ARCHIVED: Comments on Planned Major Changes to World Circulation Sets

[<k>]

Parent topic:  Planned Major Changes to World Circulation Sets
The parent topic deals with planned major changes to world circulation sets, including the issue of any totally new circulation sets. The emphasis is on "major" and "circulation". These sets must be intended for circulation in their respective countries. This specifically excludes certain legally authorised sets, such as the recent Niue and Cook Islands sets, which are meant only for collectors and do not circulate in those territories.

[<k>]

Here is my definition of what constitutes a "major change" to a world circulation series.

The release of a (new) circulation set(s) because:

A] a new country has become independent.

Examples:

i)  East Timor (2003), formerly part of Indonesia.
ii) The Czech Republic and Slovakia  (1993) – formerly Czechoslovakia.


B] an existing state has had a significant name change, or else undergone a political identity change.

Examples:

i)  Zimbabwe, formerly [Southern] Rhodesia (1980).
ii) South Africa (1990s) – adoption of a new coat of arms after transition to majority rule.


C] a new currency (or currency name) is being adopted.

Examples:

i)  The euro in 2002 (the year of issue of coins and banknotes).
ii) Sudan in 2007: replacement of the dinar with the Sudanese pound.


D] the currency is being redenominated, i.e. a few zeros are being chopped off.

Examples:

i)  Romania in 2005.
ii) Turkey in 2005.


E] a country is replacing its old designs with new ones:

Examples:

i)  The UK in 2008.
ii) Rwanda in 2003.


F] A country is:

i)  replacing the numismatic portrait of a former or deceased head of state with that of the new head of state.
ii) replacing the coat of arms on its coins with a portrait of its head of state, or vice versa.


G] Three or more coins are being significantly reduced in size (by 10% of their diameter or more) and/or having their format changed.

Examples:

i)  New Zealand in 2006.
ii) Fiji in 2009.


H] Any combination of the above.

[<k>]

Examples of changes I do NOT regard as major:

1] Serbia's recent change to its coat of arms, which is not noticeable at a glance.

2] The euro's various changes to its map design. They ARE significant, but not majorly so.

3] The changing of the legend on Britain's coins in 1982, from "NEW PENCE" to just "PENCE".

4] Cases where only a single coin at a time is reduced in size: for instance, Britain reduced the 5p in 1990, the 10p in 1992, and the 50p in 1997. Unlike New Zealand's "big bang" of 2006, such minor phased changes are not greatly significant.

5] Cases where circulation coins are minted in cheaper alloys, even when the colour of some coins changes markedly.

6] Cases where design changes are spread out, such as the Bahamas updating its designs one coin at a time in recent years.

7] Changes to the portrait of the EXISTING monarch or head of state, e.g. Britain's new effigy of QEII in 1998.

8] Minor changes to the state's name, e.g. from Western Samoa to Samoa, but with the coins and designs otherwise left unchanged.

9] Other minor detail changes, e.g. to a font, the re-positioning of legend letters, a slightly smaller or larger effigy than before, etc.

10] New denominations, unless there are three or more.

11] Demonetisation of coins / denominations.

12] Changes to banknotes.  I will mention these only if they occur alongside issues of new or changed coins.

[chrisild]

Keep in mind though that these two (NL, VA) may or may not affect the 2013 coinage.

Christian

[andyg]

For 2014 we can also expect a new set from Andorra (new circulation coins), Belgium (new king) and the Netherlands (new king).

[chrisild]

For 2014 we can also expect a new set from Andorra (new circulation coins), Belgium (new king) and the Netherlands (new king).

The new Dutch coins (featuring Willem Alexander) will be issued in about three weeks; they should be available as from 23 January. Don't know when the Belgian ones (with Filip/Philippe) will come; we do not even know the designs yet.

The Latvian coins circulate now; the country has been part of the euro area for more than a day.   And Andorra, well, first I thought the euro coins would also be issued on 1-Jan-2014. Nah, the next thing I heard was "first quarter" ... and now the government says that, "being very optimistic", they should start circulating in March or April. Hmm.

Christian

[Pabitra]

One change I am really looking forward to is use of Rouble symbol on Russian coins. India did similar exercise in 2011.

Since it was considered a major change for India, as sizes of smaller coins changed too, I would call it a major change for Russia too.

Smaller coins may be stopped without any formal announcement.

[Pabitra]

Another change which is taking place slowly over a period of two years is that of Tunisia.
5 Millime has been stopped.
10 and 20 millimes are now plated coins.
50 and 100 Millimes may be issued in plated form this year.
200 Millimes has been introduced.
1/2 and 1 dinar may see an alloy and design change.
2 Dinars has been issued for the first time.
5 dinars may too see a design change, if issued this year.

[Pabitra]

Libya has started the process and will complete this year

[Pabitra]

Starter kits of Lithuania should be available before the end of this year if the schedule of euro from Lithuania is to become effective on January 1, 2015.

[<k>]

Another change which is taking place slowly over a period of two years is that of Tunisia.
1/2 and 1 dinar may see an alloy and design change.

Both designs were first issued in 1976 and are still designated as FAO issues. When you consider that Tunisia's neighbours, Algeria and Morocco, each issued an attractive modern thematic set in recent years, you can imagine that Tunisia will want to get rid of those ugly old-fashioned things, in order to keep up with the neighbours.

[andyg]

Both designs were first issued in 1976 and are still designated as FAO issues. When you consider that Tunisia's neighbours, Algeria and Morocco, each issued an attractive modern thematic set in recent years, you can imagine that Tunisia will want to get rid of those ugly old-fashioned things, in order to keep up with the neighbours.

Mr Bourguiba's portrait was removed in 1988 and replaced with a map of Tunisia, then from 1996 it changed to a coat of arms - these older coins are still current though I think, and the 'FAO' side was unaltered.

[Jostein]

Botswana: new coins serie will be issued in the first quarter of the year. They will remain the seven values, 5, 10, 25, 50 thebe, 1, 2 and 5 pula. If im not wrong, the 5 thebe coin will be changed from copper to silver colour and the 2 pula coin will be bimetallic with nickel ring and copper plated steel center.

[Pabitra]

From Botswana, it is reported

According to the Government Gazette, most features of the new coins will largely remain unchanged for the    current seven denominations in circulation, except for the P2 coin. The new P2 coin will have a brown centre piece along a white outer ring. On the other hand, the five thebe coin will change from copper to silver. The obverse face of all the new coins will maintain the Botswana coat of arms. On the reverse side, some coins will maintain current inscriptions while trees and birds will be added to the zebra on the P1 coin. Sorghum heads will be added to the rhino on the reverse side of the P2 coin.

[<k>]

Very interesting news, Pabitra. Realistic portraits of animals have been with us for a long time in the modern era, but usually they would stand alone in the depiction, or sometimes on a clump of earth. The more recent innovation is to add more background, to fill out the scene and make it more realistic still. This will evidently be the case with the zebra. The idea of adding sorghum heads to the rhino does not appeal to me - will they be mere decoration, such as you find in a wreath, or will they be (as I hope) a realistic addition?