing the 1960s aesethics and having a much more bland 1980s feel.
Overall a good lot in my opnion.
I love coins. Especially silver, gold and anything really old.
Member of the Royal Numismatic Society of New Zealand and the Auckland Numismatic Society
The obverse legend DIVO CLAVDIO translates as “To the Divine Claudius”. The reverse shows the bird that carries him to heaven with the legend CONSECRATIO, i.e. consecration as a god or at least some sort of divine being. Resurrections of this sort were not rare in the ancient world. In the Roman world the model for all others was Julius Caesar, divinized in 44 BC.
Another modest acquisition is this pair of $5 that are consecutive tough not in uncirculated condition.
I managed to get these beauties a few days ago - a new seller with lots of silver crowns.
1819 UK Crown, not that bad given the average state of these coins, this is cleaned high VG and a pretty damaged free piece over 200 years old
1821 UK Crown, not cleaned and a nice circulation cameo, again barely VG, but pretty good compared to many of these, my 1822 is a dated disc, this has some detail and again a historic 200+ year old coin.
A much nicer Halfcrown from 1884, this is a nice example of a coin known for its poor preservation. It takes my Halfcrown collection back to 1880 without interruptions to 1964 (I am still missing a 1965 UK Halfcrown!!!). This one may have been cleaned in the past, but comes close to Very Fine.
And something different.
A French 5 Franc coin dated 1868, a big slab of silver from the Latin Money Union (I am buying some more 5 denomination coins of these places). This one is the commonest date , but survives in a decent VF condition. Great historical piece.
I love coins. Especially silver, gold and anything really old.
Member of the Royal Numismatic Society of New Zealand and the Auckland Numismatic Society
