mmarotta Posted October 18, 2013 Report Share Posted October 18, 2013 As an Objectivist, I have my standards. This is my one communist coin. It always reminds me of the scene in Animal Farm where the farm cats are trying to talk the wild birds into being comrades. I was in Europe in early 2000 and drinking with some Russians. I knew that times were tough for them, I asked some direct questions about the old days versus the new. "How do you know so much?" they asked (as Americans are universally regarded as ignorant). I replied, "In college, I was a communist." They broke out laughing. "Yeah, so were we!" That being as it may, I just want to note that I have no Nazi coins. When I started in numismatics and bought bulk lots, if I came upon a Nazi coin, I threw it in the wastebasket. I still would. A Leipzig Goethe or Trade Fair commemorative, or Sandor Ko"ro"si Csoma from Hungary 1984, well... I'd have to consider the upside of the philosophical problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candidate Posted October 18, 2013 Report Share Posted October 18, 2013 Nice coin. And nice story, as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexbq2 Posted October 18, 2013 Report Share Posted October 18, 2013 I don't see the coin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gxseries Posted October 18, 2013 Report Share Posted October 18, 2013 I think it would be this coin in his collection: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
constanius Posted October 18, 2013 Report Share Posted October 18, 2013 Very enjoyable post, though I personally have no objection to collecting Communist or Fascist coins or medals, this is one of my medals. Each to their own but in my case I would rather be reminded of the evil Man can inflict on Man than try to sweep it under the carpet, lest we forget, and the imagery on this medal is very striking. Italian Fascist Medal. SORTI DEVOTA FUTURAE Rev: A VII O.N.B. by Papi for Lorioli Castelli Bronze 41mm Opera Nazionale Balilla (ONB) was an Italian Fascist youth organization. Created through Mussolini's decree of April 3 1926 this is A VII for year 7. It was named after Balilla (Giovan Battista Perasso), a semi-legendary Genoese character who started the local revolt of 1746 against the Austrian Habsburg forces that occupied the city in the War of Succession. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmarotta Posted October 18, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2013 Thanks, QX! Yes, I accidentally double-posted. When I deleted the duplicate, the pictures went away in both, and now when I try to edit, I get a system error. It happens. Constantius - yes, this discussion goes on and on... In addition to a few Republican pieces, the only Roman Imperials I own include on of Marcus Aurelius, the Philosopher-Emperor, played by Alec Guinness before he became Obi Wan Kenobi, One of my Christian friends pointed out that Marcus Aurelius was not so high-minded: he allowed the persecutions to continue. The citation to a "Thundering Legion" of Christians in his army is likewise disputed. Even though, I have a Seated Half Dollar from 1857, I do not condone slavery. My Mercury dimes all have a fasces on the reverse. What does that say about Woodrow Wilson ... or me? But we all draw the line somewhere. I was just going through my tokens and came upon several from 19th century British co-operatives. We ourselves have been members of food co-ops in every city we lived in and we served on a board. I worked with the Bay Bucks Community Currency project when we lived in Traverse City. My libertarian friends just do not understand... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
constanius Posted October 18, 2013 Report Share Posted October 18, 2013 I always enjoy your posts Michael, I just wish they were more frequent. Unfortunately for the Christians, they could not or would not, show any respect to, or even ignore the numerous other religions, deities or philosophies which co-existed peacefully with each other within the Empire. Believing that there was only one true God they would not pay lip service to any other religion or even acknowledge the Imperial Cult, by insisting that all the other religions & gods were false they almost invited persecution. Some of the emperors tried to protect them by insisting that anyone who bore false witness against a Christian would himself be punished and as long as the Christians did not disturb the Pax let them live in peace and inquire not what was in their hearts. Yes they suffered severely but they survived, once they became the religion of the Empire they quickly eradicated any other religion with the exception of Judaism. It is always handy to have a whipping-boy. I have a Clan token which I have never been brave enough to post, as I try to avoid upsetting anyone, but researching it was historically very enlightening to me. Even though I abhor slavery, racism and violence the token itself in no way offends me. Pat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexbq2 Posted October 18, 2013 Report Share Posted October 18, 2013 I was just going through my tokens and came upon several from 19th century British co-operatives. We ourselves have been members of food co-ops in every city we lived in and we served on a board. I worked with the Bay Bucks Community Currency project when we lived in Traverse City. My libertarian friends just do not understand... Libertarians don't like food co-ops?