BI-METALLIC COINS
ALSO SEE:
BI-METALLIC
2 EURO COINS
AFRICAN BI-METALLICS
CELEBRATE VISITS
BY POPE JOHN PAUL II
In 2007 five African nations: Cameroons, Central African
Republic, Chad, Congo Republic and Gabon, each issued a bi-metallic
4500 Franc coins to commemorate a visit that Pope John Paul II made to
their country. The coins were made by the Africa Mint, which
had
questionable authority to issue the coins. The coins have a
mintage of
only 2007 pieces of each coin. Due to a fortunate purchase we
are able
to offer these scarce coins far below their original issue price of 50
Euros ($60) each. Each coin pictures the Pope and lists the
date of
his visit The Central African Republic and Congo
issues also show an
airplane, while the Chad issue also shows the Popemobile. The
reverse
of the coins all show a map of Africa and an elephant head. Because
these nations use the common currency of the Central African Monetary
Union they issue few coins of their own.
Item
CM-POPE07
CAMEROON 4500 FRANCS 2007 PAPAL VISIT Br.X32
UNC.
$15.00
Item CF-POPE07
CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC 4500 FRANCS
2007 PAPAL VISIT Br.X13 UNC.
$15.00
Item TD-POPE07
CHAD 4500 FRANCS 2007 PAPAL VISIT Br.X28 UNC. out
Item CG-POPE07
CONGO REP. 4500 FRANCS 2007 PAPAL VISIT Br.X49
UNC
$15.00
Item GA-POPE07
GABON 4500 FRANCS 2007 PAPAL VISIT Br.X17 UNC out
SCARCE
BI-METALLIC COINS
FROM AFRICA 
Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Gabon, and Niger recently released a series of
low-mintage bimetallic coins. Because the nations are members
of
the Central African Monetary Union or the West African Monetary Union,
they issue few coins of their own. Like the Euro coins, they
have
a common reverse. The reverse features an elephant head
superimposed on a map of Africa. The
Benin bi-metallic 6000 Francs of 2005 commemorates the 2008 Olympic
games and shows figures participating in various Olympic sports. The
bi-metallic Cameroon 4500 Franc commemorates the Pope Benedict XVI and
has a horrible picture of the new Pope. It has a mintage of
2005
pieces. The Chad 2005 bi-metallic 4500 Francs features a
lamb,
cotton, Acacia flowers and a barrel of oil. The Gabon 2005 bi-metallic
4500 Francs commemorates the
nations oil riches by featuring a drop of oil. Due to
corruption
and
mismanagement the oil wealth has virtually destroyed the nation's
economy and making its capital Libreville one of the most expensive
cities in the world. The Niger 2005 bimetallic 6000 Francs
has a
mintage of only 1200
pieces. Its theme is "Stop Malaria" and features a large
mosquito. All five coins are quite
rare. The
4500 Franc coins have a mintage of
only 2005 pieces each, while the 6000 Franc coins have a mintage just
1200 pieces. Just a few individuals control the entire
mintage of
the coins, making them hard for collectors to
obtain. All
five coins are Uncirculated.
Item
BJ-05OLY BENIN 6000 FRANCS 2005
OLYMPICS, KM45
UNC.out
Item
CM-24 CAMEROON 4500 FRANCS 2005 BENEDICT XVI,
KM24 UNC. $19.50
Item
TD-18 CHAD 4500 FRANCS 2005 LAMB, BIMETAL,
KM18
UNC.
$49.95
Item GA-16
GABON 4500 FRANCS 2005 OIL, BIMETAL,
KM15 UNC sold out
Item
NE-16 NIGER 6000 FRANCS 2005, STOP
MALARIA KM16 UNC.
$49.95
SCARCE
BI-METALLIC
AFRICAN PRESIDENTS COINS
In an effort to improve relations with top African leaders, (and
perhaps secure contracts to issue more coins), the Africa Mint issued a
series of coins in 2003 honoring the Presidents of various African
nations. Each of the four bi-metallic coins are 28mm in diameter and
bear the denomination of 6000 Francs. Included are Mathieu
Kerekou of Benin, Paul Biya of Cameroon, Mamadou Tandja of
Niger and Gnassingbe Eyadema of Togo. Each coin pictures the
respective president, the national flag superimposed upon a map of the
nation, along with the dates President’s term in office. Only
one President (Kerekou of Benin) actually retired when his term was
up. The reverse of the coins picture an elephants head on a
map of Africa, along with an inscription honoring the
President. Only 500 of each coin was issued.
Item BJ-PRES
BENIN 6000 FRANCS 2003 Br.X41 PRES. KEREKOU
UNC.
$29.50
Item CM-PRES
CAMEROON 6000 FRANCS 2003 Br.X27 PRES. BIYA
UNC. $29.50
Item NE-PRES
NIGER 6000 FRANCS 2003 Br.X14 PRES. TANDJA
UNC. $59.95
Item TG-PRES
TOGO 6000 FRANCS 2003 Br.X22 PRES. EYADEMA
UNC. out
Item
CI-PRES
IVORY COAST 6000 FRANCS 2003
Br.X7 PRES.
GBAGBO UNC. $39.50
TRI-METALLIC COINS OF
THE ARCTIC
TERRITORIES FEATURE POLAR BEAR
Two versions were struck of this 2011 tri-metallic 10 Dollar coin
of Arctic Territories. Both have the same design. A
walking Polar Bear is on one side. The other side depicts a
map of the Arctic with the name Arctic Territories in the languages
of the nations of the region. Like the 1926 Greenland 25 Ore, it
comes in two versions. One version was issued with a center hole,
and one was issued without the hole. Both coins are 27mm in
diameter. The holed version is the only holed tri-metallic coin
that I have ever seen.
Item
ARCTIC-NO
ARCTIC TERRITORIES TRI-METALLIC 10 DOLLARS 2011 WITHOUT
HOLE
UNC. $29.50
Item
ARCTIC-HOLE
ARCTIC TERRITORIES TRI-METALLIC 10 DOLLARS 2011 WITH HOLE
UNC. $25.00
Item
ARCTIC-BOTH
Both of the above ARCTIC TERRITORIES 10 DOLLARS 2011 WITH
and
WITHOUT HOLE UNC. $49.50
TRI-METALLIC
COIN OF MARIE
BYRD LAND HONORS POPE JOHN PAUL II 
Because
of its remoteness in Antarctica, most of Marie Byrd Land has not been
claimed by any sovereign nation, though it has been claimed by various
micro-nations. It was named by explorer Admiral Richard E. Byrd in 1929
after his wife. I am sure she deserved it for putting up with his
numerous explorations and adventures. In 2011 a trimetallic 10 Dollar
was issued for this remote area. One side of the 27mm coin pictures
Pope John Paul II and commemorates his beatification on May 1, 2011.
There is a
certain irony in
a coin being issued honoring the Pope for the only continent that
the Pope never visited. The other side shows a map of the territory
and a penguin.
Item
BYRD
MARIE BYRD LAND TRI-METALLIC 10 DOLLARS 2011 UNC.
$9.50
BRAZIL RIO OLYMPIC COIN
SET
Brazil released a series of circulating commemorative
bi-metalic 1 Real coins to commemorate the 2016 Olympic Games and
Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. Sixteen 1 Real
coins depicting various Olympic and Paralympic sports were released
starting in 2014. The four 2014 issues depict track,
swimming, golf and the para-triathalon. Eight coins were
released in 2015 featuring basketball, swimming, rugby, Paralympic
canoeing, soccer, volleyball, judo and Paralympic track. Four
2016 coins have been released, depicting boxing, Paralympic mascot Tom,
Olympic Mascot Vinicius and Paralympic swimming.
All the coins have a common reverse which includes the date,
denomination and a motif from the Brazilian flag that features the
Southern Cross constellation. The 27mm
bi-metallic coins have a stainless steel center and a bronze-plated
steel outer ring. All coins are Brilliant
Uncirculated.
Item
BR-SET16 BRAZIL SET OF 16 OLYMPIC 1 REAL
COINS, 2014-2016, BU $65.00
60TH ANNIVERSARY OF
THE BRITISH ANTARCTIC TERRITORY
The
British Antarctic Territory issued this 2022 bi-metallic 2 Pound coin
to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the formation of the British
Antarctic Territory. The territory comprises the region south
of 60°S latitude and between longitudes 20°W and 80°W, forming a wedge
shape that extends to the South Pole. It includes the
Antarctic Peninsula and much of the Weddel Sea and overlaps claims by
Argentina and Chile. The 28.4mm coin has a copper-nickel
center within a nickel-brass ring. Queen Elizabeth is on the
obverse. A map of Antarctica highlighting the British
territory and the territorial arms are on the reverse. The
coin has a mintage of 1,950 and comes in a descriptive package.
