Mumbai, 22 Oct 2011

Next exhibition details:

Date: 22-24 Oct
Time: 8 AM to 8 PM
Venue: Lohana majan wadi 2&3 floor, S.V. road Kandiwali (West) - 400067

Tanzania Shilingi

Tanzania 1 shilingi, 1983

Metal: copper-nickel
Diameter: 27.5mm
Obverse: Head of president J.K. Nyrere
Reverse: torch in hand
Designer: Christopher Ironside

Tanzania 10 Shilingi, 1991

Metal: copper-nickel
Diameter: 29mm
Reverse: national arms
Designer: Philip Nathan

Tanzania coat of arms

The coat of arms of Tanzania comprises a warrior’s shield which bears a golden portion on the upper part followed underneath by the flag of Tanzania.

The golden portion represents minerals in the United Republic; the red portion underneath the flag symbolizes the rich fertile soil of Africa; while the wavy bands represent the land, sea, lakes and coastal lines of the United Republic.

In the golden part of the flag there appears a burning torch signifying freedom (UHURU), enlightenment and knowledge; a spear signifying defence of freedom and crossed axe and hoe being tools that the people of the Tanzania use in developing the country.

The shield stands upon the representation of Mount Kilimanjaro. Elephant tusks are supported by a man and a woman, with a clove bush at the feet of the man and a cotton bush at the feet of the woman indicating the theme of co-operation.

The United Republic motto – Uhuru na Umoja – is written in Swahili and means "Freedom and Unity".

20 shilingi, 1992

Weight: 13gm
Metal: Nickel bonded steel
Diameter: 31mm
Obverse: President Mwinyi flanked by flowers
Reverse: elephant with calf
Shape: 7 sided

50 shilingi, 1996

Metal: brass plated steel
Obverse: president Mwinyi
Reverse: Rhino with calf
Designer: Philip Nathan

100 shilingi, 1994

Metal: brass plated steel
Obverse: head of Nyerere
Reverse: Impalas running

200 shilingi, 1998

Metal: copper-nickel-zinc
Obverse: Head of Sheikh Karume
Obverse: two lions

Chennai, Oct 14 2011

Next exhibition details:

Date: October 14-16
Venue:Chennai National Numismatic Exhibition 2011
Adress: Chennai Numismatic Society with Numismatic Promotion Service
of India at Arignar Anna Arangam Hall, 14/29 Dr. Guruswamy
Road, Next to Maharishi Vidya Mandir School, Chetpet
Phone: 09840424344, 09710040000

2 RUPEE COINS WITH OFFICIAL RUPEE SYMBOL RELEASED

TWO RUPEES COIN

if compared with old design two rupees coin, the new design smaller in diameter and as same to older one rupee coin size.

1 RUPEE COINS WITH OFFICIAL RUPEE SYMBOL RELEASED

ONE RUPEE COIN 

if compared with old design one rupee coin, the new design smaller in diameter and as same to older fifty paise coin size.

5 RUPEE COINS WITH OFFICIAL RUPEE SYMBOL RELEASED

FIVE RUPEES COIN

No changes in size of the five rupees coin

TEN RUPEES COIN

                         
No changes in size of the ten rupees coin

RUPEE COINS WITH OFFICIAL RUPEE SYMBOL RELEASED

 8th July 2011 will be marked as a historic date on which the release of the first set of Indian Rupee coins with the all famous Rupee Symbol will take place. The new series of coins have been introduced with features at the edge, which make it convenient for easy recognition and distinction.
In a statement, the Finance Ministry said the security edging of new series of coins would be good for better recognition by visually challenged persons and will have improved counterfeit resistance. 
Last year the government had approved a symbol for the rupee that elegantly combines Devanagiri and Roman scripts to signify the rising strength, ambition and spread of the country’s currency in a fast globalizing economy. 

