Ætheling

May I introduce you to some world platinum or palladium coin, like the coin I got in my avatar? *lol @ cccp*

Not too bothered about Platinum, but Palladium always sounded like a good metal to have! Afterall Platinum whilst more expensive (if memory serves correct) is just a run of the mill noble metal. Palladium is more interesting.

Although zinc and tin are firm favourites also. The zinc as exemplified by this collection currently being worked on. Currently trying to get a full date run of these in UNC with lustre. (Lustre was hard to capture, but it is there).

Infact a whole Nazi Germany Berlin (A) mint date set in UNC is the ultimate goal eventually, but the 5 reichpfennigs are currently the only denomination being pursued.

When I was 12 my godfather gave me a liberty double eagle

and I became a magpie

Ah the Liberty $20... gorgeous coins. Must get another one, one day to replace the vacant spot left by the other that got sold.

US gold coinage is an interest of mine, amongst others.

Wonderful! With a thread as inspiring as this it is very tempting to switch to collecting by type. Needless to say the date collector within is now pulling the covers over his head and crying.

Question as topic heading, including the following;

1) Was it a particular coin that caught your eye?

2) World coins are generally cheaper than US?

3) Just fancied something different?

Note; If you're not in the US then the question still applies, how did you get into non-native coins and why?

Finally, is there anything, country-wise/denomination-wise you think you'd like to persue one day, time/money permitting?

Have a few collections on the go but it's unlikely that there are any albums available for any of the collections currently being worked on.

Prefer to store them via other methods that won't tone the coins anyhow.

Never lost one either, touch wood.

It reads:

 

THOMAS SIMON . MOST HVMBLY . PRAYS . YOUR . MAJESTY TO . COMPARE . THIS . HIS . TRYALL . PIECE . WITH . THE . DVTCH . AND . IF . MORE (second line) TRVLY . DRAWN & EMBOSS'D . MORE . GRACE : FVLLY . ORDER'D . AND . MORE . ACCVRATELY . ENGRAVEN . TO . RELIEVE . HIM.

Mr Simon was to be disappointed, as John Roettier retained the post.

Constantine I

The emperor Constantine has rightly been called the most important emperor of Late Antiquity. His powerful personality laid the foundations of post-classical European civilization; his reign was eventful and highly dramatic. His victory at the Milvian Bridge counts among the most decisive moments in world history, while his legalization and support of Christianity and his foundation of a 'New Rome' at Byzantium rank among the most momentous decisions ever made by a European ruler.

A very nice coin of a very important person in history. Definately not the favourite Emperor though.

Nowadays, coin designs are not taken very seriously, as they are usually flat, or reeded. The reason why? Probably because there is no need for such high technology counterfeiting devices like the 1700-1800 period. During those times, crude strikes existed and such edge "protection" was possibly needed as a counterfeit device.

Reeded or Milled edges were introduced at varying times in varying places. Most commonly in the 17th/18th centuries with the progression away from hammered coins and onto machine made coins with milled edges, hence the term milled coinage.

Other feature such as edge lettering were introduced for the same reason as the milling was introduced, to prevent people from clipping silver off of the coins and passing underweight coins on. Hence why British coins of this period are enscribed 'DECVS ET TVTAMEN' (An Ornament and Safeguard). Gold coins were similarly done.

Which brings to mind one story about eighteenth century England. Up until a certain point the edge milling on the gold guinea had been like most of the other denominations, set diagonally. However due to the prevalence of the guinea filers, who would file gold from the edges of the coin and then reingrave the reeding, something had to be done.

It was noted that certain issues were more suceptible than others to this filing. Issues where the legends were near to the edge generally escaped, but coins where there was a gap between the legend and the edge of the coin usually got filed down.

Thus by the mid-late 18th century the mint changed the obverse and reverse legends so that they were as close to the edge as possible and then the edge milling was altered from the diagonal style to a chevron style. The problem was greatly solved on the new coins.

