MICRO NATION & UNOFFICIAL COINS
Micro-nations,
Cinderellas, coins of tradition, unauthorized issues, unofficial
issues, unrecognized
nations and coins from places that do not even
exist.
These
are popular with many collectors due to their attractive designs,
historical connections and many have very moderate prices in
relation to their tiny mintages.
ALSO SEE:
COINS OF AMERICAN
INDIAN NATIONS
COINS
OF
WESTEROS - GAME OF THRONES
LIBERLAND
COIN

The
Free Republic of Liberland was founded in 2015. It is located on a
7 sq. kilometer (2.7 sq. miles) area on the Danube River between Serbia
and Croatia known as Gornja Siga. Because of the shifting
path of the river, neither country claimed the territory, so it was
claimed by Czech politician and activist Vit Jedlicka. He is
attempting to establish a libertarian nation on the property.
Though Croatia does not claim the territory, it does not allow anyone
to enter the territory either, which has made it difficult to establish
the new nation. That however has not stopped over 400,000
people from registering for citizenship on its website. This 5
Merits coin was struck for Liberland in 2017. One side of the 30.5mm
brass coin depicts the Liberland coat-of-arms, the other side features
the denomination.
Item
LIBERLAND-5M LIBERLAND 5 MERITS (2017) UNC. $9.75
2023
HANKO COIN FEATURES POLIKARPOV I-15 BI-PLANE

A Russian Polikarpov I-15 bi-plane
fighter is featured on this unofficial 2023 dated 50 Markka coin of
Hanko (Hango). The plane was used between 1939 and 1944 in the two wars
between Finland and the Soviet Union. The Hanko peninsula is the
southernmost point of mainland Finland and is the home of the port and
city of Hanko. During the 19th and early 20th centuries while
Finland was under Russian control, Hanko was the port of choice for
emigrants leaving Finland for a new life in North America and a popular
resort of Russian nobility. After the 1939 Winter War between
Finland and the Soviet Union, Finland was forced to lease the peninsula
to Russia for 30 years as a naval base. Finland regained
control of the peninsula in 1941 during the second Soviet-Finnish
war. The obverse of the coin depicts the heraldic
Finnish lion. The Proof silver-plated brass coin
has a mintage of only 125 pieces.
Item
HANKO HANKO 50 MARKKA 2023 PROOF
$22.00
BEE AND NOAH'S TOMB ON 2023
NAKHCHIVAN REPUBLIC COIN

The
Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic (Naxcivan Respublikasi) is a landlock
exclave of Azerbaijan bordered by Armenia, Iran and Turkey.
Historically it was part of the Armenian homeland and had a large
Armenian population, however most Armenians fled or were massacred
during and after World War I. On January 20, 1990 Nakhchivan
became the first part of the Soviet Union to declare
independence. After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991
it became an autonomous part of Azerbaijan, with its own constitution,
legislature and is ruled by a corrupt, authoritarian
family. The emblem of Nakhchivan is obverse of this
unofficial 2023 50 Manat of Nakhchivan Republic. The reverse
features a bee with what is claimed to be the tomb of the biblical
prophet Noah. The Proof silver-plated brass coin has a
mintage of only 125 pieces.
Item
NAKHCHIVAN NAKHCHIVAN REPUBLIC 50 MANAT 2023
PROOF
$22.00
SCORPION
AND CAMEL ON MASIRAH COIN

Masirah is an island in the Arabian Sea
off the east coast of Oman. It has an airbase for the Royal Air Force
of Oman and a fish factory, and several small towns. During
the summer it is popular with kite surfers due to its strong, steady
winds. Much of the interior of the island is
desert. The obverse of this unofficial 2022 20 Rials coin of
Masirah depicts Haitham bin Tariq, the Sultan of Oman, and the Oman
coat of arms. The reverse features a scorpion, camel and a
palm tree. The 37mm Proof silver-plated brass coin has a
mintage of only 145 pieces.
Item
MASIRAH MASIRAH 20 RIALS 2022 PROOF
$22.00
PIGS
ON BIG MAJOR CAY COIN

Big
Major Cay, also known as Pig Island, is uninhabited by humans,
however it does have a population of about two dozen swimming pigs. It
is located in the Exuma district of the Bahamas. The pigs are
a popular tourist attraction. The feral domestic pigs are not
afraid of people. They love to take to water and lay in the
sun on the beach. The pigs are fed by tourists and from
passing yachts, and if the boat gets close enough to the shore, the
pigs can jump in on their own, begging for food. Drinking
water is provided by small lakes on the island. No one is
quite sure how the non-native pigs got there. Some claim they
were left by sailors who planned to later pick them up and eat them,
but never returned. Others say they survived a shipwreck, or
were brought to the island to attract tourists.
This odd-shaped 2023 20 Dollar coin of Big Major Cay has an unusual
design, the design on the front wraps over to the back. The
design includes the Bahamas coat of arms and two pigs, half of one of
the pigs is on the front of the coin with the other half is on the
back. The unofficial silver-plated Proof coin is 39mm and has
a mintage of just 125 pieces.
Item
CAY BIG MAJOR CAY 20 DOLLARS 2023 PROOF
$22.00
TORY
ISLAND COIN FEATURES RAVEN

Tory
Island (Oilean Thoraigh in Irish) is a remote island off the
northern coast of Ireland inhabited by less than 150 people.
It is about 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) long and 1 kilometer (.6 miles)
wide. The northern coast is
heavily indented by bays and bays, the coasts are rather steep and
steep. Tory is mentioned in a number of Irish legends. Today
it is noted for its rugged beauty and an artist colony. This
unofficial 2023 six-sided 10 Pound coin of Tory Island features a
Celtic Cross and an Irish Harp on the obverse. The reverse
depicts a raven on the handle of a sword. Morrigan, the goddess of war
in Irish mythology would often take the form of a raven.
Morrigan would not take part in the battles, but she would be present
on the battlefield and used all her power to help one side or
another. The 39mm silver-plated brass coin has a mintage of
only 125 pieces.
Item
TORY TORY ISLAND 10 POUNDS 2023 PROOF
$22.00
2023
COCOS (KEELING) COIN SET FEATURES BIRDS & SEA LIFE

The Cocos (Keeling) Islands, also known as the Keeling-Cocos Islands
are a group of 27 small islands in the middle of the Indian
Ocean. It was first settled in the 1820's by English
adventurer Alexander Hare, his Malay harem, Scottish trader Capt. John
Clunies Ross and his family. After initial difficulties, Hare
moved on leaving the Ross family in possession of the
Islands. They brought in Malay laborers, cleared almost all
native vegetation and planted Coconut palms. Ross made
himself and his descendants King of the Cocos. In 1978
Australia purchased the islands from the family. This 2023
dated set of six copper-nickel coins for the Cocos (Keeling) Islands
features native fish and birds. The 100 Rupees has a Great
White Shark. A wedge-tailed shearwater bird is on the 50
Rupees. A Black-crowned night heron is on the 10 Rupees. An
Ornate Butterflyfish is on the 5 Rupees. A Lionfish is on the 2 Rupees
and a Yellow-bellied sea snake on the 1 Rupee. The
obverse of all the coins depict the emblem of the Cocos (Keeling)
Islands and the legend "Bukan Wang Tunai", which translates as "No Cash
Value".
Item
KEELING23 KEELING (COCOS) 6 COIN SET
1-100 RUPEES 2023 UNC.
$29.75
BERDOO
66 CENTS - SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY SECESSION COIN

In
November 2022 San Bernardino County voted to secede from the State
of California. San Bernardino, often called the "Inland
Empire", is the largest county in California. Like many
regions of California, they were fed up with the liberal big city
politicians that control California. To mark the event the
Small Forest Mint issued a copper 66 Cent coin for Berdoo.
Berdoo is what locals call San Bernardino. The historic Route 66 runs
through the county, hence the denomination of 66 cents. The
denomination is within an arrowhead shaped like the Arrowhead
Geological Monument at Arrowhead Springs. The reverse depicts
the date and a Joshua Tree which is common in desert areas of the
county, which is home to Joshua Tree National Park. The
Highway Gothic font was used on old highway signs. The
hand-struck coins are Uncirculated but may have minor dark
areas. Mintage is limited to a maximum of 200 pieces or when
the dies wear out, whichever comes first.
Item
BERDOO BERDOO 66 CENTS 2023 UNC.
$7.00
RARE KINGDOM OF HAWAII SURFING
COMPETITION COIN

The
Kingdom of Hawaii, a modern Hawaiian sovereignty movement, commemorated
the 2023 Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational Surfing competition on this
ultra-low mintage sterling silver 25 Dala coin. It has a
mintage of only 46 pieces! As a lifeguard Eddie Aikau saved
over 500 lives, sometimes braving 30-foot waves. He died
trying to rescue his crewmates in an attempt to reenact a canoe voyage
from Hawaii to Polynesia. The surfing competition was started
in 1984 in his honor. It is held at Waimea Bay on the north
shore of Oahu, Hawaii, where Eddie was a lifeguard. Because
the competition is held only when ocean swells reach a minimum of 20
feet, (6.1m) it has been held just 10 times since its
inception. During the 2023 competition surfers
braved waves 30 to 50 feet (9.1 to 15.2m) in height. The coin
depicts an incused image of a Hawaiian Koa warrior on the obverse and a
surfer on the reverse. .
Item
HAWAII-23 HAWAII SILVER 25 DALA 2023 EDDIE
AIKAU SURFING COMPETITION UNC.
$45.00
SILVER
2021 50 DALA COIN OF THE HAWAIIAN KINGDOM

The
Hawaiian Kingdom is one of many Hawaiian sovereignty
movements. They contend that because the United States
illegally overthrew the Hawaiian monarchy in 1893, the United States
occupation of Hawaii is illegal and Hawaii is still an independent
kingdom. The 2021 Hawaiian Kingdom 50 Dala coin features the
bust of a Hawaiian Koa warrior, denomination and date on one side and a
map of Hawaii on the other. Unlike most coins the design is
incuse rather than raised. The 30mm coin contains 1/2 troy
ounce of .999 silver and is approximately 2.5mm thick. The
coin is hand struck, so each coin is slightly different. It
has a total mintage of just 97 pieces.
Item
HAWAII-21 HAWAII SILVER 50 DALA 2021 UNC.
$39.95
ODD
SHAPED SAINT-CASTIN COIN
FEATURES FLYING SQUIRRELS

Saint-Castin
is a self-declared micronation that claims several enclaves within the
Province of Quebec. It is named after Jean-Vincent d'Abbadie
de Saint-Castin, a 17th century French-Canadian military office and an
Abenaki chief. It was founded as a monarchy on June 24, 2014.
Since then, it had a republican coup, been annexed by, then seceded
from the Federal Republic of St. Charlie, re-established as a republic
and in 2020 restored the monarchy. This odd-shaped 2022 100
Piastres of Saint-Castin depicts the coat of arms on the obverse and
two Northern Flying Squirrels (Glaucomys sabrinus) on the
reverse. The 42mm silver-plated Proof coin has a mintage of
just 120 pieces.
Item
ST.CASTIN SAINT-CASTIN 100 PIASTRES 2022
PROOF $22.00
YAP
COIN SET

