WBCC Newsmail 36, Vol. 2, April 19, 1997 Dear WBCC members, please read WBCC Newsmail number 36 with again international news about Bi-metallic. Every week I'm surprised how new about Bi-metallic there is and very hapy with the contribitons of the members. Please keep doing this to me and all the WBCC members. Enjoi it !! 1. Colombia Bi-metallic 1000 Peso 1996....By Frans Dubois, Netherlands Colombia seem to has struck and issued a 1000 Pesos Bi-metallic dated 1996. Further deatails unknown. 2. Visiting a coinshow....By Joseph Kocian, USA I should mention about the ANA show that was held here in Cleveland. I did attend..... there were over 250 vendors at the show. I found only 4 that did anything with Bi-metallic and their stock was very limited (I had most already) and my collection is not large at all. I was dismayed about many of the "attitudes" of dealers. As I asked about Bi-metallic I was given a look that made me feel like I was "crazy". For an ANA show.... I was surprised about their attitude. I would have thought that seeing an interest in coinage was a positive thing...... but unless it was what they were pushing they could not be concerned with you. I have had a "warmer" time at local club shows.... which I think I will only now go to for the future. 3. The term "Cameo Coins"........By Patrick Glassford, Canada Not sure if you know that "Cameo" is a term that is also applied to coins that have frosted features, here in North America. And is a condition and a description of a coin. It does not mean Bi-metallic. There is no Bi-metallic connection here. These are not like the Aviation $20.00 coins which have been describe by the Mint as having a 24 kt gold covered oval "Cameo" portrait of the aviation hero commemorated. Again Cameo is a descriptive word meaning it stands out from the background. It just happens that these are Bi-metallic. The term Cameo can apply to both as a descriptive word, but it does not mean both are Bi-metallic 4. Poland 5 Zloty 1995 Bi-metallic..........By Eugene Canham, USA I got a Fax from the Mint of Poland that they did NOT produce 1995 dated 5 Zloty coins However they tell me that they have made 1996 dated 5 Zloty. They will only sell them to me if I buy 100 or more pieces !!. 5. Bahrein 100 Fils 1993 Bi-metallic.....By Eugene Canham, USA I hear from the firm in Singapore that they made a mistake on the 1993 Bahrein 100 Fils Bi-metallic that they are all dated 1992. 6. Thailand 500 Riels 1998 Bi-metallic........By Eugene Canham, USA I have heard from a coindealer in Bangkok, Thailand that he has 1998 dated Cambodia 500 Riels. This might be true because they have crazy dating system. Like the earlier issue wich has dates of 1994 and 1995 (BE 2538) on the same coin !! 7. French Mint set 1997....................By Eugene Canham, USA The French mint in Paris has out the 1997 dated Brilliant Uncirculated Mint set. I an waiting mine now. As usual this set has the Bi-metallic 10 Francs and the Tri-metallic 20 Francs. 8. Interesting stuff for WBCC members......By Eugene Canham, USA In about 2 weeks I will have for sale the following item if any club member are interested: Argentina 1 Peso, KM 87.2, "B" error spelling ProvinCias for $8. Will also trade 1 error piece for 1 piece "B" mintmark correct spelling ProvinCias. Also for sale 1 piece only, Great-Britain ND (1844) Model Penny, Bruce #X9c (Copper/White metal). Fine $8. 9. New Zealand news.................By Steve Andews, USA I have been in contact with the reserve Bank of New Zealand and was forwarded the following information: In reply to my e-mail concerning future Bi-metallic coins such as the 1994 Endeavor 50 cent peice Mr. Richard Howe, Marketing Co-ordinator for the Reserve Bank of New Zealand, replied that New Zealand does "not have any plans for further issues of Bi-metallic coins in the immediate future". However he did indicate that there are still a limited number of proof 1994 sets available. Mr Howe can be reach via e-mail at hower@rbnz.govt.nz 10. The USA Silver centre Cent..............By Frans Woons, Canada In the literature I found five records of auctions between 1972 and 1997 in which the 1792 American "silver-centre cent" was sold. I don't know whether this list is complete. Year...where.........................................quality........price 1974 Pine Tree's, Sept. 18, #1272a........unknown...$105,000 1981 B&R's Garrett IV, #2347................unc...........$ 95,000 1987 Stack's Romano, #143..................EF-40........$ 68,750 1988 B&M's Norweb III, #3392................unc-60.......$143,000 1997 Philip's London, England, Jan. 30...unknown....$ 45,700 It seems that the coin is discussed by the late J. Hewitt Judd, M.D. in his 1959 book "United States Pattern, Experimental and Trial Pieces" under # 1. 