This one hit 3 of my collecting wickets 1) British 2) Silver 3) Holed Coins Feel free to post anything you feel is relevant Thanks for looking!
This is one of my favorites for the same 3 reasons. Mine is a KM#5 and your is the KM#8 https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces13418.html. https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces7601.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Kruger_Gray
Very nice! I just learned about this coin a few days ago. Now I feel like I need the whole set. Only 4 coins so it is entirely doable.
My internet connection has been relatively slow recently, thus accounting for my error. My intended message regarded an old album Dansco used to make for the pre-decimal coins of New Guinea. However, the album is near impossible to finish due to the extreme rarity of the 1929 Penny and Halfpenny. https://www.ebay.com/itm/DANSCO-COIN-ALBUM-NEW-GUINEA-NEW-/163702702466
I think the holes come from primitive moneys that had the ability to be strung together and worn as an outward sign of wealth. Much like Cowrie shells and other moneys from this region of the world.
I think that Asian copper coins tended to trade at closer to metal value than Western ones, so they were fairly low value. What, wasn't it almost 1000 Chinese cash coppers per ounce of silver? So to make any reasonable-sized purchase they were more convenient to string in long sets. The value tended to be driven down by non-government producers flooding the economy with coppers and the relative ease of counterfeiting cast coins compared to minted. I don't know why more modern Asian and Pacific coins have replaced the traditional square holes with round ones. (Square holes allow the coins to be fixed in place on a square rod to file off the leftover metal flashing from the casting process.)
The other coins bearing Edward VIII's name — from East Africa and British West Africa — are also holed.
I like getting these when they pop up in the melt bin, especially since they sell for a bit of a premium online.
