April 2011 | lunaticg banknote & coin

Riksbank Sweden banknotes design competition

Sweden Riksbank has announced a competition to design Sweden’s new banknotes. The competition is open to artists, graphic artists, designers and architects. The intention is to use the winning suggestion as the starting point for the design of the new banknotes. Applications must be presented no later than 20 May. There is no information in English if this competition open to everyone or not.

The competition will be held in two stages. During stage 1, all those who fulfil the qualification requirements can register their interest in taking part in the competition. The Riksbank will then select 5-8 of the applicants, who will compete in stage 2 by presenting proposals for the design of the six banknote denominations. The competition will be held in accordance with competition regulations approved by the Swedish Association of Architects, the Artists Organisation KRO and the Swedish Association of Designers.

The jury will consist of four members of the General Council of the Riksbank and two artistic experts. The members are Peter Egardt, chairman, Anders Karlsson, Sonia Karlsson and Ebba Lindsö. The artistic experts are Jordi Arkö and Karin Granqvist. The jurty will co-opt further expertise as necessary.

Questions regarding the public procurement process should be addressed in writing via e-mail to formgivning@riksbank.se or via ordinary mail to the following address: Dnr 2011-239-ADM, Formgivning, Sveriges Riksbank, SE-103 37 Stockholm. The replies to questions of general interest will be published at regular intervals on the Riksbank’s website. The questions will be reproduced anonymously. The Riksbank cannot guarantee that questions sent after 13 May 2011 will be answered before the application deadline has expired.

Pos Malaysia setem ku

This news make me envy stamp collector more. I wish BNM will be more creative and do something like this or at least launch a commemorative coins in a monthly basis. We don't know what coins BNM will be producing and when? Most of the time, the news come out at official BNM website, one day before the official launch of the coins and most of the gold coins already sold to all "BNM friends". We the common people will only get to share what were left by them, if any.

Photo by Star News: Chan Jo Mie showing the customised stamps.

In Star Newspaper today, Pos Malaysia announced their new personalized Stamp. Individuals and organisations wishing to commemorate a special occasion may customise a photo of their choice on these stamps, using four base designs in the 35 sen and 65 sen denominations. The Pos Malaysia setem ku customisation service costs RM20 per sheet of eight stamps, which has a postage value of RM4. It is available on request at the General Post Office stamp gallery.

Pos Malaysia head of stamps and philately unit Yasmin Ramli said customers could collect their personalised stamps the same day they made their order.

“They just have to provide a digital photo of their choice to complete the personalised stamps order. It can be done within the same day except for bulk orders which requires a minimum 200 sheets,” she said.

To commemorate the launch of the personalised stamps dubbed SetemKu, Yasmin said a pre-printed first day issue and first day cover would be sold at all post offices nationwide today. The first day cover will bear the hotstamp of the four base designs which feature a theme on silver handicraft. The designs were done in collaboration with Pictureworks (M) Sdn Bhd and Kraftangan Malaysia.

“In addition to customising the stamp space available, there is also a space on the stamp sheet for customised greetings and personal messages.

“So you can actually send out a custom-made greeting stamp to wish your family, friends or business associates during festive seasons,” said Yasmin.

Source: The Star

Wickham Market coin hoard fund raise

Do any of you remember the story of two friends fighting for a Dallinghoo Gold award battle early this month? Ipswich museum is in a bid to save the Iceni gold hoard. They needs to raise £300,000 by the end of June to keep a hoard of Iron Age gold coins in Suffolk. The 840 embossed coins, also called "the Wickham Market Hoard", were buried 2,000 years ago by Iceni tribesmen later led by Boudicca against the Romans. The stash was found by a metal detector operator in a field near Wickham Market in 2008 and declared treasure. The Colchester and Ipswich Museum Service has made a fast-track bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Images via Wikipedia: Digging of the Wickham Market site.

"The opportunity to purchase the Wickham Market coin hoard is the first time we could retain a national treasure in Suffolk," said Caroline McDonald, curator of archaeology at Ipswich museum.

"It will be far better appreciated and understood here and gives everyone in the county something to be proud about.

"Suffolk earth has revealed some of the nation's most outstanding treasure in recent decades.

"The amazing Anglo Saxon ship burial at Sutton Hoo, the silver Roman dinner service found at Mildenhall during World War II and more recently the Hoxne Hoard of Roman coins and artefacts found in the 1990s.

"All of these finds are now in London at the British Museum."

Two hundred of the coins will be on show at Ipswich Museum from 3 May until 10 June.

"Until we raise all of the money this may be the only chance to see some of the hoard on display in Suffolk," said Ms McDonald.

Source: BBC News

China Peking Opera Mask coins

The People’s Bank of China has issued a series of gold and silver commemorative coins for China Peking Opera Mask coins（series II）on April 15, 2011. The series consists of 3 coins, including 1gold coin and 2 silver coins, all of which are the legal tender of the People’s Republic of China. The reverse design of the coins depicts the famous Peking Opera facial mask. The series of gold and silver commemorative coins bear the common obverse of the emblem of the People’s Republic of China, the title of PRC and the year date, with the background of Chinese traditional pattern design of auspicious cloud and Hai Shui Jiang Ya--the most famous design depicted from stage costume of Peking Opera.

Gold coin Specification:

Face value: 100Yuan

Metal: gold

Fineness: 99.9%

Quality: proof

Weight: 1/4oz

Diameter: 22mm

Total Mintage: 50,000 pcs

Obverse:

The emblem of the People’s Republic of China, the title of PRC and the year date, with the background of Chinese traditional pattern design of auspicious cloud and Hai Shui Jiang Ya--the most famous design depicted from stage costume of Peking Opera.

Reverse:

The Peking Opera facial mask of courageous and sagacious “Guan Yu” (partially colored), the words “Guan Yu” in Chinese and the face value.

Silver coin Spesification:

Face value: 10Yuan

Metal: silver

Fineness: 99.9%

Quality: proof

Weight: 1oz

Diameter: 40mm

Total Mintage: 50,000 pcs per design.

Obverse:

Reverse-Design 1:

The Peking Opera facial mask of righteous and candid “Lu Zhishen” (partially colored), the words “Lu Zhishen” in Chinese and the face value.

