SILVER COINS OF THE WORLD
AUSTRALIA
2020 SILVER KOALA
The
Perth Mint of Australia issued this beautiful 2020 1 troy ounce .9999
fine silver 1 Dollar coin depicting a cute koala clinging to a tree
branch. Below is the date, weight and purity. To the right of
the koala is the P mintmark. The Jody Clark
portrait of
Queen Elizabeth is on the obverse. The coin has a reverse
frosted
finish. The 40.6mm coin comes in a protective capsule and has
a mintage of 300,000.
Item
AU-KOALA20
AUSTRALIA 1 DOLLAR 1 TROY OUNCE SILVER KOALA,
2020 BU
$29.95
AUSTRALIA 2020 YEAR OF
THE MOUSE SILVER DOLLAR
The
Perth Mint of Australia recently released the 2020 Chinese New Year
silver dollar for the Year of the Mouse. The 40.6mm 1 troy ounce .9999
fine silver 1 Dollar coin depicts two cute little mice nibbling on ears
of corn. To the right is the Chinese character for mouse and
the inscription "
MOUSE
2020". The Jody Clark portrait of Queen
Elizabeth is on the obverse. Both sides are struck with a "reverse
proof" finish. The coin has a mintage of 300,000 pieces and
comes in its original mint capsule. Australia's annual Chinese New Year
coins have long been popular with collectors in Asia and worldwide.
Item
AU-MOUSE20
AUSTRALIA 1 DOLLAR 2020 YEAR OF THE MOUSE, 1
TROY OUNCE SILVER BU
$29.75
AUSTRALIA
2016 YEAR OF THE
MONKEY SILVER
COINS
The
Perth Mint of Australia celebrated the Year of the Monkey with these
two attractive 2016 dated silver coins. Both coins feature
the same design. The reverses depict an adult
monkey and a baby monkey sitting in a peach tree. The baby is holding a
peach, which is symbolic of longevity and immortality. The Chinese
character for ‘monkey’ and the inscription ‘Year of the Monkey’ also
appear in the design with The Perth Mint’s traditional ‘P’
mintmark. The obverse features the Ian Rank-Broadley effigy
of Queen Elizabeth II. The 1 troy ounce 1 Dollar
coin is 45mm in diameter. The ½ troy ounce 50 cent coin is
36mm in diameter. Both are struck in .999 fine silver and
come in a capsule.
Item
AU-$1MONK
AUSTRALIA 1 DOLLAR 2016 YEAR OF THE MONKEY, 1
TROY OUNCE SILVER BU
$29.75
Item
AU-50CMONK AUSTRALIA 50 CENTS 2016 YEAR OF
THE MONKEY, 1/2
TROY OUNCE SILVER BU
$12.00
AUSTRALIA
2014 CROCODILE DOLLAR
The
Australian Saltwater Crocodile is featured on the reverse of this 2014
Australian silver dollar coin. The Australian Saltwater
Crocodile is one of the largest reptiles in the world. Males
can reach over 20 feet (6.3m) in length and weigh over 3000 Pounds
(1360 kg). It is capable of taking almost any animal that enters its
territory, including humans. Despite its name, it can be found in
fresh, brackish or ocean water. The obverse features the Ian-Rank
Broadley effigy of Queen Elizabeth II. The 40.6mm coin
contains 1 troy ounce of .999 fine silver. The coin features
a beautiful reverse frosted matte finish. The Queen and the
Crocodile have a brilliant finish while the background areas have a
frosted
finish. The coin was struck at the Perth Mint in Australia
and has a mintage of 1 million pieces.
Item
AU-CROC
AUSTRALIA SILVER 1 DOLLAR 2014 SALTWATER
CROCODILE BU $29.75
THE
BEAUTIFUL AND FAMOUS MARIA
THERESA THALER
Many
consider the Maria Theresa Thaler to be one of the most beautiful coins
in the world. It is certainly one of the most
popular. This silver coin is larger than a United States
silver dollar. The veiled "fat lady" on the coin was
considered the epitome of beauty in much of the Middle East, so for
many years it was the standard trade coin in the region. Since troops
and traders from many nations needed the coins to operate in the middle
east it has been restruck in mints throughout the world, including
Prague, Milan, London, Paris, Brussels, Kremintz, Rome, Bombay and
Florence. It is still being struck today in Vienna. Despite where and
when it was struck, it is always dated 1780, the year
Maria Theresa died. The 41mm coin is struck in .833 fine silver and
contains
slightly over 3/4 of a troy ounce of silver. Maria, as Empress of the
Holy Roman Empire was noted both for her diplomatic skills and for
giving birth to 16 children, thus making her a direct ancestor of most
of the royal houses of Europe.
Item
AT-MTT
MARIA THERESA THALER, 1780
(restrike) BU $25.00
SCARCE SILVER
OLYMPIC COINS FROM BRAZIL
Brazil issued a series of beautiful sterling silver Proof 5 Reais coins
to commemorate the 2016 Olympic games in Rio de Janeiro. The
40mm coins have a mintage of only 25,000 each, contain .803 troy ounces
of silver and come sealed in special capsules. We have the
following issues available: 2015 featuring rowing at Lagoa Rodrigo de
Freitas on the obverse and orchids on the reverse. 2015 depicting beach
volleyball on Copacabana on the obverse and a Chorinho band playing a
guitar, tambourine, ukulele and flute on the reverse. They
are popular, hard-to-find, host country silver Olympic coins.
Item
BR-ORCHID BRAZIL SILVER 5 REAIS 2015 OLYMPIC
ROWING / ORCHIDS, PROOF $50.00
Item
BR-BAND BRAZIL SILVER 5 REAIS 2015 OLYMPIC
BEACH VOLLEYBALL / BAND $60.00
BEAUTIFUL
BRITISH
VIRGIN ISLANDS 2017 PEGASUS PROOF DOLLAR
The
Pobjoy Mint recently released this beautiful .999 fine 1 troy ounce
Reverse Proof Pegasus 1 Dollar coin on behalf of the British Virgin
Islands. The 2017 dated coin has a mintage of just 50,000
pieces. Queen Elizabeth is on the obverse. Each has been
struck four times to produce a stunning frosted-finish background with
the design sculpted in striking relief. The story of Pegasus
begins when Perseus is sent to kill Medusa,
who had writhing snakes instead of hair. It was said that
anyone unfortunate enough to gaze on her face would turn to
stone. The God Hermes and the Goddess Athena came to aid
Perseus with special gifts, including a shield which Perseus used as a
mirror so he did not look directly at Medusa. When Perseus
beheaded Medusa it is said that Pegasus was born from the blood of the
Gorgon. After Pegasus had helped Perseus rescue Andromeda, he
was carried to Mount Helicon where he was entrusted to the care of the
Muses. Another hero, Bellerophon, wanted to capture Pegasus
but could not work out how to tame such a magnificent
creature. After being advised to sleep in the temple of
Athena, Bellerophon saw the goddess before him holding a golden
bridle. When he awoke he was alone but the bridle
remained. He ran from the temple and found Pegasus drinking
at a spring. Bellerophon put the charmed bridle on the winged
horse’s head with little difficulty and, with the bridle in place,
Pegasus became gentle and tame and Bellerophon became his
master.
