RECENT WORLD COIN & CURRENCY ISSUES
JAN
MAYEN COIN FEATURES ARTIC FOX AND POLAR BEAR
Jan
Mayen is a volcanic island in the North Atlantic belonging to Norway.
After Germany invaded Norway in 1940, the four Norwegian inhabitants of
the island sent weather reports to London. An attempt to send
reinforcements to the island failed when the ship ran
aground. The ship-wrecked crew and the four Norwegians were
rescued by the British and the island was temporarily
abandoned. The Germans then attempted to land on the island
and set up a weather station, but their ship crashed on the rocks and
the crew captured by a British destroyer. In the spring of 1941 twelve
Norwegian weathermen landed on the island. Germans planes
attempted to bomb and strafe the weather station, but did little
damage. In 1942 a German bomber smashed into a mountain, killing all
nine crew members. In 1943 the Americans established a radio
locating station on the island. Today the island's only inhabitants are
personnel from the Norwegian Armed Forces and Norwegian Metrological
Institute. This unofficial 2019 200 Kroner of Jan Mayen
depicts an Artic Fox and a Polar Bear on one side and the arms of
Norway and a compass rose on the other. The eight-sided, 40mm
silver plated Proof coin has a mintage of only 150 pieces.
Item
MAYEN JAN MAYEN 200 KRONER 2019 PROOF $22.00
MINAMI-TORI-SHIMA COIN DEPICTS JAPANESE EMPEROR NARUHITO
Minami-Tori-Shima,
also known as Marcus
Island, is a tiny isolated coral atoll belonging to Japan in the
Pacific Ocean, located some 1148 miles (1848km) southeast of
Tokyo. It has no civilian inhabitants. Its
importance is that it enables Japan to claim a 165,590 square mile
(428,875 sq.km). Exclusive Economic Zone in the surrounding waters,
including potentially valuable rare earth mineral deposits beneath the
ocean floor. This unofficial 2019 dated 1000 Yen coin of
Minami-Tori-Shima depicts Japan's new Emperor Naruhito and the Imperial
Palace on one side and the Imperial Chrysanthemum Seal of Japan on the
other. The six-sided silver-plated Proof coin has a mintage of just 150
pieces.
Item
MINAMI MINAMI-TORI-SHIMA 1000 YEN 2019 PROOF
$19.95
SWAINS
ISLAND COIN FEATURES DEADLY MERMAID & SAILING SHIP
Swains Island is a privately-owned atoll in the South Pacific that is
claimed by both the United States and Tokelau. It consists of
approximately 373 acres (150.8 ha) of land surrounding a central
lagoon. In 2010 it had a population of 17. American
Eli Hutchinson Jennings purchased the island in 1856 for fifteen
shillings per acre and a bottle of gin from British Captain Turnbull,
who claimed ownership of the island by discovery. Jennings
settled on the island along with his Samoan wife and established a
successful coconut plantation. The island has remained in the
Jennings family ever since then. The obverse of this
unofficial 2019 dated 5 Tala coin of Swains Island depicts a mermaid
sitting above the skull of an unlucky sailor. The reverse depicts a
sailing ship and a coconut palm. The eight-sided, 40mm
silver-plated Proof coin has a mintage of just 150 pieces.
Item
SWAINS SWAINS ISLAND 5 TALA 2019 PROOF
$22.00
BISMARCK ARCHIPELAGO COIN FEATURES
BIRDS
Bismarck Archipelago is a group of islands off the north-eastern coast
of New Guinea. Its first inhabitants arrived some 30,000 to 40,000
years ago. Germany claimed the islands in 1884 and named them
after Chancellor Otto von Bismarck. Australia seized the islands in
1914 at the start of World War I. The Japanese took over at
the beginning of World War II. The islands were the scene of
some heavy fighting in 1944 by American and Australian forces under
General Douglas MacArthur who used them as a stepping stone for his
invasion of the Philippines. In 1975 the archipelago became
part of Papua New Guinea. The obverse of this unofficial 2019
dated 200 Kina coin includes the national emblem of Papua New Guinea
which features a Bird of Paradise. The reverse depicts a
cockatoo. The six-sided 38mm silver-plated Proof coin has a
mintage of just 150 pieces.
Item
BISMARCK BISMARCK ARCHIPELAGO 200 KINA 2019, PROOF
$19.95
RECENT
SILVER COINS OF THE EAST CARIBBEAN STATES
The East Caribbean Central Bank recently issued coins for each of its
member nations. The tiny island nations all utilize a common
currency called the Eastern Caribbean Dollar. The Proof-like
1 troy ounce .999 fine, 39mm legal tender coins are denominated two
Eastern Caribbean Dollars. The coins have a common reverse
depicting Queen Elizabeth within a wreath. Each nation has a
distinctive obverse reflecting a unique aspect that country.
Anguilla depicts a
stylized lobster.
Antigua
and Barbuda features a rum runner and his sailing
ship.
Dominica
shows a woman watching Boeing 314 Clipper "Flying Boat". The
design was derived from an old Pan-Am travel poster for
Tahiti.
Grenada
depicts divers exploring a shipwreck and coral reefs. The
Montserrat coin
incorporates the coat-of-arms of Montserrat along with portions of the
British
and American flags. Montserrat is called "The Emerald Isle of
the Caribbean" both for its resemblance to coastal Ireland and for the
Irish ancestry of many of its inhabitants. Because
of volcanic activity the southern half of the island, including its
former capital and main airport, have been abondened.
St. Kitts & Nevis
features a pellican and sail boats.
St. Lucia depicts
two flamingos.
St. Vincent and The Grenadines depicts a a seaplane
landing. They are attractive coins from nations that rarely
issue their own coins.
Item
ANGUILLA18 ANGUILLA 2 DOLLARS 2018 LOBSTER
PROOFLIKE
$29.95
Item
ANTIGUA19 ANTIGUA & BARBUDA 2 DOLLARS
2019 RUM RUNNER, PROOFLIKE
$29.95
Item
DOMINICA18 DOMININCA 2 DOLLARS 2018 FLYING BOAT, PROOFLIKE
$29.95
Item
GRENADA18 GRENADA 2 DOLLARS 2018 DIVERS,
PROOFLIKE
$29.95
Item
MONTSERRAT18 MONTSERRAT 2 DOLLARS 2018 COAT
OF ARMS, PROOFLIKE
$29.95
Item
ST.KITTS18 ST. KITTS & NEVIS 2
DOLLARS 2018 PELICAN,
PROOFLIKE $29.95
Item
ST.LUCIA18 ST. LUCIA 2 DOLLARS 2018
FLAMINGOS,
PROOFLIKE $29.95
Item
ST.VINCENT ST. VINCENT & THE
GRENADINES 2 DOLLARS 2018 SEA PLANE,
PROOFLIKE $29.95
Item
ECB-SET8 ALL 8 OF THE ABOVE COINS
$229.95
BRITISH
VIRGIN ISLANDS 2019 PORCUPINE FISH COIN IN YELLOW TITANIUM &
COPPER-NICKEL
The British Virgin Islands issued these 2019 coins depicting a
Porcupine Fish in both Golden Yellow Titanium and
copper-nickel. Both coins have the same design, depicting
Queen Elizabeth on the obverse and the unusual fish in a puffed-up
state on the reverse. The fish has the unusual ability to
increase its size by almost double vertically by swallowing
air. This, and its sharp spines which radiate outward when
the fish is inflated help discourage predators. The golden
yellow titanium version is denominated 5 Dollars, is 36.1mm, has a
mintage of 7,500 and come in a box with a Certificate of
Authenticity. The copper-nickel version is
denominated 1 Dollar, is 38.6mm and has a mintage of 10,000 pieces.
