India, 1 rupee, 2008 (Mumbai)

Here’s something different…

India, 1 rupee, 2008 (Mumbai Mint) (KM #331)

India’s coins in the British era were of high quality, the the mints of the Republic of India have let the quality standards slip a lot since 1990. Many of India’s coins today are struck at such low relief that legends and mintmarks are often illegible even on brand new coins. The dot for Mumbai was barely visible on this specimen. In India, what we Americans would call the Thumbs Up means “one” to the Indians. It’s the size of a US quarter, and yet this coin is worth less than USD $0.02!

Metal Stainless Steel
Weight 4.8 g
Diameter 25 mm
Thickness 1.47 mm
Shape Round
Orientation Medal alignment

France, 1 franc, 1992

And here is today’s coin…

France, 1 franc, 1992 (KM #925.1)

I first featured this type of French franc on 25 August 2011.

What happened in 1992? The Soviet Union dissolved into the Confederation of Independent States. Former Soviet states Ukraine, Latvia and Estonia, now separate nations, minted their first coins in decades. Mexico revalued their peso 1,000 to one. Argentina revalued their peso 10,000 to one. The Olympic Games were held in Barcelona, Spain. Bill Clinton won the election, making George H. W. Bush the latest incumbent president to lose a reelection bid and our latest single-term president. The Rodney King Riots tore apart Los Angeles. Jay Leno replaced Johnny Carson on the Tonight Show. Disney scored a hit with Aladdin, but Army of Darkness and A Few Good Men also draw movie audiences. And I visited New Mexico

Metal Nickel
Weight 6 g
Diameter 24 mm
Thickness 1.79 mm
Engraver Louis-Oscar Roty
Shape Round
Orientation Coin alignment
Demonetized 02-17-2002

France, 1/2 franc, 1965

Sorry of the many months with posts. Here’s hoping I can climb back in this saddle and stay in it this time.

France, 1/2 franc, 1965 (KM #931.1)

In 1965, France replaced its large brass 50-centime coin with this smaller but thicker coin of solid nickel. The sower design is a French classic from the 1890s. The coin’s nickel content alone is worth about $0.09 USD. That is your consolation prize, since this coin was demonetized in the Euro Advent.

Mintage = 184,833,000
Metal Nickel
Weight 4.52 g
Diameter 19.43 mm
Thickness 1.95 mm
Engraver Louis-Oscar Roty
Shape Round
Orientation Coin alignment
Demonetized 02-17-2002

Canada, 25 cents (ice hockey), 2007

I found some foreign coins at the bank, so I now have some Coin of the Day material.

Canada, 25 cents (ice hockey), 2007 (KM #683)

Between 2007 and 2010, the Canadian Mint released 16 quarters as part of a series building hype for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. As it turns out, the gold medal finalist game for ice hockey that year was a real corker of a match… the USA versus Canada. The Canadians fought hard, and well earned their gold medal on home ice for their favorite sport!

As for the value of this coin, the Canadian dollar is just under par with the US dollar right now, so this coin is worth USD $0.241.

Metal Nickel-plated Steel
Weight 4.4 g
Diameter 23.88 mm
Thickness 1.58 mm
Engraver Susanna Blunt (obverse)
Shape Round
Orientation Medal alignment

United Arab Emirates, 50 fils, 1393 AH (1973 AD)

My mother found this one for me. It’s old, from the 14th Century… Muslim century that is.

United Arab Emirates, 50 fils, 1393 AH (1973 AD) (KM #5)

In 1971, seven emirates on the southern shore of the Persian Gulf united into one nation, now known collectively as the UAE. They adopted the dirham as their currency, which, like many Arab nations, is divided not into 100 subunits but rather 1,000 subunits known as fils. This coin is 50 fils, which is akin to our American nickel. At current exchange rates, 50 fils is worth USD $0.014. I wonder how this coin came into US circulation for my mother to find in her pocket change. Did it ride home in the pocket of a tourist fresh from the 21st Century Las Vegas that we call Dubai? Was it brought here by a US soldier home from the Gulf? Or did it simply masquerade as a US quarter? I’ve got my money on the latter.

Mintage is 8,400,000
Metal Copper-nickel
Weight 6.57 g
Diameter 24.85 mm
Thickness 1.79 mm
Shape Round
Orientation Medal alignment ↑↑
Demonetized yes

France, 2 francs, 1941 (aluminum)

Another bonus coin for today.