Item
BVI-PEGASUS BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS 1
DOLLAR 2017 PEGASUS PROOF
$32.50
2018 BRITISH
VIRGIN ISLANDS
SILVER PEGASUS DOLLAR
In
response to the success of the
2017
British Virgin Island reverse
frosted Proof Pegasus 1 troy ounce .999 fine silver dollar,
Pobjoy Mint
issued a new 2018 design for the coin. The design shows Pegasus, the
mythical horse, rearing up with his wings spread. Queen Elizabeth is on
the obverse. The attractive 38.6mm Proof coin has a maximum
mintage of only 50,000 pieces.
Item
BVI-PEGSIL18 BRITISH VIRGIN
ISLANDS 1
DOLLAR 2018 PEGASUS SILVER PROOF
$27.00
Also See:
2018 BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS PEGASUS VIRENIUM
DOLLAR
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
THE CANADIAN DEATH DOLLAR
To celebrate the 100th Anniversary of British Columbia in 1958 the
Canadian
mint issued this silver dollar featuring a native totem pole.
The
totem pole is a widely used by many native tribes of British Columbia.
Unfortunately the designer used a death totem pole. This
created
an uproar with the public, and the coin became known as the "Death
Dollar". A young portrait of Queen Elizabeth is on the
obverse. The 36mm coin is struck in .800 fine silver and
contains .6 troy ounces of silver. We offer this attractive silver
dollar in Brilliant Uncirculated
condition.
Item CA-DEATH CANADA 1 DOLLAR 1958
BRITSH COLUMBIA DEATH
TOTEM KM55 BU $21.00
CANADIAN
SILVER DOLLAR
CELEBRATES PILE O'BONES
Pile
O' Bones was the name of a hunters' camp located in central
Canada. It was so named because heaps of bones were left
there
from skinning and cutting buffalo. In 1882 the
Canadian
Pacific Railroad came through, and it was renamed Regina, to honor
Queen Victoria. It was the administrative headquarters of the
Northwest Territories from 1882 until 1905, when it became the capital
of the newly formed province of Saskatchewan. To celebrate
the
100th anniversary of the formal founding of the City of Regina, Canada
issued a commemorative Proof silver dollar in 1982. One side
features the provincial capitol building and a cattle skull, which is
an acknowledgement to the city's origin. The other side
features
Queen Elizabeth. The coin is 36mm in diameter and contains
.3750
troy ounces of silver. It comes in its original mint box and
capsule.
Item
CA-REGINA
CANADA 1 DOLLAR 1982 REGINA KM133 SILVER PROOF IN
BOX $13.50
Item
CA-REGINAx5
5 of the above CANADA 1 DOLLAR 1982 REGINA KM133 SILVER
PROOF $65.00
SILVER
EIGHT DOLLAR COIN FROM CANADA FEATURES POLAR BEAR
Canada
issued this silver 8 dollar coin in 2013. The unusual
denomination coin contains 1.5 troy ounces of .9999 fine
silver. The thick, 38mm coin depicts a polar bear walking on
an ice flow on one side and Queen Elizabeth on the other. It
is an attractive, odd denomination coin.
CA-$8
CANADA 8 DOLLARS 2013, POLAR BEAR KM1535
BU $59.50
CANADA 2015 SILVER
5 DOLLAR FIVE CHINESE BLESSINGS COIN
This
intricately designed 2015 Canadian silver 5 Dollar coin features images
representing the traditional five blessings of Chinese culture: a bat
for happiness, a deer for career success, two cranes for long life, a
magpie for joy, and the Chinese symbol for good fortune. The
obverse of the coin features Queen Elizabeth II. The 38mm coin is
struck in .9999 fine silver. Because most of
the mintage was
distributed in Asia, it has been difficult to American and European
collectors to obtain this coin.
Item
CA-BLESSINGS
CANADA 5 DOLLARS 2015 5 CHINESE BLESSINGS,
BU $33.00
OLD CAMBODIAN
SILVER COIN
This
silver Fuang (1/8 Tical) was issued by the Kingdom of Cambodia about
1847. The mythical Hamsa bird is pictured on this unusual,
undated, uniface coin. The
mythical
Hamza bird represents knowledge, so the coin is both smart and
lucky. They were good skills for Cambodia to have at that
time as
both Vietnam and Thailand were trying to gain control the country
through members of its royal family. The hand-struck coin is
approximately 13mm in diameter and is probably the least
expensive South-East Asian silver coin of that era.
Item
KH-FUANG
CAMBODIA SILVER FUANG (circa 1847) KM32.2 Fine
$7.50
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 of that
country. Only 25,000 of each were minted.
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 out
Item
ANTIGUA19 ANTIGUA & BARBUDA 2 DOLLARS
2019 RUM RUNNER, PROOFLIKE OUT
Item
DOMINICA18 DOMININCA 2 DOLLARS 2018 FLYING
BOAT, PROOFLIKE out
Item
GRENADA18 GRENADA 2 DOLLARS 2018 DIVERS,
PROOFLIKE out
Item
MONTSERRAT18 MONTSERRAT 2 DOLLARS 2018 COAT
OF ARMS, PROOFLIKE
$33.50
Item
ST.KITTS18 ST. KITTS & NEVIS 2
DOLLARS 2018 PELICAN,
PROOFLIKE out
Item
ST.LUCIA18 ST. LUCIA 2 DOLLARS 2018
FLAMINGOS,
PROOFLIKE out
Item
ST.VINCENT ST. VINCENT & THE
GRENADINES 2 DOLLARS 2018 SEA PLANE,
PROOFLIKE out
2019
SILVER COINS OF DOMINICA AND
GRENADA
The East Caribbean Central Bank recently issued 2019 dated coins for
two of its member nations: Dominica and Grenada. The Dominica
issue features an airplane flying over a map of the island, flowers and
a parrot. The Grenada issue depicts a diver surrounded by a
school of fish. Granada is famous for its spectacular scuba
diving, which includes gorgeous coral reefs and an underwater sculpture
park. The coins are denominated as 2 East Caribbean Dollars
and are 39mm, 1 troy ounce .999 fine silver. They utilize the
standard East Caribbean Bank obverse which depicts Queen
Elizabeth. The coins have a mintage of 25,000 each
and come in a protective capsule.
Item
DOMINICA19 DOMINICA 2 DOLLARS 2019 AIRPLANE, 1
TROY OUNCE SILVER BU out
More expected in a few weeks
Item
GRENADA19 GRENADA 2 DOLLARS 2019 DIVER, 1
TROY OUNCE SILVER BU out
More expected in a few weeks
WORLD WAR I
SILVER COIN OF
THE GRAND DUCHY OF FINLAND
This
silver 25 Pennia struck by Finland was struck during World War
I. From 1809 to 1917 Finland was called the Grand Duchy of
Finland. The title Grand Duke of Finland was held by the Czar
of Russia, Though ruled by Russia, Finland had a
high degree of autonomy and its own coinage. This 16mm silver
coin is dated from 1915 to 1917. The denomination and
date within a wreath is on the reverse. The obverse features
the crowned
Czarist double-headed eagle with the arms of Finland on its breast. The
coin was struck by the Helsinki mint. An "S", for mintmaster, Isac
Sundell is below the eagle. Sundell, was quite a
survivor. He managed to hold his office for 35 years, from
1912 to 1947 through World War I, Finland's War of Independence, and
World War II.
