Cricket on coins

[Figleaf]

Beyond the boundaries
SIMON LEE, Published: 17 Jan 2010

It's unlikely that the casual reader would cast more than a cursory glance at a tome entitled The Philatelic and Numismatic History of West Indies Cricket. Then again, a cursory glance at the WG Grace style rotundity of its author Albert WB Sydney, would give no indication that Albert, who for years I've known simply as "Stamp Man," is an avid cricket aficionado, even if this passion was acquired in his season of maturity, rather than his salad days. Which just goes to show, you cannot judge a book either by its subsidiary title, and furthermore that inside my partner's portly exterior there's a slimline cricketer, waiting to bound onto the hallowed turf at Queen's Park Oval or Lords, wielding bat and pulling his maroon Windies cap firmly in place.

Without resorting to hyperbole or continuing with facetiousness, from my vantage point as a veteran researcher and reviewer of Caribbean literature, I'd like to suggest that Albert's Postmarks From Paradise belongs on the same bookshelf as CLR James' Beyond A Boundary. Before some Emeritus Professor of Caribbeana succumbs to apoplexy, I'm not suggesting Albert is a radical revolutionary of the mind like CLR, but I am drawing attention to a similar approach to his topic, which goes beyond the boundaries of both established academic research, or cricket lit.

Long before Cultural Studies had become a controversial conversation in senior common rooms across the globe, James, with the freedom that goes with genius, used his contemplation of cricket as an open discussion pitch to examine such disparate topics as: sport as art; colonisation and anti-colonialism; Creole psycho-pathology (long before Fanon), history, historiography and historicity; Creole myth, epic and heroes; self-determination, sovereignty, the nation state, national identity and regional consciousness, as well as the centering of the Caribbean in the global scheme. James disregarded boundaries, intellectual and geographical, and embraced what is now known as "the multi-disciplinary" approach, years before the term was ever coined.

Cut from a different cloth
Stamp Man is cut from a different cloth from James, but his book shares a similar eclecticism as Nello's cricket classic and, better still, is lavishly illustrated throughout. Besides the exhaustive collection of stamps there are many excellent photos by renowned cricket photographer Patrick Eager. In addition, the text is interspersed with a selection of local paintings relating to both the game and its players. Extracts from the cricketing Talmud Wisden Cricketers' Almanac and other cricketing (and non-cricketing literature, including VS Nightfall's Miguel Street) will supply both the casual skimmer and the fanatical Cricket Trivia addict with info for a double century and change.

There are also some delightful cricket-related quotes which will amuse even those who despise the idea of the game, like the following from English playwright Harold Pinter: "I tend to think that cricket is the greatest thing that God ever created on earth—certainly greater than sex, although sex isn't too bad either," or this sardonically profound quip from another Brit playwright George Bernard Shaw: "The English are not very spiritual people, so they invented cricket to give them some idea of eternity." From the philatelist's point of view, Postmarks is unique and all stamp collectors will raise their magnifying glasses in honour of Albert's exhaustive research. When I compared Albert and Nello I had my bat in my crease, as Postmarks is much more than a history of West Indies Cricket.

Besides Caribbean cricketers, there are many international stars represented, as islands throughout the Anglophone Caribbean, since the 1923 stamp of Warner Park from St Kitts and Nevis, have issued stamps featuring heroes of the game beyond the Caribbean. Besides the superb design (Albert is after all a professional stamp designer); the eclectic assembly of information and the bonus sections on coins, banknotes and cricket neckties, Postmarks positions itself somewhere short of post-modern Silly Mid On: a celebratory document of Caribbean popular sporting and literary culture and socio-economic history.

The local publication is all the more impressive, as Caribbean publishing is hardly a high profile industry and again Albert has proved a champion of resourcefulness and charm, enticing corporate sponsorship for his passion and endorsements from statesmen across the region. With all the recent chat about diversifying and cultural industries, it surprises me that Postmarks has not been bought up (if it hasn't sold out already) by the Ministry of Tourism, as a giveaway. Was it on offer at either of the two summits held here last year, and if not, why not?

Source: The Guardian

[Figleaf]

Cricket on coins

Well, there's this Bermudian pseudo coin.

Peter

[translateltd]

And don't forget the Donald Bradman 20c issued in Australia a few years ago - I thought it an April Fool joke when I first heard about it, but no, it's out there ...

[Bimat]

Actually there are two 'Bradman' issues by Australia.The other one is bimetallic 5 dollar,but it was issued in set or as a collector version,as far as I know.

I wouldn't be too surprised if India plans to issue a commemorative on Sachin Tendulkar in future He has already scored 30,000+ runs in international cricket (17,000+ in one day internationals and 13,000+ in test cricket),90+ centuries,150+ wickets..

Aditya

[Md. Shariful Islam]

Here is the image of the ICC world cup cricket commemorative coin issued by Bangladesh Bank.

15,000 units of the coin was issued and 14,500 was circulated in the market through commercial banks.

Now not available in the primary market. Fortunately I got one.

This coin is made of silver. The image that I have uploaded here is not my coin.

Islam

[Figleaf]

Thanks, Tanka. There are some exuberant cricket enthusiasts on the forum.

Personally, I prefer the tea and sandwiches, but they don't appear on coins

Peter

[Splock]

Being an Englishman married to an Australian I had to get this NCLT Ashes Silver Coin.



(Ameded to user Flickr for all to share  )

[<k>]

Isle of Man, 1 pound, 1996.  Cricket.

[<k>]

Sri Lanka, 1000 rupees, 1999.  Cricket world cup champions.

[<k>]

Sri Lanka, 5 rupees, 2007.  Cricket world cup runners-up.

[<k>]

South Africa, 50 cents, 2003.  Cricket world cup, hosted by South Africa.

[Pabitra]

Srilanka issue 5 and 1000 Rupees coins on both occasions.

Here are the other ones.

[malj1]

1908 SIR DONALD BRADMAN 2001 20 CENTS; from Australia - but this hardly needs to be added.

[@josephjk]

Here are a couple of new ones from The Royal Australian mint...
https://eshop.ramint.gov.au/2015-20c-Uncirculated-ICC-Coin/310655.aspx

https://eshop.ramint.gov.au/2015-5-Domed-Silver-ICC-Coin/210399.aspx

[malj1]

Not for circulation apparently. The $5 does not circulate and as for this 20 cent, the mint describe it as "this 20c collectable coin."