Item
BVI-TIT-PORC19 BRITISH VIRGIN IS. 5 DOLLARS 2019 PORCUPINE FISH, TITANIUM, BU $49.00
Item
BVI-CN-PORC19 BRITISH VIRGIN IS. 1 DOLLAR 2019 PORCUPINE FISH, COPPER-NICKEL, BU $14.00
FIRST
MAN ON THE MOON COINS FROM ASCENSION STRUCK IN TITANIUM & COPPER-NICKEL
One of NASA's main tracking stations for the Apollo 11 lunar landing
mission as well many other missions is located Devil’s Ashpit on the
eastern side of Ascension Island. Ascension commemorated the
50th anniversary of the First Man on the Moon with these limited
edition 2019 1 Crown coins struck in gray titanium and in
copper-nickel. Both versions of the coin have the same design
featuring an astronaut on the surface of the moon saluting the American
flag. The Lunar Module is in the background. The
planet earth rises above. The NASA logo is also featured in
the design. Queen Elizabeth is on the obverse. The
gray titanium version is 36.1mm, has a mintage of 7,500 and come in a
box with a Certificate of Authenticity. The
copper-nickel version has a mintage of just 1,969 pieces and is 38.6mm.
Both coins are Brilliant Uncirculated.
Item
ASC-TIT-MOON
ASCENSION 1 CROWN 2019 TITANIUM
FIRST MAN ON THE MOON, BU
$49.00
Item
ASC-CN-MOON
ASCENSION 1 CROWN 2019 COPPER-NICKEL
FIRST MAN ON THE MOON, BU
$15.00
BIG BAT ON 2018 MWALI
COIN 
The
huge Livingston's Fruit Bat (Pteropus livingstonii) is featured on this
unofficial 2018 5000 Francs coin of the Democratic Republic of Mwali.
The critically endangered bat has a wing span of up to about 4 1/2 feet
(1.4m). The national arms are on the other side of the
coin. Mwali, also known as Mohéli, is one of the islands that
make of the Union of the Comoros. Since gaining independence
from France in 1975, Comoros has had constant political turmoil, with
over 20 coups, multiple assassination attempts and various islands
declaring independence. Mwali succeeded from the Comoros in
1997. It rejoined in 1998 and was given more autonomy. There
are many that still want full independence, though the island is only
81 square miles (211 sq.km.) and has a population of only about
40,000. The 40mm eight-sided, silver-plated Proof coin has a
mintage of only 150 pieces.
Item
MWALI DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF MWALI 5000
FRANCS, BAT 2018 PROOF $22.00
2018 TRANSNISTRIA ENDANGERED
WILDLIFE COIN SET
Transnistria (also spelled Trans-dniester, Transdniestra, etc.)
released seven 1 Ruble coins featuring wildlife from the Red Book list
of endangered species. Included are the Eurasian otter,
European pond turtle, the Mute swan, Russian sturgeon, African
death's-head hawkmoth, European green woodpecker and the Eurasian
eagle-owl. The coins are all denominated 1 Ruble and dated
2018. They are 22mm nickel-plated steel coins that were
struck at Tiraspol Mint in Transnistria. The coins have a mintage of
only 50,000 each.
Item
TRNS-WILD TRANSNISTRIA SET OF 7 WILDLIFE 1 RUBLE COINS, 2018 UNC.
$19.75
FIRST COIN OF ESWATINI
On
April 18, 2018, the 50th Anniversary of his nation's independence,
the King of
Swaziland
changed the name of his country from Swaziland to
eSwatini. This was done supposedly to avoid people confusing
the country with Switzerland. Though the name may
look like the latest high-tech device or company, it means Land of the
Swazis in the Swazi language. One of the first coins of eSwatini is
this 2018 dated 18mm nickel-plated steel 10 Cents. The design
is similar to the previous Swaziland 10 Cents. King Mswati
III is on the obverse and two sugar canes are on the reverse.
Item
ESWATINI-10C ESWATINI 10 CENTS 2018 UNC. $3.50
ALSO SEE:
Swaziland Coin Set
NEW COINS OF ST. THOMAS &
PRINCE FEATURE BIRDS
St. Thomas and Prince (São Tomé and Príncipe) are a
former Portuguese colony off the
west coast of Africa. On January 1, 2018 it did a 1000 to 1 revaluation
of their currency. New coins dated 2017, were issued.
Included are the 10, 20, 50 Centimos and 1 and 2 Dobras. The coins feature
the coat-of-arms on the obverse and native birds on the reverse.
Item
ST-SET17 ST. THOMAS & PRINCE 5 COIN
BIRD SET, 10
CENTIMOS - 2 DOBRAS 2017 UNC.
$13.50
ODD-SHAPED INACCESSIBLE ISLAND
COIN FEATURES PENGUINS
A
pair of King Penguins are featured on this odd-shaped 2019 dated 10
Pounds coin of Inaccessible Island. The small, remote island
is located about 25 miles (41km.) south-west of Tristan da
Cunha. The last permanent residents of the islands were a
pair of brothers who arrived in 1871 hoping to make a living sealing
and selling their wares to passing ships (forgetting how infrequently
Inaccessible had visitors). They were "overjoyed" to be
rescued by a scientific expedition that stopped at the island in
1873. The island is the home to over a million birds but has
no land mammals, reptiles, amphibians, butterflies, or
snails. The island is a British Overseas Territory. Queen
Elizabeth and the coat of arms is on the obverse. The
unofficial silver-plated Proof coin has a mintage of only 150 pieces.
Item
INACCESSIBLE INACCESSIBLE ISLAND 10 POUNDS
2019 PROOF $19.95
FRENCH DOMAINS OF ST. HELENA
CELEBRATES DEATH OF NAPOLEON
Napoleon
I of France died in exile on the remote British island of St. Helena in
1821. Napoleon III purchased from the British Longwood House, Napoleons
final residence and the Valley of the Tomb, where he was initially
buried. In 1858 they became French territories under the name of
"French Domains of Saint-Helena". In 1959 a small pavilion
named Briars, where Napoleon stayed when he first arrived on the
island, was donated to France and added to the territory. The
properties are administered by the French Foreign Ministry. This
unofficial 2019 20 Euros coin depicts a young image of Marianne, the
allegorical symbol of the French Republic is on the obverse.
The reverse depicts Napoleon and the dates "1821 2021". The
six-sided 39mm silver-plated Proof coin has a mintage of only 150
pieces.
Item
FR-HELENA FRENCH DOMAINS OF ST. HELENA 20 EUROS 2019 NAPOLEON, PROOF $19.95
Also see:LAND AND SEA BATTLES OF THE NAPOLEONIC WARS: St. Helena multi-colored gold-plated 25 Pence coinsSCARCE ST. HELENA BANKNOTE FEATURES SAILING SHIPS: 50 PENCE (1979) P5
CANADA 2019 SET INCLUDING
SCARCE 50 CENTS
This six-piece Canadian 2019 coin set includes the regular issue 5, 10,
25 50 Cents, 1 and 2 Dollars coin in Uncirculated condition. The 50
Cents is not being released into circulation but is only available from
the mint at a substantial premium. The unpackaged coin set comes from
original mint rolls
Item
CA-SET19
CANADA 2019 REGULAR DESIGN 6 COIN
SET, 5 CENTS - 2 DOLLARS, UNC.
$11.00
CANADA
2019 D-DAY 2 DOLLAR COINS
Canada issued both colored and uncolored 2 Dollar coins in 2019 to
commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the Allied D-Day
landing Both versions have the same design
featuring Canadian soldiers peering over the edge of their landing
craft approaching Juno Beach. Supporting ships, airplanes and blimps
appear in the outer ring. The colored version depicts the central
helmet and the legend above it in color. Queen Elizabeth is
on the obverse. The bi-metallic coins are 28mm in diameter and are
Uncirculated.
Item
CA-REG-D-DAY
CANADA 2 DOLLARS 2019 D-DAY REGULAR (not colored) UNC.