Item
FI-25P FINLAND-GRAND DUCHY 25 PENNIA
1915-1917 KM6.2 XF $5.00
FRENCH INDO-CHINA SILVER COIN
FEATURE STATUE OF LIBERTY
Seated Liberty, based on The Statue of Liberty, is featured on this
attractive 1937 silver 10 Cents of French Indo-China.
In addition to the Statue of Liberty that France presented to the
United States, France erected a smaller version in Hanoi the same year.
The Hanoi statue was destroyed in 1945 by supporters of
Ho Chi
Minh. The reverse of the coin includes the
denomination and
silver content of the coins. The 10 Centimes
contains 2.7 grams of .680 fine silver. The attractive coin
was designed by famed French sculptor and medalist Jean Auguste
Barre. French Indo-China later became the independent nations
of Vietnam,
Cambodia
and
Laos.
Item
FIC-10C37C
FRENCH INDO-CHINA 10 CENTS 1937 KM16.2
VF-XF $6.00
SCARCE SILVER COINS
FROM STATES OF THE GERMAN EMPIRE
The
German Empire, also called the Second Reich or the Kaiserreich, lasted
from the unification of Germany under Kaiser Wilhelm I in 1871 until
the abdication of Wilhelm II in 1918 when Germany was defeated in World
War I. The formerly independent German states were
allowed to issue coins in denominations of 2 Marks or higher.
The coins were all struck to the same standards. The 2 Mark
was 28mm and contained .3215 troy ounces of silver, the 3 Mark was 33mm
and contained .4823 ounces of silver, the 5 Mark was 38mm and contained
.8037 troy ounces of silver. The coins were all struck in
.900 fine silver. Most had a common reverse featuring the crowned
imperial German Eagle and a lettered edge "
GOTT MIT UNS" (God
with us). The smaller states issued only a few coins, most
with low mintages, marking special events. Many coins were
melted during World War I, the German Inflation and World War II,
making them scarce today.
BAVARIA COMMEMORATES 90th BIRTHDAY
OF PRINCE REGENT LUITPOLD
Bavaria
commemorated the 90th birthday of Prince Regent Luitpold with 2, 3 and
5 Mark coins in 1911. All three coins have the same design
featuring the bust of Luitpold. Luitpold was the regent for
Bavarian King Otto. King Otto who was the younger brother of
"The Mad"
King Ludwig II. On June 10, 1886 the Bavarian cabinet
declared Ludwig unable to rule and appointed his uncle Luitpold as
Regent. Three days later Ludwig died under mysterious
circumstances and Otto became king. King Otto was never able
to rule as he was immediately declared "melancholic" and Luitpold
continued as regent. It is unclear if Otto's problem was
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder from his service in the Franco-Prussian
War, the ravages of Syphilis, an inherited disorder or if Luitpold and
others just wanted him out of the way. The King was kept
locked up and there was no apparent effort to treat him. In 1912
Luitpold died and his son succeeded him as regent.
Item
BAV-5M-LUITPOLD BAVARIA 5 MARK 1911 LUITPOLD
90th BIRTHDAY, KM999 UNC
$160.00
Item
BAV-3M-LUITPOLD BAVARIA 3 MARK 1911 LUITPOLD
90th BIRTHDAY, KM998 UNC
$70.00
Item
BAV-2M-LUITPOLD BAVARIA 2 MARK 1911 LUITPOLD
90th BIRTHDAY, KM997 UNC
$65.00
Item
BAV-SET3-LUITPOLD ABOVE 3 BAVARIAN COINS: 2,
3 & 5 MARK LUITPOLD 90th BIRTHDAY, KM997-999 UNC
$275.00
A
WONDERFUL COLLECTION OF SILVER GERMAN COINS (Click
for
the complete listing)
Includes German States, Kaiserreich, Weimar and
Federal
Republic (West Germany) coins
OLD,
UNCIRCULATED SILVER
KREUZER OF WURTTEMBERG
This
silver 1 Kreuzer of the Kingdom Wurttemberg is in Brilliant
Uncirculated condition. The small, attractive coin mintage is
remarkably reasonably priced for its condition and low
mintage. Similar United States coins go for many times these
prices. The obverse of the 14mm coin depicts the arms of
Wurttemberg, the reverse has the date and denomination within a
wreath. The coin was struck during the reign of Karl I,
shortly before Wurttemberg became part of the German Empire in 1871.
Item
WURT-1KR-68 WURTTEMBERG 1 KREUZER 1868,
Mintage only 118,000 KM612 BU
$25.00
FIRST
SILVER COINS OF THE GERMAN EMPIRE
For most if its history Germany was little more than a loose collection
of independent and semi-independent states. The country was
finally unified in 1871 under Prussian King Wilhelm I as emperor of
Germany. The first three silver coins of the German Empire
were the 20 Pfennig, 50 Pfennig and 1 Mark. The
three coins had similar designs, with the denomination and date on the
obverse and the crowned imperial German eagle on the reverse. The 20
Pfennig was struck for only five years, 1873 to 1877. Its small size,
it was only 16mm, made it unpopular as it was easy to
loose. The 50 Pfennig was struck only three years,
from 1875 to 1877 (and 1877 is rare). It was also unpopular
as it was easily confused with the copper-nickel 10 Pfennig which had
the same reverse design, a similar obverse design, and was only 1mm
different in size. The 1 Mark was struck from 1873 until
1887, after which the reverse was revised with a larger imperial eagle.
It was 24mm and contained .1606 troy ounces of silver. All three coins
were struck in .900 fine silver.
Item
DE-1M GERMAN EMPIRE 1 MARK 1873-1887 KM7
VG-Fine
$7.50
Item
DE-50P GERMAN EMPIRE 50 PFENNIG 1875-1877
KM6 Fine-VF
$12.50
Item
DE-20P GERMAN EMPIRE 20 PFENNIG 1873-1876
KM5 VG $8.00
UNCIRCULATED
WORLD WAR I SILVER COINS OF GERMANY 
With
Germany’s defeat in World War I, the German Empire, also known as the
2nd Reich, came to an end. This set includes the two last silver coins
issued by the German Empire: the 1/2 Mark and 1 Mark issued during
World War I. . Both feature the
crowned Germanic Eagle on one side and the denomination on the other.
The 1/2 Mark is about the size of a
nickel, the 1 Mark is about the size of a quarter. Both are struck in
.900 fine silver. Because the silver coins were extensively
hoarded
during the war we can offer these coins in Uncirculated condition at a
very reasonable price for mint state silver coins that are over a
century old..