So the edges of coins don't just make forgery more difficult, they also ensured that making a profit at the mint's expense was greatly reduced.

A penny, just the one.

Andy seems to have out done everyone.

Pity about this now redundant double sided one.

(No PNG file to be found so it had to be JPEG again)...

The general idea was to cut out the black strip stick it where the arrow points (on the blank side) running down the space provided. The to fold the other side over and glue it shut. Making a two sided note. Hopefull the measurements were accurate enough to ensure the watermark area in the CP was lining up on both sides.

(If you were to draw on the inside of the watermarked area it might show through when held up to the light), as would the strip.

Tip: Never save files as jpg. That's because it's compressing your files too much and you get some odd distortion. I am assuming that you are using MS paint, which is perfectly possible to do. Instead, save it as PNG. It will help. *Don't ask WHY, but it will *

Thanks, the PNG will be useful in future.

Jpeg was chosen for a reason, size issues mostly, but blurred vision helps to prevent people printing them off unofficially.* Unlikely that the jpeg ones above will even make it to printing anyhow because another set of designs are being worked on. MMD will probably do the circulation versions.

As for the others they are in the works. Double sided ones are being designed slowly, for the CANE thing and maybe for a few other events.

*Signatures should solve that issue. MMD will be signing most if not all of them.

Another set of designs ar been worked on exclusively for the new 'CANE' awards.

The colours are proving tricky to match up.

Wonderful!

Oli that is the best yet undoubtedly. Although there is one slight question raised by the inclusion of Shrek and that is Copyright. Could printing off say 6000 Shrek notes not be a bit open to a legal minefield?

Here's the newly designed $1 note.

Got a bit carried away with the lines going across the note, they appeared and followed the course spontanously, whatever looked good at the time.

Sitting further back though those random lines actually look alot like a 'P' turned on it's side with a 'C' resting on top. This CP design was not intentional but just occurred.

Well new designs are always welcome. As you may have noticed there are two design themes pictured above, the McDoo and the other. Obviously it makes sense to stick with the one for now... although designs may change in future.

The design that is not picked for the currency will be used for another scheme. On some forums they have prestigious awards known as 'Post of the Day' (all you really get is the right to stick POTD in your signature with the nomination/award date).

Post of the Day is usually awarded seldomly and only to numismatically related posts that create fascination and debate amongst the members.

Therefore the losing note designs (probably the linked to ones designed by yours truly) will be used as prizes for the coinpeople version of post of the day.

Introducing the Coinpeople Award for Numismatic Excellence (CANE).

If you achieve one of these prestigious awards you get the $1 note, 5 the $5, 10 the $10, 20 the $20.

Getting the full set will be very tricky as these notes won't be given out liberally.

Pictures of $1 note to follow.

Just one small point, very small but important. 2x2s whilst very useful for storage it is particularly essential to ensure that the humidy around them is correct, because if it is too humid the mylar windows can cause the coins to begin sweating. If they sweat they then 'turn'. Watch out for verdigris in particular.

All coins in 2x2s heading in this direction are quickly removed from them due to previous bad experience. Airtites seem fine though.

Interesting. Can I ask what is the inspiration for 1920's?

Well it was a time when the US produced some of its most celebrated coinage, the Saints, Walker Halves, Standing Liberty Quarters, Mercury Dimes etc.

It was also somewhat of a 'Golden' period in US history, the Roaring '20s... soon to be shattered by the 1929 Wall Street crash and the Great Depression of the 1930s.

Another reason was because the 1910s was a more expensive era to focus upon.

A somewhat eclectic approach. Although there are a few sets on the go from here and there, another set is about to be started and it is a set that will take a considerable amount of time, money and above all patience. In a nutshell, 1920s US coins struck at the Philadelphia mint. Rare coins of the period will be omitted. The hope is to have most coins grading EF or better. Expected finish date 2015 sometime.