siluska

Caesarea-ad-Libanum (province of Phoenicia) the 3 letter AZY are the seleucid year 461, that is AD 149-150 so Antoninus Pius (but not sure of that portrait...) A very rare coin!

Let's stay in Africa: Belgian Congo 5 francs/frank 19.3.(19)19 - to much 19 in this date, for me. Kinshasa branch. I like it for the beautifull light-green color on the rev. Circulated but hard to find. The branch, along with Elisabethville, are ok to find, but Matadi and Stanleyville are imposible to find. Design reused in the 1940's, different collors, and 1950's, with different bank name (when CB became Congo et Rwanda Burundi and so on).

The blue serial is easy to find, compared with red serial. But 5 lei is very rare, in any combination or condition, probably the rarest in this series, toghether with 25 lei. It was believed that red serial were printed in Czechoslovakia and blue in Romania, but the first are actualy Russia and second Romania. The red are the first (1952(, the blue serial the later (after 1952 to 1966). The red have a large letter (only A, N, P and S, so far as i saw) and a number (one digit), the blue, small letter (various) and 1-2 numbers (the lowest until now r 7, the biggest r 60). And of course, serial number in right side. The design was inspired by 20 lei 1950 (the peasent girl) and was produced in Russia by Goznak. The specimen have blue serial, small letter (f, g, h, m, n, r and t) .42 and 000000. Not that rare, compared to other romanian specimens...Circulated until 1969-1970, when where called in and replaced by 1966 series, with new name for the country (better said, republic...). Toghether with a friend, i work on a book on Romanian paper money, and hope that in january 2013 will be ready. It has a data base of over 11000 romanian notes, with serial numbers included and gradation.

that's also my problem with this issue, all the dates are imposible to find above XF, and even a good VF, no tears and not to many pinholes, is hard to find and the price . I only have one, but in bad condition (will post it soon). At least the 10000 fr. Bonaparte is much commoner, compared to this one....

wonderfull

two consecutive 1000 fr. 1940 (if someone is interested in one and has another date of this note in same condition, let me know)

all the Romanian notes before 1914, most of the notes from 1914-1940 were printed in France, or at least printing plates were made in France, by french artist. The paper was french production (BdF factories). Few notes from 1914 or around are made in Belgium, some of the 1917 dated notes in Russia. The first notes printed in England were made in 1931 and 1934. In the 1940's the style was french still, but they were made locally. After 1947, everything changed.

A recent add. The mintage is only 55,000 pcs. acording to the Ukrainian Bank note catalogue of Haritanov. It is the original, not the contemporany conterfeight( with brown signatures and serial number (AD 185 always)).

Silver shortage. Officially, the bank exchanged this notes for silver currency. But if all the notes sere to be changed, it was imposible. only 40-60 % were covered. The state authorized the bank to print this notes as a waranty for of a loan given by the bank, to the state, in silver and gold. And the state accepted the notes at face value, same as the coins.

It is printed by the Austrian Empire in 1858. an older date- 1848- it is also known. They were printed as replacement for guldens, a 12 g. silver coins. In 1866 a new type was printed and these notes were replaced. Officially, the last pieces were redrawn in 1892.

and back Jacques Coeur was a merchant who lived from c 1394/5 to 1456. He was a merchant and king's secretary. one of his famous quotes is mention on this note "A ceurs vaillants riens impossible"- "Nothing is impossible for a willing heart"

waited a too long for this note in unc condition. also a scarce date, that i didn't had in my collection

i really like this one. it is printed in santk petersburg and you can find very much similarities with the 3 rouble 1905( also printed in the same time)

maybe this links will be usefull http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Bernhard http://www.germannotes.com/faq_operation_bernhard.shtml

superb note. i have one in my collection, a g maximum and i love it, but seeing it so well keept makes me love it even more.

enjoy

prommised some yugoslavian ones... the first 3 are printed after WWI and replaced the different banknotes from the area, especially the austro hungarian korona. are overprinted with value in dinar and korona( 1 d=4 K). the 100 dinar was printed in 1929 and comes in 2 wmk varieties. it is one of my favorites... after 1941 was handstamped or overprinded by the italians or the germans and circulated also. and soon replaced by some serbian tipes. but those tomorow..

the 50 perper it's preety scarce. after 1918, this notes were replaced by the yugoslavian dinar... but about the 1918 dinar, tomorow

hi. just bought a collection and i will post several interesting banknotes. some Montenegro ones( Trna Gora) some off them are canceled. the 2 perper has also a ANULE, in latin letters

huge and beautifull. i especially like them but olso some Sibernaia Rossia printed in 1918-1919 with similar plates but w/o Ecaterini the great but w head of a beautifull woman. and the big 100 r from 1947 is beautifull but instead of catherine, you will find lenin....

nice . especially the 10 r. withe shipov and sovronov signature

and 1 rouble 1895 Pleshke and I. Metz. my new little queen. inhumanly rare. ps also some 25 rouble 1909 Konshkinvf, 40 r 1917, and 1938 5 r. unc

1 rouble 1919

a 1941 1000 lei with text down and wmk trajan( roman empereur, conquer of dacia, a very popular watermark during 1877-1945)

just bought 6 new banknotes. the first, a romanian 1000 lei 1936. preety scarce, with value up( not down like the 1941 emission) and wmk king carol II in laurel wreath.