Item
DE-SSET2U GERMANY SILVER 1/2 & 1 MARK
1914-1918 KM17 & KM14
UNC. $25.00
FIRST WEIMAR
COMMEMORATIVE: 1000th YEAR OF THE RHINELAND
This
silver 5 Reichsmark commemorating the "1000th Year of the
Rhineland" was issued by the Weimar Republic of Germany in 1925. It was
the first commemorative coin ever issued by the national German
government. Previously only the various states issued
commemoratives. . After World War I France occupied
large portions of the German Rhineland. France finally began
to withdraw from the Rhineland in 1925. The coin marked the
return of the Rhineland to German control by emphasizing the long
historical connection between the Rhineland and the rest of
Germany. The 37mm silver coin depicts a knight with
a Schwurhand (two-finger) salute holding a large shield depicting a
Germanic Eagle. The denomination within an oak
wreath is on the reverse. The coin has a lettered edge
"
EINIGKEIT UND RECHT UND FREIHEIT" which translates as "Unity and
Justice and Freedom". It was struck at the Berlin
mint. It is a popular and scarce commemorative coin.
Item
DE-5M-RHINE GERMAN 5 MARK 1925A KM47
RHINELAND UNC.
$175.00
NAZI
GERMANY SILVER COINS
These four silver coins serve as a memento of the horrors of the Third
Reich. The 2 Reichsmark was issued from 1936 to 1939. It pictures Paul
von Hindenburg on one side and an eagle holding a wreathed swastika on
the other. It is 25mm in diameter and contains .1607 troy ounces of
silver. Nazi Germany used three different designs on their
regular
issue 5 Reichsmark coins. The first pictured the Potsdam Military
Church, also called the Potsdam Garrison Church, on one side and an
eagle and two small swastikas on the other. It was struck only from
1934 to 1935. The Church was built by Prussian King Friedrich Wilhelm I
between 1730 and 1735. Adolf Hitler was sworn in a Chancellor of
Germany by Paul von Hindenburg at the Church in 1933. It burned down in
the fires caused by the Allied bombing in 1945. The second type was
struck during only during the last part of 1935 and the first part of
1936. It pictured Paul von Hindenburg on one side and an eagle on the
other. Starting in 1936 the Eagle reverse was replaced with an eagle
holding a wreathed swastika, similar to the 2 Reichsmark. The Eagle and
Swastika 5 Reichsmark was struck from 1936 to 1939. The silver 5
Reichsmark coins are each 29mm in diameter and contains .4016 troy
ounces of silver. Because of the war, no Nazi silver coins were struck
after 1939. Coins grade Very Fine.
Item
DE-93 NAZI GERMANY SILVER 2 REICHSMARK
HINDENBURG/SWASTIKA
1936-39 KM93 VF
$12.00
Item
DE-83 NAZI
GERMANY SILVER 5 REICHSMARK MILITARY CHURCH
1934-35 KM83 VF
$24.00
Item
DE-86 NAZI
GERMANY SILVER 5 REICHSMARK HINDENBURG/EAGLE
1935-36 KM86 VF
$19.00
Item
DE-94 NAZI
GERMANY SILVER 5 REICHSMARK
HINDENBURG/SWASTIKA
1936-39 KM94 VF
$25.00
Item
DE-SSET4 SET OF ABOVE 4 NAZI GERMAN SILVER
COINS $79.00
2020
GREAT BRITAIN SILVER
BRITANNIA
Britain
issues the popular 1 troy ounce .999 fine silver coin called the
Britannia on an annual basis. The reverse features the
helmeted
figure of Britannia standing holding a trident and shield, her dress
billowing in the wind. The image of Britannia first appeared
on
the coins of Roman Emperor
Hadrian
in 119AD. Since then it
has
appeared on numerous British coins. The Jody Clark portrait
of
Queen Elizabeth is on the obverse. The 38.6mm coin has the nominal
value of 2 Pounds. The coins is in Brilliant Uncirculated
condition.
Item
GB-BRIT20 GREAT BRITAIN 2 POUNDS 1 TROY
OUNCE SILVER BRITTANIA 2020 BU
$27.50
SILVER
COINS OF THE KINGDOM OF ITALY
Italy was formally declared a Kingdom under King Victor Emmanuel II
(Vittorio Emanuele II) of Sardinia in 1861. He decided to continue his
title as Victor Emmanuel II instead of Victor Emmanuel I of Italy, thus
Italy's first king is titled The Second. His son, Umberto I,
became king upon Victor Emmanuel's death in 1878. Umberto
added
Italy's African colonies of Somalia and Eritrea, however, his forces
were defeated in Ethiopia. He was assassinated by an
anarchist in 1900. These silver coins of the first
two kings of Italy have similar designs. The obverse features
the head of the king. The reverse has the crowned emblem of
Italy within a wreath. These coins were all struck to the
standards of the Latin Monetary Union, attempted to unify the
currencies of Europe more than a century before the Euro was
established. The 1 Lire is 23mm, weighs 5 grams, is struck in
.835 fine silver and contains .1342 troy ounces of silver.
The 5 Lire is 37mm, weighs 25 grams, is struck in .900 fine silver and
contains .7234 troy ounces of silver. They are all historic silver
coins of the Kingdom of Italy.
Item
IT-VE2-1L ITALY 1 LIRA VICTOR EMMANUEL II,
KM5a
1863-67 Good
$6.00
Item
IT-VE2-5L ITALY 5 LIRE VICTOR EMMANUEL II,
KM8
1869-78 F-rim nicks $32.00
Item
IT-UM-1L ITALY 1 LIRA UMBERTO I, KM24
1884-1900
Good-VG
$6.00
SILVER
2 LIRE COINS OF THE KINGDOM OF ITALY
The Kingdom of Italy was united by Victor Emmanuel II of Sardinia in
1861. From 1863 until the end of World War I Italy's coins
were struck to the standards of the Latin Monetary Union. The 2 Lire is
27mm, weighs 10 grams, is struck in .835 fine silver and contains .2685
troy ounces of silver. The king of Italy is on the obverse.
The coins have a lettered edge which includes the letters "FERT" which
is the motto for the House of Savoy. Two
types of 2 Lire were struck for Victor Emmanuel II with the same
obverse but different reverses. One type has the Arms of
Savoy on the reverse, the other has the denomination and a wreath. Both
are dated 1863. The coins of his son, Umberto I, has the star of Italy
atop the arms of Savoy on the reverse. Victor Emmanuel III became king
upon the assassination of his father Umberto in
1900. His reign
lasted 45 years, spanning both
World
War I and
World War
II.
He was an avid numismatist, which may explain
why he issued such attractive coins. The designs of his coins
reflect that of ancient Italy. From the World War I era we
have this wonderful silver 2 Lire coins issued from 1914 to
1917. The reverse features a quadriga
(an ancient 4 horse carriage) pulling a helmeted woman holding an olive
branch and a shield. The design is based on ancient silver coins of
Sicily. The obverse has the bust of King Victor Emmanuel
III. The coin was minted during World War I, from
1914 to 1917, after which Italy ceased making silver 2 Lire
coins.
Item
IT-VE2-ARMS-2L ITALY SILVER 2 LIRE VICTOR
EMMANUEL II 1863 COAT OF ARMS KM6a VG-F
$15.00
Item
IT-VE2-DEN-2L ITALY SILVER 2 LIRE VICTOR
EMMANUEL II 1863 DENOMINATION IN WREATH KM16 VG-F
$15.00
Item
IT-UM-2L ITALY SILVER 2 LIRE UMBERTO
I 1881-87 KM23 VG-F
$15.00
Item
IT-VE3-2L ITALY SILVER 2 LIRE VICTOR
EMMANUEL III
1914-1917 KM55 VF-XF
$20.00
FASCIST
ITALY SILVER COIN OF VICTOR EMMANUEL III
This
silver 5 Lire of Fascist Italy dates from 1927 to 1930. King
Victor Emmanuel III (Vittorio Emanuele III) is on the
obverse. An eagle and fasces, the emblem of Fascist Italy is
on the reverse. By 1927 Mussolini had turned Italy into a
dictatorship and the king was largely a figure head. The 23mm coin
weighs 5 grams and contains .1342 troy ounces of silver. It
is an historic silver coin of Fascist Italy.