Reverse-Design 2:

The Peking Opera facial mask of selfless and honest “Shan Xiongxin” (partially colored), the words “Shan Xiongxin” in Chinese and the face value.

The series of gold and silver coin is minted by Shenzhen Guobao Mint and solely distributed by China Gold Coin Incorporation.

Pictures via email by Pabitra Shaha.

‘Billionaire’ hell notes collector

Do you want to be a ‘Billionaire’ hell notes collector? As what I knew, Chinese don't collect hell banknotes because it will bring bad luck. But a 64-year-old Stationery shop owner Cheng Ah Meng collect hell money for the past 30 years. Cheng who own a shop in Taman Johor Jaya started collecting the paper money began when he found half a note in a pile meant to be burnt for his late father.

“I was given an earful by my mother when I told her I wanted to start collecting hell money as it was a taboo to keep such things.

“My friends and family criticised my hobby but I went on with it because I know that one day, all these traditional items will be gone,” he said at his shop in Taman Johor Jaya here yesterday.

The father of two said he enjoyed looking at the different types of hell money as they came in striking colours.

“They are a joy to look at. I usually buy one stack of hell notes and keep one piece for my collection. I often receive strange looks from shopkeepers when I tell them to help me burn the rest,” he said, adding that Qing Ming and the Hungry Ghost Month were the best time for him to scout for new hell money to add to his collection.

Hell money, printed to look like legal bank notes, is usually burned as offerings during these two festivals and at funerals.

Besides making trips to prayer paraphernalia shops in Batu Pahat, Kluang and even Singapore, Cheng sometimes takes pieces of hell money from the stack meant to be burned for his ancestors to add to his collection.

“I usually whisper a word of apology before taking the money,” he said.

Cheng said he presently had more than 500 types of notes in his collection, which he would display in photo albums for anyone who wished to look.

“It is a documentation of our tradition that I keep for the younger generation.

“Some people refuse to touch or even take a look at my collection as they are afraid of bad luck,” he said, adding that it was a cheap hobby as a stack of hell money only costs a few ringgit.

Asked if he believed that keeping these notes would bring him bad luck or misfortune, he said: “I do not believe in such superstition.”

Source: The Star

Any of you collect this notes? I wonder if he have this Brunei hell banknote in his collection.

RM100 Tunku Abdul Rahman gold coin for sale.

RM100 Tunku Abdul Rahman gold coin for sale. I take this item from ar-rahnu@pawn house Bank Rakyat last year. Some circulated mark can be seen on the item. 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.

Item: RM100 Tunku Abdul Rahman gold coin (non proof).
Date: 1971.
Denomination: 100 ringgit.
Mintage: 100,000.
Diameter: 27.70mm.
Weight: 18.66 gm.
Gold: .917 fine
Price: SOLD
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. 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.

Top 5 Royal Wedding Coins 2011

Many Royal Wedding coins had been minted to celebrate the wedding of Prince William of Wales and Kate Middleton that will take place at Westminster Abbey on 29 April 2011. William, who is second in the line of succession to Queen Elizabeth II, first met Middleton in 2001, while he and Middleton were studying at the University of St Andrews. Their engagement, on 20 October 2010, was announced on 16 November 2010. Here are list of Top 5 Royal Wedding Coins 2011 according to readers pageview in this blog.

1. Royal Mint Official Royal Wedding coin 2011.

The only Official Royal Wedding UK coin has gone into production 0n 17 March 2011 at the Royal Mint in Llantrisant, South Wales. Approved by the Royal Household and the Government, the coin features relaxed, modern portraits of the couple, an approach also evident in the informal use of their names and the date of the wedding circulating their portraits. The obverse bears a portrait of Prince William’s grandmother, The Queen. The coin has been designed by Mark Richards, Fellow of the Royal Society of British Sculptors, following an invitation- only tender process involving a handful of British sculptors.

2. Birmingham Mint Royal Wedding Medal

This is a medal created by Birmingham Mint with no monetary value but it became popular most probably because of its design. The medal features a picture of the engaged couple and on its reverse is the date of their marriage and the initials C and W. Around 50,000 are being produced at the Birmingham Mint in honour of the marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton.

3. £5 Royal Wedding Platinum Piedfort Coin

The only wedding coins in Platinum. Extremely rare and tarnish resistant, this precious silver-white metal makes a fitting tribute to Prince William and his bride. Only 200 Platinum coins will be made available by Royal Mint.

4. Canadian Mint Royal Wedding Coins

The Royal Canadian Mint's $20 fine silver collector coin displays an exquisite engraving on its reverse side of the newly engaged HRH Prince William and Miss Catherine Middleton. This design was created by accomplished Canadian artist and coin designer Laurie McGaw of Guelph, Ontario and expertly engraved by Mint Engraver Jose Osio. The obverse or “face” side of this coin features the effigy of Prince William's grandmother, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, created by Canadian portrait artist Susanna Blunt in 2003. Inserted beneath their romantic portrait is a CRYSTALLIZED™ - Swarovski Elements sapphire-coloured crystal reminiscent of the 18-carat sapphire and diamond engagement ring presented by Prince William to his fiancée and which had once belonged to his mother Diana, Princess of Wales.

5. Perth Mint Royal Wedding 1oz silver proof coin

Perth Mint Royal Wedding 1oz silver proof coin struck from 1 ounce of 99.9% pure silver. No more than 12,500 of these coins will be released by The Perth Mint, maximum 5 coins per customer. The reverse design bears an official image of the happy couple, the beaming smiles on their jubilant faces realistically portrayed in colour. The design also includes an intricately-detailed, sculpture of Westminster Abbey in the background. The reverse of the coin also features the inscriptions ‘Royal Wedding 29.04.2011’ and ‘H.R.H. Prince William of Wales & Miss Catherine Middleton’.

Jersey £5 royal wedding coin

A series of Jersey coins have been issued to commemorate the forthcoming royal wedding. A Jersey £5 royal wedding coin will be sell at face value with some postage charges. The coins are available in £5 and £10 denominations and a special gold £1 coin will be issued later this month to mark the year of the wedding. The brand new coins, which celebrate the royal wedding, are being issued by a Royal Mint approved distributor on behalf of Jersey. They have an exclusive design of the royal couple on the reverse and measure just over 38mm in diameter.