11. German Encased Coins.......By Frans Woons, Canada In the German coin magazine "Geldgeschichtliche Nachrichten" (GN) ("News > about the history of money"), Vol. 31, No. 173 (May 1996), p. 134, I found an article that discusses three encased German coins previously unknown to the WBCC. One coin is shown in photographs while all three coins are decribed in more or less detail. The only coin shown is the following piece: A.. A nickel 10 Pennig piece dated 1908 encased in an aluminum ring. Diameter: 33 mm. On the aluminum ring one can read on the obverse (the side with the face value of the coin): (clover leaf) DEIN TALISMAN BIN ICH FUR WAHR (horse shoe) ICH BRING DIR GLUCK DURCH'S GANZE JAHR [your taliman I am for sure, I bring you luck all year long]. [This slogan rhyms in German but not in English]. On the reverse (the side with the eagle) one reads: AELTESTE DEUTSCHE VERSAND & AUSSTATTUNGSHAUSER HOFLIEFERANT (GEGRUNDET 1780) BRESLAU JULIUS HENEL VORM. C. FUCHS [oldest German transport and outfitters company; supllier to the Crown; established in 1780 in Breslau; Julius Henel, formerly C. Fuchs]. Estimated mintage: 300 specimens. The other two pieces discussed in the article are: B. A 10 Pfennig piece dated 1906 encased in an aluminum ring. Diameter 33 mm. C. A 10 Pfennig piece dated 1910 encased in an aluminum ring "with > mirror". Diameter 38 mm. (I am not sure what this "with mirror" means) D In GN, Vol. 32, No. 178 (March 1997), p. 91, I found a second article about an encased German coin. The coin in question is again a 10 Pfennig piece, this time dated 1900 and struck in Berlin as indicated by the A mintmark. This piece is also encased in an aluminum ring and measures 33 mm in diameter. The legends on the ring are very similar to the ones found on the piece described under A. 12. Visiting a coinshow...By Rod Sell, Australia I had hoped to find loads of Bi-Metallics at the NAA Coin Fair in Sydney on the 12th and 13th April. I was dissapointed I did not find any. There was a bright side though. I entered my Bi-Metallics in the display competition and won a cash prize, so I can now spend it on some more Bi-Metallics. Also Greg McDonald who edits Australasian Coins and Banknotes wanted some information on Bi-Metallics so I hope there will be an article in the May Magazine. The display created a bit of interest but to date no new members. 13. WBCC own Bi-metallic.........By Martin Peeters, WBCC Focal Point In a later edition of the WBCC Newsmail I will make a special article of all reactions what came from the WBCC members about the WBCC own Bi-metallic. In this special article there is also more news about design, possible metals, sizes and costs. Till then I still need reactions of some WBCC members. 14. Visiting a Coinshow.......By Martin Peeters, Netherlands Last friday april 18th. I visited with 2 fellow WBCC members a coinshow in Cologne, Germany. This event is held 3 days but was in one way disapointed, on the other hand we heard some news about Bi-metallics. There were (only) about 25 coindealers and they only selling Gold/silver Bi-metallics. One coindealer had 2 Chinese Bi-metallic Pandas; the price 1500 German Marks !!! Another coindealer had a France 25 Ecu 1994, it depicts Strassburg, the capital of Europe. This is a special Bi-metallic because the little plug, Gold (about 1 cm) is not in the center. I bought this piece for 80 German marks. Also a coindealer had the Austria Bi-metallic 1000 Shilling dated 1994 (AU/Ag), the price 395 Germarks, and the same dealer offered the French Bi-metallic Montesquieu 1989 (Au/Ag) for a price of 500 German Marks. Further I saw a stand of the Austria Mint, and they say there will be made also a 50 Shilling Bi-metallic in 1997, issued in october this year. At last I saw a showstand of the German Mint. Because in the future they will possible made the Euros, they showed at last 25 different Bi-metallics, some errors, misstrucked and essais. I ask the manager of the stand what they will do with these Bi-metallics after the coinshow , hoping to get some (!!), but that wasn't possible, they would go back to their stocks !! I almost cried !! 15. A Bi-metallic travels around the world..By Martin Peeters, Netherlands This week I've got the Czaar Peter Bi-metallic medal from Joel Anderson, USA. This Bi-metallic medal is struck at the Royal Dutch Mint was ordered for a Russian client. Joel Anderson got them from Russia, and I got it back from the USA to the Netherlands. That is very a long travel for a Bi-metallic what is struck about 50 KM from my hometown !! Asking at the Dutch Royal mint why it is not available directly from them; "They are made only for a foreign client and we are not alowed the sell them here in the Netherlands". Very strange, don't you also think so ? "See" you next week, Martin Peeters, WBCC Focal Point martinp@concepts.nl