Your most unusual Coin!?

Someone asked me this yesterday, and for the life of me I just couldn't find an answer.


Can you think of one....In looks and the story behind it I guess. (For example a coin commemorating a pointless event)

 

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Maybe this one for me. An Indian coin from the state of Bengal 1545-1552 at the time it was under Mughal rule. This one has an apparent Star-Of-David (6 pts)??? on the upper right of the first coin.

There is an indepth explanation found here.

The Mughal ruling class were Muslims, although most of the subjects of the Empire were Hindu. Although Babur founded the Empire, the dynasty remained unstable (and was even exiled) until the reign of Akbar, who was not only of liberal disposition but also intimately acquainted, since birth, with the mores and traditions of India. Under Akbar's rule, the court abolished the jizya ' (the poll-tax on non-Muslims) and abandoned use of the lunar Muslim calendar in favor of a solar calendar more useful for agriculture. One of Akbar's most unusual ideas regarding religion was Din-i-Ilahi ("Faith-of-God" in English), which was an eclectic mix of Hinduism, versions of Sufi Islam, Zoroastrianism and Christianity. It was proclaimed the state religion until his death. These actions however met with stiff opposition from the Muslim clergy. The Mughal emperor Akbar is remembered as tolerant, at least by the standards of the day: only one major massacre was recorded during his long reign (1556-1605), when he ordered most of the captured inhabitants of a fort be slain on February 24, 1568, after the battle for Chitor. Akbar's acceptance of other religions and toleration of their public worship, his abolition of poll-tax on non-Muslims, and his interest in other faiths bespeak an attitude of considerable religious tolerance, which, in the minds of his orthodox Muslim opponents, was tantamount to apostasy. Its high points were the formal declaration of his own infallibility in all matters of religious doctrine, his promulgation of a new creed, and his adoption of Hindu and Zoroastrian festivals and practices.
Religious orthodoxy would only play a truly important role during the reign of Aurangzeb ?lamg?r, a devout Muslim and the strongest military commander of the Mughal line; this last of the Great Mughals retracted some of the liberal policies of his forbears.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mughal_Empire

 

For meaningless comemorative coins, probably the 1936 Bridgeport Commemorative.
It shows PT Barnum on the obverse, and commemorates the 100th anniversary of the incorporation of Bridgeport, CT.
Unless you live there, who cares.
Purpose for issuance: to help defray the cost of the anniversary celebrations in the city.

 

None of my coins are pointless, but three of themIconsider my most unusual and most prized...

1. From the Japanese Puppet Stae Manchoukuo Y #A13a: a1945 Red Fiber 5 Fen coin graded VG.

2. From the Vijayanagar Empire of 13th century India: a 1/2 gram gold 1 bele in uncirculated.

3. KM #565 a Mexican 100 peso proof 1 ounce silver "Save the Vaquita Porpoise" commemorative.

Clinker

 

This "Split Before Strike" Lincoln Memorial Cent that also suffered an "Indented Strike"! The planchet was thinner than the minimum die distance when struck and only weighs 1.51 grams. Mike Diamond wrote an article on this coin which was published in Coneca's ErrorScope in May of this year.


Frank

 

In 2003 the Paris Mint issued a series of gold and silver commemoratives for the 100th anniversary of the Tour de France, including this €1.5 22.2g, 30mm silver coin with the unusual representation of two bicyclists. If you rotate the obverse 180 degrees the older biker is pedaling to the right.

As a bicyclist and a huge fan of Lance Armstrong, who won the fifth of his seven consecutive titles that year, I had to have the prooflike Unc, which now resides in a display case with other collectibles, and isn't really part of my coin collection.

In the interest of full disclosure, the pictures are from a dealer's website and don't depict my coin.

 

The most bizzare "coins" (I guess they are really called medals) I've ever known are also some of the most rare. Because I own most of the mintages. These are medals I've designed and had minted. I'm in the process of working on another one. I've been inspired by Daniel Carr.

 

Vary nice design your coin looks great, I think Daniel Carr could inspire anyone when it comes to the design of a coin. Keep up the work you are doing we might see one of your desings on a U.S. minted coin one day.

 

I don't own one of these so it doesn't really count as an answer to your question but if I did,this would definitely be the one..
French 1 1/2 euro commemorative.Hello Kitty visits Paris. Holding her sunshade, Hello Kitty flies over the monuments of the Capital; like in a dream she flies close to the Eiffel Tower! Sales only for France!
Since i'm not French,I can't even buy one from the Mint there.boohoo.

 

Our cat just jumped on the table and I had to shout at her "Get down you mangy cat." It was no dream... LOL

 

Most unusual? - hard to say as I like to collect unusual tokens.

a few of the odd denominations - 1/4c, 2/3c, 2 1/2c, 4c, 6 1/4c, 12 1/2c, 87 1/2c

some unusual good fors - 5 chickens, a smile, a song, a haircut, 3 sticks of dynamite, a tune, 1/2 acre of land, 100 lbs of ice

Lots of political tokens were satirical and outlandish at times. A number of Hard Times tokens and pieces of Bryan money could be a good answer to the OP's question.

If I had to choose just one though, it would be one that is the same on both sides with a profile depiction of a hunchback and the wording about the rim says to "Rub my hump for good luck".

 

I also have a small set of tokens good for 1, 3, 5 and 10 "buckets of slop".

 

I like this coin. I was huge cyclist in my Youth, a rouring NYC Bike Messager that Biked 14 hours a day and could attack hills like an a man chased by a ghost. That was in the Greg Lemond era.

Ruben

 

Wow...you cant TOUCH a bucket of slop these days for under $1.25

 

Thanks for your kind words. I'll post the new design and images of the finished medal once I get them from the mint I'm working with. It is exciting to see your designs transformed to medallic sculptures.

 

I just saw this coin on the cover(or just inside) of Coin World this week.I didn't read the article though.Anybody else see what it was about?

 

Wow, you must get very early delivery. I am lucky to get the issue that is supposed to be delivered on Friday by the following Wednesday or Thursday.
That is, when I don't get two weeks delivered on the same day.

 

I went through all my coins, and didn't see anything that stood out.

Shame I guess.

 

I hope you were riding a fixed-gear! That's the only way to go in the messengering world, IMO.

 

This was the very first Darkside that I ever bought. A couple years later I bought the original mint packaging and the companion coin in the set. Still facinates me