Prince William and Kate Middleton are tying the knot on Friday 29 April and the coins show a design of the Royal couple. The Treasury said the £5 coin was expected to be the most popular. The £5 coin can be bought at face value but the full range of coins, including £5 silver and £5 gold, can cost between £75 and £2,995. The item also payable in installments. The royal wedding coin is legal tender only in Jersey.

Specification:
Obverse: Ian Rank-Broadley
Diameter 38.61mm
Metal: Cupro-Nickel
Legal tender only in Jersey

Source: BBC News

The Royal Engagement Photographic Coin

The Westminster Collection has been released The Royal Engagement Photographic Coin. The coin is a Gold Plated Photographic Coin and has been designed to celebrate the biggest royal celebration for a generation and features an official engagement photograph of the happy couple. The coin has been exquisitely plated with 24 Carat Gold and has been created using modern minting techniques to produce a full colour photographic design. Only 49,500 of these coins are being produced for worldwide distribution.

Specifications:

Diameter: 38.61mm
Weight: 27g
Metal: Cupro-nickel with 24 Carat Gold Plating
Country of issue: Cook Islands
Finish: Proof-like
Date: 2010

Royal memorabilia is always a collectible and we understand this is one of the first, if not the first, legal tender issue that has been released to celebrate the Royal Engagement. You can make your order today at The Westminster Collection website.

Guernsey £5 royal wedding coin

A Guernsey £5 coin has been issued to celebrate the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton on 29 April. The coin, which will be legal tender in the Bailiwick, has been produced by The Westminster Collection in 22 carat gold, silver and cupro-nickel versions. There is a side-profile of the couple on the reverse and an Ian Rank-Broadley portrait of the Queen on the front. The States of Guernsey receives a percentage of the royalties from the sale of commemorative issues.

Richard Tostevin, from the Treasury and Resources Department, said: "It's a very important coin for us."

"We always hope that it's going to be a commemorative coin, so that people will keep it. But people are entitled to spend it."

Mr Tostevin said the design had to be approved by a number of offices before it could be put on sale.

"We have a standard process. Once the design's been approved by the minister here at Treasury and Resources, we go through the bailiff's office. It then goes through the lieutenant governor's office.

"Then, interestingly, it has to go through the Ministry of Justice in the UK for submission to the palace - and finally we'll get palace approval."

Collectors will be charged the face value of £5 for each cupro-nickel coin plus £2.99 for postage and packing.

Source: BBC NEWS.

CBP Seizes Counterfeit Rare Coins

U.S. Customs and Border Protection CBP seizes counterfeit rare coins from China. CBP officers assigned to the International Mail Branch last week made an interesting discovery of a shipment of U.S. Trade Dollar coins. Suspicion was raised by the officers when they noticed an anomaly on the X-ray of a heavy package intended for a residence in Illinois. Further examination of the package revealed 361 coins that appeared to be U.S. Trade Dollar coins with dates between 1873 and 1878. The original U.S. Trade Dollar coin was minted from 1873 to 1878 and in proof form from up until 1885. Research of collector coins revealed that some of these coins can be sold for as much as $2,000.

A sample coin was turned over to CBP Laboratory and Scientific Services in Chicago for analysis. The result revealed the coins were made of brass with a thin sliver plated coating. Ironically the consignee contacted CBP inquiring about his shipment indicating he was going to sell them on a popular internet auction site. Based upon the laboratory results the shipment was seized.

“Legitimate traders are being duped into buying these coins believing they are genuine,” said David Murphy, CBP director of field operations in Chicago. “We strongly recommend buyers or any consumers to be aware and use caution when making these types of purchases on the internet.”

CBP officers and agriculture specialists are stationed at international mail facilities located throughout the country in major cities. CBP is constantly screening arriving international mail and on the lookout for any type of contraband, counterfeit or prohibited items being shipped to the U.S. which can harm the community or take advantage of the unsuspecting buyer.

I wish Malaysia Customs can do the same thing around here. More counterfeits can be seen now compare to 5 years back. Some of the coins look so real, even an expert also mistakenly display them as original.

Source: U.S. Customs and Border Protection

€20 Celtic Cross Gold Proof Coin

Another gold coin that completely sold out after just a few days from its official sales. 12,000 €20 Celtic Cross Gold Proof Coin issued by Central Bank of Ireland already completely sold out. This gold proof collector coin featuring the Celtic High Cross was launched on 18 April 2011. The coin is one of the smallest in the world at just 11 millimetres in diameter and 0.5g in weight and its design is the work of renowned Irish artist Thomas Ryan.

The miniature coin pictures the Celtic High Cross in a monastic setting alongside the Irish Round Tower and bears the Irish Harp in exceptional detail. The coin was designed by Thomas Ryan who has commissioned a number of significant Irish coins including the 1990 £1 coin featuring the red deer and the 1988 Dublin Millennium 50 pence coin.

Speaking at the National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks for the launch, Mary O’Dea, Director of Financial Operations at the Central Bank of Ireland said: ‘The Celtic High Cross holds a significant place in our heritage with many of these monuments dating back as far as the 8th century. Today is an opportunity to celebrate the rich cultural and Christian heritage associated with these monuments and the Central Bank of Ireland is delighted to pay tribute to Ireland’s magnificent High Crosses with the issue of this very special €20 coin."

The €20 gold proof coin, which has an issue limit of 12,000 units, is available to the public from 18 April at a cost of €40 per coin. Each coin is displayed in a special presentation case and is accompanied by a numbered Certificate of Authenticity specifying the quality of the coin and the limited issue. The coin can be purchased directly from the Central Bank of Ireland, Dame Street, Dublin.

Source: Central Bank of Ireland.

German refugee coins returned

A German refugee coins returned to his descendants, a coroner has ruled. A hoard of gold coins, which constituted the smuggled savings of Martin Sulzbacher, a Jew who fled Nazi Germany in 1938, are the property of his son Max Sulzbacher, Dr Andrew Scott Reid, coroner for Inner North London, ruled. The 80 coins, minted between 1854 and 1913, and will be auctioned by Spink auctioneers, Bloomsbury. They are expected to fetch £80,000 to £90,000. One coin will be donated to the Hackney Museum. The coins are on display at the British Museum until the end of the week and one will be donated to the Hackney Museum.

