FRENCH SILVER 10 EURO HONORS
CHARLES DE GAULLE
France
honored Charles de Gaulle on this silver 2020 10 Euro
coin. The coin commemorates both the 50th anniversary of his
death in 1970 and the 80th anniversary of his Appeal of 18 June, which
was an appeal launched by de Gaulle on June 18, 1940 from the BBC
studios in London that established the French Resistance against Nazi
Germany. He later served as the President of the French
Republic from 1959 to 1969. The coin depicts images
of him both as President of France in the 1960's and as a General in
World War II. The reverse includes the denomination
within oak and laurel branches, the date, and a series of lines
representing France's hexagonal shape. The 31mm coin is
struck in .333 fine silver and comes in a descriptive folder written in
both French and English.
Item
FR-DEGAULLE FRANCE 10 EURO 2020 CHARLES
DEGAULLE BU $25.00
FIN WHALE ON TITANIUM AND
COPPER-NICKEL COINS OF SOUTH GEORGIA & SOUTH SANDWICH ISLANDS
An impressive Fin Whale is featured on copper-nickel and bi-color
titanium 2021 dated 2 Pound coins of South Georgia and South Sandwich
Islands. It is the second largest species on earth, after the
blue whale, growing to over 80 feet (25m) in length and weighing over
70 tons. Despite its size its streamlined shape allows it to
reach speeds of up to 18mph (30 kph). The titanium coin
features a gold whale against a deep blue background. It is
36.1mm in diameter, weights 10 grams and has a maximum mintage of only
5000 pieces. It comes in a capsule packaged in a red box with
a certificate of authenticity. The copper-nickel version is
38.61mm in diameter and has a maximum mintage of 10,000
pieces. Queen Elizabeth is on the obverses of the coins.
Item
SGA-TIT-WHALE21 SO. GEORGIA & SO.
SANDWICH
IS. 2 POUNDS 2021 BI-COLOR TITANIUM BU
$59.00
Item
SGA-CN-WHALE21 SO. GEORGIA & SO.
SANDWICH
IS. 2 POUNDS 2021 COPPER-NICKEL BU
$14.00
GERMANY HONORS SAXONY-ANHALT
ON 2021 2 EURO
Germany
continued their annual series of 2 Euro coins honoring each of their
Bundesländer (states) with this 2021 issue for Saxony-Anhalt
(Sachsen-Anhalt). The coin depicts the Magdeburg
Cathedral. The
Cathedral is the oldest Gothic Cathedral in
Germany. Construction
was started in 1209 on the site of an abbey. It was not
completed
until over 300 years later in 1520. The coins were struck at all five
German mints (A=Berlin, D=Munich, F=Stuttgart, G=Karlsruhe, J=Hamburg).
The mintmark is at the left of the cathedral.
Item
DE-2E21-SAX GERMANY 2 EURO 2021
SAXONY-ANHALT mint our
choice,UNC. $6.00
Item
DE-2E21-SAX-ALL5 ALL 5 MINTS (A,D,F,G,J)
SAXONY-ANHALT
2 EURO 2021, UNC.
$29.50
GREEK 2021 2 EURO COMMEMORATES
200th ANNIVERSARY OF WAR OF INDEPENDENCE
The
Greek war of independence broke out on March 1821 and quickly
spread.
Greece had been under Ottoman control since the 155h Century.
Independence was declared in January 1822, but not fully achieved until
1830 with assistance from France, Great Britain and Russia.
The coin
features the Greek flag in a circle surrounded by olive leaves.
Item
GR-2E21-INDP GREECE 2 EURO 2021 200th ANNV.
OF
WAR OF INDEPENDENCE, UNC.
$9.00
LITHUANIA 2021 ZUVINTAS BIOSPHERE
RESERVE 2 EURO
The
Zuvintas Biosphere Reserve is a a UNESCO site that is the home of
thousands of species of birds, animals and plants. New species are
being discovered every year. It is centered around
Zuvintas Lake, a large, shallow lake that is only a small remnant of
the former post-glacial lake. The coin depicts a Bittern
trying to eat a Fire-bellied toad. A Water Reed Warbler
clings to a reed. In the distance a number of cranes are
flying with a mute swan.
Item
LT-2E21-ZUVINTAS LITHUANIA 2 EURO 2021
ZUVINTAS BIOSPHERE, UNC.
$6.00
SLOVENIAN
BI-METAL 3 EURO COMMEMORATES 300th ANNIVERSARY OF PASSION PLAY
The
Skofja Loka Passion Play is the oldest preserved dramatic text in the
Slovenian language. It was written in 1721 by Capuchin Father
Romuald-Lovrenc Marusic. It consists of 13 tableaux taken
from the Bible, performed in form of a procession through the streets
of old Skofja Loka. The entire performance involves approximately 1000
volunteers and 80 horses. The coin features a cross, with the
meeting point of the straight lines representing the center of the
events – the streets of Skofja Loka. Around the cross on the front side
of the coin, three broken lines represent not just the auditorium but
also the crown of thorns. Each of the 13 vertices of the crown
represent one of the tableaux of passion play. The other side features
the cross and the signature of Fr. Romuald and the date 1721. The 32mm
bi-metallic coin has a mintage of only 40,000 pieces.
Item
SI-3E-21 SLOVENIA 3 EURO 2021 SKOFJA LOKA
PASSION PLAY, UNC.
$10.00
FRANCE COMMEMORATES NAPOLEON ON
2021
SILVER 10 EURO
France
commemorated the 200th anniversary of the death of Napoleon Bonepart
with this 2021 siver 10 Euro coin. Napoleon is depicted with
a laurel crown. Beside him are symbols of his reign: the
Legion of Honour medal which wasinstituted by Napoleon, the Eagle, the
bees and the sun of Austerlitz. The words "2S" are inscribed inside it
refer to the date of the victory of the battle of Austerlitz,
December 2, 1805, the "S" representing the month of December.
The reverse includes the denomination within oak and laurel branches,
the date, and a series of lines representing France's hexagonal
shape. The 31mm coin is struck in .333 fine silver and comes
in a descriptive folder written in French.
Item
FR-NAPOLEON FRANCE 10 EURO 2021 NAPOLEON BU $29.75
ALSO SEE:
ST. HELENA
COMMEMORATES THE BATTLES OF THE NAPOLEONIC WARS
BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS 2021
SILVER FLAMINGO
The
British Virgin Islands recently released this beautiful 2021 reverse
cameo frosted silver Flamingo dollar. The word ‘flamingo’ comes from
the Portuguese/Spanish 'flamengo' meaning 'flame-colored'.
Flamingos
get their pink color from eating shrimp and algae containing
carotenoid. Featured on the coin is a flamingo in a typical pose,
standing on one leg with its head tucked down. In the
background is a flock of flamingos. Flamingos are very
sociable birds that live in colonies that can number thousands of
birds. Queen Elizabeth is on the obverse.
