Text and Fonts on Coins

[<k>]

From 1942 until 1969, the denominations of the Portuguese 10 and 20 centavos were given in Roman numerals. I can't think of any other country that retained this practice so late into the 20th century. However, the other denominations on the Portuguese coins were shown in the normal way.

There is an analogy with the UK, whose coins still show the Queen's titles in abbreviated Latin, despite the fact that English is one of the world's best known languages. My guess is that the majority of Britons do not know what those abbreviations stand for.

[<k>]

This Austrian 2 Groschen was issued during Hitler's lifetime - long after he'd left Austria but before he'd become Fuehrer. I imagine he would have had a fit of rage if he'd ever seen it and would probably have considered that figure 2 to be thoroughly degenerate. Perhaps that's what spurred him to conquer his own homeland and annex it to Germany, thereby putting paid to this troublesome coin.

[<k>]

Have a look at these coin designs from the Azores. They are an utter disgrace. The denominations' numerals are made out of bits of flowers. If I'd been the designer's manager, I'd have called him into the office and asked him straight out if he was doing drugs. But look at the dates on these coins - this was years before hippies, flower power and hallucinogenic drugs. (I suppose they still had magic mushrooms, though). These coins were meant to be used by poor, upright, simple-minded peasants from the Azores - they didn't want something that looked like a scene from Salvador Dali's dream sequence in "Spellbound", for goodness' sake. 

[chrisild]

As for the Austrian 2 groschen coin, it is quite revealing that your image covers the "S" of the word "Österreich". I am sure some people would find that style fascinating. This is the predecessor by the way, a 200 kronen coin from 1924:


(Image: Kaufmann/muenzauktion)

Initially this kind of cross (Kruckenkreuz) was used for an order of merit in the young republic. Then the Austrofascists adopted the symbol and used it as an emblem of their authoritarian regime. Hitler apparently loved the design so much that the piece continued to be legal tender until 1942.

Christian

[<k>]

For some reason the Kruckenkreuz always reminds me of the cross so often used by Portugal and Brazil. That cross is seen below and is known as the Order of Christ cross.

Though the name Austrofascism has stuck, the regime of Dollfuss is considered these days to have been authoritarian-conservative, not totalitarian, with some "parafascist" elements, meaning that it copied some of the superficial elements of fascism, such as a projection of a strong leader, showy parades and uniforms, and youth movements.

[<k>]

Belgium, 1958, 50 francs.  Collector coin. 

Do you like the effect?

It reads, "Baudouin, roi des Belges".  ("Baudouin, king of the Belgians").

[<k>]

In 1969 I went on a school trip to the Netherlands. I was 11. That was the first time I saw their one cent coin.

The British and the Continental Europeans disagree fundamentally on how to write the numerals 1 and 7.

So I thought at first that the unfeasibly long and thin character that dominates the reverse was a letter J.

It is not. Still it stands out for me as the most unusual way ever to represent a figure 1 on a coin.

[chrisild]

The British and the Continental Europeans disagree fundamentally on how to write the numerals 1 and 7

Hmm, on coins you will usually see "printed" digits, and I don't think there is any difference or diagreement. (This long "1" on the 1 ct coin is just a little more stylish than others. ) Also see this http://www.worldofcoins.eu/forum/index.php/topic,4001.msg74663.html#msg74663 earlier reply. When it comes to hand-written digits, yes, there are differences. But that is not a British vs European thing in my opinion - for example, the German way of (hand-)writing a 1 will usually be different from how Dutch and Americans tend wo write it ...

Christian

[<k>]

I have never before or since seen a "1" with a curved and pointed tip like that, on coins or on the printed page, and certainly not in England.

[Coinsforever]

Here is an image of coin with two fonts in the date.

George VI, Silver ½ Rupee, 1945, Large '5', Bombay Mint .

The coin is in scrace category &  had fetch high premium during recent auction.

Cheers

[chrisild]

I have never before or since seen a "1" with a curved and pointed tip like that, on coins or on the printed page, and certainly not in England.

Two different issues. Yes, I agree that this particular "1" is different at its bottom from what you usually see on coins (regardless of where they are from). But you wrote about a fundamental disagreement - Britain vs Europe or the Continent - which I don't see.

Christian

[<k>]

George VI, Silver ½ Rupee, 1945, Large '5', Bombay Mint .

So does that mean there is a small '5' too?

It's interesting that the legends on the Indian coin are all in English. The legends on GVI's British coins were largely in Latin, or Latin abbreviations. Even his name was given in Latin: 'GEORGIVS VI'. The same applies to our current coins, apart from the fact that there is no Latin version of 'Elizabeth'. Most Britons do not know what the Latin abbreviations stand for anyway. 

[<k>]

But you wrote about a fundamental disagreement - Britain vs Europe or the Continent - which I don't see.

Christian

We're having one now. (And then there's the euro...)    No, it's only the handwriting that is different: Continentals often write a 7 with a horizontal stroke through the middle, and the English usually write a 1 as a simple vertical line, whereas the Continentals mostly add the top diagonal stroke but not the bottom horizontal one.

[Coinsforever]

So does that mean there is a small '5' too?

The common coins of this category dated 1945  has same size of all the fonts 1945 , thats include number 5 also.

Due to large 5 the coin become scrace & highly valued , later will check & post the KM reference if mentioned in it.

Cheers

[chrisild]

Yeah, but as I wrote, this is not a "Britain vs Continent" thing. The Dutch are much more likely to write the "1" and "7" the British-American way. The Germans tend to add that small diagonal line to the "1" even in handwritten digits, and their "7" often has a horizontal middle line ...

Christian