Item
BAT-2P22 BRITISH ANTARCTIC TERRITORY 2
POUNDS 2022 60th ANNIVERSARY PROOFLIKE
$19.95
BI-METALLIC
2011 COINS FROM CABINDA AND REDONDA
To
commemorate the 50th anniversary of the World Wide Fund for Nature,
also known as the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), bi-metallic coins have
been issued for the unrecognized states of Cabinda and Redonda by a
firm in China. Cabinda is a former Portuguese colony in West
Africa that is controlled by Angola. The bi-metallic 2011
Cabinda
3 Reis features a variety of wildlife along the edge, including a lion,
lizard. butterfly, fish, elephant, squid, ostrich and a frog. The
other side features the Panda logo of the WWF and the seal of the Banco
de Cabinda. Representatives of Cabinda claim that its issues
are
not authorized by them. The bi-metallic 2 Dollar coin from Redonda
features a Manatee one side. The arms of the Kingdom of
Redonda
and the Panda logo of the WWF are on the other side. Redonda
is a
small island in the Caribbean that was discovered by Columbus in
1493.. During the late 19th century it was heavily
mined
for its rich guano deposits. The mining operations ceased
during
the First World War, and it has been uninhabited since
then. The Kingdom of Redonda was first mentioned in
the
novels of West Indian author M.P. Shiel, who claimed to be King Felipe
of Redonda. Since then there have been various claimants to
the
throne. Both coins are Uncirculated.
Item
CABINDA-WWF
CABINDA 3 REIS 2011 WWF UNC.
$15.00
Item
REDONDA-WWF
KINGDOM OF REDONDA 2 DOLLARS 2011 WWF
UNC. $15.00
Item
WWF-SET2
Above 2 bi-metallic coins: CABINDA & REDONDA WWF,
2011 Unc. $25.00
POPE
BENEDICT HONORED ON BI-METALLIC COIN
This
unofficial bi-metallic 4500 Franc coin was issued for
Cameroons shortly after the ascension of
Pope Benedict XVI in 2005. The coin features a terrible,
toothy
portrait of Pope Benedict XVI. It makes the Pope
look like
a vampire. A map of Africa and an elephant's head
is on the
reverse.
Item
CM-POPE05
CAMEROON 4500 FRANCS 2005 BENEDICT
XVI Br.X24
UNC-minor spots. $9.50
CANADA HONORS ARTIST JEAN-PAUL
RIOPELLE
Canada
commemorated the 100th anniversary of the birth of artist Jean-Paul
Riopelle with 2023 colored and non-colored 2 Dollar coins.
The reverses of the coins depict elements from panel 29 of his 132 foot
long (40.39m) 1992 work
L’Hommage
a Rosa Luxemburg. The spray-paint and
acrylic work was done as a tribute to American painter Joan Mitchell,
which whom he had a close relationship. Rosa Luxemburg was a
communist who was executed in 1919 after attempting to overthrow the
German government.
Canada has not yet approved a portrait of
Charles III so the Susanna Blunt portrait of Queen Elizabeth along with
the dates 2023 1952 + 2022 is on the obverse.
Item
CA-2D23COL-RIOPELLE CANADA 2 DOLLARS 2023
JEAN-PAUL RIOPELLE, COLOR VERSION
$7.00
Item
CA-2D23REG-RIOPELLE CANADA 2 DOLLARS 2023
JEAN-PAUL RIOPELLE, REGULAR VERSION
$7.00
CANADA
REMEMBERS THE SUMMIT HOCKEY SERIES
Canada
issued both color and non-colored circulating bi-metallic 2 Dollar
coins in 2022 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of their victory in
the Summit Series ice hockey games against the Soviet Union held in
September 1972. Both nations considered themselves to be the
best in the world. The Summit Series was set to prove it. It
was a series of eight games, the first four held in Canada and the last
four in the Soviet Union. This was during the Cold War. Both
fans and players had intense feelings of nationalism. Canada
went into the series confident they would sweep the series, but it was
not to be. The Soviets were a lot better than they
expected. Going into the final game of the series the games
were evenly split, with three wins and a tie. The Soviets led
in the number of goals scored. An estimated 15 out of 22
million Canadians tuned into the final game. It was a tense
and dramatic game, with Team Canada overcoming a two-goal Soviet lead
after two periods. Canada scored the final game winning goal with just
34 seconds left to play. The coin depicts two Team Canada
players in their distinctive red and white uniforms. The
coaches’ initials and the players’ jersey numbers surround the inner
core. The Royal Canadian Mint pledged that the net
proceeds from the sale of the coins will be donated to the Ukraine
Humanitarian Appeal.
Item
CA-2D-COL-SUMMIT CANADA COLOR 2 DOLLARS 2022
SUMMIT SERIES ICE HOCKEY BU $5.00
Item
CA-2D-REG-SUMMIT CANADA NON-COLOR 2 DOLLARS
2022 SUMMIT SERIES ICE HOCKEY BU $7.00
Item
CA-2D-BOTH-SUMMIT BOTH OF THE ABOVE CANADA 2
DOLLAR
2022 SUMMIT SERIES ICE HOCKEY BU $12.00
CANADA COMMEMORATES
100th
ANNIVERSARY OF DISCOVERY OF INSULIN
Canada
issued two circulating bi-metallic two-dollar coins in 2021 to
commemorate the 100th anniversary of the discovery of
insulin. The collaboration of Canadian scientist Frederick
Banting, Charles Best, James Collip and John Macleod led to the
isolation and purification of insulin, which offered a life-saving
treatment to those with diabetes. The designs of the coins include an
insulin monomer, scientific instruments used in the early formulation
of insulin (vial, mortar and pestle, and Erlenmeyer flask) overlaid on
a maple leaf, as well as red blood cells, glucose, and insulin
molecules. Two versions of the coin were issued,
one with the insulin monomer in blue, the color used to raise diabetes
awareness, the other without color. The obverse features the
Susanna Blunt portrait of Queen Elizabeth II.
Item
CA-2D21-COL-INS CANADA COLOR 2 DOLLARS 2021
INSULIN UNC.
$7.00
Item
CA-2D21-REG-INS CANADA REGULAR 2 DOLLARS
2021 INSULIN UNC.
$7.50
CANADA 2020 WORLD
WAR II VICTORY
2 DOLLAR COIN
Canada
commemorated the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II
with this multi-color 2020 2 Dollar coin.
The coins have similar reverse designs which were adapted from
Canada's World War II era Victory 5 cent
coins. The designs feature a torch and a large "V"
in the center. On the outer ring is the inscription
"WE WIN WHEN WE
WORK WILLINGLY" in Morse code and the words Victory and
Remember are in
English and French. At the top are two shifting images of a
maple leaf within the line pattern. The obverse depicts the
portrait of Queen Elizabeth II.
Item
CA-2D-COL-VICT CANADA COLOR 2 DOLLARS 2020
WWII UNC.
$7.00
CANADA
2020 COLOR BI-METALLIC 2 DOLLAR COIN CELEBRATES HAIDA ART AND CULTURE
Canada
recently released a circulating multi-color, bi-metallic 2 Dollar coin
to celebrate Haida art and culture. Haida art is a
distinctive art form created by tribes of north-western
Canada. It includes a range of objects including Totem Poles,
stone carving, baskets, blankets and drawings. The
reverse of this 2020 dated coin features "Xhuwaji, Haida Grizzly
Bear". The red, black and white design was originally painted
by renowned Haida artist Bill Reid (Iljuwas) on a ceremonial drum in
1988. Reid was a gifted artist, writer and broadcaster who
championed Haida causes. The coin also celebrates the 100th anniversary
of the artist's birth. The obverse depicts the portrait of Queen
Elizabeth II by Canadian artist Susanna Blunt.
Item
CA-2D-HAIDA
CANADA 2 DOLLARS 2020 HAIDA ART UNC.
$7.00
CANADA HONORS
ARTIST JEAN-PAUL
RIOPELLE
Canada
commemorated the 100th anniversary of the birth of artist Jean-Paul
Riopelle with 2023 colored and non-colored 2 Dollar coins.
The reverses of the coins depict elements from panel 29 of his 132 foot
long (40.39m) 1992 work
L’Hommage
a Rosa Luxemburg. The spray-paint and
acrylic work was done as a tribute to American painter Joan Mitchell,
which whom he had a close relationship. Rosa Luxembu
trg was a
communist who was executed in 1919 after attempting to overthrow the
German government.
Canada has not yet approved a portrait of
Charles III so the Susanna Blunt portrait of Queen Elizabeth along with
the dates 2023 1952 + 2022 is on the obverse.
Item
CA-2D23COL-RIOPELLE CANADA 2 DOLLARS 2023
JEAN-PAUL RIOPELLE, COLOR VERSION UNC.
$6.00
Item
CA-2D23REG-RIOPELLE CANADA 2 DOLLARS 2023
JEAN-PAUL RIOPELLE, REGULAR VERSION UNC.
$6.00
CANADA
2024 2 DOLLAR COINS CELEBRATE INUITS
Canada
released colored and uncolored versions of this 2024 2 Dollar coin
honoring Inuit Nunangat which is the Inuit homeland. It covers the
northern most areas of Yukon, Northwest Territories, Quebec and
Labrador. The design was created by natives from each of the four
treaty areas of Inuit Nunangat. The design includes Nuliajuk,
the
spirit of the sea and a walrus, narwhal, two beluga whales, a seal and
an Arctic char. The outer rim includes patterns used in Inuit
tattooing and on clothing. The Steven Rosati portrait of King Charles
III is on the obverse. Both versions of the coin have the same design.
Item
CA-2D24COL-INUIT CANADA 2 DOLLARS 2024
INUIT, COLORED UNC.
$6.00
Item
CA-2D24REG-INUIT CANADA 2 DOLLARS 2024
INUIT, REGULAR UNC.