The 38.6mm coin contains 1 troy ounce of .999 fine silver and has a
mintage of only 10,000 pieces.
Item
BVI-AR-FLAMINGO21 BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS 1
DOLLAR 2021 SILVER FLAMINGO BU
$49.95
KANAKY
REPUBLIC COIN FEATURES KAGU BIRD
The Kanaky Republic is an independence
movement for the French territory of New Caledonia. Kanaks make up
about 41% of the the Pacific islands population. A referendum
for full independence was rejected in 2018, and a second referendum was
narrowly defeated in October 2020. A third and final
referendum may be held by 2022. One side of the
coin features the multi-color emblem of the Kanaky Republic.
The other side depicts a Kagu bird (Rhynochetos jubatus). The
nearly flightless bird in endimic to New Caledonia and appears on the
coins of New Caledonia. The eight-sided 2020 Kanaky 500
Francs coin is 40mm. The silver-plated Proof coin has a
mintage of only 160 pieces.
Item
KANAKY KANAKY REPUBLIC 500 FRANCS 2020 PROOF
$19.95
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
SERBIA
HONORS TESLA ON 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). He was a brilliant inventor, but a poor businessman.
Despite his many important and revolutionary inventions he
died alone and penniless in New York in 1943.
Serbia instituted an annual series of silver 100
Dinara coins honoring Tesla and his many inventions. The
40.25mm
coins each contain 1 troy ounce of .999 silver and are
struck by the Serbian Mint. The Serbian arms,
weight, purity, silver
content, date, denomination and one or more of his inventions are on
the reverses.
The 2019 coin commemorated 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
20,059 pieces in BU.
The 2020 coin honored Tesla's early work with
X-rays.
Nikola Tesla was one of the early discoverers of
X-rays. His first X-ray images, which he called shadowgraphs,
were done in 1894, a year before Wilhelm Röntgen published his
discovery of X-rays in 1895. He was one of the first to recognize some
of the benefits of X-rays, such as the finding of foreign objects
within a body and the detection of lung diseases. He was also
one of the first to recognize the hazards of X-ray radiation.
Unfortunately, most of his work was lost when his laboratory burned
down in
1895. The coin has a mintage of 19,812 in BU.
The 2021 issue depicts his famed Wardenclyffe
Tower. The 187 foot (57m) tall tower on Long Island was
supposed be able to distribute free energy to all.
Foreshadowing the Internet, it would allow one to call any telephone in
the world and allow one to hear music or speeches delivered
anywhere. The ambitious project failed on two
counts: Tesla could not figure out how to recover the costs
of the project if everything was free, and the technology did not
work.
Item
RS-TESLA-REMOTE SERBIA 100 DINARA 2019
TESLA-REMOTE CONTROL BU
$47.00
Item
RS-TESLA-XRAY SERBIA 100 DINARA 2020
TESLA-X-RAYS BU $47.00
Item
RS-TESLA-TOWER SERBIA 100 DINARA 2021
TESLA-FREE ENERGY-WARDENCLYFFE TOWER BU
$46.00
2021 CHINESE SILVER
PANDA 
Because
of a 25% tariff imposed on Chinese imports by President Trump,
few 2021 China silver Pandas have been imported and the cost
of them is substantially higher. We managed to get a few of
these popular coins. The 2021 issue features a momma
panda watching her young baby panda climb a tree. Both coins
feature the date, denomination and the Temple of Heaven in Beijing on
the obverse. The Brilliant Uncirculated 40mm coins have a
nominal face value of 10 Yuan, contain 30 grams of .999 fine silver and
come in a protective capsule.
Item
CN-PANDA21
CHINA 10 YUAN 2021 SILVER PANDA BU
$43.00
COMPLETE SET OF
JAPAN 2020 TOKYO
OLYMPICS 100 YEN COINS
In 2017 Japan started a four-year, 20-coin, series of circulating
100 Yen commemorating the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics and
Paralympics.
Due to COVID-19, the games were not held in 2020.
The games are now
scheduled to start in July 2021, but due to continuing concerns about
COVID-19, even that may not happen. The reverses of the coins
feature
the words "TOKYO 2020" and the Olympic and Tokyo Olympics emblems or
the Paralympic and Tokyo Paralympic emblems. The obverses feature 18
different Olympic and Paralympic sports, plus the two mascots for the
games. Depicted are some of the non-traditional sports,
including
skate boarding, sport climbing, surfing, Paralympic Boccia and
Wheelchair Rugby. The copper-nickel coins are 22.6mm in
diameter. It
is a fascinating set of host country Olympic coins for games that were
not held.
Item
JP-100Y-OLY20 COMPLETE SET OF 20 JAPAN 2020
OLYMPICS 100 YEN, UNC.
$99.75
Also see:
JAPAN SILVER 1000
YEN 1964 OLYMPIC COIN
FRANCE 2021 UNICEF 2 EUROS
France
commemorated the 75th anniversary of UNICEF on this 2021 2 Euro
coin. UNICEF was created in 1946 as the United Nations
International Children's Emergency Fund to provide relief to children
and mothers affected by World War II. After that was no
longer an immediate need, its mandate was extended to address the
long-term needs of children, to defend their rights, and to help them
fulfill their potential. The design includes two children's
hands assembling the earth in the form of a jigsaw puzzle and portions
of the UNICEF logo.
Item
FR-2E21-UNICEF FRANCE 2 EURO 2021 UNICEF
UNC. $6.00
SPAIN 2021 TOLEDO 2 EUROS
Spain
honored Toledo on this 2021 2 Euro coin. The coin depicts the
Puerta del Sol and a detail of Synagogue of El Tránsito, both of which
date from the 14th century. The Puerto del Sol is a city gate
built by the Knights Hospitaller. The Synagogue of El
Tránsito is noted for its rich stucco decoration. After the
expulsion of the Jews was converted to a church. Today is a
museum of Jewish heritage.
Item
ES-2E21-TOLEDO SPAIN 2 EURO 2021 TOLEDO UNC.
$6.00
NEW
AWARD WINNING MEXICAN 100 PESOS NOTE
The new 2020 Mexican 100 Pesos note was awarded "Banknote of the Year"
by the International Bank Note Society, and for good reason.
It is a beautifully designed note with numerous advanced security
features including clear windows, color shifting ink, UV images,
intaglio and embossed features. The front features Juana Inés de la
Cruz and the main patio of San Ildefonso College in Mexico
City. Juana Inés was a brilliant 17th century self-taught
Mexican scholar and writer. She was the illegitimate child of a Spanish
Captain and grew up at a time when educational opportunities for women
were very limited and there were not allowed to attend college.
