'Largest' circulating coin in 20th Century

Discussion in 'World Coins' started by spiraltreet, May 29, 2006.

  1. spiraltreet

    spiraltreet New Member

    hello guys.. any idea about the largest circulating coin in the 20th C? I know about some more than 1 Kilo coins. But they are all collector's issues and uncirculated. I was wondering which one is the largest circulating coin (by size and weight).
     
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  3. AnemicOak

    AnemicOak Coin Hoarder

    I'll guess the 20 Balboas from Panama.
     
  4. gxseries

    gxseries Coin Collector

    Most countries have been downsizing their coin sizes to reduce the amount of metal used in coins. If you must insist on current coinages, I think Australian 50 cents is probably one of the largest circulating coins at the moment.
     
  5. Ian

    Ian Coin Collector

    Did that hockey puck actually circulate?
     
  6. AnemicOak

    AnemicOak Coin Hoarder

    Don't know for sure. I thought I'd read that it had, but can't find where now. I'm sure someone here on CT knows for sure.
     
  7. Aidan Work

    Aidan Work New Member

    I don't think the silver 20 Balboas from Panama actually circulated,as Panama uses U.S. Dollars as well as Balboas.One of the largest circulating coins that I can think of is the Indira Gandhi commemorative 5 Rupees
    coin from India.

    Aidan.
     
  8. sterling

    sterling New Member

    the 20 balboas were intended to be non-circulating issues made for collectors... the big size coin was struck with an intention of being the largest coin in the world that time(for circulation? i doubt)... maybe a few were circulated by the lesser knowns...
     
  9. Aidan Work

    Aidan Work New Member

    I have seen a few of the 20 Balboas over here in New Zealand.They were struck by the Franklin Mint.When you see a coin bearing the 'FM' monogram mintmark or the 'PM' mintmark of the Pobjoy Mint,the piece is saying 'I am a medal-coin'.

    Aidan.
     
  10. spiraltreet

    spiraltreet New Member

    Aidan, I dont think the 5 Rupee Indira Gandhi is the largest. Infact the 1972 Ten Rupee coin is the largest circulating coin in India... But there must be some bigger crown coins around the world... What about the Isle of Man Crowns? are they circulated?
     
  11. sterling

    sterling New Member

    i don't think so ... all the IoM copper-nickel crowns i encountered so far are UNC.
     
  12. Aidan Work

    Aidan Work New Member

    The Manx & Gibraltarian Crowns are all medal-coins,which don't circulate.

    Biju,I didn't know that the 1972 10 Rupees is a circulation coin.I do have a 1980 10 Rupees in my collection.

    Aidan.
     
  13. AnemicOak

    AnemicOak Coin Hoarder

  14. sterling

    sterling New Member

    if we're referring to the 'largest' circulating coin of 20th Century, then i guess it was the crown-size coins of the commonwealth countries... coins like the australian 1937 n 1938 crown, cook island large dollar(i have a few circulated samples in collection)... the philippines 5 piso of 1975 is also a big circulating coin.

    for current circulating issues... i can think of the australian 50c, the croatian 25 kuna bimetallics... any more guys?
     
  15. AnemicOak

    AnemicOak Coin Hoarder

    I got an Ike for change about a month ago so I guess that counts as still circulating. :)
     
  16. spiraltreet

    spiraltreet New Member

    Aidan, the 10 Rupee coin commemorating Mahatma Gandhi issued in 1969 ,the 1970 and 1971 FAO and the 10 Rupee coin issued in 1972 commemorating 25th Year of Independance are circulated coins. After 1972, no 10 Rupee coins were issued for circulation. All the others come as part of UNC sets or Proof sets.
     
  17. willieboyd2

    willieboyd2 First Class Poster

    What about the 1947-1948 Mexico "Cuauhtemoc" 5 peso coins?

    These are slightly larger than the US silver dollar and I have seen plenty in uncirculated and various grades of circulated condition.

    They went out of circulation when Mexico devalued the peso (again).
     
  18. gxseries

    gxseries Coin Collector

    How about this - can anyone name anything larger than the current circulating Aussie 50 cents? And it MUST be circulating at the same time. I honestly think it is an awful piece of metal that if you have 10 of them in your pocket - it will most certainly start to put a hole in your pocket.
     
  19. JBK

    JBK Coin Collector

    I recall that a friend of mine got one when his father bought it (at face value) from the foreign exchange desk at a bank in Boston. No doubt they stocked it as a curiosity, but I think that sort of means it was there to "circulate" if anyone so desired.

    Also, it was silver, but the value of the silver was NOT greater than the face value, as is the case with the US Silver Eagle.
     
  20. sterling

    sterling New Member

    yes, the cuauhtemoc 5 pesos silvers... along with the hidalgo 5 pesos silvers of the '50s were among the largest circulating coins...
     
  21. GDJMSP

    GDJMSP Numismatist Moderator

    Most of the world's crown sized coins, including the 5 peso, were about 40mm. There was one or two that was 42 mm if memory serves.

    I'm gonna let you guys figure out what they were :whistle:
     
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