$6.50
Item
CA-CLR-D-DAY
CANADA 2 DOLLARS 2019 D-DAY COLORED UNC.
$6.50
CANADA 2019 EQUALITY DOLLAR
Canada
issued this circulating 2019 dollar coin commemorating the 50th
anniversary of the decriminalization of homosexuality in
Canada. The coin celebrates "equality for all and the right
to live free from discrimination, regardless of sexual orientation,
gender identity, gender expression or sex characteristics."
Some in the LGBT+ community object to the coin as they say they have
not yet achieved full equality. The reverse design by Vancouver artist
Joe Average features two intertwined faces that " invites a personal
interpretation of the design". The Susanna Blount portrait of
Queen Elizabeth is on the obverse.
Item
CA-EQUAL19
CANADA 1 DOLLAR 2019 EQUALITY UNC.
$4.00
EMPEROR PENGUINS ON TITANIUM
AND COPPER NICKEL COINS OF BRITISH ANTARCTIC TERRITORY
A mother, father and cute baby Emperor Penguin are featured on these
2019 dated 2 Pound coins of the British Antarctic Territory. Queen
Elizabeth is on the obverse. The Antarctic winter
begins in March and unlike other animals who sensibly make their way to
the warmer parts, the Emperor penguins march 200 miles in the opposite
direction, across the pack ice, in order to breed in the coldest place
on Earth. These nesting sites may be many miles from the sea
and up to 25,000 birds will make their way to the sites. The
female lays a single egg which both parents initially protect from the
ice by resting it on their feet. The female then returns to the sea to
feed, leaving the male in sole charge of their prized
possession. During this time, which can be around 115 days,
the male eats nothing, relying on his reserves of blubber to keep him
alive. The males huddle together, taking turns to stand in
the middle of the huddle to try and survive the icy cold winds of up to
120 mph. When the female returns, after the egg has hatched,
and manages to find her mate amongst the hundreds of fathers by his
call. The fathers can then finally leave to take their turn
to feed at sea. The coin was minted in both blue titanium and
copper-nickel with identical designs. The titanium version is 36.1mm,
weighs only 10 grams, has a mintage of 7,500 and come in a box with a
Certificate of Authenticity. The copper-nickel
version is 38.6mm and has a mintage of 10,000 pieces. Both coins are
Brilliant Uncirculated.
Item
BAT-TIT-PENG19 BRITISH ANTARCTIC TERRITORY TERRITORY
2 POUNDS 2019 BLUE TITANIUM, EMPEROR PENGUIN BU $49.00
Item
BAT-CN-PENG19 BRITISH ANTARCTIC TERRITORY TERRITORY
2 POUNDS 2019 COPPER-NICKEL, EMPEROR PENGUIN BU
$14.00
RED FOOTED BOOBY ON TITANIUM
AND COPPER NICKEL COINS OF BRITISH INDIAN OCEAN TERRITORY
The Red Footed Booby is a large sea bird, which as the name suggests,
has red feet. They are powerful and agile flyers that can
dive into the sea at high speed in order to catch small fish and
squid. Its take-off and landing skills however leave a lot to
be desired. A mother Booby and her chick are featured on
these 2019 dated 2 Pound coins of the British Indian Ocean Territory.
The coin was minted in both red titanium and copper-nickel with
identical designs. The titanium version is 36.1mm, weighs only 10
grams, has a mintage of 7,500 and comes in a box with a Certificate of
Authenticity. The copper-nickel version is 38.6mm
and has a mintage of 10,000 pieces. Both coins are Brilliant
Uncirculated.
Item
BIOT-TIT-BOOB19 BRITISH INDIAN OCEAN TERRITORY
2 POUNDS 2019 RED TITANIUM, BOOBY BU $49.00
Item
BIOT-CN-BOOB19 BRITISH INDIAN OCEAN TERRITORY 2
POUNDS 2019 COPPER-NICKEL BOOBY BU $14.00
BEAUTIFUL
BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS UNA AND THE LION SILVER DOLLAR
Una
and the Lion is one of the most beautiful, popular and expensive of all
British coins. The gold 5 Pound coin was struck for the
coronation of Queen Victoria in 1839. The design, created by sculptor
William Wyon, was based on Edmund Spenser’s poem Faerie Queene which
tells the tale of Princess Una after St. George had slayed the dragon
and rescued her. During the course of her travels, Una met a lion who
was so mesmerized by her beauty he became her companion and
protector. On the coin Una was modeled after 19-year old
Queen Victoria. The Lion is a traditional symbol of Britain.
The legend ‘DIEU ET MON DROIT’ meaning ‘God on my Right’ is the motto
of the British monarchy. The British Virgin Islands recreated
this beautiful design on this 2019 dated 1 troy ounce .999 fine silver
1 Dollar coin to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the birth of
Queen Victoria. The obverse features Queen Elizabeth, the
great, great granddaughter of Queen Victoria. The 38.6mm
reverse frosted Brilliant Uncirculated coin has a mintage of only
50,000 pieces. It is an attractive coin, at an attractive price.
Item
BVI-UNA BRITISH VIRGIN IS. 1 DOLLAR 2019 UNA & THE LION, BU $25.95
BALEARIC
ISLANDS CELEBRATES 50th BIRTHDAY OF KING PHILLIP VI
The
Balearic Islands (Illes Balears) are a group of islands in the western
Mediterranean which includes Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza, and
Formentera. They are an autonomous province of Spain.
According to legend, in prehistoric times they had no gold or silver
coin, and forbade the importation of the precious metals, so that those
who served as mercenaries took their pay in wine and women instead of
money. This unofficial 2018 2000 Pesetas coin of the Balearic
Islands was issued to mark the 50th birthday of Spanish King Phillip
VI. A stylized portrait of Phillip and the king's coat of arms is
on the obverse. The obverse depicts the Balearic Islands coat of arms
and a five-towered castle representing the Royal Palace of La Almudaina
in Mallorca, which appears on the islands flag. The six-sided
38mm silver-plated coin has a mintage of only 150 pieces and is Proof.
Item
BALEARIC BALEARIC ISLANDS 1000 PESETAS
2018 PROOF $19.95
TORRES
STRAIT ISLANDS
The
Torres Strait islands are a group of over 270 small islands between
Papua New Guinea and Australia's York Peninsula. Most of the
islands are controlled by Australia, with those close to the mainland
of New Guinea controlled by Papua New Guinea. The Torres Strait was a
land bridge that connected Australia with New Guinea until it was
submerged at the end of the last ice-age about 12,000 years
ago. Continued rising of sea levels caused by global warming
threatens many of the islands. Recently a group of islanders lodged a
complaint against Australia at the United Nations claiming the
Australian government's actions to prevent climate change represents an
abuse of their human rights. There is an active independence movement
for the islands. This unusual curved shaped 2019 100 Kina
coin is an unofficial issue for the Torres Strait Islands. The obverse
depicts an Imperial Pigeon and the islands emblem. A sailing
ship is on the reverse. The 49mm silver-plated coin has a
mintage of only 150 pieces and is Proof.
Item
TORRES TORRES STRAIT ISLANDS 100 KINA 2019 PROOF $19.95
2018 JAPANESE
TOKYO OLYMPIC COINS
Japan released their first coins for the upcoming 2020 Tokyo
Olympics. One coin depicts two fencers on the obverse and the
emblem of the Olympic Games on the reverse. The other, for
the Paralympic Games depicts a person in a wheelchair playing boccia.
Boccia is a version of bocce for persons with disabilities.
The Paralympic Games emblem on the reverse. Both coins are 22.6mm
copper nickel and are dated Heisei Year 30, which corresponds to
2018. The coins have Japanese legends on the obverse and
English legends on the reverse.
Item
JP-OLYSET18 SET OF 2 JAPAN OLYMPIC 100 YEN
2018 FENCING
& BOCCIA, UNC.