France, 2 francs, 1941 (aluminum) (KM #885a)

France made two kinds of 2-franc coins in 1941, using the exact same design and diameter. One is made of brass, and the other of aluminum. Today’s coin is the latter type. Next year, the 1931 design by Morlon would be replaced with the Vichy double-axe. Morlon’s design would return to French coins with the re-establishment of the legitimate French government in 1944, and would continue until Oscar Roty’s designs are resurrected in 1960 for the Noveau Franc. By the way, this coin is worthless.

Mintage is unreported.
Metal Aluminum
Weight 2.2 g
Diameter 27 mm
Thickness 1.8 mm
Engraver Pierre-Alexandre Morlon
Shape Round
Orientation Coin alignment
Demonetized yes

Switzerland, 20 rappen, 1961

The coins I pulled first for this entry is a duplicate UK penny from 1988 (featured on March 23rd). I pull again.

Switzerland, 20 rappen, 1961 (KM #29a)

As a time traveler, I love Swiss coins. This design, like the ones for the 10 rappen, 1/2 franc, 1 franc, and 2 franc coins, has survived unchanged since 1879! It’s one little bit of 19th Century everyday art that has survived to the present day. Swiss coinage has a longevity and continuity unmatched in most world currency. Only a few places on Earth can say that they are still using eh same coins that they were using 60 years ago, and Switzerland is one of those places. I would love to go roll hunting in Switzerland.

The 20 rappen coin changed metals in 1939, from nickel to copper-nickel, and has stayed in continuous production ever since. I highly respect that. Furthermore, it’s worth 22.1 cents USD right now.

Fun fact: the year 1961 can be read upside down! It was the first year since 1881 that had that distinction, and it won’t happen again until 6009 AD. (This is actually an annoying thing about 1961 when I’m looking at coins that split the year in the design, putting “19” off to the left and “61” to the right. I always have to check to see if I’m holding the coin upside down.)

Mintage is 8,234,000
Metal Copper-nickel
Weight 4 g
Diameter 21.05 mm
Thickness 1.65 mm
Engraver K. F. Voigt (reverse)
Shape Round
Orientation Medal alignment

United Kingdom, 5 pence, 1989

Here’s today’s first coin.

United Kingdom, 5 pence, 1989 (KM #937)

For most Britons, this is the youngest large-size five pence coin they’ll ever see, since the denomination was greatly reduced in size starting in 1990. (I say “most” since there was a trace amount of large-size fives struck in 1990, but they were only made for Mint sets.) Technically no longer legal tender in the UK, but possibly worth 7 cents USD if you can get some one to honor its exchange rate.

And of course, 1989 was the beginning of the end for communist rule in Europe, the year the wall came down and the Iron Curtain was torn away.

Mintage is 101,406,000
Metal Copper-nickel
Weight 5.65 g
Diameter 23.59 mm
Thickness 1.78 mm
Engravers Raphael David Maklouf (obverse)
Christopher Ironside (reverse)
Shape Round
Orientation Medal alignment
Demonetized 12-31-1990

Austria, 1 schilling, 1970

Jump forward seven years.

Austria, 1 schilling, 1970 (KM #2886)

Not legal tender since 2001, in case you were wondering. Contains a few cents of brass, that’s all.

1970 brings to mind Apollo 13, Patton and the Osaka World’s Fair, in that order.

Mintage is 10,678,600
Metal Aluminum-bronze
Weight 4.2 g
Diameter 22.5 mm
Thickness 1.1 mm
Engravers Ferdinand Welz (obverse)
Edwin Grienauer (reverse)
Shape Round
Orientation Medal alignment
Demonetized 02-28-2002

United Kingdom, half penny, 1963

We took a trip on a grand old ship….

United Kingdom, half penny, 1963 (KM #896)

Under the pre-decimal system, this coin was worth 1/2 of a penny, or 1/24th of a shilling, or 1/480th of a pound sterling. That’s almost one fifth of a decimal penny! What a low valued coin! USD $0.0032! People complain enough about one cent being useless. Think of how much grief there would be if we still used thirds of a cent.

But the matter is moot since this coin, since it lost legal tender status decades ago. But it still has 4 or 5 cents of copper in it.

1963 is, of course, the year JFK was assassinated. From Russia With Love and The Great Escape were big at the movies. Alcatraz is shuttered. The Beatles record and release Please Please Me. The USS Thresher is lost with all hands to an unknown cause. Valentina Tereshkova becomes the first woman in space.

Mintage is 45,036,000
Metal Bronze
Weight 5.7 g
Diameter 25.4 mm
Thickness 1.3 mm
Engravers Mary Gillick (obverse)
Thomas Humphrey Paget (reverse)
Shape Round
Orientation Medal alignment ↑↑
Demonetized 08-01-1969