The
island of Yap is famous for their large stone money, some of which is
over 6 feet high and weigh hundreds of pounds. Even small
pieces typically go for thousands of dollars in auctions.
This unofficial 7-coin set for Yap is much more affordable.
The set includes the nickel-zinc 1 Penny, 3 Pence, 6 Pence, Shilling.
Florin, brass 1/2 Crown and b-metallic 1 Crown dated 2020. One side
depicts native Micronesians while the other depicts items related to
Micronesian culture, including a Yap Stone Money on the
Florin. All seven coins are Uncirculated.
Item
YAP YAP 7 COIN SET 1 PENNY - 1 CROWN 2020
UNC. $29.75
FRENCH
OVERSEAS
TERRITORIES SILVER ESSAI (PATTERN) COINS
These unofficial Essai (pattern) silver 1/4 Euro coins commemorate
French Medalist and coin designer
Louis Oscar Roty. Roty lived from 1846 to 1911. He
was a prolific sculpture and engraver. His works can be found
in most major European museums. He is probably best remembered for his
1898 engravraving of "Semeuse (the Sower) which graced French coins for
nearly a century. The obverse of each coin features
his portrait and the name of the territory. The reverse
features a beautiful rendition of one of his works. The coins are 27mm
in diameter and contain 1/4 ounce
of .999 fine silver. There is a mintage of only 2000 pieces
of
each type. Each coin is graded Fleur-de-Coin (FDC) in French
standards, and is
Proof or Proof-like in American grading standards.
Item
RE-1/4E REUNION 1/4 EURO 2004 SILVER PATTERN
COIN FDC
(PROOF) $24.00
Item
BART-1/4E ST. BARTHLEMY
SILVER 1/4 EURO ESSAI 2004 FDC (PROOF)
$29.75
Item
ST.MART-1/4E ST. MARTIN
SILVER 1/4 EURO ESSAI 2004 FDC (PROOF) $29.75
Item
SPM-1/4E ST. PIERRE & MIQUELON 1/4
EURO SILVER PATTERN COIN FDC (PROOF) $29.75
KINGDOM OF HAWAII
2022 SILVER 50
DALA

The
Kingdom of Hawaii is one of many Hawaiian sovereignty
movements. They contend that because the United States
illegally overthrew the Hawaiian monarchy in 1893, the United States
occupation of Hawaii is illegal and Hawaii is still an independent
kingdom. The obverse of the 2022 Hawaiian Kingdom 50 Dala
coin features the bust of a Hawaiian Koa warrior. Unlike most coins the
design is incuse rather than raised. The reverse depicts a map of
Hawaii. The 30mm coin contains 1/2 troy ounce of .999 silver
and is approximately 2.5mm thick. The coin is hand struck and
has a maximum total mintage of just 100 pieces.
Item
HAWAII-22 HAWAII SILVER 50 DALA 2022 UNC.
$39.95
SILVER
2021 50 DALA COIN OF THE HAWAIIAN KINGDOM

The
Hawaiian Kingdom is one of many Hawaiian sovereignty
movements. They contend that because the United States
illegally overthrew the Hawaiian monarchy in 1893, the United States
occupation of Hawaii is illegal and Hawaii is still an independent
kingdom. The 2021 Hawaiian Kingdom 50 Dala coin features the
bust of a Hawaiian Koa warrior, denomination and date on one side and a
map of Hawaii on the other. Unlike most coins the design is
incuse rather than raised. The 30mm coin contains 1/2 troy
ounce of .999 silver and is approximately 2.5mm thick. The
coin is hand struck, so each coin is slightly different. It
has a total mintage of just 97 pieces.
Item
HAWAII-21 HAWAII SILVER 50 DALA 2021 UNC.
$39.95
WARRIOR
ON COIN OF VARKANA

Varkana, also called Hyrcania is a
territory along the southeastern coast of the Caspian
Sea. The name Varkana is derived from Persian for
"Country of Wolves". It was a province in the Midian,
Akhe-menid, Seleucid and Parthian empires. In 72AD became an
independent kingdom with nominal allegiance to Parthia. This
unofficial 2022 10,000 Rials of Varkana features a fierce ancient
warrior on the reverse. A heraldic wolf is on the
obverse. The39mm, six-sided, silver-plated brass
Proof coin has a mintage of only 120 pieces.
Item
VARKANA VARKANA 10,000 RIALS 2022 PROOF $19.95
CELTIC STATE OF SCORDISK

The
Skordiski were an Iron Age Celtic tribe who were centered at at the
confluence of the Savus (Sava), Dravus (Drava), Margus (Morava) and
Danube rivers in what is now Serbia. By the second half the of the 3rd
century BC they became the most important power in the northern
Balkans. They built fortresses at Singidunum (the modern city
of Belgrade) and Taurun (the modern Zemun). At their peak they
controlled portions of present-day Serbia, Croatia, Bulgaria and
Romania. From 141BC they were constantly at war against
Roman-held Macedonia. Roman sources report that they had the custom of
drinking blood from hollow skulls and that they sacrificed captives to
their deities. They were defeated by the Romans in 15BC. This
unofficial 2022 5000 Dinara of the State of Scordisk features a fierce
Skordiski warrior on one side and the Serbian coat-of-arms supported by
two angels on the other. The eight-sided, 40mm, silver-plated
brass Proof coin has a mintage of only 120 pieces.
Item
SCORDISK STATE OF SCORDISK 5000 DINARA 2022
PROOF $19.95
MODERN COIN FOR DUBROVNIK REPUBLIC

This
odd-shaped, unofficial 3 Perpera was issued for the Dubrovnik Republic
in 2022. Dubrovnik, also known by its Latin name of
Ragusa,
was a
small, wealthy independent city-state until it was conquered by
Napoleon in 1806. Though it never relinquished its sovereignty, it was
given to the Hapsburgs following the defeat of Napoleon.
After World
War I it was incorporated into what became Yugoslavia. It
briefly
regained independence during the breakup of Yugoslavia before becoming
the southernmost portion of Croatia. The obverse of the silver-plated
brass coin features the arms of Dubrovnik and Saint Blaise as he
appeared on the flag of Ragusa. The reverse depicts Black
Swifts (Apus
apus) flying around old town Dubrovnik. The Proof coin has a
mintage
of only 150 pieces.
Item
DUBROVNIK DUBROVNIK REPUBLIC 3 PERPERA 2022
PROOF $19.95
Also see:
OLD SILVER COIN OF RAGUSA: SILVER
GROSETTO 1636-1761 KM5
COIN
OF FIUME

Fiume
gained autonomy for the first time in 1719 when it was proclaimed a
free port of the Holy Roman Empire. The port city was later
transferred to the Kingdom of Hungary, but given a special separate
status. After World War I its status was disputed between Italy,
Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (later Yugoslavia) and the Great
Powers (Great Britain, France and the United States). In 1919
it proclaimed itself the independent state of Italian Regency of
Carnaro (Reggenza Italiana del Carnaro) under a fascist government with
a plan unite with Italy. Under pressure of the Great Powers
Italy did not take control of the territory and it was proclaimed the
Free State of Fiume. Control of the city remained unstable,
with control passing between fascist, communists and nationalists until
1924 when the Treaty of Rome awarded the city to Italy.
Following World War II another attempt was made to set up an
independent free state, but instead it was incorporated into
Yugoslavia. Fiume is now the city of Rijeka in
Croatia. The obverse of the unofficial 2022 dated
200 Lire features the two-headed eagle symbol of the city, whose use
was forbidden by both the Italian and Yugoslavian
governments. The reverse features a statue of the Archangel
of Justice and the emblem of Regency of Carnaro depicting an
ouroboros. The 40mm silver-plated Proof coin has a mintage of
just 130 pieces.
Item
FIUME FIUME 200 LIRE 2022 PROOF $22.00
KNIGHT ON BRITTANY COIN

Brittany
is the northwest region of France. During the Middle Ages, Brittany was
a vassal duchy of France, while maintaining almost complete
independence. Control frequently passed between England and
France during their many wars. In 1963, the Brittany
Liberation Front was created, which began the struggle for the
independence of Brittany. The obverse of the unofficial 2022
dated Brittany 100 Franc coin features the previous arms of Brittany
surrounded by the arms of the bishoprics and regions of
Brittany: Leon, Tregor, Cornuay, the Vannes Rennes, Nantes, Dol,
Malouin and Penthievre. The reverse depicts a
knight on horseback with a dog and the Tanti tower. The 39mm
silver-plated Proof coin has a mintage of only 150 pieces.
Item
BRITTANY BRITTANY 100 FRANCS 2022 PROOF $22.00
ABYEI
COIN DEPICTS AFRICAN
WILDLIFE ON MAP OF AFRICA 

Abyei is a territory of some 4000
square miles (10,000 sq.km.) of desert located on the border of
Sudan
and South Sudan. Because it has rich oil deposits both nations claim
the territory. Under a peace agreement it was supposed to be
considered on an interim basis to be simultaneously part of both
nations until a referendum could be held. The referendum has
never held due to disputes over voter eligibility. The area
is currently under the control of United Nations Peacekeeping forces
from Ethiopia. The obverse of this unofficial 39mm 2020 dated
500 Franc
coin features the arms of Abyei, which includes elements of both the
Sudanese and South Sudanese arms. The reverse features a map
of Africa that depicts a rhinoceros, giraffe and lion. The
silver-plated Proof coin has a scalloped edge and a mintage of just 160.
Item
ABYEI ABYEI 500 FRANCS 2020
PROOF $22.00
LEBANESE LOLLAR
SATIRE NOTES

In
May 2022 a Lebanese group called “The Lebanese Transparency
Association – No Corruption” released a series of six satire notes
protesting the corruption and incompetence of the Lebanese government.
The notes are all labeled “The Currency of Corruption” in English and
Arabic. Lebanon used to be called the “Switzerland
of the Middle East”. It was the place to do business in the
Middle East and had a lively culture and night life. Elected
officials, more interested in their political party than their country
have destroyed the country, which is now near collapse.
Lollar is a term used to described U.S. dollars that were deposited in
Lebanese banks but now can only be withdrawn in Lebanese Livres at
highly unfavorable rates. Advertising agency Leo Burnett
partnered with acclaimed British artist Tom Young to create the notes.
The notes were available at special ATMs in various locations in
Beirut.
The notes are approximately the size of United States
currency.
The backs of all the notes depict a modified rendering of the Central
Bank building, showing it in ruins and labeled “The Lollar
Bank”.
The 1 Lollar note depicts a rusted train at the Tripoli Mina
station. The once prosperous rail system that linked Lebanon
to Europe has been inoperable since 1989 and left to rot, but the
government still spends millions to pay the wages of 300 employees of
the railway administration department. The 5 Lollar note
protests the fuel cartels. It depicts the endless queues at
gas stations that have blocked streets nationwide since
2021. The 10 Lollar notes depicts the garbage
crisis. Garbage has been piling up in the streets
in Beirut and elsewhere creating an environmental disaster.
The government signed sweetheart contracts with politically connected
companies to collect garbage. Some companies just dumped the
garbage into the ocean, others disappeared, those that remained reduced
or stopped collection when the government could no longer afford to pay
them. The 20 Lollar depicts a burning cedar forest.
The country spent millions of firefighting equipment, but did not
maintain it, so fires rage out of control. Neighboring
countries have stepped in to help the Lebanese army put out
fires. The 50 Lollar note protests power shortages. Despite
large government expenditures electricity is only available a few hours
a day if at all from the power grid. Local cartels which
obtain fuel under questionable circumstances operate generators selling
electricity at exorbitant rates. The 100 Lollar note depicts
the 2020 Beirut port explosion which killed over 200, left over 300,000
homeless and exposed the corruption and incompetence of port
officials. The set of six satire notes are not real
money, but are a real protest against of corruption of the Lebanese
government.
Item
PM-LOLLAR
LEBANON SET OF 6 SATIRE NOTES, 1 - 100 LOLLAR
UNC. $5.00
Item
PM-LOLLARx10
10 SETS OF THE ABOVE LEBANON SET OF 6 SATIRE
NOTES, 1-100 LOLLAR
UNC. $25.00
For real Lebanonese
currency see:
LEBANON
BANKNOTE & COIN SETS
AFRICAN
WILDLIFE ON 2021 AFAR COIN 

