Welcome to the Coin Club. We are an assortment of newbies, amateurs and experts with questions and answers for newbies, amateurs and experts in coin collecting, also known as numismatics. Whether you are just getting started, have been collecting for years or have simply found some old coins about the place that you’d like to sell, this is the place to ask your questions.

No one has all the answers, and you may get five differing answers to the same question, yet each may be right in a manner of speaking, especially if opinions are involved. Opinions often vary. If you receive no answer to your query within 48 hours, please ask again.

echoriath - 2013-04-22 13:06:00

::patiently awaits next question from chris::

echoriath - 2013-04-22 13:07:00

echoriath wrote:

::patiently awaits next question from chris::

Ooops, right! ***Scratches head***

Mildly cryptic/punning question this time -

What country uses a type of sea urchin as it's currency?

chrisr5 - 2013-04-22 15:11:00

PNG = kina !!!!

funho1 - 2013-04-22 15:59:00

yeeha !

funho1 - 2013-04-22 15:59:00

Well done Funho1, you get to ask the next numismatic trivia question.

chrisr5 - 2013-04-22 16:19:00

Oh dear. My numismastrity is not that crash hot so I can only go on some coins of my late Dad's, slightly risqué :
Which Coin has the best Southern Hemisphere flagpole ?

funho1 - 2013-04-22 18:02:00

Cook Island One Dollar?

echoriath - 2013-04-22 18:06:00

Bingo !

funho1 - 2013-04-22 18:16:00

Or "Hoist the mainsail" - whatever is appropriate.

funho1 - 2013-04-22 18:17:00

Your question next.

funho1 - 2013-04-22 18:17:00

funho1 wrote:

Or "Hoist the mainsail" - whatever is appropriate.

Yes, well, I had an advantage. I've sold a few of these over the last few years. I like to bill them as "the coin with three heads".

Ok, next question: What country's circulating coinage includes depictions of steel pans (also known as steel drums)?

echoriath - 2013-04-22 19:41:00

echoriath wrote:

Yes, well, I had an advantage. I've sold a few of these over the last few years. I like to bill them as "the coin with three heads".

Ok, next question: What country's circulating coinage includes depictions of steel pans (also known as steel drums)?

I'm betting on it being Caribbean, I'll have a look and get back to you.

chrisr5 - 2013-04-23 07:53:00

echoriath wrote:

Yes, well, I had an advantage. I've sold a few of these over the last few years. I like to bill them as "the coin with three heads".

Ok, next question: What country's circulating coinage includes depictions of steel pans (also known as steel drums)?

Trinidad and Tobago?

chrisr5 - 2013-04-23 09:50:00

chrisr5 wrote:

Trinidad and Tobago?

That's the one.

echoriath - 2013-04-23 15:13:00

So next question -

What was the first coin to bear the 'P' mintmark for a US coin struck in Philadelphia and what was the reason and composition of the coin?

chrisr5 - 2013-04-23 19:08:00

1942 Nickel Five-cent Piece.

The composition of 56% copper , 35% silver and 9% manganese was used to eliminate nickel , which was a critical war material.

lester36 - 2013-04-23 20:08:00

lester36 wrote:

1942 Nickel Five-cent Piece.

The composition of 56% copper , 35% silver and 9% manganese was used to eliminate nickel , which was a critical war material.

Spot on, the next question to you.

chrisr5 - 2013-04-23 20:35:00

In What year was the book, The Story of British Coinage, written and by whom.

lester36 - 2013-04-23 20:49:00

lester36 wrote:

In What year was the book, The Story of British Coinage, written and by whom.

Peter Seaby 1985?

chrisr5 - 2013-04-23 21:07:00

chrisr5 wrote:

Peter Seaby 1985?

The one I am thinking of is MUCH earlier.

lester36 - 2013-04-23 21:30:00

lester36 wrote:

The one I am thinking of is MUCH earlier.

Gertrude Burford Rawlings first published 1898?

got me a pdf copy - should be interesting reading.

chrisr5 - 2013-04-23 23:21:00

chrisr5 wrote:

Gertrude Burford Rawlings first published 1898?

got me a pdf copy - should be interesting reading.

