Comments on "One-off sets from countries with circulation coins"

Started by <k>, June 12, 2011, 10:50:49 PM

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<k>

Quote from: hertfordian on June 13, 2011, 07:23:41 PM
Following on from the Cape Verde example, would it be fair to say that a similar situation existed in the UK back in 1998 when there were three different design 50p's issued that year and all of these circulated - e.g. the circulation (Britannia) version, the NHS 50th anniversary coin and the EU 25th anniversary...

Ian

To return to the Cape Verde example and answer Aditya's question more precisely, I'd never heard that their three sets were commemorative, therefore I consider them (for the moment!) to be one year definitives. These were full sets, however.

To relate this to your question, well, 50p is only one denomination out of all those available. So, although it's an unusual situation, in that there were two special 50p coins that year, it doesn't fit into my strict definition. Neverthless, since we enjoy going off on a tangent on this forum, I'll happily include it as an interesting anomaly. I always enjoy an anomaly hunt, so let me add that the only other year in which the UK produced two commemorative 50p coins was in 2006; these were to commemorate the 150th Anniversary of the Institution of the Victoria Cross. And thinking of the 1998 EU commemorative immediately makes me think of the double-dated counterpart 50p of 1992-3, commemorating the United Kingdom's Presidency of the Council of Ministers and the completion of the Single European Market. And thinking of double dates leads me straightaway to the Millennium five pound issue dated 1999-2000.

Before I leave the subject of special 50p coins, from 1992 they started to be produced with some frequency. However, there were years when no special 50p was issued: 1995/6/7, 1999, 2001/2, and 2008. 2008 was a special year, of course, because that's when we got our newly designed UK circulation set, and our standard 50p format was literally turned upside-down.
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andyg

Quote from: Bimat on June 13, 2011, 04:23:03 PM
They indeed circulated. My question is: Are these coins considered commemorative coins or just one year type definitive coins?

Aditya

The awkward question to ask is - What did they commemorate?
If we can't think of anything then I guess they are not commemoratives.
always willing to trade modern UK coins for modern coins from elsewhere....

<k>

Quote from: andyg on June 13, 2011, 08:12:16 PM
FM produced sets for the Cook Islands, they used the normal designs - except for the 20 cent - Why?


No idea!  ;D  But it's true: the fairylake swallow design was replaced by Pacific triton seashells between 1976 and 1981.




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<k>

Quote from: andyg on June 13, 2011, 08:12:16 PM
Jamaica - a set of standard designs by the FM Mint but with a different style of coat of atms.
Also a set for the 21st anniversary of independence in 1983 (NCLT)

I don't regard the amended coat of arms as majorly significant. Yes, the 1983 had different legends. According to my old catalogue, there is also a 1985 25c commemorating the 25th anniversary?!!
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<k>

Quote from: andyg on June 13, 2011, 08:12:16 PM

The Panama FM sets were indeed NCLT.

Panama always confuses me, perhaps because they use the US dollar but circulate their own coins along the US ones - even though the corresponding coin denominations are not of the same size.
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<k>

Quote from: andyg on June 13, 2011, 08:12:16 PM

Canada 1967 sets did circulate, as did Hong Kong 1997.

'67, '97 - makes it a bit easier to remember.
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<k>

Quote from: andyg on June 13, 2011, 08:12:16 PM

Barbados has a set (also by the FM) for the 10th anniversary of independence in 1976, only the 1 cent circulated - the rest sets only...


So, all they did was put the two dates, 1966 and 1976, either side of the supporters of the coat of arms.
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andyg

Quote from: coffeetime on June 13, 2011, 08:26:54 PM
I don't regard the amended coat of arms as majorly significant. Yes, the 1983 had different legends. According to my old catalogue, there is also a 1985 25c commemorating the 25th anniversary?!!

1985 I think is the 25th anniversary of the bank rather than the country. Odd they had a bank before a country.
always willing to trade modern UK coins for modern coins from elsewhere....

Bimat

I can add one more: Vatican 2005. (Sede Vecante) They weren't circulation coins, though.

Aditya
It is our choices...that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities. -J. K. Rowling.

Figleaf

I wonder how many of these "one date" series are actually frozen dates... Thinking of the Dutch 1948 series here that was struck with the same date for three years (which was all the queen's fault.)

Peter
An unidentified coin is a piece of metal. An identified coin is a piece of history.

<k>

Quote from: Figleaf on June 26, 2011, 03:32:31 PM
I wonder how many of these "one date" series are actually frozen dates...
Please elaborate.


Quote from: Figleaf on June 26, 2011, 03:32:31 PM
Thinking of the Dutch 1948 series here that was struck with the same date for three years (which was all the queen's fault.)
Please elaborate.
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Figleaf

Frozen dates used to be a trick to issue coins you really couldn't issue any more. A good example is that in the process of Latin American wars of independence, Spanish imperial coins were continued to be struck with the same date for years, because the new dies weren't ready. The 1948 series is another example.

We know from Wilhelmina's autobiography that she had some funny political ideas, especially about her own role. One of the more palatable ideas she had was that after liberation, the old political parties should not return. Instead, a new spectrum of parties should come about (doorbraak - breakthrough) There was some support for this idea, especially among pre-war politicians held hostage by the nazis and indeed, a new political party, PvdA, came about in 1945. However, the population at large did not support the breakthrough.

When this became evident, Wilhelmina surprised everybody by abdicating. In particular, the Mint was totally unprepared. They had just gone through a difficult period designing the 1948 coinage, for which Wilhelmina refused to sit. It took them 18 months to prepare the new dies. Therefore, in 1948, 1949 and part of 1950, the 1948 design was used dated 1948.

Lately, frozen dates are used for other reasons. During the first decades of the cold war, frozen dates were standard for the coins of most communist regimes. They considered mintage figures a state secret. This was probably because it might give the cold warriors a handle on real economic growth (they used electricity production instead ;))

Another reason for freezing the date is cost, especially among developing countries. Dates, once a control mechanism, don't serve much of a purpose any more.

Peter
An unidentified coin is a piece of metal. An identified coin is a piece of history.

<k>

Interesting phenomenon. I'm glad you explained it, as it wasn't a concept I was acquainted with. I don't think it applies to any of the sets mentioned in this topic though.
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Bimat

QuoteAnother reason for freezing the date is cost, especially among developing countries. Dates, once a control mechanism, don't serve much of a purpose any more.

I think Bhutan regularly issues coins with frozen (1979) date..

Aditya
It is our choices...that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities. -J. K. Rowling.

<k>

Another one-off year set. In 2004 Gibraltar issued a new design series of circulation coins. In 2005 they kept the same designs but put them on different denominations! I suspect this is unique in numismatic history.




Gibraltar 2004 set~.jpg
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