However, her insightful literary accomplishments garnered her fame
throughout New Spain. She exchanged correspondence with Isaac
Newton. In 1667 she became a nun in order to allow herself to
continue studies and writing. Her writings, which included criticism of
misogyny and the hypocrisy of men, caused conflict with church
authorities. In 1694 her extensive library of over 4000
volumes and her musical and scientific instruments were either sold or
confiscated and she apparently ceased writing. San Ildefonso college as
a Jesuit boarding school in 1588 and is now a museum. Being a
woman, Juana Inés was not allowed to attend. The
back of the note features Monarch butterflies and the Monarch Butterfly
Biosphere Reserve in Michoacán. Each fall, millions of
butterflies from across North America, some coming from as far away as
Eastern Canada, spending the winter at the Butterfly reserve.
In Spring the butterflies start their journey home. It takes
multiple generations of butterflies to complete a migration cycle. How
they find their way back every year remains a mystery. This
past year, the butterfly population was down substantially at the
Biosphere Reserve, as well as at the Pismo Butterfly Reserve which is
near where we live. This stunning vertical polymer note is
65x132mm.
Item
PM-MX-100P20
MEXICO 100 PESOS NOTE 2020 UNC. $17.00
FINLAND 2021
JOURNALISM 2 EURO
Finland
dedicated this 2021 2 Euro coin to "journalism and free press
supporting the Finnish democracy". The coin marks
the 100th
anniversary of Finland's Union of Journalists. The design
features "stylized male and female figures and the information networks
surrounding them like a ribbon", though personally I don't see it.
Item
FI-2E20-JOURNAL FINLAND 2 EUROS 2021
JOURNALISM, UNC.
$9.00
FRENCH 2021 EURO COIN SET
France was one of the original 12 Euro members. France used
three designs on their Euro coins. The 1, 2 and 5 euro cents
depict the head of Marianne, the symbol of the French Republic.
The 10, 20 and 50 euro cents feature The Sower (La Semeuse),
which was previously used on the French Franc coins. The
design by Oscar Roty was first appeared on French coins in 1897.
The 1 and 2 Euro coins feature a stylized tree and the motto "Liberté Egalité Fraternité".
The 1 Euro has low mintages and not generally issued for
circulation making them difficult obtain and make complete
sets.
Item
FR-EUSET21 FRANCE 8 COIN EURO SET
2021
UNC. $25.00
INDIANS
FEATURED ON LOW MINTAGE STATE 20 DOLLAR COINS
Unofficial
odd-shaped 20 Dollar coins featuring American Indians were recently
minted for various American States by a Russian coin dealer.
The
attractive and artistic silver-plated coins have a mintage of only 160
pieces each. Each coin depicts American Indians
from a
tribe in 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 Sioux with
a deer in the background. The obverse depicts the American
Eagle
emblem from the flag of North Dakota. The Delaware issue
depicts
two Delaware 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 Cheyenne and their horses on the
reverse.
All four coins are dated 2020. They are impressive, well
designed
and well struck low-mintage coins at quite a reasonable price.
Item
AZ-20D ARIZONA 20 DOLLARS 2020 PROOF $22.00
Item
DAKOTA-20D DAKOTA 20 DOLLARS 2020 PROOF $22.00
Item
DE-20D DELAWARE 20 DOLLARS 2020 PROOF $22.00
Item
WY-20D WYOMING 20 DOLLARS 2020 PROOF $22.00
PLUNDERFISH ON GLOWING
TITANIUM COIN
OF BRITISH ANTARCTIC TERRITORY
Glowing titanium and copper-nickel coins depicting the Antarctic
Barbeled Plunderfish (Artedidraco skottsberg) were issued for the
British Antarctic Territory in 2021. The fish is found in the
freezing waters off Antarctica. It produces antifreeze
glycoproteins that allows it to occupy these freezing
habitats.
Its scales glow brightly under Ultra Violet (UV) light. This unusual
effect is reproduced on the titanium version of the coin - the scales
of the Plunderfish glow in under UV light. The 36.1
dark
blue titanium coin weighs just 10 grams and has a mintage of only 5000
pieces. It comes housed in a stunning red box with a
Certificate
of Authenticity. The same design, without the glowing UV
feature,
is used on a 38.6mm copper-nickel coin. The copper-nickel version has a
mintage of 10,000 pieces. The coins are both denominated 2
Pounds
and have Queen Elizabeth on the obverse.
Item
BAT-TIT-PLUNDER21 BRITISH ANTARCTIC
TERRITORY 2 POUNDS 2021 TITANIUM PLUNDERFISH BU out
Item
BAT-CN-PLUNDER21 BRITISH ANTARCTIC TERRITORY
2 POUNDS 2021 COPPER-NICKEL PLUNDERFISH BU $14.00
BI-COLOR 2021 TITANIUM AND
COPPER NICKEL COINS FEATURE PARROTFISH
British Indian Ocean Territory recently released 2021 bi-color titanium
and copper nickel 2 Pound coins featuring three Parrotfish swimming
among coral. The titanium coin features
yellow-green parrot-fish against a sea-blue
background. The coin is not painted but is anodized
using a special process so that the color is an integral part of the
metal of the coin. It weighs only 10 grams and has a mintage
of only 5000 pieces. The coin comes is housed in a stunning
red box with a Certificate of Authenticity. The
same design, but without color is used on a 38.6mm copper-nickel coin.
The copper-nickel version has a mintage of 10,000 pieces.
Queen Elizabeth is on the obverse of both coins.
Item
BIOT-TIT-PFISH21 BR. INDIAN OCEAN TERR.
TITANIUM 2 POUNDS 2021 PARROTFISH BU
$55.00
Item
BIOT-CN-PFISH21 BR. INDIAN OCEAN TERR.
COPPER-NICKEL 2 POUNDS 2021 PARROTFISH BU
$14.00
BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS 2021
BI-COLOR TITANIUM & COPPER-NICKEL TITANIUM COINS
Two adult Caribbean Flamingos in front of a waterfall are featured on
these 2021 coins of the British Virgin Islands. The 36.1mm
titanium 5 Dollar coin features pink flamingos against a green
background. The colors are not painted, but are annodized, so
that they are an integral part of the metal of the coin.
Because the Titanium reacts differently with every strike, each
flamingo coin is technically different from all others. The Titanium
coin is shipped encapsulated in an acrylic capsule for protection and
housed in a stunning red box with a Certificate of Authenticity. It has
a mintage of only 5000 pieces. The copper-nickel 1 Dollar
coin is 38.6mm. Both coins portray Queen Elizabeth
on the obverse.