$6.00
CAPE
VERDE CELEBRATES 40th ANNIVERSARY WITH BI-METALLIC
Cape
Verde is a group of ten islands located 350 miles (570 km.) off the
coast of Western Africa. It gained independence from Portugal
in 1975. To celebrate the 40th anniversary of independence,
and the 40th anniversary of its central bank it issued this circulating
28.5mm bi-metallic 250 Escudos dated 2015. One side,
commemorating 40 years of development and features a school teacher,
windmills, a family and other images. The other side
commemorates the 40th anniversary of Banco de Cabo Verde. It
includes the national arms and various monetary and financial symbols
(looks like the designer had fun with the wingdings fonts).
Item
CV-250E
CAPE VERDE 250 ESCUDOS 2015 40th ANNIVERSARY, KM55 UNC. $12.00
CHINA CELEBRATES
YEAR OF THE
TIGER
China
commemorated the Year of the Tiger with this attractive 27mm
bi-metallic 2022 dated 10 Yuan coin. The reverse depicts a traditional
artistic paper-cutting of a tiger, a palace lantern and tree
branches. The obverse features the denomination surrounded by
an intricate etched floral design. The large number 10 contains latent
images which change from "R M B" to "10 10 10" when the coin is moved.
The design also features micro-letters and other anti-counterfeiting
devices.
Item
CN-TIGER22
CHINA 10 YUAN 2022 YEAR OF THE TIGER, BI-METALLIC BU
$8.00
2024 BI-METALLIC CHINA TIGER
& LEOPARD PARK COMMEMORATIVE
China
commemorated the Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park on
this 2024 bi-metallic 10 Yuan coin. The park was launched in 2017. It
covers 5,642 square miles (14,612 sq.km.) bordering Russia and North
Korea. The coin depicts a tiger sitting in the foreground and
a
walking leopard in the background. The emblem of China and
the date
are on the obverse of the 27mm coin.
Item
CN-10Y24-TIGER CHINA 10 YUAN 2024 TIGER
& LEOPARD PARK BU $6.00
CHINA 2025 YEAR OF THE SNAKE
COIN AND BANKNOTE
China
released a 2025
dated bi-metallic 10 Yuan coin and a colorful 2024 20 Yuan polymer
banknote to commemorate the Year of the Snake. The 27mm coin
depicts a
traditional artistic paper cutting of a snake, a palace lantern, and
plants the reverse. The denomination surrounded by an
intricate etched
design is on the obverse. The large number 10 contains latent images,
which change from Western to Chinese characters as the coin is
moved.
The 20 Yuan note features a stylized snake, the denomination in SPARK
optical and a clear window on the front. The back features
three
children hanging a Spring Festival banner in front of Shanxi residents
and legends in Chinese, Mongolian, Tibetan, Uyghur and Zhang.
Item
CN-SNAKE25 CHINA 10 YUAN 2025 YEAR OF THE SNAKE COIN, BU
$8.00
Item
PM-CN-20Y-SNAKE CHINA 20 YUAN 2025 YEAR OF THE SNAKE BANKNOTE, UNC.
$16.00
ALSO SEE:
AUSTRALIA 2025 YEAR OF THE SNAKE SILVER DOLLAR
CROATIAN
ASSOCIATION OF TECHNICAL
CULTURE 75th ANNIVERSARY
Croatia
commemorated the 75th anniversary of the Croatian Association of
Technical Culture (CATC) with this 2021 dated 12-sided
bimetallic
25 Kuna coin. The CATC is an association of technical,
technical-hobbyist and local associations throughout Croatia with over
60,00 members. Member associations cover a wide range of endeavors
including amateur radio, aeronautics, astronomy, canoeing, diving,
photography, rocketry, ship modeling, sailing and many more.
It
supports numerous science and technology related activities for
youth. One side of the coin depicts a cube from the CATC
emblem
superimposed on a printed circuit board and the dates 1946
2021.
The other side features the denomination with an image of a marten
superimposed in the "25". The denomination Kuna is
derived
from an old Croatian term for a marten pelt, which was used as money
during medieval times. The 32mm coin has a mintage of only
50,000
pieces.
Item
HR-25K21-TECH CROATIA 25 KUNA 2021 CROATIAN
ASSOCIATION OF TECHNICAL CULTURE UNC.
$12.00
2021 EGYPTIAN
CIRCULATING COMMEMORATIVE COINS
Egypt
recently released a number of circulating commemorative coins in an
effort to bolster support of the government. The coins have a
common obverse which includes the name of the country in Arabic, the
denomination in Arabic and English and both the AD and AH
dates. The 1 Pound coins are 25mm bi-metallic with a
brass-plated steel center in a nickel-plated steel ring. The
50 Piastres are 23mm brass-plated steel coins.
The 69th anniversary of
National Police Day
is commemorated on a 2021 1 Pound coin. Police Day is in
remembrance of the 50 police officers of the Ismaila Police Station
that were killed or wounded when the British attacked the police
station with tanks on January 25, 1952 after the police refused abandon
the station and hand over their weapons. January 25 was
declared a national holiday in 2009 by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak
to recognize the efforts of Egyptian police to maintain security and
stability. On Police Day in 2011 widespread protests against police
brutality and corruption led to a revolution which overthrew President
Mubarak. The bi-metallic coin features a winged eagle emblem and the
Arabic numbers 69.
Item
EG-POLICE EGYPT 1 POUND 2021 POLICE DAY UNC.
$4.00
Egyptian
Medical Teams are honored on 50 Piastre and 1 Pound
coins. The coins feature four doctors. In order to
avoid offending conservative Muslims, the doctors have no facial
features. The coin is triple dated, bearing the date 2020
beneath the doctors, and AD 2021 and AH 1442 on the obverse.
Item
EG-MED EGYPT 50 PIASTRE & 1 POUND
2020/2021 MEDICAL TEAMS UNC. $5.00
"
Decent
Life" is an initiative of
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi's improve rural areas of
Egypt. The multi-year project, started in 2019, aims to
improve sewer, water, electricity, natural gas and internet access in
villages, improve housing, as well as health and education
projects. The Decent Life 50 Piastre and 1 Pound coins both
feature a female farmer, wheat ears, and the Decent Life emblem, which
looks like a smile in a box. The coins are dated 2021.
Item
EG-DECENT EGYPT 50 PIASTRE & 1 POUND
2021 DECENT LIFE UNC. $5.00
BI-METALLIC EURO
COIN FROM THE
FLEMISH REPUBLIC
For
over a year, Belgium has
not been able to create a national government because of
disagreements between the French speaking portions and the Dutch
speaking portions of the country. Despite the lack
of a
national government (or maybe because of a lack of a national
government), Belgium is doing better economically than most of
Europe. A number Belgians have advocated breaking the country
into two separate nations. Flanders is the Dutch speaking part of
Belgium. This 2010 1 Euro coin was created for the
Flemish Republic, which does not yet exist. One side has a
map of Flanders with the legend Vlaams €uro (Flemish Euro).
The other side features a Flemish lion.
Item
FLANDERS
FLEMISH REPUBLIC 1 EURO 2010 UNC. $12.00
HUNGARIAN
BI-METALLIC 200 FORINT FEATURES CHAIN BRIDGE
Hungary introduced this new
bimetallic 200 Forint coin in 2009 in order to replace the 200 Forint
banknote in circulation. The banknote will cease to be legal
tender. The coin pictures the famed Széchenyi Chain Bridge
one one side and has the date and denomination on the other.
The chain suspension bridge, completed in 1849, was the first
permanent bridge across the Danube to join Buda with Pest. In
1873 the two cities were united to form the Hungarian capital of
Budapest. At the time the bridge was built, its center span
of 202 meters (663 feet) was one of the largest in the world and was
considered by some to be a "Wonder of the World".
Item HU-200FT-09
HUNGARY 200 FORINT 2009 BIMETALLIC COIN KM826
BU $4.50
HUNGARIAN
BIMETALLIC COMMEMORATES 175th ANNIVERSARY OF THEIR MILITARY
Hungary
issued this circulating 2023 bi-metallic 100 Forint to commemorate the
175th anniversary of their Defense Forces. The Defense Forces
were first organized by Lajos Kossuth during the unsuccessful 1848
Hungarian Revolution. The obverse of the 23.8mm coin features
the emblem of the Hungarian Defiance Forces: a Turul, a mythical bird
of prey, holding the sword of Stephen I of Hungary in its claws, and
the shield of the Hungarian Defense Forces. The
denomination is on the reverse.
Item
HU-100F-23DEF HUNGARY 100 FORINT 2023
DEFENSE FORCES UNC.
$7.00
BI-METALLIC
INDIAN 10 RUPEES
This set of five bi-metallic 10 Rupee cons from India includes the
following: The 2009 issue commemorates the 100th anniversary of the
birth of Dr. Homi Bhabha, who was the father of India's nuclear
program, did much of the work to develop India's first atomic bomb, and
helped start India's space program (KM372). The Shri Mata
Vaishno Devi Shrine Board is honored on the 2012 issue (KM450). The
shrine is located in Katra, Jammu & Kashmir and is one of the
most popular Hindu pilgrimage sites in northern India. The
2015 issues include 100th anniversary of Mahatma Ghandi returning to
India from South Africa (KM448), International Yoga Day (KM450) and the
regular issue honoring Connectivity and Information Technology
(KM400) with wide rays. The Lion Pillar of Ashoka, India's
national emblem,
is on the backs of all the coins. The 2009 coin was struck at
the Noida Mint, the others are from the Mumbai Mint.
Item
IN-10R-SET5 INDIA SET OF 5 DIFFERENT 10
RUPEES, 2009-2015 UNC.
