Jesse4694 Posted March 7, 2011 Report Share Posted March 7, 2011 Howdy All, I was looking for something new to collect for me and had once read some where of somebody who was collecting a coin from every country past and present throughout the world. Does anyone have such a list or is there someone who is doing this by chance? Thanks all, Jesse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmarotta Posted March 7, 2011 Report Share Posted March 7, 2011 That is an ambitious goal! We do read about these every now and then when one or another is completed. Typically, there is some sort of definition, such as "every United Nations member." The reason is that you need a definition of what a "nation" is. The Vatican is not a UN member, but is certainly considered a nation. (Switzerland only joined in 2002.) Puerto Rico does not issue its own money, but does participate in the Olympics under its own banner. So,you, as the collector, have to make some choices. Countries come and go. You start this project now and before you are done, you have to change with the times. Yugoslavia is a case in point with the final gambit being Montenegro's separation from Serbia in 2002. On the other hand, the nations of Western Africa, Central Africa, and East Africa have or had or have had or will have currency unions. In each case, there is a common currency, but the paper money serial numbers indicate the nation of account. How do you handle that? The same is true of the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union. Also, on the other hand, private banks in Hong Kong, Scotland and Ireland issue their own notes on their own accounts, with currency backed in government money. So, there are government banks (Bank of England; Hong Kong Monetary Authority) and the private banks. You get a similar situation with the Euro. Nomiminally, it is a single currency. However, coins in general and circulating commemorative coins in particular exhibit national symbols. So, if you collected coins you might need 25 or 30 (27 members at the moment), but if banknotes, then, just one. Realize that "every country past and present" is extremely ambitious. In the 1000 years between Charlemagne and Napoleon, I'll bet that 1000 different sovereign entities in what we now call "Germany" and "Italy" and "France" issued coins. Read about Saxony. Just one "state," but as the families split and remarried it created a fascinating array of independent duchies. In more modern times, we had East Germany and West Germany... North Vietnam and South Vietnam... North Yemen and South Yemen... And then there is Palestine. Do the coins of Palestine from the 1930s satisfy for today's Palestinian Authority, which is (at least arguably) a nation, but which issues no coins or currency? I have some coins from Tibet. China says that Tibet is not a nation and China has an army there to prove it. Generals in the field, rebels in the mountains, who is the real ruler? Would you add Confederate States of America coins to your collection of all countries past and present? It is a worthy goal ambitious and technically doable. It will occupy many years and provide a lot of interesting learning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse4694 Posted March 7, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2011 Hi Michael, That was a big starting help and thank you for your time and good thought provoking. I thought it would take years but I always just pass on the foriegn bins and I can start out on the cheap with something else to look forward to at shows and dealers! thanks, Jesse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ikaros Posted March 7, 2011 Report Share Posted March 7, 2011 Howdy All, I was looking for something new to collect for me and had once read some where of somebody who was collecting a coin from every country past and present throughout the world. Does anyone have such a list or is there someone who is doing this by chance? I don't know of anyone who's tackling a set quite like that. My own world set is limited to my birth year: one of every circulating coin issued that year. Even as recently as 1963, I've found some surprisingly pricey issues that had to get moved to my 'eventually' list. Thankfully, there's no circulating gold and many countries had already shifted to base metal from silver. There are four people in the local coin club all trying to do birth year sets... and all four of them were born in 1946. It was a lot of fun to watch them scrambling to beat each other to the deals at the Ohio State Coin Show last September. I got the hairy eyeball from dealers a couple times just for mentioning a birth year world set after they'd gone through. One coin from each nation makes it sound like a fascinating undertaking rather than an impossible one. I'm curious how you're planning on defining nation, mainly. For example, you can get a Polish 1 złoty piece in just about any foreigns bin in any dealer's shop you walk into. Does that cover all historical Poland, or will there be a sample from the modern republic, the post-war people's republic, the interwar republic, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, the kingdom? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Art Posted March 7, 2011 Report Share Posted March 7, 2011 I have a set of Countries. One coin and one note from each country. I started my list with countries of the UN and then added others using Krause's 2000 Catalog of World Coins. That only goes back to 1900 so it will come way short of the type of thing Mike was talking about -- but it's still quite a challenge. I have a spreadsheet that has the countries listed alphabetically. PM if you'd like a copy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luke_idk Posted March 11, 2011 Report Share Posted March 11, 2011 Howdy All, I was looking for something new to collect for me and had once read some where of somebody who was collecting a coin from every country past and present throughout the world. Does anyone have such a list or is there someone who is doing this by chance? Thanks all, Jesse I collect coins from all countries during their institutional changes, but aiming to today countries. For instance: SERBIA: Principality of Serbia (Turkish protectorate) Principality of Serbia (Independent) Kingdom of Serbia Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, Slovenes Kingdom of Yugoslavia Serbia (Axis occupation) Federal Democracy of Yugoslavia People's Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Serbia and Montenegro Republic of Serbia It's not easy, but possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Art Posted March 11, 2011 Report Share Posted March 11, 2011 Here's a link to the spreadsheet I created. I think you can open and save it if you want a copy. Countries of the World Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmarotta Posted March 12, 2011 Report Share Posted March 12, 2011 I collect coins from all countries during their institutional changes, but aiming to today countries. For instance: SERBIA: ... It's not easy, but possible. Wow! That is impressive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luke_idk Posted March 12, 2011 Report Share Posted March 12, 2011 In fact, there is no difference between Serbia-Monetengro and Serbia coinage, so i just took two coins (before and after 2006). As well, I do collect different conis for monetary reforms. Anyway I just need a dozen coins to complete Serbia, so it's not so difficult Obviously it would be almost impossible to collect each old German or Italian state, so It's necessary to aim at today countries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccg Posted March 12, 2011 Report Share Posted March 12, 2011 As others have suggested, each individual approach can be unique. When I used to collect this way (I left off somewhere around 170), I included anything post-1700 that was a sperate entity. I also permitted for major government changes. Germany, for example would have included: German States (various) German Empire (-1919) Weimar Republic Third Reich West Germany East Germany In my case, I opted not to include a piece for post-re-unification Germany as I considered it to be a continuation of W. Germany. I also skipped currency changes, so Ireland would consist only of pre-1928 and post-1928. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luke_idk Posted March 12, 2011 Report Share Posted March 12, 2011 As others have suggested, each individual approach can be unique. When I used to collect this way (I left off somewhere around 170), I included anything post-1700 that was a sperate entity. I also permitted for major government changes. Germany, for example would have included: German States (various) German Empire (-1919) Weimar Republic Third Reich West Germany East Germany In my case, I opted not to include a piece for post-re-unification Germany as I considered it to be a continuation of W. Germany. I also skipped currency changes, so Ireland would consist only of pre-1928 and post-1928. I also include Allied and Soviet occupations 1945-1949 (not necessarily occupation coinage) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccg Posted March 13, 2011 Report Share Posted March 13, 2011 I also include Allied and Soviet occupations 1945-1949 (not necessarily occupation coinage) I didn't think of it then, but the post-war occupation could had definately been "shown" with a swatzika-removed eagle zinc coin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse4694 Posted March 13, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 13, 2011 Hi Art, That spreadsheet is perfect and exactly what I was looking for. Thank you for sending it out, I know it took a lot of time!! Jesse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luke_idk Posted March 14, 2011 Report Share Posted March 14, 2011 I didn't think of it then, but the post-war occupation could had definately been "shown" with a swatzika-removed eagle zinc coin. But you're talking about allied coinage. I mean, I simply need a coin minted between 1946-1948. It's easier Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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