Item
BVI-TIT-FLAMINGO21 BRITISH VIRGIN IS. 5
DOLLARS 2021 TITANIUM FLAMINGO BU
$55.00
Item
BVI-CN-FLAMINGO21 BRITISH VIRGIN IS. 1
DOLLAR 2021
COPPER-NICKEL FLAMINGO BU
$14.00
Also see:
BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS 1 DOLLAR 2015
FLAMINGO,
COPPER-NICKEL
CHINA YEAR OF THE OX BI-METALLIC
10 YUAN
China
recently released this 2021 dated bi-metallic 10 Yuan coin to
commemorate the Year of the ox. The bi-metallic 27mm coin
depicts a
traditional artistic paper-cutting of an ox, a palace lantern and grain
on the reverse. The obverse features the denomination surrounded by an
intricate etched design. The large number 10 contains latent images
which change from "R M B" to "10 10 10" when the coin is moved. The
design also features micro-letters in the base of the numeral "1" and
other anti-counterfeiting devices.
Item
CN-OX21 CHINA 10 YUAN 2021 YEAR OF THE OX,
BI-METAL BU $8.00
2021 SAMOA ALPHA &
OMEGA JESUS 1 TROY OUNCE SILVER COIN
This
2021 1 troy ounce .999 silver 2 Tala coin of Samoa is the first coin in
a new "Jesus Collection" series. The coin features an icon
portrait of Jesus from a mosiac with the inscription "I have fought a
good fight, I have kept the faith,” a reference to II Timothy 4:7-8.
The arms of Samoa, date and denomination are on the obverse. For each
coin sold, four dollars will be donated to GlobalFingerprints which
supports children in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The 39mm coin comes in a capsule and has a mintage of only 15,000
pieces.
Item
WS-JESUS21 SAMOA 2 TALA 2021 JESUS 1 TROY
OUNCE SILVER COIN PROOF-LIKE $42.00
BRITAIN CELEBRATES DIVERSITY
Great
Britain recently released a circulating 2020 dated 50 Pence coin to
celebrate diversity. The obverse of the seven-sided
copper-nickel coin depicts Queen Elizabeth. The reverse
features the words "DIVERSITY BUILT BRITAIN" against a geometric
pattern.
Item
GB-DIVERSITY
GREAT BRITAIN 50 PENCE 2020 DIVERSITY UNC.
$7.00
HUNGARY HONORS THE "HEROES OF THE
PANDEMIC"
Hungary
recently released 2020 dated circulating 10 and 20 Forint commemorative
coins honoring the "Heroes of the Pandemic".
Hungary's COVID-19 cases and death rates were well below that of
neighboring European nations, though recently there has been a spike in
the number of cases. Both coins have similar designs. The
obverses depict the images of those that contributed to control the
pandemic formed into the shape of a heart. The coins have the
same reverses as the regular issues which depict the denomination and
the Budapest mint mark.
Item
HU-COVID HUNGARY 10 & 20 FORINT 2020
HEROES OF THE PANDEMIC UNC.
$5.00
STATE OF JEFFERSON 2021 WALKING
SASQUATCH
The State of Jefferson is a proposed new state made up of rural
areas of northern California and southern Oregon. The
movement
has attracted many conservatives in the area whose opinions and values
are overshowed and outvoted by the more liberal cities. The
design of the Jefferson 2021 silver 25 Jefferson Dollars coin is based
on the United States Walking Liberty Half Dollar, except that Liberty
has been replaced with an image of a walking Sasquatch. It is rumored
that Sasquatch, also known as Big Foot, lives in the remote hills of
Jefferson. The reverse features the double cross emblem of
The
State of Jefferson. The 32mm coin is hand struck in
sterling silver. by the Smallforest mint in Oregon.
Item
JEFFERSON21
STATE OF JEFFERSON 25 JEFFERSON
DOLLARS SASQUATCH 2021 UNC. $29.50
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 190 pieces.
Item
VITEBSK
VITEBSK PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC 20 RUBLES 2020 PROOF $19.95
2020 ABU DHABI COIN
This
unofficial 50 Dirhams of Abu Dhabi depicts the Sheikh Zayed Grand
Mosqon one side and the arms of Abu Dhabi in color on the
other. Abu Dhabi is one of the United Arab Emirates and has
not issued any circulating coins under its name.. The mosque
was constructed between 1996 and 2007. It can accommodate
over 40,000 worshipers at one time in its halls and
courtyards. The 36mm silver-plated Proof coin has a mintage
of only 140 pieces.
Item
ABU-DHABI
ABU DHABI 50 DIRHAMS 2020 PROOF
$19.95
NEW 2020 2 EURO
COMMEMORATIVES
Belgium
featured Northern Renaissance painter Jan Van Eyck. The coin depicts a
self-portrait, an artist pallet and his signature. It is
packaged in a card and has a mintage of only 150,000.
Item
BE-2E20-EYCK BELGIUM 2 EURO 2020 JAN VAN EYCK
BU with card $19.75
France paid tribute
to medical researchers during the COVID pandemic with this 2020 2 Euro
coin. The coin depicts the face of a female researcher and
DNA fragments. The coin comes in a special "MERCI" blister
pack and was not released into general circulation. The Paris
mint committed to donate €2 to Fondation de France for each coin sold.
Item
FR-2E20-MED FRANCE 2 EUROS 2020 MEDICAL
RESEARCHERS in card BU
BU with card $19.75
Germany commemorated
the 50th Anniversary of Chancellor Willy Brandt's "Warsaw
Genuflection". On December 7, 1970, during his visit to
Warsaw, Brandt spontaneously fell to his knees in front a monument to
the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. The 1943 revolt was the largest
single revolt by Jews against Nazi Germany during World War
II. Before the war some 250,000 Jews lived in the
Ghetto. Virtually every Jew in the Ghetto was exterminated,
either in death camps before or after the uprising or killed during the
uprising. The Treaty of Warsaw, in which West Germany
recognized the new borders of Poland, was signed during his visit,
easing some of the tensions of the Cold War.
Item
DE-2E20-GENU
GERMANY 2 EURO 2020
WARSAW GENUFLECTION, UNC. (Mint of our choice) $6.00
Greece
marked the 100th anniversary of its reunification with Thrace after
World War I. The coin depicts an ancient silver Drachm of
Thrace depicting a griffin.
Item
GR-2E20-THRACE
GREECE 2 EUROS 2020 THRACE
UNC.
$7.50
Italy
commemorated the 80th anniversary of their National Fire
Brigade. The Fire Brigade fights fires, assists with
accidents, helps people and is called upon during national
emergencies. The coin features the brigade's emblem.
Item
IT-2E20-FIRE ITALY
2 EUROS 2020 FIRE BRIGADE UNC. $6.00
Italy's second 2
Euro commemorative for 2020 honored the 150th anniversary of the birth
of famed educator and physician Maria Montessori. Her
portrait appears on the coin.
Item
IT-2E20-MONTESSORI ITALY
2 EUROS 2020 MARIA MONTESSORI UNC. $6.00
Click Here for Maria
Montessori on Italian 1000 Lire banknote.