The Afar (Qafar) are an ethnic group of
some 2.5 million in the horn of Africa divided between Ethiopia,
Eritrea and Djibouti (formerly French Afars & Issas).
Since 1975 there have been a number of Afars revolutionary groups
seeking either an independent Afars or greater Afars
autonomy. This unofficial 2020 Afar 10 Dollar coin features a
lioness attacking an African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) on the
reverse. The obverse features the fierce head of a male lion.
The 8-sided, 40mm, silver plated coin has a mintage of only 190
pieces. It is an attractive coin from a little-known part of
Africa.
Item
AFAR AFAR 10 DOLLARS 2020 PROOF $22.00
ARARAT
REPUBLIC

The
Ararat Republic was an independent Armenian state proclaimed May 28,
1918 during the Russian revolution and the collapse of the Ottoman
Empire. It included most of the Kars region, the city of Van
and Mount
Ararat. In 1920, following the Turkish-Armenian War
and the invasion
by the Red Army the territory was divided between U.S.S.R. and
Turkey.
Mount Ararat and the cities of Kars and Van, all of which are of great
historical and cultural importance to Armenians were given to
Turkey.
The obverse of this unofficial 2021 dated 500 Dram of the Ararat
Republic includes the nation’s coat of arms. The reverse
features the
Church of the Twelve Apostles in Kars as it appeared in the early 20th
century, with Mount Ararat in the
background. The church was built during the 10th century as an Armenian
Apostolic Cathedral, then abandoned after the Seljuks conquered Kars in
1065. It was converted to a mosque in 1579 after Kars became part of
the Ottoman Empire. The Russians conquered Kars in 1877 and
converted
it into a Russian Orthodox Church. The Turks captured Kars in
1918 and
converted it back into a mosque. The Ararat (Armenian)
Republic gained
control of the city in 1919 and made it into an Armenian
Church. The
following year Turkey took control of Kars, briefly operated it as a
mosque before selling it to the municipality of Kars which planned to
demolish it. Luckily that never happened. In the
1950’s the city used
it as a petroleum depot. From 1964 to 1978 it was
the site of the
Kars museum. In 1993 it was again converted into a
mosque called
Kumbet Mosque. The five-sided silver-plated Proof coin is
37mm and has
a mintage of 145 pieces.
Item
ARARAT ARARAT REPUBLIC 500 DRAMS 2021 PROOF $19.95
BOUVET
ISLAND COIN FEATURES KILLER WHALES

Bouvet
Island is a small, remote, ice-covered island in the South Atlantic
that belongs to Norway. It was discovered in 1739 by
Jean-Baptiste Charles Bouvet de Lozier, after whom the island is
named. He mislabeled its coordinates, and so it was lost for
almost 70 years. Norway claimed the island in 1927. The first
accurate map of the island was not made until 1985. Today the island is
a nature reserve that houses a small research station that is inhabited
during the summer months. This unofficial 2021 dated 200
Kroner depicts a mother Killer Whale (Orca) and her calf. The
obverse includes the arms of Norway, denomination, date and a compass
rose. The silver-plated brass Proof coin has a mintage of
only 140 pieces.
Item
BOUVET BOUVET ISLAND 200 KRONER 2021 PROOF $19.95
THE
COLOSSUS OF RHODES

The
Colossus of Rhodes is featured on this unofficial 2021 500 Drachma of
Rhodes. The Colossus was a statue of the Greek sun god Helios
that was erected in 280BC at the mouth of the harbor of
Rhodes. It was some 108 feet(33m) high, approximately the
height of the Statue of Liberty from head to feet. It was one
of the seven ancient wonders of the world. It collapsed
during an earthquake in 226BC. The broken statue remained in
place until the Arab conquest of Rhodes in 653AD, and it was sold for
scrap metal. Rhodes is an island off the
coast of Turkey. In 1309, the Knights Hospitaller took over
the island and made it their headquarters until it was conquered by
Suleyman the Magnificent in 1522 after a long siege. Italy
seized the territory in 1912 and in 1947 it was united with
Greece. The obverse of the eight-sided
silver-plated brass Proof coin features the Rhodes coat of
arms. The coin has a mintage of only 145 pieces.
Item
RHODES RHODES 500 DRACHMAS 2021
PROOF $19.95
FLAMINGOS
ON COIN OF NUEVA ESPARTA

Nueva
Sparta is an archipelago of three islands located off the coast of
Venezuela: Margarita, Coche and Cubagua. They were discovered
in
1498 during the third voyage of Columbus. Rich
pearl
deposits were found on Cubagua and it was soon settled by Europeans
that exploited the pearls. By 1537, less than 40 years after
the
islands were discovered the oyster population had been decimated, the
pearl industry collapsed and the island largely abandoned. most of the
remaining residents moved to Margarita. Even today, Cubagua
remains largely uninhabited. The Spanish built a number of
forts
on islands to protect against French and English navies and
pirates. In 1816 Simon Bolivar proclaimed the Third Republic
of
Venezuelan and the Assembly of Notables recognized Bolivar as the
Supreme Chief in the Church of Santa Ana on Margarita. The
islands were given the name Nueva Esparta (New Sparta) because of the
heroism shown by the inhabitants during Venezuela’s war of
independence. resembled that of the Spartans of classical Greece. This
unofficial 2021 Nueva Sparta 500 Bolivars features the Nueva Sparta
arms on the obverse. The reverse features two flamingos and
cattleya flowers along with the denomination, date and the arms of
Venezuela. The six-sided silver-plated brass Proof coin has a
mintage of just 145 pieces.
Item
NUEVAESPARTA NUEVA ESPARTA 500 BOLIVARS
2021 PROOF $19.95
SAVAGE
ISLANDS COIN FEATURES BIRDS

The
Savage Islands, also known as the Selvagens or Salvage Islands is
an uninhabited archipelago belonging to Portugal midway between Madeira
and the Canary Islands. Since 1971 it has been a nature
reserve. This unofficial 8-sided 2022 Savage Islands 200
Escudos depicts two Pink Terns and a Madeira Lizard on one side and the
coat of arms on the other. The 40mm Proof silver-plated brass
coins have a mintage of just 145 pieces.
Item
SAVAGE SAVAGE ISLANDS 200 ESCUDOS 2022 PROOF $19.95
REINDEER
ON COIN OF THE REPUBLIC OF KARELIA

The Republic of Karelia is an
autonomous republic that remained part of
Russia after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. It was
originally formed in 1923 as part of the Soviet Union.
Between 1939 and 1944 Finland and the Soviet Union fought over Karelia
which resulted in Finland losing large portions of its Finnish Karelia
to the Soviet Union. This unofficial 2021 dated 50 Rubles of
the Republic of Karelia features two reindeer on one side and the arms
of Karelia on the other. The six-sided 39mm silver-plated
brass coin has a mintage of 170 pieces and is Proof.
Item
KARELIA KARELIA 50 RUBLES 2021 PROOF $19.95
WHALE ON
RECTANGULAR GALAPAGOS $8
COIN

A humpback
whale is
pictured this rectangular 8 dollar coin from the Galapagos
Islands. The coin is the first in a series of coins issued
for the isolated islands. The reverse features the arms of
the islands. The islands are famous for their wide array of
unusual wildlife. The Galapagos is a posession of Ecuador. Since 2000
the United States dollar has been Ecuador's official
currency, thus the coin is denominated in U.S. dollars. Like
most odd-ball coins, it is not meant to circulate, and it is not a
legal tender issue. The attractive and unusual coin is struck
in silver-plated brass. It has a mintage of only 3000
pieces.
Item
GALP-8U GALAPAGOS EIGHT DOLLARS, 2008
Br.X9 UNC. $19.50
Item
GALP-8T GALAPAGOS EIGHT DOLLARS, 2008
Br.X9 Heavily tarnished and spotted $7.00
NEW HAMPSHIRE,
NEVADA, UTAH & WYOMING GOLDBACK NOTES
Goldback Aurum notes are a voluntary local currency made of 24
karat gold! Each wafer-thin note is coated with a protective plastic
coating so it can be circulated without the gold tearing. They are
issued in increments of 1/1000 troy ounce of gold in order to allow for
small purchases. The 1 Goldback contains 1/1000 troy ounce of gold and
measures 66x117mm. The notes are printed on one side only,
with
intricate multi-color allegorical 19th century style designs.
The
notes of each state have unique designs. The New Hampishire 1 Goldback
portrays Gratia (Grace) depicted as native Abenaki woman. The
Nevada 1 Goldback features Caritas (charity). The Utah 1
Goldback features Prudentia (prudence) with elements of the Indian
tribes of that state. The Wyoming 1 Goldback note includes
Castle Rock near Green River, a bison, bald eagle and an Indian maiden
labeled "Reverentia".
Item
NH-GOLD1 NEW HAMPSHSIRE 1 GOLDBACK
NOTE
(1/1000 troy ounce
gold) UNC. $7.50
Item
NV-GOLD1 NEVADA 1 GOLDBACK NOTE
(1/1000 troy ounce
gold) UNC. $7.50
Item
UT-GOLD1 UTAH 1 GOLDBACK NOTE, 2020
(1/1000 troy ounce
gold) UNC. $7.50
Item
WY-GOLD1 WYOMING 1 GOLDBACK NOTE (1/1000
troy ounce
gold) UNC. $7.00
Item
GOLDBACK4 ALL 4 OF THE ABOVE GOLDBACK NOTES
UNC. $27.00
MODERN
COIN FOR ANCIENT NUBIA

Nubia is
a region along the Nile River spanning from the confluence of the Blue
and White Niles in Sudan to the First Cataract in southern
Egypt. In ancient times it was the home of powerful
Black kingdoms, some which conquered ancient Egypt and some were
conquered by Egypt. The obverse of this unofficial 2021
Nubian 5 Sudanese Pound coin features the name NUBIA, ancient
hieroglyphics and a Nubian emblem. The reverse depicts
ancient Nubian warrior, a Nubian pyramid and the arms of the Bank of
Sudan. The 39mm silver-plated a mintage of only 150
pieces.
Item
NUBIA NUBIA 5 POUNDS 2021 PROOF $19.95
SEMINOLE
INDIAN ON 2021
FLORIDA 20 DOLLAR COIN

A Seminole warrior holding a rifle and
a tomahawk is featured on this
six-sided unofficial Florida 20 Dollar coin. The obverse
features the historical Florida coat of arms. The historical
coat of arms includes a steamboat, female Indian, cocoa palm
and mountains (mountains in Florida?!) The
39mm silver-plated Proof coin is dated 2021 and has a mintage
of only 140 pieces.
Item
FL-20D FLORIDA 20 DOLLARS 2021 PROOF $19.95
OTTAWA INDIAN IN
CANOE ON 2021
MICHIGAN 20 DOLLAR COIN

