Thursday, December 29, 2011

Australia 1 dollar 2012 - International Year of Co-operatives

New commemorative:

"International Year of Co-operatives"



SPECIFICATIONS
Composition: Al-Bronze
Weight: 9.00 g
Diameter: 25.00 mm
Mintage: Unlimited


(news by Pabitra Saha)

LINK: Royal Australian Mint

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

USA 2012 - Native American dollar

New circulating commemorative:

"Trade Routes in the 17th Century"



LINK: The United States Mint

(information by Pabitra Saha, Jo Hoogeveen and Peter Kaminsky)

SPECIFICATIONS
Alloy: Nordic gold
Weight: 8.10 g
Diameter: 26.50 mm
Artist: Thomas Cleveland


USA 2012 - America the Beautiful Quarters

These are the next 5 quarters of this nice series, for 2012:

El Yunque National Forest (Puerto Rico)
Chaco Culture National Historical Park (New Mexico)
Acadia National Park (Maine)
Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park (Hawaii)
Denali National Park and Preserve (Alaska)




LINK: The United States Mint
LINK: America the Beautiful quarters program

(information by Peter Kaminsky)

SPECIFICATIONS
Weight: 5.67 g
Diameter: 24.26 mm
Thickness: 1.75 mm
Edge: reeded


Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Belarus 1 rouble 2011 - Motherhood

New commemorative:

"Motherhood"



SPECIFICATIONS
Composition: CuNi
Weight: 12.90 g
Diameter: 32.00 mm
Quality: proof like


(information and image by Gijs Vlothuizen)

LINK: National Bank of the Republic of Belarus

Monday, December 26, 2011

Poland 2 zlotys 2012 - Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity

New circulating commemorative:

"20 Years of The Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity"



SPECIFICATIONS
Composition: Nordic gold, CuAl5Zn5Sn1
Weight: 8.15 g
Diameter: 27.00 mm


LINK: National Bank of Poland
LINK: Polish State Mint

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Germany 10 euro 2011 - Hamburger Elbtunnel

New commemorative:

"Hamburger Elbtunnel"



(information and scan by Gijs Vlothuizen)

SPECIFICATIONS
Composition: CuNi
Diameter: 32.50 mm
Weight: 14.10 g


Germany 10 euro 2011 - Archaeopteryx

New commemorative:

"Archaeopteryx"



(information and scan by Gijs Vlothuizen)

SPECIFICATIONS
Composition: CuNi
Diameter: 32.50 mm
Weight: 14.10 g


Thursday, December 22, 2011

Swaziland 2011 - New types

New circulating types:



Monday, December 19, 2011

Japan 500 yen 2012 - Okinawa, Kanagawa & Miyazaki

New bimetallic commemoratives:

"Japan prefectures: Okinawa, Kanagawa & Miyazaki"



(news and images by Jose Luis Ramirez Monleon)

The prefectures coins released or planned so far:

2008 - Hokkaido, Kyoto & Shimane
2009 - Nagano
2009 - Niigata
2009 - Ibaraki & Nara
2010 - Kochi, Gifu & Fukui
2011 - Aichi, Aomori & Saga
2011 - Kumamoto, Tottori & Toyama
2011 - Akita, Iwate & Shiga

LINK: Japan Mint

Saturday, December 17, 2011

Hungary 2012 - Magyarország

New circulating types:

"Magyarország"

According to Hungary's new constitution, effective as of 1 January 2012, the country's official name will change from "Magyar Köztársaság" (Republic of Hungary) to "Magyarország" (Hungary). Although Hungary will still be a republic, it will not appear anymore in its name. As a consequence, the Hungarian National Bank announced on 5 December that from 2012 the Forint coins (5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 Forint) will bear the country's new official name, "Magyarország". Coins struck up to 2011 will also remain legal tender.




(news by Marcell Nagy)

LINK: Magyar Nemzeti Bank

Friday, December 16, 2011

Denmark 20 krone 2012 - Queen Margrethe's 40th jubilee

New circulating commemorative:

"Queen Margrethe's 40th jubilee"



(information and image by Pabitra Saha)

LINK: Denmark National Bank

SPECIFICATIONS
Composition: Aluminium Bronze, 92%Cu6%Al2%Ni
Diameter: 27.00 mm
Thickness: 2.35 mm
Weight: 9.30 g
Edge: rim with interrupted milling


Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Thailand 50 baht 2011 - King's 84th Birthday

New commemorative:

"King's 84th Birthday"



(news and image by Pabitra Saha)

Friday, December 09, 2011

Philippines 1 piso 2011 - 150th birth anniversary of Jose Rizal

New circulating commemorative:

"150th birth anniversary of national hero Dr. Jose Rizal"