$7.00
2019
CHINESE
SILVER PANDA
China continued their popular silver Panda series with this
attractive 2019 issue featuring a mother Panda cuddling her
cub.
Each year features a different design
featuring the cute giant Panda. The obverse
features the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, a Taoist temple complex
constructed in the early 1400's. Each coin contains 30 grams
of
.999 silver. The Brilliant Uncirculated 40mm coin comes in a
protective capsule and has a nominal face value of 10 Yuan.
Item CN-PANDA19
CHINA 10 YUAN 2019 SILVER PANDA BU
$29.00
SERBIA
HONORS TESLA ON NEW SILVER COINS
Nikola
Tesla was a Serbian American inventor, electrical engineer, physicist,
and futurist. He is said to have over 300 patents covering a
wide range of
technologies including alternating current, electric motors, remote
control, television, radio, x-rays, cell phones, robotics, lasers,
turbine engines, magnetic propulsion, drones, solar power, weather
manipulation, particle beams and electromagnetic energy (the Tesla
coil). Recently Serbia instituted a series of 100
Dinara coins honoring Tesla and his many inventions. The 39mm
coins each contain 1 troy ounce of .999 fine silver and are
struck by the Serbian Mint. The obverses of the
coins depict Tesla. The Serbian arms, weight, purity, silver
content, date, denomination and one or more of his inventions are on
the reverses. I
expect the series to
be popular due to Tesla's fame and the automobile named in his
honor.
The first issue in the series honors
his contributions to the design of
the alternating current (AC) electricity supply system and features one
of Nikola Tesla’s
greatest inventions: the Induction Motor. Only
50,000 pieces were
struck in Brilliant Uncirculated (BU) and 3327 pieces in Proof.
The Proof issue comes in a case with a numbered Certificate
of Authenticity.
The second coin in the series is a 2019 dated coin
commemorating the 120th anniversary of his invention of remote
control and wireless transmission. In 1898 Tesla demonstrated
the technology with a radio-controlled four-foot long stealth boat,
which is depicted on the coin. He expected the
technology to be picked up by the United States Navy, but the Navy
brass would have none of it. Ironically, less than two
decades later the German navy used remotely controlled boats loaded
with explosives to attack Allied ships during World War I.
Only recently has the United States Navy started serious work with
remote control ships. The coin has a mintage of
75,000 pieces in Brilliant Uncirculated. We have not yet
received examples of the coin in Proof.
Item
RS-TESLA-AC-BU SERBIA 100 DINARA 2018
TESLA-ALTERNATING CURRENT-MOTOR BU
$34.00
Item
RS-TESLA-AC18-PF SERBIA 100 DINARA 2018
TESLA-ALTERNATING CURRENT-MOTOR PROOF
$49.95
Item
RS-TESLA-REMOTE-BU SERBIA 100 DINARA 2019
TESLA-REMOTE CONTROL BU
$29.95
2019 ALAND
5 EUROS COIN
Aland
is a group of islands belonging to Finland located in the Baltic
Sea between Finland and Sweden. Most of the residents speak
Swedish. Following World War I the residents voted to join
Sweden, but in 1921 the League of Nations decided that Aland should be
an autonomous, demilitarized region under Finnish
sovereignty. This unofficial 2019 square 5 Euro coin of Aland
was issued to commemorate the 35th anniversary of Aland's first postage
stamps. One side of the coin depicts a postal boat as it
appeared on some of the islands' stamps which were issued in
1984.
The other side includes the coat-of-arms of Aland. The 30mm
silver-plated Proof coin has a mintage of only 150 pieces.
Item
ALAND ALAND 5 EUROS 2019 PROOF $19.95
PAKISTAN ANTI-CORRUPTION DAY COIN
Pakistan
issued this 2018 dated 50 Rupee coin for International Anti-Corruption
Day. The obverse of the 30mm copper-nickel coin has the Pakistan
national emblem of a crescent moon and a star. The reverse
has legends in English reading "International Anti Corruption Day 9th
December". The legend in Urdu translates as "Our faith,
corruption free Pakistan". The denomination, 50 Rupees, is an amount
often given as small bribes to minor officials and police.
Item
PK-CORR PAKISTAN 50 RUPEES 2018
ANTI-CORRUPTION DAY, UNC.
$6.00
ATTRACTIVE NEW SUDAN NOTE FEATURES
GOLD BARS & BOAT
The front of this attractive new 2018 Sudan 50 Pound note features a
stack of gold bars (maybe to make people think the currency is worth
something), the Central Bank building and a map of Sudan. The
back depicts a sailing boat and a heard of camels. The note utilizes
the two official languages of Sudan, the front is in Arabic, the back
in English. The colorful note includes many sophisticated
anti-counterfeiting devices including a foil strip with holographic
images, front/back registration and a watermark.
Item
PM-SD-50P SUDAN 50 POUNDS NOTE, 2018 AU-UNC.
$15.00
HUNGARY 2018 WORLD WRESTLING
CHAMPIONSHIPS
Hungary
commemorated the 2018 World Wrestling Championships held in Budapest
from October 20 to 28, 2018. The event included Men and women's
freestyle and Men's Greco-Roman wrestling. Russia was the clear winner
with 10 gold medals. The 27.4mm copper-nickel 50 Forint depicts one
wrestler throwing the other. The denomination is on the obverse
Item HU-50FT-18WREST
HUNGARY 50 FORINT 2018 WRESTLING UNC.
$3.00
EGYPT COMMEMORATES NEW CITIES IN
2019
Egypt released new 2019 dated coins to commemorate new, planned cities
that it is building. A huge new capital is being
constructed in the desert some 30 miles (45km) in order to relieve
congestion in the Cairo. The new city is being built and
will be run by the army and will include numerous smart sensors and
cameras in order to keep its citizens safe. The first bureaucrats are
already being moved into the city. Though the new capital is
sure to be impressive - it still does not have a name.
Another new planned city, Alamein New City is rising some 66 miles (100
km.) west of Alexandria. The planned, ecologically friendly
city is supposed to eventually house some 3 million inhabitants. The
city is being heavily promoted, though few of the facilities have been
completed. Both cities were honored on circulating 2019 Egypt
coins. A bi-metallic 1 Pound for the new, nameless capital
features some buildings and the sun rising in the
background. For Alamein New City both a brass-clad
steel 50 Piastres and a bi-metallic 1 Pound were issued depicting
buildings (though to me it looks more like ruins). All the
coins utilize the standard reverse that include the denomination and
date.
Item EG-CAP EGYPT 1 POUND NEW CAPITAL 2019
UNC.
$4.00
Item EG-ALAMEIN EGYPT 50 PIASTRES & 1
POUND ALAMEIN NEW CITY, 2019 UNC.
$6.50
MOLDOVA 2018 PUZZLE COIN SET
Moldova released a set of four new coins consisting of nickel-plated
steel 1 and 2 Lei and bi-metallic 5 and 10 Lei. Each coin
depicts a portion of the Moldovan arms, so that when the coins are
placed together the image of the arms is created. The
obverses of the coins each feature a portion of a crowned aurochs'
head. The 1 and 2 Lei also include the moon and sun from the
arms. The 10 Lei also includes the arms of Stephen the Great.
The reverses of the coin include the denomination, date, a latent and a
micro-engraved image. When placed together, the reverses of the coins
feature an eagle holding an olive branch and a scepter from the
Moldovan arms. It is a cleverly designed set of coins.
Item MD-SET4 MOLDOVA 4 COIN SET 1-10 LEI 2018
UNC. out
Item
MD-5+10 MOLDOVA BI-METAL 5 &
10 LEI FROM ABOVE SET, UNC.
$8.00
YEAR OF THE PIG NOTES FROM MACAU
The two banks that issue currency for Macao, the Bank of China
and the Banco Nacional Ultramarino, each a released 10 Patacas banknote
honoring the Year of the Pig for 2019. Both notes have
similar
designs. The front of both notes include a stylized pig, bird
and
flowers, a Chinese zodiac and a color-shifting gold "10". The
backs depict the headquarters building for the issuing bank, children
with fireworks outside the A-Ma temple, and the stylized pig, bird and
flowers. Security features include both a security thread and
watermarks. Both notes were printed by Hong Kong Printing
Ltd.
