Friday, August 28, 2009

Kids project: Bi-metallic coins

Today Kids Project will be Bi-metallic coins. Bi-metallic coins are coins consisting of more than one metal or alloy, generally arranged with an outer ring around a contrasting center. To anyone who is new to my blog, Kids Project is a suggestion from me, the best and cheap way to start collecting coin for your kids. This hunting project for your kids will only cost around 50 to 100 ringgit and you do not need to start with a big budget. You can give them a small budget every month and go out together for their coin hunting trip. Some of my Kids project you do not have to start with any budget at all. Most of them is a circulation coin that you can find in your pocket.

Bi-metallic coins have been issued for a long time, with examples known dating from the 1600s, while the Roman Empire issued special occasion, large medallions with a center of bronze or copper and an outer ring of orichalcum, starting with the reign of Hadrian. The silver-center cent pattern produced by the United States in 1792 is another example. In recent times, the first circulating bi-metallic coin was the 500 Italian lire, first issued in 1982. France, with a 10 franc coin and Thailand, with a 10 baht, issued bi-metallic coins for circulation in 1988.India has released 10 Rupee bimetallic coins in 2009 that contains dateline of 2006 (minted at Noida). As well as circulating coins, where they are generally restricted to high denomination coins, bi-metallic coins are often used in commemorative issues, they are used as a way of securing against coin counterfeiting.

Here are some of the beautiful Bi-metallic circulation coin that you can help your kids collect:

Germany 2002 one euro
Bi-Metallic Copper-Nickel center in Brass ring,
Weight 7.5000 g., Diameter 23.3 mm.
Obv: Stylized eagle Obv. Designer: Heinz Sneschana Russewa-Hover
Rev: Denomination over map Rev. Designer: Luc Luycx
Edge:Three normally reeded and three very finely reeded sections

Thailand 1989 10 Baht
Weight 8.5400 g., diameter 26 mm.
Bi-Metallic Aluminum-bronze center in Stainless steel ring,
Ruler: Bhumipol Adulyadej (Rama IX)
Obv: Head left within circle
Rev: Temple of the Dawn within circle
Edge: Segmented reeding Note: Varieties exist.

Hong Kong 10 dollars
Diameter 24 mm.Bi-Metallic Nickel-Brass center in Copper-Nickel ring,
Ruler: Elizabeth II Obv: Bauhinia flower
Rev: Numerals 10 and denomination in Chinese and English

The manufacturing process of Bi-metallic coins is similar to that of ordinary coins, except that two blanks (the inner and the outer) are struck at the same time, deforming the separate blanks sufficiently to hold them together. I suggest you look for euro coin since most of euro coin are using Bi-metallic coins. You can go to any money changer or coin dealer with your kids and look for Bi-metallic coins. Some of the Bi-metallic coin have a great story come along with them. For example, Canada 2 dollar coin is called Toonie coin that come from the word Loonie for one dollar coin.

Have you start any kids project lately? Is that kids project involve any coin or banknote collecting? Feel free to share them in with everyone in here.