SPECIFICATIONS
Composition: nickel plated steel
Weight: 5.35 g
Diameter: 24.00 mm
Mintage: 10 million


(information by Pabitra Saha)

LINK: Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas

Belarus 1 rouble 2011 - 3 new commemoratives

Belarus 1 rouble 2011 - 3 new commemoratives New commemoratives:

"Kruzenshtern"



"M. Bagdanovich. The 120th Anniversary"



"Curlew"



SPECIFICATIONS
Composition: CuNi
Weight: 20.00 g
Diameter: 37.00 mm
Mintage: 2 000
Quality: proof like

(information and images by Gijs Vlothuizen)

LINK: National Bank of the Republic of Belarus

Latvia 1 lats 2011 - Gingerbread heart

New circulating commemorative:



SPECIFICATIONS
Composition: CuNi
Diameter: 21.75 mm
Weight: 4.80 g
Edge: inscriptions
Mint: Koninklijke Nederlandse Munt (the Netherlands)
Artists: Ruta Briede (graphic design) and Laura Medne (plaster model)


LINK: Bank of Latvia 1 lats pieces

(news by Anthony Smith)

Thursday, December 08, 2011

United Kingdom 2 pounds 2012 - Charles Dickens

New circulating commemorative:



(info and images by Peter Kaminsky and Pabitra Saha)

SPECIFICATIONS
Material: CuNi center and Nickel-Brass ring
Weight: 12.00 g
Diameter: 28.40 mm
Edge: Inscription "SOMETHING WILL TURN UP"
Designers: Matthew Dent (Obverse) and Ian Rank-Broadley (Reverse)


LINK: British Royal Mint

Argentina 2 pesos 2010 - May Revolution

New circulating bimetallic:

"Bicentenary of the May Revolution"



(news by Pabitra Saha)

Tuesday, December 06, 2011

Poland 2 zlotys 2011 - Kalisz & Przybora and Wasowski

New circulating commemoratives:

"Cities and Towns in Poland - Kalisz"
"History of Polish Popular Music - Jeremi Przybora, Jerzy Wasowski"



LINK: National Bank of Poland
LINK: Polish State Mint

SPECIFICATIONS
Composition: Nordic gold, CuAl5Zn5Sn1
Weight: 8.15 g
Diameter: 27.00 mm


Monday, December 05, 2011

Russia 10 roubles 2011 - First manned flight into space

New circulating commemorative:

"50th anniversary of the first manned flight into space"



SPECIFICATIONS
Composition: brass plated steel
Weight: 5.63 g
Diameter: 22.00 mm
Thickness: 2.20 mm
Edge: reeded and plain sections
Mintage: 50 million


(information by Antony and Taneli Perätalo)

LINK: Bank of Russia

Ukraine 5 hryvnia 2011 - World of the Wood

New bimetallic commemorative:

"World of the Wood"



SPECIFICATIONS
Weight: 9.40 g
Diameter: 28.00 mm
Mintage: 30 000


(information and image by Gijs Vlothuizen)

LINK: National Bank of Ukraine

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Peru 1 nuevo sol 2011 - Gran Pajatén

New circulating type:

"Gran Pajatén"

This is the 7th coin of the series "Wealth and Pride of Peru":



Real images of the archaeological site:



LINK: Peru Central Bank

SPECIFICATIONS
Composition: CuNi
Diameter: 25.50 mm
Weight: 7.32 g


(images and information by Pabitra Saha and David Velarde)

The previous coins of the series:

1. Tumi de oro (2010)
2. Sarcofagos de Karajia (2010)
3. Estela de Raimondi (2010)
4. Chullpas de Sillustani (2011)
5. Monasterio de Santa Catalina (2011)
6. Machu Picchu (2011)

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Finland 5 euro 2011 - Aland

New bimetallic commemorative:

"Historical provinces: Aland"



SPECIFICATIONS
Core composition: CuNi
Ring composition: Nordic Gold
Diameter: 27.25 mm
Weight: 9.80 g
Designer: Nora Tapper
Mintage: 100,000 (plus 20,000 proof)
Issue date: 1dec2011


Link: Mint of Finland

Coins in this collection:

2010 - Finland Proper
2010 - Satakunta
2011 - Tavastia
2011 - Savonia
2011 - Uusimaa
2011 - Karelia
2011 - Ostrobothnia
2011 - Lapland
2011 - Aland

Sunday, November 20, 2011

India 5 rupees 2011 - ICMR

New circulating commemorative:

Indian Council of Medical Research



(information and image by Ashwin Lobo and Shabbir Disawala)

Tuesday, November 08, 2011

South Africa 2011

New circulating types:

These are the languages in the 2011 issues:

