SILVER COINS OF THE WORLD

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.

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BEAUTIFUL SILVER PROOF COINS FROM AUSTRIA

These beautiful 1965 Austrian silver Proof coins reflect the nation's rich cultural heritage.  The 5 Schilling depicts a famed Lipizzaner stallion with rider. It is 23.5mm and contains .107 troy ounces of silver.  The 10 Schilling depicts a woman wearing a traditional "Golden Bonnet" from the Wachau region.  It is 26mm and contains .1543 troy ounces of silver.  Both coins are struck in .640 fine silver and have the Austrian shield on the back.

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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 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.

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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-coloured’. 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.

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BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS SILVER MORGAN-PEACE DOLLAR

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.

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CANADA 1964 CHARLOTTETOWN SILVER DOLLAR

Canada issued a circulating commemorative silver dollar in 1964 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Charlottetown and Quebec Conferences.  The conferences laid the groundwork for the establishment of the Dominion of Canada in 1867. The Charlottetown Conference was held in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island in September 1864. Initially the conference was to discuss a union of the Maritime colonies, but was expanded to include the Province of Canada as well.  Britain encouraged the union, hoping the colonies would become less dependent on the Crown and provide for greater economic and military power for the region in light of the American Civil War.   A circus came to Charlottetown the same week, the first one to visit in over 20 years. Folks were much more interested in the circus than politics.  Workers left their jobs and folks from all over the island came into town which made accommodations difficult for the delegates.  A second conference was held in Quebec the following month.  The Quebec Conference created 72 Resolutions which laid the foundation for unifying the colonies.  The resolutions covered a wide range of issues, from governmental powers to building railroads.   The coin depicts young Queen Elizabeth on the obverse.  The reverse features an emblem incorporating the French fleur-de-lis, the Irish shamrock, the Scottish thistle, and the English rose representing the main nationalities that settled Canada.   Around it is the legend "CHARLOTTETOWN • QUÉBEC", the dates "1864" and "1964".  The 36mm coin is struck in .800 fine silver and contains .6  troy ounces of silver. 

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BEAUTIFUL UNCIRCULATED CANADIAN VOYAGEUR SILVER DOLLARS

These beautiful Canadian silver dollars depicts a voyageur and an Indian paddling a canoe.  Voyageurs were 18th and early 19th century French Canadian fur transporters and traders.  They transported fur and goods over vast distances by canoe and would carry heavy loads across portages.  Their exploits have been celebrated in music and folklore.  This attractive Canadian Voyageur Dollar is struck in .800 fine silver and is 36mm in diameter. They contain .6 troy ounces of silver.   Queen Elizabeth is on the obverse. The coins struck before 1964 have the young head portrait of the Queen by Mary Gillick.  The 1965 and 1966 coins portray Arnold Machin's portrait of the Queen wearing a tiara.

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POPULAR 1965 & 1966 CANADA SILVER PROOF-LIKE SET

This six-coin Proof-like from the Royal Canadian Mint includes the silver dollar, 50 cents, 25 cents and 10 cents struck in .800 fine silver, as well as the nickel 5 cents and bronze 1 cent.  The coins come were specially struck with a mirror-like surface and are in their original Royal Canadian Mint packaging.  The sets contain 1.11 troy ounces of silver. The sets were issued at the height of the 1960’s coin boom. This 1965 set featured the new Arnold Machin portrait of Queen Elizabeth. And the U.S. mint had just stopped selling Proof sets, all of which sparked speculative interest in the sets.  Sales were by mail only and were limited to five sets per order.   Dealers, investors and collectors crowded the post offices nearest the mint in order to place multiple orders.  The sets sold out within a few hours and many orders were sent back.  We have this attractive and popular Proof-like set in their original mint packaging at a modest premium above their melt value. We  have a few  mint boxes of 5 Canadian Proof-like sets. Also available are 1966 Canadian Proof-like sets which had the same designs and were struck to the same standards as the 1965 sets.. 

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CREEK NATION SILVER DOLLARS

The Poarch Creek Indians are descendent of the original Creek Nation, which once covered almost all of Alabama and Georgia. Unlike many eastern Indian tribes, the Poarch Creeks were not removed from their tribal lands and have lived together for almost 200 years in and around their reservation in Poarch, Alabama. In 1984 the United States government officially recognized the tribe. They are the only federally recognized tribe in Alabama.  In 2004 the tribe authorized its first coins to commemorate the 20th anniversary of their recognition as a tribe by the United States government.  Two different 1 troy ounce .999 fine silver 40mm 1 dollar coins were struck for the tribe each year from 2004 to 2007.  Only 20,000 of each were struck in Brilliant Uncirculated condition. It is now difficult to find a complete set of these attractive coins.