British Museum's head of the department of portable antiquities and treasure, Dr Roger Bland, said the find contributed to the story of Jewish immigration to Britain.

"The case of the Hackney gold coins is one of the most unique and compelling stories that we have been involved with.

"There is an incredibly human element to this story that is absent from many archaeological finds and we are pleased to see the coins reunited with their original owners after so many years."

The coins are not an especially rare design, but their value comes from being made of solid gold and the story of how they came to light, according to experts at the British Museum, where the hoard is on display until the end of the week. The coins were found wrapped in greaseproof paper by Terrence Castle of Stoke Newington, north-east London, in the summer of 2007 while he was digging a frog pond in the garden of the property with three other people.

Martin Sulzbacher bought the coins in Germany after selling all his property and smuggled them to England. When war broke out he was interned as an alien and sent abroad - first to Canada and, when the ill-fated Arandora Star he was sailing on was torpedoed and sunk, to Australia. His wife and four children, including Max, were interned on the Isle of Man. Another five members of the family remained in Stoke Newington and buried the coins before being killed in the Blitz in September 1940. On his release Martin Sulzbacher arranged for the garden to be searched, without success.

The British Museum, the coroner's office and the Museum of London traced Max Sulzbacher, 81, a retired chartered accountant, who now lives in Jerusalem. Mr Sulzbacher, whose father ran a bookshop in Golders Green, north London and died in 1981, said he was "surprised but delighted" by the find.

Source: The Press Association, BBC News.

"Haven't you heard that Iraqi Dinar revalue soon? It has been all over news and everyone is buying Iraq Dinar stock. Iraqi Budget already approved by Parliament, does this clear the way for the Iraq Dinar to RV drastically & quickly? Its a little bit hard to find Iraq Dinar now since the news come out."

A reader email me about Iraq Dinar RV soon. To anyone who still doesn't know "RV" is short for "revalue" or "revaluation". Also referred to as RI (ReInstatement). The term is referring to a change in the value of the Iraqi Dinar.

Iraq Dinar RV is for real?
Yes. Currency revaluations happen all the time. Its happened before with Iraq Dinar and they produce a new Dinar with old Dinar became no value.

Why people keep on talking about Iraq Dinar RV?
Do you remember where exactly do you read about the Iraq Dinar RV? Most of the time its come from Dinar trader and seller. Its just one of their way to attract you to buy Iraqi Dinar to increase their sales and profits. When looking at the profit they said you will gain if you buy Iraq Dinar; yes, it is very tempting investment. But do you ever think how many people in this world buy Iraq Dinar for investment? When the Iraq Dinar revalue as what all the traders said it will, what will happened to Iraq economy when many people change their Dinar for Dollar? Will Iraq allowed that to happen?

Why bank is selling Iraq Dinar?
Banking is a business. If the business can gain a profit, why not? They gain so much profit from all the charges for you to buy Iraq Dinar, not including the exchange rates.

Why do you talk about Iraq Dinar?
I am an ex-investor of Iraq Dinar. Have you read my post; Should I invest in Iraq Dinar? I am talking from experience and I want to help everyone who maybe will get into their trap.

As far as a "revaluation" of Iraq Dinar, it will be happening but you will not get big profits as promise by Dinar seller. RV is just one way for the Dinar dealers to increase their sales and profits. Just remember, there will be no overnight millionaires as promised by the sellers. The new dinar most probably will be change to a new Dinar soon or after Iraq announce their currency revaluation. For me, Iraq Dinar is still a scam. You can read these old information that I can found about Iraq Dinar.

1. The Iraqi Dinar Scam Reemerges
2. Utah Division of Securities identifies Top Ten Investment Alerts for 2011.

Haven't you heard, a new Iraq currency has been planned by Central Bank of Iraq (CBI). CBI Governor, Sinan al-Shabibi in his interview with Al-Sabaah claims that the new currency’s attributes will make it ‘difficult’ to falsify. The Central Bank and the Finance Committee in the House of Representatives agreed to hold further meetings to finalize discussions on the project. The central bank is determined to raise three zeroes from the of the new Iraqi currency and presented its project to the government and the House of Representatives. Iraq New Currency.

50 Years of the Man's First Space Flight coins

The 50th anniversary of Gagarin's journey into space was marked in 2011 by the Bank of Russia with a 50 Years of the Man's First Space Flight coins series. A 3 rubles silver and 1 000 rubles gold coins had been announced in 1 April 2011. Both coins a minted in Moscow Mint with 7500 pcs minted for the silver and 500 pcs minted for the gold coin. The Bank of Russia's commemorative and investment coins are distributed on the domestic market by credit institutions of the Russian Federation (more than 100 commercial banks were numbered actually). The main part of coins is distributed by the Savings Bank (Sberbank) of the Russian Federation.

The reverse:
In the centre against the background of the celestial sky: The half-length portrait of Yu.A. Gagarin in the space-suit with the right hand raised in a salutary gesture, to the left below - the date in two lines: "12.04 1961 г." (12.04 1961), above - inscription along the rim: "50 ЛЕТ ПЕРВОГО ПОЛЕТА ЧЕЛОВЕКА В КОСМОС" (50 YEARS OF THE MAN'S FIRST SPACE FLIGHT).

The obverse:
In the centre: The emblem of the Bank of Russia [the two-headed eagle with wings down, under it - the semicircular inscription "БАНК РОССИИ" (BANK OF RUSSIA)] framed by a circle of dots and inscriptions along the rim - on top: "ОДНА ТЫСЯЧА РУБЛЕЙ" (ONE THOUSAND RUBLES), below: to the left - indications of the precious metal and its fineness, in the centre - the year of issue "2011 г." (2011), to the right - the fine metal content and the mint trade mark.

