November 2010 | lunaticg banknote & coin

Pobjoy Mint Prince William 2010 coin

Pobjoy Mint start the race of minting a commemorative coin for the royal wedding with a Isle of Man 2010 Prince William Engagement Coin. The coin reverse bears an image of Buckingham Palace. The new Buckingham Palace coin are available in Proof Sterling Silver and Unc Cupro Nickel. This special coin will carry the initials ‘W&K’ entwined as a Privy Mark to celebrate the Royal Engagement. There are no technical specification provided by Pobjoy Mint about the coin. They already submitted an engagement coin design to Clarence House for approval.

Prince William proposed to Catherine Middleton using his mother, Princess Diana’s engagement ring on a private holiday in Kenya in October this year, ending months of speculation. The Royal Wedding is planned for 29th April next year and is certain to be an event watched by millions of people all over the world.

This beautiful coin, issued on behalf of the Isle of Man, depicts Buckingham Palace, the home of the British Monarchy. The design features the principal façade – the East front of the Palace with the gates open, which is most familiar to the public. The balcony here always plays a principal part of any historic royal event and the Royal Wedding next year will be no exception with thousands of people flocking there to see the newly married couple appear on the balcony following their much anticipated wedding. This special coin will carry the initials ‘W&K’ entwined as a Privy Mark to celebrate the Royal Engagement. The obverse of the coin bears a fine effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Lord of Man, by Ian Rank-Broadley FRBS.

You can visit Pobjoy Mint for more information about the coin.

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2011 Singapore Year of Rabbit

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) on 23 November 2010 launched the 2011 Year of the Rabbit Almanac Coins and the 2011 Uncirculated Coin Set. The coins are part of the third Chinese Almanac Coins Series designed by Mr Xu Yunfei of Shanghai Mint. The image of the rabbit is integrated with ancient Chinese seal characters in a design that combines tradition with modernity. The animal is symbolized by the Chinese characters of the “Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches” to enhance the characteristics of the animal and the oriental flavour. The design incorporates a peony which is a symbol of blessing and festive cheer.

The 2011 $10 Silver Piedfort Proof Coin is minted with special colour application and features the rabbit in full colour. Selected premium sets will include an unique 8-sided floral-shaped ingot featuring a pair of rabbits in springtime. The rabbits are surrounded by a variety of fruits that symbolized a prosperous and abundant Year of the Rabbit. The obverse of the coin bears the Singapore Arms with the year 2011. The coins will be issued on Friday, 31 December 2010.

3-in-1 Coin Set
Consists of a 1 troy ounce 999.9 fine gold proof coin, a 2 troy ounce 999 silver piedfort coloured coin, a cupro-nickel proof-like coin and a floral-shaped ingot. The coins in this set form part of the mintage for the individual coins. The gold coin in the 3-in-1 coin set is engraved with a serial number matching that of the accompanying certificate of authenticity. Limited to 500 sets.

$1 Gold Brilliant Uncirculated Coin
With a diameter of only 7 mm and weighing only 0.3 gm, it is the smallest 999.9 gold coin issued by MAS. Mintage of 3,000 pieces.

The details of the coins are:

a. $200 Gold Proof Coin-5 troy ounce of 999.9 fine gold with diameter of 60 mm. Limited mintage of 200 pieces.
$100 Gold Proof Coin-1 troy ounce of 999.9 fine gold. Mintage of 2,000 pieces.
$5 Gold Proof Coin-¼ troy ounce of 999.9 fine gold. Mintage of 2,000 pieces.
$10 Silver Piedford Proof Colour Coin-The Rabbit is featured on this coin in full colour, with a peony incorporated on its body. It is minted in 2 troy ounce of 999 fine silver with twice the thickness of an ordinary coin. Mintage of 20,000 pieces.
$25 Silver Proof Coin-Minted in 5 troy ounce of 999 fine silver, this is the largest coin issued by MAS with a diameter of 65 mm. Limited mintage of 250 pieces.
$2 Silver Proof Coin-20 gm 999 fine silver. Mintage of 6,000 pieces.
$2 Cupro-Nickle Proof-like Coin-Proof like condition. Mintage of 80,000 pieces.

The Lunar Rabbit Coins are also available in other premium sets:

5 Troy Ounce Lunar Series Coin Set-Consists of a 5 troy ounce 999.9 fine gold proof coin and a 5 troy ounce 999 fine silver proof coin. They are displayed to form the auspicious figure ‘8’. Each coin set comes with a serialised certificate of authenticity. The coins in this set form part of the mintage for the individual coins. Limited to 88 sets.
2 in 1 Coin Set-Consists of a 2 troy ounce 999 fine silver piedfort proof coin, a cupro-nickel proof like coin and a floral shaped ingot. The coins in this set form part of the mintage for the individual coins. Limited to 3,000 sets.