Item
IT-VE3-5L ITALY SILVER 5 LIRE, 1927-30 KM67
VF
$7.00
ALSO SEE:
FIRST COINS OF
UNIFIED ITALY IN UNCIRCULATED CONDITON
ATTRACTIVE COINS
OF THE ITALIAN REPUBLIC
FAMOUS ITALIANS ON BEAUTIFUL BANKNOTES
ITALY EURO COIN SET
SCARCE
SILVER
COIN OF THE KATHIRI STATE OF SEIYUN AND TARIM
The
Kathiri Sultans controlled the towns of Seiyun and Tarim in what is
now Yemen. After losing much of their territory to rival tribes they
agreed to become a British Protectorate. Seiyun was the capital, and
Tarim is a major center of Islamic learning. In 1897 they had
this silver 12 Khumsi coins struck at the Heaton Mint for their
territory. The coin is all in Arabic, except for the Heaton
mintmark and are dated AH1315. 12 Khumsi was
equivalent to
1/10 Riyal. The coin is 18mm in diameter. It is a rarely seen coin from
a now forgotten nation.
Item
SEIYUN-12K
KATHIRI STATE OF SEIYUN & TARIM 12
KHUMSI AH1315=1897AD KM216 F-VF
$45.00
ATTRACTIVE
OLD MEXICAN SILVER PESO
This
silver Peso was the workhorse of the Mexican economy from 1920 until
1945. It was during this period that Mexico recovered from
the upheavals of the Mexican Revolution and went on to establish new
political and economic institutions. One side features the Mexican
eagle on a cactus eating a snake. The numerals “0.7 20”,
indicating the silver content of the coin (.720 fine silver) is on
either side of the head of the eagle. The other side has the
denomination within a wreath and a rayed liberty cap
above. The 34mm and contains .3857 troy ounces of
silver.
Item
MX-1P455 MEXICO SILVER 1 PESO 1922-1938 KM455
VF
$13.50
Item
MX-1P455X3 3 DIFFERENT DATES MEXICO 1 PESO
1922-1938 KM455 VF
$39.75
1950's MEXICAN
SILVER COIN SET
In
1950 Mexico introduced three new silver coins: a 1 Peso, 50 Centavos
and 25 Centavos. The coins were struck in .300 fine silver.
Unlike the previous Mexican silver coin, the coins do not display their
weight and fineness, possibly because they had such a low silver
content. The 1 Peso features Morelos, one of the leaders of
the Mexican War of Independence. It was struck only for a
single year: 1950. The coin 32mm coin contains .1286 troy
ounces of silver. The 50 Centavo depicted the last Aztec
Emperor: Cuauhtemoc. The 26mm coin contains .064 troy ounces
of silver. It was struck only two years, 1950 and
1951. The 25 Centavos was re-introduced for the first time
since 1892. The design was based on that of the 19th Century
25 Centavos, featuring the “balance of justice”. The 21.5mm
coin contained .032 troy ounces of silver. It was issued only four
years from 1950 to 1953. The reverse of the coins feature the
Mexican Eagle eating a snake on the obverse.
Item
MX-SET50 MEXICO 25, 50 CENTAVOS
& 1 PESO 1950-53 KM443, KM449 & KM457 VF-XF $9.50
NIGER
"FLIRT" SILVER COLOR COIN INCORPORATES A JEWEL
This
sterling silver 1000 Francs coin of Niger includes a color image of
"The
Flirt" by Alphonse Mucha and a small heart-shaped amethyst
gemstone. The image, featuring a man and women in formal 19th
century clothing, is from an Art Nouveau advertising poster created for
Flirt Biscuits in France in 1899 by Mucha. The
inscription "
L'AMOUR
NE VOIT PAS AVEC LES YEUX, MAIS AVEC L'ÂME" translates as "
Love does not see with the eyes
but with the soul". The obverse includes the
coat of arms of Niger and the denomination. The 2012 dated
coin is 38.61mm was minted by the Helvetic Mint in
Switzerland. It has a mintage of just 1000 pieces and comes
with a Certificate of Authenticity. It is an unusual coin
from a country that has produced few coins.
Item
NE-FLIRT
NIGER SILVER 1000 FRANCS 2012 "THE FLIRT" KM21, PROOF-LIKE
$69.50
RUSSIAN
NUCLEAR ICEBREAKER
ON ULTRA-HIGH RELIEF SILVER COIN
This
impressive, ultra-high relief, 1 troy ounce silver 2 Dollar coin of
Niue depicts a Russian Arktika class nuclear powered icebreaker. Russia
is the only nation to have built nuclear icebreakers. The huge ships
are designed to break through the polar ice along the Northern Sea
Route, from the Barents Sea to Bering Strait, clearing the way for
cargo and other ships. The ships were the first surface
vessels to North Pole. Since 1989, some of the icebreakers
have been used for Arctic tourist cruises. The 40mm .999 fine, 1 troy
ounce silver coin had an authorized mintage of 999 pieces of which only
750 were struck. The coin has a satin-antique finish. Queen
Elizabeth is on the obverse. I am not sure what the
connection is
between icebreakers and the tropical island of Niue, but it is a very
nice coin with an attractive ship
design.
Item
NU-ICE NIUE 2 DOLLARS 2015 NUCLEAR
ICEBREAKER, ANTIQUE FINISH UNC
$69.50
EARLY DATED
SILVER COIN OF
POLAND-LITHUANIA
Until
the 1600's most nations did not put dates on coins. These silver
1/2 Grossus (Groschen) coins of Sigismund II Augustus from the 1500's
are some of the earliest affordable coins bearing an AD date.
Sigismund was both the King of Poland and Grand Duke of
Lithuania. In 1569 he formally united the two countries with
the Treaty of Lublin to form the Polish-Lithuanian
Commonwealth. His coins reflect this dual
nationality. One side features his titles as Grand Duke of
Lithuania, and Vytas, the White Knight, which is the national symbol of
Lithuania. Below Vytas is the date. The other side
features the Polish Eagle and his titles as King of Poland.
The 19mm silver coins date from 1547 to 1572. In 1572
Sigsmund died childless, despite having three wives (two of which were
first cousins) and carrying on affairs with "two of the most beautiful
of his countrywomen". He was the last of the powerful
Jagiellonian dynasty controlled much of central Europe for almost 200
years.
