British Trade Dollars.

Here's a section for those who are interested in collecting the British Trade Dollars (non-chopmarked,that is).What dates do you have? I have got the 1901B & 1930B.You can find the mintmarks on the middle prong of Britannia's trident near the top of the coin.

Aidan.

 

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I don't recall ever seeing a British Trade Dollar. Can you post a photo? I presume it's silver, but what weight?

Thanks.

 

I've heard from British collectors that British Trade Dollars are the step children of British coins.They are listed at the end of catalogs as afterthoughts.

 

Gd, that is one pretty coin!

 

Well, a quick bit of research will show you that they aren't strictly speaking `British' coins at all. British Empire...yes, but not British by manufacture.

The coinage was minted in India at Bombay and Calcutta mints from 1895 onwards, with the exception of 1925 and 1930 which were indeed minted at London.

Another key differential is that unlike the US Trade Dollar which carried (and still carries) legal tender status in the US, the UK Trade Dollar never did carry `legal tender' status in the UK. It was never seen there, let alone used.

Should these coins even be listed under `Great Britain' in Krause? I think it is misleading that they are....but where else to put them?

 

US Trade dollars were demonitized in1876.Many believe they were remonitized in the 1965 coinage act.Of course by then collector value far exceeded face value.I never knew British Trade dollars were never legal tender in the UK. I guess they didn't circulate in Austrailia or NZ either. Even in Singapore they wereen't accepted after the Straits dollar came out.

 

hello... I'm a collector from India and recently i came across a British Trade Dollar commemorating 50th Indian Independance issued in 1997. It is also a colour coin. I guess it is silver proof. I dont have the scan yet. But will post it tomorrow.

 

I am not 100% certain, but I vaguely recall that the item you mention is what is termed a `fantasy' cooin created by the company called `Coincraft' who are based in Gt Russel Street, London. I know that there were at least two `fantasy' issues (using the trade dollar theme of standing Britannia) created by them at the time Hong Kong was handed back to the Chinese.

Wouldn't mind seeing a scan of the item though.

Ian

 

I'm not exactly sure about the legitimacy of the coin. So what you are telling may be true...

 

Spiraltreet,the piece in question is definitely a fantasy.Coincraft is owned by the American-born coin dealer Richard Lobel,whose main claim to fame is buying the world's largest stock of British Armed Forces banknotes,an achievement that is noted in the Guinness Book of Records.Richard Lobel is a very controversial character,but he has written a couple of very good coin catalogues on British Isles coinage.

Aidan.

 

Just now, I noted a trade dollar for sale in the ebay. The bad thing is that somebody is selling it as legal tender coin (the title say 'Britania Trade Dollar without any date')
http://cgi.ebay.com/SILVER-PROOF-BRITANNIA-TRADE-DOLLAR-IN-COLOUR_W0QQitemZ8396420765QQcategoryZ3406QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

here is another one..
http://cgi.ebay.com/SILVER-PROOF-BRITANNIA-TRADE-DOLLAR-IN-COLOUR_W0QQitemZ8396421691QQcategoryZ3406QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

Sorry mate but he say's Silver proof and part of a Commemorative series etc but does not say legal tender anywhere they are by the way quite reputable dealers

De Orc :kewl:

 

aha... sorry about offending them.. But the first impression for me was that I was reading about a real coin.. anyway. .. I guess the mistake is mine... I am very sorry about this..

 

No need to apologise to me Mate, I can see why you might have thought it at 1st glance :hug:

De Orc :hail:

 

Thanx... that makes me feel better... :smile

 

Design of British Trade Dollars

Authentic British Trade Dollars are really a marvel with its artwork unsurpassed by other coins.

I personally have a running set of six years of Bombay Mint:-

1898B 1899B 1900B 1901B 1902B 1903B

Others are

1909/08B 1911B 1930B 1900B

I am still collecting more. haha

 

Chop Marks

I noticed that the original poster said this thread was for Trade Dollars w/out chop marks. I think the chop marks give them character. They seem to have a bit more "history" to them with the marks on them.
Todd

 

Chopmarks (Real or Fake)

I personally don;t have any BritishTrade Dollars with chopmarks yet. Still sourcing for one.

However, I do hope to get one soon. I did saw one nice piece 1 month ago but I think it might not be an authentic coin.

Cheers