2011 Uncirculated Coin Set (5¢ to $5)

This set consists of 5¢, 10¢, 20¢, 50¢, $1 as well as a $5 scallop-edged coin with a latent image of the year ‘2011’ and the MAS logo. The set is presented in an attractive Hongbao pack. Mintage of 60,000 sets.

Sale of Coins
The coins will be sold by The Singapore Mint. Orders must reach The Singapore Mint by 31 December 2010. For enquiries and coin orders, the public can contact The Singapore Mint at 6566 2626 / 6339 0886 / 6895 0288 / 6222 2486 ，or via Internet at www.singaporemint.com.

No more Heritage Hotel Money Fair

U.S Agency recently told me, they will not held any Money and Stamp Fair at Heritage Station Hotel, Kuala Lumpur. This is because of high rental rates and the place currently doing some renovation work. You can find them every Saturday and Sunday at Amcorp Mall Flea market in Petaling Jaya. Mr. Govin from U.S Agency told me that they had stop doing fair at that place for many months now.

Photo: Mr. Govin, owner of US Agency.

U.S Agency Dealing in Stamps, Coins, Banknotes, Miniature Sheets, Phone Cards in Malaysia, Singapore, China, Hong Kong & World. U.S Agency is based in Ipoh. You can find their shop at; No. 115, Jln Sultan Idris Shah, 30000 Ipoh, Perak. You can contact the owner Mr. Govin at phone number 012-5017775. They were actively involved in many money and stamp fair across Malaysia. For me, they were one of coin dealer who actively try to educate public on coin collecting.

Amcorp Mall flea market open on Saturday and Sunday; from 9.00 am until 5.00 pm. The flea market of Amcorp Mall located in the mall at the lower ground and the 1st floor. The Amcorp Mall is situated at Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia. Located opposite the Taman Jaya LRT station which is served by the Kelana Jaya Line, operated by Rapid KL. It is also located in the proximity of the Petaling Jaya Hilton Hotel and the Armada Hotel. This is one of the flea market recommended by most collector for antique, coin, vintage and collectibles item.

Prince William married on 29 April 2011

The date and place of Prince William and Kate Middleton wedding has been officially announced by Clarence House today. The ceremony will be held at Westminster Abbey on 29 April 2011. As the UK’s official coin producer for 1100 years, Royal mint had confirm that they will be producing a commemorative Alderney £5 to celebrate the engagement of Prince William and Kate Middleton. In due course the approved image will be released. You can subscribe to their newsletter to be the first to see the official coin design.

As reported earlier this month, The Alderney £5 Official Royal Engagement coin is expected to be minted in both gold and silver. It will bear portraits of the couple, although no details of the design have been released. It is thought that the initial work was completed by a small in-house design team, meaning knowledge of the project could be confined to only a handful of people. The project is so secret that staff at the Royal Mint’s plant at Llantrisant have been banned from talking about the coin, but insiders have confirmed that the initial design work has been done.

The day of the Royal wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton will be a public holiday, Prime Minister David Cameron has announced. Cabinet agreed the bank holiday for England, Wales and Northern Ireland at its regular weekly meeting in 10 Downing Street. Scotland is widely expected to follow suit. First Minister Alex Salmond said his cabinet would discuss the issue later and make an announcement "as quickly as possible".

Source: Royal Mint

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RBA sells stake in Securency

Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) today announced that it was selling its half-stake in banknote-manufacturer Securency, which is at the centre of an international corruption investigation. The Reserve Bank of Australia said it decided on the move after joint venture partner Innovia Films also decided to sell its stake. According to the media reports, Macquarie Capital Advisers had been appointed by RBA as a advisers for both parties.

"It has concluded that... the best option would be to pursue a joint sale with Innovia," the bank said in a statement.

Securency managing director and company secretary were suspended last November as Australian police probed alleged bribery and kickbacks which reports say amounted to several million dollars.

Last month, a series of raids in Britain, Spain, Australia and Malaysia netted five suspects. The company designs and produces plastic-style polymer banknotes known for their durability and for being hard to counterfeit, which have been issued in more than 30 countries around the world, according to its website. Securency is embroiled in a long-running investigation over claims its agents offered bribes to officials in countries including Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia and Nigeria to win contracts, according to media reports.

Australian Trade Commission (Austrade) and Securency worked closely in several countries where corrupt dealings are alleged to have occurred. So far, the investigation of the case involved Australian Federal Police, The UK Serious Fraud Office and Malaysia Anti Corruption Commision.

Source: AFP.

2010 France €100 Gold Circulating Coin

French Mint has been releasing €100 gold as a circulating coins. This is the third and last year for an innovative concept: renewing usage of precious metals as circulation coins. This tradition was started in 1960 with the silver 5 Franc coin, and was abandoned with the demise of the Franc. Distributed in France by the Post Office (La Poste), and sold at face value in order to promote circulation, this series incorporates French monetary tradition and honors the values of sovereignty, nation and citizenship.

