What goes "Ding Dong?" Yes, you're right - A Bell! And what's this Trivia about today? You guessed it! Coins with a bell or bells on them. You already know about some United States of America coins featuring a Bell. Probably the first one you think of is the Franklin Half Dollar with the Liberty Bell on the reverse (image courtesy of Coin Facts): http://www.coinfacts.com/half_dollars/franklin_half_dollars/franklin_half_dollars.html And the second one you know is the Eisenhower 1976 Dollars (image courtesy of coinpage.com): http://www.coinpage.com/coin-image-898.html Some of you may now about another US coin with the Liberty Bell on it that predates the 1948 Franklin Half Dollar. Here it is courtesy of coinfacts.com: http://www.coinfacts.com/commemoratives/half_dollar_commems/sesqui_half_dollar.html Keep reading as you are going to see some World Coins that feature bells, some that have bells, but not as a feature, and some that are bells or part of a bell. You comedy inspired Canadian numismatists can show us a 1997 Gold $100 coin which commemorates Alexander Graham Bell. http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=79918&AucID=63&Lot=4613 And our Russian coin enthusiasts will point out the "Bell" hanging in the belfrey of the Ivan the Great Cathedral on this 1993 Three Roubles (image courtesy of Don's Coin Gallery): http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/coin.php?image=nmc1/149-457&desc=Russia%20y457%203%20Roubles%20(1993)%20Ivan%20the%20Great%20Cathedral For some world coins you may not know about, come aboard my numismatic time machine and travel with me back to ancient China. What do you think of these?:: http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=139978&AucID=110&Lot=1209 Did you know this and did you equate them to Chinese Spade Money, Knife Money or Sychee? Let's stay in the past, but traverse continent to Ancient Europe so we can examine this coin (courtesy of coinarchives.com): It's mintage took place circa 200-185 BC. The coin is bronze and was struck under the authority of Greco-Bactrian King, Demetrios I. It's denomination is a Triple Unit. See the Bell on the Obverse? http://imagedb.coinarchives.com/img/cng/075/enlarged/75000623.jpg Step back into our time machine and we will fast forward to the Reign of King Agothokles circa 185-170 BC to examine a cupro-nickel Double Unit (image and data courtesy of coinarchives.com): http://www.coinarchives.com/a/lotviewer.php?LotID=1958&AucID=6&Lot=732 Now let's fast forward once more to see Greco-Bactrian coins of the Kingdom of Meander I circa 165-130 BC (image and data courtesy of coinarchives.com): http://www.coinarchives.com/a/lotviewer.php?LotID=134866&AucID=160&Lot=1127 Will you set the time dial to 1901 while I place the location indicator on the Ubangi River region of the Congo. What do you think about this "Bell Money?" (image and data courtesy of Collect Plaza): http://www.collectplaza.lt/articles.php?product=7801 While we're here in 1901 Africa, let me reset the location indicator on the Ashanti Tribal area' (image courtesy of Africa Mint Products): http://www.africamint.com/MonnaiesAshanti (7).jpg Step back into our time machine and we'll be on our way to the Brunswick-Wolfenbuttel, German controlled area of Bavaria. See the date on this 1643 Taler? The arms depicted on the obverse shows the Helmeted Arms of Wolfenbuttel when it was a protectorate of August (the Younger). Here! Flip it to the reverse. There were 12 different "Bell" obverses struck on these Talers. This "Bell" is the the 7th and the citizens here refer to this Taler as the 7th "Bell" Taler. Isn't it cool how the engraver included the three hands at three o'clock making it seem they are ringing the "Bell?" Though the artwork is miniscule isn't that a pretty clear view of the City of Wolfenbuttel beneath the Bell? http://imagedb.coinarchives.com/img/goldberg/041/image03107.jpg Here's a Fifth "Bell" Taler dated 1643 too. August II ruled when this was minted by Henning Schluter, mintmaster: http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=153044&AucID=130&Lot=1161 As we look at "Bell" coins let us not overlook the United Kingdom, especially these two "Bell" privy marked coins: First is this well-worn 1583 Six Pence. Notice the "Bell" privy mark at 12 o'clock above Queen Elizabeth I? http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=398774&AucID=299&Lot=4244 Second is this English/Irish coin of James I struck in either 1603 or 1604: A "Bell" privy mark at 12 o'clock on obverse and a prominent slanted top-right large "Bell" on reverse: http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=96921&AucID=80&Lot=508 You know some of the United Kingdom, English, and Commonwealth Nations half-pence, Penny and some other denominastions have a seated Britannia on the reverse, but did you notice the lighthouse behind Britannia? The top of that lighthouse does not feature a light or beam. It features a "Bell"!! Take a close look: http://imagedb.coinarchives.com/img/baldwin/052/00686q00.jpg Here's a look at two Gold Pagoda coins from Middle Ages India featuring an elephant. The first one has a Chhatra (passenger carriage) on its back and a "Bell" hanging from a carriage strap beneath the middle of its body. The second Gold Pagoda's elephant has no Chhatra, but the "Bell" is there. Images courtesy coinarchives.com: http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=382611&AucID=284&Lot=833 http://www.coinarchives.com/w/lotviewer.php?LotID=382612&AucID=284&Lot=834 This last "Bell Money" item is a Chinese Fen Shui product. I hope you get a kick out of it: http://www.geocities.com/zen_appeal/Product_Bell_Prosperity_Coin_tiny.JPG Once, again, I ask if you enjoyed this Trivia... Clinker
hontonai You are right...AND...if the Dong was denominated as Ding Dong or Bell I would have included it in the trivia :smile Clinker