Item
PL-LT POLAND-LITHUANIA 1/2 GROSSUS, SIGISMUND
II AUGUSTUS 1547-1572 F-VF $29.75
Item
PL-LTx5 5 DIFFERENT DATES OF
POLAND-LITHUANIA 1/2 GROSSUS 1547-1572 F-VF $129.75
OLD POLISH SILVER
COIN OF
SIGISMUND III
This
silver 3 Polker
coins of Poland issued by king Sigismund III Vasa is dated
between about 1620 to 1628. Sigismund became king of Poland and
Lithuania in 1587. He was also king of Sweden from 1592 until
he was deposed in 1599. His efforts to unite Poland and
Sweden caused sixty years of war between the two. He invaded
Russia in 1605, taking advantage of their Time of Troubles.
Despite occupying Moscow and proclaiming himself to be Czar, he was
unable to control the country. His war in Russia continued until a
peace treaty was finally signed in 1618. It was during the
later part of his reign that the 30 Years War started. The war was one
of the most destructive conflicts in human history.
One side of the coin has the crowned arms of united Poland and
Lithuania. The other side features the number 24 within an
orb, indicating the coin was worth 1/24th of a Thaler. On either side
of the cross and orb are the last two digits of the date.
Sigismund did not feel it necessary to include the first two digits.
Item PL-3POLK POLAND 3 POLKER 1620-28 KM41
VG
$12.00
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). Recently Serbia instituted a series of 100
Dinara coins honoring Tesla and his many inventions. The 39mm
coins each contain 1 troy ounce and are
struck by the Serbian Mint. The 2018 and 2019 issues are
struck in
.999 fine silver, the 2020 issue is .9999 fine silver. 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 two issues are sold out at the mint and
at major distributors. We have a small quantity which we set
aside.
The first issue in the series is a 2018 coin
honoring his contributions to the design of
the alternating current (AC) electricity supply system. The
coin features one
of Nikola Tesla’s
greatest inventions: the Induction Motor. Only
50,000 pieces were
struck in Brilliant Uncirculated (BU).
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
50,000 pieces.
The third coini in the series is the 2020 dated
piece honoring 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 maximum mintage of 55,000 pieces.
Item
RS-TESLA-AC-BU SERBIA 100 DINARA 2018
TESLA-ALTERNATING CURRENT-MOTOR BU $34.00
Item
RS-TESLA-REMOTE-BU SERBIA 100 DINARA 2019
TESLA-REMOTE CONTROL BU OUT
Item
RS-TESLA-XRAY-BU SERBIA 100 DINARA 2020
TESLA-X-RAYS BU OUT
SILVER
SIAMESE COIN
FEATURES
3-HEADED ELEPHANT
King
Rama VI (Vajiravudh) is on the obverse and Erawan, the mythological
three-headed elephant, on the reverse of this silver Salung (1/4 Baht)
of Siam (now Thailand). The 20.15mm, .500 fine coin was minted from
1917 to 1925. Rama VI had a difficult time following up on
the
successful modernization reforms of his father King Chulalongkorn (Rama
V). His "Westernization" reforms included founding the first
University in Thailand, introduction of Scouting in Thailand,
introducing compulsory education, and having Thai's adopt last names
(Previously only first names were used). Being a gifted writer he even
invented last names for his citizens.
Item
TH-SALUNG25 SIAM SILVER 1/4
BAHT (SALUNG) 1917-25 Y43a VG-Fine
$5.00
ALSO SEE THE FOLLOWING SILVER COINS
JOHN BROWN ON LOW MINTAGE
NIGER SILVER
BEAUTIFUL SAN MARINO MINT SETS
INCLUDE SILVER COIN
SEALAND HONORS
KILLER WHALES
TOKELAU
SILVER COLOR COIN
FEATURES KILLER WHALES
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The
Perth Mint of Australia issued this beautiful 2020 1 troy ounce .9999
fine silver 1 Dollar coin depicting a cute koala clinging to a tree
branch. Below is the date, weight and purity. To the right of
the koala is the P mintmark. The Jody Clark
portrait of
Queen Elizabeth is on the obverse. The coin has a reverse
frosted
finish. The 40.6mm coin comes in a protective capsule and has
a mintage of 300,000. 
The
Perth Mint of Australia recently released the 2020 Chinese New Year
silver dollar for the Year of the Mouse. The 40.6mm 1 troy ounce .9999
fine silver 1 Dollar coin depicts two cute little mice nibbling on ears
of corn. To the right is the Chinese character for mouse and
the inscription "MOUSE
2020". The Jody Clark portrait of Queen
Elizabeth is on the obverse. Both sides are struck with a "reverse
proof" finish. The coin has a mintage of 300,000 pieces and
comes in its original mint capsule. Australia's annual Chinese New Year
coins have long been popular with collectors in Asia and worldwide.
The
Perth Mint of Australia celebrated the Year of the Monkey with these
two attractive 2016 dated silver coins. Both coins feature
the same design. The reverses depict an adult
monkey and a baby monkey sitting in a peach tree. The baby is holding a
peach, which is symbolic of longevity and immortality. The Chinese
character for ‘monkey’ and the inscription ‘Year of the Monkey’ also
appear in the design with The Perth Mint’s traditional ‘P’
mintmark. The obverse features the Ian Rank-Broadley effigy
of Queen Elizabeth II. The 1 troy ounce 1 Dollar
coin is 45mm in diameter. The ½ troy ounce 50 cent coin is
36mm in diameter. Both are struck in .999 fine silver and
come in a capsule.
The
Australian Saltwater Crocodile is featured on the reverse of this 2014
Australian silver dollar coin. The Australian Saltwater
Crocodile is one of the largest reptiles in the world. Males
can reach over 20 feet (6.3m) in length and weigh over 3000 Pounds
(1360 kg). It is capable of taking almost any animal that enters its
territory, including humans. Despite its name, it can be found in
fresh, brackish or ocean water. The obverse features the Ian-Rank
Broadley effigy of Queen Elizabeth II. The 40.6mm coin
contains 1 troy ounce of .999 fine silver. The coin features
a beautiful reverse frosted matte finish. The Queen and the
Crocodile have a brilliant finish while the background areas have a
frosted
finish. The coin was struck at the Perth Mint in Australia
and has a mintage of 1 million pieces. 
The
Pobjoy Mint recently released this beautiful .999 fine 1 troy ounce
Reverse Proof Pegasus 1 Dollar coin on behalf of the British Virgin
Islands. The 2017 dated coin has a mintage of just 50,000
pieces. Queen Elizabeth is on the obverse. Each has been
struck four times to produce a stunning frosted-finish background with
the design sculpted in striking relief. The story of Pegasus
begins when Perseus is sent to kill Medusa,
who had writhing snakes instead of hair. It was said that
anyone unfortunate enough to gaze on her face would turn to
stone. The God Hermes and the Goddess Athena came to aid
Perseus with special gifts, including a shield which Perseus used as a
mirror so he did not look directly at Medusa. When Perseus
beheaded Medusa it is said that Pegasus was born from the blood of the
Gorgon. After Pegasus had helped Perseus rescue Andromeda, he
was carried to Mount Helicon where he was entrusted to the care of the
Muses. Another hero, Bellerophon, wanted to capture Pegasus
but could not work out how to tame such a magnificent
creature. After being advised to sleep in the temple of
Athena, Bellerophon saw the goddess before him holding a golden
bridle. When he awoke he was alone but the bridle
remained. He ran from the temple and found Pegasus drinking
at a spring. Bellerophon put the charmed bridle on the winged
horse’s head with little difficulty and, with the bridle in place,
Pegasus became gentle and tame and Bellerophon became his
master. 
