Michael M

Two Shekel Circulation Coin Bank of Israel: Look after your money The central bank seeks to reduce wear and tear on notes. It is introducing a two-shekel coin. Zeev Klein 4 Jul 05 13:14 The Bank of Israel recommends that people handle bills more carefully by keeping them in their wallets, for example. The proportion of worn out notes is 81%. The Bank of Israel claims that taking better care of notes will improve the quality of notes in circulation, decrease the proportion of worn out notes, and save on the cost of issuing notes. Bank of Israel currency department director Mordechai Fein today published the department’s annual review for 2004, showing that the Bank of Israel is acting to change value priorities. Among other things, it was decided to introduce a two-shekel coin, as first reported by "Globes". Fein said that the purpose of the new coin was to save on costs of issuing coins for circulation, and streamline cash payments. An artists design competition for the new coin is currently underway. When completed, the necessary formal procedures to put the coin into circulation will be continued. The value of cash in circulation totaled NIS 20.8 billion in 2004, an increase of 8.7% in real terms, compared with a more moderate 3.7% increase in 2003. Greater public demand for cash caused by economic recovery explains the rise in the value of money in circulation. The value of cash in circulation varies with public demand, as reflected by bank withdrawals and deposits. Bills account for 95% of cash in circulation, and coins for 5%. The Bank of Israel issued three memorial coins in 2004, and one set of special coins: an Independence Day 2004 “Children in Israel” coin, a 2004 series 3 coin bearing a biblical picture of the burning bush, a coin commemorating the Olympic Games in Greece, and a set of Hanukah candles. Published by Globes [online] - www.globes.co.il - on July 4, 2005

Aidan is right...That is a great website. He offers a great selection of Israeli Coins direct from Israel. I have ordered from Pinchas many times before and have been very happy.

Here is a great website from the Bank of Israel outlining all past and current circulating Israeli Coins and Notes. If you have an interest in Israeli Coins, you should join the American Israeli Numismatic Association today. Also, for those of you haveing problems with Israeli dates....check this out. Here is another Hebrew/Israeli Date Calendar I found on line.... It may be found HERE or below. Thanks to Vitaly Rabinovich from Haifa, Israel. 1. The Hebrew Calendar is based on a lunar month so the year is about 11 days shorter than the Christian (solar) year and there are no constant Christian dates of Jewish holidays 2. There is a cycle of 19 Hebrew years and additional month is added to some of the years, so this cycle is equal to 19 solar years. Therefore there is no growing delay between the Hebrew and the Christian calendars as for example between the Christian and the Islamic. 3. The Jewish New Year (JNY) is celebrated during September – October. The Year 2000 is 5760 by Hebrew calendar. The Year 5760 started at Jewish New Year of 1999 and lasted till Jewish New Year of 2000. 4. To calculate the Christian Year (CE) according to Hebrew Year (HE) : a. CE = HE – 3760 for dates from 1/1 till the JNY b. CE = HE – 3761 for dates from JNY till 31/12 5. The Hanukkah holiday is celebrated at December therefore you should use the 4.b. formula for Hanukkah coins 6. Conversion table between the Hebrew years appearing on Israeli coins and the corresponding Christian years according to the 4.a. formula : 1948 -* תש"ח 1949 - תש"ט 1950 - תש"י 1951 - תשי"א 1952 - תשי"ב 1953 - תשי"ג 1954 - תשי"ד 1955 - תשט"ו 1956 - תשט"ז 1957 - תשי"ז 1958 - תשי"ח 1959 - תשי"ט 1960 - תש"ך 1961 - תשכ"א 1962 - תשכ"ב 1963 - תשכ"ג 1964 - תשכ"ד 1965 - תשכ"ה 1966 - תשכ"ו 1967 - תשכ"ז 1968 - תשכ"ח 1969 - תשכ"ט 1970 - תש"ל 1971 - תשל"א 1972 - תשל"ב 1973 - תשל"ג 1974 - תשל"ד 1975 - תשל"ה 1976 - תשל"ו 1977 - תשל"ז 1978 - תשל"ח 1979 - תשל"ט 1980 - תש"ם 1981 - תשמ"א 1982 - התשמ"ב 1983 - התשמ"ג 1984 - התשמ"ד 1985 - התשמ"ה 1986 - התשמ"ו 1987 - התשמ"ז 1988 - התשמ"ח 1989 - התשמ"ט 1990 - התש"ן 1991 - התשנ"א 1992 - התשנ"ב 1993 - התשנ"ג 1994 - התשנ"ד 1995 - התשנ"ה 1996 - התשנ"ו 1997 - התשנ"ז 1998 - התשנ"ח 1999 - התשנ"ט 2000 - התש"ס 2001 - התשס"א 2002 - תשס"ב 2003 - התשס"ג Vitaly's numismatic website may be found here Shalom Mike