Technical Specification:
Date of issue: 01.04.2011
Catalogue number: 5220-0010
Denomination: 1 000 rubles
Quality: Proof
Metal, fineness: Gold 999/1000
Total weight: 156.40gm
Diameter: 50.00mm
Thickness: 5.70mm
Mintage: 500pcs.
The artist: S.A. Kozlov.
The sculptor: S.V. Erokhina.
Mint: Moscow Mint (MМД).
The edge: 210 corrugations.

Oldest known shipwreck found in Dominican Republic

Utah based Deep Blue Marine Inc. has discovered the oldest known shipwreck located of the coast of Dominican Republic. Their divers found gold coins, jade statues and ancient Mayan Jewellery. The company still believes there are greater treasures. Divers found gold coins that date back to 1535. One particular set of four coins is valued at a million dollars. Deep Blue Marine will get to keep 50% of the recovered items and The Dominican government gets the rest.

President of Deep Blue Marine, Wilf Blum says, "This is the history and the birthplace of America and here we are lucky enough to finding the shipwrecks from that time era."
Just a few years after Christopher Columbus discovered the new world, the ship sank into the dark waters off the Dominican coast.

Captain William Rawson was the first to find the treasure’s trail. "We found some old fella in town that was selling a coin. I bought the coin from him and we looked in a book and found it was one of the oldest coins ever minted in the new world," he said.

Rawson used technology such as side scan sonar to search the area where the old local liked to dive.Little by little he uncovered parts of the wreckage.

“This is pretty incredible when you think about it. This has been on the ocean floor for 450 years," Rawson said.

"We found these two mirrors made out of iron pyrite. And they've been lying on the ocean floor for 450 years, but you can still take and turn them and see your face in them," said Rawson.

"The only other fleet we know of that's older than this is the 1502 fleet and it's never been discovered," he continued.

Source: My Fox

Dallinghoo Gold award battle goes on

Dallinghoo Gold award battle goes on between two metal-detecting enthusiast friends. Micheal Darke and Keith Lewis who unearthed a hoard of Iron Age gold coins, no longer on speaking terms following a dispute over how the £300,000 spoils of the so-called Dallinghoo Gold should be shared. The 840 pieces, which date back to the first century BC, are one of the most significant archaeological discoveries of their kind for 150 years.

A British Museum valuation committee has now followed convention by ruling that half should go to the landowner, farmer Cliff Green, 69. But metal-detecting enthusiast Mr Darke, 62, who found the treasure, is furious that he has been awarded £75,803, while Mr Lewis, 56, who was drafted in to help later, will receive £74,196. Undisclosed costs in the ongoing legal battle they are locked in means the final figures will be significantly less.

Mr Darke describes the episode as a ‘nightmare’ and says he wishes he had never come across the first coin – but has vowed to fight the ruling. Mr Lewis admits the bust-up has left a ‘nasty taste’ but insists he got what he deserves as he located most of the hoard.

"As far as I’m concerned it is a fair deal, end of story," he added.

The saga began in March 2008 when lorry driver Mr Darke found a gold coin as he searched a 30-acre field at Dallinghoo, near Woodbridge, Suffolk. He returned a few days later to find eight more coins, which he identified on the internet as gold Celtic staters. They are believed to have been made in Norfolk and Suffolk between 40 BC and 15 BC by the Iceni tribe.

Mr Darke said he contacted his friend "because I knew that he knew the rules with this kind of thing", and claims it was agreed Mr Lewis would be given one coin for his collection of artefacts.

The next day they unearthed hundreds more coins, including 789 in the remains of an Iron Age cooking pot, and Mr Lewis held on to four of them as his ‘reward’.

"It was not until I received a letter from the British Museum that I found out he had handed the four coins in and demanded half the reward," said Mr Darke, from Wickham Market, Suffolk.

When a coroner ruled the coins were treasure trove in July 2009 – allowing the finders and landowner to receive their full value upon sale to a museum – it was apparent there had been a falling out.

The men arrived separately to the hearing with lawyers and failed to exchange a single word. The coins will be bought by Colchester and Ipswich Museum Service, which has launched a fundraising drive. Mr Darke has already appealed the ruling, but the decision was upheld by Culture Minister Ed Vaizey.

"I trusted him (Mr Lewis) as a friend. I was totally gutted. It should have been exciting and interesting, and something to look forward to," he said.

Mr Lewis, a postman from Great Blakenham, near Ipswich, disputed the version of events.

"I found the bulk of the coins and spent five hours on my knees digging them up," he added.

Source: Daily Mail

50,000 won note or “garlic-field money"

50,000 won note or “garlic-field money" is just one of the example why high denomination banknote will not bring any good news to a country. In June 2009, The Bank of Korea (BOK) announced the release of the 50,000 won bill, which it said would be more convenient and possibly stimulate the economy. It pointed out that the release of the 10,000 won note in 1973 was followed by strong economic growth. It also said that processing fees for one-time-use cashier’s checks were excessive, and sure enough, the use of such checks decreased about 30 percent after the release of the bill. Last month, BOK announced that 21 months after its release, the 50,000 won notes accounted for 47.2 percent of all cash money in circulation, totaling 20.1 trillion won.

But less than a week later, Lee Jong-koo of the Grand National Party said, “We don’t see many 50,000 won bills in the market, and I feel that it is feeding the underground economy. The 50,000 won bill is a failure.”

This week, 11 billion won ($10.1 million) in illegal earnings, much of it in 50,000 won notes, was found buried on a garlic farm. The garlic-field money was made through illegal Internet gambling sites by a man who is now serving jail time for his businesses. He entrusted the cash to his brother-in-law, who bought the farmland specifically to bury and hide the illegal gains.

Less than two years after it rolled off the money presses, the 50,000 won bill is being branded as the currency of choice for thieves, tax evaders and all kinds of ne’er-do-wells. The 50,000 won bills were found in several exposures of black money transactions, including an incident in February in which 1.1 billion won in 50,000 won bills were found in a department store in Yeouido, Seoul. That was also money earned from illegal gambling Web sites. Many elderly are rumored to keep money in 50,000 won bills in their home safes in order to avoid taxes.

Source: Joong And Daily

5 Funny banknotes & coins news

Its funny to read how people don't know their country own coins and banknotes very well. In this post, i give you 5 Funny banknotes & coins news. Most of the funny story is when people mistakenly think a Funny money as a real thing or bank accept an Elvis Presley banknote. This kind of story happens all around the world but not many get a chance to be in the news. Read them and if you like them, share this story with your social media friends.

