Page 2 - World Coin Articles

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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. …

By Sean McConeghy Many economists and historians could reasonably make the case that the history of the world is the history of money. From the debasement of currency in the Roman Empire to the rise of the ‘sound pound,’ money has played a central role in the rise and fall of countries throughout the world. It is little wonder, then, that those who are interested in coin collecting tend to have a deep interest in history. Important as money has been to world history, its value and who holds it, have been largely determined in war. The Babylonians, the Japanese, the Russians, and countless other civilizations built themselves largely on the backs of those whom they conquered, while the likes of the Iroquois and the Spartans continue to be remembered long after their peaks thanks to their ferocity. Warriors of History In recent years, some Mints have begun issuing coins that look back at some of history’s fiercest warriors. One of the leaders in this area is the New Zealand…

By Louis Golino This year American coin collectors will be able to celebrate July 4 – the day of American independence – with a new, limited-edition two-coin set that will be released the day before.  Canadians will also have a great way to mark Canada Day -- the July 1 holiday that used to be called Dominion Day. That is when the country became a self-governing dominion of Great Britain and a federation of four provinces: Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Ontario and Quebec. Called Pride of Two Nations, the set is the first-ever joint numismatic release between the United States Mint and the Royal Canadian Mint. It will commemorate their legacy of close relations and longstanding friendship as well as the rich history of both nations with a set that will include the first-ever enhanced Reverse Proof American Silver Eagle and first-ever Silver Maple Leaf with a Modified Proof finish. The U.S. Mint has set a mintage and product limit of 100,000 sets and a household limit of 5 sets,…

By Sean McConeghy A Tangible Connection to the "Longest Day" In June 1940, Axis forces accomplished what their leader, Adolph Hitler, called “the most famous victory in history” with the fall of France. The following year, Axis forces invaded the Soviet Union, and the United States joined the war. Joseph Stalin, then leader of the Soviet Union, pressed for Allied forces to open a western front, but those forces instead engaged in the Mediterranean, in both Africa and in Europe, rather than launching a full-on assault. Finally, in May 1943, attendees of the Trident Conference decided to launch such an assault in France. Planning for Operation Overlord began, and the assault began on what is today known as “D-Day” on June 6, 1944. Covert Measures and Redirection One of the most important aspects of D-Day was the deception leading up to it. Well in advance of the attack, Operation Bodyguard was developed to confuse German forces on the date and location of the invasion,…

By Sean McConeghy Humble Beginnings For most of the 1800s, the Perth Mint was a small, sleepy town in western Australia. That changed near the turn of the century thanks to the discovery of gold at Kalgoorlie and Coolgardie. As mining exploded in the region, so too did Perth’s population. It rose from about 8,500 in 1881 to 61,000 in 1901. To respond to the increased demand, “Big John” Forrest lobbied for the opening of a new mint in Western Australia. He was chosen to lay the foundation stone for the mint in 1896. Three years later, the mint began its operations. At the time that it opened, Australia was under British control, and the Perth Mint became the third branch of the British Royal Mint. Other mints operated in Sydney and Melbourne, but they have since closed. For decades, the mint focused exclusively on minting gold coins. From 1899-1931, it produced over 106 million gold sovereigns and over 700,000 half sovereigns for use throughout the British Empire. When…