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RECENT SILVER COINS OF THE EAST CARIBBEAN STATES

The East Caribbean Central Bank supplies coins and currency to a number of tiny Caribbean nations which all utilize a common currency called the Eastern Caribbean Dollar.   These Brilliant Uncirculated 1 troy ounce .999 fine, 39mm legal tender coins were issued for the member nations of the East Caribbean Central Bank. The coins have a frosted Proof-Like surface. They all have the same reverse depicting Queen Elizabeth within a wreath.  Each nation has a distinctive obverse reflecting a unique aspect of that country. The designs change each year, though tend to follow the same themes reflecting an aspect of that nation. . They are each denominated 2 Eastern Caribbean Dollars.   Only 25,000 of each coin was minted. 

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LE PETIT PRINCE SILVER COIN SET

Le Petit Prince, or the Little Prince is a beloved tale written by French author Antoine de Saint-Exupery   It is an international best-seller and is the world's most translated non-religious book in the world.   In 2016 The Paris Mint issued a series of 24 silver 10 Euro coins called "Le beau voyage du Petite Prince" (The beautiful voyage of the Little Prince) in which the Little Prince travels through France. Each coin features different scenes of French culture and landmarks.  This set includes the first 12 coins of the series in the official mint folder. Each of the 31mm silver 10 Euro coins is struck in .333 fine silver and contains .182 troy ounces of silver. The coins have a mintage of 80,000 to 250,000 each and are Brilliant Uncirculated. The set includes the following coins: 

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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.

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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.


ALSO SEE:
ST. HELENA COMMEMORATES THE BATTLES OF THE NAPOLEONIC WARS

FRANCE COMMEMORATES NAPOLEON CORONATION & LOUVRE 1/4 EURO 2021

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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.

HESSE-DARMSTADT COMMEMORATES PHILIP THE MAGNANIMOUS

The German Grand Duchy of Hesse-Darmstadt commemorated the 400th anniversary of the birth of Philip the Magnanimous with this silver 1904 2 Mark coin. It portrays the busts of Philip and Ernst Ludwig, who was the current Grand Duke of Hesse.  Below the busts is the date of Philip's birth, November 13, and the years 1504 - 1904.  At age 17, Phillip met Martin Luther at the Diet of Worms. He became a strong supporter of the Protestant Reformation.  Martin Luther did not approve of Philip's lifestyle however, stating that he lived "constantly in a state of adultery and fornication", which was probably true given that he had two wives. Promiscuity seems to have run in the family.  Ernst Ludwig was the grandson of Queen Victoria.   His first marriage to his first cousin, a granddaughter of Queen Victoria, turned out badly.  Though they were famous for their parties for their young friends (anyone over 30 was too old), they did not get along well.  They would have loud, physical arguments. She went on to spend vast sums in expenses and at the card-tables in Monte Carlo. He was homosexual and it was said that "no boy was safe, from the stable hands to the kitchen help. He slept quite openly with them all."  Victoria did not approve of divorce, so they remained married until shortly after Victoria died in 1901.  The 28mm coin is struck .900 fine silver and contains .3215 troy ounces of silver. The reverse features the crowned imperial German eagle.   It has a mintage of only 100,000 pieces and is one of the few coins issued by Hesse-Darmstadt after the unification of Germany.

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.

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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. 

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GERMANY CELEBRATES 1st ANNIVERSARY OF NAZI RULE  

Nazi Germany celebrated the first anniversary of Nazi rule with these silver commemorative 2 and 5 Reichsmark coins dated 1934.  Both coins have the same design. The reverse portrays the Potsdam Garrison Church and the date 21 March, 1933.   It was at this church that date that Hitler ceremonially opened the first Reichstag of the Third Reich, officially ushering in Nazi control of Germany The obverse depicts the German Eagle and two small swastikas. The 25mm 2 Reichsmark coin is struck in .625 fine silver and contains .1607 troy oz. of silver.  The 29mm 5 Reichsmark coin is struck in .900 fine silver and contains .4016 troy oz. of silver.

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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.

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OLD 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 of the 1 Lire coins have the crowned Arms of Savoy within a wreath.  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.   These coins were all struck to the standards of the Latin Monetary Union,  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 2 Lire is  27mm, weighs 10 Grams, is struck in .835 fine silver and contains .2685 troy ounces of silver. 

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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 figurehead. The 23mm coin weighs 5 grams and contains .1342 troy ounces of silver.  It is an  historic silver coin of Fascist Italy.