Luxembourg
honored the 200th anniversary of the birth of Prince Henri of
Orange-Nassau. He was appointed governor of Luxembourg in
1850 by his brother William III who was both King of the Netherlands
and Grand Duke of Luxembourg. The coin depicts Prince Henri, along with
the current Grand Duke, who is also named Henri. It has a
mintage of 300,000.
Item
LU-2E20-HENRI LUXEMBOURG 2 EURO 2020
PRINCE HENRI OF ORANGE UNC.
$8.00
For
their second 2020 issue Luxembourg
released a pair of 2 Euro coins commemorating the birth of Prince
Charles, the first child of heir to the throne Grand Duke Guillaume and
his wife the Grand Duchess Stephanie. This makes the child second in
line to the throne. Two versions of the coin were issued,
both depicting the royal couple holding their baby. The monogram of
Grand Duke Henri appears to the left. One version
is in standard relief. The other has a flat
holographic/photographic relief. The two versions make an
interesting pair.
Item
LU-2E20-BOTH BOTH STANDARD &
PHOTO IMAGE VERSIONS OF LUXEMBOURG 2 EURO 2020
PRINCE CHARLES UNC.
$39.00
Slovenia
commemorated the 500th anniversary of the birth of Adam
Bohoric. He was a preacher, teacher and author and
established the basic written foundations of the Slovene
language. The coin depicts multi-lingual slogans
from the title page of Bohorič’s Latin-Slovenian grammar book, Arcticae
horulae succisivae (Free Winter Hours), surrounded by the author's
name, date of his birth, country name and issue date. The coin has a
mintage of 990,500.
Item
SI-2E20-BOHRICS SLOVENIA 2 EURO 2020 ADAM
BOHORIC UNC
$6.00
CONTROVERSIAL
SAUDI NOTE
In October 2020 Saudi Arabia released a circulating commemorative
banknote to mark the Saudi presidency of the G20 summit. The G20 (or
Group of 20) is a forum of government leaders and central bank
governors from 19 countries and the European Union to discuss
international financial issues. The G20 members account for
around 90% of the Gross World Product and 80% of world trade. The
summit was scheduled to be held in Riyad in November 2020 but due to
COVID it was held virtually. The front depicts the
G20 logo and King Salman. The back of the note features a map
of the world with the G20 members in a darker color.
Controversially the regions of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh,
which are administered by India, are shown as an independent
entity. Pakistan also complained as the parts of Kashmir that are
administered by Pakistan are included in that entity. Because
of strong diplomatic protests by both India and Pakistan it is reported
that Saudi Arabia is withdrawing the note from circulation.
Item
PM-SA-20R SAUDI ARABIA 20 RIALS 2020 G-20
PRESIDENCY UNC.
$24.00
Also see:
OLD COPPER COIN OF MUSLIM KASHMIR - AE KASERAH
FATH SHAH
1486-1517
JAMMU & KASHMIR COIN DEPICTS KASHMIR
DEER: 200 RUPEES 2020 PROOF
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.
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
GOLD
& BI-METALLIC COINS OF GREATER IDAHO
Greater
Idaho one of the secession movements in rural areas of Oregon and
Northern California. The conservative rural areas are unhappy
about the liberal policies and politics imposed on them by the more
heavily populated cities in their states. The
Greater Idaho movement wants to expand the boundaries of the State of
Idaho to include the rural areas of Oregon and Northern California. In
the recent 2020 elections ballot measures supporting Greater Idaho
passed in two Oregon counties. Regardless of the wishes of the people,
it is unlikely to ever happen. Recently Smallforest, a
private mint in Oregon, released two hand-struck coins for Greater
Idaho. Being hand- struck, they vary slightly from coin to coin and may
have weak areas in the design. Both coins are dated
2021. Both are denominated "500 Gold Uncommon
Cents" and feature the famous "End of Pain" image of a man hanging in
the gallows. The design and denomination are sly references
to Thomas Paine,
who advocated the overthrow of unjust
governments. The design is from a late 19th century satirical
British trade token. The "End of Pain" design was a pun about
Thomas Paine, whose book "Common Sense" and his support of the American
and French Revolutions made him a very unpopular man in
England. The reverse has a map of Greater Idaho. Two versions
of the coin were struck. Both are about 19mm in
diameter. One is struck in .500 fine gold and weighs about 2
grams. It has a maximum mintage of only 15 pieces can comes
in a case with a hand written, numbered Certificate of
Authenticity. The other version is struck in copper
with a silver plug, which has a maximum mintage of only 100
pieces.
Item
IDAHO-GOLD GREATER IDAHO 500 UNCOMMON CENTS
2021 GOLD, UNC. out
Item
IDAHO-BIMETAL GREATER IDAHO 500 UNCOMMON
CENTS 2021 COPPER/SILVER BIMETAL UNC.
$15.00
HUNGARY
HONORS THE "HEROES OF THE
PANDEMIC"
Hungary
recently released 2020 dated circulating 10 and 20 Forint commemorative
coins honoring the "Heroes of the Pandemic".
Hungary's COVID-19 cases and death rates were well below that of
neighboring European nations, though recently there has been a spike in
the number of cases. Both coins have similar designs. The
obverses depict the images of those that contributed to control the
pandemic formed into the shape of a heart. The coins have the
same reverses as the regular issues which depict the denomination and
the Budapest mint mark.
Item
HU-COVID HUNGARY 10 & 20 FORINT 2020
HEROES OF THE PANDEMIC UNC.
$5.00
CANADA 2020 WORLD WAR II VICTORY
2 DOLLAR COIN
Canada
commemorated the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II with
colored and un-colored versions of this 2020 2 Dollar coin.
The coins have similar reverse designs which were adapted from Canada's World War II era Victory 5 cent
coins. The designs feature a torch and a large "V"
in the center. On the outer ring is the inscription "WE WIN WHEN WE
WORK WILLINGLY" in Morse code and the words Victory and Remember are in
English and French. At the top are two shifting images of a
maple leaf within the line pattern. The obverse depicts the
portrait of Queen Elizabeth II.
Item
CA-2D-REG-VICT CANADA COLOR 2 DOLLARS 2020
WWII UNC.
$7.00
Item
CA-2D-REG-VICT CANADA REGULAR 2 DOLLARS 2020
WWII UNC.
$7.50
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
EQUESTRIAN
ORDER OF THE HOLY
SEPULCHRE OF JERUSALEM
Equestrian
Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, also called Order
of the Holy Sepulchre or Knights of the Holy Sepulchre is a Roman
Catholic order of knighthood under the protection of the
Pope. It had its origins in the Crusades to protect
Christians in the Holy Land. Much of its work today still
focuses on the support of the Christian presence in the Holy
Land. One side of the five-sided coin depicts a
knight holding a sword and the name of the order in Latin: "Ordo
Equestris Sancti Sepulcri Hierosolymitani". The reverse has
the arms of the order and its initials: "OESSH". The
unofficial silver-plated Proof coin is dated 2020 and denominated as 10
Tari. It has a mintage of just 160 pieces.