Its innovative design unites tradition and modernism: on the obverse “The Sower” - a symbol of French monetary history - is reinterpreted in a contemporary version. Moving for the first time in her history, she evolves in a kinetic manner through the 8 denominations (three in 2010) as she sows stars. On the reverse, a spatial interpretation of the French hexagon surrounding a Euro sign made of branches of oak and laurel.

Technical Specifications:

Mint: Monnaie de Paris
Denomination: €100
Quality: Uncirculated
Issue limit: 50,000 pcs.
Alloy: 99.9% Fine Gold
Diameter: 15 mm = 0.59 in
Weight: 3.10 grams = 0.108 oz
Box/Capsule: No/Holder
Certificate: No

Item can be viewed at Monnaie de Paris.

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Royal Mint Prince William Wedding Memorabilia

The first official coin to commemorate a royal engagement is to be created to mark the betrothal of Prince William to Kate Middleton. The Royal Mint will produce the £5 collector's piece in the coming months and have it on sale before next year's wedding expected to be in March. The engagement, which has caught the imagination of the world, is also likely to be celebrated by a new stamp. The Royal Mail said its Special Stamp programme always aimed to honour key events in the country's heritage and it would be consulting with the Queen and other parties before anything was produced.

Many commemorative medals and coins have been created by the Royal Mint in honour of the British Monarchy during its 1,100-year history. When William's father the Prince of Wales married Lady Diana Spencer in July 1981 the event was also marked by a coin showing the couple in profile with the Queen's image on the reverse.

Plans for the wedding are well under way and Miss Middleton was pictured last night leaving Westminster Abbey - now the favourite venue to host the event. A date for the marriage ceremony also has to be decided but the couple are said to favour sometime in March. The bride-to-be and her fiance have given royal aides a detailed list of plans for their big day and officials are now consulting with the Queen, senior royals and the government before reporting back to the couple. Former SAS officer Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton, private secretary to William and his brother Prince Harry, is leading the royal household team organising the event.

Source: Press Association

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Taj Mahal Gold Proof coins

After honouring the Great Wall of China in 2007, the Grand Canyon in 2008 and the Kremlin in 2009, Monnaie de Paris continues its journey around the world in its series on UNESCO World Heritage sites and monuments. Paris Mint on Wednesday released a kilo of solid 99.999 gold coin combined with Cartier diamond on the Taj mahal dome. Minted in 29 copies only with a price tag of €100,000 per piece.

The Taj Mahal, classified as one of the 7 new wonders of the world is a white marble monument built by the Mughal emperor Shâh Jahân in the 17th century. The best architects designed this joyous building, built by the most skilled workers and artisans from Persia, Europe, and the Ottoman Empire. The skills of Monnaie de Paris' master engravers are shown on this coin which illustrates the harmony of the Taj Mahal's forms, the elegance of its lines and the richness of its decoration. An exceptional coin for an exceptional monument - a 1 kg coin has been created with a dome set with cartier diamonds, illustrating incalculable artistic prowess.

The obverse shows a view of the Taj Mahal with its long tree lined pool with RF text, given a reflective surface treatment. The lower section is bordered by the Taj Mahal. The reverse shows a drawing of the UNESCO building along with its logo.

Technical Specifications:

Metal: Gold 999.99
Quality: Proof

Weight: 31.104 gm
Diameter: 37 mm
Mintage: 1,000

Artist: Atelier de Gravure
Europe price VAT included : € 1,490.00

Item can be viewed at Monnaie de Paris.

Perth Mint new bullion website

Perth Mint had just released a new gold and silver trading website with live bullion prices on Monday, 15 November 2010. The new website offers investors a stunning choice of bullion coins and bars made by The Perth Mint from 99.99% pure gold and 99.9% pure silver. Purchasing is simple and convenient and is offered with the breakthrough of true live pricing. In contrast to the Mint’s fixed-cost range of precious metal collectables, bullion products are priced in line with spot markets. In times of volatility, this can result in rapid changes – making it tricky to price bullion coins and bars effectively for the web.

“By integrating the site with live market data, we’ve become the first Mint in the world to offer a comprehensive range of recognised bullion products where the price the buyer sees is the price they will pay,” Ron Currie, Perth Mint Sales and Marketing Director explained.

“Even if there is a last-minute upward movement in the market, we’ll hold the price of the coins or bars in a customer’s online shopping basket for at least 60 seconds, giving them ample time to lock-in the advertised price,” he said.

“That’s a significant benefit for online bullion buyers in volatile times.”

The Perth Mint, owned by the Government of Western Australia, guarantees the purity and weight of the gold and silver. Authorised by the Commonwealth Government, the Mint issues Australia’s official bullion coin program, which comprises internationally sought-after annual series such as the Australian Kangaroo, Kookaburra, Koala and Lunar. A London Bullion Market Association accredited refiner, it also offers a wide range of gold and silver bullion bars that are tradable without the need for assay.