That is the one.
I have a real copy and yes it is good reading.

lester36 - 2013-04-24 06:57:00

lester36 wrote:

That is the one.
I have a real copy and yes it is good reading.

Next question (possibly controversial!) - what is the building that features on the 3rd Reich 5 Marks and what was the significance of it and the date on the initial releases?

chrisr5 - 2013-04-24 11:24:00

lester36 wrote:

That is the one.
I have a real copy and yes it is good reading.

I have one too - lovely late Victorian, almost Art Nouveau cover. On the flyleaf is "Thomas Robert Harris/Buchannans St/Timaru N.Z./Jan 9th 1903". Always curious to know what happened to these mysterious individuals known only by their names inside a book!

translateltd - 2013-04-25 08:55:00

chrisr5 wrote:

Next question (possibly controversial!) - what is the building that features on the 3rd Reich 5 Marks and what was the significance of it and the date on the initial releases?

Garnisonkirche ohne datum is featured on this coin, first issued in 1934 to commemorate the inaugural meeting in this building of the Reichstag. A significant result of that meeting was a reconciliation with Protestant Prussians and the new Nazi regime.

Uh-oh, did answering that question make me a Nazi?

echoriath - 2013-04-25 09:19:00

Next question:

Which crown dependency's privy marks include: Santa Claus, a baby crib and the Statue of Liberty?

echoriath - 2013-04-25 09:35:00

Ohne Datum = "no date" - is that really part of the name of the church?

translateltd - 2013-04-25 09:36:00

echoriath wrote:

Next question:

Which crown dependency's privy marks include: Santa Claus, a baby crib and the Statue of Liberty?

Sounds like that bane of the numismatic world, the Isle of Man. Lovely tidy series of coins from 1668 to about 1974, then all hell broke loose.

translateltd - 2013-04-25 09:38:00

translateltd wrote:

Ohne Datum = "no date" - is that really part of the name of the church?

Yes, I was just adding clarity, since many German coins carry the date on the reverse, and my reference mentioned it, so I thought I should. Plus it was a chance to test your German.

And Isle of Man was correct.

Edited by echoriath at 10:06 am, Thu 25 Apr

echoriath - 2013-04-25 09:51:00

A Q from me, then: English 17th-century tokens often show three initials on the reverse, one at the top and two below, e.g. S / I.E or T / I.G. What does the letter *in each position* represent?

translateltd - 2013-04-25 10:43:00

echoriath wrote:

Garnisonkirche ohne datum is featured on this coin, first issued in 1934 to commemorate the inaugural meeting in this building of the Reichstag. A significant result of that meeting was a reconciliation with Protestant Prussians and the new Nazi regime.

Uh-oh, did answering that question make me a Nazi?

Very good Tim and to quote Tom Lehrer - '"Nazi schmazi," says Wernher von Braun'
The first coins did have the date 21 March 1933 on though and are more valuable than the later 1934 ones without the date.

Potsdam as well as seeing in the inauguration of the Nazi party also saw the conference that finally put an end to it with the Potsdam meeting and agreement. Also the ultimatum was given to Japan to surrender or face total destruction from Potsdam.

ETA - sorry a lot of history to go with a few coins! But a part that always interested me. ;-)

Edited by chrisr5 at 10:57 am, Thu 25 Apr

chrisr5 - 2013-04-25 10:55:00

Hi fellas its the lurker here again, wondering if someone had any information about these two pieces. I know the badge dosent really belong here but thought i'd chuck it in anyway. Thanks in advance

brucie69 - 2013-04-25 15:16:00

HaHa be handy if I put the pics up aye

http://images.trademe.co.nz/photoserver/full/264865898.jpg

http://images.trademe.co.nz/photoserver/full/264865871.jpg

brucie69 - 2013-04-25 15:21:00

brucie69 wrote:

HaHa be handy if I put the pics up aye

http://images.trademe.co.nz/photoserver/full/264865898.jpg

http://images.trademe.co.nz/photoserver/full/264865871.jpg[/
quote]

The medal is Morel 1897/2 (if 23.5 mm) or 1897/3 (if 21 mm); the larger one is rated "normal" (neither scarce nor common) and the smaller one "scarce" (R3 and R4 respectively, on a 7-point rarity scale).