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottishmoney Posted October 18, 2013 Report Share Posted October 18, 2013 Communism and coins should be incompatible - the objective of pure socialism was the eventual elimination of money as a capitalist imposition on the masses. Expediency and people's emotions dictated the necessity of the New Economic Plan or NEP by Vladimir Lenin - which saw the Russian SFSR and later the USSR start with a return to gold and silver standard based money with subsidiary paper money. Most of the early gold coins minted in the RSFSR never saw actual circulation like the silver coins did. With a return to some economic stability with first the implementation of the NEP and then the first "Five Year Plan" in 1928 the USSR could begin pulling precious metal coinage out of circulation and replacing it with base metal. The long term objective was supposed to be the elimination of money as a circulating medium - but even Stalin's terror couldn't pull off such a radical idea - eventually the objective was quietly dropped while the fiat money system implemented in the early 1930s continued. Communism was not compatible with hoarding or saving of money and never was. In 1947 and again in 1961 the authorities performed a revaluation of the currency to root out and devalue money that was allegedly hoarded. Curiously the revaluations did not effect coins - they kept their value - but paper money from previous issues was demonetized. The long term effect on the mentality of people is still in effect to this day. Both in the later years of USSR and now into post Soviet era getting change in coins can be a process. I have always been one to hoard change myself and not pay for purchases with coin! Literally I have had many the arguments with cashiers in grocery stores, markets etc over not "having" change and insisting they give me coins in change for purchases. So amass the kopeks I still do - a mentality I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve D'Ippolito Posted October 19, 2013 Report Share Posted October 19, 2013 Good post, ScottishMoney! I guess my prejudices show when it comes to soviet money; I can't get into the base metal stuff at all but the early silver is interesting to me; I own not only one of those 1924 rubles but somewhere around here is a star ruble as well (alas, artificially toned). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
actelios Posted October 23, 2013 Report Share Posted October 23, 2013 I think it would be this coin in his collection: Nice coin but common one, it is a rouble 1924 (один рубль) = one rouble Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
actelios Posted October 23, 2013 Report Share Posted October 23, 2013 Actually the above rouble is very populare , look at the following : Type: Russian Silver Rouble USSROrigin: russiaEra / Ruler: Union of Soviet Socialist RepublicsIssued from: 1924Alignment:Reverse: Two figures walking right, radiant sun rising at rightObverse: National arms divides circle with inscription withinEdge: Cililic (18 grams 43.21d) Composition: SilverWeight(g): 19.9960gWeight(Oz):Fineness: 0.9000Net Content: 0.58 Oz (18.00gMintage: 26,559,000 but also I like it so much and I own a couple Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
extant4cell Posted November 1, 2013 Report Share Posted November 1, 2013 This silver rouble is of the epic historical proportions, hence the mintage numbers. The first truly popularized form of art that portrayed the soviet idea of industrialization and moving into the future. It sort of saying to the peasants "I work at a factory. Industrialization will take us into the future (communism). Come I'll show you where the sun rises, that's where we are going, this is our way"... It has a massive idealistic propaganda attached to it, and I love it! Apart from all the problems of soviet era, they did inspire common people to become more educated and help to engineer the future (which is now in the past), that people could be proud of and in which they could dream... It took the mind of the nation into the space eventually. As much as I hated the regime for the bad stuff, some achievements of soviet era were great, and this rouble is one of the first milestones that was making the new generation of common people feel important and inspired them to dream... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobh Posted November 2, 2013 Report Share Posted November 2, 2013 This silver rouble is of the epic historical proportions, hence the mintage numbers. The first truly popularized form of art that portrayed the soviet idea of industrialization and moving into the future. It sort of saying to the peasants "I work at a factory. Industrialization will take us into the future (communism). Come I'll show you where the sun rises, that's where we are going, this is our way"... It has a massive idealistic propaganda attached to it, and I love it! Apart from all the problems of soviet era, they did inspire common people to become more educated and help to engineer the future (which is now in the past), that people could be proud of and in which they could dream... It took the mind of the nation into the space eventually. As much as I hated the regime for the bad stuff, some achievements of soviet era were great, and this rouble is one of the first milestones that was making the new generation of common people feel important and inspired them to dream... And the "happy farmer" is also a recurrent theme: "It took the mind of the nation into the space eventually:" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobh Posted November 2, 2013 Report Share Posted November 2, 2013 Deleted ... sorry about that! There was a glitch right after my posting the above message, but it seems that all is OK now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottishmoney Posted November 2, 2013 Report Share Posted November 2, 2013 This silver rouble is of the epic historical proportions, hence the mintage numbers. The first truly popularized form of art that portrayed the soviet idea of industrialization and moving into the future. It sort of saying to the peasants "I work at a factory. Industrialization will take us into the future (communism). Come I'll show you where the sun rises, that's where we are going, this is our way"... It has a massive idealistic propaganda attached to it, and I love it! Apart from all the problems of soviet era, they did inspire common people to become more educated and help to engineer the future (which is now in the past), that people could be proud of and in which they could dream... It took the mind of the nation into the space eventually. As much as I hated the regime for the bad stuff, some achievements of soviet era were great, and this rouble is one of the first milestones that was making the new generation of common people feel important and inspired them to dream... Very well said. And to think that men like Korolyev, Tupolev, Ilyushin worked with a threat of time in the Gulag if they didn't perform. Tupolev and Ilyushin lived long enough to receive accolades for their work, but Korolyev's work was unrecognised during his lifetime. It is okay to condemn the regime that kept everybody in poverty - but there were truly great individuals that put country and mankind ahead of their personal comforts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
extant4cell Posted November 2, 2013 Report Share Posted November 2, 2013 Very well said. And to think that men like Korolyev, Tupolev, Ilyushin worked with a threat of time in the Gulag if they didn't perform. Tupolev and Ilyushin lived long enough to receive accolades for their work, but Korolyev's work was unrecognised during his lifetime. It is okay to condemn the regime that kept everybody in poverty - but there were truly great individuals that put country and mankind ahead of their personal comforts. I don't know what it is with Russian scientists and jail... Tsialkovskiy wrote the theory of a rocket engine while he was in jail before the revolution. It must be the Russian women... And the "happy farmer" ... Thank you for showing these coins. They are nice and reflect the history of the time, even though not as common (for circulation). There were other commemorative coins during the 60s-80s that were produced en-mass, that were in the circulation representing Soviet history (officially recognized at the time)... Although, I don't care for them much, I grew up handling them and some of my friends collected them... I mostly have coins from early Soviet era in silver and copper, a few later coins (just to make my nostalgia to shut up), and a few of the change-over period, including silver again... This is my "side" collection that had no particular direction... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottishmoney Posted November 2, 2013 Report Share Posted November 2, 2013 It must be the Russian women... Shut up: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
extant4cell Posted November 3, 2013 Report Share Posted November 3, 2013 lol that is a nice one... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobh Posted November 4, 2013 Report Share Posted November 4, 2013 This is my "side" collection that had no particular direction... Soviet and modern Russian commemorative coins are also my "side" collection which I have bought simply for the amazing artistic quality of the designs. Ideologically, of course, they have no significance for me except as a kind of historical interest. But what sheer beauty there is in those pieces of silver and gold! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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