In
response to the success of the 2017
British Virgin Island reverse
frosted Proof Pegasus 1 troy ounce .999 fine silver dollar,
Pobjoy Mint
issued a new 2018 design for the coin. The design shows Pegasus, the
mythical horse, rearing up with his wings spread. Queen Elizabeth is on
the obverse. The attractive 38.6mm Proof coin has a maximum
mintage of only 50,000 pieces. 
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 CANADIAN DEATH DOLLAR
Pile
O' Bones was the name of a hunters' camp located in central
Canada. It was so named because heaps of bones were left
there
from skinning and cutting buffalo. In 1882 the
Canadian
Pacific Railroad came through, and it was renamed Regina, to honor
Queen Victoria. It was the administrative headquarters of the
Northwest Territories from 1882 until 1905, when it became the capital
of the newly formed province of Saskatchewan. To celebrate
the
100th anniversary of the formal founding of the City of Regina, Canada
issued a commemorative Proof silver dollar in 1982. One side
features the provincial capitol building and a cattle skull, which is
an acknowledgement to the city's origin. The other side
features
Queen Elizabeth. The coin is 36mm in diameter and contains
.3750
troy ounces of silver. It comes in its original mint box and
capsule.
Canada
issued this silver 8 dollar coin in 2013. The unusual
denomination coin contains 1.5 troy ounces of .9999 fine
silver. The thick, 38mm coin depicts a polar bear walking on
an ice flow on one side and Queen Elizabeth on the other. It
is an attractive, odd denomination coin.
This
intricately designed 2015 Canadian silver 5 Dollar coin features images
representing the traditional five blessings of Chinese culture: a bat
for happiness, a deer for career success, two cranes for long life, a
magpie for joy, and the Chinese symbol for good fortune. The
obverse of the coin features Queen Elizabeth II. The 38mm coin is
struck in .9999 fine silver. Because most of
the mintage was
distributed in Asia, it has been difficult to American and European
collectors to obtain this coin.
This
silver Fuang (1/8 Tical) was issued by the Kingdom of Cambodia about
1847. The mythical Hamsa bird is pictured on this unusual,
undated, uniface coin. The
mythical
Hamza bird represents knowledge, so the coin is both smart and
lucky. They were good skills for Cambodia to have at that
time as
both Vietnam and Thailand were trying to gain control the country
through members of its royal family. The hand-struck coin is
approximately 13mm in diameter and is probably the least
expensive South-East Asian silver coin of that era.
This
silver 25 Pennia struck by Finland was struck during World War
I. From 1809 to 1917 Finland was called the Grand Duchy of
Finland. The title Grand Duke of Finland was held by the Czar
of Russia, Though ruled by Russia, Finland had a
high degree of autonomy and its own coinage. This 16mm silver
coin is dated from 1915 to 1917. The denomination and
date within a wreath is on the reverse. The obverse features
the crowned
Czarist double-headed eagle with the arms of Finland on its breast. The
coin was struck by the Helsinki mint. An "S", for mintmaster, Isac
Sundell is below the eagle. Sundell, was quite a
survivor. He managed to hold his office for 35 years, from
1912 to 1947 through World War I, Finland's War of Independence, and
World War II. 
Seated Liberty, based on The Statue of Liberty, is featured on this
attractive 1937 silver 10 Cents of French Indo-China.
In addition to the Statue of Liberty that France presented to the
United States, France erected a smaller version in Hanoi the same year.
The Hanoi statue was destroyed in 1945 by supporters of Ho Chi
Minh. The reverse of the coin includes the
denomination and
silver content of the coins. The 10 Centimes
contains 2.7 grams of .680 fine silver. The attractive coin
was designed by famed French sculptor and medalist Jean Auguste
Barre. French Indo-China later became the independent nations
of Vietnam, Cambodia
and Laos.
The
German Empire, also called the Second Reich or the Kaiserreich, lasted
from the unification of Germany under Kaiser Wilhelm I in 1871 until
the abdication of Wilhelm II in 1918 when Germany was defeated in World
War I. The formerly independent German states were
allowed to issue coins in denominations of 2 Marks or higher.
The coins were all struck to the same standards. The 2 Mark
was 28mm and contained .3215 troy ounces of silver, the 3 Mark was 33mm
and contained .4823 ounces of silver, the 5 Mark was 38mm and contained
.8037 troy ounces of silver. The coins were all struck in
.900 fine silver. Most had a common reverse featuring the crowned
imperial German Eagle and a lettered edge "GOTT MIT UNS" (God
with us). The smaller states issued only a few coins, most
with low mintages, marking special events. Many coins were
melted during World War I, the German Inflation and World War II,
making them scarce today. 
Bavaria
commemorated the 90th birthday of Prince Regent Luitpold with 2, 3 and
5 Mark coins in 1911. All three coins have the same design
featuring the bust of Luitpold. Luitpold was the regent for
Bavarian King Otto. King Otto who was the younger brother of
"The Mad"
King Ludwig II. On June 10, 1886 the Bavarian cabinet
declared Ludwig unable to rule and appointed his uncle Luitpold as
Regent. Three days later Ludwig died under mysterious
circumstances and Otto became king. King Otto was never able
to rule as he was immediately declared "melancholic" and Luitpold
continued as regent. It is unclear if Otto's problem was
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder from his service in the Franco-Prussian
War, the ravages of Syphilis, an inherited disorder or if Luitpold and
others just wanted him out of the way. The King was kept
locked up and there was no apparent effort to treat him. In 1912
Luitpold died and his son succeeded him as regent.
This
silver 1 Kreuzer of the Kingdom Wurttemberg is in Brilliant
Uncirculated condition. The small, attractive coin mintage is
remarkably reasonably priced for its condition and low
mintage. Similar United States coins go for many times these
prices. The obverse of the 14mm coin depicts the arms of
Wurttemberg, the reverse has the date and denomination within a
wreath. The coin was struck during the reign of Karl I,
shortly before Wurttemberg became part of the German Empire in 1871.
With
Germany’s defeat in World War I, the German Empire, also known as the
2nd Reich, came to an end. This set includes the two last silver coins
issued by the German Empire: the 1/2 Mark and 1 Mark issued during
World War I. . Both feature the
crowned Germanic Eagle on one side and the denomination on the other.
The 1/2 Mark is about the size of a
nickel, the 1 Mark is about the size of a quarter. Both are struck in
.900 fine silver. Because the silver coins were extensively
hoarded
during the war we can offer these coins in Uncirculated condition at a
very reasonable price for mint state silver coins that are over a
century old.. 
This
silver 5 Reichsmark commemorating the "1000th Year of the
Rhineland" was issued by the Weimar Republic of Germany in 1925. It was
the first commemorative coin ever issued by the national German
government. Previously only the various states issued
commemoratives. . After World War I France occupied
large portions of the German Rhineland. France finally began
to withdraw from the Rhineland in 1925. The coin marked the
return of the Rhineland to German control by emphasizing the long
historical connection between the Rhineland and the rest of
Germany. The 37mm silver coin depicts a knight with
a Schwurhand (two-finger) salute holding a large shield depicting a
Germanic Eagle. The denomination within an oak
wreath is on the reverse. The coin has a lettered edge
"EINIGKEIT UND RECHT UND FREIHEIT" which translates as "Unity and
Justice and Freedom". It was struck at the Berlin
mint. It is a popular and scarce commemorative coin. 