£20 German Elvis Banknote

A £20 German Elvis Banknote fooled a German bank clerk. Some people might believe, bank notes with Elvis Presley on them are not legal tender. So when one ended up in the banking system in Germany the German Central Bank was not best pleased. This is the £20 Elvis banknote which a counter clerk in a German bank failed to spot when a customer paid money into their account with a pile of multi-denominational notes. (Click this story title for full story).

Toronto TV wrong report on toonies

A wrong report by a TV station in Toronto regarding a fake toonies make everyone searching for information about it. A news reported by CBC News stated that the station reported Tuesday that it had obtained a couple of counterfeit two-dollar coins following a tip from a downtown Toronto merchant who said he "gets them by the truckload."A comparison of a 2008 two-dollar coin, left, and a coin from 1996 reveals a redesigned effigy of the Queen that is larger than the one featured on the older coin. (Click this story title for full story).

Fake Lebanese Billionaire caught using fake US dollar notes

Do any of you in Malaysia remember about the Controversial self-proclaimed billionaire Elie Youssef Najem, who pledged RM1bil to the National Cancer Council (MAKNA) in 2006? Yesterday, Elie was caught with allegedly US$66mil (RM220mil) in fake money. He gave up a US$500 note as a tip to a hotel cleaner in a 4 star hotel. Kuala Lumpur commercial crime unit division chief ASP Izany Abdul Ghany said the 50-year-old Lebanese national had been renting a room in a four-star hotel in the Bukit Bintang area here for a few days when the incident took place. (Click this story title for full story).

Wrong fake pound advice

A wrong advice by police in Northern Ireland make retailers rejecting genuine pound coins as fakes, following a warning about an increase in counterfeit coins. Police warned people to look out for fake coins which do not have a ring of dots normally found around the circumference of the coin. However, some genuine 2008 and 2009 £1 coins do not have any dots. Police and bank had created panic around the issue of counterfeit coins. Police warning about fake pound coins described them in such a way as to easily confuse them with the legitimate 2008 coins. On Monday, many retailer had refused to take 2008 shiny pound coins. (Click this story title for full story).

German tries to cash million-dollar bill

A German pensioner down on his luck has been given a six-month suspended jail sentence for attempting to cash a million-dollar bill at his local bank. Wolfgang U., 65, whose business reportedly ran into difficulties after he became ill, brought the fake note to the bank in Ratingen, western Germany, saying he had received it in return for the sale of a property in Sri Lanka. (Click this story title for full story).

Perth Mint Royal Wedding 1oz silver proof coin

The Perth Mint last Friday unveiled Australia’s official legal tender commemorative coin to mark the wedding of HRH Prince William and Catherine Middleton, with the endorsement of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Perth Mint Royal Wedding 1oz silver proof coin struck from 1 ounce of 99.9% pure silver. No more than 12,500 of these coins will be released by The Perth Mint, maximum 5 coins per customer. Each coin is housed in a classic presentation case within a white gift box and is accompanied by a numbered Certificate of Authenticity.

The reverse design bears an official image of the happy couple, the beaming smiles on their jubilant faces realistically portrayed in colour. The design also includes an intricately-detailed, sculpture of Westminster Abbey in the background. As well as The Perth Mint’s ‘P’ mintmark, the reverse of the coin also features the inscriptions ‘Royal Wedding 29.04.2011’ and ‘H.R.H. Prince William of Wales & Miss Catherine Middleton’.

On the Obverse, the coin depicts the Ian Rank-Broadley effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, together with the 2011 year-date. Issued as legal tender under the Australian Currency Act 1965, on the obverse,

Each coin is housed in a grey-coloured presentation case. The classic case comes in a white box-shipper featuring varnished representations of stylised roses. Silver-foiled lettering completes the luxurious feel. Each coin is accompanied by a numbered Certificate of Authenticity.

Technical Specifications:
Silver Content (Troy oz): 1
Monetary Denomination (AUD): 1
Fineness (% purity): 99.9
Minimum Gross Weight (g): 31.135
Maximum Diameter (mm): 40.60
Maximum Thickness (mm): 4.00
Designer: Aleysha Howarth

The 2011 Royal Wedding 1oz Silver Coin is priced at $105.00. Collectors can place their order online at www.perthmint.com.au for delivery of the coin from 29 April. From the day of the wedding, purchasers may also check availability of the release at their local coin distributor or Australia Post outlet.

€1000 Hercules Gold 2011

A beautiful coins will always get an interest from everyone. This French Mint €1000 Hercules Gold 2011 Brilliant Uncirculated coin has just open its reservation this Friday and all of 10,000 coins been booked in Saturday morning. The 20 grams .99999 gold coin is the most valuable coin ever created by the Monnaie de Paris @the French Mint. The coin will start shipping from 14 June 30 July 2011.The reverse feature the Greek hero Hercules, representing fraternity, and two female figures symbolising equality and liberty.

Technical Spesification:
Artist: Atelier de Gravure
Weight: 20 gr = 0,71 oz
Diameter: 39 mm = 1,54 inch
Mintage: 10 000
Metal: Gold 999,99/1000
Quality: Brilliant Uncirculated

Source: Monnaie de Paris

Worlds most expensive gold dinar

A specialist auctioneers, Morton & Eden in London, make it in a record book for Worlds most expensive gold dinar and Dirham. The Umayyad dinar, one of the rarest and most highly-prized of all Islamic gold coins, struck possibly to coincide with an occasion when the Caliph himself led the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, sold for a record £3,720,000 in a sale at specialist auctioneers Morton & Eden in London. First Islamic coins struck in the Sultanate of Oman, an extremely rare Umayyad silver dirham, one of only a handful known today dating from the Hijri year 90 (709 AD) sold for £1,080,000.

The Umayyad dinar, dated 105h (723AD) was struck from gold mined at a location owned by the Caliph himself; known on the coins as the “Mine of the Commander of the Faithful”. An additional legend which reads: “bi’l-Hijaz” (“in the Hejaz”), makes it the earliest Islamic coin to mention a location in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It had been expected to realise £300,000-400,000, but four bidders in the saleroom sent the price spiraling ever higher. It was purchased by the British trade on behalf of a European private collector.

