The Dilemma of Mintage

A long queue for Malaysia Commemorative Coin in 2012
(Photo taken from Lunatig blog) 

About ten years ago, Malaysia Commemorative Coin collection was a very cold collection theme, in order to cut the losses of coin issuance, you may find that Central of Malaysia was keep reducing the mintage volume. The whole dynamic of market trend was gradually improved in 2009, especially after the series of promotion and sharing in social media which has triggered the fever of commemorative coin collection especially in 2012 that almost 80% of collectors, stockists or re-sellers failed get single piece on sale although they had queue up in central bank since the midnight. Can you imagine how horrible the fever was?

What is Carbon Spot?

The Effect of Carbon Spots on Copper-Nickel Coins

The term "carbon spots" refers to tiny black concentrations of corrosion. Oftentimes these are so small as to escape notice by the naked eye, though they may be seen with low-power magnification. Also called "flyspecks" by some in the hobby, these spots are actually slightly raised from the surface of the coin, as the corrosion forms around some particle of organic matter, such as paper dust (often present with coin albums and cardboard "2x2" stapled holders) or human saliva deposited unknowingly by a numismatist during casual handling. Oxygen, humidity, and other atmospheric elements react with the debris to form a minute mound of corrosion around it, and this is called a carbon spot.

Medals Collection (2): Medals worth to play?

If you've read on the previous article, Medals Collection (1): What is a medal? I believe you should have some understanding of medals. With the basic understanding of medals, and certainly we may have a question in mind, medals worth to play?

纪念章投资(2) : 纪念章值得玩吗？

如果你已经阅读了上一期纪念章投资 (1)：何谓纪念章？，相信你对纪念章都应该有一些认识。有了对于纪念章的基本认识，大家脑子里肯定有一个疑问，纪念章值得玩吗？

1902年天津都統衙門金質獎牌

Very Rare Tientsin Tutung Yamen 1902 Gold Medal

CHINA. Tientsin Tutung Yamen Gold Medal, 1902. PCGS Genuine--Damage, AU Details Secure Holder.

49.71 mm. L&M-1108; Li-pg. 90 (plate medal). By J. Chevt and struck by TENSHODO. VERY RARE gold medal struck by the seven member provisional military government which controlled Tientsin ca. 1900-02. The obverse records this provisional government with a legend in French around enamel flags of Germany, United States, France, United Kingdom, Italy, Japan and Russia with the dates of its existence below; Reverse: Two line inscription within wreath of oak and laurel. Having been seized by the Boxers in June of 1900 Tientsin was recaptured by forces of the Eight Nation Alliance (the seven countries listed above as well as Austria-Hungary) on July 14th with the provisional government being formed shortly thereafter on July 30th. For the next two-years this provisional government oversaw military control of Tientsin and its surrounding areas. Beginning in late Spring of 1902 meetings with Governor Yuan Shih-kai of Chihli started the process of returning control of the city back to the Qing government with Tientsin Tutung Yamen ceasing existence on August 15th. While it was struck in both silver and gold it is believed that the gold versions were only presented to the foreign dignitaries of the provisional government. It is speculated that only two of these gold medals are known today, however neither this example nor a different piece recently brought to auction match the specimen plated in L&M which may indicate a third example. Regardless of the surviving number this medal is of massive historical importance, clearly representing an international effort to stabilize the rapidly deteriorating control of the Qing dynasty. Though given a details grade by PCGS due to a moderate rim bump and resulting abrasion on the reverse at 12 o'clock the medal is a handsome example, gracefully showing its age with lovely orange toning around the devices and fully intact enamel on the seven nation flags.

Estimate: $25,000.00 - $35,000.00

PCGS Genuine--Damage, AU Details Secure Holder.

珍稀1902年金質天津都統衙門獎牌

1902年天津都統衙門金質獎牌。

49.71 mm。J. Chevt設計，日本天賞堂製作。極罕見。由七國聯軍組成在1900-1902年管理天津當地事務的臨時政府發行。正面是德、美、法、英、意、日、俄等七國旗幟，底部有日期。背面是兩行中文字，橄欖枝葉環繞。1900年6月義和團事變爆發後，天津在7月14日被八國聯軍(上述七國外再加上奧匈帝國)佔領，7月30日即成立俗稱天津都統衙門的臨時政府，對天津及鄰近地區進行軍事統治兩年。1902年春，直隸總督袁世凱以談判方式收回治理權，都統衙門在8月15日撤銷。雖然金銀兩種材料均有，但相信金質獎牌只頒給外籍政要；一般相信，金質章僅存世二枚。但這枚及最近在拍賣會成交的一枚，都與L&M-1108圖版不同，顯示可能有第三枚。無論如何，此章具有重大歷史意義，代表國際間在清政府崩解前維持地區穩定的努力。由於邊緣碰痕及反面上方的磨損，只得到PCGS評鑑為AU Details。一件漂亮的藏品，設計典雅，賞心悅目的橘色包漿顯現出年代的久遠，正面旗幟上的琺瑯質完好無瑕。

Source/转载于：Stack's Bowers

钱币新闻：美国探险家寻获350枚西班牙古金幣，價值450萬美元

新唐人2015年08月20日訊】尋寶歷險是電影中常見的情節，現在卻在美國真實發生。一群佛羅里達探險家，成功找到了350枚西班牙古金幣，價值450萬美元。

300年前，一艘滿載金銀財寶的大船從哈瓦那前往西班牙，途中遭遇颶風沉沒，船上原本要進貢西班牙國王的350枚金幣也葬身海底。

現在，這些金幣被佛羅里達探險家布里斯本的公司找了回來，其中還有9枚是極為稀有的金幣。

布里斯本與另外兩名同事，足足在海底花了5天時間，才將這些古董打撈上來。

 Source：http://www.ntdtv.com

Coin News:Divers recover $4.5M in gold coin off Florida beach

A team of treasure hunters scouring the waters off Florida last month recovered a $4.5 million bounty of gold coins – including several made for the king of Spain, Philip V, in the early 1700s, Florida Today reported.