The rupee, introduced as a silver coin for transactions by emperor Sher Shah Suri, who built the Grand Trunk road in the 16th century, was till two decades ago largely unrecognized in global markets. But now, the Indian Rupee Symbol   joins the elite club of symbol-endowed a national currency that includes only 4 other currencies – US dollar, the British pound, the euro and the Japanese yen. 
The symbol designed by D Udaya Kumar, who has just joined the faculty of the department of design at IIT Guwahati, was selected from more than 3,000 entries that were evaluated by a jury of experts, government and RBI officials. 
As on date, approximately 100 million coins of all denominations have been minted.


Some of my new rupees symbol coins from my collections for you all

ONE RUPEE COIN 

if compared with old design one rupee coin, the new design smaller in diameter and as same to older fifty paise coin size.

TWO RUPEES COIN

if compared with old design two rupees coin, the new design smaller in diameter and as same to older one rupee coin size.

FIVE RUPEES COIN

No changes in size of the five rupees coin

TEN RUPEES COIN

No changes in size of the ten rupees coin

New Zealand 50 cents

                                      

Mumbai, Sept 23 2011

Details for next exhibition:
Date: September 23 - September 25
Time: 10 am - 7pm
Location: World trade centre
City: Mumbai

On demand I am henceforth putting up notifications for the upcoming exhibitions for those who want to attend.

Why attend exhibitions?
If you are not having any good dealer in your city then exhibitions can be good way to enhance your collection. Dealers from all over India come to sell their coins in National level exhibitions under one roof. So you can get most of the coins you want in a single day. There are large variety of coins to choose from, more than what you can buy. Even if you are generally busy in your work you can still take out at least 1 in an year and buy what you want for the entire year in that time. You can keep a budget of 15-20k whenever you visit an exhibition. Exhibitions are held many times an year at different cities throughout the country so you can also choose the location which suits you. You may visit as many exhibitions as you want throughout the year, though I would recommend visiting at least one in an year. If you are going for the first time, I would suggest to refrain from heavy buying and to observe as much as you can to learn.

Warning:
Even in an exhibition fakes can be there and there are sellers who look to fleece any new and unsuspecting buyers by selling at high prices, so better to keep your eyes and ears open.

How bimetallic coins are made?

Note that the shown process is for the Euro bimetallic coins. The process for making our 10 rupee bimetallic coins may be somewhat different from the shown procedure.

Turkey Kuru

Mustafa Kemal Ataturk

5 new Kurus, 2008
Weight: 2.95gm
Metal: copper-nickel-zinc
Diameter: 17.1mm
Obverse: Head of Ataturk

25 new kurus, 2007

Weight: 5.3gm
Metal: copper-nickel-zinc
Diameter:21.5mm
Obverse: Head of Ataturk facing

50 new Kurus, 2005

Weight: 7gm
Metal: Bimetallic copper-nickel-zinc centre in nickel-bronze ring
Diameter: 23.8mm
Obverse: Head of Ataturk

Note that in 2005, 100 thousand old Lira became equivalent of 1 new Lira. This was done due to rampant inflation and to give the nearly valueless currency some worth. Also, 100 Kurus= 1 Lira so 1 new Kuru=1000 old Lira.

Coin Collecting Merit Badge

How to Earn Your Coin Collecting Merit Badge

There is more to coin collecting than just keeping coins. There is something at stake for those who make an effort to know what they are collecting: the Coin Collector's Merit Badge.

A person who wants to acquire a merit badge must prove himself to be someone who knows a lot about coins.

Here are some of the things that a coin collector must know in order to earn the Merit Badge.

1. The Grading Scale

Merit badge aspirers must be very knowledgeable about the different grades of coins. They must master how to assess coins and categorize each coin as:

- Poor
- Fair
- Good
- Very good
- Fine
- Very fine
- Extremely fine
- Uncirculated.

They must also present five examples for each of the categories given above.

2. Coin Terminologies

Coin collectors must familiarize themselves to coin terms such as encapsulated coins, proof coins or legal tender to get the merit badge.

