Picked both of these on Goldberg's sale. Said mintage of 2,000 and very challenging type to discern as the state did not mark them as proofs as they did with other commemoratives. Two proofs were offered on the auction and I decided to pursue them both to add to my expanding set, which includes duplicates as I try and pick these up when available nice (most were poorly kept) - https://coins.www.collectors-society.com/WCM/CoinCustomSetView.aspx?s=1511 1958 (5718) "Menorah" 5 Lirot. KM-21. DAV-258. Obv: A seven-branched candelabrum, the State Emblem of Israel. Rev: The denomination "5" with the date "1958/5718" in Hebrew and English. "Israel" in Hebrew and Arabic with "Israel Lirot" in Hebrew. Scarcer proof issue with only 2000 minted. NGC PF-65. Ex. Danny Kaye Collection (Purchase from the Israel Government as a Proof); Ex. The Brody Family Collection. The first commemorative coin issued by the Bank of Israel, struck to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the State. The Menorah is one of the oldest symbols of the Jewish faith. It is the chosen symbol of the nation of Israel and referred to as "a light unto the nations." (Isaiah 42:6). Synagogues display the Lamp and is known as the "Eternal Flame".
Congrats on the pickups. How can you identify these as proofs, as opposed to Prooflike strikes? Are there any markers? And, could you tell us more about the Danny Kaye collection? I've seen that name a few times (usually associated with coins from Israel), and don't really know anything about him.
http://sheqel.info/4-1.htm "The "Menorah" coin, also popularly known as "Tenth Anniversary", is Israel's first commemorative, and by far its most controversial coin minted entirely for the collectors' market. Both the fledgling Bank of Israel (est. 1954), and the just-formed Israel Government Coins and Medals Corporation (IGCMC), had no experience whatsoever in the issuance of commemorative coins. When both the mass-produced BU coin and the limited-edition Proof coin were distributed to collectors, it became soon known that it is difficult to discern between both versions, as no mintmarks were used. This oversight and the scarcity of the Proof coin, prompted some unscrupulous local dealers to have numerous BU coins carefully buffed by a metal tooling workshop, in order to obtain the same glossy surface as the Proof version, and to pass them off as "genuine Proof" coins to unsuspecting buyers. "Proof" fakes have become collectors' items too, and are traded a at few dollars above the price of BU coins." Danny Kaye apparently bought 363 of these directly from the Israeli government and they were placed in special PCGS holders.