This unofficial odd-shaped 2021 20
Dollar coin of Michigan featuers an Ottawa in a canoe. The
coat of arms of Michigan is on the obverse. The six-sided
coin measures 40mm x 30mm. The silver plated Proof coin has a
mintage of only 140 pieces.
Item
MI-20D MICHIGAN 20 DOLLARS 2021 PROOF $19.95
COINS
FROM THE WORLD'S MOST COMPLICATED INTERNATIONAL BORDER
Baarle-Hertog is a Belgian municipality that consists of 16
parcels of land, completely surrounded by the Netherlands.
Baarle-Nassau is a Dutch municipality that includes seven parcels that
are in turn surrounded by Baarle-Hertzog, and an eighth parcel
surrounded by Belgium. The complex border results from
numerous Medieval treaties, land-swaps and sales between the Lords of
Breda and
the Dukes of Brabant dating back to the 12th century. The
border was
only finally officially defined in 1995. Some buildings straddle both
nations. The nationality of a building is determined by the location of
its front door. Building owners have been known to move their
front
door, when it was advantageous to change nationalities. Prior
to the
formation of the European Union this strange border provided
opportunities for smuggling. Today it is a tourist
attraction.
Unofficial 2021 dated silver-plated Proof coins were recently issued
for these two territories. The Baarle-Hetzog 250 Franc coin
features
the arms of Belgium and a Brussels griffon dog. The
Baarle-Nassau 250
Guilder depicts a Netherlands Kooikerhondje. Only 140 pieces
of each
were struck.
Item
B-HERTZOG BAARLE-HERTZOG 250 FRANCS 2021
PROOF out
Item
B-NASSAU BAARLE-NASSAU 250 GUILDERS 2021
PROOF
$19.95
CASTLES AND
BEETLES OF
LIECHTENSTEIN

Two unofficial 2021 Liechtenstein coins featuring historic castles of
the House of Liechtenstein and native species of beetles (or perhaps
the castles are infested with beetles) have been released.
The House of Lichtenstein was a wealthy Austrian family with extensive
holdings in central Europe. In the late 17th and early 18th
century the family purchased what is now the Principality of
Liechtenstein in order to gain the prestige and power having a seat in
the Imperial Diet (Reichstag) and being a member state of the Holy
Roman Empire. Until World War II the ruling family rarely
visited Liechtenstein, instead lived in their castles in what is now
the Czech Republic. In 1939 Nazi Germany seized their castles
and land and the family fled to Liechtenstein. Their property
was nationalized by the communists following World War II.
Today the castles are museums and are UNESCO world heritage
sites. Valtice Castle was founded in the 12th century and
extensively updated in the 17th and 18th centuries. Lednice
Castle is one of the most beautiful examples of English-Neo Gothic
architecture in the world. 100 Franc coins were made
featuring each castle. A Rhinoceros beetle is on the coin
depicting the Valtice castle. A Stag beetle is on the coin
depicting the Lednice castle. The obverse of each coin
depicts the castle's coat of arms. The eight-sided silver-plated Proof
coins have a mintage of only 160 pieces each.
Item
LI-VAITICE LIECHTENSTEIN 100 FRANCS 2021
VALTICE CASTLE - RHINO BEETLE PROOF
$22.00
Item
LI-LEDNICE LIECHTENSTEIN 100 FRANCS 2021
LEDNICE CASTLE -
STAG BEETLE PROOF OUT
PIEGAN
BLACKFOOT INDIAN ON MONTANA
COIN
A
dramatic image of a Piegan Indian hunting
buffalo is featured on this unofficial Montana 20 Dollar
coin. The hunter wears a buffalo head dress in order to blend
in with the heard is shooting an arrow while holding another arrow in
his mouth. The traditional Piegan homelands were divided
between the United States and Canada. Those on the United States side
became part of the Blackfoot Nation and settled on the Blackfoot
reservation in Montana. Those on the Canadian side became
part of the Piikani Nation in Alberta. The odd-shaped 2020
dated coin features a star and the Montana coat of arms on the
obverse. The silver-plated Proof coin is 40mm x 30mm
and has a mintage of only 160 pieces.
Item
MONTANA MONTANA 20 DOLLARS 2020
PROOF $19.95
Also see:
INDIANS FEATURED ON 2020 LOW MINTAGE 20 DOLLAR
COINS OF ARIZONA, DAKOTA, DELAWARE & WYOMING
CAMERIA
COIN FEATURES SNAKE EAGLE
Cameria
(Chameria) is a region of southern Albania and north-western Greece
bordering the Ionian Sea. The Chams were primarily a Muslim
ethnic group. During the first half of the 20th century most
Chams in Greece were expelled, emegrated or assimilated into Greek
culture. The Democratic Foundation of Chameria, a
pro=indepenence movement, was founded in 2006 in Hague,
Netherlands. The organization seems to have disappeared in
2019, after the murder of its chair and disputes over the goals of the
organization. The 2020 dated 500 Leke Proof coin depicts a
Short-toed snake eagle (Circaetus gallicus) holding a snake in its
talons one side. The other side has the arms of Cameria. The
six-sided silver-plated Proof coin is 39mm and has a mintage of only
160 pieces.
Item
CAMERIA CAMERIA 500 LEKE 2020 PROOF $19.95
INDIANS
FEATURED ON LOW MINTAGE STATE 20 DOLLAR COINS
Unofficial odd-shaped state 20 Dollar coins featuring American Indians
were recently minted by a Russian coin dealer. The attractive
and artistic silver-plated coins have a mintage of only 160 pieces
each. Each coin depicts Native Americans from
tribes of that state. The six-sided 39mm Arizona coin depicts
an Elk on the obverse and Navaho dancer on the
reverse.
The Dakota issue is a five-sided, 36mm coin depicting a standing Dakota
Indian with a deer in the background. The obverse depicts the
American Eagle emblem from the flag of North Dakota. The
Delaware issue depicts two Indians armed with rifles and a war club on
one side and the Delaware coat of arms on the other. The
eight-sided coin is 40mm. The eight-sided 40mm Wyoming coin depicts the
state seal on the obverse and two Indians and their horses on the
reverse. All four coins are dated 2020.
The silver-plated Proof coins have a mintage of only 160
pieces each.
Item
AZ-20D ARIZONA 20 DOLLARS 2020 PROOF $19.95
Item
DAKOTA-20D DAKOTA 20 DOLLARS 2020 PROOF $19.95
Item
DE-20D DELAWARE 20 DOLLARS 2020 PROOF $19.95
Item
WY-20D WYOMING 20 DOLLARS 2020 PROOF $19.95
Also see:
PIEGAN BLACKFOOT INDIAN ON MONTANA COIN: 20
Dollars 2020
COINS OF AMERICAN
INDIAN NATIONS
2014
CRIMEA COIN SET

The conflict between Ukraine and Russia over control of Crimea
goes back many years. In 1783 Catherine the Great made Crimea
part of the Russian Empire. During the Russian civil war the
region declared independence and passed between Bolshevik and White
Government forces several times, accompanied by a massive slaughter of
civilians. In 1921 it was made an autonomous republic within
Russia. Greeks, Armenians and Bulgarians living in Crimea
were forced to leave. During World War II the area
came under German control and the sizeable Jewish population was
annihilated. After the Soviets regained control the entire
population of Crimean Tatars, who had at one time made up a majority of
the region, were forcibly deported. Russian families were
settled in Crimea to replace them. In 1954 Crimea was
transferred from Russia to Ukraine. At the time it made
little difference, since both were part of the Soviet
Union. After the breakup of the Soviet Union in
1991 Crimea became part of Ukraine. Russia found its Black
Sea fleet and other military installations now located in independent
Ukraine rather on its own soil. A majority of the population
of Crimea is Russian, as most other ethnic groups had been “cleansed”
from the area. In February 2014 pro-Russian forces,
supported by Moscow, took control over Crimea. A quickly called
referendum was held on March 16, with a vast majority voting to join
Russia. On March 17 the newly created Crimean parliament
declared independence from Ukraine, and on the following day, Crimea
officially became part of Russia. The transfer has not been
widely recognized. This unofficial four coin set of
Crimea includes the 5, 10, 25 and 100 Rubles. The 25 and 100
Rubles are bi-metallic. The designs of the 5 and 25 Rubles
feature voting, while the 10 and 100 Rubles depict a fist.
The reverse of the all the coins feature the Arms of Crimea.
CRIMEA
CRIMEA 2014 5, 10, 25 & 100 RUBLES,
UNC. $39.75
RARE ODD DENOMINATION
ARAUCANIA-PATAGONIA COINS AND PATTERNS
These 2014 dated Araucania-Patagonia 87 Pesos coins were
issued to commemorate the 87 years of the life of the Prince Felipe,
who died in 2014. The reverse bears the
inscription in Spanish "
To
the memory of Prince Felipe / 1921 * 2014".
Unfortunately due to an engraving error, the birth date was
wrong on the initial batch of coins The correct date is 1927
rather than 1921.
Only 25 nickel-silver versions of the coin were struck, along with 15
of the copper Patterns and 15 of the gold plated Patterns with the
error date. The minting was then stopped and a new reverse
die
ordered. The corrected version has the dates "1927 *** 2014"
and
was struck in nickel-silver, copper and gold-plated. Only 87
of each of the correct versions of the coins were struck. The coins all
utilize the same obverse, depicting Prince Felipe.
The Patterns
utilize the obverse of Maision de Frappe Fleure de Coin, a private mint
in Quebec. They are all extraordinarily rare pieces
that had very limited distribution.
Item
AP-87ERR ARAUCANIA-PATAGONIA 87 PESOS 2014
ERROR DATE COIN, MATTE UNC.
$75.00
Item
AP-87COP ARAUCANIA-PATAGONIA 87 PESOS
2014 CORRECT DATE, COPPER PROOF
$45.00
VITEBSK
PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC FEATURES LENIN
Vitebsk
is the northern region of Belarus, bordering Russia, Latvia and
Lithuania. Recently Russia has been circulating the idea of creating
the Vitebsk People's Republic, which would be a puppet state of Moscow
rather than part of Belarus. Shortly there after an
unofficial coin for the Vitebsk People's Republic was issued by a
Russian coin dealer. The 2020 dated 20 Rubles commemorates
the 150th Anniversary of the birth of Lenin. One side of the
silver-plated Proof coin depicts the bust of Lenin. The other
side depicts the coat of arms in red and gold. The
odd-shaped coin measures 40x30mm and has a mintage of only 140 pieces.
Item
VITEBSK
VITEBSK PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC 20 RUBLES 2020 PROOF $19.95
CALIFORNIA
REPUBLIC COINS
A
movement to create California as an independent nation has been active
for some years. The movement is headed by a New Yorker living in
Russia. It appears most its funding is from Russia and social media
support from both Russia and Iran. The movement has
found little backing within the state, (though there are probably some
conservatives who would be happy to see California leave the
Union.) Recently a Russian coin dealer created two beautiful
coins for the California Republic. Both coins are denominated as 20
California Dollars and are dated 2020. They are 40mm
eight-sided, silver plated Proof coins. One depicts a Bobcat
and her kitten in Yosemite Valley. The other features Minerva
and sailing ships. The design is from the state
seal. The reverses of both coins depict a Grizzly Bear and
the words "CALIFORNIA REPUBLIC". The design comes from the California
State Flag. The Bear Flag Republic design is based on a flag
used in the 1846 revolt against Mexico. Each coin
has a mintage of only 160 pieces.
Item
CAL-YOSEMITE
CALIFORNIA REPUBLIC 20 DOLLARS
2020 BOBCAT-YOSEMITE PROOF
$19.95
Item
CAL-MINERVA
CALIFORNIA REPUBLIC 20
DOLLARS 2020 MINERVA & SHIPS PROOF
$19.95
Item
CAL-BOTH
BOTH OF THE ABOVE CALIFORNIA
REPUBLIC COINS PROOF
$39.50
KNIGHTS
OF
MALTA COIN SET SAINT POPE JOHN
PAUL II
The ministry of Saint Pope John Paul II is
commemorated in thei 5
coin set issuedby the Sovereign Hospitaler Order of Malta.
The
Sovereign Hospitaller Order of Malta is an independent branch of of the
Knights of Malta, which traces its origins back to the Eleventh Century
when it cared for sick and poor pilgrims to the Holy Land.
The set
includes five 24.25mm copper-nickel 1 Lire coins in an attractive red
folder. The coins were struck shortly after the Pope's death in
2005.
The designs of the coins depict "Portrait of John Paul II",
"Becoming
the Pope", "Insignias of the Pope", "Arrival of the Pope in
Poland",
and "Praying at the Wailing Wall". The reverses feature the
arms of
the Order, date and denomination.
Item
MALTA-POPE
ORDER OF MALTA 2005 5
COIN SET, Br.X321-325 UNC.
$19.95
Also see:
BOOK: THE
COINS
OF THE GRAND MASTERS OF THE ORDER OF MALTA
by Robert Morris
AFRICAN PENGUINS ON
PRINCE EDWARD
ISLANDS COIN
A
pair of diving African penguins (Spheniscus demersus) are on this
unofficial 2020 20 Rand coin of the Prince Edward Islands of South
Africa. (Not to be confused with Prince Edward Island of
Canada).
The obverse of this six-sided coin features the arms of the
islands. The Prince Edward Islands are two islands
belonging to South Africa located 1,099 miles (1,769 km.) south-east of
Port Elizabeth. The islands are a Special Nature Reserve and are
uninhabited except for visiting scientists. The islands were
often visited by seal hunters in the 19th century, until the seal
population was nearly eradicated. The sealers accidentally
introduced mice, whose population quickly multiplied and threatened the
bird population. In 1949 cats were introduced to control the
mice
population. The cats controlled the mice, but the cat
population
soared and then the birds became threatened by the cats. A
cat
eradication program was implemented by introducing cats infected with a
deadly feline virus. Any remaining cats were shot or trapped.
With the cats gone the mouse population again soared, and the bird
population was once again threatened. Recently a new mouse
eradication program was implemented. The silver-plated Proof
coin
has a mintage of just 160.
Item
PEI-20R
PRINCE EDWARD ISLANDS 20 RAND 2020
PENGUINS PROOF
$19.95
MINOTAUR ON 2020 CRETE COIN
In Greek mythology the Minotaur as a
creature that was part man, part bull. It was contained the
elaborate and confusing Labyrinth on Crete. The Minotaur is
featured on the reverse of this unofficial five-sided 500 Drachmai of
Crete. The obverse features the coat of arms of
Crete. The silver-plated Proof coin is 36mm and has a mintage
of just 160 pieces.
Item
CRETE
CRETE 500 DRACHMAI 2020 PROOF
$19.95
GOLIATH HERON ON COIN
OF DAHLAC
Dahlac is an archipelago of over 100
islands located in the Red Sea, only four of which are permanently
inhabited. It has a population of about 2500. In Roman times
it was
famous for its pearls. Even today it still has a small pearl diving
industry. Over the centuries it has been used as a prison and a major
conduit of trade and slaves between Africa and Arabia.
Recently it has
become a popular destination for yacht cruising and scuba
divers. It is
currently controlled by Eritrea. This unofficial six-sided
2020 50
Nafka coin of Dahlac depicts a Goliath Heron on the reverse.
The large
bird can reach up to 5 feet (152cm) and have a 7.5 foot (230cm)
wingspan. The emblem of Dahlac featuring a camel is on the
obverse.
The silver-plated Proof coin has a mintage of only 160 pieces.
Item
DAHLAC DAHLAC
50 NAFKA 2020 PROOF $19.95
JAMMU &
KASHMIR COIN DEPICTS
KASHMIR DEER
Jammu
and Kashmir is a disputed region with portions controlled by India,
Pakistan and China.
Kashmir
was an independent
kingdom until it was conquered by the Mughals in 1586. After India and
Pakistan gained independence the region was divided between them with
the northern most portion going to China. Since then the
three
nations have fought multiple wars over the territory. Many
residents would prefer Kashmir to be an independent nation rather than
being divided between the warring parties. This
unofficial
2020 dated silver-plated Proof 200 Rupee coin of Jammu and Kashmir
features a Kashmir Stag (also called a hangul) on one side and the arms
of Jammu and Kashmir on the other. The coin has a mintage of only 160
pieces.
Item
KASHMIR200 JAMMU
& KASHMIR 200 RUPEES
2020 PROOF
$19.95
ROTUMA COIN FEATURES
NATIVE BIRD
Rotuma
is an island controlled by Fiji that is located some 400 miles (645km)
north of Fiji. It has approximately 1600 inhabitants which
have a
distinct language and culture from Fiji. In 1987 a
part-Rotuman man
named Henry Gibson proclaimed the independence of Rotuma and declared
himself king of the Republic of Rotuma. (I am not sure how
one can be
the king of a republic). The independence movement seems to
have died
out soon thereafter. In 2020 an unofficial coin was struck
for
Rotuma. The 39mm scalloped 50 Pa'atuna coin depicts a Rotuma
myzomela
bird (Myzomela chermesina). The other side depicts the arms
of Rotuma.
The Proof coin has a mintage of just 160 pieces.
Item
ROTUMA ROTUMA
50 PA'ATUNA 2020 PROOF
$19.95
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
SCARCE
BI-METALLIC
COINS
OF SAHRAWI