The last five digits of the serial numbers will match.
Item
PM-MO-PIG MACAO SET OF TWO YEAR OF THE PIG
(2019) NOTES, UNC. $15.00
VENEZUELA'S NEW CURRENCY
On August 20, 2018 Venezuela did a 100,000 to 1 revaluation, replacing
the worthless Bolivar Fuerte (Strong Bolivar) with the Bolivar Soberano
(Sovereign Bolivar). The value of the Bolivar Soberano is
supposedly tied to the a crypto-currency created by the government of
Venezuela called the Petro, with 1 Petro being equivalent to 1 barrel
of oil. In reality the currency was not tied to
anything. The socialist government of Venezuela continued its
disastrous political and economic policies, resulting in frequent
blackouts. lack of running water, and
continued hyper-inflation in Venezuela, which some estimate at a
million percent per year. Eight denominations of Bolivar
Soberano notes were released. Like previous issues the fronts
are in a
vertical format and depict national heroes. The
backs are in a horizontal format and depict native wildlife and
national
parks. The 500 Bolivars depicts Simon
Bolivar and the Venezuelan Troupial, which is the national
bird. The 200 Bolivars features Francisco de Miranda and the
Military Macaw. The 100 Bolivars depicts Ezequiel Zamora and a Brown
Spider Monkey. The 50 Bolivars pictures Antionio Jose de
Sucre and an Oncilla (tiger cat or Cunaguaro). The 20 Bolivars portrays
Simon Rodriguez and a Jaguar. The 10 Bolivars depicts Rafael Urdaneta
and a Giant Anteater. The 5 Bolivars pictures José Felix
Ribas and a Veragua stubfoot toad (Atelopus cruciger). The 2
Bolivars features Josefa Camejo and a Yellow-crowned Amazon
Parrot. The lower denomination notes are difficult to obtain
as many people refuse to accept them due to their minimal buying power
- the
effort spent counting the notes is more than the notes are
worth! With increasing hyper-inflation, political
and economic instability in Venezuela the notes may not be around for
long.
Item
PM-VE-SOB VENEZUELA 8 NOTE BOLIVAR SOBERANO
SET (2018) AU-UNC.
$15.00
TRIGGERFISH ON TITANIUM AND
COPPER NICKEL COINS OF ASCENSION ISLAND
A Queen Triggerfish (Balistes vetula) is featured on purple titanium
and copper-nickel 2019 1 Crown coins of Ascension Island. The large
oval-shaped reef dwelling fish is so named due to its unique spines on
its anterior dorsal fins which are used to lock the fish into a crevice
during the night. The first spine locks and the second spine
unlocks, like a trigger. This prevents predators from pulling
them free or swallowing the fish. Queen Elizabeth is on the
obverse. The titanium version is 36.1mm, weighs only 10
grams, has a mintage of 7,500 and comes in a box with a Certificate of
Authenticity. The copper-nickel version is 38.6mm
and has a mintage of 10,000 pieces. Both coins have the same design and
are Brilliant Uncirculated.
Item
ASC-TIT-TRIG19 ASCENSION 1 CROWN 2019 PURPLE
TITANIUM
TRIGGERFISH. BU $49.00
Item
ASC-CN-TRIG19 ASCENSION 1 CROWN 2019
COPPER-NICKEL
TRIGGERFISH. BU $14.00
MACARONI PENGUINS
ON TITANIUM AND COPPER-NICKEL COINS OF SO. GEORGIA & SO.
SANDWICH IS.
Macaroni Penguins are so named as the spectacular orange tufted plumes
on its head. In 18th century England, a Macaroni was an individual who
dressed with flamboyant or excessive ornamentation (as in the song
Yankee Doodle). In the summer they breed in colonies that number many
thousands of birds. They then disburse and have been known
swim 10,000 km (6,200 miles) before returning to land. The
British territory of South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands depicts
four Macaroni Penguins on their 2019 Two-pound coins. Queen
Elizabeth is on the obverse. The coins are struck in both
pale blue titanium and copper-nickel with the same design.
The titanium version is 36.1mm, weighs only 10 grams, has a mintage of
7,500 and come in a box with a Certificate of
Authenticity. The copper-nickel version is 38.6mm
and has a mintage of 10,000 pieces. Both coins are Brilliant
Uncirculated.
Item
SGI-TIT-PENG19 SO.GEORGIA &
SO.SANDWICH IS. 2
POUNDS 2019 MACARONI PENGUIN BLUE TITANIUM BU $49.00
Item
SGI-CN-PENG19 SO.GEORGIA &
SO.SANDWICH
IS. 2
POUNDS COPPER-NICKEL 2019 MACARONI PENGUIN BU $14.00
2018 BRITISH
VIRGIN ISLANDS PEGASUS VIRENIUM & SILVER
DOLLAR COINS
With the overwhelming popularity of the 2018 British Virgin Islands
Pegasus silver dollar, Pobjoy mint repeated the design on a British
Virgin Islands dollar minted in Virenium. Both coins depict
Pegasus, the mythical horse, rearing up with his wings spread. Queen
Elizabeth is on the obverse. Virenium is an alloy of copper, zinc and
nickel developed by Derek Pobjoy named after his wife Verena. The
Virenium dollar is 28.4mm and has a mintage of only 4000
pieces. The .999 fine 1 troy ounce silver dollar is 38.6mm,
has a mintage of 50,000 pieces and has a frosted reverse Proof finish.
Item
BVI-PEGVIR18 BRITISH VIRGIN
ISLANDS 1 DOLLAR 2018 PEGASUS VIRENIUM BU
$13.00
Item
BVI-PEGSIL18 BRITISH VIRGIN
ISLANDS 1 DOLLAR 2018 PEGASUS SILVER PROOF
$27.00
CANADA 2018 COLORED AND
UNCOLORED WWI ARMISTICE COINS
Canada
honored the 100th Anniversary of the World War I Armistice with two
versions of circulating bi-metallic 2 Dollar coins: uncolored and
colored. Both versions have similar designs. In the
center brass plated core is a soldier's helmet, beneath it is the word "
ARMISTICE" a
remembrance poppy. The colored version of the coin features
the poppy in red. Maple leaves and poppies are features in
the nickel-plated outer rim, along with the words "
REMEMBER" in
English and French ("
SOUVENIR")
and the date 2018. The Susanna Blunt portrait of Queen
Elizabeth is on the obverse of the 28mm coin.
Item
CA-2D18-REGARM
CANADA 2 DOLLARS 2018 REGULAR (UNCOLORED) ARMISTICE UNC. $5.50
Item
CA-2D18-COLARM
CANADA 2 DOLLARS 2018 COLORED ARMISTICE UNC. out
NEW 2018
VENEZUELA BOLIVAR SOBERANO COINS
In
August 2018 Venezuela introduced two new coins, a 50 Centimos and a
bi-metallic 1 Bolivar Soberano as part of a 100,000 to 1 currency
revaluation. The new 1 Bolivar Soberano is equivalent to
100,000 of the previous
Bolivar Fuerte,
which was introduced in 2008. The Bolivar Soberano was
supposed to be a stable currency, tied to a Venezuelan crypto-currency
called the Petro, which was supposedly valued at 1 barrel of
oil. Instead the nation’s hyperinflation is increasing, with
prices doubling every few days. The new 1 Bolivar Soberano
coin is very similar to the old 1
Bolivar
Fuerte
coin, but is worth 100,000 times more! Both the 1
Bolivar coins are 24mm bi-metallic coins depicting Simon Bolivar facing
left on the obverse and have the national arms, denomination and date
on the reverse and both have the same lettered edge. The coins were
minted by the Venezuelan government mint in Maracay and tend to be
poorly struck. The mintmark for the Casa de la Moneda de
Maracay is to
the right of Bolivar's neck.
