Hi, my grandpa recently gave me a box of coins he's been collecting thruout the years, and I was looking most of them up on the net, but I have a couple that I cannot find any information about. I do not have a camera so I will discribe them to the best of my ability. The first one has a Lion with his front paws on what looks like a wheel or a circular object. The writing around the perimiter says "CIENPIEZAS EN KILOG. DIEZ CENTIMOS". The other side has a woman sitting on what looks like a Stump with the writing around it saying "DIEZ GRAMOS" 1870. The Second Coin has a bust of a woman with the writing "VICTORIA.DEI.GRA.BR?.REGINA.FID.DEF.IND.IMP." The reverse side has a woman sitting with ONE and PENNY on either side of her, the date on the coin is 1896. Any information would be appreciated. Thank you....
I have British money that says Regina on it, but all of the onces that say Regina have Elizabeth II on them.
The Diez Centimos coin is probably a spanish 10 centimos. Does it look like this?: http://www.worldcoingallery.com/countries/img10/164-663.jpg The other one is probably a British penny. Does it look like this: http://www.worldcoingallery.com/countries/img9/76-790.jpg
Welcome to the forum kaps. According to the Standard Catalog of World Coins ("Krause"), the only countries using the denomination"centimos" in the 19th Century were Peru and the Phillipines. What you describe is definiitely not a Phillipine coin, and I have been unable to find anything similar in the Krause listings for Peru. It is probably a trade token, and most likely a silver alloy. The obverse legend translates as "100 pieces in a kilogram, 10 centimos"; and the reverse says "10 grams". If it is silver, the bullion value is about $2.25. Without clear pictures there is no way to evaluate its numismatic value, but unless it is outstanding uncirculated condition, with lots of luster, its probably only worth its bullion value. That one's easy. "Victoria, by the grade of God Queen of the Britains, Defender of the Faith, Empress of India", with her bust on the obverse, and a date and denomination on the reverse with no country name on the coin can only be KM#790, a bronze penny with her "veiled bust", and a statue of Brittania, the symbol of Britain, holding her trident on the reverse. There were 24,147,000 minted, and their current value ranges between a few cents in identifiable condition, to $28 uncirculated, or $325 in the very unlikely event that you have a proof coin in pristine condition. Edited to add: After seeing Baddspellar's post, I'm glad I said "according to" Krause centimos was only a Peruvian or Phillipine denomination. Your coin is copper, KM#Y54, with a catalog value of $2 Fine to $125 uncirculated.
Hey, Roy, just wanted to make a quick correction: the Quote: The Second Coin has a bust of a woman with the writing "VICTORIA.DEI.GRA.BR?.REGINA.FID.DEF.IND.IMP." The reverse side has a woman sitting with ONE and PENNY on either side of her, the date on the coin is 1896. That one's easy. "Victoria, by the grade of God Queen of the Britains, Defender of the Faith, Empress of India" Motto should actually read "Victoria, by the GRACE of God, Queen of Britain, Defender of the Faith, and Empress of India."
Actually i should really correct you both; "Victoria, by the grace of God, Queen of the British [possessions], Defender of the Faith and Empress of India" If i remember correctly coins originally were VICTORIA D.G BRITANNIAR REG F.D the 'Brit' only having one 'T' which was taken to mean Queen of the British. However with the expansion of Empire it was changed to Queen of the British possessions and thus to mark this change an extra 'T' was added onto the shortened form to make BRITT. As you will note there is only one T in BRITANNIAR. So i guess the other T must come from the first letter of the latin word for land, or in this case the British lands
Well, my first mistake was a simple typo, but the second one definitely came from ignorance. Thanks for the historical background, which hopefully I'll remember next time the subject comes up.
Nah it was no dig at either of you, i just like the threads to read nice and smooth, gliding from one reply to another...