The
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, also known as Sahraui, 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 SAHRAWI
500 PESETAS 2004 FENNEC FOXES
Br.X51 UNC. $15.00
Item
EH-IND SAHRAWI
500 PESETAS 2004 INDEPENDENCE
Br.X52 UNC. $15.00
SAHRAWI
ARAB DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC 2010 BI-METALLIC HONORS ARAB CULTURE 
This
2010 dated bi-metal 500 Peseta coin of the Sahrawi 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
SAHRAWI 500 PESETAS 2010 BIMETAL
UNC.
$9.75
SAIPAN
HONORS WORLD WAR II BATTLE
Saipan
is now part of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
Islands. In World War II it was the site of one of the
bloodiest and most strategic battles in the Pacific. Saipan
was Japanese territory and one of the last line of defenses before the
homeland. An estimated 29,000 Japanese soldiers and 20,000 civilians
died trying to defend the island. 3,426 Americans died and 10,364 were
wounded. The loss of Saipan was a major blow to Japan.
American B-29 bombers were now within striking range of mainland Japan
and the Philippines. The obverse unofficial 2019 Saipan 5
Dollar coin depicts the emblem of the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana
Islands. The reverse features a Marine in front of a waving
American flag and the dates of the Battle of
Saipan. The 40mm eight-sided silver-plated Proof
coin has a mintage of only 210 pieces.
Item
SAIPAN
SAIPAN 5 DOLLARS 2019 PROOF
$22.00
MODERN
COINS OF KURDISTAN
The Kurds are an
ethnic group divided between Iraq, Turkey and Syria.
Their attempts to establish a Kurdish nation have been repeatedly
thwarted by outside powers. In 2003, after the fall of Saddam Hussein
in Iraq, overseas Kurdish groups authorized the issuance of coins for
what they expected would be their new independent nation.
Because of objections from neighboring Turkey, the United States did
not allow the establishment of Kurdistan. Though the Kurds greatly
assisted the United States by providing ground forces to fight ISIS in
Syria and Iraq, in 2019 the United States again betrayed by withdrawing
United States troops and abandoning them to Turkish and Russian
forces.
The 2003 1 Dinar depicts the
most famous Kurd of all time: Saladin. He is depicted on
horseback carrying a modern Kurdish flag. Saladin founded the powerful
Ayyubid Dynasty in 1169. His diplomatic skills, backed by
well-disciplined army enabled him to gain control of Egypt, Palestine
and Syria from Islamic as well as Christian opponents. Even
his opponents admired him for his chivalry, justice and piety. The
27.4mm coin is struck in bronze-plated zinc.
The 2003 10 Dinar depicts a fallow deer. The 39mm coin is
struck in copper-nickel.
A new series was struck in 2006 including 50, 250, 500, 1000 and 2500
Dinars coins. The brass 50 Dinars pictures a European Grey
Heron. The eight-sided copper-nickel 250 Dinars shows a Eurasian
Lynx. The copper-nickel 500 Dinar shows a wild
goat. The 1000 Dinar shows Mustafa Barzani, a charismatic
Kurdish leader. The 2500 Dinar is an unusual square
bi-metallic coin with a copper outer ring and a brass inner
plug. It features an oil refinery in Kirkuk.
The reverses of all the coins depicts the
Kurdish emblem featuring the sun rising over three
mountains.
Item
KURD1 KURDISTAN
1 DINAR 2003 Br.X1.2 UNC.
$7.50
Item
KURD10 KURDISTAN
10 DINARS 2003 FALLOW DEER
Br.X2.2 UNC.
$10.00
Item
KURD-SET5 KURDISTAN
5 COIN SET 50-2500 DINARS
2006 UNC.
$19.75
Item
KURD-2500D KURDISTAN BI-METALLIC SQUARE 2500
DINARS 2006 from the above set UNC.
$9.00
MAUI TRADE
DOLLARS
Maui is one of the most popular tourist destinations of the Hawaiian
Islands. It is famous for its beach resorts, quaint towns,
diverse geography and outdoor activities. Beginning in 1992 Maui Trade
Dollar Association began annually issuing a 39mm copper-nickel "Trade
Dollar". The attractive designs featured native wildlife or
culture. The coins could be spent at participating Maui merchants
during the year in which they were issued. They quickly
became a popular collectible with both tourists and
numismatists. Until 2008 the coin had a face value of 1
Dollar. The issues from 2008 to 2017 issues had a
face value of 2 Dollars. In 2018 new management took over the
Maui Trade Dollar Association, removed face value of the coins and
ended up killing what had been a successful program. They are beautiful coins from a
beautiful island.
Item
MAUI18
MAUI 2018 TRADE DOLLAR, WHALE
& ROCK DIVER BU $6.00
Item
MAUI18x20
ROLL OF 20 MAUI 2018 TRADE DOLLAR COINS,
BU $75.00
Item
MAUI17
MAUI 2017 TRADE 2 DOLLAR, OWL BU $6.00
Item
MAUI17x20
ROLL OF 20 MAUI 2017 TRADE 2 DOLLAR COINS,
BU $75.00
Item
MAUI16
MAUI 2016 TRADE 2 DOLLAR, HUMPBACK WHALE BU $6.00
Item
MAUI15
MAUI 2015 TRADE 2 DOLLAR, SURFER AND DOLPHIN BU $6.00
Item
MAUI15x20
ROLL OF 20 MAUI 2015 TRADE 2 DOLLAR BU $75.00
Item
MAUI14
MAUI 2014 TRADE 2 DOLLAR, TIKI BU $6.00
Item
MAUI14x20
ROLL OF 20 MAUI 2014 TRADE 2 DOLLAR COINS,
BU $75.00
Item
MAUI04
MAUI 2004 TRADE DOLLAR, TURTLE & FISH UNC.
$6.00
Item
MAUI03
MAUI 2003 TRADE DOLLAR, DOLPHIN & SEAL UNC.
$6.00
Item
MAUI97
MAUI 1997 TRADE DOLLAR, 3 WHALES UNC.
$6.00
Item
MAUI96
MAUI 1996 TRADE DOLLAR, PARROTT UNC.
$6.00
UNUSUAL
MULTI-COLOR COINS FROM CORAL SEA REEFS
Bougainville Reef and Flora Reef are Australian territories in the
Coral Sea. They are popular with divers and recreational
fishermen. Bougainville Reef is the home of an unmanned
lighthouse and weather station. Flora Reef is a 4.6 sq. mile
(12 sq.km.) submerged atoll. Unofficial 10 Dollar coins were
issued for these uninhabited locations dated 2017. Both are
multi-color quarter circle wedge shaped coins. A laced moray
eel (Gymnothorax favagineus) in depicted on the Bougainville
coin. The Flora Reef coin features a blue-girdled angelfish
(Pomacanthus navarchus). The obverses of the coins depicts
Queen Elizabeth The odd-shaped silver-plated Proof coins are
46mm x 34mm and has a mintage of only 200 pieces each.
Item
BOUGAINVILLE BOUGAINVILLE REEF 10 DOLLARS
2017, LACED MORAY EEL, PROOF
$22.00
Item
CORINGA CORINGA ISLETS 10 DOLLARS
2017, LONGNOSE BUTTERFLYFISH PROOF
$22.00
Item
FLORA FLORA REEF 10 DOLLARS 2017,
BLUE-GIRDLED ANGELFISH
PROOF $22.00
VERY
RARE RUSSIAN IMPERIAL UNION ORDER PRESENTATION COINS
The Russian Imperial Union Order was founded in Paris in 1929 by a
group of Russian exiles in order to promote the legitimate line of the
Russian Czar and re-establish Russia as a monarchy. In 1989
it struck a 1 Ruble to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the
organization. The obverse depicts the emblem of the order: the Czarist
eagle with a sword. The inscriptions translate as: "Russian Imperial
Union-Order", "For the Faith, the Czar and the
Fatherland",
"1929-1989",
"60 years of struggle"
and "We are Russian, God
is with
us". The reverse depicts the portrait of Czar Nicholas II
with
inscriptions: "1894-1917"
(the dates of his reign), "Only
National
Assembly will choose the worthy successor" and the
denomination
"Ruble".
The coins are 38.25mm in diameters. Examples struck
in copper, silver and gold were sold to supporters and the public as a
fundraiser. In addition 60 pieces were struck in
copper-nickel with an antiqued finish and 28 Essais were struck in
antiqued bronze for presentation purposes. The Essai features the
czarist eagle obverse on one side and the word Essai in Russian on the
other. These rare presentation coins have not been
available to the public until now.
Item
RIUO-1R RUSSIAN IMPERIAL UNION ORDER 1 RUBLE
1989
Copper-Nickel $80.00
Item
RIUO-ESSAI RUSSIAN IMPERIAL UNION ORDER
ESSAI 1989, Bronze $80.00
RARE ODD DENOMINATION
ARAUCANIA-PATAGONIA0 COINS AND PATTERNS
These 2014 dated Araucania-Patagonia 87 Pesos coins were
issued to commemorate the 87 years of the life of the Prince Felipe,
who died in 2014. The reverse bears the
inscription in Spanish "To
the memory of Prince Felipe / 1921 * 2014".
Unfortunately due to an engraving error, the birth date was
wrong on the initial batch of coins The correct date is 1927
rather than 1921.
Only 25 nickel-silver versions of the coin were struck, along with 15
of the copper Patterns and 15 of the gold plated Patterns with the
error date. The minting was then stopped and a new reverse
die
ordered. The corrected version has the dates "1927 *** 2014"
and
was struck in nickel-silver, copper and gold-plated. Only 87
of each of the correct versions of the coins were struck. The coins all
utilize the same obverse, depicting Prince Felipe.
The Patterns
utilize the obverse of Maision de Frappe Fleure de Coin, a private mint
in Quebec. They are all extraordinarily rare pieces
that had very limited distribution.
Item
AP-87ERR ARAUCANIA-PATAGONIA 87 PESOS 2014
ERROR DATE COIN, MATTE UNC.
$75.00
Item
AP-PAT87-COP ARAUCANIA-PATAGONIA 87 PESOS
2014 COPPER ERROR DATE PATTERN,
MATTE UNC.
$80.00
Item
AP-PAT87-GOLD ARAUCANIA-PATAGONIA 87 PESOS
2014 GOLD PLATED ERROR DATE
PATTERN, MATTE UNC.
$85.00
Item
AP-87NS ARAUCANIA-PATAGONIA 87 PESOS
2014 CORRECT DATE, NICKEL-SILVER PROOF
$40.00
Item
AP-87COP ARAUCANIA-PATAGONIA 87 PESOS
2014 CORRECT DATE, COPPER PROOF
$45.00
Item
AP-87GLD ARAUCANIA-PATAGONIA 87 PESOS
2014 CORRECT DATE, GOLD-PLATED PROOF
$50.00
KING
CHARLES III ON COIN
FOR SCOTLAND
The
outline of the head of King Charles III is featured on this
undated, multi-colored
unofficial pattern 2 Pound coin was issued
for Scotland. One side of the coins depicts
the outline of the
bust
of Charles wearing the royal crown. His royal cipher and the arms of
Scotland are in color. The other side depicts a Scottish
thistle and a Golden Eagle in color. The 40mm
coins are struck on silver plated brass with Proof finish.
Only 250 pieces were minted.
Item
SCOT2 SCOTLAND 2 POUNDS COIN (2016) PROOF $24.00
COIN
OF MIDDLE EARTH - THE MOURIA AXE OF DURIN
This copper coin is
based on the fictional works of J. R. R. Tolkien,
author of THE LORD OF
THE RINGS and THE
HOBBIT. The Great Halls and
Mines of Mouria were built
by Durin (Duriun), leader of the Dwarves, late in the First
Age. This large copper coin bears the dour and bearded
profile of Durin himself on the obverse, along with the Dwarfish
Angerthaus inscription "Durin Turgul Khauzaddhum" which translates as
"Duruin Lord of Mouria". On reverse below the double-bitted axe blade
are the letters "BK" which are thought to represent "Bauruk Khauzad",
meaning "Axes of the Dwarves". These coins would have been
small change to the Dwarves... possibly enough to buy a half-pint of
ale. The coin weighs
about 9 grams of pure copper, and is struck on a "button blank" meaning
that it is not punched from sheet metal, but rather cold-forged with a
50 ton hammer from a small thick metal button. The result is a slightly
off-round but thoroughly antique look. It has a mintage of
2000 pieces.
Item
Item DURIN MOURIA COPPER AXE OF DURIN
(Br.X1)
$8.00
COLUMBUS ON ST. CROIX,
VIRGIN ISLANDS DOLLAR
Christopher
Columbus and one of his ships is depicted on this unofficial 2015 dated
1 Dollar coin from St. Croix. Columbus landed on the island
in November 1493 and was attacked by the native Caribs
(Kalinagos). Over the years ownership of the island passed
between Spain, the Netherlands, the Knights of Malta, Great Britain,
France and Denmark. Denmark sold it, along with St. Thomas
and St. John to the United States in 1916, during World War
I. Today it is part of the United States Virgin
Islands. The obverse of the coin features