$12.50
SINGLE COINS FROM THE ABOVE SET:
Item
IN-10R-BHABHA INDIA 10
RUPEES 2009(N) DR. HOMI BHABHA, KM372 UNC.
$4.00
Item
IN-10R-SHRINE INDIA 10
RUPEES 2012(M) SHRIMATA VAISHNO DEVI SHRINE BOARD KM450, UNC.
$4.00
Item
IN-10R-GHANDI INDIA 10
RUPEES 2015(M) MAHTMA GHANDI KM448, UNC.
$4.00
Item
IN-10R-YOGA INDIA 10 RUPEES 2015(M)
INTERNATIONAL YOGA DAY KM450
UNC. $4.00
Item
IN-10R-15 INDIA 10
RUPEES 2015(M) REGULAR ISSUE KM400, UNC.
$3.00
INDIA
CELEBRATES NATIONAL ARCHIVES WITH BI-METALLIC COIN
India
recently released this 2016 dated bi-metallic 10 Rupee coin to
commemorate the 125th anniversary of its national archives. The
archives were founded in 1891 as the Imperial Records
Department. The coin depicts the National Archives
building in New Delhi on the reverse. The obverse of the 27mm
coin features the Lion Pillar of Ashoka and the denomination. The coin
is Uncirculated, but like most modern Indian coins, is poorly struck.
Item
IN-ARCHIEVE INDIA 10 RUPEES 2016 NATIONAL
ARCHIVES UNC.-poor strike $8.00
ISLAMIC
REPUBLIC OF IRAN BI-METALLIC 250 RIALS
This
attractive bi-metallic 250 Rials of the Islamic Republic of Iran
features a stylized Grenadine blossom on one side. The other side
includes the denomination and date is Arabic. The coin is
28.3mm in diameter. When first minted, it was the highest
denomination issued by the Islamic Republic of Iran. Due to ongoing
inflation, it soon became virtually worthless and was
demonetized. The coin is 1375 in the Solar Hijri calendar
which corresponds to 1996AD.
Item
IR-250R
IRAN 250 RIALS SH1375=1996AD KM1262 UNC.
$4.00
ATTRACTIVE
BI-METALLIC COIN OF
ISLAMIC IRAN
One side of the bi-metallic 500 Rials
of the Islamic Republic of Iran
shows a traditional Persian design featuring a stylized bird and
flower. The other side has the denomination and date in
Persian within a traditional floral pattern. The
coin is dated SH1383 which corresponds to 2004AD. When it was
minted it was the highest denomination in circulation, but because of
inflation the coin soon became virtually valueless and disappeared from
circulation.
Item
IR-500R
IRAN 500 RIALS SH1383=2004AD KM1269 UNC $4.00
ITALY GOOFS ON GEOGRAPHY
Very rarely does a country make as big of an error as Italy did when
they introduced their new bi-metallic 1000 Lire coin in 1997. The new
coin was to celebrate the growing unification of Europe by showing a
map of Europe. Unfortunately, there were many errors on the
map. The map shows the pre-unification boundaries of Germany - leaving
out East Germany. Denmark and Netherlands were shown as part
of Germany. And Luxembourg was left off completely! After
receiving diplomatic protests, Italy introduced a corrected version of
the coin.
Item
IT-1000L-ERR ITALY 1000 LIRE 1997 MAP ERROR
KM190 UNC. $4.50
Item
IT-1000L-CORR ITALY 1000 LIRE 1997 CORRECTED
MAP KM194 UNC. out
LITHUANIAN
2012 BIMETALLICS HONOR RESORT TOWNS
In 2012 Lithuania released four circulating commemorative coins
honoring four of their resort towns: Birstonas, Druskininkai, Neringa
and Palanga. Each coin depicts the town’s arms on one side
and features Vytas, the white knight, who is Lithuania’s national
emblem. Birstonas is a town of about 3000 people that is
noted for its mineral water. Druskininkai is a spa town in the southern
part of the country. While Lithuania was part of the Soviet
Union it would attract some 400,000 visitors a year from the Soviet
Union. With the collapse of the Soviet Union it has faced
difficult economic times due to the lack of Soviet tourists.
Neringa is a municipality on the Baltic Sea separated from the rest of
Lithuania by the Curonian Lagoon. It is accessible from
Lithuania only by ferry. Though it has a population of less
than 3000, it attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists every
summer. Palanga is a popular seaside resort town on
the Baltic Sea with a population of about
18,000. Lithuania hoped the coins will
boost tourism in the towns by spreading knowledge of the resorts around
the world. I must admit, until now, I did not know of any
resorts in Lithuania. The bi-metallic coins are
25mm in diameter and have a mintage of 100,000 each.
Item
LT-SET12 LITHUANIA SET OF 4 RESORT TOWN 2
LITAI COINS,
2012 KM183.1-KM186.1 UNC.
$9.75
BI-METALLIC
MOLDOVA 10 LEI
COMMEMORATIVES
Moldova
started an annual series of circulating bi-metallic 10 Lei coins in
2018. The 2018 issue commemorates the 25th anniversary of the
national currency - the Leu, which translates as lion. The
coin features a lion, the Moldova national arms and the emblem of the
national bank. The 2019 issue commemorates the 30th
Anniversary of the adoption of the Latin alphabet (as opposed the
Cyrillic alphabet used in Russia) and the state language
laws. The obverse depicts the emblem of the national language
that features the mythological Charmed Bird. The reverse
includes the Latin alphabet in lower case letters. The 2020
issue commemorates the 30th anniversary of the adoption of the State
flag. The 2021 issue commemorates the 30th anniversary of the
National Bank. The design includes the national arms, the national bank
emblem and the number '30'. The reverses of all the coins
bear the denomination. At the top is a latent image that
changes from R to M (for "Republica Moldova") as the coin is
shifted. "BNM", the initials of the national bank, is
micro-engraved on the surface of the "1".
Item
MD-10L18 MOLDOVA 10 LEI 2018 25th
ANNIVERSARY OF CURRENCY, KM157 BU. out
Item
MD-10L19 MOLDOVA 10 LEI 2019 30th
ANNIVERSARY OF ALPHABET & LANGUAGE LAWS, KM171 BU $4.00
Item
MD-10L20 MOLDOVA 10 LEI 2020 30th
ANNIVERSARY
OF STATE FLAG, KM186 BU
$4.00
Item
MD-10L21 MOLDOVA 10 LEI 2021 39th
ANNIVERSARY
OF NATIONAL BANK, KM196 BU OUT
MODERN PALESTINE
BI-METALLIC PATTERN COIN
This
2010 bi-metallic Palestine 1 Dinar coin is an unofficial pattern
coin. Palestine did not gain independence, and the coin never
circulated. One side of the 25mm coin features an Argali,
which is a type of mountain sheep. The Palestinian national
emblem, which features the Eagle of Saladin in on the
obverse. The legends on the coin are in both Arabic and
English.
Item
PS-1DIN PALESTINE 1 DINAR 2010 Br.X10 UNC.
$7.50
PANAMA CELEBRATES
ORATORIO
SAN FELIPE NERI
The
Oratorio San Felipe Neri (San Felipe Neri Oratory) was built in 1688
for the Congregation of Oratorian Fathers in Panama. The church is
named for Philip Neri, who founded the Oratorians in 1575. It
is one of the oldest churches in Panama City. It is featured
on this 2019 dated 26.5mm bi-metallic 1 Balboa of Panama. The
other side of the coin depicts the arms of Panama.
Item
PA-ORATORIO PANAMA 1 BALBOA 2019 ORATORIO
SAN FELIPE NERI KM167 UNC. $5.00
2019 PANAMA WORLD
YOUTH DAY
COINS
Panama
celebrated World Youth Day with regular and colored bi-metallic 1
Balboa coins. The 2019 World Youth Day was held in Panama
City in January 2019. The event was organized by the Catholic
Church and featured a visit by Pope Francis. It drew
thousands of young people from around the world.
Both coins feature the logo of the event on one side and the Panamanian
arms on the other. The logo was designed by a 20-year-old
college student. The logo, which is rich in Catholic symbolism. It
incorporates a silhouette of the Panamanian Isthmus and the Panama
Canal, a Pilgrim Cross, silhouette of the Virgin Mary, the five points
of the crown of Mary, also symbolizing the five continents.
The logo has both the shape of a heart and the letter 'M'.
Item
PA-COL-YOUTH PANAMA 1 BALBOA 2019 WORLD
YOUTH DAY - COLORED KM169 UNC.
$5.00
Item
PA-REG-YOUTH PANAMA 1 BALBOA 2019 WORLD
YOUTH DAY - NON-COLOR KM168 UNC. $5.50
Item
PA-BOTH-YOUTH BOTH of the above PANAMA 1
BALBOA 2019 YOUTH DAY - COLOR & NON-COLOR UNC. $9.75
RECENT
BI-METALLIC COINS
FROM POLAND
Poland
recently introduced a series of circulating bi-metallic 5
Zlotych coins with the theme "Discover Poland". Each coin
features historic, but often not well known places.
The 24.5mm coins have a
copper-nickel ring around an aluminum-bronze
center. The arms of Poland are on the obverse.
Poland honored the Poznan Town Hall (Ratusz) on this 2015 bi-metallic 5
Zlotych. The mannerist style
building was completed in 1560 and served as the seat of local
government until 1939. Today it houses a museum.
