Coloured coins

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There are various ways of applying colour, though I know little about the subject. I assume that this coin (Kazakhstan, 500 tenge, 2010) is using gilding.

 

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Falkland Islands, 50 pence, 2002.  Are the coloured parts here appliqués - or is the metal simply painted?

This coin is dated 2002. How early did this particular method of coloration appear on collector coins?

 

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There is a trend now for these collector pieces to be offered in different colours, as well as in plain metal. See these pieces from Australia. Also the colouring is more subtle now. You no longer have just one or two areas, each painted in a simple primary colour.

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Some of the pieces are quite spectacular and would probably have appealed to me a child. The sophistication of the method has certainly grown over time. Ultimately it is still just a commercial gimmick, of course. Such "coins" will never circulate.

The Perth Mint produces many such pieces. I didn't record which country issued this one.

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I have never seen any of these pieces in real life, so I sometimes wonder what material is used on them. Some have a partly coloured surface, but this one is entirely coloured. It appears to be covered with some fabric, rather than mere paint, but photos can be manipulated, so who knows?

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Half-plain, half-coloured. Another gimmick.

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There is also the new gimmick of inserting coloured glass into a coin. Here's one from Tokelau: 5 dollars, 2012. The colour highlights the  dragonfly's eye and is quite effective. Belarus has been releasing pieces with similar effects in recent years.

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I'll finish with this example. The coloured part shows quite a sophisticated photograph or picture, but it must surely be an appliqué - of what material, I don't know. I imagine that producing pieces of this sort takes way longer than minting traditional coins.

Are such pieces here to stay now? And what will be the next commercial gimmick? Canada recently produced a luminous piece. How it works and what it is made of, I don't know. Anyway, I will stick to traditional numismatics and won't be getting my wallet out for these things.

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Pitcairn, $2, 2008.  Pitcairn's first partly gilt coin. The coin itself was made of silver. A colourised version of this coin was also issued.

See also: Pitcairn Islands: collector coins.

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The latest trend is for coloured 50 pence collector pieces from Britain's tiny overseas territories.



British Indian Ocean Territory.




British Antarctic Territory.  Boaty McBoatface.

Have boats evolved to have a face? I don't see one here. Who's fooling who?




British Antarctic Territory.  Penguins.


And of course the Falkland Islands also has collector craving penguins.