FAO: General coins

[africancoins]

See also:

1] Circulation sets consisting entirely of FAO-themed coins

2] FAO anniversaries on coins

3] FAO: World Fisheries Conference

4] FAO: World Food Day coins



Back to Samoa earlier in this thread...

>>The Western Samoan 2000 2 Sene is the Millennium commemorative one,which still eludes me.<<

This type also exists with 1999 date. It is an FAO type for "XXI Century Food Security". It is not marking the Millennium.

I have this type and should have but have not yet compared it with 2 Sene coins of other types. Did this type really enter circulation ?

Another piece in the "XXI Century Food Security" set is the Namibian 5 Cent type of 1999 and 2000 - with a fish. I have these and a number of years ago I noticed that these differ in a number of ways from the standard Namibian 5 Cent type - the diameter of the FAO 5 Cent is inbetween the diameter of the standard 5 Cent type and that of the 10 Cent. See my page...

http://www.wbcc.fsnet.co.uk/af-nam.htm



All of these FAO types were made by the Kremnica mint (with one exception - the Turkey 50000 Lira 1999 FAO coin - made in Turkey - and likely no other exceptions). The Turkish coin has the "d" mintmark to notify a coin primarily for sale to those overseas.

Thanks Mr Paul Baker

[andyg]

The Western Samoa 2 Tene is the same size as the standard coins, all I can say about mine is that it has not circulated.

It seems the rest of the series were unusual sizes, Tunisia 1 Millim 2000, and Cook islands 5 Cents 2000 being two more I can think of.

[africancoins]

That reminds me - a long time collector contact of mine went to Tunisia five or so years ago - he asked - but they knew nothing of the Tunisia 1 Millim from this "series".

thanks Mr Paul Baker

[translateltd]

The Turkish coin has the "d" mintmark to notify a coin primarily for sale to those overseas.

Mintmark or privy mark?  Or does the mint in question produce only coins for foreign sale?

[africancoins]

The "d" is a mintmark in as much as it tells us the Turkish mint made the piece which ever piece the mark is seen on. Though actually it is just "d" as in the first letter of "darphane" the Turkish word for "mint".

This mint makes Turkey's circulation coinage which is big qtys and they also make quite a lot of commemorative/collector coins and those primarily (I think that is the best word for the situation as I recall it) for sale outside of Turkey have the "d" - check out the many pictures of such pieces in the catalogues.

Thanks Mr Paul Baker

[translateltd]

The "d" is a mintmark in as much as it tells us the Turkish mint made the piece which ever piece the mark is seen on. Though actually it is just "d" as in the first letter of "darphane" the Turkish word for "mint".

This mint makes Turkey's circulation coinage which is big qtys and they also make quite a lot of commemorative/collector coins and those primarily (I think that is the best word for the situation as I recall it) for sale outside of Turkey have the "d" - check out the many pictures of such pieces in the catalogues.

Thanks Mr Paul Baker

Where I'm trying to head with this is that, if the Darphane applies its mark only to collector coins and/or those made available for sale abroad, then the mark's primary use is as an identifier of purpose, not of mint (or purpose as well as mint).  It seems odd that a mint should apply its mark selectively in this way otherwise.  I'm sure there has to be a distinction here.

[africancoins]

Maybe you are right...  But for recent coins of India there is "M" on proof coins (for "Mumbai" and previously "B" for "Bombay") but on non-proof coins there is the diamond to indicate the same mint. Yet these are usually all just thought of as being mintmarks for this one mint.

There was a "U" on some GB gold 10 or so years ago - no one considered that to be a "mintmark" - the letter was "U" as in "Uncirculated" as in not proof.

Perhaps for the above two examples direction was taken from the official announcements about the pieces in question.

The small star of David on some Israeli coins...  a note in SCWC says that this is not a mintmark... it goes on to mention that several mint have made such coins for Israel. Also for Israel - there is a Hebrew letter used to indicate a Proof coin on various Isreali commemorative coins - does that even amount to a privy mark ?

Thanks Mr Paul Baker

[translateltd]

Here's a real medal (not a medal-coin), with Helen Clark as Ceres, Roman Goddess of Agriculture.  50 mm bronze, mintage 10; also 10 struck in silver and an an unspecified amount in gold "for presentation".

I also have a presentation album with all the original 1968 FAO coins inserted in the pages with loose-leaf descriptions of each.  Not sure it would lend itself to photographing, but an interesting item nevertheless.

[Figleaf]

Not bad, Martin. Portraits are notoriously difficult on medals. Get a few lines wrong and they are off. I guess the face should have been just a little bit longer, but otherwise, it is quite recognizable. What I like about the reverse is how the sculptor has been able to bring in the third dimension, to the extent that the birds seem to detach from the background. I would have appreciated some creative thinking, but I guess FAO wouldn't have accepted that.

Peter

[<k>]

In 1977 the Isle of Man issued a half penny design with a reference to the Food and Agricultural Organisation.

It was unusual to find First World countries issuing coins under the FAO scheme.




The Isle of Man issued a similar half penny design in 1981, in honour of World Food Day.

[<k>]

In 1979 Fiji issued a 50 cents coin commemorating the Food and Agricultural Organisation and depicting sugar cane.

[<k>]

From 1981 to 1985, Botswana issued a 2 thebe coin with a FAO theme.

No standard coin version of that denomination was ever issued.

[<k>]

Jamaica issued a FAO version of its one cent coin, featuring an ackee.

It came in a 12-sided aluminium version and a bronze round version.

The standard coin, without a FAO legend, was also issued from 1969 to 1975.

[<k>]

Here's a FAO-themed coin from Oman that depicts a lemon.

[<k>]

Sierra Leone, 2 leones, 1976.  Rice farmer ploughing his field.