They must also show competency in explaining the following:

- Clad
- Date set
- Observe
- Reading
- Reverse
- Type set

3. Coin Storage

For a coin collector to achieve a merit badge, it is important that he knows how to take care, store and preserve coins.
Coin collectors must be able to demonstrate thorough knowledge in coin collecting by showing the councilors different methods of coin storage. It is expected that the advantages and disadvantages of the methods will be provided as well.

4. Coin Anatomy

Knowledge of the parts of the coins will give important information. That is why coin collectors who want a merit badge must know where the mint marks are located in various coins and they must also know where to look for the initials of the coin designer.

5. Miscellaneous things about coins

The councilors will be very pleased to hear stories about what you have learned about coins. These recollections may come from reading coin journals, attending workshops or seminars, joining a coin collectors' club, or visiting mint facilities.

It is also expected that coin collectors know a lot about coins from other countries as well.

6. Counterfeit coins

A coin collector must have a perception of whether a coin is authentic or counterfeit.

Reading coin guides or interviewing personnel from mint facilities will be a help in this situation.

After knowing these things, you are now equipped with the knowledge needed to be worthy of the coin collectors' merit badge.

Common european currency

                                               

The euro is the official currency of the Eurozone: 16 of the 27 Member States of the European Union (EU) and is the currency used by the EU institutions. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain. Estonia is due to join the eurozone on 1 January 2011. The currency is also used in a further five European countries, with and without formal agreements, and is consequently used daily by some 327 million Europeans. Over 175 million people worldwide use currencies which are pegged to the euro, including more than 150 million people in Africa.


The euro is the second largest reserve currency (a status it inherited from the German mark) as well as the second most traded currency in the world after the U.S. dollar. As of June 2010, with more than €800 billion in circulation, the euro is the currency with the highest combined value of banknotes and coins in circulation in the world, having surpassed the U.S. dollar. Based on IMF estimates of 2008 GDP and purchasing power parity among the various currencies, the eurozone is the second largest economy in the world.
The name euro was officially adopted on 16 December 1995. The euro was introduced to world financial markets as an accounting currency on 1 January 1999, replacing the former European Currency Unit (ECU) at a ratio of 1:1. Euro coins and banknotes entered circulation on 1 January 2002.

Euro: Finland

Finland 1 Euro 

Whooper swans in flight 

The Finland 1 euro coin shows two whooper swans in flight. The whooper swan is a large North Hemispheric swan which requires large areas of water to live in. Since they have high body weight and frail legs, they cannot walk or stand for long durations. The whooper swan spends much of its time swimming, straining the water for food, or eating plants that grow on the bottom. No wonder it is found in abundance in Finland, the land of 55,000 lakes, and it also happens to be the national bird of Finland. 

Finland 2 Euro 

Cloudberry 

The Finland 2 Euro coin shows the cloudberry on the reverse. Cloudberry is also called bakeapple, knotberry, averin and evron; and is a rhizomatous herb native to alpine and arctic tundra and boreal forest. It is red when unripe and amber-orange when ripe. In Nordic countries like Finland and Sweden, it is made into jams, juices tarts and liquors. 

Euro: Finland cents

Finland 5 cent, 2001 

Finland 10 cent, 1999 

Finland 20 cent, 2002 

Finland 50 cent, 2000 

It is noteworthy that the Finland 1 cent and 2 cent were discontinued from mintage a few years back, so they are now scarce and sell for a couple of euros in Finland itself. 

Finland coat of arms 

The coat of arms of Finland is a crowned lion on a red field, the right forepaw replaced with an armoured hand brandishing a sword, trampling on a saber with the hindpaws. The coat of arms was originally created around the year 1580.

When John III assumed the title of "Grand Duke of Finland and Karelia", soon shortened to Grand Duke of Finland in 1577 (or soon thereafter), the lion became closely associated with Finland through the grand-ducal coats of arms . The grand-ducal coat of arms is thought to have resulted out of a combination of the Göta lion (originating from the Folkunga lion) and the arms of Karelia. The result was that the lion brandishes one weapon and treads on another.