a Bananaquit bird, the state bird of the U.S. Virgin Islands, perched
on the letters “SC”. Below is the original Spanish name for
the Virgin Islands. The 40mm Proof coin is struck
on silver plated brass and has a mintage of just 250 pieces.
Item
CROIX ST. CROIX 1 DOLLAR 2015, COLUMBUS PROOF
$22.00
CARIB INDIANS ON ST.
JOHN, VIRGIN
ISLANDS DOLLAR
Saint
John is the smallest of the three main United States Virgin
Islands. Approximately 60% is a National Park. This
unofficial 2015 1 Dollar coin of St. John depicts two native Island
Caribs on the reverse. In the 18th Century Denmark
established sugar plantations on the island and enslaved the Caribs to
work on the plantations. The native population was quickly
decimated by diseases. In 1917 Denmark sold the islands to
the United States. The obverse features a Bananaquit bird,
the state bird of the U.S. Virgin Islands, perched on the letters
“SJ”. Below is the original Spanish name for the Virgin
Islands: Islas Santa Ursla Y Once Mil Virgenes (Islands of St. Ursla
and Eleven Thousand Virgins). The 40mm Proof coin is struck on silver
plated brass and has a mintage of only 250 pieces.
Item
JOHN ST. JOHN 1 DOLLAR 2015, CARIBS
PROOF
$22.00
BI-METALLIC
COIN FROM THE STATE OF NUMISMA
The
State of Numisma is a micro-nation created by Russian coin dealer
Vladimir Startsev. Numisma recently issued this 2015 dated
bi-metallic 50 Numismaru to commemorate his and his wife’s 50th
birthdays. An outline of their conjoined busts is on the
obverse of the coin. The reverse has a map of the world, the
Moscow Mint mintmark and the inscriptions "STATE OF NUMISMA"
and "UNUSUAL
AS ORDINARY". The 27mm coin is Proof and comes
in a capsule. Only 200 pieces were struck.
Item
NUMISMA NUMISMA 50 NUMISMARU, 2015 PROOF
$25.00
THE
AMERICAN SILVER 5 DIRHAM
The
American silver 5 Dirham is modern hard currency token based on ancient
Islamic standards. In the late 7th century Umayyad Caliph set
standard for 1 silver Dirham to be the the weight of 50 grains of
barley. Recently various Islamic organizations have attempted
to revive this ancient standard for a modern precious metal based
currency. An Islamic organization in the United States
recently issued a 5 Dirham coin based on the ancient
standard. The coin 30mm is struck in .999 fine silver and
contains 14.875 grams of silver. One side
depicts the Kaaba and Masjid Al-Haram in Mecca. The
other has a
design that features stars and stripes and the words Peace in Hebrew,
Arabic and English, The coin is dated 1436AH, which
corresponds to 2014-2015AD. The coin was struck in the United States
for distribution to Muslims throughout the world. It is an
unusual American coin struck to an ancient and international standard.
Item
US-5DIRHAM AMERICAN SILVER 5 DIRHAM, AH1436
(2014AD) BU
$29.75
COINS OF
WIKINGLAND
The Principality of Wikingland was founded in 1977 by Swedish resident
Reinhold Wendling, who called himself Prince Reinhold I. His
plan was to create a libertarian state on man-made islands in the North
Sea or Baltic Sea, by adding landfill to shallow sandbanks, raising
them above sea level. The capital, Vahalla, would be covered
by a giant Plexiglas dome in order to assure pleasant weather all year
around. The plan never got very far, probably due to its
enormous expense. However Wikingland did issue coins, stamps
and passports. The following coins of Wikingland date from
the 1980’s and 1990’s. They have a common obverse which has the
Prince’s title, a large “R1” for Reinhold I and the denomination: 10
Wiking Mark. All are 38.6mm in diameter, struck in
nickel-silver with an antique finish and have a reeded edge.
The 1993 issue depicts Thor’s hammer and is struck in
high relief. It has a mintage of only 300 pieces. The regular
1994 issues feature a stylized Yggdrasil and the 24 runes of the Elder
Futhark alphabet. In Norse mythology the Yggdrasil is the
Tree of Life that binds heaven, earth and hell together.
Elder Futhark is the oldest form of Runic. It was used
between about the 2nd and 8th Centuries. There are two
versions of the coin, one with the date Runic Year 2244 to the right of
the Yggdrasil. It has a mintage of just 250 pieces.
There is also an error version without the date. Only 44 pieces of the
error version were struck. The 1995 issue depicts the 28
runes of Anglo-Saxon Futhorc, which was the first alphabet of the
English language. It is dated Runic Year
2245. The 1996 issue depicts a stylized Viking ship
and the 16 runes of Younger Futhark, also called Danish Furthark or
Norse Furthark. It was use during most of the Viking period,
from about the 8th to 12th Centuries. With the
Christianization of Scandinavia it was gradually replaced by the Latin
alphabet. The coin is not dated. It has a mintage
of 250 pieces. It is a fascinating series coins for a new,
yet to be built Scandinavian society using elements from the old Viking
society.
Item
WIK-93 WIKINGLAND 10 WIKING MARK 1993 THOR’S
HAMMER
$55.00
Item
WIK-94 WIKINGLAND 10 WIKING MARK YEAR
2244 (1994) WITH DATE
$45.00
Item
WIK-94E WIKINGLAND 10 WIKING MARK (1994)
WITHOUT
DATE
$55.00
Item
WIK-95 WIKINGLAND 10 WIKING MARK 2245
(1995) ANGLO-SAXON FURHOC
$45.00
Item
WIK-96 WIKINGLAND 10 WIKING MARK (1996)
YOUNGER FUTHARK
$45.00
Item
WIK-SET SET OF ALL 5 OF THE ABOVE WIKINGLAND
COINS
$220.00
SCARCE
FANTASY COIN
OF HEJAZ 
This
scarce fantasy silver Hejaz 10 Piastres or 1/2 Riyal was made
to
appear to be an early coin of Hejaz. It is dated AH1334, Year
8 (1923) and bears the legends that was struck in Mecca (“Makka
al-Mukarrama”). In reality it was struck some years ago in
the United States. The coins is technically Uncirculated,
however was given an “antiqued” finish. The 27.8mm coin has a
reeded edge. It is a scarce coin and given the popularity of
Saudi Arabian related coins, is sure to be in demand.
Item
HEJAZ10P HEJAZ 10 PIASTRES FANTASY COIN
Br.X2
ANTIQUED UNC.
$75.00
BERMANIA TICKLE
TOKEN
Bermania
is a fantasy kingdom created by coin dealer Allen G. Berman. Its latest
numismatic item is the Tickle Token. It is modeled after the
medieval English Touch Pieces. In the 17th Century English Kings would
bless sufferers of scrofula by touching them with coins. The
touch coins were modeled after the gold Angel: one side featured the
Archangel Michael and a ship was on the other. Each piece was
personally bestowed by the monarch. Word of this got around
to Bermania, where it was believed that a tickle by the king would cure
glumness. These tokens were sold those seeking admission to
the Royal Tickle Ceremony of King Placebus I of Bermania. One
side pictures an angel tickling a dragon with a giant feather. The
other depicts the Bermanian Pirate ship Soggy Bear.
The 27mm
copper token is Brilliant Uncirculated. Even if you don’t get
tickled, it is good for a laugh.
Item
BERM-TICKLE BERMANIA TICKLE TOKEN, 2014, BU $7.50
2014
CRIMEA COIN SET
The recent conflict between Ukraine and Russia over control of Crimea
goes back many years. In 1783 Catherine the Great made Crimea
part of the Russian Empire. During the Russian civil war the
region declared independence and passed between Bolshevik and White
Government forces several times, accompanied by a massive slaughter of
civilians. In 1921 it was made an autonomous republic within
Russia. Greeks, Armenians and Bulgarians living in Crimea
were forced to leave. During World War II the area
came under German control and the sizeable Jewish population was
annihilated. After the Soviets regained control the entire
population of Crimean Tatars, who had at one time made up a majority of
the region, were forcibly deported. Russian families were
settled in Crimea to replace them. In 1954 Crimea was
transferred from Russia to Ukraine. At the time it made
little difference, since both were part of the Soviet
Union. After the breakup of the Soviet Union in
1991 Crimea became part of Ukraine. Russia found its Black
Sea fleet and other military installations now located in independent
Ukraine rather on its own soil. A majority of the population
of Crimea is Russian, as most other ethnic groups had been “cleansed”
from the area. In February 2014 pro-Russian forces,
supported by Moscow, took control over Crimea. A quickly called
referendum was held on March 16, with a vast majority voting to join
Russia. On March 17 the newly created Crimean parliament
declared independence from Ukraine, and on the following day, Crimea
officially became part of Russia. The transfer has not been
widely recognized. This unofficial four coin set of
Crimea includes the 5, 10, 25 and 100 Rubles. The 25 and 100
Rubles are bi-metallic. The designs of the 5 and 25 Rubles
feature voting, while the 10 and 100 Rubles depict a fist.
The reverse of the all the coins feature the Arms of Crimea.
CRIMEA
CRIMEA 2014 5, 10, 25 & 100 RUBLES,
UNC. $39.75
ANDAMAN
AND NICOBAR ISLANDS
COIN SET 
Native wildlife is featured on this set of seven unofficial 2011
dated coins from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The territory,
located in the Indian Ocean, consists of 572 islands, of which just
38 are permanently inhabited. Denmark, Austria and Britain all attempted to
colonize the islands.
Britain eventually turned it into a penal colony. Japan occupied it in World War
II. They are now a Union Territory of India.
Over the years the indigenous inhabitants
have been almost completely wiped out by disease, land
encroachments and punitive military expeditions. Most of the few
hundred that remain maintain a steadfast independence, refusing all
outside contact. The bi-metallic 20 Rupees pictures a Nautilus. The
bi-metallic 10 Rupees depicts a Dugong. An Indian Wild Boar is on
the 5 Rupees. A Coconut Crab is shown on the 2 Rupees. The 1 Rupee
has a Kuhl’s Flying Gecko. A Stork-billed Kingfisher is on the 50
Paisa and the Anadman clubtail butterfly is on the 25 Paise. The
arms of the islands is on the obverse of each coin. Only 10,000
sets were minted.
Item
ANDSET
ANDAMAN & NICOBAR IS. 7 COIN SET, 2011 UNC.
$29.50
INDIVIDUAL COINS FROM THE ABOVE ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR COIN SET:
Item
AND20R
ANDAMAN & NICOBAR IS. 20 RUPEE NAUTILUS BIMETALLIC,
2011
UNC. $12.00
Item
AND10R
ANDAMAN & NICOBAR IS. 10 RUPEE DUGONG BIMETALLIC,
2011
UNC. $10.00
Item
AND5R
ANDAMAN & NICOBAR IS. 5 RUPEE WILD BOAR, 2011 UNC.
$5.00
Item
AND2R
ANDAMAN & NICOBAR IS. 2 RUPEE COCONUT CRAB, 2011
UNC. $4.50
Item
AND1R
ANDAMAN & NICOBAR IS. 1 RUPEE FLYING GECKO, 2011
UNC. $4.00
Item
AND50P
ANDAMAN & NICOBAR IS. 50 PAISA KINGFISHER, 2011
UNC. $3.00
Item
AND25P
ANDAMAN & NICOBAR IS. 25 PAISA BUTTERFLY, 2011
UNC. $3.00
2011 FAROE ISLANDS
COINS 
These 2011 dated unofficial pattern coins picturing native
wildlife are the first issues for the Faroe Islands in 70
years!
The Faroe Islands (also spelled Faeroe, Faoroe, Føroyar or
Færøerne) is a self-governing Danish possession in the North Atlantic
between Scotland and Iceland. The 8 coin set
includes a
35mm tri-metallic 50 Kronur featuring a Ram's head. The 27mm
aluminum-bronze 20 Kronur features a Gray Seal. The
23mm 10
Kronur pictures a Twait Shad fish. A Eurasian Oystercatcher
bird
is onthe 28.5mm cupro-nickel 5 Kronur. The 24.5mm cupro-nickel 2 Kronur
shows a Black Guillemot in flight. An Atlantic Puffin is on the 20mm
cupro-nickel 1 Krona. A Faroes or Shetland Sheep
Dog is on
the 21.5mm copper-plated zinc 50 Oyru. The 17.5mm copper-plated zinc 25
