WBCC Newsmail 34, Vol. 2, April 5, 1997 Dear members of the WBCC, items in the WBBC Newsmail are placed as they come in with your WBCC Focal Point. There is no difference in importancy, they are all even nice, interesting and important. Further I ask (again) your opinion about an own WBCC Bi-metallic. 1. New WBCC member....By Martin Peeters, WBCC Focal Point Name: Heath MacAlpine, USA No Internet Entry 2. Visiting a coinshow...............By Jeffrey Timmons, USA I attended a coin show in Portland today (March 29). It is put out by the Pacific Northwest Numismatics Association. Of the 80 tables there, I was expecting at least a few of them to have Bi-metallic coins for sale. Only two tables had them. One of the tables belonged to Brian Jenner, a Washington state dealer in Canadian items (his advertisements can be found in Coin World). He had some sets that contained the $2 Polar Bear coin. I found quite a number of encased coins. I purchased one encased coin that had a nickel!! The nickel is dated 1954, and was minted in Denver. It was put out by the County Trust Company of Maryland, from Annapolis, Maryland, USA. It was made for Christmas, as it said "Merry Christmas" on one side. I found one encased penny shaped like a bell, but I did not purchase it. I also found another encased nickel, but it was an Indian/Buffalo nickel!! The dealer wanted US$165 for it, explaining that they are very hard to obtain. Here is the address of Brian Jenner, Inc. PO Box 2466-A Pasco, WA 99302 USA Phone: 509-735-2172 FAX: 509-783-8042 I spent some time talking to this dealer, and looked at his merchandise, and feel that he is reliable. 3. American Silver centre Cent,......... By Frans Woons, Canada A few weeks ago we learned that an American silver-centre cent dated 1792 was auctioned in London, England, and fetched 28,750 Pound Sterling or about $ 45,700 US (Newsmail 26, point 13). Of course this is not the first time such a coin was bought and sold. Last week or so I was leafing through some back issues of the magazine "COINage" (actually I was looking for non-ringed bi-metallic coins and found pieces struck for the Solomon Islands) when I stumbled upon some information concerning the Norweb Sale. Part III of this collection was auctioned on November 14 and 15, 1988, in New York City. One of the pieces in this sale was an American silver-centre cent dated 1792. A photograph of the obverse of this coin is shown in "COINage", November 1988, page 8, under C. In the accompanying arcticle it is stated, on page 130, that this coin is "... a superb uncirculated silver-center cent...". In "COINage" of February 1989, on page 124, it is stated that the coin (Mint State 60) was sold for $ 130,000 US plus a 10% buyer's fee. In other words, the buyer paid $ 143,000 US!!! 4. Finland 5 Euro 1996,........... By Jeffrey Timmons, USA I have recently purchased the new FINLAND 5 Euro 1996 coin from a dealer here in the states. At 38mm, and with attractive designs on both sides, it is fast becoming one of my favourite bi-metallic coins. It is the third such bi-metallic piece from Finland, and it is their first Bi-metallic Euro. On one side of the coin, it shows the image of a castle called Olavinlinna. Having previously been to Finland, I had not heard of this place until this coin was released. This struck my curiousity and did some research on this place. Olavinlinna Castle is located in the city of Savonlinna, which is about 185 miles northeast of Helsinki. It was founded in 1475 by the Swedish viceroy of that region. It was to defend the border of the Kingdom of Sweden (which then incorporated Finland) from attack from the east. The castle was named after Olaf the Second, a former king of Norway who spread Christianity thoughout his country and was later canonized. It was founded on a rocky islet in a strait and was completed in the early 1490's. A trading settlement sprung up around the castle, eventually becoming Savonlinna. Although the castle survived many wars, the settlement was destroyed a number of times. Russian troops eventually captured the castle on two seperate occasions during the 18th Century. In 1812, the castle was finally reunited with the rest of Finland, which was at that time an autonomous Grand Duchy of the Russian