The new site is aimed at many different types of investors, from first-time buyers testing the water with a single bullion coin, to institutions looking for volume breaks on larger orders. To aid buying, registered users can get sms or email alerts when prices hit their specified highs or lows. Buying gold and silver for investment from the internationally renowned Perth Mint is now just a few clicks away, thanks to the launch of www.perthmintbullion.com.

Seniman Agung P.Ramlee Medallion

Thank you very much to everyone who has been calling, asking and giving information about this coins. I had a none stop called by P.Ramlee fans (From Kuantan, Sabah and even from Singapore), asking for the details of the coin and where to get them. Othman Abdullah, the CEO of KL Mint contact me by email and give some information regarding this medallion and KL Mint. He said that this coin don't have any any face-value, hence you could also call it a medallion. The product is currently on sale at Balai Seni Lukis Negara everyday for the next 30 days (Starting Friday, 12 Nov) from 10am to 6pm.

Photo by Mstar: Othman Abdullah, second from right.

Photo by Sinar Harian: P.Ramlee Medallion

Some information about KL Mint:

Company: Kuala Lumpur Mint Sdn Bhd.
Incorporated: Jun 2007.
Website: www.klmint.com.my (the web is still under construction)
email address: info@klmint.com (the web is still under construction)
Address:
258, Jalan Bandar 12,
Metro Melawati
50100 Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia

Tel: +603-41313481
Fax: +603-41057458

A little bit information about their Heritage Series Medallion:

It is a limited edition commemorative coin/medallion with no face value. Designed by our Award-winning designers, only 999.9% “virgin” Gold and 999.9% Silver will be used (for precious metals) with a brilliant mirrorfinished (“proof”) quality with 3-D like features Governed by the Authorised Mintage (of limited quantity), and accompanied with a Certificate of Authenticity, endorsed by the Mint Master of Kuala Lumpur Mint, making it internationally acceptable in the Numismatics (coincollecting) community.

Photo by Mstar: Seniman Agung P.Ramlee medallion

Type: Copper/Brass Proof
Alloy:
Face Value (RM): no face value
Selling Price(RM): 50
Mintage Quantity (piece/set): 50,000 (only 1,000 in wooden box)
Diameter (mm): 35 mm
Weight (gram): 23 gm
Thickness: 3 mm
Year of Issue: 2010

Type: Silver proof.
Alloy: .9999 silver proof
Face Value (RM): no face value
Selling Price(RM): 250
Mintage Quantity (piece/set): only 1,000 in wooden box
Diameter (mm): 35 mm
Weight (gram): 23 gm
Thickness: 3 mm
Year of Issue: 2010

Type: Triplex. Gold proof, Silver proof & copper/brass.
Alloy: .9999 gold proof
Face Value (RM): no face value
Selling Price(RM): 3500
Mintage Quantity (piece/set): only 1,000 in wooden box
Diameter (mm): 25.5 mm
Weight (gram): 15.6 gm
Thickness: 1.5 mm
Year of Issue: 2010

All items come with fine real wood or leatherette gift boxes and a serialized Certificate of Authentication completes the luxurious and exclusive package. They are often used as unique commemorative pieces for special events, replicas of collectable coins, incentive products and recognition awards.

Thanks for the fast information by KL Mint team.

New Taiwan NT$10 coins

The Central Bank of the ROC will issue a new NT$10 (US$0.33) coin in January 2011 as part of the country’s centenary celebrations. According to a central bank statement released Nov. 2, the new coin is made of cupronickel, weighing 7.5 grams, with a diameter of 26 millimeters. This coin come with a latent images of a map of Taiwan and a plum blossom inscribed inside the Arabic numeral zero.

The obverse side features a portrait of Sun Yat-sen, founding father of the ROC, with “The 100th Year of the Republic of China” in Chinese characters inscribed in the upper part of the coin. The reverse side includes latent images at the top of two phrases in Chinese, “the country is prosperous and at peace,” and “the people live in safety and happiness,” which overlap to form the shape of a scepter symbolizing good fortune, while latent images of a map of Taiwan and a plum blossom, the national flower, are inscribed inside the Arabic numeral zero in the face value at the bottom.

“The different sets of images appear when the coin is turned slightly to the left or right,” the central bank said. “In addition, a raised tactile identification dot for blind people can be found at the bottom.”

“People can obtain the new NT$10 coins at Bank of Taiwan branches nationwide from Jan. 11, with a limit of 200 at a time,” the central bank said. “They will be circulated concurrently with existing notes and coins.”

Source: Taiwan Today

KL Mint P.Ramlee coins

Anyone ever heard about KL Mint? Today, KL Mint will start selling a KL Mint P.Ramlee commemorative coins in an efforts and campaign to commemorate the great Malaysia artist the late Tan Sri P. Ramlee. KL Mint Sdn Bhd issued coins in three prominent art collections are gold plated, silver and copper. The launch was held yesterday at the National Art Gallery by the Ministry of Information, Communication and Culture, Datuk Seri Dr. Rais Yatim. It was also attended by the President of the Employee, Datuk Freddie Fernandez. Exhibition and sale of the coin collection will last for a month at the National Art Gallery starting today.