Britain
issues the popular 1 troy ounce .999 fine silver coin called the
Britannia on an annual basis. The reverse features the
helmeted
figure of Britannia standing holding a trident and shield, her dress
billowing in the wind. The image of Britannia first appeared
on
the coins of Roman Emperor Hadrian
in 119AD. Since then it
has
appeared on numerous British coins. The Jody Clark portrait
of
Queen Elizabeth is on the obverse. The 38.6mm coin has the nominal
value of 2 Pounds. The coins is in Brilliant Uncirculated
condition. 
This
silver 5 Lire of Fascist Italy dates from 1927 to 1930. King
Victor Emmanuel III (Vittorio Emanuele III) is on the
obverse. An eagle and fasces, the emblem of Fascist Italy is
on the reverse. By 1927 Mussolini had turned Italy into a
dictatorship and the king was largely a figure head. The 23mm coin
weighs 5 grams and contains .1342 troy ounces of silver. It
is an historic silver coin of Fascist Italy.
The
Kathiri Sultans controlled the towns of Seiyun and Tarim in what is
now Yemen. After losing much of their territory to rival tribes they
agreed to become a British Protectorate. Seiyun was the capital, and
Tarim is a major center of Islamic learning. In 1897 they had
this silver 12 Khumsi coins struck at the Heaton Mint for their
territory. The coin is all in Arabic, except for the Heaton
mintmark and are dated AH1315. 12 Khumsi was
equivalent to
1/10 Riyal. The coin is 18mm in diameter. It is a rarely seen coin from
a now forgotten nation.
This
silver Peso was the workhorse of the Mexican economy from 1920 until
1945. It was during this period that Mexico recovered from
the upheavals of the Mexican Revolution and went on to establish new
political and economic institutions. One side features the Mexican
eagle on a cactus eating a snake. The numerals “0.7 20”,
indicating the silver content of the coin (.720 fine silver) is on
either side of the head of the eagle. The other side has the
denomination within a wreath and a rayed liberty cap
above. The 34mm and contains .3857 troy ounces of
silver.
In
1950 Mexico introduced three new silver coins: a 1 Peso, 50 Centavos
and 25 Centavos. The coins were struck in .300 fine silver.
Unlike the previous Mexican silver coin, the coins do not display their
weight and fineness, possibly because they had such a low silver
content. The 1 Peso features Morelos, one of the leaders of
the Mexican War of Independence. It was struck only for a
single year: 1950. The coin 32mm coin contains .1286 troy
ounces of silver. The 50 Centavo depicted the last Aztec
Emperor: Cuauhtemoc. The 26mm coin contains .064 troy ounces
of silver. It was struck only two years, 1950 and
1951. The 25 Centavos was re-introduced for the first time
since 1892. The design was based on that of the 19th Century
25 Centavos, featuring the “balance of justice”. The 21.5mm
coin contained .032 troy ounces of silver. It was issued only four
years from 1950 to 1953. The reverse of the coins feature the
Mexican Eagle eating a snake on the obverse. 
This
sterling silver 1000 Francs coin of Niger includes a color image of
"The
Flirt" by Alphonse Mucha and a small heart-shaped amethyst
gemstone. The image, featuring a man and women in formal 19th
century clothing, is from an Art Nouveau advertising poster created for
Flirt Biscuits in France in 1899 by Mucha. The
inscription "L'AMOUR
NE VOIT PAS AVEC LES YEUX, MAIS AVEC L'ÂME" translates as "Love does not see with the eyes
but with the soul". The obverse includes the
coat of arms of Niger and the denomination. The 2012 dated
coin is 38.61mm was minted by the Helvetic Mint in
Switzerland. It has a mintage of just 1000 pieces and comes
with a Certificate of Authenticity. It is an unusual coin
from a country that has produced few coins. 
This
impressive, ultra-high relief, 1 troy ounce silver 2 Dollar coin of
Niue depicts a Russian Arktika class nuclear powered icebreaker. Russia
is the only nation to have built nuclear icebreakers. The huge ships
are designed to break through the polar ice along the Northern Sea
Route, from the Barents Sea to Bering Strait, clearing the way for
cargo and other ships. The ships were the first surface
vessels to North Pole. Since 1989, some of the icebreakers
have been used for Arctic tourist cruises. The 40mm .999 fine, 1 troy
ounce silver coin had an authorized mintage of 999 pieces of which only
750 were struck. The coin has a satin-antique finish. Queen
Elizabeth is on the obverse. I am not sure what the
connection is
between icebreakers and the tropical island of Niue, but it is a very
nice coin with an attractive ship
design. 
Until
the 1600's most nations did not put dates on coins. These silver
1/2 Grossus (Groschen) coins of Sigismund II Augustus from the 1500's
are some of the earliest affordable coins bearing an AD date.
Sigismund was both the King of Poland and Grand Duke of
Lithuania. In 1569 he formally united the two countries with
the Treaty of Lublin to form the Polish-Lithuanian
Commonwealth. His coins reflect this dual
nationality. One side features his titles as Grand Duke of
Lithuania, and Vytas, the White Knight, which is the national symbol of
Lithuania. Below Vytas is the date. The other side
features the Polish Eagle and his titles as King of Poland.
The 19mm silver coins date from 1547 to 1572. In 1572
Sigsmund died childless, despite having three wives (two of which were
first cousins) and carrying on affairs with "two of the most beautiful
of his countrywomen". He was the last of the powerful
Jagiellonian dynasty controlled much of central Europe for almost 200
years.
This
silver 3 Polker
coins of Poland issued by king Sigismund III Vasa is dated
between about 1620 to 1628. Sigismund became king of Poland and
Lithuania in 1587. He was also king of Sweden from 1592 until
he was deposed in 1599. His efforts to unite Poland and
Sweden caused sixty years of war between the two. He invaded
Russia in 1605, taking advantage of their Time of Troubles.
Despite occupying Moscow and proclaiming himself to be Czar, he was
unable to control the country. His war in Russia continued until a
peace treaty was finally signed in 1618. It was during the
later part of his reign that the 30 Years War started. The war was one
of the most destructive conflicts in human history.
One side of the coin has the crowned arms of united Poland and
Lithuania. The other side features the number 24 within an
orb, indicating the coin was worth 1/24th of a Thaler. On either side
of the cross and orb are the last two digits of the date.
Sigismund did not feel it necessary to include the first two digits. 
King
Rama VI (Vajiravudh) is on the obverse and Erawan, the mythological
three-headed elephant, on the reverse of this silver Salung (1/4 Baht)
of Siam (now Thailand). The 20.15mm, .500 fine coin was minted from
1917 to 1925. Rama VI had a difficult time following up on
the
successful modernization reforms of his father King Chulalongkorn (Rama
V). His "Westernization" reforms included founding the first
University in Thailand, introduction of Scouting in Thailand,
introducing compulsory education, and having Thai's adopt last names
(Previously only first names were used). Being a gifted writer he even
invented last names for his citizens. 