The Collection Within a Collection... If you decide to collect coins bearing the year of your birth from all countries and nations, you are in for some surprises: 1. Some countries did not strike coins during your birth year. 2. Some countries only minted one coin during your birth year. 3. Some countries only authorized non circulating (NC, NCLT, NCNL) coins during your birth year. 4. Some countries produced all its circulating coinage during your birth year. 5. Some countries issued only proof coins during your birth year. 6. Some member nations (i.e. British Commonwealth) issued commemorative circulating coinage honoring the same person, event, or thing during your birth year. For instance... My birth year (1935) coin collecting involves silver coins of all countries and nations. After obtaining the 1935 Dimes (PDS), Quarters (PDS) Half Dollars (PDS) and Dollars (PS) minted (total 11 coins) by the United States, I turned my attention to Canadian coinage. I soon acquired the 1935 10 Cents and the 25 Cents silver coins. Canada did not mint any 50 Cents silver coins in 1935. They did authorize a Silver Dollar coin (their first). Imagine my surprise when researching the coin, that I discovered it was struck as a circulating (mintage of 428,707) commemorative coin honoring King George V for his 25 years (Silver Jubilee) as Monarch. Notice the XXV (25) on the obverse of the Silver Dollar (photo courtesy of World Coin Gallery): NOTE: this 1935 coin weighs in at 23.3276 grams, is crown-sized and contains 0.6000 ounces of silver: http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/coine_canada.php?image=nmc1/35-30&desc=Canadakm301Dollar(1935)&query=km30 Another surprise awaited me when I received Great Britain's 1935 Silver Crown. It, too, commemorated King George V's Silver Jubilee, but the British Crown not only produced it as business strike coinage (mintage 715,000) but in proof and specimen versions too. Another difference between the British Crown and the Canadian Dollar is that instead of the Jubilee number (XXV) being on the obverse of the Crown it is on the edge. Two varieties exist: 1. incused edge lettering. 2. raised edge lettering (it is believed that 2,500 exist). The edge lettering should read: "DECUS ET TUTAMEN ANNO REGNI XXV" However two errors exist. 1. Some Specimen Crowns read "MEN.ANNO-REGNIXXV. 2. Some raised edge kettering proofs read "DECUS ANNO REGNI TUTAMEN(mid dot)XXV(mid dot)." Both varieties measure 38.61mm, weigh in at 28.2759 grams and contain 0.4545 ounces of Silver. Photo courtesy of World Coin Gallery: http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/coine.php?image=nmc2/76-842&desc=GreatBritainkm8421Crown(1935)&query=Britainkm842 Hope you enjoyed my Collection Within a Collection... Clinker