According to Project Director of the Mint KL, Mohd Saiful Abd Latif planning to issue a coin collection that was first performed was part of efforts to elevate P. Ramlee.

"As we all know, the legendary P. Ramlee is a great artist. Before this, there is no collection of coins issued specifically to commemorate P.Ramlee. So, we took the initiative to produce a coins collection as tokens of appreciation to the artist and also retained as a heritage of the country," he said.

Elaborating, Saiful said the decision to issue a collection of coins is based on the value and privileges that are not just hunt by coin collectors but also you also can keep them for a very long time.

"We chose to remove the coins from the collection of posters, postcards or other collectibles, as the value and characteristics of coins that can be passed on to our next generations. If you want to compare with other private collections, such as posters, postcards, or album, the coins are more durable and desirable for the collection of coin enthusiasts," he said.

Talked about the idea of printing the coin, Saiful said the project is planned from the beginning of 2010. It was inspired by the Chief Executive Officer of KL Mint Othman Abdullah himself before getting full cooperation from the Ministry of Information, Communication and Culture, Employees Association of Malaysia and National Art Gallery.

Collection of commemorative coins, each one is sold at RM3, 500 for gold coins, RM250 (silver) and RM50 (copper). Interestingly, for the purchase of gold coins, buyers also will receive silver and bronze coins. He said the collection of gold and silver coins will be issued only 1.000 pieces each while the copper coin will depend on demand. Part of the proceeds of the sale was a collection of coins will be distributed to the P.Ramlee Fund and Artistic Foundation.

Is this a commemorative coins or medallion? I am searching for any information about KL Mint and the specification of this item but I cannot find any. Is this items in proof condition? What is its denomination? What type of gold used? This coins exactly minted by? A lots of question mark from me for this coins. If anyone from KL Mint themselves can provide me with the details and specification, I will be glad to put it in here. I think many collector are interested in this coins.

Source: mStar online

PS: You can read detail information about this medallion at this post: P.Ramlee Medallion. You can get this Medallion on sale at Balai Seni Lukis Negara everyday for the next 30 days from 10am to 60pm starting yesterday.

Perak Dinar is not for trading

This news about Perak dinar sound like a same story with Kelantan dinar. At first they said it will be use as currency and later on it is not for trading? A news reported by local Malaysia Star newspaper reported that Perak Menteri Besar, Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir, stated that the gold dinar and silver dirham currency to be introduced by the Perak state government is not meant to be used for trading but only for investment purposes.

“The plan to introduce the dinar and dirham was made because many people prefer to keep the currency as they feel the value will increase.

“That is the basis of introducing the dinar and dirham,” he told reporters after chairing the state exco meeting here yesterday.

He added that Perak would have no problem cooperating with Kelantan, which was attempting to use the gold dinar and silver dirham in all its transactions, including for paying civil servants’ salaries. Dr Zambry was commenting on news report that the Kelantan government was keen to cooperate with Perak to popularise the use of the dinar and dirham. Kelantan economic planning, finance and welfare committee chairman Datuk Husam Musa was reported to have made the offer after Perak announced its plan to introduce the currency. Dr Zambry said the gold dinar and silver dirham should not be used as a medium of transaction as it could cause problems to the country’s economic system. Moreover, he added, the Federal Government had set a medium of exchange in the country, that was through monetary currency rather than through gold or silver.

Meanwhile, in KOTA BARU, Hussam said Kelantan may pay half of the salaries of its state assemblymen in gold dinar and silver dirham. He told the state assembly yesterday that the proposal would be forwarded to the state Treasury for its and the state government’s consideration. However, he added that the proposed payment in dinar and dirham would only be made to assemblymen who chose the new mode.

Source: The Star, Wikipedia

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Bank Negara Malaysia Logo issue

Issue of Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) has been going on quiet a while now. Many people are discussing about it in forums or in their blogs. The main issue is whether the logo symbolize a Pharaoh dog or Barking deer. Most of their article are debating why the deer tail in BNM logo are longer then normal deer should be. There is no official statement by BNM about this but there is an email reply by BNM staff circulating in Internet stating that BNM logo idea suggested by the late Malaysia Bank governor Tun Ismail Mohd. Ali and come from Kelantan old coins.

Photo: BNM logo on the left, Kelantan gold kupang on the right.

Photo: Kelantan coat of Arms

Many people who don't understand, misinterpret the Kelantan Kijang. Maybe they were thinking that Kelantan coin that people were talking about is Kelantan gold dinar that have a Kelantan coat of arms on it. They were telling people that the kijang (deer) in BNM logo is totally different then Kelantan coat of arms. The kijang in BNM logo had a longer tail then kijang in Kelantan coat of arms. That is true but BNM logo exactly come from Kelantan Kijang Gold Kupang coin. The kupang gold had been used long time ago, 14th or 17th century. Thats mean the logo had been used for at least 600 years old. The kijang in this coin had a longer tail then today kijang.