Item
VE-SET18 VENEZUELA 50 CENTIMOS & 1
BOLIVAR COINS
2018 UNC.
$4.00
RARE SHRIMP ON
COPPER-NICKEL & PINK TITANIUM ASCENSION COINS
Ascension Island depicted Procaris ascensionis, a rare species of
shrimp, on their 2018 copper-nickel and pink titanium 1 Crown
coins. The shrimp are endemic only to two rock pools on
Ascension, the largest is only about 15 feet (4.5m) wide and 18 inches
(45cm) deep. Both versions of the coin have the same design
featuring a pool of the shrimp on the reverse and Queen Elizabeth on
the obverse. The pink titanium version is 36.1mm in diameter, comes in
a box with a Certificate of Authenticity and has a mintage of 7500
pieces. The copper-nickel (CN) version is 38.6mm and has a
mintage of 10,000 pieces.
Item
ASC-TIT-SHRIMP
ASCENSION 1 CROWN 2018 SHRIMP PINK TITANIUM BU
$55.00
Item
ASC-CN-SHRIMP
ASCENSION 1 CROWN 2018 SHRIMP COPPER-NICKEL BU
$14.00
TRIANGULAR
COIN FROM THE DISPUTED TERRITORY OF HALA’IB
Hala’ib
is a disputed territory on the Red Sea. It is claimed by both
Sudan and Egypt, though is controlled by Egypt. This
unofficial triangular 2018 dated 10 Pound coin was recently issued for
the “Independent Territory of Hala’ib”. Though independence
might solve the dispute, it is highly unlikely that Egypt or Sudan
would allow it to happen. One side features the eagle emblem
of Independent Halab. The other side pictures a Dorcus
Gazelle (also known as Ariel Gazalle), which is native to the
region. The silver-plated Proof coin has a mintage of only
150 pieces
Item
HALAIB HALA’IB 10 POUNDS 2018 PROOF
$19.75
CHINA CELEBRATES HIGH SPEED RAIL
China
has the world's longest and most extensive high speed rail
network, covering almost 17,000 miles (27,000 km.). China
issued this 2018 dated 27mm bi-metallic 10 Yuan to commemorate the
nation's high speed rail network. The reverse of the coin
depicts a "Fuxing" high-speed train, Dashengguan Yangtze River Bridge
and the Beijing South Railway Station. The Fuxing trains run
at speeds of 155 to 215 mph (250 to 350 km/h). The obverse
features the arms of the People's Republic of China and the date.
Item
CN-RAIL18 CHINA 10 YUAN 2018 HIGH SPEED RAIL,
BI-METAL BU
$7.00
A
COIN OF KOSOVO
The
Republic of Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in February 2008,
though some nations, including Serbia still do not recognize
it. Kosovo uses the Euro and has not issued any
official coins or notes. Recently however an unofficial coin
was minted by a Russian coin dealer to commemorate the Kosovo's 10th
anniversary. One side of the 2018 Kosovo 50 Illyri depicts
national hero Miloš Obilić (Obiliq). He is credited with the
assassination of Ottoman Sultan Murad I at the Battle of Kosovo in
1389. Both the Ottomans and Serbians suffered extremely heavy
casualties in the inclusive battle. The Serbs were left with
insufficient forces to continue to effectively defend their territory,
which eventually succumbed to the Ottomans. The other side
depicts the arms of Kosovo along with the dates 2008 and
2018. The denomination is named after a group of ancient
Indo-European tribes that inhabited the region. The
40mm silver-plated Proof coin has a mintage of only 150 pieces.
Item
KOSOVO KOSOVO 50 ILLYRI 2018 PROOF
$24.00
NEW
2018 COINS OF UZBEKISTAN
Uzbekistan recently released four new
nickel-plated steel 2018 dated coins. The 500 Som depicts the
Palace of Conventions, also called Palace of International
Forums (Anjumanlar Saroyi), which was built in 2009 in
Tashkent. The 200 Som depicts the sun rising over a
tiger. The design is taken from a 17th century mosaic on the
Sher-Dor Madrasah at the Registan in Samarkand. The 100 Som
depicts the Independence and Goodness monument in Tashkent.
The denomination and native designs are featured on the 50 Som. The
Uzbek national emblem and date is on the obverse of each of the coins.
Item
UZBEK18 UZBEKISTAN 4 COIN SET 50 - 500 SOM,
2018 BU
$5.00
HUNGARY 50 FORINT 2018 ICE
HOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIPS
Hungary
honored the 2018 International Ice Hockey Federation Division I
Group A World Championship games held in Budapest April 22 to 28 on
this 2018 circulating commemorative 50 Forint. The reverse of
the 27.4mm copper-nickel coin features a player taking a shot on the
goal and the emblem of the Hungarian Ice Hockey Association.
The obverse features the denomination and the Budapest mintnmark.
Item HU-50FT-18HOCKEY
HUNGARY 50 FORINT 2018, ICE HOCKEY UNC.
$3.00
HUNGARY
2018 YEAR OF THE FAMILY 50 FORINT
In
January 2018 Hungarian Prime Minister declared 2018 to be Hungary's
Year of the Family in order to encourage more and larger families
because the nations birthrate is too low. (Wasn't it just a few years
ago the world was facing a "population bomb" and everyone was supposed
to have fewer children?) The reverse of the 27.4mm
copper-nickel coin includes the Year of the Family logo which features
a stylized family and the "Year of the Family" in Hungarian. The
obverse features the denomination and the Budapest mintnmark.
Item HU-50FT-18FAMILY
HUNGARY 50 FORINT 2018, YEAR OF THE FAMILY UNC.
$3.00
2018
BRITISH ANTARCTIC TERRITORY COIN DEPICTS BLUE PETRELS
The
Blue Petrel (Halobaena caerulea) is a small seabird that inhabits
southern oceans. It is about 11 inches (30cm) in length and can weight
up to about 7 ounces (200 grams). It has an extraordinary
ability
to produce a foul smelling oil which they store in a special section of
their stomach; they then eat this oil to feed themselves during long
flights! Except for breeding, they spend their life at sea
and
can dive to about 20 feet (6 meters). This 2018 38.6mm
copper-nickel 2 Pound
coin of
the British Antarctic Territory features a Blue Petrel diving into the
Antarctic Ocean to catch a fish. Above are two more Blue
Petrels
ready to join in the feast. The coin has a mintage of only
10,000
pieces. Queen Elizabeth is on the obverse.
Item
BAT-CN-PETREL18 BRITISH ANTARCTIC TERRITORY 2
POUNDS 2018 BLUE PETREL BU
$14.00
FOR OTHER
RECENT ISSUES PLEASE
SEE:
NEW 2 EURO COMMEMORATIVE COINS
MAUI TRADE $2 COINS
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Jan
Mayen is a volcanic island in the North Atlantic belonging to Norway.
After Germany invaded Norway in 1940, the four Norwegian inhabitants of
the island sent weather reports to London. An attempt to send
reinforcements to the island failed when the ship ran
aground. The ship-wrecked crew and the four Norwegians were
rescued by the British and the island was temporarily
abandoned. The Germans then attempted to land on the island
and set up a weather station, but their ship crashed on the rocks and
the crew captured by a British destroyer. In the spring of 1941 twelve
Norwegian weathermen landed on the island. Germans planes
attempted to bomb and strafe the weather station, but did little
damage. In 1942 a German bomber smashed into a mountain, killing all
nine crew members. In 1943 the Americans established a radio
locating station on the island. Today the island's only inhabitants are
personnel from the Norwegian Armed Forces and Norwegian Metrological
Institute. This unofficial 2019 200 Kroner of Jan Mayen
depicts an Artic Fox and a Polar Bear on one side and the arms of
Norway and a compass rose on the other. The eight-sided, 40mm
silver plated Proof coin has a mintage of only 150 pieces.