Empire. Today, Olavinlinna is believed to be the most preserved castle in the Nordic countries. It now serves as a couple of museums, as well as the main stage for the Savonlinna Opera Festival during the summer season. Therefore, I can see why such a place would be commemerated on such a beautiful coin. Not only does it have historical significance, but cultural as well. 5. Doing some Public Relations.............By Eugene Canham, USA I have written 2 different articles about Bi-metallics and send them in for buplication. I don't know if they will use them but I hope so. I have mentioned the WBCC in both and maybe they will generate some new members and general interest in Bi-metallics. The first titles "Why not Something different?" which I submitted to the Numismatist, which is the official magazin of the ANA. The second article is titled "Think Bi-metallics are new?" which I submitted to Frause Publications for use in Numismatic News or/and world coin News. Lets see what happens.! 6. Some items which may be of interest...By Joel Anderson, USA * A coin dealer in Lithuania apparently has engaged the Dutch mint to issue a bi-metal token honoring Peter the Great. The token will be included in a mint set and sold seperately. According to the information I received: Holland-Russia 1997 Coins: This is our issue for Czar Peter's 300 Years since visiting Zaandam, Holland, where he arrived to learn ship building. The booklet consists of a mint set of Dutch coins of 1997 and a USSR Proof coin with the monument for Czar Peter in St. Petersburg, Russia (Y217). There is a Bi-metallic token which says Czar Peter-Zaandam 1697-1997 on one side and the sign of the Dutch Mint on the other. Pictures monument to Czar Peter in Zaandam town. 1000 issued, all numbered. Produced at the Dutch Mint. I ordered 100 of the tokens. I hope they look nice! Will let you know when they arrive. You can reach me: E-mail: jacoins@aol.com Joel Anderson P.O. Box 3016 Merced, CA 95344-1016 USA Phone/Fax: (209) 722-5426 * I recently received two attractive Finland 5 Euro coins honoring the 1st World Air Games in Turkey. The two have a common obverse featuring an old glider, an airplane and a balloon with the inscription "FEDERATION AERONAUTIQUE INTERNATIONALE". The reverse of one features "Skysurfing" (I bet this is the first time that sport has been on a coin!) and pictures sky surfers. The other features "Aeromodelling" and shows model aircraft. The coin have a common reverse legend "1st WORLD AIR GAMES TURKEY 5 EURO FINLAND (name of sport) 1997. They also have a latent image "97" in the design. Both coins have lettered edges. 7. Macao huge size ringed Bi-metallic............By Eugene Canham, USA I have come across a huge monster size ringed Bi-metallic in Silver and Gold. This coin has a .999 Silver center (12 ozs. Troy Pound !!) and a ring of .999 Gold (2 ozs. !) It is from the country Macao, KM# x-6, 1988, Proof, 250 Pieces, made by Popjoy Mint. Diameter 85 mm, Denomination $ 400 Silgold. Issue price 750 US Dollars. Outherring design: 35th Macao Grand Prix (observe), Chinese Characters (reserve). Center design: Coin design of Macao KM-10 & 12, denomination (observe) and Two Dragons (reserve). 8. Question of the week...........By Martin Peeters, WBCC Focal Point Last week question:: Which country made the first Bi-metallic Ecu? Answer: When you look to the first country who made the first Bi-metallic ECU, then it was Belgiun with their 1990 Ag/Au 10 and 20 ECU depicts King Boudewin. When you look only to the first ECU made, it was infact no country, but listed as Europe with the 100 ECU 1984. There are 2 different pieces. A. 100 ECU 1984 Ag/Au and listed in the "ECU katalog" 1st. edition 1993, page 62 by Gerhard Schon/Battenberg, Gemany. B. 100 ECU 1984 Ag/Au and listed in the Third Edition of "Unusual World Coins" By Colin R. Bruce II, USA The only difference is the head, on the first mentioned it is not the same size, a little bit smaller. Also different are the lettering, also smaler. Maybe I shouldn't ask such tricky (or misleading?) questions in the future. 