Mintage 5000.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Thursday, December 17, 2009
2010 Silver Britannia -UK
Strength and Serenity
Since its introduction in 1997, the Silver Britannia £2 coin has become a great favourite of the numismatic year. The largest and purest legal tender coin of the UK, it is produced in .958 Britannia silver, an alloy comprising 95.8% silver with the rest copper, and contains a full ounce of fine silver.
A new portrait
For the Britannia family of 2010, a new serene portrait has been created by Suzie Zamit who explains: I wanted to portray Britannia as strong (almost Amazonian) and courageous looking, but not overly warlike; more peaceful and protective. I have given her a Corinthian-style helmet and incorporated a lion on the design: the lion being the national symbol of courage - I wanted to emphasize the strong and watchful connotations - and this also links in with Greek and Roman coinage which display many animals.
It was the Romans who, in recording their invasion and colonisation of the mysterious island lying beyond Oceanus, a country which they believed full of silver, first portrayed Britannia on their coins. Much later Britannia was to become a fitting symbol to grace the reverse of the copper coins of Charles II when, in direct allusion to the then war with the Dutch, her image symbolised her sovereignty of the seas. Universally recognised as the personification of Britain, she has graced the coins of every British monarch since. On the coinage of the present Queen, she featured on every pre-decimal penny and following decimalisation was chosen to appear on the 50p coin. She was chosen to grace the new gold coinage introduced in 1987, the coins of highest denomination in the realm, and on the silver bullion coins introduced in 1997.
The Britannia £2 coin has been struck in Britannia silver, an alloy of silver containing 95.8% silver and the rest of copper. The Britannia standard of silver was introduced as part of the recoinage of William III in 1696 in an attempt to limit the clipping and melting of sterling silver coinage, it being reasoned that there would be less incentive to melt sterling silver when a higher standard was used for ‘wrought plate’. In 1697 Britannia silver became the obligatory standard for items of plate’ and the lion passant guardant hallmark was replaced with ‘the figure of a woman commonly called Britannia’. Sterling silver was approved again for use by silversmiths in 1720 with Britannia silver remaining optional.
Specification
Denom. £2
Alloy Britannia Silver
Silver 31.1 gms (1oz) Copper 1.35 gms
Total Weight 32.45 gms
Diameter 40 mm
Source: www.royalmint.com
Since its introduction in 1997, the Silver Britannia £2 coin has become a great favourite of the numismatic year. The largest and purest legal tender coin of the UK, it is produced in .958 Britannia silver, an alloy comprising 95.8% silver with the rest copper, and contains a full ounce of fine silver.
A new portrait
For the Britannia family of 2010, a new serene portrait has been created by Suzie Zamit who explains: I wanted to portray Britannia as strong (almost Amazonian) and courageous looking, but not overly warlike; more peaceful and protective. I have given her a Corinthian-style helmet and incorporated a lion on the design: the lion being the national symbol of courage - I wanted to emphasize the strong and watchful connotations - and this also links in with Greek and Roman coinage which display many animals.
It was the Romans who, in recording their invasion and colonisation of the mysterious island lying beyond Oceanus, a country which they believed full of silver, first portrayed Britannia on their coins. Much later Britannia was to become a fitting symbol to grace the reverse of the copper coins of Charles II when, in direct allusion to the then war with the Dutch, her image symbolised her sovereignty of the seas. Universally recognised as the personification of Britain, she has graced the coins of every British monarch since. On the coinage of the present Queen, she featured on every pre-decimal penny and following decimalisation was chosen to appear on the 50p coin. She was chosen to grace the new gold coinage introduced in 1987, the coins of highest denomination in the realm, and on the silver bullion coins introduced in 1997.
The Britannia £2 coin has been struck in Britannia silver, an alloy of silver containing 95.8% silver and the rest of copper. The Britannia standard of silver was introduced as part of the recoinage of William III in 1696 in an attempt to limit the clipping and melting of sterling silver coinage, it being reasoned that there would be less incentive to melt sterling silver when a higher standard was used for ‘wrought plate’. In 1697 Britannia silver became the obligatory standard for items of plate’ and the lion passant guardant hallmark was replaced with ‘the figure of a woman commonly called Britannia’. Sterling silver was approved again for use by silversmiths in 1720 with Britannia silver remaining optional.
Specification
Denom. £2
Alloy Britannia Silver
Silver 31.1 gms (1oz) Copper 1.35 gms
Total Weight 32.45 gms
Diameter 40 mm
Source: www.royalmint.com
And if you are wondering what's that funny looking thing on her head, this should give you a pretty good idea...
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Monday, December 7, 2009
Friday, November 20, 2009
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Saturday, November 14, 2009
1965 France Hercules 10 Francs
KM# 932 10 FRANCS
25.0000 g., 0.9000 Silver 0.7234 oz. ASW, 37 mm. Obv:
Denomination and date within wreath Rev: Hercules group
25.0000 g., 0.9000 Silver 0.7234 oz. ASW, 37 mm. Obv:
Denomination and date within wreath Rev: Hercules group
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
1976 France Hercules 50 Franc Silver Coin
KM# 941.1 50 FRANCS
30.0000 g., 0.9000 Silver 0.8680 oz. ASW Obv: Denomination
within wreath Rev: Hercules group
The Hercules were issued from 1974-1980 and contain appreciably more silver than the U.S. Morgan dollars. Dupre's engravings first appeared on the French Revolution coins of 1794. The obverse features giant Hercules flanked by Liberty and Equality. Inscribed around the coin's outer, upper edge is: Liberte Egalite Fraternite. The reverse: 50 Francs is inscribed at the coin's center. The inscription is surrounded by laurel wreaths. Inscribed around the outer coin edge is: Republique Francaise, with the date 1976 at the coin's bottom.
30.0000 g., 0.9000 Silver 0.8680 oz. ASW Obv: Denomination
within wreath Rev: Hercules group
The Hercules were issued from 1974-1980 and contain appreciably more silver than the U.S. Morgan dollars. Dupre's engravings first appeared on the French Revolution coins of 1794. The obverse features giant Hercules flanked by Liberty and Equality. Inscribed around the coin's outer, upper edge is: Liberte Egalite Fraternite. The reverse: 50 Francs is inscribed at the coin's center. The inscription is surrounded by laurel wreaths. Inscribed around the outer coin edge is: Republique Francaise, with the date 1976 at the coin's bottom.
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