Each day at noon two mechanical goats come out from the clock tower and
butt heads. The coin depicts the town
hall. The two goats can be seen in the shaded are next to the
town hall. The 2016 5 Zlotych features The Priest's Mill
(KSIĘŻY MŁYN) in Lodz. The mill is a vast housing and
industrial complex built in the 1870's on land which originally
belonged to the Rector of the Parish of Lodz. The almost completely
preserved complex includes a spinning mill, factory buildings, shops,
two hospitals, a school, workers housing and owners and directors
estates covering over 1200 acres (500 ha). Today it
is a monument to 19th century industrial designs and company
towns.
Item
PL-5Z-15POZAN 2015 POZNAN TOWN HALL
BU $6.00
Item
PL-5Z-16LODZ
POLAND 5 ZLOTYCH 2016 PRIEST'S MILL, LODZ, BU $6.00
BI-METALLIC
RUSSIAN COINS HONOR HISTORICAL
TOWNS
In 2002 Russia began an annual program that each year
commemorates
some of
their historical towns on bi-metallic 10 Ruble coins. The
coins
picture the city and its arms on one side and has the standard Russian
10 Ruble obverse on the other. Anywere betwen zero and four coins are
issued each year. Though Russia has discontinued issuing
bimetalic
10 Rubles for
general circulation, the bi-metalic 10 Ruble has continued to be used
for the Historic Towns series.
The 2002 series was the first
in
the series. It honored the towns Kostroma, Starya Russa and
Derbent. The 2003 series consists of 4
coins, commemorating the historic cities of Kasimov,
Dorogobuzh,
Murmom and Pskov. The 2004 series consists of 3 coins and honored the
towns
of Dmitgrov, Kemy and Riyazhsk. The 2005 series honors the
towns
of Mcensk, Kazan, Borovsk and Kaliningrad. The 2006 Series
honored the towns of Torzhok,
Kargopol and Belograd. The 2007 series pictured the towns of Gdov,
Veliky Ustyug and Vologada. The 2008 Historic towns
are Azov, Prioziorsk, Smolensk and Vladimir. The 2009 series
includes the towns of Galich, Kaluga, Veliky Novogorod and Vyborg.
The 2010 series includes two coins, depicting the historic
towns of of Bryansk and Yuryevets. The 2011 set
includes only two coins, featuring the towns of Yelets and Solikamsk.
Only one coin was issued in the series for 2012: Belozersk.
No coins were issued in 2013. One coin was issued
in 2014 for the historic town of Nerekhta. No coins were issued for
2015. Three towns were commemorated in 2016: Rzhev, Velikie
Luki and
Zubsov. One coin was issued in 2017 for the historic town of
Olonets. One coin was issued for 2018 for the town of
Gorokhovets. The 2019 issues were for the historic towns of
Klin and Vyzama.
Item
RU-TOWN02 2002 SET
OF 3 RUSSIAN HISTORIC TOWNS 10
RUBLES, UNC. $28.00
Item
RU-TOWN03 2003 SET OF 4 RUSSIAN HISTORIC
TOWNS
10 RUBLES, UNC. $22.00
Item
RU-TOWN04 2004 SET OF 3 RUSSIAN HISTORIC
TOWNS
10 RUBLES, UNC. out
Item
RU-TOWN05 2005 SET OF 4 RUSSIAN HISTORIC
TOWNS
10 RUBLES, UNC. out
Item
RU-TOWN06 2006 SET OF 3 RUSSIAN HISTORIC
TOWNS
10 RUBLES, UNC. out
Item
RU-TOWN07 2007 SET OF 3 RUSSIAN HISTORIC
TOWNS
10 RUBLES, UNC. $15.00
Item
RU-TOWN08 2008 SET OF 4 RUSSIAN HISTORIC
TOWNS
10 RUBLES, UNC. out
Item
RU-TOWN09 2009 SET OF 4 RUSSIAN HISTORIC
TOWNS
10 RUBLES, UNC. out
Item
RU-TOWN10 2010 SET OF 2 RUSSIAN HISTORIC
TOWNS
10 RUBLES, UNC. $8.00
Item
RU-TOWN11 2011 SET OF 2 RUSSIAN HISTORIC
TOWNS
10 RUBLES, UNC. out
Item
RU-TOWN12 2012 RUSSIA HISTORIC TOWN
10 RUBLES: BELOZERSK,UNC.$4.00
Item
RU-TOWN14 2014 RUSSIA HISTORIC TOWN
10 RUBLES: NEREKHTA,UNC.$4.00
Item
RU-TOWN16 2016 SET OF 3 RUSSIA HISTORIC TOWN
10 RUBLES UNC. $12.00
Item
RU-TOWN17 2017 RUSSIA HISTORIC TOWN
10 RUBLES: OLONETS UNC.
$4.00
Item
RU-TOWN18 2018 RUSSIA HISTORIC TOWN
10 RUBLES: GOROKHOVETS UNC.
$4.00
Item
RU-TOWN19 2019 SET OF 2 RUSSIA HISTORIC TOWN
10 RUBLES: KLIN & VYAZMA UNC. OUT
BI-METALLIC
RUSSIAN
COINS CELEBRATE REGIONS
In 2005 Russia started a new series of bi-metallic 10 Ruble
coins
honoring the regions of Russia. In many ways it is similar to
the
very successful State Quarters program of the United States. Each year
various regions will be honored. The coins feature
the regions
arms
on one side and the denomination on the other. The coins are 27mm in
diameter with a brass ring around a copper-nickel center. The
obverse features the denomination with a shifting image within the “0”
that changes from "10" to "РУБ" (Ruble) as the coin is
turned. Anywhere between zeor and six coins are issued each
year.
Though Russia has discontinued issuing bimetalic 10 Rubles
for
general circulation, the bi-metalic 10 Ruble has continued to be used
for the Region series.
The first six
coins, dated 2005, include Leningrad, Tver, Oryol, Krasnodar, Republic
of Tartarstan and Moscow. In 2006 coins were issued
for
the Regions of Chita, Sakhalin, Republic of Sakha
(Yakutia), Republic of Altari and the Maritime
Region. The 2007 series feature Arkhangelsk Region. Republic of
Bashkortostan,
Republic of Khakasia, Lipetsk Region, Novosibirsk Region and Rostov
region. The 2008 regions coins honors Astrakhan Region,
Kabaradan-Balkar Republic, Svedolovsk Region and Udmurt
Region. The 2009 regions coins features
The Republic
of Adygeya, The Jewish Autonomous Region, the Republic of Kalmykiya,
the Kirovsk Region and the Republic of Komi. The 2010 regions
coins were issued in very limited quantities and we have not been able
to acquire them at a reasonable price. The 2011 regions coins
honor Republic of Butyatiya and Voronezh Region. No coins in
the regions series were issued in 2012. Two coins were issued
in the series in 2013. One for the Republic of Dagestan and the other
for the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania. Five coins were
issued in 2014 commemorating Chelyabinsk Region, The Republic of
Ingushetia, Penza Region, Saratov Region and Tyumen Region.
No coins were issued in this series in 2015. In 2016 the
Amur,
Belgorod and Irkutsk Regions were commemorated. In 2017 the
Tambov and Ulyanovsk regions were commemorated. In 2018
Kurgan was honored. The 2019 issue featjured Kostroma Oblast.
Item
RU-REG05
RUSSIA, 2005 SET OF 6 REGIONAL 10
RUBLES, UNC. out
Item
RU-REG06 RUSSIA,
2006 SET OF 5 REGIONAL 10
RUBLES,
UNC. out
Item
RU-REG07 RUSSIA,
2007 SET OF 6 REGIONAL 10
RUBLES,
UNC. $24.00
Item
RU-REG08 RUSSIA,
2008 SET OF 4 REGIONAL 10
RUBLES,
UNC. out
Item
RU-REG09 RUSSIA,
2009 SET OF 5 REGIONAL 10
RUBLES,
UNC. out
Item
RU-REG11 RUSSIA, 2011 SET OF 2
RUSSIAN REGIONAL
10 RUBLES, AU-UNC. out
Item
RU-REG13 RUSSIA 2013 SET OF 2 RUSSIAN
REGIONAL
10 RUBLES, UNC. out
Item
RU-REG14 RUSSIA 2014 SET OF 5 RUSSIAN
REGIONAL
10 RUBLES, UNC. $20.00
Item
RU-REG16 RUSSIA 2016 SET OF 3 RUSSIAN
REGIONAL 10
RUBLES, UNC.
$12.00
Item
RU-REG17 RUSSIA 2017 SET OF 2 RUSSIAN
REGIONAL 10
RUBLES, UNC. $8.00
Item
RU-REG18 RUSSIA 2018 RUSSIA KURGAN
REGION 10
RUBLES, UNC. $4.00
Item
RU-REG19 RUSSIA 2019 RUSSIA KOSTROMA OBLAST
10 RUBLES, UNC. $3.00
SCARCE BI-METALLIC
COINS
OF SAHARAWI
The
Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic, also known as Saharaui, is what used
to be the Spanish Sahara or Western Sahara. In 2004 Saharawi
issued
two bi-metallic 500 Peseta coins. One coin features a cute
pair
of
Fennecs, a long eared desert fox that is native to Saharawi. The other
commemorates the 28th anniversary of nation’s independence (though in
reality it is largely controlled by Morocco) and features a map of the
country. The obverse of both coins features the arms of
Saharawi,
which includes a pair of rifles. The coins are 26mm in
diameter
and
have a mintage of only 5000 pieces each.
