They minted 20,000 proofs - mostly in single boxes (Dark green leatherette - black velvet bed - coin not in capsule) - a few in twin boxes - ideally with different edge orientations (but some don't) - but do watch out for poeple selling the normal circulaion issue in the green 1990 pound boxes (lighter green with cream bed) - The 1990 proof pounds were repackaged in a twn pack with a 1989 'last issue' pounds note - so there were about 10,000 boxes spare - which were sold to the trade empty, and are often used to house circulation strikings of the 1966 ten shillings). With 20,000 minted you should be able to get a proof easily.
No specific reason - I collect the whole Irish series - I have my favourite areas (Edward I- Edward IV) and least favourte (Gunmoney). If I stopped collecting Gunmoney then there'd be a next least favourite - and so on. But when presented with a choice between a nice Edward IV piece and a piece of gunmonmey I know which I buy.
Great looking coins! Of course HiHo takes one of the trophy's for his shooting medal, that's a beauty and very rare!! :thumb: I have so many favorite's it's very hard to choose. Luckily I don't have too many pics so here goes.
It is just SO hard to choose a favorite. I just picked this up from Ebay, I had never seen one before. It has to be one of my top 5 at least. The reverse is just incredible. Much nicer in hand of course. There is a nice evenly distributed gold tone over the whole coin. I have a couple more of these on their way to me!
Another one of my favorite world coins is the Austro Hungarian Empire 100 Corona. Just love the history behind this one. The obverse of this Austrian 100 Corona gold coin features a bust of Austrian King and Hungarian Emperor Franz Josef I. He is surrounded by the words: ‘FRANC ‘ IOS ‘ I ‘ D ‘ G ‘ IMP ‘ AVSTR ‘ REX BOH ‘ GAL ‘ ILL ‘ ETC ‘ET AP ‘ REX HVNG “. The coin’s reverse features the coat of arms of Austria superimposed over a crowned Imperial double-headed eagle. The date and the face value of the coin are written twice ‘ in Latin and German. The Latin information lies at the top of the gold coin: ‘C CORON’ for 100 Corona and ‘MDCCCCXV’ for the date, although 1915 is typically written as MCMXV. Franz Josef I (1830-1916) ruled as both Emperor of Austria (1848-1916) and King of Hungary (1867-1916). It was during his reign that the Austro-Hungarian Empire was created. He became King of Hungary when he married the popular Elisabeth, also known as Sisi, whom the Hungarian people accepted as their true sovereign until her assassination on September 10, 1898. Josef’s wife was not the only one to perish in a similar fashion. His brother Maximillian who had served as Emperor of Mexico was executed in 1867 and his nephew and heir Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated in Sarajevo on June 28, 1914. It was this last act that is commonly considered the catalyst for World War I. Josef died two years later on November 21, 1916.
It's a general purpose French Marianne silver medal from the 1920's. I saw it on eBay and it caught my eye. I flipped the image with Photoshop, on the medal Marianne faces left, not right.
My 2 favorite old world coins: Belgium 1832 10 centimes (an interesting side note...this is not my most valuable coin either...it's my favorite). I will save up for a high graded 1. I have the 1,2,5 and 10 centimes denomination set. this 1 has so much green patina on. I have another 10 centimes in XF grade that looks much better than this 1. I will photograph it tomorrow. Panama 1904 50 centesimos these coins get pricey in higher grades. not sure what grade this coin gets ? XF or AU ??? not sure how or why this pic below got there ??? i cannot erase it ?
my Belgium XF grade 1847 10 centimes copper. my favorite old world coin. (not my most valuable either) I mainly love it because of the very cool Lion.