Minami-Tori-Shima,
also known as Marcus
Island, is a tiny isolated coral atoll belonging to Japan in the
Pacific Ocean, located some 1148 miles (1848km) southeast of
Tokyo. It has no civilian inhabitants. Its
importance is that it enables Japan to claim a 165,590 square mile
(428,875 sq.km). Exclusive Economic Zone in the surrounding waters,
including potentially valuable rare earth mineral deposits beneath the
ocean floor. This unofficial 2019 dated 1000 Yen coin of
Minami-Tori-Shima depicts Japan's new Emperor Naruhito and the Imperial
Palace on one side and the Imperial Chrysanthemum Seal of Japan on the
other. The six-sided silver-plated Proof coin has a mintage of just 150
pieces.
Swains Island is a privately-owned atoll in the South Pacific that is
claimed by both the United States and Tokelau. It consists of
approximately 373 acres (150.8 ha) of land surrounding a central
lagoon. In 2010 it had a population of 17. American
Eli Hutchinson Jennings purchased the island in 1856 for fifteen
shillings per acre and a bottle of gin from British Captain Turnbull,
who claimed ownership of the island by discovery. Jennings
settled on the island along with his Samoan wife and established a
successful coconut plantation. The island has remained in the
Jennings family ever since then. The obverse of this
unofficial 2019 dated 5 Tala coin of Swains Island depicts a mermaid
sitting above the skull of an unlucky sailor. The reverse depicts a
sailing ship and a coconut palm. The eight-sided, 40mm
silver-plated Proof coin has a mintage of just 150 pieces.
Bismarck Archipelago is a group of islands off the north-eastern coast
of New Guinea. Its first inhabitants arrived some 30,000 to 40,000
years ago. Germany claimed the islands in 1884 and named them
after Chancellor Otto von Bismarck. Australia seized the islands in
1914 at the start of World War I. The Japanese took over at
the beginning of World War II. The islands were the scene of
some heavy fighting in 1944 by American and Australian forces under
General Douglas MacArthur who used them as a stepping stone for his
invasion of the Philippines. In 1975 the archipelago became
part of Papua New Guinea. The obverse of this unofficial 2019
dated 200 Kina coin includes the national emblem of Papua New Guinea
which features a Bird of Paradise. The reverse depicts a
cockatoo. The six-sided 38mm silver-plated Proof coin has a
mintage of just 150 pieces.
The
huge Livingston's Fruit Bat (Pteropus livingstonii) is featured on this
unofficial 2018 5000 Francs coin of the Democratic Republic of Mwali.
The critically endangered bat has a wing span of up to about 4 1/2 feet
(1.4m). The national arms are on the other side of the
coin. Mwali, also known as Mohéli, is one of the islands that
make of the Union of the Comoros. Since gaining independence
from France in 1975, Comoros has had constant political turmoil, with
over 20 coups, multiple assassination attempts and various islands
declaring independence. Mwali succeeded from the Comoros in
1997. It rejoined in 1998 and was given more autonomy. There
are many that still want full independence, though the island is only
81 square miles (211 sq.km.) and has a population of only about
40,000. The 40mm eight-sided, silver-plated Proof coin has a
mintage of only 150 pieces.
On
April 18, 2018, the 50th Anniversary of his nation's independence,
the King of Swaziland
changed the name of his country from Swaziland to
eSwatini. This was done supposedly to avoid people confusing
the country with Switzerland. Though the name may
look like the latest high-tech device or company, it means Land of the
Swazis in the Swazi language. One of the first coins of eSwatini is
this 2018 dated 18mm nickel-plated steel 10 Cents. The design
is similar to the previous Swaziland 10 Cents. King Mswati
III is on the obverse and two sugar canes are on the reverse.
A
pair of King Penguins are featured on this odd-shaped 2019 dated 10
Pounds coin of Inaccessible Island. The small, remote island
is located about 25 miles (41km.) south-west of Tristan da
Cunha. The last permanent residents of the islands were a
pair of brothers who arrived in 1871 hoping to make a living sealing
and selling their wares to passing ships (forgetting how infrequently
Inaccessible had visitors). They were "overjoyed" to be
rescued by a scientific expedition that stopped at the island in
1873. The island is the home to over a million birds but has
no land mammals, reptiles, amphibians, butterflies, or
snails. The island is a British Overseas Territory. Queen
Elizabeth and the coat of arms is on the obverse. The
unofficial silver-plated Proof coin has a mintage of only 150 pieces. 
Napoleon
I of France died in exile on the remote British island of St. Helena in
1821. Napoleon III purchased from the British Longwood House, Napoleons
final residence and the Valley of the Tomb, where he was initially
buried. In 1858 they became French territories under the name of
"French Domains of Saint-Helena". In 1959 a small pavilion
named Briars, where Napoleon stayed when he first arrived on the
island, was donated to France and added to the territory. The
properties are administered by the French Foreign Ministry. This
unofficial 2019 20 Euros coin depicts a young image of Marianne, the
allegorical symbol of the French Republic is on the obverse.
The reverse depicts Napoleon and the dates "1821 2021". The
six-sided 39mm silver-plated Proof coin has a mintage of only 150
pieces.
Canada
issued this circulating 2019 dollar coin commemorating the 50th
anniversary of the decriminalization of homosexuality in
Canada. The coin celebrates "equality for all and the right
to live free from discrimination, regardless of sexual orientation,
gender identity, gender expression or sex characteristics."
Some in the LGBT+ community object to the coin as they say they have
not yet achieved full equality. The reverse design by Vancouver artist
Joe Average features two intertwined faces that " invites a personal
interpretation of the design". The Susanna Blount portrait of
Queen Elizabeth is on the obverse.
Una
and the Lion is one of the most beautiful, popular and expensive of all
British coins. The gold 5 Pound coin was struck for the
coronation of Queen Victoria in 1839. The design, created by sculptor
William Wyon, was based on Edmund Spenser’s poem Faerie Queene which
tells the tale of Princess Una after St. George had slayed the dragon
and rescued her. During the course of her travels, Una met a lion who
was so mesmerized by her beauty he became her companion and
protector. On the coin Una was modeled after 19-year old
Queen Victoria. The Lion is a traditional symbol of Britain.
The legend ‘DIEU ET MON DROIT’ meaning ‘God on my Right’ is the motto
of the British monarchy. The British Virgin Islands recreated
this beautiful design on this 2019 dated 1 troy ounce .999 fine silver
1 Dollar coin to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the birth of
Queen Victoria. The obverse features Queen Elizabeth, the
great, great granddaughter of Queen Victoria. The 38.6mm
reverse frosted Brilliant Uncirculated coin has a mintage of only
50,000 pieces. It is an attractive coin, at an attractive price.
The
Balearic Islands (Illes Balears) are a group of islands in the western
Mediterranean which includes Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza, and
Formentera. They are an autonomous province of Spain.
According to legend, in prehistoric times they had no gold or silver
coin, and forbade the importation of the precious metals, so that those
who served as mercenaries took their pay in wine and women instead of
money. This unofficial 2018 2000 Pesetas coin of the Balearic
Islands was issued to mark the 50th birthday of Spanish King Phillip
VI. A stylized portrait of Phillip and the king's coat of arms is
on the obverse. The obverse depicts the Balearic Islands coat of arms
and a five-towered castle representing the Royal Palace of La Almudaina
in Mallorca, which appears on the islands flag. The six-sided
38mm silver-plated coin has a mintage of only 150 pieces and is Proof.