There is no written history about how Kelantan put kijang in their kupang. One is the view which associates the coins with Che Siti Wan Kembang, a female ruler in Kelantan. Her reign was rather obscure as one historian places her in the 14th century while another puts her in the 17th century. According to local folklore, some Arab traders presented a Kijang to the Queen. She became very fond of her pet and had it inscribed on the gold coins. Another version was linked to the influence of Saivite Hinduism. The connection was based on the fact that the earliest issue of Kijang coins resembled the Indian humped-back bull and the bull motif was depicted on the ancient Hindu coins which were circulated in the Northern Malay States.

Photo: Young Barking deer

Bank Negara Malaysia officially stated that their logo come from Malaysia Barking deer or Muntiacus muntjak. They're called as the "barking deer" due to the bark-like sound that it makes as an alarm when danger is present. The Indian Muntjacs specifically are widespread throughout Southern Asia, but are one of the least known Asian animals. Paleontological evidence proves that Indian Muntjacs have been around since the late Pleistocene epoch at least 12,000 years ago.

The Muntjacs' coat is golden tan on the dorsal side and white on the ventral side of the body, the limbs are dark brown to reddish brown, and the face is dark brown. However, the ears have very little hair which barely covers them. Male muntjacs have antlers that are very short, about 1-2 inches, usually consisting of only two or three points at the most and protrude from long body hair covered pedicels on the forehead. Females have tufts of fur and small bony knobs where the antlers are located in males. Males also have slightly elongated upper canines about an inch long that curve slightly outward from the lips. The tail may be raised in alarm to show the white area as a signal of danger.

Photo by neveryetmelted.com: How deer raised its tail.

Correct me if I am wrong but BNM logo don't come from Pharaoh hound dog. It came from a 600 years old coin widely used in Kelantan long time ago and known as Kelantan Kijang Gold Kupang. I wish BNM can give their official statement regarding this.

Source: Wikipedia, Malay-coins.tripod.com.

MNS Auction 146 invitation

This is an announcement to all Malaysia Numismatic Society (MNS) members,you are invited to contribute coins and bank notes in this coming auction. The authentication will be held on 12 November 2010. You may contact Mr. Lawrence at 012-3710951 for more details. MNS Auction No.146 will be held on end of 19 December 2010. The Auction normally will be held at Jabatan Muzium Malaysia, Muzium Negara, Jalan Petalawati, 50480 Kuala Lumpur. There is a small hall in there where this auction normally held by MNS.

Photo: Department of Museum, Malaysia.

Photo: Item viewing session for MNS Auction 143.

There will be Bourse Tables available at RM 50.00 per table.Members interested,please book your tables with payments to Mr Tan Tai Seng (03-79835011) at least one week before the auction.

This auction only for members of MNS only. You can read about their membership in here:Malaysia Numismatic Society membership. Entrance fee for ordinary member is RM20.oo and RM40.00 for annual subscription fee. Their coin auction is for member only. Any numismatist over 12 years but below the age of 18 and resident in Malaysia may apply to be a Junior Member. The Entrance Fee for Junior Members is RM5.00 and Annual Subscription is RM15.00. Kindly download the Application Form and send it to the Society either via post, fax or e-mail for approval.

The Roman Del Boy coin

A unique Roman coin found by a metal detector which was made by an ancient ‘Del Boy’ forger who could not spell and did not know his emperors. The silver denarius, an average day's pay for a Roman worker, was modelled on coins struck to commemorate the Battle of Actium of 31 BC. The famous battle saw the combined forces of Roman General Mark Antony and Egyptian Queen Cleopatra defeated by Octavian, who went on to rule as Emperor Augustus. The silver denarius was made 2,000 years ago but is a terrible fake, with spelling mistakes and even the wrong Emperor.

Photo: The Roman Del Boy coin.

Experts said it was made a few years after Actium but was a terrible fake, probably created from memory by a craftsman who was ‘barely literate’. One face has a crocodile but it is facing the opposite way to the original. Emperor Caesar is on the head side, when it should have been Augustus. And the die cutter misspelled Egypt as Aegipto instead of the common spelling of the time, Aegypto or Aegvpto.

Cleaner Rob Clements, 45, discovered the coin buried two inches beneath the surface on a grass path near Brighton, East Sussex, just months after buying his first metal detector. Sam Moorhead, national finds adviser for Ancient Coins at the British Museum, said nothing like it had ever been seen before, pushing up its value from £100 for the average Roman coin to about £3,000. Mr Moorhead said he was mystified by the motive of the forger, who could not even have made a profit because he struck it from solid silver.

Photo: Rob Clements.

