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World Coin Articles
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Posted: May 29, 2024|By GovMint: Welcome to our guide! We’ll cover everything you need to know about the South African Mint, including its history, the coins they’ve produced, collaborations and partnerships, and coin-collecting tips.Table of Contents The History of the South African Mint What Does the South African Mint Do? What Coins Are Minted in South Africa? Does South Africa Still Mint Krugerrands? Are Krugerrands Illegal to Own in the US? Collaborations and Partnerships Collecting South African Coins How to Start Collecting South African Coins How to Preserve and Store South African Coins What to Avoid When Collecting South African Coins Where to Buy South African Coins The History of the South African Mint Established in 1892, the South African Mint has a long and rich history spanning over 130 years. Paul Kruger, South Africa’s then-president, founded the mint in response to the Witswaterand gold rush and to help address the country’s coin shortage. Establishing a mint…Read more »
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By GovMint:Minting over 3 billion coins and coin blanks a year, The Royal Mint produces money of all sizes, denominations, and mintages. With their coin press machines capable of minting up to 100 commemorative coins an hour, everything must function perfectly to create consistent quality. The Royal Mint has proven its dedication to craftsmanship and uniformity by participating in the Trial of the Pyx, a rigorous examination of randomly selected coins in each denomination to ensure all minting standards are met. The long-held Pyx trial occurs annually and takes up to three months from start to final verdict. Once all the coins have been reviewed, the trial's verdict is read aloud to gathered officials, including the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Deputy Master of The Royal Mint. With more than 700 years of Pyx trials, this process is not only held in high national regard but also steeped in rich history. Discover more about the Trial of the Pyx, the pyx meaning, and how this…Read more »
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Posted: March 19, 2024|By GovMint: The Royal Mint boasts a history spanning centuries and stands as one of the oldest mints in the world that still produces coins for circulation and collecting to this day. This guide will explain everything you need to know about The Royal Mint, some of its most popular coins series, and more!Table of Contents The History of The Royal Mint What Does The Royal Mint Do? Does The Royal Mint Make Coins for Other Countries? What Types of Coins Does The Royal Mint Create? Iconic Royal Mint Coin Designs Examples of The Royal Mint Coins Can You Buy Directly From The Royal Mint? Where to Buy Collectible Coins What Is The Royal Mint?: The History of The Royal Mint With over 1,100 years of history, The Royal Mint (also known as the British Royal Mint) is one of the oldest mints in the world as it traces its origins to the end of the second century BC in Britain. Initially, coins were produced through a casting method before gradually transitioning to hand striking over…Read more »
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China’s Moon Festival Panda® series is an exquisite collection of medals that began in 2015. Celebrating China’s Moon Festival (also known as Mid-Autumn Festival), these issues feature the beloved Chinese panda in designs that incorporate elements symbolizing the festival, such as the full moon and a bountiful harvest. Struck with meticulous craftsmanship and often issued with limited mintages, the Moon Festival Panda series is cherished by collectors worldwide for the series’ beauty, cultural significance, and collectibility. Learn more about the Moon Festival Panda series here at GovMint!History of China’s Mid-Autumn Festival The Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon Festival, is a longstanding Chinese tradition with roots stretching back over 3,000 years to the Zhou Dynasty, where it began with emperors worshipping the moon. Evolving through the ages, it achieved prominence as a public celebration in the Song Dynasty and today stands as China’s…Read more »
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By GovMint :Queen Elizabeth II held the world record for being an individual who was featured on the most currencies, appearing on the coinage of at least 45 countries during her long lifetime. She also currently appears on all 29 billion coins circulating in the United Kingdom, as well as on the coins and currencies of many Commonwealth countries. It's a question that has undoubtedly crossed all of our minds at one point or another: what happens to coins when the Queen dies? Do they get melted down and minted anew with the image of the new monarch? Or do they just remain in circulation, a little piece of history bearing witness to the passing of time.Will new coins with the face of the King be issued? Yes, but there is no firm timetable for release. After a period of mourning observance, new coins and notes with King Charles III’s image will need to be designed and minted or printed, but are not likely to appear in general circulation for some time. Any new image of a monarch…Read more »