Oyru pictures a Common Shore Crab. The obverse of each of the coins
features the Faroe arms which depict a Ram. Only 10,000 sets
of
these attractive pattern coins were issued.
Item FO-SET8 FAROE 8 COIN SET 25 OYRU -
50 KRONUR, 2011 UNC.
$29.95
INDIVIDUAL COINS FROM THE ABOVE FAROE SET
Item
FO-50KR FAROE 50 KRONUR 2011 RAM'S HEAD
TRIMETALLIC UNC.
$14.50
Item FO-20KR FAROE 20 KRONUR 2011 GRAY SEAL
UNC. $8.00
Item FO-10KR FAROE 10 KRONUR 2011 SHAD UNC. $6.00
Item FO-5KR FAROE 5 KRONUR 2011 OYSTERCATCHER
UNC. $6.00
Item FO-2KR FAROE 2 KRONER 2011 GUILLEMOT
UNC. $5.00
Item FO-1KR FAROE 1 KRONA 2011 PUFFIN UNC. $4.50
Item FO-50-OYRU FAROE 50 OYRU 2011 SHEEP DOG
UNC. $4.00
Item FO-25-OYRU FAROE 25 OYRU 2011 CRAB UNC. $3.50
2012
MICRONESIA COIN SET FEATURES WILDLIFE & BI-METALLICS 
The Federated States of Micronesia is an independent nation consisting
of over 600 islands spread out over 1,000,000 square miles (2,600,000
square kilometers) of the Pacific Ocean. The area was claimed
by Spain, sold to Germany in 1889, conquered by Japan in World War I,
taken by the United States in World War II, and finally became fully
independent in 1986. It uses United States dollar as its currency. This
unofficial 2012 eight coin set includes the 1 Cent to the 5
Dollar. The obverse of each coin features the national seal.
The word “TRIAL” is located at the top of the seal, indicating that
they are trial coins rather than legal tender issues. The
bi-metallic 5 Dollar coin pictures the Pygmy Killer Whale. The
bi-metallic 2 Dollar coin depicts the Long-beaked Common
Dolphin. A Manta Ray is on the 1 Dollar. Shells and a 19th
Century proa
from the island of Satawal is on the 50 Cents. A proa is an
outrigger sailing boat. The 25 Cents features a Yellowfin
Tuna. A Rufous Night Heron is on the dime. The 5
Cents pictures a Moorish Idol fish. A Chuuk Flying Fox Bat is
on the 1 Cent. The coins were struck by Osborne Coinage in
Cincinnati, Ohio. Only 10,000 sets were minted. It
is an attractive, low mintage, set.
Item
FM-SET8
MICRONESIA 8 COIN SET: 1 CENT – 5 DOLLARS, 2012 UNC.
$29.75
INDIVIDUAL MICRONESIA
COINS FROM ABOVE SET:
Item
FM-5D
MICRONESIA 5 DOLLARS 2012 PYGMY KILLER WHALE, BIMETAL, UNC.
$9.00
Item
FM-2D
MICRONESIA 2 DOLLARS 2012 DOLPHIN, BIMETAL, UNC.
$8.00
Item
FM-1D
MICRONESIA 1 DOLLAR 2012 MANTA RAY UNC.
$5.00
Item
FM-50c MICRONESIA HALF DOLLAR 2012 BOAT
& SHELLS UNC.
$5.00
Item
FM-25c MICRONESIA QUARTER DOLLAR 2012 TUNA
UNC.
$4.50
Item
FM-10c MICRONESIA DIME 2012 HERON UNC.
$4.00
Item
FM-5c MICRONESIA 5 CENTS 2012 MOORISH IDOL
UNC.
$3.50
Item
FM-1c MICRONESIA 1 CENT 2012 FLYING FOX UNC.
$3.00
WHERE
IS PURPLE SHAFTIEULAND?
You won't find Purple Shaftieuland in any atlas. The Purple
Shaftieuland coins
were created by coin dealer Bob Kolasa in 1970 as a spoof on foreign
aid and the numerous coin sets being issued by obscure nations. The set
of 5 coins includes a 16mm 1 Nudge, a 22mm 1 Twist, and 38mm
1/4, 1/2 and a Full Shaft. The coins were struck in both
“brilliant brass” and “genuine unanodized aluminum” and come with a
politically incorrect “brochure”.
The coins are Uncirculated,
though may show some minor spotting from sitting in storage since
1970. It is an interesting and fun fantasy issue.
Item
PURPLE-BRSET
SET OF 5 BRASS PURPLE SHAFTIEULAND COINS,
1970 UNC.-spots $35.00
Item
PURPLE-ALSET
SET OF 5 ALUMINUM PURPLE SHAFTIEULAND COINS,
1970 UNC. $25.00
Item
PURPLE-1
PURPLE SHAFTIEULAND ALUMINUM COIN, Joel's
choice UNC. $5.00
FRENCH
TERRITORIAL COINS FOR
ANTARCTICA 
These unofficial coins were issued for France’s minor, and largely
uninhabited territories near Antarctica. The territories arms appear on
the obverse of each coin and the coins share a common reverse. The 30mm
brass 100 Franc coins feature an albatross in flight. The
24mm bi-metallic 200 Francs depicts a mother and father penguin looking
at their chick. The 28.5mm bi-metallic 500 Francs pictures
two Sperm Whales (Cachalot in French). Adelie
Land is the
French claim of a slice of the Antarctic continent, which is not
internationally recognized. The arms feature a crowned
penguin. The Crozet
Islands are a
group of desolate, wet and windy islands in the Southern Indian Ocean
that belong to France. It rains about 300 days a year and has
winds over 60 mph (100 km/h) 100 days a year. Its only
inhabitants are based at a research station. It is the site
of many shipwrecks. In 1887 a shipwrecked crew attached a
note to an albatross, which was found seven months later in later in
Fremantle, Australia. Unfortunately by the time a rescue ship
arrived the crew had perished. The arms of Crozet Islands depict a pig
and half of a ship's wheel. Pigs had been introduced to
provide food for stranded sailors, but have now been exterminated in an
attempt to restore the original ecosystem. French Antarctic Territory
is administrative grouping for all of these tiny French
territories. The arms depict an iceberg. The
Kereguelen Islands,
also known as the Desolation Islands are
the home to 50 to 100 scientists and researchers and a staff that runs
a satellite tracking station. It arms depict an unusual
native plant. Amsterdam
Island and St. Paul Island are volcanic islands in the
Southern Indian Ocean. The coat-of-arms features a spiny
lobster. In 1928 a French established a lobster cannery on
St. Paul. When the company went bankrupt in 1931, seven of
its employees were stranded on the island. Five died, and the
only two survivors were finally rescued in 1934. All the coins are
dated 2011 and are
Uncirculated.
Item
ADELIE-100F ADELIE LAND 100
FRANCS 2011 AU-UNC.
$12.00
Item
ADELIE-200F ADELIE LAND 200
FRANCS 2011 AU-UNC.
$16.00
Item
ADELIE-500F ADELIE LAND 500
FRANCS 2011 AU-UNC.
$18.00
Item
ADELIE-SET SET OF ABOVE ADELIE LAND
COINS:
100, 200 & 500 FRANCS 2011, AU-UNC.
$39.00
Item
CROZET-100F CROZET ISLANDS 100
FRANCS 2011 AU-UNC.
$12.00
Item
CROZET-200F CROZET ISLANDS 200
FRANCS 2011 AU-UNC.
$16.00
Item
CROZET-500F CROZET ISLANDS 500
FRANCS 2011 AU-UNC.
$18.00
Item
CROZET-SET SET OF ABOVE CROZET IS. COINS:
100, 200 & 500 FRANCS 2011, AU-UNC.
$39.00
Item
FR-ANT-100F FRENCH ANTARCTICA 100
FRANCS 2011 AU-UNC.
$12.00
Item
KERGUELEN-200F KERGUELEN ISLANDS 200
FRANCS 2011 AU-UNC.
$16.00
Item
KERGUELEN-500F KERGUELEN ISLANDS 500
FRANCS 2011 AU-UNC.
$18.00
Item
ST.PAUL-100F AMSTERDAM IS. & ST. PAUL
IS. 100
FRANCS 2011 AU-UNC.
$12.00
COINS OF BASSAS DA
INDIA FEATURES FRENCH SAILING SHIPS
Bassas
da India is an uninhabited atoll about halfway between
Madagascar and Mozambique. It is a French possession that is
also claimed by Madagascar. The island is the site of
numerous shipwrecks and is popular with divers. It recently issued
three 2012 dated coins, each featuring a famous French warship.
The 30mm brass 100 Francs depicts the galleon La
Couronne on the other. La
Couronne was
France’s first Man of
War. The ship, built for Cardinal Richelieu in 1636, carried
68 heavy cannons. The 22mm bi-metallic 200 Franc features the
frigate Le Soleil Royal
(The Royal Sun). Launched
in 1669, the 104 gun ship was a powerful and beautifully decorated
vessel was a symbol of the power of Louis XIV. The ship was
destroyed by a
joint British and Dutch force in 1692. The 28.5mm bi-metallic 500
Francs pictures the battleship Formidable.
Launched in 1751, the ship took part in the Canadian campaign
of 1755. She was captured by the British in 1759 in the
Battle of Quiberon Bay, off the coast of France and became the HMS Formidable in
the Royal Navy. In 1768 she was dismantled. The
reverse of the coins picture the arms of the island which feature two
dolphins and a seahorse. All three coins are Uncirculated.
Item
BAS-INDIA-100F BASSAS DA INDIA 100 FRANCS
2012 UNC. out
Item
BAS-INDIA-200F BASSAS DA INDIA 200 FRANCS
2012 UNC. $22.00
Item
BAS-INDIA-500F BASSAS DA INDIA 500 FRANCS
2012 UNC. $24.00
FIRST COINS FROM
CLIPPERTON ISLAND
INCLUDES BIMETALLICS
Clipperton
Island is an uninhabited French territory in the
Pacific. It was named after John Clipperton, an English
Pirate who used it as a base for attacking Spanish shipping during the
18th Century. Over the years the atoll has been
claimed by the United States, Mexico and France. In 1909 arbitration of
the competing claims to island between France and Mexico was given to
Italian King Victor Emmanuel III. In an attempt to boost its claim to
the Island, Mexico settled some 100 men, women and children on the
island by 1914. The Mexican Revolution prevented supply ships
from visiting the island. The governor of the island turned down an
attempt to evacuate, and soon its inhabitants were dying of disease and
starvation, which then degenerated into an orgy of rapes and
murders. The last surviving inhabitants’ four women and seven
children were rescued in by the U.S. Navy in 1917. In 1931
Victor Emmanuel finally decided to award the island to France,
some 22
years after he was given the case. It was of the longest
international arbitrations in history! During World
War II, U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt visited the island twice to
see about setting up an American base. This 2011
dated 100
Francs is the first coin issue for Clipperton Islands. The
30mm aluminum-bronze coin pictures the island on one side, and a
picture of the Conus Ebareus (Black and White cone) shell on the
other. Bimetallic 100 and 500 Francs coins were released a short time
later. The 24mm bi-metallic 200 Francs depicts an Epinephelus
Clippertonensis, a recently discovered species of fish found only in
the Clipperton Lagoon. The 28mm bi-metallic 500
Francs pictures the Holacanthus Limbaughi, also known as the Clipperton
Angelfish, which is also only found in the Lagoon. A map of the island
on the obverse of both coins.
Item
CLIPPERTON-100F CLIPPERTON ISLAND 100
FRANCS 2011 UNC.
out
Item
CLIPPERTON-200F CLIPPERTON ISLAND 200
FRANCS 2011 UNC. $22.00
Item
CLIPPERTON-500F CLIPPERTON ISLAND 500
FRANCS 2011 UNC. $24.00
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
THE
EMPIRE OF ATLANTIUM 
You
may not recall seeing The Empire of Atlantium on your world
map That
is because it is a self-declared nation that consists of only 61 square
meters located in South Sydney, Australia, though claims to
have citizens
throughout the world. The 61 square meters of territory also
doubles as the apartment of one of its founders and its Emperor, George
II, more commonly known as George Cruickshank. Atlantium uses an
unusual dating system, called the Annus Novus Decimal
Calendar, that starts at the end of the last Ice Age.
To celebrate the 20th Anniversary of its founding, the Empire
of Atlantium issued a 38mm, gold-plated 10 Soldi coin struck in very
high relief. One side pictures Emperor George II, the other pictures an
Eagle from
the Imperial Arms. The coin is dated 10520 (2001AD) in the Annus Novus
Decimal Calendar
and has a mintage of only 511 pieces. In 2011 a bi-metallic
30 Soldi coin was issued to celebrate the 30th anniversary of
Atlantium. The high relief 38mm cupronickel coin is partially
plated in 9 carat gold. The obverse pictures Emperor George
II, highlighted in gold, while the reverse shows a stunning
Wedge-tailed Eagle (Aquila audax) highlighted in gold. It has
a mintage of just 250 pieces.
Item
ATLANTIUM-10S
ATLANTIUM 10 SOLDI (2001) BU $25.00
Item
ATLANTIUM-30S
ATLANTIUM 30 SOLDI (2011) BU $40.00
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
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
TRIBAL COINS OF
GHANA