Item
OESSH EQUESTRIAN ORDER OF THE HOLY SEPULCHRE
OF
JERUSALEM 10 TARI 2020 PROOF
$19.95
FOR OTHER
RECENT ISSUES PLEASE
SEE:
NEW 2 EURO COMMEMORATIVE COINS
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Sir
Francis Drake set off in December of 1577 aboard The Golden Ind what
would be an epic three-year around the world voyage. The
voyage, partly sponsored by English Queen Elizabeth I was intended for
both exploration and attacking of Spanish ships and ports.
His raids on Spanish ships were so successful that the Queen's share of
half of the treasure was more than enough to pay off England's national
debt and still have a substantial sum left over. This 2022
British Virgin Island 1 Dollar coin depicts The Golden hind on the
reverse. The obverse features Queen Elizabeth. The 28.4mm coin is
struck in a light gold colored alloy called Virenium. The
coin has a maximum mintage of only 1950 pieces can comes in a capsule.
Fiji
celebrated their 50th anniversary of independence from Great Britain
with this 2020 circulating color 50 Cent coin. The obverse of
the coin features the Fijian coat of arms, the denomination and
date. The reverse features the flag of Fiji in color and the
legends "50 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE 10 OCTOBER 2020",
Every school child in Fiji was given one of the coins.
The26.5mm nickel-plated steel coin was struck by the Royal Canadian
Mint.
Canada
celebrated the 125th anniversary of the Klondike Gold Rush with
circulating color and uncolored 1 Dollar coins. Both coins have the
same design. The design depicts the four who discovered gold at Rabbit
Creek in August 1896, panning for gold: Keish (Skookum Jim Mason), K̲áa
Goox̱ (Dawson Charlie), Shaaw Tláa (Kate Carmack) and her husband,
George Carmack. The discovery had a major economic, social and
environmental impact on the isolated region. On a hillside is
an image representing the Moosehide Gathering place, where the Tr’ondëk
Hwëch’in First Nation people relocated when they were displaced by the
influx of gold rushers. The color version of the coin depicts
the Moosehide image in red. Above is the Canadian Maple Leaf within an
image of the sun. The portrait of Queen Elizabeth by Canadian
artist Susanna Blunt is on the obverse.
Aland
is a group of some 26,000 islands and rocks in the Baltic Sea, of which
about 60 are inhabited. Even though most of the inhabitants
are of Swedish ancestry, speak Swedish and about 90% them wanted to be
united with Sweden, in 1921 the League of Nations awarded Aland to
Finland. It is an autonomous and demilitarized region of Sweden.
Finland issued this 2021 2 Euro coin to celebrate the 100th anniversary
of Aland being awarded to Finland. The coin features the prow of a boat
on the Baltic Sea and a hand holding a compass.
Dzukija,
located in south-eastern Lithuania, is one of the five ethnographic
regions of that nation. The lightly populated region includes
extensive forests and many species of wildlife. This 2021 Lithuanian 2
Euro displays the Dzukjia coat-of-arms which features an armed knight
on a shield supported by two lynxes.
We
offered these a few months ago, and immediately sold out. The Hill of
Crosses carries great significance with Lithuanians as well as
Christians of all nationalities. Lithuania featured its Hill
of Crosses on its 2020 2 Euro coin. The first crosses were
believed to have been placed on the hill in 1831 after an uprising
against Russia. The site took on special significance during
the Soviet occupation of Lithuania from 1939 and 1991.
Praying and placing crosses on the hill became a way of demonstrating
peaceful resistance against the Soviets and to reaffirm Lithuanian
culture, heritage and religion. The Soviets worked hard to
remove new crosses, and bulldozed the site at least three times, but
even more crosses would appear after the old ones were
removed. Today there are well over 100,000 crosses,
crucifixes and statues on the hill. It has become both a
major pilgrimage site and a tourist site
Ukraine
honored its Air Force on this 2020 10 Hryven coin. One side
depicts an SU-27 fighter and the outline of a World War I era
airplane. The other side features the emblem of the Ukrainian
Air Force. Ukraine inherited a sizable Air Force from the Soviet Union,
however most of the aircraft have become inoperable due to a lack of
funds. 
The
100th anniversary of the last Morgan dollar and first to the Peace
dollar is captured on this 2021 British Virgin Islands .999 fine 1 troy
ounce silver dollar. In 1921 two types of silver dollars were struck by
the United States, one using the image of Liberty created by George T.
Morgan in 1878 and a new design representing Peace done by Anthony de
Francisci. Like the U.S. 2021 commemorative Morgan and Peace dollars,
the British Virgin Islands silver dollars quickly sold out at the mint
as only 5000 pieces were struck. Queen Elizabeth is on the
obverse of this beautiful reverse-frosted silver dollar. 
Portugal
commemorated the Olympic games that took place in Tokyo with this 2021
2 Euro coin. The design features the famous Portuguese Cross,
which is the emblem of the country's Olympic team, and the Olympic
rings.
In
ancient times Finno-Ugric tribes occupied areas from the Baltics to the
Danube to Siberia. The Estonian, Finnish and Hungarian languages are
all descended from the Finno-Ugric tribes. The design of this 2021
Estonian 2 Euro is based on cave drawings found near Lake Äänisjärv
(Lake Onega) in Russia. The design includes a swan, an elk
and a hunter.
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.
This
unofficial 2020 dated 20 Dollar coin of
Quebec features two men from the Huron tribe holding rifles. The
obverse depicts the arms of Quebec. The Hurons originated around the
north shore of Lake Ontario. In the 17th century the tribe
was decimated by infectious diseases carried by Europeans and disbursed
by a war with the Iroquois. Today the Huron are known as Wyandot with
recognized tribal nations based in Quebec and Wyandotte, Oklahoma and
unrecognized tribes in Kansas and Michigan. The eight-sided
40mm silver-plated Proof coin has a mintage of only 160 pieces
Canada
issued two circulating bi-metallic two-dollar coins in 2021 to
commemorate the 100th anniversary of the discovery of
insulin. The collaboration of Canadian scientist Frederick
Banting, Charles Best, James Collip and John Macleod led to the
isolation and purification of insulin, which offered a life-saving
treatment to those with diabetes. The designs of the coins include an
insulin monomer, scientific instruments used in the early formulation
of insulin (vial, mortar and pestle, and Erlenmeyer flask) overlaid on
a maple leaf, as well as red blood cells, glucose, and insulin
molecules. Two versions of the coin were issued,
one with the insulin monomer in blue, the color used to raise diabetes
awareness, the other without color. The obverse features the
Susanna Blunt portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. 