Item
EH-FEN SAHARAWI 500 PESETAS 2004 FENNEC FOXES
KM51 UNC. $29.95
Item
EH-IND SAHARAWI 500 PESETAS 2004 INDEPENDENCE
KM52 UNC. $29.95
SAHARAWI
ARAB DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC 2010 BI-METALLIC HONORS ARAB CULTURE
This
2010 dated bi-metal 500 Peseta coin of the Saharawi Arab Democratic
Republic honors Arab culture. The coin was issued in
conjunction with the Namur Expo in 2010. One side depicts
the national arms which feature a pair of crossed rifles
holding flags. The other depicts traditional Arab
hospitality, with one man preparing tea over a small fire while the
other plays a flute. Saharawi, formerly known as Spanish
Sahara, declared independence in 1976, however Morocco controls most of
its territory. The 26mm coin has a mintage of only 2500
pieces and is Uncirculated.
Item
EH-ARAB SAHARAWI 500 PESETAS 2010 BIMETAL
UNC.
$9.75
ATTRACTIVE SAN
MARINO BI-METALLIC COINS
Until it converted to the Euro in 2002, the tiny Republic of San Marino
would issue two well-designed bi-metallic coins each year: a 500 Lire
and a 1000 Lire. New designs would be used each year, making
the coins popular with collectors. We offer two sets of these
attractive coins. The set 1000 Lire coins feature San
Marino’s last three 1000 Lire coins. The 2001 issue depicts a circle of
doves on the reverse and the famous three towers of San Marino on the
obverse. The 1999 and 2000 dated 1000 Lire coins both depict
“the Child of the Universe” on the obverse. The “Child of the Universe”
is a bust with a map of the earth superimposed on its head. The child
is holding a flame and is flanked by the moon, stars and planets. The
2000 issue has a Swallow flying over the earth on the
reverse. The 1999 issue has an
exploration theme featuring a compass rose and symbols for the wind and
sun. The set of seven 500 Lire coins includes the 1990, 1992,
1993, 1994, 1996, 1998 and 1999 issues. The 1990 issue
commemorates the history of San Marino, depicting the Three Towers on
one side and birds and a postage stamp on the other. The 1992
honors Columbus. It shows his ship being blown by the winds on one side
and the 3 Towers on the other. The 1993 issue shows
a sprout coming out of a broken tree stump, signifying new
beginnings. The 3 Towers are on the
obverse. The 1994 issue pictures St. Marin on both sides of
the coin. He was a Christian stone cutter who founded San Marino in
301AD in order to escape Roman persecution. The 1996 issue
honors German philosopher G.W.F. Hegel, the 1998 issue honors Chemistry
and the 1999 issue pictures the Moon, Saturn and planets. All
three have the “Child of the Universe” on the obverse.
Item SM-SET1000L SAN MARINO SET OF 3 BIMETAL
1000 LIRE
1999-2001 BU
$19.95
Item SM-SET500L SAN MARINO SET OF 7 BIMETAL
500 LIRE
1990-99
UNC.
$25.00
COMMEMORATIVE
BI-METALLIC 5 RAND FROM
SOUTH AFRICA
South Africa regularly issues circulating bi-metallic 5 Rand
coins. The
2017 issue commemorates the Order of the
Companions of O.R. Tambao. The Order is presented
by the President of South Africa to foreign citizens who have promoted
South African interests. The order includes a suspended medal
and a carved wooden walking stick, both of which are depicted on the
coin. The coin was issued on the 100th anniversary of the
birth of Oliver Reginald Tambao. Tambao, was a
founding member of the African National Congress (ANC) Youth League in
1943 and was President of the ANC from 1967 to
1991. The 2015 issue commemorates the
200th Anniversary of the Griqua town coinage. The coins were
the first local currency of South Africa. The coin depicts
the obverse and reverse of the 1815 silver Griqua town 5
pence. Griqua town, now called Griekwastad is located in
Northern Cape Province of South Africa. It was settled
primarily by descendents of European male colonists and indigenous
Khoikhoi women who called themselves Bastaards. The London
Missionary Society established a mission there in 1805. The
Society thought the name was offensive and convinced them to change it
to Griqua, which was a corruption on the name of the native group that
once inhabited the area. The Griquas were
formidable traders and held formal trade fairs, though most commerce
was done by barter owing to a lack of money. Around 1815 the
London Missionary Society arranged for the Griqua coins to be struck
and shipped to South Africa. It is unclear how widely the coins
actually circulated. The 2014 issue commemorates
“20 Years of Freedom”. In 1994 South Africa implemented a new
constitution and held its first general election with universal
suffrage. The election was won by the African National
Congress, which has been in power ever since. The design
features a line of people waving a South African flag. The
coins all are 26mm with a brass center and copper-nickel
ring. The arms of South Africa and the name of the country in
one or two of its official languages is on the reverse.
Item
ZA-5R-17 SOUTH AFRICA 5 RAND 2017 ORDER OF
THE COMPANIONS OF O.R. TAMBAO UNC. $10.00
Item
ZA-5R-15 SOUTH AFRICA 5 RAND 2015 GRIQUA TOWN
COINS UNC. $10.00
Item
ZA-5R-14 SOUTH AFRICA 5 RAND 2014 20th
ANNIVERSARY OF FREEDOM UNC. $10.00
TOPLESS WOMAN ON
LOW MINTAGE BIMETALLIC TOGO COIN
This scarce unofficial bi-metallic 6000 Francs coin of Togo features a
topless Guin woman. The Guin are one of the major tribes in
Togo. The reverse features the head of an elephant and a map
of northern Africa. From the 16th to 18th Centuries Togo was
a major slave trading center, thus earning the name "Slave
Coast". It was claimed by Germany in 1884, transferred to
France after World War I, and became independent in 1960. The 2003
dated coin is 28mm in diameter, has a mintage of only 1,200 pieces and
a catalog value of $35.00
Item
TG-GUIN TOGO
6000 FRANCS 2003 GUIN WOMAN
BIMETAL Br.X 21 UNC $15.00
BI-METALLIC
OF MOLDAVIAN REPUBLIC OF
DNIESTR FEATURES POPE JOHN PAUL II
This
unofficial bi-metallic 100 Ruble coin picturing Pope John Paul II was
issued for The Moldavian Republic of Dniestr, also known as
Transniestria or Transdniestra. The national arm featuring a hammer and
sickle and a star is on the back of the 2011 dated coin. The
small, communist state bordering the Dniester river declared
independence from Moldova in 1990. Though its independence is
not
widely recognized, it operates as a sovereign nation. The
26mm
coin has a mintage of only 2500 pieces and is Uncirculated.
Item
TNS-100R MOLDAVIAN REPUBLIC OF
DNIESTR 100 ROUBLES 2011 POPE JOHN PAUL II, UNC.
$9.75
TURKEY MILLION LIRA COIN DATED THE
EXACT DATE IT WAS STRUCK
For
about two years the Turkish State Mint allowed visitors to strike their
own 1 Million Lira coins that were dated the exact day it was
struck. It is not known how many were struck on what days,
but it is probably a very small number. The obverse of the bi-metallic
32.1 mm coin depicts the Turkish Mint building, denomination and two
Turkish Mint mintmarks. The reverse features the exact date
the coin was struck and the legend "
TURKISH
MINT SINCE 1467". The date and legends are in
both English and Turkish. We have a few examples of
this unusual high denomination coin dated January 4, 2004.
Item
TR-MILLION TURKEY 1 MILLION LIRA JANUARY 4, 2004 KM1139.2 UNC.
$10.00
TURKEY
CONVERTS MUSEUM INTO A MOSQUE
Turkey
issued the bi-metallic 1 Lira coin in 2020 to commemorate the
conversion of Hagai Sophia into the Grand Hagai Sophia
Mosque. The Hagai Sophia was built between 532 and 537 when
Constantinople was the capital of the Byzantine Empire. It was the
architectural marvel of its age. For almost 1000 years it was
the world's largest cathedral.. It converted to a Mosque
after the fall of Constantinople to the Ottomans in 1453. In
1935 Turkey converted it to a museum and it became Turkey's most
visited tourist attraction. In 2020 the Islamic government of
Turkey converted it back to a mosque despite opposition of many
international organizations and many Turkish citizens. The
coin depicts the mosque on one side and the denomination and date on
the other.
Item
TR-SOPHIA TURKEY 1 LIRA 2020 GRAND HAGAI
SOPHIA MOSQUE UNC.
$3.00
2022 BI-METALLIC
FROM TURKEY COMMEMORATES NEW BRIDGE
Turkey commemorated the recently completed "1915 Canakkale
Bridge" that spans the Dardanelle on this 2022 bi-metallic 1 Lira
coin.
1915 is part of the official name of the bridge and refers to an
important Ottoman naval victory against the navies of the United
Kingdom and France during World War I. The bridge
is
depicted on the obverse of the coin. It iis the
longest suspension bridge in the world with a main span of 1.257 miles
(2.023 km). The coin is 26.15mm in diameter and
has the
standard
Turkish 1 Lira reverse.
Item
TR-1L-BRIDGE TURKEY 1 LIRA 2022 BRIDGE
KM1548
UNC. $2.50
Also check out the
following bi-metallic coins:
ANDAMAN & NICOBAR
ISLANDS COIN SET
STRANGE PYGMY COINS FROM
CAMEROONS
BI-METALLIC COIN FROM CLIPPERTON IS.
