Innholdsfortegnelse for May 2025 i World Coin News

As we continue with the daily additions of new releases, we also keep an eye on the rise of metal prices. We just updated all melt values on the website and are in the process of modifying them once more to reflect this increase in metal pricing. We have also been making changes to show coins with their proper entity. This means that if a coin is commemorative or non-circulating, it will be labeled as such, versus the “standard coinage” it is now. We have also received emails from our members, who provide images for coins or inform us about listing discrepancies like missing mints or rulers. Thank you all for reaching out, and we greatly appreciate your assistance in making the website more accurate. I also want to thank…

Finding 15th-century hoards of English and Scottish coins on English soil is not necessarily unusual; however, it is rare when a mix of coins from these two kingdoms is discovered within the borders of Scotland. Two individuals armed with metal detectors recently uncovered a hoard containing coins of what, at that time, were two separate nations near Cappercleuch and St. Mary’s Loch. Cappercleuch is a hamlet situated at the junction of the Meggat and Yarrow valleys west of St. Mary’s Loch and 16 miles northeast of Moffat. Cappercleuch is at the northwest corner of the loch, which is narrow, a little more than three miles long, and less than a half mile wide. Initially, 30 coins were discovered by Keith Young and Lisa Stephenson, who reported their discovery to the…

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) recently sent a message to local banks that “Under BSP Circular No. 829, series of 2014, and the Manual of Regulations for Banks (MORB), banks are required to facilitate the processing and submission of the public’s mutilated currency to the BSP for examination.” BSP rules specify that bank notes are classified as unfit if the notes are dirty, soiled, limp, stained, or faded. Notes are considered to be mutilated if they are defaced or damaged due to burns, tears, perforations, or are missing parts due to insects, chemicals, extreme heat, or other such calamities According to the BSP, coins are unfit if they are bent, twisted, defaced, or corroded, but with the stipulation, the denomination can still be identified. Coins are considered mutilated if…

There is a feature of later Ottoman coins that, when I see it, I automatically think “Ottoman.” That is the toughra. Back in the old nomadic clan days Turkic tribes had clan brand marks. The marks were generally called tamgha. The Turks shared the practice with the Mongols, and continued to use them themselves into the Mongol period. There are tamghas to be found on the coins of the Mongol Golden Horde, among other Mongol domains. There are tamghas on pre-Islamic Turkic coins from Central Asia. With the Ottomans, the practice of using tamghas morphed into the use of toughras, which were personal marks of the sultans. A toughra featured the sultan’s name written into a calligraphic flourish that usually resembled two or more banners on poles. Banners had a…

Germany is one of the largest markets for precious metal investments, yet the country has never introduced its own bullion coin. German investors have had to rely on alternatives such as gold commemorative coins as nations like South Africa, Canada, and Austria have gained international recognition with the Krugerrand, Maple Leaf, and Vienna Philharmonic. Now, the Free State of Bavaria is making history and entering the international bullion market for the first time with the introduction of the Bayern Thaler—albeit with a unique concept that sets it apart from traditional bullion coins. Bavaria Focuses on Strong Design and Flexible Minting The Bavarian State Mint, one of Germany’s most historic mints, was commissioned by the Bavarian state government to develop its own precious metal coinage. The result is the Bayern Thaler,…

It may have taken more than 10 years to reach some conclusions, but numismatists and archeologists are finally determining why likely the world’s largest Iron Age Celtic hoard was buried in what appears to have been the middle of nowhere. First, you have to visualize a hoard of an almost unimaginable 69,347 coins. The Le Câtillon II hoard, as the find is known, was discovered in June 2012 and fused as one solid piece in a mass measuring about 55 by 27.5 inches and close to six inches thick. This mass of silver and copper alloy staters and quarter staters was covered in a layer of green corrosion. The hoard was reported to weigh about 2,200 pounds or 1,000 kilograms. The mass includes gold torques, silver bracelets, rings, and glass…

Can Taylor Swift and her legions of Swifties save coin collecting? It’s doubtful, but then again, coin collecting doesn’t need to be saved. What is of interest, however, is that the celebrity singer, songwriter, and cultural icon has been collecting coins—sort of. It is unlikely coin collectors have been paying much attention to what Swift wears as jewelry, but a closer examination reveals Swift has a connection, particularly to ancient coins and her boyfriend, pro football player Travis Kelce. Two jewelry pieces of particular note are a replica silver denarius of Roman Emperor Hadrian (A.D. 117–138) and another described as a bronze coin of Philip I (224–249) mounted in a necklace. Information on the reverse of the Hadrian coin has not been announced. However, that replica may have been chosen…