France
honored Charles de Gaulle on this silver 2020 10 Euro
coin. The coin commemorates both the 50th anniversary of his
death in 1970 and the 80th anniversary of his Appeal of 18 June, which
was an appeal launched by de Gaulle on June 18, 1940 from the BBC
studios in London that established the French Resistance against Nazi
Germany. He later served as the President of the French
Republic from 1959 to 1969. The coin depicts images
of him both as President of France in the 1960's and as a General in
World War II. The reverse includes the denomination
within oak and laurel branches, the date, and a series of lines
representing France's hexagonal shape. The 31mm coin is
struck in .333 fine silver and comes in a descriptive folder written in
both French and English.
Germany
continued their annual series of 2 Euro coins honoring each of their
Bundesländer (states) with this 2021 issue for Saxony-Anhalt
(Sachsen-Anhalt). The coin depicts the Magdeburg
Cathedral. The
Cathedral is the oldest Gothic Cathedral in
Germany. Construction
was started in 1209 on the site of an abbey. It was not
completed
until over 300 years later in 1520. The coins were struck at all five
German mints (A=Berlin, D=Munich, F=Stuttgart, G=Karlsruhe, J=Hamburg).
The mintmark is at the left of the cathedral.
The
Greek war of independence broke out on March 1821 and quickly
spread.
Greece had been under Ottoman control since the 155h Century.
Independence was declared in January 1822, but not fully achieved until
1830 with assistance from France, Great Britain and Russia.
The coin
features the Greek flag in a circle surrounded by olive leaves. 
The
Zuvintas Biosphere Reserve is a a UNESCO site that is the home of
thousands of species of birds, animals and plants. New species are
being discovered every year. It is centered around
Zuvintas Lake, a large, shallow lake that is only a small remnant of
the former post-glacial lake. The coin depicts a Bittern
trying to eat a Fire-bellied toad. A Water Reed Warbler
clings to a reed. In the distance a number of cranes are
flying with a mute swan. 
The
Skofja Loka Passion Play is the oldest preserved dramatic text in the
Slovenian language. It was written in 1721 by Capuchin Father
Romuald-Lovrenc Marusic. It consists of 13 tableaux taken
from the Bible, performed in form of a procession through the streets
of old Skofja Loka. The entire performance involves approximately 1000
volunteers and 80 horses. The coin features a cross, with the
meeting point of the straight lines representing the center of the
events – the streets of Skofja Loka. Around the cross on the front side
of the coin, three broken lines represent not just the auditorium but
also the crown of thorns. Each of the 13 vertices of the crown
represent one of the tableaux of passion play. The other side features
the cross and the signature of Fr. Romuald and the date 1721. The 32mm
bi-metallic coin has a mintage of only 40,000 pieces.
France
commemorated the 200th anniversary of the death of Napoleon Bonepart
with this 2021 siver 10 Euro coin. Napoleon is depicted with
a laurel crown. Beside him are symbols of his reign: the
Legion of Honour medal which wasinstituted by Napoleon, the Eagle, the
bees and the sun of Austerlitz. The words "2S" are inscribed inside it
refer to the date of the victory of the battle of Austerlitz,
December 2, 1805, the "S" representing the month of December.
The reverse includes the denomination within oak and laurel branches,
the date, and a series of lines representing France's hexagonal
shape. The 31mm coin is struck in .333 fine silver and comes
in a descriptive folder written in French.
The
British Virgin Islands recently released this beautiful 2021 reverse
cameo frosted silver Flamingo dollar. The word ‘flamingo’ comes from
the Portuguese/Spanish 'flamengo' meaning 'flame-colored'.
Flamingos
get their pink color from eating shrimp and algae containing
carotenoid. Featured on the coin is a flamingo in a typical pose,
standing on one leg with its head tucked down. In the
background is a flock of flamingos. Flamingos are very
sociable birds that live in colonies that can number thousands of
birds. Queen Elizabeth is on the obverse.
The 38.6mm coin contains 1 troy ounce of .999 fine silver and has a
mintage of only 10,000 pieces.
The Kanaky Republic is an independence
movement for the French territory of New Caledonia. Kanaks make up
about 41% of the the Pacific islands population. A referendum
for full independence was rejected in 2018, and a second referendum was
narrowly defeated in October 2020. A third and final
referendum may be held by 2022. One side of the
coin features the multi-color emblem of the Kanaky Republic.
The other side depicts a Kagu bird (Rhynochetos jubatus). The
nearly flightless bird in endimic to New Caledonia and appears on the
coins of New Caledonia. The eight-sided 2020 Kanaky 500
Francs coin is 40mm. The silver-plated Proof coin has a
mintage of only 160 pieces.
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.
Because
of a 25% tariff imposed on Chinese imports by President Trump,
few 2021 China silver Pandas have been imported and the cost
of them is substantially higher. We managed to get a few of
these popular coins. The 2021 issue features a momma
panda watching her young baby panda climb a tree. Both coins
feature the date, denomination and the Temple of Heaven in Beijing on
the obverse. The Brilliant Uncirculated 40mm coins have a
nominal face value of 10 Yuan, contain 30 grams of .999 fine silver and
come in a protective capsule.
France
commemorated the 75th anniversary of UNICEF on this 2021 2 Euro
coin. UNICEF was created in 1946 as the United Nations
International Children's Emergency Fund to provide relief to children
and mothers affected by World War II. After that was no
longer an immediate need, its mandate was extended to address the
long-term needs of children, to defend their rights, and to help them
fulfill their potential. The design includes two children's
hands assembling the earth in the form of a jigsaw puzzle and portions
of the UNICEF logo.
Spain
honored Toledo on this 2021 2 Euro coin. The coin depicts the
Puerta del Sol and a detail of Synagogue of El Tránsito, both of which
date from the 14th century. The Puerto del Sol is a city gate
built by the Knights Hospitaller. The Synagogue of El
Tránsito is noted for its rich stucco decoration. After the
expulsion of the Jews was converted to a church. Today is a
museum of Jewish heritage. 
Finland
dedicated this 2021 2 Euro coin to "journalism and free press
supporting the Finnish democracy". The coin marks
the 100th
anniversary of Finland's Union of Journalists. The design
features "stylized male and female figures and the information networks
surrounding them like a ribbon", though personally I don't see it.
China
recently released this 2021 dated bi-metallic 10 Yuan coin to
commemorate the Year of the ox. The bi-metallic 27mm coin
depicts a
traditional artistic paper-cutting of an ox, a palace lantern and grain
on the reverse. The obverse features the denomination surrounded by an
intricate etched design. The large number 10 contains latent images
which change from "R M B" to "10 10 10" when the coin is moved. The
design also features micro-letters in the base of the numeral "1" and
other anti-counterfeiting devices. 
This
2021 1 troy ounce .999 silver 2 Tala coin of Samoa is the first coin in
a new "Jesus Collection" series. The coin features an icon
portrait of Jesus from a mosiac with the inscription "I have fought a
good fight, I have kept the faith,” a reference to II Timothy 4:7-8.