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By Louis Golino On February 2, 2022, Queen Elizabeth II marked the 70th year of her reign. She became the United Kingdom’s longest-reigning monarch in 2015 – overtaking that position from Queen Victoria, who served almost 64 years and became queen as a young woman like Elizabeth. Queen Elizabeth is also the world’s longest-reigning living monarch, and in 2 years and 50 days, she will overtake French King Louis XIV as the longest-reigning monarch in history. Note that, as she said in 1957, she reigns rather than rules because of the changed role of a monarch in a modern democracy, I.e., they do not rule by decree, but she is the head of state for the United Kingdom and 15 Commonwealth nations. The platinum jubilee is being marked with extensive celebrations in the United Kingdom, including a four-day holiday in June. In celebration, The Royal Mint, which has issued all the United Kingdom coinage struck during her reign, is also releasing one of its most extensive coin…Read more »
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By: Louis Golino2021 marks the 200th anniversary since the death of Napoleon Bonapart, also known as Napoleon I or just Napoleon, one of the most influential figures in French and European history who died in 1821. Napoloen died after being exiled to St. Helena in 1815 following his loss of the Battle of Waterloo, marking the second time he was forced into exile – the first being to Elba in 1814 after being forced to surrender after another military loss. To honor 200 years since his passing, mints around the world, including the Paris Mint, are issuing a wide-variety of stunning Napoleon-themed coinage in 2021Napoleon Bonaparte’s Numismatic Legacy Born on the French island Corsica in 1769, Napoleon rose to prominence during the French Revolution and was later crowned Emperor of France in 1804. As a result of his extensive military conquests, he also later ruled Italy and part of what is today Germany, Switzerland, and other European countries. Beyond his impact on…Read more »
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Author Louis Golino If you are a fan of the popular The Royal Mint series, which recently concluded in 2020, called the Queen's Beasts, you will love a new series of silver and gold coins being released by the East India Company over the next two and a half years. Dubbed the Queen's Virtues, the series will also tap into the widespread appeal of the symbolism and iconography of the British monarchy worldwide. The coins will be issued for St. Helena, a British territory that was colonized by the East India Company in 1658 and which is the second oldest British colony, The innovative series is called the Queen's Virtues Collection and focuses on six virtues associated with Queen Victoria – the great-great-grandmother of Queen Elizabeth II, who turned 95 in April and who will observe her 70th anniversary as monarch in 2022. In 2015 she became the longest-serving British monarch, overtaking that position from Victoria, who reigned for 63 years. The Victorian Age, as it is…Read more »
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By Louis Golino On December 9 the globally renowned Canadian Silver Maple Leaf began an exciting new chapter with the launch of the 2020-W Burnished Silver Maple Leaf. These coins are the first-ever struck at the Royal Canadian Mint’s facility in Winnipeg. They also feature a burnished uncirculated finish and a mint mark just as the United States Mint’s Burnished American Silver Eagle series is struck with a “W” mint mark and a satiny matte burnished finish. Silver Maple Leaf coins normally do not carry a mint mark, but the new coins will feature “W” mint marks for the Winnipeg mint as well as an ultra-low mintage of just 10,000 coins. What’s more, this is the first issue of an ongoing series of special Silver Maple Leaf coins struck to collector-grade quality to present the beloved reverse design of a single maple leaf at its best. Striking the coins with a burnished finish required that each planchet be carefully burnished to create a smooth, satin…Read more »
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By Sean McConeghy The Royal Canadian Mint's Peace Dollar Updated 11/12/2020 World War I was one of the bloodiest conflicts in human history. It also happened to be among the first wars that was brought home to those not on the frontlines through photos and videos. The entire world celebrated peace when it finally ended. The U.S Mint got in on the festivities with Anthony de Francisci’s Peace Dollar, which made its debut in 1921. 99 years later, Canada issued a Peace Dollar of its own that was inspired by de Francisci’s design. The first Canada Peace Dollar followed the 2019 Peace and Liberty medal on which the Royal Canadian Mint (RCM) collaborated with former U.S Mint Chief Engraver, John Mercanti. Celebrating values cherished by the two countries, it consisted of a Peace design by retired RCM Senior Engraver Susan Taylor and a Liberty design by Mercanti. Following the Peace and Liberty Medal, the RCM released the first-ever 2020 Canada Peace Dollar in the fall of 2019. …Read more »