"Interpreting the coin is difficult. Were it a silver-plated piece, then it would have been explicable as an attempt to create a coin for profit by using a smaller amount of silver. However, why would someone create a fantasy piece like this in the ancient period from solid silver? As such, the coin is a mystery, " Mr Moorhead said.

Mr Clements now plans to sell the coin to fund a study course on the Romans at the University of Brighton, where he works. Mr Clements registered the find with the finds liaison officer for Sussex, who sent photos and results of Brighton University tests to the British Museum for analysis.

Source: Mailonline

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Happy Deepavali 2010

Wishing all my Hindu friends and readers, Happy Deepavali 2010. May the deepavali light will bring everyone happiness and bring us to a right path in everything we do. In Malaysia, the deepavali celebration fall on Friday and it is a long 3 days holidays over here. The first day of Deepavali will normally for a meeting between family. Tomorrow I will be going to open house organize by friends. Its a normal thing in Malaysia for everyone from all races and religions go together for open house celebration.

The name Diwali is itself a contraction of the word "Deepavali" (Sanskrit: दीपावली Dīpāvali), which translates into row of lamps. Diwali involves the lighting of small clay lamps (diyas) (or Deep in Sanskrit: दीप) filled with oil to signify the triumph of good over evil. During Diwali, all the celebrants wear new clothes and share sweets and snacks with family members and friends. For Hindus, Diwali is the most important festival of the year and is celebrated in families by performing traditional activities together in their homes.

Some believe it to be the celebration of the marriage of Lakshmi with Lord Vishnu. Whereas in Bengal the festival is dedicated to the worship of Mother Kali, the goddess of strength. Lord Ganesha, the symbol of auspiciousness and wisdom, is also worshiped in most Hindu homes on this day. In Jainism, Deepawali has an added significance to the great event of Lord Mahavira attaining the eternal bliss of nirvana. Diwali also commemorates the return of Lord Rama along with Sita and Lakshman from his fourteen year long exile and vanquishing the demon-king Ravana. In joyous celebration of the return of their king, the people of Ayodhya, the Capital of Rama, illuminated the kingdom with earthen diyas (oil lamps) and burst crackers.

I wish a Happy Deepavali to everyone. May the light of Diwali will bring you happiness, prosperity and success to you and your family.

Source: Wikipedia.

King Edward Vii FIFTY cents

I am selling this complete years of Straits Settlements King Edward Vii FIFTY CENTS with free poslaju to anywhere in Malaysia. Price is negotiable but please don't asked me to sell at a ridiculous price. Almost all item in very fine condition. Only 1905 coin is in cleaned condition. The 1903 coin had a solding mark near its center on both obverse and reverse. This item became rare everyday with only around 150,000 pieces (1902-148,000; 1903-193,000; 1905-497,630) minted for everyone in this world to collect.

Item: Straits Settlements King Edward Vii FIFTY CENTS
Year: 1902
Condition: Very Fine
Price: RM1100 including poslaju.
COD: Port Klang. Please inform me a day early if you want to view the item.
Postage: Free Poslaju in Malaysia.

Item: Straits Settlements King Edward Vii FIFTY CENTS
Year: 1903
Condition: Very Fine (solding mark near its center on both obverse and reverse.)
Price: RM550 including poslaju.
COD: Port Klang. Please inform me a day early if you want to view the item.
Postage: Free Poslaju in Malaysia.

Item: Straits Settlements King Edward Vii FIFTY CENTS
Year: 1903
Condition: Almost extremely fine (cleaned item).
Price: RM950 including poslaju.
COD: Port Klang. Please inform me a day early if you want to view the item.
Postage: Free Poslaju in Malaysia.

I am a trusted seller. You can check my rating in lelong.com.my. You can also sms me via the lelong system to check if my phone number (017-2749427) is the valid phone number for lunaticg. I had been selling there since 2003 and stop selling in 2008. Verified in lelong system means I send a copy of my identity card to them. That mean, if I don't send your item, you can asked lelong about my detail.

Item is for sale within Malaysia only. You can e-mail me at lunaticg@gmail.com or 017-2749427 (sms only) for any enquiry about this sale. please stated the item ID or name that you're interested when you e-mail or sms me. i prefer communication via e-mail since we can check any chat history if any dispute arise. I will be sending my item via poslaju. Poslaju charges is at RM7.oo per item (you can combine item as long as the weight is not exceed 500 grammes). Payment is via Maybank. I will send the details after you confirm that you want to buy the item. You can check my other item in lunaticg.blogspot sale page. Most of my sale item are on mudah.my/lunaticg.

Perak will introduce dinar?

This news sound like a double standard but its only according to a report by BERNAMA. The news sound like Perak, a state in Malaysia (govern by Barisan Nasional) will introduce their own Dinar and the currency would be subject to Bank Negara requirements. Is that mean Perak Dinar will be allowed as a currency and Kelantan Dinar (Kelantan govern by opposition party-PAS) not even consider as a form of payment for Kelantan state government servant? Lets hope Bank Negara Malaysia will make any statement about this news.