9. Bilboard result........................By Philip Chang, USA Within the last two months, I acquired a fair number of Bi-metallic coins off two bidboards in my area. The fever of Bi-metallic has not taken off and I was able to get these coins rather cheaply, many at the open reserve price. Country date demonination price paid condition Argentina 1994 1 peso $2.00 unc Italy 500 Lire 1.00 unc Portugal 1992 200 Escudos 1.40 xf Peru 1995 2 Sol 1.00 unc Russia 1991 5 Rubles (owl) 2.40 unc 1992 10 Rubles (gross) 2.40 unc 1993 50 Rubles (heron) 2.10 unc 1993 50 Rubles (Porpoise) 2.10 unc 1994 50 Rubles (flamingo) 2.10 unc However, six other Russian bimetallic coins were outbidded from me. Apparently, the buyer was a collector of coins with animals and he ended up paying more than $2.40 for each. I tend to do better on the boards than the last two coin show I attended. I was very disapointed on the availability and high price they want for bimetallic coins. 10. Members report..................By Luis Wulschner, Mexico In the month of September of 1996 the Bank of Mexico remitted to all banks in the country a circular informing that the bi-metallic coins with silver content (10, 20 and 50 pesos) were in process of being withdrawn from circulation because of the high costs of production that result from using silver in this type of coins. When the Bank of Mexico gave a communication of this nature, all the banks of the country were prohibited to release these coins to the public; that means, that all coins of 10, 20 and 50 pesos that they had in stock in their vaults and all those in circulation should be remitted to the Bank of Mexico. For several years when these coins circulated it was very difficult to acquire them in UNC/BU condition; and now not even in circulated condition. This is how the only Bi-metallic coins in circulation in the world had short existance, and now they will remain as beautiful and highly attractive pieces of collection. According to my research and the information obtained from an Executive of the Bank of Mexico, the mintage of mexican Bi-metallic coins from 1992 to 1997 is as follows: 1 Peso ------------ 1992, 93, 94, 95, 95 (proof*), 96 and 97 2 Pesos ----------- 1992, 93, 94, 95, 95 (proof*), 96 and 97 5 Pesos ----------- 1992, 93, 94, 95 (only proof*), and 97 10 Pesos ---------- 1992, 93, 94, 95 and 95 (proof*) 20 Pesos ---------- 1993, 94 and 95 50 Pesos ---------- 1993, 94 and 95 Available only as a set. Because of the scarcity of Bi-metallic coins with content of silver, now you can only acquire them paying very high "premiums" for them. 11. 10 Pesos Mexican Bi-metallic news, By Luis Wulschner, Mexico: The Bank of Mexico informed that the new 10 peso Bi-metallic coin will have german silver instead of silver due to the high costs of production. The Bank didn't said since when will this coin start circulating. 12. Slowly growing...By Mike Schneider, Edmonton Num. Soc., Canada Just a quick note to say I received several Bi-metalic coins from my nephew who was in Europe last year. I received a 1986 Itallian 500 Lre; a 1990 Portugese 100 Escudos, and 4 pieces of 10 Franc coins. My collection of Bi-metallic is growing slowly but surely. 13. Suggestion WBCC own Bi-metallic......By Larry Dodds, USA I've been observing the Hale-Bopp comet for the last several days in our Northwestern Sky here in Vermont, U.S.A. What a beautiful sight!! And the appearance of this comet will not happen again until the year 4300 AC, last appearence was in 2200 BC. So for all members of the Club this is truly a once in a life time event. In fact the comet will not appear again in our skys for many generations to come. I believe everyone around the world is able to see this wonderful, beautiful comet. Why not commemorate this phenomenon on the WBCC Bi-metallic Token? I would like to suggest that on that a depiction of the comet and its tail appear on the outer ring of the token along with the insciption "In the Time of Hale-Bopp". 14. WBCC own Bi-metallic....By Martin Peeters, WBCC Focal Point In an earlier WBCC Newsmail I have ask you all to give you opinion about a WBCC own Bi-metallic. Till now only a few members have give their opinion and some have even give some ideas. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF THEIR IS ANY INTEREST AND WHAT YOU WANT TO SPENT FOR AN UNIQUE WBCC BI-METALLIC. "See" you next week, Martin Peeters, WBCC Focal Point martinp@concepts.nl