A second, slightly earlier dinar (92h - 711AD) struck from gold from the same mines sold for £648,000. It had been estimated at £250,000-300,000.

Morton & Eden Islamic coins specialist Stephen Lloyd said: “We are absolutely thrilled and delighted with the results from this sale. We had worked very hard to promote these particular coins internationally, but the prices they have achieved have surpassed all expectations. Their success also demonstrates that sales by public auction are the only way to achieve the very highest prices for the very finest pieces.

“The excellent results for the two gold dinars early on in the sale, which was dedicated to important coins of the Islamic world, set the stage for the remainder and extremely strong prices were paid throughout.”

Scholars have identified the site of the mine itself as Ma`din Bani Sulaim, located north-west of the Holy City of Mecca. Gold has been mined there for thousands of years, and the site is still worked today. Remarkably, mediaeval Arab writers record that the Caliph bought a piece of land in this area, containing at least one gold mine, almost exactly when these coins were made. But while there is general agreement on the source of the gold, the question of exactly where these coins were struck is harder to answer.

“The capital, Damascus, is a strong possibility, but mint workers and their tools could easily have travelled with the Caliph and struck coins wherever he stayed,” Stephen Lloyd said. “Scholars have noted that the dates of these very rare dinars seem to coincide with the occasions when the Caliph himself led the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, while an old inscription also shows that a road built specially for the pilgrimage went right past this mine. So one plausible theory argues that the Caliph visited his gold mines while en route for Mecca, and it is possible these coins might have been struck while he was travelling.”

“This coin reflects the importance of Oman and the Gulf region as a key commercial centre, then as now,” said Stephen Lloyd.

The sale raised a total of £6,673,560, against estimates of £886,000-£1.16 million.

Source: Morton & Eden Ltd.

Sweden’s new banknotes and coin

Sweden plan a new banknotes and coins design that will be issued in around 2014-2015. Astrid Lindgren, Evert Taube, Greta Garbo, Ingmar Bergman, Birgit Nilsson and Dag Hammarskjöld will be the motifs on Sweden’s new banknotes. This is the decision of the General Council of the Riksbank. The new coins will continue to have Sweden’s head of state as motif. The General Council of the Riksbank has also decided on the sizes, materials and colours of the new banknotes and coins. A design competition for the banknotes will be held by the Riksbank this month.

German Stamp of Greta Garbo

“The General Council has chosen people who have made positive and im-portant contributions to Sweden’s cultural heritage during the 20th century. We believe that the new motifs reflect Sweden’s cultural heritage and different parts of our country in a positive and representative way,” say Johan Gernandt and Leif Pagrotsky, Chairman and Vice Chairman respectively of the General Council. “Of course, achieving an equal balance between women and men has also been important.”

In the selection of motif, the General Council of the Riksbank decided that the persons concerned should have lived and worked during the 20th century, should be popular with the general public and, preferably, should also be well-known internationally. They should also represent different parts of Sweden.

Facts about Sweden's new banknotes:

Each banknote will consist of a portrait and a nature/environment motif. The nature motif has a clear link to the person portrayed on each banknote:

20 krona-Astrid Lindgren-Småland
50 krona-Evert Taube-Bohuslän
100 krona-Greta Garbo-Stockholm
200 krona-Ingmar Bergman-Gotland
500 krona-Birgit Nilsson-Skåne
1,000 krona-Dag Hammarskjöld-Lappland

The new banknotes will be made of cotton and will be smaller than the current ones. The height of all denominations will be 66 mm, while the length will vary between 120 and 154 mm. The colours of the banknotes will be grey-brown (1,000 krona), red (500 krona), green (200 krona), blue (100 krona), yel-low/orange (50 krona) and purple (20 krona). The banknotes will be equipped with special features in intaglio print for the visually impaired. The notes will also be equipped with new security details, one for the lower denominations of 20 and 50 krona and two for the higher denominations.

All banknotes will be equipped with a new security feature, “Spark”, which is a colour-shifting ink. The colour shifts when the banknote is tilted. Special pigments in the ink give a three-dimensional visual image in the printing. Moreover, the higher denominations, that is, the 100, 200, 500 and 1,000 krona notes will have a further security feature known as “Motion”, which is a window thread with micro-lenses embedded into the banknote paper. The thread gives the impression of motion when the banknote is tilted. This feature is already used on the most recent version of the 1,000-krona banknote.

Facts about Sweden's new Coins:

The 1-krona, 2-krona and 5-krona coins will be smaller and lighter than the current coins, while the 10-krona coin will be kept unchanged. The 1-krona and 2-krona coins will be made of copper-plated steel, while the 5-krona and 10-krona coins will be made of the alloy Nordic gold. The edges of the coins will be milled to assist the visually impaired. As regards the graphic design of the coins, the Riksbank’s coin supplier will submit proposals that the General Council will then decide upon.

All of the coins apart from the 10-krona coin will have a new size and material. The 10-krona will remain unchanged. The theme of the coins will be “Sweden’s head of state”. In addition to the denomination of the coins, they will also contain the text ”Sverige” (Sweden) and the year of issue, the initials of the designer and the Governor of Sveriges Riksbank, and the first letter of the name of the place they are issued. Moreover, the lesser coat of arms may be used on the coins. The 1-krona and 2-krona coins are made of copper-plated steel, that is, they consist of a core of steel and a thin outer layer of copper. The 5-krona and 10-krona coins are made of Nordic gold, which is made of almost 90 per cent copper.

Source: SVERIGES RIKSBANK

Canadian Mint Royal Wedding Coins

The Royal Canadian Mint unveil two beautifully designed collector coins honouring the wedding of HRH Prince William and Miss Catherine Middleton. The Royal Canadian Mint Royal Wedding Coins being issued in honour of this historic royal wedding can be ordered starting yesterday. Royal watchers and collectors can purchase an elegant $20 pure silver coin featuring an eye-catching sapphire-coloured crystal enhancement symbolizing the world-renowned 18-carat sapphire engagement ring which Prince William presented to his fiancée last October. A coloured 25-cent nickel plated steel coin vividly depicting a photograph of the happy couple is also ready to order.