 

ALSO SEE:

ATTRACTIVE COINS OF THE ITALIAN REPUBLIC

FAMOUS ITALIANS ON BEAUTIFUL BANKNOTES

ITALY EURO COIN SET

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FIRST MODERN COIN OF JAPAN

This silver 5 Sen coin of Japan was one of the first modern machine struck coins of Japan.  It was introduced in 1870 as part of the Meiji Reformation that was part of the modernization of Japan.  The 16.5mm silver coin features a dragon on the obverse.  The reverse features the sunburst crest between two paulownia flowers, above is the imperial chrysanthemum emblem.  The coin is dated Year 3 of the Meiji era, which corresponds to 1870. It is a scarce and historic coin.

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JAPAN SILVER 1000 YEN 1964 OLYMPIC COIN  

Mount Fuji is featured on this attractive 1964 silver 1000 Yen coin.  The coin was issued to commemorate the Olympic Games that were held in Tokyo that year.  The reverse includes the denomination and the Olympic rings flanked by cherry blossoms. The coin is dated Year 39 of the Showa era, which corresponds to 1964.  With the Olympics returning to Tokyo, hopefully in 2021, it is expected that there will be an increased demand for this beautiful coin. The 35mm coin contains .5948 troy ounces of silver.

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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.

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SCARCE 2020 MEXICAN 1 OUNCE SILVER LIBERTAD  

Due to COVID-19 shutdowns, production of the 2020 1 ounce silver Mexican Libertad is far less than previous years.  Many distributors were unable to get their regular supplies or quickly sold out.   We were able to get a small quantity of these popular but scarce coins.  On one side of the coin is the Victory Angel that is on the top of the Mexican Independence monument in Mexico City.   In the background are the Popocatépetl and Iztaccihuatl volcanoes. The gold-plated statue is 22 feet (6.7 meters) high and weighs 7 tons (6350 kg.).  The other side depicts the historical coats-of-arms of Mexico, with the current arms in the center.  It is interesting to see the progression of the design over time.  The 40mm Brilliant Uncirculated coin contains 1 troy ounce of .999 fine silver.

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MEDIEVAL CHRISTIAN COPY OF SQUARE MOORISH MILLARES

This unusual medieval square silver coin was made by Christians in Aragon and southern France during the 13th Century in order to trade with the Moorish states in North Africa. It copies the Almohad (Muwahhidun) silver square millares, but has a broader flan and degenerate calligraphy.  The Almohads were a Moorish Dynasty that ruled Spain and North Africa in the 12th and 13th Century.  A puritanical sect, they forced Christians and Jews living in their territories to convert to Islam or emigrate.  In 1212 the Christian kingdoms combined forces defeated the Almohad forces and began to reclaim Spain.  By 1269 they had lost control of both Spain and Africa.  It is an historic coin from a time when it was common for nations to copy each other's coins.

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SCARCE NEWFOUNDLAND 20 CENT PIECE

The Newfoundland 20 Cent piece of George V was struck only a single year: 1912.  It was also the last 20 Cent piece ever struck for Newfoundland.  At the time Newfoundland was a self-governing Dominion within the British Empire.  It did not become a Canadian province until 1949. The king is on the obverse of the coin.  The denomination and date are on the reverse. The 23.2mm coin is struck in sterling silver and contains .1402 troy ounces of silver.  It has a mintage of only 350,000 pieces, most of which have been melted. It is a scarce pre-World War I coin of Newfoundland.

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UNITED STATES SILVER PESO FOR THE PHILIPPINES

The United States gained the Philippines in 1898 as a result of the Spanish-American War.  To provide for the commerce in the new colony, the San Francisco Mint struck these attractive silver Pesos.  One side of the coin has the United States arms with an eagle; the other shows a woman in front of a volcano.  The coins date from 1907 to 1909 and were struck at the San Francisco mint. The "S" mintmark appears next to the date.   This is an excellent opportunity to get one of these historic silver coins from America's brief colonial empire.

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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.

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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.

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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. 

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SHAWNEE NATION SILVER DOLLARS 

From 2002 to 2011 The Sovereign Nation of the Shawnee Tribe annually issued a 1 troy ounce .999 fine 39mm silver 1 Dollar coin.  The 2002 issue featured Chief Tecumeseh.  The 2003 to 2005 issued featured Lewis and Clark's Expedition of Discovery.  The 2006 issue depicted Prophet Tenskwatawa.  The 2007 to 2011 issued featured important events in the tribe's history. Only 20,000 of each were struck in Brilliant Uncirculated condition.

