Saor Alba

Here is one of my more recent entries:

One I own many examples of and a very nicely designed piece.

There was one, albeit a tiny one, on the 1980's early 1990's French 10FF coin: No comments about France or French

I get them so regularly I don't even look at them unless they are early QEII or prior.

$40 in Ikes, curiously all dated 1977 or 1978 and mostly BU from the bank. When I went in to exchange currency the teller asked me if I was the one that liked them - I said yes. She expressed relief - they really do not like getting them in the bank because they are some hassle apparently when you are counting your drawers.

Crazily enough the earliest coin I have gotten in circulation outside the USA was in the USSR in a Beryozka store where you had to pay in hard currency, I got a 1950 1/2 mark from Germany in change. Up until the Euro it was possible to get some 1950's dated coins like the 5 and 10 cent coins in change in Netherlands.

The IRS doesn't think the Swiss were very "obedient" until recently when they started outing the absconders. Switzerland has to be the country along with the USA where it is possible to find nearly 100 year old coins in circulation, I have gotten a couple of 1909 Lincolns in box searches in the last year, recently my earliest has been a 1926. Beats Ukraine where only 1992 on up coins are in circulation, but occasionally I have found a pattern in circulation though.

Nice silver find from Swissland Do you ever come across some of the earlier 10 or 20 rappen coins?

You, you, {insert expletive herein} Wowza, your lucky you got your paws on that before I got my snarfy paws on it first edit to add I love the depth in this piece, coupled with the lovely feminine visage. The patterned background behind her also makes for an interesting contrast.

There is a reject slot at about knee level where the coins the machine dissed get dumped, a lot of people apparently don't check that slot and it is right in front of the machine. I have heard though that there are some machines that do not have an external reject slot, that all rejects are kept in the machine - so you don't get them back! Adding to the ripoff of using the machines apparently.