25-Cent Coloured Coin - H.R.H. Prince William of Wales and Miss Catherine Middleton (2011)

Technical Specifications:

Mintage: While Supplies Last

Composition: nickel plated steel

Finish: specimen (with coloured design on the reverse)

Weight (g): 12.61

Diameter (mm): 35

Edge: serrated

Certificate: n/a

Face value: 25 cents

Artist: Image is the property of Canadian Press, used under licence (reverse), Susanna Blunt (obverse)

The 25-cent coloured coin honouring the wedding of HRH Prince William and Miss Catherine Middleton is a vibrant addition to collectors and royal watchers looking for an exciting, quality keepsake of this historic occasion. This 35 mm diameter nickel plated steel coin features a brilliantly coloured photo reproduction of the happy couple over a fine “paper line” texture typical of a specimen coin finish. The image is based on a photograph of the happy couple attending the 2008 wedding of friend Chiara Hunt in Salzburg, Austria. The obverse of this coin also features the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Canadian portrait artist Susanna Blunt in 2003.

This coin retails for $25.95 CAD and can be ordered directly from the Mint's online store at www.mint.ca.

$20 Fine Silver Coin - H.R.H. Prince William of Wales and Miss Catherine Middleton (2011)

Technical Specifications:

Mintage: Limited to 25000 coins worldwide

Composition: 99.99% pure silver

Finish: proof

Weight (g): 31.39

Diameter (mm): 38

Edge: plain

Certificate: serialized

Face value: 20 dollars

Artist: Laurie McGaw (reverse), Susanna Blunt (obverse)

Fashioned of 99.99% pure silver, the Royal Canadian Mint's $20 fine silver collector coin displays an exquisite engraving on its reverse side of the newly engaged HRH Prince William and Miss Catherine Middleton. This design was created by accomplished Canadian artist and coin designer Laurie McGaw of Guelph, Ontario and expertly engraved by Mint Engraver Jose Osio. The obverse or “face” side of this coin features the effigy of Prince William's grandmother, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, created by Canadian portrait artist Susanna Blunt in 2003.

Inserted beneath their romantic portrait is a CRYSTALLIZED™ - Swarovski Elements sapphire-coloured crystal reminiscent of the 18-carat sapphire and diamond engagement ring presented by Prince William to his fiancée and which had once belonged to his mother Diana, Princess of Wales. This eye-catching technological feature is a trademark innovation of the Royal Canadian Mint, which has been employed on a number of extremely popular collector coins, including the Mint's award-winning Crystal Snowflake series. This coin also features edge-engraving bearing the following inscription honouring the happy couple: HRH Prince William & Miss Catherine Middleton – SAR le prince William et Mlle Catherine Middleton.

This fine silver coin retails for $104.95 CAD and can be ordered directly from the Mint's online store at www.mint.ca.

William and Kate in Bed, 2011

The photo by British artist Alison Jackson, "William and Kate in Bed, 2011", shows doubles of the royal couple relaxing in their bedroom, with the angle of the picture suggesting it was taken by a hidden camera. The fake photo is just one of the exhibit in "The Royal Family" show at the Hayward Gallery brings together a range of work poking fun at William and Kate and other royals as excitement mounts ahead of their wedding on April 29.

"Alison's work is about the anxiety that surrounds sex and royalty," said the show's curator Tom Morton.

"When I was a child, in 1981, the virginity of Diana was trumpeted by the palace. Noon talks about William and Kate, yet we know they lived together before their marriage."

The queen features on a £10 banknote wearing a bright red circus clown nose, is a work by German artist Hans Peter-Feldmann. Hans-Peter Feldmann is a figure in the conceptual art movement and practitioner in the artist book and multiple formats.

For his "Orphan Tea Service", Alan Kane has collected mismatched cups, plates and teaspoons donated to charity chops in the shadow of Windsor Castle, the queen's favourite residence.

The work recalls the turbulent royal relationships of the recent past -- one cup commemorates the marriage of Prince Andrew to Sarah Ferguson, which ended in 1996.

In a video exhibit, Norwegian artist Lars Laumann harks back to the conspiracy theories that surrounded the death of Princess Diana in a car crash in Paris in 1997.

He argues that the English pop group The Smiths -- whose seminal 1986 single was called "The Queen is Dead" -- foretold Diana's death.

Source: AFP

Two men charged with fake notes possession

Two men charged with fake notes possession in the Sessions Court on Friday. Mobile telephone repairman Liew Yoon Thiam, 35, and construction worker Chen Choon Hong, 28, allegedly had six pieces of RM100 and five pieces of RM50 in a red envelope, knowing that they were counterfeit and had intending to use them as genuine currency. They were charged with committing the offence at Jalan 34/154, Taman Bukit Anggerik, Cheras, at 9.20pm on March 15, and under Section 489c of the Penal Code are liable to be jailed for up to 10 years upon conviction.

Photo: Fake RM50 notes.

Both men, who are not represented by counsel, was charged under Section 489 (C) of the Penal Code and read together with Section 34 of the same act can be punished with imprisonment of up to 10 years if convicted. Liew also pleaded not guilty in the same court on charges of having two pieces of counterfeit banknotes RM50 and RM10 a piece of paper in a wallet by knowing it is false and with intent to use it as genuine. He allegedly committed the offense at 9.30 pm, at the same place and date under Section 489 (C) of the Penal Code is punishable with imprisonment up to 10 years if convicted.

Earlier, Deputy Public Prosecutor P. Viknesvaran apply for bail of RM15, 000 with one surety for each of the accused is charged. However, Liew apply for bail money was reduced to RM5,000 on the ground, earned income does not irregular and she needs to support his girlfriend is pregnant. Chen requested that the security is reduced to RM1, 000 on the grounds he had mental problems since childhood.

Judge Datuk Liew Jagjit Singh then allowed bail of RM7, 000 with one surety for Liew and ordered Chen to be referred to a psychiatrist after he said he had a mental problem, and set May 6 for mention of the case.

Source: BERNAMA.

lunaticg banknote & coin

Coin Link