During the reign of Catherine the Great (1762–1796), the once-great nation of Poland was partitioned among its neighbors, Prussia, Russia, and Austria. By 1795, there was no longer a Polish state but a collection of provinces in three very different empires. Beginning in 1809, French bayonets and cannons reclaimed a small part of Poland around the capital, Warsaw. The Grand Duchy of Warsaw, as the new state was known, struck copper, silver, and gold coins at the Warsaw Mint. When Emperor Napoleon’s reign ended, Poland once more ceased to exist. The lion’s share of the old Polish state was taken by Russia after 1815 as a prize from the Napoleonic Wars spoils. In a technical sense, there was once more a Polish state with the Russian czar Alexander I as…

As the calendar turns from April 30 to May 1 and the weather starts to warm, that famous phrase, “April showers bring May flowers,” serves as a reminder of the beauty that results in winter’s passing into spring. It is also a timely saying regarding coin design, as issues decorated with colorful flowers, greenery, and branches are often released during this time of year. However, coins depicting foliage are not just a seasonal fad; they have been a design mainstay for coin designers for centuries. Why? Flowers, leaves, and branches are easy-to-understand symbols that can honor a vast range of occasions: the oncoming of warm weather, life and rebirth, the beauty of nature, a call for peace, or acknowledgement of cultural heritage. This year, multiple foliage coins have already been…

“Asia’s World City,” also known as Hong Kong, was the chosen locale for two exciting auctions featuring East Asian coins. The first to take place was Heritage Auction’s “Hong Kong Spring World Coins Showcase,” on April 6. Occurring annually, the auction sold a curated selection of ancient and contemporary coins from nations such as China, the Philippines, Great Britain, and Japan. Among the coins of note at the auction, which realized $835,428, was a near-choice MS62 NGC, Kann-B27 “Empress Dowager” fantasy dollar. Struck near the Sichuan-Tibet border in China, this c. 1908 silver fantasy dollar portrays the iconic Empress Dowager Ci Xi (Tzu Hsi). The coin’s design also replicates the reverse of Tibetan trade rupees from the early 20th century. The coin earned a $9,900 winning bid. One of the…

There are many things Russia and France disagree about, but the recovery of ancient coins stolen from a French museum that were sold clandestinely in Moscow is not one of them. On March 25, it was announced that the Main Directorate of Criminal Investigation of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, in cooperation with employees of the Federal Security Service, had seized 79 ancient Roman gold aureii coins found in an antique shop in Moscow that were stolen some time ago from the Musée Saint-Remi in Reims in northeastern France. A detailed list of the stolen coins was unavailable when this article was written, but according to several sources, the dates these coins were minted range from the 1st to the 5th century. Images of the coins appearing on…

U.S. cents dated 2025 will likely be scarce due to a presidential order ceasing their production. This declaration is likely long overdue, considering it costs more than triple the face value of the cent to produce one. It isn’t clear who advised U.S. President Donald Trump about the cost of minting a cent, but once it was learned, cent production was quickly stopped. The European Union has been wrestling with the future of its 1- and 2-cent euro coins for some time. The two lowest denomination coins have the same problems as their U.S. counterpart. The coins are of little use due to their diminished purchasing power. The coins also cost more than their face value to produce. There is one difference between what the United States has done and…

Since beginning her artistic career at age 3, Canadian artist Susanna Blunt has mastered many art forms: sculptures, prints, contemporary mixed media, and portraiture, all of which she exhibits internationally. Through her portrait work, Blunt has captured the likeness of many well-known celebrities and politicians, including, famously, Queen Elizabeth. Her portrait of the Queen, sans crown, was chosen as the featured design for all obverses of Canadian coins from 2004 to 2023. Blunt also designed a limited edition 2004 silver dollar for the Royal Canadian Mint, which cemented her as the first Canadian artist to be featured on both sides of a coin. Inspired by all Blunt has accomplished, World Coin News interviewed the artist about her fascinating career. Questions and answers have been edited for article length. The full…