Surprise package from my coin dealer friend- should I open it now?

I’ve known my friend Michael Swoveland in North Carolina for 33 years, ever since we were impoverished coin collectors working blue collar jobs in the same warehouse, and discovered our shared affinity for World coins.

Nowadays Michael is a successful coin dealer with his own shop in Asheville: WNC Coins. He’s always been generous with me and occasionally sends random gifts out of the blue.

Could this package that arrived yesterday be such a thing? I think it is!

But what IS it? I think I feel the contours of a plastic slab inside…

Should I open it?

 

This was in the last surprise gift package that Michael sent. It is a gold fanam from India. They’re really tiny, and a fun and affordable way to collect old gold.

 

Who wants to try to guess what’s in the new package?

 

I wish! I sold my only Thaler recently, and need another. And he has some nice ones. But that’s too expensive to just randomly give away (Michael is generous, but not THAT generous. He’s a businessman, after all.)

Besides, the package is very light, not heavy. There’s a slab inside, but it must be a small coin in it.

 

That could be fun.

I doubt it, but 14th century is possible with Michael.

After ten people have guessed, I’ll open it. (Three down, seven to go.)

 

Truth be told, I have now opened it. I’ll just keep y’all guessing a little bit longer, for fun.

 

Hint: it is a very tiny coin. It is undated, but was struck between 1336 and 1646 AD.

I already had one, but do not mind having another (it’ll make a fun giveaway prize later).

 

You are all correct. I figured when I dropped the date range, someone sleuthy would figure it out.

It is indeed a gold bele, or 1/10 fanam. This extremely tiny gold coin of the Vijayanagara Empire, an Indian Hindu dynasty (1336-1646), is no larger than a sesame seed!

I already had one, in my giveaway stash. Here is a pic of the one I already had. (Forgot to bring the new one with me to take pics.)



The new coin is also ICG certified but has a different label. There is no "Goin" typo, and Skip Fazzari's name is not on the label. The new one has a nicer looking slab. It is just as tiny, if not even smaller, than the one above. Really tiny! Just a speck.

I expect it too will end up in my giveaways eventually.

If anyone wants a chance to win the coin shown above (the one I already had), you may enter the current giveaway here. There will be a drawing for that contest on December 1st.

 

Those little Russian Wire Money pieces are huge in comparison to this gold bele! You could snort it and not notice! Sneeze, and it would be lost forever! Good thing it's in a slab, huh?