The
Torres Strait islands are a group of over 270 small islands between
Papua New Guinea and Australia's York Peninsula. Most of the
islands are controlled by Australia, with those close to the mainland
of New Guinea controlled by Papua New Guinea. The Torres Strait was a
land bridge that connected Australia with New Guinea until it was
submerged at the end of the last ice-age about 12,000 years
ago. Continued rising of sea levels caused by global warming
threatens many of the islands. Recently a group of islanders lodged a
complaint against Australia at the United Nations claiming the
Australian government's actions to prevent climate change represents an
abuse of their human rights. There is an active independence movement
for the islands. This unusual curved shaped 2019 100 Kina
coin is an unofficial issue for the Torres Strait Islands. The obverse
depicts an Imperial Pigeon and the islands emblem. A sailing
ship is on the reverse. The 49mm silver-plated coin has a
mintage of only 150 pieces and is Proof.
Aland
is a group of islands belonging to Finland located in the Baltic
Sea between Finland and Sweden. Most of the residents speak
Swedish. Following World War I the residents voted to join
Sweden, but in 1921 the League of Nations decided that Aland should be
an autonomous, demilitarized region under Finnish
sovereignty. This unofficial 2019 square 5 Euro coin of Aland
was issued to commemorate the 35th anniversary of Aland's first postage
stamps. One side of the coin depicts a postal boat as it
appeared on some of the islands' stamps which were issued in
1984.
The other side includes the coat-of-arms of Aland. The 30mm
silver-plated Proof coin has a mintage of only 150 pieces.
Pakistan
issued this 2018 dated 50 Rupee coin for International Anti-Corruption
Day. The obverse of the 30mm copper-nickel coin has the Pakistan
national emblem of a crescent moon and a star. The reverse
has legends in English reading "International Anti Corruption Day 9th
December". The legend in Urdu translates as "Our faith,
corruption free Pakistan". The denomination, 50 Rupees, is an amount
often given as small bribes to minor officials and police. 
Hungary
commemorated the 2018 World Wrestling Championships held in Budapest
from October 20 to 28, 2018. The event included Men and women's
freestyle and Men's Greco-Roman wrestling. Russia was the clear winner
with 10 gold medals. The 27.4mm copper-nickel 50 Forint depicts one
wrestler throwing the other. The denomination is on the obverse
Canada
honored the 100th Anniversary of the World War I Armistice with two
versions of circulating bi-metallic 2 Dollar coins: uncolored and
colored. Both versions have similar designs. In the
center brass plated core is a soldier's helmet, beneath it is the word "ARMISTICE" a
remembrance poppy. The colored version of the coin features
the poppy in red. Maple leaves and poppies are features in
the nickel-plated outer rim, along with the words "REMEMBER" in
English and French ("SOUVENIR")
and the date 2018. The Susanna Blunt portrait of Queen
Elizabeth is on the obverse of the 28mm coin.
In
August 2018 Venezuela introduced two new coins, a 50 Centimos and a
bi-metallic 1 Bolivar Soberano as part of a 100,000 to 1 currency
revaluation. The new 1 Bolivar Soberano is equivalent to 100,000 of the previous
Bolivar Fuerte,
which was introduced in 2008. The Bolivar Soberano was
supposed to be a stable currency, tied to a Venezuelan crypto-currency
called the Petro, which was supposedly valued at 1 barrel of
oil. Instead the nation’s hyperinflation is increasing, with
prices doubling every few days. The new 1 Bolivar Soberano
coin is very similar to the old 1 Bolivar
Fuerte
coin, but is worth 100,000 times more! Both the 1
Bolivar coins are 24mm bi-metallic coins depicting Simon Bolivar facing
left on the obverse and have the national arms, denomination and date
on the reverse and both have the same lettered edge. The coins were
minted by the Venezuelan government mint in Maracay and tend to be
poorly struck. The mintmark for the Casa de la Moneda de
Maracay is to
the right of Bolivar's neck.
Hala’ib
is a disputed territory on the Red Sea. It is claimed by both
Sudan and Egypt, though is controlled by Egypt. This
unofficial triangular 2018 dated 10 Pound coin was recently issued for
the “Independent Territory of Hala’ib”. Though independence
might solve the dispute, it is highly unlikely that Egypt or Sudan
would allow it to happen. One side features the eagle emblem
of Independent Halab. The other side pictures a Dorcus
Gazelle (also known as Ariel Gazalle), which is native to the
region. The silver-plated Proof coin has a mintage of only
150 pieces 
China
has the world's longest and most extensive high speed rail
network, covering almost 17,000 miles (27,000 km.). China
issued this 2018 dated 27mm bi-metallic 10 Yuan to commemorate the
nation's high speed rail network. The reverse of the coin
depicts a "Fuxing" high-speed train, Dashengguan Yangtze River Bridge
and the Beijing South Railway Station. The Fuxing trains run
at speeds of 155 to 215 mph (250 to 350 km/h). The obverse
features the arms of the People's Republic of China and the date.
The
Republic of Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in February 2008,
though some nations, including Serbia still do not recognize
it. Kosovo uses the Euro and has not issued any
official coins or notes. Recently however an unofficial coin
was minted by a Russian coin dealer to commemorate the Kosovo's 10th
anniversary. One side of the 2018 Kosovo 50 Illyri depicts
national hero Miloš Obilić (Obiliq). He is credited with the
assassination of Ottoman Sultan Murad I at the Battle of Kosovo in
1389. Both the Ottomans and Serbians suffered extremely heavy
casualties in the inclusive battle. The Serbs were left with
insufficient forces to continue to effectively defend their territory,
which eventually succumbed to the Ottomans. The other side
depicts the arms of Kosovo along with the dates 2008 and
2018. The denomination is named after a group of ancient
Indo-European tribes that inhabited the region. The
40mm silver-plated Proof coin has a mintage of only 150 pieces.
Uzbekistan recently released four new
nickel-plated steel 2018 dated coins. The 500 Som depicts the
Palace of Conventions, also called Palace of International
Forums (Anjumanlar Saroyi), which was built in 2009 in
Tashkent. The 200 Som depicts the sun rising over a
tiger. The design is taken from a 17th century mosaic on the
Sher-Dor Madrasah at the Registan in Samarkand. The 100 Som
depicts the Independence and Goodness monument in Tashkent.
The denomination and native designs are featured on the 50 Som. The
Uzbek national emblem and date is on the obverse of each of the coins.
Hungary
honored the 2018 International Ice Hockey Federation Division I
Group A World Championship games held in Budapest April 22 to 28 on
this 2018 circulating commemorative 50 Forint. The reverse of
the 27.4mm copper-nickel coin features a player taking a shot on the
goal and the emblem of the Hungarian Ice Hockey Association.
The obverse features the denomination and the Budapest mintnmark. 
In
January 2018 Hungarian Prime Minister declared 2018 to be Hungary's
Year of the Family in order to encourage more and larger families
because the nations birthrate is too low. (Wasn't it just a few years
ago the world was facing a "population bomb" and everyone was supposed
to have fewer children?) The reverse of the 27.4mm
copper-nickel coin includes the Year of the Family logo which features
a stylized family and the "Year of the Family" in Hungarian. The
obverse features the denomination and the Budapest mintnmark.
The
Blue Petrel (Halobaena caerulea) is a small seabird that inhabits
southern oceans. It is about 11 inches (30cm) in length and can weight
up to about 7 ounces (200 grams). It has an extraordinary
ability
to produce a foul smelling oil which they store in a special section of
their stomach; they then eat this oil to feed themselves during long
flights! Except for breeding, they spend their life at sea
and
can dive to about 20 feet (6 meters). This 2018 38.6mm
copper-nickel 2 Pound
coin of
the British Antarctic Territory features a Blue Petrel diving into the
Antarctic Ocean to catch a fish. Above are two more Blue
Petrels
ready to join in the feast. The coin has a mintage of only
10,000
pieces. Queen Elizabeth is on the obverse.