5c: Tshivenda
10c: siSwati
20c: Xitsonga
50c: English
1r: Sepedi/Sesotho and Setswana
2r: isiXhosa and Afrikaans
5r: isiNdebele and isiZulu




(image and information by Peter Kaminsky)

Monday, November 07, 2011

Germany 2 euro 2012 - Bavaria

New bimetallic circulating commemorative:



The great Neuschwanstein Castle:



SPECIFICATIONS
External ring: CuNi
Center disc: 3 layers, Ni-Brass, Ni, Ni-brass
Diameter: 25.75 mm
Width: 2.20 mm
Weight: 8.50 g


(news and image by Pabitra Saha)

Friday, November 04, 2011

Australia 2012 - Some new coins

New commemoratives:

1 Dollar - Ethel C. Pedley



Depicting Ethel C. Pedley, the author of the classic Aussie tale, "Dot and the Kangaroo".
The coin is part of the Baby coin set 2012. It's the third unique dollar in the series of Baby Coin sets.
In 2007 and 2008 was the motive Norman Lindsay, author of "The magic pudding", in 2009 to 2011 was the motive Dorothy Wall, the author of "Blinky Bill".

SPECIFICATIONS
Composition: Al-Bronze
Weight: 9.00 g
Diameter: 25.00 mm
Edge: plain and reeded sections
Designer: A. Baggio


Australian Wheat Industry



Commemorating the wheat industry's key role in Australia's national development.
The coins are available in a special "Two coin mint set".

1 dollar SPECIFICATIONS
Composition: Al-Bronze
Weight: 9.00 g
Diameter: 25.00 mm
Edge: plain and reeded sections
Designer: Wojciech Pietranik


20 cents SPECIFICATIONS
Composition: CuNi
Weight: 11.30 g
Diameter: 28.52 mm
Designer: Wojciech Pietranik


(information and images by Peter Kaminsky)

LINK: Royal Australian Mint

Thursday, November 03, 2011

Russia 10 roubles 2011 - Yelnya

New circulating commemorative:

"Cities of Military Glory: Yelnya"



SPECIFICATIONS
Composition: brass plated steel
Weight: 5.63 g
Diameter: 22.00 mm
Thickness: 2.20 mm
Edge: reeded and plain sections


(information by Taneli Perätalo)

LINK: Bank of Russia

Kazakhstan 50 tenge 2011 - Karaganda

New circulating commemorative:

"Towns of Kazakhstan: Karaganda"



SPECIFICATIONS
Weight: 4.71 g
Diameter: 23.00 mm
Mintage: 50 000


(information by Gijs Vlothuizen and Taneli Perätalo)

LINK: National Bank of Kazakhstan
LINK: Karaganda in Wikipedia

Kazakhstan 50 tenge 2011 - 20 years of Independence

New commemorative:

"20 years of Independence of the Republic of Kazakhstan"



(news by Gijs Vlothuizen)

SPECIFICATIONS
Weight: 11.37 g
Diameter: 31.00 mm
Thickness: 2.00 mm
Edge: grooved with 10 sectors of corrugation
Mintage: 50 000


LINK: National Bank of Kazakhstan

Wednesday, November 02, 2011

Poland 2 zlotys 2011 - Ossendowski & Polonia Warszawa

New circulating commemoratives:

"Polish Travellers and Explorers: Ferdynand Ossendowski" (KM#797)
"Polish Football Clubs: Polonia Warszawa"(KM#799)



LINK: National Bank of Poland
LINK: Polish State Mint

SPECIFICATIONS
Composition: Nordic gold, CuAl5Zn5Sn1
Weight: 8.15 g
Diameter: 27.00 mm


Friday, October 28, 2011

East Caribbean States - 5 cents 2010

New circulating type:

Letters are of different style than in previous years, as clearly seen in "QU" of word "QUEEN", and in the year. The numeral (marked in yellow) is quite different also. Finally, 2010 type is a bit thinner.



Numeral "5" in detail:



All these probably is because of a different mint making the 2010 pieces. Further details and information will be very welcome :-)

(information and scan by Ante Jeroncic)

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Ethiopia EE2000 type varieties

New circulating varieties:

A series of Ethiopian circulation coins is available with year EE2000 (2007/2008). These coins were minted by the Royal Canadian Mint. The 5 and 10 cents were previously minted by the British Royal Mint (with years EE1996 and EE1998).
In these EE2000 types the lion's head is smaller, so, because of it, and because of the different mint, they should be considered new subtypes.