This fascinating series of coins has been issued by a firm in
Spain. High relief coins are being issued for many of the
traditional kingdoms and tribes of Ghana. The Kings or Chiefs of
the Kingdoms or Tribes have authorized each of the issues. The
coins are not intended to circulated, but rather to be sold to
raise funds for projects that benefit the Kingdoms and Tribes. The
coin have a mintage of only 1000 pieces each. The King or Chief
appears on the one side of the coins and items of significance to
the tribe, the name of the tribe and the denomination appear on the
other. The brass Eduola issue is denominated 1 Edo and features a
traditional spear and shield. A traditional drum is
on the bronze 1 Eche coin of
the
Naajeri Tribe. The coins are all 38mm in diameter, are dated 2008
and are Uncirculated with a matte finish.
Item
EDOULA
EDOULA BRASS 1 EDO 2008 UNC. $19.95
Item
NAAJERI
NAAJERI BRONZE 1 ECHE 2008 UNC $19.95
FIRST MODERN COINS OF
DARFUR FEATURE
AFRICAN WILDLIFE
The Sultanate of Darfur recently released an attractive set of
seven coins that include a bi-metallic, unusual shapes and feature
African wildlife. The non-circulating coins are the first
modern coins for the embattled sultanate that is engaged tragic war
in an attempt to regain independence from Sudan. The
Bi-metallic 500 Dinars features the Nile crocodile. The
eight-sided 250 Dinars pictures an African elephant. The
square 100 Dinars has a leopard. The scalloped edged 50
Dinars shows a hartebeest. The 25 Dinars pictures a
camel. An African civet is on the 10 Dinars, and an African
wild dog is on the 5 Dinars. All coins are dated 2008 and
have an Arabic inscription on the obverse. Some coins have
spots, so we grade them AU-UNC.
Item
DARFUR DARFUR 7
COIN SET: 5 - 500 DINARS,
2008 AU-UNC. OUT
INDIVIDUAL
DARFUR COINS FROM THE
ABOVE SET:
Item
DAR-5D
DARFUR 5 DINARS, AFRICAN WILD DOG AU-UNC. OUT
Item
DAR-10D
DARFUR 10 DINARS, CIVET, AU-UNC $3.00
Item
DAR-25D
DARFUR 25 DINARS, CAMEL, AU-UNC $4.50
Item
DAR-50D
DARFUR 50 DINARS, HARTEBEEST, SCALLOPPED EDGE AU-UNC
$6.00
Item
DAR-100D
DARFUR 100 DINARS, LEOPARD, SQUARE, UNC.
$6.50
Item
DAR-250D
DARFUR 250 DINARS, ELEPHANT, 8-SIDED, UNC.
$7.50
Item
DAR-500D
DARFUR 500 DINARS, CROCODILE, BI-METALLIC, UNC.
$9.00
ALSO SEE:
COINS OF AMERICAN
INDIAN NATIONS
COINS
OF
WESTEROS - GAME OF THRONES
ARUCANIA-PATAGONIA
COINS
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