CRIMEA 2014 COIN SET
BI-METALLIC
2 EURO COINS
TIGERS ON INDIA BANK
COMMEMORATIVES
2012 5 RUPEE &
BIMETAL 10 RUPEE CELEBRATE 60 YEARS OF INDIA'S PARLIAMENT
TRI-METALLIC COIN OF
MARIE BYRD LAND HONORS POPE JOHN PAUL II
MICRONESIA COIN SET
HONORS INCLUDES BI-METALLICS
2006
COINS FROM
NIGERIA INCLUDES BI-METALLICS
BIMETALLIC
COINS FEATURE HISTORIC
RUSSIAN
CITIES
BI-METALLIC
RUSSIAN COINS CELEBRATE REGIONS
SAUDI
ARABIAN
BI-METALLIC COIN
VATICAN 2013 RIO WORLD
YOUTH DAY 2 EUROS
BI-METALLIC COINS FROM WALLIS AND FUTUNA
ISLANDS
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Because
of its remoteness in Antarctica, most of Marie Byrd Land has not been
claimed by any sovereign nation, though it has been claimed by various
micro-nations. It was named by explorer Admiral Richard E. Byrd in 1929
after his wife. I am sure she deserved it for putting up with his
numerous explorations and adventures. In 2011 a trimetallic 10 Dollar
was issued for this remote area. One side of the 27mm coin pictures
Pope John Paul II and commemorates his beatification on May 1, 2011.
There is a
certain irony in
a coin being issued honoring the Pope for the only continent that
the Pope never visited. The other side shows a map of the territory
and a penguin. 
BRAZIL RIO OLYMPIC COIN
SET
The
British Antarctic Territory issued this 2022 bi-metallic 2 Pound coin
to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the formation of the British
Antarctic Territory. The territory comprises the region south
of 60°S latitude and between longitudes 20°W and 80°W, forming a wedge
shape that extends to the South Pole. It includes the
Antarctic Peninsula and much of the Weddel Sea and overlaps claims by
Argentina and Chile. The 28.4mm coin has a copper-nickel
center within a nickel-brass ring. Queen Elizabeth is on the
obverse. A map of Antarctica highlighting the British
territory and the territorial arms are on the reverse. The
coin has a mintage of 1,950 and comes in a descriptive package.
Canada
commemorated the 100th anniversary of the birth of artist Jean-Paul
Riopelle with 2023 colored and non-colored 2 Dollar coins.
The reverses of the coins depict elements from panel 29 of his 132 foot
long (40.39m) 1992 work L’Hommage
a Rosa Luxemburg. The spray-paint and
acrylic work was done as a tribute to American painter Joan Mitchell,
which whom he had a close relationship. Rosa Luxemburg was a
communist who was executed in 1919 after attempting to overthrow the
German government.
Canada has not yet approved a portrait of
Charles III so the Susanna Blunt portrait of Queen Elizabeth along with
the dates 2023 1952 + 2022 is on the obverse.
Canada
issued both color and non-colored circulating bi-metallic 2 Dollar
coins in 2022 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of their victory in
the Summit Series ice hockey games against the Soviet Union held in
September 1972. Both nations considered themselves to be the
best in the world. The Summit Series was set to prove it. It
was a series of eight games, the first four held in Canada and the last
four in the Soviet Union. This was during the Cold War. Both
fans and players had intense feelings of nationalism. Canada
went into the series confident they would sweep the series, but it was
not to be. The Soviets were a lot better than they
expected. Going into the final game of the series the games
were evenly split, with three wins and a tie. The Soviets led
in the number of goals scored. An estimated 15 out of 22
million Canadians tuned into the final game. It was a tense
and dramatic game, with Team Canada overcoming a two-goal Soviet lead
after two periods. Canada scored the final game winning goal with just
34 seconds left to play. The coin depicts two Team Canada
players in their distinctive red and white uniforms. The
coaches’ initials and the players’ jersey numbers surround the inner
core. The Royal Canadian Mint pledged that the net
proceeds from the sale of the coins will be donated to the Ukraine
Humanitarian Appeal.
Canada
issued two circulating bi-metallic two-dollar coins in 2021 to
commemorate the 100th anniversary of the discovery of
insulin. The collaboration of Canadian scientist Frederick
Banting, Charles Best, James Collip and John Macleod led to the
isolation and purification of insulin, which offered a life-saving
treatment to those with diabetes. The designs of the coins include an
insulin monomer, scientific instruments used in the early formulation
of insulin (vial, mortar and pestle, and Erlenmeyer flask) overlaid on
a maple leaf, as well as red blood cells, glucose, and insulin
molecules. Two versions of the coin were issued,
one with the insulin monomer in blue, the color used to raise diabetes
awareness, the other without color. The obverse features the
Susanna Blunt portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. 
Canada
recently released a circulating multi-color, bi-metallic 2 Dollar coin
to celebrate Haida art and culture. Haida art is a
distinctive art form created by tribes of north-western
Canada. It includes a range of objects including Totem Poles,
stone carving, baskets, blankets and drawings. The
reverse of this 2020 dated coin features "Xhuwaji, Haida Grizzly
Bear". The red, black and white design was originally painted
by renowned Haida artist Bill Reid (Iljuwas) on a ceremonial drum in
1988. Reid was a gifted artist, writer and broadcaster who
championed Haida causes. The coin also celebrates the 100th anniversary
of the artist's birth. The obverse depicts the portrait of Queen
Elizabeth II by Canadian artist Susanna Blunt. 
Canada
released colored and uncolored versions of this 2024 2 Dollar coin
honoring Inuit Nunangat which is the Inuit homeland. It covers the
northern most areas of Yukon, Northwest Territories, Quebec and
Labrador. The design was created by natives from each of the four
treaty areas of Inuit Nunangat. The design includes Nuliajuk,
the
spirit of the sea and a walrus, narwhal, two beluga whales, a seal and
an Arctic char. The outer rim includes patterns used in Inuit
tattooing and on clothing. The Steven Rosati portrait of King Charles
III is on the obverse. Both versions of the coin have the same design.
Cape
Verde is a group of ten islands located 350 miles (570 km.) off the
coast of Western Africa. It gained independence from Portugal
in 1975. To celebrate the 40th anniversary of independence,
and the 40th anniversary of its central bank it issued this circulating
28.5mm bi-metallic 250 Escudos dated 2015. One side,
commemorating 40 years of development and features a school teacher,
windmills, a family and other images. The other side
commemorates the 40th anniversary of Banco de Cabo Verde. It
includes the national arms and various monetary and financial symbols
(looks like the designer had fun with the wingdings fonts). 
China
commemorated the Year of the Tiger with this attractive 27mm
bi-metallic 2022 dated 10 Yuan coin. The reverse depicts a traditional
artistic paper-cutting of a tiger, a palace lantern and tree
branches. The obverse features the denomination surrounded by
an intricate etched floral design. The large number 10 contains latent
images which change from "R M B" to "10 10 10" when the coin is moved.
The design also features micro-letters and other anti-counterfeiting
devices. 
China
commemorated the Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park on
this 2024 bi-metallic 10 Yuan coin. The park was launched in 2017. It
covers 5,642 square miles (14,612 sq.km.) bordering Russia and North
Korea. The coin depicts a tiger sitting in the foreground and
a
walking leopard in the background. The emblem of China and
the date
are on the obverse of the 27mm coin.
Croatia
commemorated the 75th anniversary of the Croatian Association of
Technical Culture (CATC) with this 2021 dated 12-sided
bimetallic
25 Kuna coin. The CATC is an association of technical,
technical-hobbyist and local associations throughout Croatia with over
60,00 members. Member associations cover a wide range of endeavors
including amateur radio, aeronautics, astronomy, canoeing, diving,
photography, rocketry, ship modeling, sailing and many more.
It
supports numerous science and technology related activities for
youth. One side of the coin depicts a cube from the CATC
emblem
superimposed on a printed circuit board and the dates 1946
2021.
The other side features the denomination with an image of a marten
superimposed in the "25". The denomination Kuna is
derived
from an old Croatian term for a marten pelt, which was used as money
during medieval times. The 32mm coin has a mintage of only
50,000
pieces. 
Egypt
recently released a number of circulating commemorative coins in an
effort to bolster support of the government. The coins have a
common obverse which includes the name of the country in Arabic, the
denomination in Arabic and English and both the AD and AH
dates. The 1 Pound coins are 25mm bi-metallic with a
brass-plated steel center in a nickel-plated steel ring. The
50 Piastres are 23mm brass-plated steel coins. 
The 69th anniversary of National Police Day
is commemorated on a 2021 1 Pound coin. Police Day is in
remembrance of the 50 police officers of the Ismaila Police Station
that were killed or wounded when the British attacked the police
station with tanks on January 25, 1952 after the police refused abandon
the station and hand over their weapons. January 25 was
declared a national holiday in 2009 by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak
to recognize the efforts of Egyptian police to maintain security and
stability. On Police Day in 2011 widespread protests against police
brutality and corruption led to a revolution which overthrew President
Mubarak. The bi-metallic coin features a winged eagle emblem and the
Arabic numbers 69. 
Egyptian
Medical Teams are honored on 50 Piastre and 1 Pound
coins. The coins feature four doctors. In order to
avoid offending conservative Muslims, the doctors have no facial
features. The coin is triple dated, bearing the date 2020
beneath the doctors, and AD 2021 and AH 1442 on the obverse.
