World Coins: Your Newest Acquisition!

The $ was originally the symbol of the Spanish/Latin American peso, in the late 18c. You can still find it on Mexican coins for example. In Portugal that sign (called cifrão) was always written with two vertical lines and used like a decimal separator: "2$50" as on your coin, not "$2.50". (On today's collector coins they use "2,5" or "2,50".)

Not obscured - that thing is an armillary sphere, referring to Portugal's seafaring tradition. You can find the whole thing, sphere and shields, on many coins but also on the Portuguese flag ...

Christian

 

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My, oh my! The things a fellow can learn here.

I had heard of the armillary sphere, years ago...probably from my brother, who was a seafaring deck officer.

The Wikipedia article is a treasure-trove of arcana about global navigation, and I was sufficiently overwhelmed there to quickly scroll down to the representation of the Portuguese flag, where just as on the coin, the shield is before the device.

And your wee gem about the beginnings of the 'dollar' sign is great...especially its use as decimal separator.

Thank you once again, Christian; I am broadened by each of our contacts!

 

The Peru Inti. Was the currency of Peru between 1985 and 1991. Replaced the sol after massive inflation with 1 Inti = 1000 Soles. It was named after sun god from Incas. Nice example. Got the whole set UNC.

 

Not that new, from Goldmark in Germany. Nice colour on this 10 Pfennings.

 

A nice junk box silver find. One year issue of Panama independence 1953 1/4 Balboa. Only 5 of the proof were minted.

 

A new addition to my cent collection. The Panama 1973 proof centesimo. Nice looking coin for little bug.

 

Panama 1982 1 Balboa commemorative circulation issue featuring defecto leader General Omar Torrijos. Nice big copper nickel 37,8 mm.

 

The look and feel of this forum sure have changed. I think I liked it better the way it was, now I have to click on images to see a decent photo of a coin posted in a thread. In any case, not a recently added coin, but just got it back from NGC. They claim MS64, probably about right. Super tough date in anything above VF. Possibly the finest known, maybe someone with census privileges can confirm that.

 

Here some Canadian cent Error I found

 

The postman brought me a lovely Victoria Jubilee Head Sixpence today.

 

Foreign to me anyway. It's the first coin I have bought in a long long time.

Cost around US$11

 

There is an unsold lot listed on mcsearch which had some rather nice coins, the lack of offered high grade pieces may have more to do with lack of interest and revenue instead of scarcity. Regarding the grade I'm not too sure if this is MS64, but it's your coin and not mine so you need to be happy not me.

 

Been collecting Albanian struck under King Zog for over 20 years, and I can say with some authority that there is plenty of interest in the series. However, most collectors of these issues are not interested in circulation specimens, --even AU is something most wouldn't consider adding. Mainly because nice BU examples exist for most issues, though almost always dated 1926 or 1927 in the case of the quarter Lek. The later dates of 1930 and 1931 in all denominations are almost unheard of in uncirculated. On this coin, NGC says MS64 and I'll go along with that. The coin looks quite a bit more attractive in the hand than the photos posted, so I can see where you might question the grade on it.

 

Found this one in the return bin of a change machine.

 

very nice

 

Here are a couple new ones that got a couple weeks ago. These are copper Poughs from the 'Baronial of Armenia'. They may not be beautiful, but they are interesting and quite rare. The first one was issued under Baron: Roupen I (1080-1095 AD). He was the first baron of Cilician Armenia after gaining independence from the Byzantine Empire. The second was under Baron: Levon II (1187-1198 AD). Levon was the 10th and last baron to govern Armenia before being coronated king in 1198. Following this, he took the Levon I, and reigned as the first king until his death in 1219 AD.


ARMENIA (BARONIAL)~Ӕ Pough 1080-1095 AD


ARMENIA (BARONIAL)~Ӕ Pough 1187-1198 AD

 

Really, I mean.... I find it highly astonishing!? I'm a collector of world coins too and besides the known problems with the accuracy of reported prices by established catalogs I find they're still a good indicator for price ranges. Series or coin types of little recognition and interest, with reported prices in the sub 100 US$ region can be particularly difficult to get even if they're not to be considered rare in high grades. Contrary to that those met with high interest are available in all grades plentifully. In German magazines there are frequently surveys in which the readers are asked for their preferred collecting themes/habits, and among the highest ranking foreign coins are those of countries like the US, Australia, Canada and South Africa. Naturally coins of these countries are decently available, but if you move down the rankings to countries like South Africa you can clearly recognize how the situation deteriorates and if you move to even more exotic countries (like Albania) it deteriorates extremely.

Even coins of some of our direct neighboring countries like Denmark, with their own great history and beautiful coins have a significantly decreased availability. Another example for German coins, that are not rare at all but have little interest paired with low prices are those of the Third Reich. The 2 Pfennig bronze type is listed/sold for a large number of mint mark and year combinations for less than 10€ even in high grades BU (MS65 equivalent), and rightfully so in my opinion. But if you actually try to get such a coin it can prove to be difficult. The listings for this type on ebay.com are for example generally rather poor in my opinion. But the value itself is not the problem, similarly valued coins of the German Empire which are met with much higher interest are more likely to be listed/relisted by coin dealers, simply because they're easier sold. I cannot find another more logical explanation to this situation.

Which is also a reason why I do things like coin trades. Derick for example is a very good trading partner. If you have better access or a different strategy to approach this I would like to exchange experiences with you. Are you interested in coin trades?

 

Free Bee are nice!!! I found a large cent last year this way looking in rejects bin.Good payoff!!!

 

I just got a 1764 French silver coin about the size of a silver dollar.

 

Here is a new Dutch coin I got yesterday!!