I was given this coin last week because I admired it's beauty. While cataloging almost 100 lots of US Gold, Platinum and Silver Proof sets I was attracted to this coin. The old widow said: " If you like it so much, keep it." I had told her previously how much I loved the Platinum Proof 4 coin sets she had, but, no go. Anyone know anything about this piece of change? Bruce
OK. A Marlin is a swordfish. It's also called a billfish. Sailfish are billfish. There are all sorts of Billfish, Swordfish etc. It depends on where you come from and what it's called there. There's no difference between a Dorado in Mexico, and a Mahi Mahi or Dolphinfish in Hawaii. All 3 are the same tasty fish. (And has nothing to do with the aquatic mammal, Dolphin.) Even though a Marlin looks like that fish on the coin, I was actually trying to find out anything about the coin. Bruce
Actually, no. A Swordfish is not a marlin because it is not a billfish. See here: http://tinyurl.com/n9n27r
I hope I am not interrupting the fish conversation to point out that the coin is a Singapore km4 20 Cents (minted 1967-1985). K&M lists it as $.50 in XF and $1.00 in UNC (and says that it is a swordfish). -Daniel
Oh, and I should have mentioned, it is copper-nickel, 5.66 grams and 23.6 mm. Was there anything else that you wanted to know (Singapore mint, reeded edge, mintage numbers)? -Daniel
If memory serves this is some of Stuart Devlin's work who is one of the finest coin designers of the time. Indeed, the other denominations of Singapore's coinage were also designed by him. Like most modern base metal coins these were very poorly saved but unlike others they were made for mint sets in fairly substantial numbers (5,000- 100,000 dependent on date). The bulk of some denominations may have been melted some years back. Remarkably the 1975 is a much better date.