Understanding the Ethiopian date EE2000 in these latest coins:



(images by Gijs Vlothuizen)
(information by Gijs Vlothuizen and Wolfgang Schuster)

LINK: Ethiopia date translator

Ukraine 2 hryvnia 2011 - 20 years of the CIS

New commemorative:

"20 years of the Commonwealth of Independent States"



SPECIFICATIONS
Composition: CuNiZn
Weight: 12.80 g
Diameter: 31.00 mm
Mintage: 30 000


(information by Gijs Vlothuizen)

LINK: National Bank of Ukraine

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Rwanda 20 francs 2009 - New inscription

New circulating type:

While in 2003 item (KM25) the text was "BANKI NASIYONALI Y'U RWANDA", this 2009 item bears the text "BANKI NKURU Y'U RWANDA".



(image from eBay seller liolikas99)

Australia 1 dollar 2011 - Presidents Cup

New commemorative:

"The Presidents Cup"



SPECIFICATIONS
Composition: Al-Bronze
Weight: 9.00 g
Diameter: 25.00 mm
Mintage: Unlimited


LINK: Royal Australian Mint

Australia 50 cents 2011 - Triple Zero Emergency Call Service

New commemorative:

"50th Anniversary of the Triple Zero Emergency Call Service"



(news from Egon Conti)

SPECIFICATIONS
Composition: CuNi
Weight: 15.55 g
Diameter: 31.51 mm
Mintage: Unlimited
Designer: W. Pietranik


LINK: Royal Australian Mint

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Canada 2 dollars 2011 - Boreal forest

New bimetallic commemorative:



(news and image by Pabitra Saha)

LINK: Royal Canadian Mint

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Portland Coins "Coin collecting kit"

This is an off-topic to talk about a great product I've just tested, from my good friend Tyler, of Portland Coins.

If you're looking for an easy way to get yourself or someone you know started with collecting world coins, you should check out the coin collecting kits made by Portland Coins. They are designed for people just beginning to get into the hobby.

Tyler sent me a kit to take a look at, the one on the image below. Each kit includes a large 3-ring binder labeled specially for coin collectors, a bunch of flips to protect coins, some pocket pages to store coins in the binder, and a magnifying glass for better viewing of coins. Because new collectors may not be familiar with how to use flips, there is a step-by-step instruction sheet for how to properly secure a coin in a flip. And because it isn't always easy to tell what country a coin is from, it includes several pages of common world coin words and pictures to help identify coins. It even comes with a pack of 30 different world coins so that you have something to put in the collection right away.

The Portland Coins Web site has even more coin identification words and pictures to help collectors, and sells additional flips, pages, and packs of coins to add to a collection.

I think these kits would be a great way to introduce someone to world coin collecting. They seem especially kid-friendly because of the instructions and coin-identification help that come right inside the binder. World coin collecting is an easy, inexpensive, and exciting hobby, and with one of these kits it's dead simple to give it a try.



LINK: The Coin collecting kit

Kazakhstan 50 tenge 2011 - Aitys

New commemorative:

"Customs and national games of Kazakhstan: Aitys"



(news by Gijs Vlothuizen)

SPECIFICATIONS
Weight: 11.37 g
Diameter: 31.00 mm
Thickness: 2.00 mm
Edge: grooved with 10 sectors of corrugation
Mintage: 50 000


LINK: National Bank of Kazakhstan

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Canada 50 cents 2011 - Winnipeg Jets

New commemorative:

This unique coin depicts the New Winnipeg Jets team to join the NHL.



SPECIFICATIONS
Composition: nickel-plated steel
Diameter: 27.13 mm
Weight: 6.90 g
Edge: serrated
Artists: William Woodruff (reverse), Suzanna Blunt (obverse)


LINK: Royal Canadian Mint

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Canada 1 dollar 2011 - Parks Canada Centennial

New commemorative:

"Parks Canada's 100th anniversary"



(news by Pabitra Saha)

SPECIFICATIONS
Composition: Nickel electroplated with bronze
Diameter: 26.50 mm
Weight: 7.00 g
Mintage: unlimited
Artists: Nolin BBDO Montreal (reverse), Suzanna Blunt (obverse)


LINK: Royal Canadian Mint

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Finland 5 euro 2011 - Lapland

New bimetallic commemorative:

"Historical provinces: Lapland"



SPECIFICATIONS
Core composition: CuNi
Ring composition: Nordic Gold
Diameter: 27.25 mm
Weight: 9.80 g
Designer: Nora Tapper
Mintage: 100,000 (plus 20,000 proof)
Issue date: 2nov2011


Link: Mint of Finland
Link: Lapland in Wikipedia

Coins of this collection released or planned so far:

2010 - Finland Proper
2010 - Satakunta
2011 - Tavastia
2011 - Savonia
2011 - Uusimaa
2011 - Karelia
2011 - Ostrobothnia
2011 - Lapland