The find – made July 30 and 31 off the coast of Vero Beach -- was announced Wednesday by Bret Brisben, captain of the S/V Capitana. Brisben and his crew reportedly found 350 gold coins, nine of which are known as Royals and valued at $300,000 apiece.

The discovery, which comes from the 1715 Fleet shipwreck, was made on the 300th anniversary of the July 30, 1715 tragedy -- when the entire fleet of 11 ships traveling from Havana to Spain was lost at sea after it ran afoul of a hurricane. More than 1,000 people died.

"People love treasure stories. It resonates with everybody -- every demographic, young and old, rich and poor," Brisben told the newspaper. "People freak out that we're literally 10-15 feet off the beach in 2-3 feet of water."

The recovered treasure will be shared by Brisben, co-captain Jonah Martinez, diver William Bartlett and Dan Beckingham. Brisben owns Queens Jewels, a historic shipwreck salvage operation that has exclusive rights to the 1715 Treasure Fleet.

The State of Florida can receive 20 percent of the recovered artifacts for purposes of displaying in its museum in Tallahassee, according to a press release.

Brisben’s find comes a month after one of his subcontractors, Eric Schmitt, found 52 gold coins worth more than $1 million. Schmitt found the gold while diving about 150 feet off the coast of Fort Pierce in Florida during his yearly treasure-hunting trip with his wife, his sister and his parents, the Orlando Sentinel reported.

Sources: www.foxnews.com

Medals Collection (1) : What is medal?

Recently medals collection trend is gradually built, you can easily find some of the hardcore fans of commemorative coin start the new topic about the medals collection. In Malaysia, medal collection is a fairly new trend. In this issue I will take everyone know what is medallion.

纪念章投资 (1)：何谓纪念章？

近来收藏圈开始掀起纪念章收藏的热潮，你不难发现到很多收藏纪念币的玩家开始在开拓者一个新主题，至今纪念章投资还算是一个崭新的潮流，这一期笔者就带大家一起认识何谓纪念章。

The arising of rubber coupons

In my memories of past few years, the rubber coupons were always presumed by most collectors that they are less potential and non-main stream items. Their potential has been shielded by the general norms of most collectors have. Today, SPINK proves to us that rubber coupon no longer a cheap collection, they are exceptional rare and worth to score high credit from us!

Lot: 163

Rubber Export Coupons, British Malaya, 25 katis (2), ND (1928-1934), dark and pale brown, purple overstamp KUALA LUMPUR/ULU SELANGOR
(Tan BRM 3), extremely fine and scarce (2)

Sold for SG$1,900

• 

Straits Settlements 1894 10 cents NGC MS64

Straits Settlements 1894 10 cents secured by NGC in MS64, it is one of finest graded in established population reports of NGC and PCGS. The coin tied with another single piece for finest graded in NGC registry. Light toning accentuates the legends and a splaterring of darker crimson over the both minimal hairlines surfaces. A splash of parsimonious color across the both sides, sharp details and crispy rims as well as a light hairlines across the face of Queen Victoria.

What Are “Wheel Marks”?

Posted by Paul Sandler, NGC Grader on 1/20/2015 

Wheel marks are most often seen on 20th-century silver and are easily missed by the inexperienced eye. 

Tanda roda yang paling sering dilihat di perak abad ke-20 dan mudah terlepas dengan mata yang tidak berpengalaman.

Wheel marks are a concentrated area of hairlines that are caused by the rubber wheels in coin counting machines. When there is insufficient spacing between them, the wheels can essentially polish a small portion of the surface of the coin. These wheel marks are most often seen on 20th century silver such as Mercury and Roosevelt dimes as well as silver Washington quarters since these are the types of coins that you would most expect to be run through counting machines by dealers.

Tanda roda adalah kawasan yang penuh garis bulu yang disebabkan oleh roda getah di mesin syiling pengiraan. Apabila ada jarak antara mereka tidak mencukupi, roda-roda pada dasarnya boleh menggilap sebahagian kecil permukaan duit syiling. Tanda-tanda roda yang paling sering dilihat di perak pada abad ke-20 seperti Mercury dan Roosevelt dimes serta perak Washington pihak kerana ini adalah jenis duit syiling yang paling anda inginkan untuk dijalankan melalui mesin menggira oleh para peniaga.

While they are easily spotted by an experienced coin grader, they can be quite difficult for those who don’t know what they are looking for to see. Below are some examples of wheel marks on Washington quarters. 

Walaupun mereka mudah dikesan oleh pemeringkat syiling yang berpengalaman, ini boleh menjadi agak sukar bagi mereka yang tidak tahu di mana yang mereka perlu cari untuk melihat. Di bawah adalah beberapa contoh tanda roda pada suku Washington.

Photographed in normal lighting, this 1954 Washington Quarter looks
completely normal aside from the small die break on the eagle’s wing.

B.N.Borneo $1, Labuk SS-39, P-43, PF63BN

B.N. Borneo $1, Labuk SS-39, P-43 secured by NGC with grade PF63BN. In general, the coin is still remain some red tone on the reverse surface, minimal hairlines, sharp edge and most of the coin details are well remained. The obverse engraved with Mandarin scripts, "Yi Yuan" and small mint signature "KB" on the bottom, the reverse was the tobacco company name "The Labuk Planting Company Limited" and English denomination " and denomination "1 Dollar".