This is the actual news by BERNAMA:

After Kelantan, Perak will become the second state in the country to introduce the gold dinar and silver dirham currency to give its people more savings options.

Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir said discussions on introducing this currency began two years ago and that it would be introduced in stages.

"We are also in the process of minting the gold dinar and silver dirham coins," he told Bernama after the World Usury Conference here Tuesday.

Asked whether the state would be using the Kelantan model for the currency, Zambry said the state would be using a different approach.

"Actually, we were the first to initiate the idea but Kelantan introduced the currency first but it is okay with us because it is a good thing," he said, adding, however, the currency would be subject to Bank Negara requirements. Earlier when disclosing the proposed project to the conference's participants, Zambry said Perak acknowledged that "gold is a good store of value".

He believed that since gold had played the role of money globally for centuries, its value was therefore expected to rise during a crisis.

"By putting some of their savings in gold and silver, the people can protect the value of their savings from depreciating.

"In the current hyper inflationary conditions, this would be truly a positive thing for the people," he said.

Source: Bernama.

Please correct me if I am wrong. Wasn't Bank Negara already make a statement that only ringgit will be Malaysia currency? I am not talking about politic in here but why do you allowed another state to produced a second currency but prevent a state govern by opposition doing the same thing? I don't take anyone side here but I believe gold dinar is a good form of investment. Kelantan has been introducing dinar for a long time, why don't give them a chance to widely used Dinar or at least make a guidelines what kind of Dinar can be used in this country. I personally think Malaysian already aware about Dinar and some of them can accept if it will be a new form of payment@currency in this country.

Gold Dinar to stop currency war

As suggested by Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, governments should consider the use of the gold dinar to stop a currency war. He said the US dollar depreciation created problems for countries as they needed to devalue their currencies in order to overcome the loss of competitiveness. He also said the dinar should be used to settle international trade and not as a domestic currency as it was cumbersome; however, he said the gold bullion could be kept as savings.

Speaking to reporters after delivering his keynote address at the 1st World Conference on Riba (interest/usury) here on Monday, Nov 1, Mahathir said the devaluation of currencies would contribute to worsening the global economic crisis.

"The ringgit is still undervalued (as it was once at 2.5 to the US dollar, pre-1997 Asian financial crisis)," he said. "If our neighbours had much weaker currencies than ours, we would face stronger competition, but for now we are still competitive."

"If every country devalues its currency, there will be a currency war and, of course, it will contribute to the crisis," he told reporters after delivering a keynote address at the First World Conference on Riba here Monday.

Mahathir said gold has an intrinsic value and is therefore a better measure of value than currency notes.

"Currency notes have no backing unless it is sought after by people. If countries start to devalue their currencies, there will be chaos in international trade," he said.

On Islamic banking, Mahathir said financial institutions must be careful when introducing new products so as not to duplicate those already offered by conventional banks. He said Islamic financial institutions should adhere to Islamic banking principles even when there is an opportunity for them to take over the responsibility of conventional banking.

Source: Bernama, The EDGE

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John Lennon £5 coin

A commemorative £5 John Lennon coin had been released by Royal Mint. The limited edition coin shows Lennon with long hair and sideburns and his trademark round glasses. It will have a face value of £5 and the coin is priced at £44.99. Only 5,000 will be offered for sale. Struck in sterling silver to Proof quality, the coin comes in a splendid display case complete with a Certificate of Authenticity guaranteeing the specifications of the coin and paying tribute to the genius of John Lennon.

Lennon won the Royal Mint's public vote for the next "Great Briton" to be immortalised on a limited edition coin. Other names on the shortlist were Jane Austen and John Logie Baird. The Beatles singer, assassinated in 1980, now joins William Shakespeare, Sir Winston Churchill, Charles Darwin and Florence Nightingale in the series.

Dave Knight, director of commemorative coin at the Royal Mint, said: "It's entirely fitting that John Lennon has been chosen by the public in what would have been his 70th year.

"The massive proportion of the vote he received shows clearly just how much his untimely death still resonates with the nation.

"He ranks alongside, and even ahead of, some of the greatest names in history and the Royal Mint is proud to commemorate a genuine British legend."

Lennon fans launched Facebook and Twitter campaigns to ensure the Liverpudlian legend came out on top. A total of 27,874 people, 92% of those who voted, nominated Lennon for the £5 coin. Only 5,000 of the coins, issued as Alderney tender, have been minted. A one off 24carat gold version of the coin will be given to the John Lennon Estate.

Specification:
Denomination: £5
Alloy: .925 sterling silver
Weight: 28.28g
Diameter: 38.61mm
Designer (Reverse): Danuta Solowiej-Wedderburn
Designer (Obverse): Ian Rank-Broadley FRBS

Source: BBC, Yahoo News.

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