Turkey Lira

                       

This coin was released to mark the 75th anniversary of the Turkish republic. Shown on the obverse is Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, who was an Ottoman and Turkish army officer, revolutionary statesman, writer, and the first President of Turkey. He is credited with being the founder of the Republic of Turkey.

Atatürk was a military officer during World War I. Following the defeat of the Ottoman Empire in World War I, he led the Turkish national movement in the Turkish War of Independence. Having established a provisional government in Ankara, he defeated the forces sent by the Allies. His military campaigns gained Turkey independence. Atatürk then embarked upon a program of political, economic, and cultural reforms, seeking to transform the former Ottoman Empire into a modern, westernized and secular nation-state.

Rabindranath Tagore proof set Rebooking

Rabindranath Tagore proof set re-booking 

Yet another re-booking. They are also increasing the booking rates quite sharply every 3-4 months, and doesn't look like justified to me. This is the third or fourth time Tagore sets have been released for booking, and a 5 rupee single proof coin is also available for booking. Don't know about you but I am rapidly losing interest in proof sets. The rates are shooting up which isn't justified as per me, and the coin quality is going down. The booking will be open from 16.8.2011 to 20.9.2011.

Check this link if you want to do booking:http://igmkolkata.spmcil.com/SPMCIL/Interface/Home.aspx 

The coin collector's wife

Dedicated to All Coin Collectors' Wives
Author Unknown.

Here are two lines that you have all heard before, I think, from The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge: 

"Water, water everywhere, but not a drop to drink.
Shipwrecked people shout it, as they drift upon the sea,"

It sure is bad, but the saddest cry I've heard in my whole life
Is the one you hear, when you lend and ear, to the Coin Collector's Wife.

Money, money everywhere, but not a pice to spend;
If this keeps up, our marriage is coming to an end.
Money in every dresser drawer and money on the shelf;
But there isn't one thin pice to spend upon myself.
Silver rupees and nickel rupees , and golden fivers, too!
Some of them are old and worn, and some of them are new.
I wish my husband cared as much about the way I look. . . .
The paycheck that he gets doesn't seem to mean a thing to me,
'Cause hubby needs a Land Vital two rupee.
As soon as he gets the coin, he'll be looking for some other;
I think I'd be better off if I went on home to mother.
One day in desperation, I took a rupee two;
His yell can shatter the heavens, I tell you that is true!
Another time I took a coin that he said was a "proof;"
When I told him I spent it, I thought he'd raise the roof!
With all that money 'round the house, we're really very poor;
I'm getting sick and tired of it, of that I'm really sure!
So, I advise you, single girls, if you want a happy life;
Don't marry a coin collector and be a Coin Collector's Wife,
Shouting, "Money money everywhere and not a pice to spend;"
Don't ever let a coin collector be more than just a friend.

P.S. The poem was written by some collector in the U.S. ; and I modified it in the Indian context. Like, using rupees instead of dollars and pice in place of dime. BTW, I think your wives will like this one.
:P 

Euro: Finland

Finland 1 Euro 

Whooper swans in flight 

The Finland 1 euro coin shows two whooper swans in flight. The whooper swan is a large North Hemispheric swan which requires large areas of water to live in. Since they have high body weight and frail legs, they cannot walk or stand for long durations. The whooper swan spends much of its time swimming, straining the water for food, or eating plants that grow on the bottom. No wonder it is found in abundance in Finland, the land of 55,000 lakes, and it also happens to be the national bird of Finland. 

Finland 2 Euro 

Cloudberry 

The Finland 2 Euro coin shows the cloudberry on the reverse. Cloudberry is also called bakeapple, knotberry, averin and evron; and is a rhizomatous herb native to alpine and arctic tundra and boreal forest. It is red when unripe and amber-orange when ripe. In Nordic countries like Finland and Sweden, it is made into jams, juices tarts and liquors.