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19th CENTURY SILVER SPANISH 2 PESETAS

These two silver 2 Peseta coins were struck during a turbulent period of Spanish history.  In 1868 the unpopular Queen Isabella II was overthrown and a provisional government was set up.  One of the reforms of the provisional government was to join the Latin Monetary System, which was already in use in France, Italy Switzerland and Belgium.  This silver 2 Peseta depicts liberty seated holding an olive branch on the obverse.  The reverse has the Spanish coat of arms and the inscription "100 PIEZAS EN KILOGRAMO" (100 pieces in kilogram) to indicate the weight of the coin.  Though the coin has the date 1870, it was struck from 1870 to 1875. In 1870 the provisional government selected Amadeo, son of Italian king Victor Emmanuel II to be their new king.  Due to numerous rebellions, he abdicated in 1873 and a republic as declared.  The Republic proved to be short-lived.  After a coup d'etat the Bourbon monarchy was restored in December 1874, with Alfonso XII, son of Isabella II, as king.  Alfonso became known as "The Peacemaker" due to his moderate policies.   He died in 1885 at the young age of 27.  His portrait is on the obverse of this 1882 2 Peseta.  The reverse depicts the arms of Spain with legend indicating that he is the constitutional king of Spain.  Both coins contain .2685 troy ounces of silver.

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SILVER SIAMESE COIN FEATURES 3-HEADED ELEPHANT

King Rama VI (Vajiravudh) is on the obverse and Erawan, the mythological three-headed flying elephant, on the reverse of these silver 1 Baht and 1/4 Baht of Siam (now Thailand). The 1 Baht is a 30.4mm, .900 fine coin  minted only from 1913 to 1918. The 1/4 Baht is a 20.15mm  .500 fine silver coin minted from 1917 to 1925.     The king's "Westernization" reforms included founding the first University in Thailand, introduction of Scouting in Thailand, introducing compulsory education, and having Thais adopt last names.  Being a gifted writer, he even invented last names for his citizens.

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SAUDI ARABIA SILVER COIN FROM MECCA 

In 1935 Saudi Arabia implemented a monetary reform and minted the first coins in the name of Saudi Arabia.  The coins were struck to the same standards as the Indian Rupee. The Rupee was widely used in Saudi Arabia at the time. Both Rupee and the Riyal were 30.5mm and contained 11.6 grams of .917 fine silver.  India dropped the silver content of the Rupee in 1939 and in 1946 completely stopped minting silver Rupees.  Saudi Arabia, supported by oil revenue, maintained the value of the Riyal, periodically striking it at the original standard for the Indian Rupee from 1935 until 1954, with only minor changes in the inscriptions.  In keeping with Islamic tradition, the coins feature primarily stylized calligraphy, The obverse features inscriptions with the name of the king, a pair of crossed swords and two palm trees.  The reverse has the denomination, date and the inscription in Arabic "Struck in the holy City of Mecca".

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SILVER 2 ANNAS OF GEORGE V FROM BRITISH INDIA

This silver 2 Annas coin of Emperor George V of India was struck only 6 years, from 1912 to 1917.  George V is on the obverse.  The reverse has the denomination in spelled out in English and Urdu within a wreath made of roses, thistles, shamrocks, representing England, Scotland and Ireland.  At the top of the wreath is a lotus blossom symbolizing India. At the time India was Great Britain's most important colony. It was also a period of increased resistance to British rule.   In 1918 the small (15.4mm) and easily lost silver coin was replaced with a larger copper-nickel coin.

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SCARCE NEWFOUNDLAND 20 CENT PIECE

The Newfoundland 20 Cent piece of George V was struck only a single year: 1912.  It was also the last 20 Cent piece ever struck for Newfoundland.  At the time Newfoundland was a self-governing Dominion within the British Empire.  It did not become a Canadian province until 1949. The king is on the obverse of the coin.  The denomination and date are on the reverse. The 23.2mm coin is struck in sterling silver and contains .1402 troy ounces of silver.  It has a mintage of only 350,000 pieces, most of which have been melted. It is a scarce pre-World War I coin of Newfoundland.

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ALSO SEE THE FOLLOWING SILVER COINS

JOHN BROWN ON LOW MINTAGE NIGER SILVER

SEALAND HONORS KILLER WHALES

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NOTE:  All pictures are of a typical item taken from stock.  Because we have multiples of most items, the item you receive may not look exactly the same, however it will be as described.

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Joel Anderson
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USA

Phone: 1 805 489 8045 | Fax: 1 805 299 1818
Email: orders@joelscoins.com

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