http://english.sina.com/china/1/2005/1204/56565.html "Hello Kitty" on the money. Another reason for the French government ot be ashamed of itself....
Actually, this isn't the first foray of Hello Kitty into numismatics. How about this officially issued Japan Mint Bureau proof set, which is currently the most expensive set for that year?
Might be a bit late - most of them would be hoarded by the Japanese dealers and collectors. Even if you are to get hold of one, I doubt how cheap you can get those coins. I wouldn't be too suprised if someone starts to sell such coins at scambay at ridicious prices and someone bidding at it.
Just as those euro collector coins with "China themes" that the Monnaie de Paris makes and sells, these ones are not primarily for the local French/European market. For example, the "China Year" 1/4 euro coin issued last year had a total mintage of 10,000. Only 200 (that's two hundred, of ten thousand) pieces were sold around here, the rest went to China. Whether one wants those Hello Kitty coins or not ... I sure don't. Then again, I don't care whether the MdP issues such pieces or not. Christian
For me this is where stamps went bad. When they tried to market everything then nothing has value. This might be a hot one but in the long term we all will see the isle of mann and france and japan doing an elvis collection, etc...if this keeps up.
I preffer real coins that is made for circulation. All this is just a way of getting money from collectors...
Yes, the Monnaie de Paris issues way too many collector coins IMO. I have said that many times, but have also bought various modern French commems, and will do so, if both the occasion and the design are/were appealing. Hardly any collector in the world can have a complete collection of their issues anyway. And the face value/price ratio of French commems usually is ridiculous. Then again, I do not buy them in order to spend them ... Personally I prefer the policy of Austria, Germany, the Netherlands and a few other countries that issue (relatively) few silver commems and make them available at face value. But then I am tempted to get them all. The MdP on the other hand issues dozens of commems each year, hoping that some of them can be sold. Which "model" is more successful commercially I don't know ... Christian
Seems that the Monnaie de Paris is not terribly happy with the current situation either. According to the latest budget report, the commercial dealers still have large quantities of MdP coins in stock. Quelle surprise ... http://www.assemblee-nationale.fr/12/budget/plf2006/b2568-17.asp#P4364_259241 La situation des monnaies de collection françaises reste préoccupante*: en effet, après la forte spéculation ayant gonflé artificiellement les ventes à l'export en 2003, les résultats 2004 et les tendances 2005 traduisent un assainissement des transactions. Cette situation s'expliquerait par l'éclatement de la bulle spéculative que devaient supporter les grossistes qui se trouvent en présence d'importants stocks invendus. Afin de répondre aux attentes des réseaux de distributeurs de la Monnaie, la Direction des Monnaies et médailles a arrêté une politique commerciale de moyen terme visant à planifier sur trois ans son programme de frappe de monnaies de collection et à améliorer son conditionnement. Elle a également développé sept thématiques qui visent à fidéliser l'amateur ou le collectionneur. Hmm, I wonder what those seven themes will be. More "Fairy Tales" coins perhaps? Christian
There is Google, Altavista, and various other translation services. Here is a draft translation, sort of ... "The situation of French collector coins still causes concerns. After the speculation which artificially inflated the sales in 2003, the results for 2004 and expectations for 2005 suggest a calming down of the transactions. This could be explained by the bursting of the speculative bubble, supported by wholesalers who have significant unsold stocks. In order to meet the expectations of the network of distributors, the Direction des Monnaies et Médailles has laid down a mid-term commercial policy aiming at planning for three years its programme of striking collector coins, and at improving its conditioning. (Don't know whether that refers to the packaging or something else, C.) It has also developed seven themes that aim at keeping both amateurs (occasional buyers) and collectors devoted." Christian
Oh, but George III and George Washington, that makes sense... Give me Libertas or give me Liberalitas!
Well, yes. Not that I am terribly fond of presidents on coins ... but I do find George Washington more appropriate in this regard than Kitty. What's next, a Nintendogs commem that barks if you take it out of the holder? Christian
I'll take 2! There's a whole 'nother world of people who intentionally collect elements of pop culture that seem corny and dated within 10 years or less after they're produced. Non-coin collectors would love coins like this...