The arms of Samoa, date and denomination are on the obverse. For each
coin sold, four dollars will be donated to GlobalFingerprints which
supports children in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The 39mm coin comes in a capsule and has a mintage of only 15,000
pieces. 
Great
Britain recently released a circulating 2020 dated 50 Pence coin to
celebrate diversity. The obverse of the seven-sided
copper-nickel coin depicts Queen Elizabeth. The reverse
features the words "DIVERSITY BUILT BRITAIN" against a geometric
pattern. 
Hungary
recently released 2020 dated circulating 10 and 20 Forint commemorative
coins honoring the "Heroes of the Pandemic".
Hungary's COVID-19 cases and death rates were well below that of
neighboring European nations, though recently there has been a spike in
the number of cases. Both coins have similar designs. The
obverses depict the images of those that contributed to control the
pandemic formed into the shape of a heart. The coins have the
same reverses as the regular issues which depict the denomination and
the Budapest mint mark. 
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 190 pieces.
This
unofficial 50 Dirhams of Abu Dhabi depicts the Sheikh Zayed Grand
Mosqon one side and the arms of Abu Dhabi in color on the
other. Abu Dhabi is one of the United Arab Emirates and has
not issued any circulating coins under its name.. The mosque
was constructed between 1996 and 2007. It can accommodate
over 40,000 worshipers at one time in its halls and
courtyards. The 36mm silver-plated Proof coin has a mintage
of only 140 pieces.
Belgium
featured Northern Renaissance painter Jan Van Eyck. The coin depicts a
self-portrait, an artist pallet and his signature. It is
packaged in a card and has a mintage of only 150,000.
France paid tribute
to medical researchers during the COVID pandemic with this 2020 2 Euro
coin. The coin depicts the face of a female researcher and
DNA fragments. The coin comes in a special "MERCI" blister
pack and was not released into general circulation. The Paris
mint committed to donate €2 to Fondation de France for each coin sold. 
Germany commemorated
the 50th Anniversary of Chancellor Willy Brandt's "Warsaw
Genuflection". On December 7, 1970, during his visit to
Warsaw, Brandt spontaneously fell to his knees in front a monument to
the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. The 1943 revolt was the largest
single revolt by Jews against Nazi Germany during World War
II. Before the war some 250,000 Jews lived in the
Ghetto. Virtually every Jew in the Ghetto was exterminated,
either in death camps before or after the uprising or killed during the
uprising. The Treaty of Warsaw, in which West Germany
recognized the new borders of Poland, was signed during his visit,
easing some of the tensions of the Cold War.
Greece
marked the 100th anniversary of its reunification with Thrace after
World War I. The coin depicts an ancient silver Drachm of
Thrace depicting a griffin.
Italy
commemorated the 80th anniversary of their National Fire
Brigade. The Fire Brigade fights fires, assists with
accidents, helps people and is called upon during national
emergencies. The coin features the brigade's emblem. 
Italy's second 2
Euro commemorative for 2020 honored the 150th anniversary of the birth
of famed educator and physician Maria Montessori. Her
portrait appears on the coin. 
Luxembourg
honored the 200th anniversary of the birth of Prince Henri of
Orange-Nassau. He was appointed governor of Luxembourg in
1850 by his brother William III who was both King of the Netherlands
and Grand Duke of Luxembourg. The coin depicts Prince Henri, along with
the current Grand Duke, who is also named Henri. It has a
mintage of 300,000.
For
their second 2020 issue Luxembourg
released a pair of 2 Euro coins commemorating the birth of Prince
Charles, the first child of heir to the throne Grand Duke Guillaume and
his wife the Grand Duchess Stephanie. This makes the child second in
line to the throne. Two versions of the coin were issued,
both depicting the royal couple holding their baby. The monogram of
Grand Duke Henri appears to the left. One version
is in standard relief. The other has a flat
holographic/photographic relief. The two versions make an
interesting pair.
Slovenia
commemorated the 500th anniversary of the birth of Adam
Bohoric. He was a preacher, teacher and author and
established the basic written foundations of the Slovene
language. The coin depicts multi-lingual slogans
from the title page of Bohorič’s Latin-Slovenian grammar book, Arcticae
horulae succisivae (Free Winter Hours), surrounded by the author's
name, date of his birth, country name and issue date. The coin has a
mintage of 990,500. 
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. 
Greater
Idaho one of the secession movements in rural areas of Oregon and
Northern California. The conservative rural areas are unhappy
about the liberal policies and politics imposed on them by the more
heavily populated cities in their states. The
Greater Idaho movement wants to expand the boundaries of the State of
Idaho to include the rural areas of Oregon and Northern California. In
the recent 2020 elections ballot measures supporting Greater Idaho
passed in two Oregon counties. Regardless of the wishes of the people,
it is unlikely to ever happen. Recently Smallforest, a
private mint in Oregon, released two hand-struck coins for Greater
Idaho. Being hand- struck, they vary slightly from coin to coin and may
have weak areas in the design. Both coins are dated
2021. Both are denominated "500 Gold Uncommon
Cents" and feature the famous "End of Pain" image of a man hanging in
the gallows. The design and denomination are sly references
to Thomas Paine,
who advocated the overthrow of unjust
governments. The design is from a late 19th century satirical
British trade token. The "End of Pain" design was a pun about
Thomas Paine, whose book "Common Sense" and his support of the American
and French Revolutions made him a very unpopular man in
England. The reverse has a map of Greater Idaho. Two versions
of the coin were struck. Both are about 19mm in
diameter. One is struck in .500 fine gold and weighs about 2
grams. It has a maximum mintage of only 15 pieces can comes
in a case with a hand written, numbered Certificate of
Authenticity. The other version is struck in copper
with a silver plug, which has a maximum mintage of only 100
pieces. 
Canada
commemorated the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II with
colored and un-colored versions of this 2020 2 Dollar coin.
The coins have similar reverse designs which were adapted from Canada's World War II era Victory 5 cent
coins. The designs feature a torch and a large "V"
in the center. On the outer ring is the inscription "WE WIN WHEN WE
WORK WILLINGLY" in Morse code and the words Victory and Remember are in
English and French. At the top are two shifting images of a
maple leaf within the line pattern. The obverse depicts the
portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. 
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.
Equestrian
Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, also called Order
of the Holy Sepulchre or Knights of the Holy Sepulchre is a Roman
Catholic order of knighthood under the protection of the
Pope. It had its origins in the Crusades to protect
Christians in the Holy Land. Much of its work today still
focuses on the support of the Christian presence in the Holy
Land. One side of the five-sided coin depicts a
knight holding a sword and the name of the order in Latin: "Ordo
Equestris Sancti Sepulcri Hierosolymitani". The reverse has
the arms of the order and its initials: "OESSH". The
unofficial silver-plated Proof coin is dated 2020 and denominated as 10
Tari. It has a mintage of just 160 pieces.