"Decent
Life" is an initiative of
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi's improve rural areas of
Egypt. The multi-year project, started in 2019, aims to
improve sewer, water, electricity, natural gas and internet access in
villages, improve housing, as well as health and education
projects. The Decent Life 50 Piastre and 1 Pound coins both
feature a female farmer, wheat ears, and the Decent Life emblem, which
looks like a smile in a box. The coins are dated 2021. 
For
over a year, Belgium has
not been able to create a national government because of
disagreements between the French speaking portions and the Dutch
speaking portions of the country. Despite the lack
of a
national government (or maybe because of a lack of a national
government), Belgium is doing better economically than most of
Europe. A number Belgians have advocated breaking the country
into two separate nations. Flanders is the Dutch speaking part of
Belgium. This 2010 1 Euro coin was created for the
Flemish Republic, which does not yet exist. One side has a
map of Flanders with the legend Vlaams €uro (Flemish Euro).
The other side features a Flemish lion.
Hungary
issued this circulating 2023 bi-metallic 100 Forint to commemorate the
175th anniversary of their Defense Forces. The Defense Forces
were first organized by Lajos Kossuth during the unsuccessful 1848
Hungarian Revolution. The obverse of the 23.8mm coin features
the emblem of the Hungarian Defiance Forces: a Turul, a mythical bird
of prey, holding the sword of Stephen I of Hungary in its claws, and
the shield of the Hungarian Defense Forces. The
denomination is on the reverse.
India
recently released this 2016 dated bi-metallic 10 Rupee coin to
commemorate the 125th anniversary of its national archives. The
archives were founded in 1891 as the Imperial Records
Department. The coin depicts the National Archives
building in New Delhi on the reverse. The obverse of the 27mm
coin features the Lion Pillar of Ashoka and the denomination. The coin
is Uncirculated, but like most modern Indian coins, is poorly struck.
This
attractive bi-metallic 250 Rials of the Islamic Republic of Iran
features a stylized Grenadine blossom on one side. The other side
includes the denomination and date is Arabic. The coin is
28.3mm in diameter. When first minted, it was the highest
denomination issued by the Islamic Republic of Iran. Due to ongoing
inflation, it soon became virtually worthless and was
demonetized. The coin is 1375 in the Solar Hijri calendar
which corresponds to 1996AD.
One side of the bi-metallic 500 Rials
of the Islamic Republic of Iran
shows a traditional Persian design featuring a stylized bird and
flower. The other side has the denomination and date in
Persian within a traditional floral pattern. The
coin is dated SH1383 which corresponds to 2004AD. When it was
minted it was the highest denomination in circulation, but because of
inflation the coin soon became virtually valueless and disappeared from
circulation.
Moldova
started an annual series of circulating bi-metallic 10 Lei coins in
2018. The 2018 issue commemorates the 25th anniversary of the
national currency - the Leu, which translates as lion. The
coin features a lion, the Moldova national arms and the emblem of the
national bank. The 2019 issue commemorates the 30th
Anniversary of the adoption of the Latin alphabet (as opposed the
Cyrillic alphabet used in Russia) and the state language
laws. The obverse depicts the emblem of the national language
that features the mythological Charmed Bird. The reverse
includes the Latin alphabet in lower case letters. The 2020
issue commemorates the 30th anniversary of the adoption of the State
flag. The 2021 issue commemorates the 30th anniversary of the
National Bank. The design includes the national arms, the national bank
emblem and the number '30'. The reverses of all the coins
bear the denomination. At the top is a latent image that
changes from R to M (for "Republica Moldova") as the coin is
shifted. "BNM", the initials of the national bank, is
micro-engraved on the surface of the "1". 
This
2010 bi-metallic Palestine 1 Dinar coin is an unofficial pattern
coin. Palestine did not gain independence, and the coin never
circulated. One side of the 25mm coin features an Argali,
which is a type of mountain sheep. The Palestinian national
emblem, which features the Eagle of Saladin in on the
obverse. The legends on the coin are in both Arabic and
English.
The
Oratorio San Felipe Neri (San Felipe Neri Oratory) was built in 1688
for the Congregation of Oratorian Fathers in Panama. The church is
named for Philip Neri, who founded the Oratorians in 1575. It
is one of the oldest churches in Panama City. It is featured
on this 2019 dated 26.5mm bi-metallic 1 Balboa of Panama. The
other side of the coin depicts the arms of Panama. 
Panama
celebrated World Youth Day with regular and colored bi-metallic 1
Balboa coins. The 2019 World Youth Day was held in Panama
City in January 2019. The event was organized by the Catholic
Church and featured a visit by Pope Francis. It drew
thousands of young people from around the world.
Both coins feature the logo of the event on one side and the Panamanian
arms on the other. The logo was designed by a 20-year-old
college student. The logo, which is rich in Catholic symbolism. It
incorporates a silhouette of the Panamanian Isthmus and the Panama
Canal, a Pilgrim Cross, silhouette of the Virgin Mary, the five points
of the crown of Mary, also symbolizing the five continents.
The logo has both the shape of a heart and the letter 'M'. 
Poland
recently introduced a series of circulating bi-metallic 5
Zlotych coins with the theme "Discover Poland". Each coin
features historic, but often not well known places.
The 24.5mm coins have a
copper-nickel ring around an aluminum-bronze
center. The arms of Poland are on the obverse.
Poland honored the Poznan Town Hall (Ratusz) on this 2015 bi-metallic 5
Zlotych. The mannerist style
building was completed in 1560 and served as the seat of local
government until 1939. Today it houses a museum.
Each day at noon two mechanical goats come out from the clock tower and
butt heads. The coin depicts the town
hall. The two goats can be seen in the shaded are next to the
town hall. The 2016 5 Zlotych features The Priest's Mill
(KSIĘŻY MŁYN) in Lodz. The mill is a vast housing and
industrial complex built in the 1870's on land which originally
belonged to the Rector of the Parish of Lodz. The almost completely
preserved complex includes a spinning mill, factory buildings, shops,
two hospitals, a school, workers housing and owners and directors
estates covering over 1200 acres (500 ha). Today it
is a monument to 19th century industrial designs and company
towns.
This
2010 dated bi-metal 500 Peseta coin of the Saharawi Arab Democratic
Republic honors Arab culture. The coin was issued in
conjunction with the Namur Expo in 2010. One side depicts
the national arms which feature a pair of crossed rifles
holding flags. The other depicts traditional Arab
hospitality, with one man preparing tea over a small fire while the
other plays a flute. Saharawi, formerly known as Spanish
Sahara, declared independence in 1976, however Morocco controls most of
its territory. The 26mm coin has a mintage of only 2500
pieces and is Uncirculated.
This scarce unofficial bi-metallic 6000 Francs coin of Togo features a
topless Guin woman. The Guin are one of the major tribes in
Togo. The reverse features the head of an elephant and a map
of northern Africa. From the 16th to 18th Centuries Togo was
a major slave trading center, thus earning the name "Slave
Coast". It was claimed by Germany in 1884, transferred to
France after World War I, and became independent in 1960. The 2003
dated coin is 28mm in diameter, has a mintage of only 1,200 pieces and
a catalog value of $35.00
This
unofficial bi-metallic 100 Ruble coin picturing Pope John Paul II was
issued for The Moldavian Republic of Dniestr, also known as
Transniestria or Transdniestra. The national arm featuring a hammer and
sickle and a star is on the back of the 2011 dated coin. The
small, communist state bordering the Dniester river declared
independence from Moldova in 1990. Though its independence is
not
widely recognized, it operates as a sovereign nation. The
26mm
coin has a mintage of only 2500 pieces and is Uncirculated.
For
about two years the Turkish State Mint allowed visitors to strike their
own 1 Million Lira coins that were dated the exact day it was
struck. It is not known how many were struck on what days,
but it is probably a very small number. The obverse of the bi-metallic
32.1 mm coin depicts the Turkish Mint building, denomination and two
Turkish Mint mintmarks. The reverse features the exact date
the coin was struck and the legend "TURKISH
MINT SINCE 1467". The date and legends are in
both English and Turkish. We have a few examples of
this unusual high denomination coin dated January 4, 2004.
Turkey
issued the bi-metallic 1 Lira coin in 2020 to commemorate the
conversion of Hagai Sophia into the Grand Hagai Sophia
Mosque. The Hagai Sophia was built between 532 and 537 when
Constantinople was the capital of the Byzantine Empire. It was the
architectural marvel of its age. For almost 1000 years it was
the world's largest cathedral.. It converted to a Mosque
after the fall of Constantinople to the Ottomans in 1453. In
1935 Turkey converted it to a museum and it became Turkey's most
visited tourist attraction. In 2020 the Islamic government of
Turkey converted it back to a mosque despite opposition of many
international organizations and many Turkish citizens. The
coin depicts the mosque on one side and the denomination and date on
the other.
Turkey commemorated the recently completed "1915 Canakkale
Bridge" that spans the Dardanelle on this 2022 bi-metallic 1 Lira
coin.
1915 is part of the official name of the bridge and refers to an
important Ottoman naval victory against the navies of the United
Kingdom and France during World War I. The bridge
is
depicted on the obverse of the coin. It iis the
longest suspension bridge in the world with a main span of 1.257 miles
(2.023 km). The coin is 26.15mm in diameter and
has the
standard
Turkish 1 Lira reverse.