Edited by translateltd at 4:48 pm, Thu 25 Apr

translateltd - 2013-04-25 16:47:00

translateltd wrote:

The medal is Morel 1897/2 (if 23.5 mm) or 1897/3 (if 21 mm); the larger one is rated "normal" (neither scarce nor common) and the smaller one "scarce" (R3 and R4 respectively, on a 7-point rarity scale).

Awesome cheers for that, this is the large one 23.5mm, any idea on value? Also do you have any ideas what the letters on the badge might stand for?

brucie69 - 2013-04-25 17:27:00

brucie69 wrote:

Awesome cheers for that, this is the large one 23.5mm, any idea on value? Also do you have any ideas what the letters on the badge might stand for?

Wonder if the badge has any connection with the old CBA Bank. M&Y CH on the back will be the makers - Moller & Young of Christchurch.

translateltd - 2013-04-25 17:51:00

Thanks again you've been very helpfull

brucie69 - 2013-04-25 19:05:00

Bump ...

translateltd - 2013-04-27 08:14:00

(I'm not ignoring your last trivia question, Martin, just have not had a chance to look it up.)

echoriath - 2013-04-28 15:12:00

Can anyone help me with this THANKS

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Community/MessageBoard/Messages.asp
x?id=1252374&topic=16

nofrills2 - 2013-04-28 16:03:00

Any chance of better photos? Look for a flower icon on your camera. It's a setting called "Macro" and is used for close-ups. It generally helps to shoot in indirect sunlight with no flash.

echoriath - 2013-04-28 16:10:00

translateltd wrote:

A Q from me, then: English 17th-century tokens often show three initials on the reverse, one at the top and two below, e.g. S / I.E or T / I.G. What does the letter *in each position* represent?

I could be wrong , but I have an idea that these were Tavern Tokens and the top initial was the first letter of the tavern keepers wife's first name and the other two were the tavern keepers initials.

lester36 - 2013-04-28 16:12:00

echoriath wrote:

Any chance of better photos? Look for a flower icon on your camera. It's a setting called "Macro" and is used for close-ups. It generally helps to shoot in indirect sunlight with no flash.

That's what I used,camera is getting abit old ,no flash.

nofrills2 - 2013-04-28 16:24:00

In order for Macro to work, you have to be about 300-700 mm from the subject. If you need to back up then zoom in, that can help. If it's still not focusing, try pressing the shutter button halfway in so the camera can adjust. Holding the camera still can be a bit tricky without a tripod. Digital Macro is a setting on some cameras and will work within 50-150 mm.

echoriath - 2013-04-28 16:28:00

echoriath wrote:

In order for Macro to work, you have to be about 300-700 mm from the subject. If you need to back up then zoom in, that can help. If it's still not focusing, try pressing the shutter button halfway in so the camera can adjust. Holding the camera still can be a bit tricky without a tripod. Digital Macro is a setting on some cameras and will work within 50-150 mm.

http://images.trademe.co.nz/photoserver/full/265217492.jpg

nofrills2 - 2013-04-28 16:47:00

Better.

echoriath - 2013-04-28 16:54:00

My guess is that it is a Commemorative coin issued 2005 and it commemorates the 2006 Commonwealth Games ?

funho1 - 2013-04-28 17:03:00

lester36 wrote:

I could be wrong , but I have an idea that these were Tavern Tokens and the top initial was the first letter of the tavern keepers wife's first name and the other two were the tavern keepers initials.

So close that I'd be mean not to give it :-) Not necessarily taverns but any sort of trader - the top initial is the surname, the left initial the man's first name and the right initial his wife's. So S / I.E could be John (Iohn) and Mrs E. Smith, for instance.

translateltd - 2013-04-28 18:23:00

Smacking the hundy.

echoriath - 2013-04-28 18:25:00