World Coin News

Metals February 7, 2023 Gold ...................................... $1,871.62 Silver.......................................... $22.15 As mentioned in our last installment, the South Pacific island country of Niue continues to contract with many coin producers to create issues which, though they do not circulate, appeal to thematic collectors in many fields. While many traditional coin collectors downplay the importance of the modern commemorative coin market, particularly with respect to non-circulating legal tender or NCLT as it is often called, most everyone can see the appeal of licensed products to the broader populace. Niue uses the New Zealand Dollar for the 100 square mile islands’ less than 2,000 residents in their daily trade. The commemorative coin programs Niue licenses to various contract mints are designed to bring revenue to the island, but the coins themselves are not normally seen by island…

Both the business and hobby of coins are both changing. Coin collecting simply isn’t your grandfather’s collecting anymore. Fortunately for the future, the hobby and the business are changing with the times, this being something not all other collectible fields are doing. Two speakers at the recent New York International Numismatic Convention likely didn’t realize that their presentations dovetailed, illustrating not only where the hobby has come from, but where it is going. On January 13 Dr. Ursula Kampmann presented a talk titled “The Evolution of the German Coin Market after 1970.” Kampmann is the director of CoinsWeekly.com. Kampmann’s presentation was meant to follow the evolution of the market for coins in Germany throughout the past century, but much of what she spoke of is also true of what has been happening…

Spain, a major European power from the 16th through 18th century, had been active on the western North African coast. Its government was constantly scheming with local powers, occupying port cities, installing, and maintaining puppets. Spain has lost most of those African enclaves, but it still has a presence in Africa to this day (notably Ceuta and Mellila, both on the African continent, both claimed by Morocco). The local Amirs found themselves outgunned by the Spanish, and there was, therefore, some sympathy for the idea that the Muslim Ottomans, led by the Caliph, would be welcome, should they decide to get involved. Not everyone agreed. The Ottomans were Turks, which is to say, foreigners. Everyone knew that the Ottoman system featured ethnic supremacy as a guiding principle. Turks would always rule, they…

Although Cossacks under the loose control of Moscow had explored Siberia in the 16th century, it was not until the early 1700s that Russian control was solidified. At first the vast region was of value primarily as a source of furs, but as time passed valuable minerals and ores were discovered as well. By the 18th century, Siberia had also acquired an ominous name as the place where Czarist exiles were sent. In the 20th century it became even more ominous as untold millions were sent by Joseph Stalin to their doom in the infamous labor camps of the Siberian gulag. There are many collectors of Siberian coins, perhaps second only to those specializing in the famous piataks, the 5–kopeck pieces struck under Catherine II for European Russia. In the case…

What are Paduan counterfeits? Both counterfeit and fantasy coins were produced in 16th century Padua, Italy by Giovanni del Cavino, surnamed il paduano, and by Bassino. Originals are die struck, while later counterfeits of these counterfeits made for collectors are cast. Why are Becker’s counterfeits so much more popular than fakes made by someone else? Carl Wilhelm Becker (1772-1830) was a German engraver who according to Lincoln W. Higgie in the 1977 reprint of the Hill book said, “Becker is probably one of the most skilled forgers who have ever cut a die with the intention of forging a coin. He succeeds in most cases in capturing the style of the ancient coin very nicely.” Becker used genuine coins as the planchets for many of his works. Can you explain the “official…

Important early coins of Mexico and Brazil from the unparalleled Tyrant Collection (www.TheTyrantCollection.com) were publicly displayed together for the first time at the Long Beach Coin, Currency Stamp & Sports Collectible Show (www.LongBeachExpo.com), February 2 - 4, 2023. Entitled “Tyrants of the New World,” this was the latest multi-million-dollar exhibition in a multi-year series of different displays of portions of the extensive and unprecedented Tyrant Collection. Owned by Southern California collector Dan O’Dowd, it is described as the world’s most valuable rare coin collection in private hands. The big exhibit was divided into two distinct sections: The Tyrants of the Amazon and The Tyrants of Lake Texcoco. “There has never been such an important public exhibit of Latin American coins in Southern California,” stated Ira Goldberg, President of Goldberg Coins and Collectibles, Inc.…