E-mail News WBCC Number 8 -------------------------------------------- Well, people after a week of struggling with my provider here you find number 8 E-mail News of the Worldwide Bi-metallic Collectors Club (WBCC). New Member ------------------- May I present a new member to our Collectors Club: Jean Verleg from The Netherlands. Jean Collects over 40 year coins and now his interest is also Bi-metallics. Profile of a member........ ------------------------------------ Name: Mike Kahlke, Newfields, New Hampshire, USA. Age: 31 Profession: Software Engineer. Looking: No, I'm happy at my current job. Hobby's: Brewing Beer, Coin collecting, Cross-country skiing. Against: My in-laws. Goal: Live long enough to see my kids go trough what I'm going through with them now. Reliable adres......By Martin Peeters ----------------------------------------------------- Bi-metallics from Vatican, San Marino and Italy are in the USA not always so easy to get. The following adres is reliable, I have positive experience: Edward J. Jencius P.O. Box 41 Brooklyn, NY 11228-0041 USA Tel. : (718) 836-0674 Fax : (718) 836-8554 Do you have a reliable adress for Bi-metallics, please let us know. Portugal Mintset 1996 -------------------------------- In 1996 Portugal has made 3 Bi-metallics: 100 Escudos, with Pedro Nunes. 200 Escudos, with Garcia de Orta. 200 escudos, with Olympic games. These three Bi-metallics are only available in a (Bu) Mintset. So this is the first (Bu) Mintset with three Bi-metallics in it. My favorit Bi-metallic......By Larry Friemel ------------------------------------------------------------ I think this is a great subject. The favorit Bi-metallic coin which I poosess is probaly that which seem technically significant. Maybe this is because of my engineering background. Obviously the Italians by being the first to succesfully mass produce Bi-metallic coins for general circulation make their 1982 500 Lire an important coin. Then the French, I think took it one step further and perfected the Bi-metallic coin from a production process when they introduced the 20 Franc Tri-metallic in 1990. BTW In a recent article from The Royal Canadian Mint shows that hey too have produced trial Tri-metallic coin and they indicate that they have demonstrated the process to the point that they can mass produce them should there desire in the future. In this catagory, I also place the Israel Piedfort Bi-metallic because of their thickness. I have talked to the Mint which produces these Bi-metallics and they say that they believe this thickness is probably the maximum which they can use in producing a Bi-metallic. Lastly and I really think my most favorit is the 1995 Austrian 500 Shilling Bi-metallic Ecu. I like its size, its design and the item which I think sets it a part from the rest is the fact that the stars in the outer ring are punched completely through the ring. There are 11 Starholes which you can see trhough from either side. Do you have a favorit Bi-metallic ? Members report......By Larry Friemel ----------------------------------------------------- A little report on what is the Pacific coasts biggest 3 times a year Coin show which is held in Long Beach, Calafornia. The 9/22/96 show probably had 300 to 350 tables of coin dealers. However, 80% of these sold only US coins, 10% sold ancients, 5% foreign and 5% miscellaneous. Normally I manage to acquire 2-3 Bi-metallics for my collection at this show. hoever nor this time. There was little and now stock available. Only 2 dealers had ringed Bi-metallics and those that they had weare run of the mill coins from Mexico, Italy and San Marino. There were a couple of dealers which had a few ringed Panda and unicorn 1/4 ounce gold pieces, but as it happens they were the same date as the one I bought at the last show. An ancient dealer, had an interesting pice. It was about 6 inches in diameter, looked Italian (he didn't know), was dated 1784 and had a gold ring around it. He thought it was some kind of school medal. He was not quoting a price, but was taking offers. The two offers he had I thought were very high. As I was talking with one dealer about his Internet business site, he told me that he collaborates with a gentleman from Germany and one from The Netherlands. He indicates that they are near publishing a Bi-metallic coin book, but are still trying to get financing. They have been struggling whether it should be in color or if black and white is good enough or if it should be hard bound or soft bound and less expensive. Till now it is not available. Do you have anything to report ? Indonesia ------------- Indonesia has made a 1000 Rupia Bi-metallic in 1993, 1994 and 1995. Now the 1996 issue is out. The Netherlands, Euro -------------------------------- After the 10 Euro 1996 with Willen Barentzs on it now there is a new 10 Euro on the market with Constatin Huygens on it. These Euro's are not common circulated Bi-metallics but commercial issue's. France, Euro ------------------ France has made a 1996 5 Euro Bi-metallic with the former president Mitterand on it. They say it is the first in a serie France will made in the future. The World of Bi-metallics ------------------------------------ The catalog 'The World of Bi-metallics' I have send this week (oct. 1th) by post to all members of the Worldwide Bi-metallic Collectors Club (WBCC). I'm very curious to know what you think about it. What there is to do better. Please let me know. With this 'E-mail News number 8' I do a test to attache the catalog to this E-mail. The catalog is sended in 2 parts. 'Part_1+2'_issue_11 and 'Part_3_issue_11' The 2 files are made in the spreadsheet programm Excel V-7.0. Please let me know how you receive them. The Netherlands, test Bi-metallics ------------------------------------------------- In 1904 the Dutch Mint has done some tests with Bi-metallics. They want to make a new coin for the 5 cent piece. For the tests they took the die of the 1 cent 1904 and made several pieces. According the Schulman catalog 1966 there made 4 different pieces with several materials: Brass/Nickel, Nickel/Brass and Bronze/Nickel Ring/Plug combination. How much there are made is unknown even the Dutch Mint doesn't know, so they are most rare. Till this time and 'see' you' next sunday for my 'E-mail News WBCC number 9', Happy Bi-metallic hunting, Martin, Focal Point of the Worldwide Bi-metallic Collectors Club