Author: Julian Ticehurst

Curiouser and curiouser

Date for Diary: Vancouver Coin, Stamp and Collectable Show 17th – 18th September

1958 British Columbia dollar

We’re looking forward to the Coin, Stamp & Collectable Show. It’s 2 days this year – Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th September 2016.  At the Nikkei Museum & Cultural Centre in Burnaby.   There’ll be a lot of material on display both new and old (and even ancient!) We hope to see you! More information and a map here. You can also sign-up   for email  Show reminders and features:  http://northshorenumismaticsociety.org/vancouver-coin-show/ People come to our show from all over Vancouver, the North Shore, Burnaby, Richmond, Surrey and the whole Lower Mainland, They come from the interior and Sunshine Coast and Vancouver Island.  We’re happy…

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Happy Victoria Day!

Queen Victoria - Gothic Crown

Victoria Day (in French: Fête de la Reine) is a federal Canadian public holiday celebrated on the last Monday preceding May 25, in honour of Queen Victoria’s birthday. The Gothic Crown is considered by many to be the finest Victorian silver coin. Victoria Gothic Crown, mdcccxlvii = 1847, edge inscribed Undecimo, Spink 3883. Beautifully toned, EF with some minor marks to the bust and in the fields. Sold Victoria Gothic Crown £1,150.00 Thank you Leodis Hammered Coins for text and image.  

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Star Trek: To Boldy Go

Starship Enterpirse

The Royal Canadian Mint have joined the Star Trek 50 year celebration. “Since its television debut, Star Trek‘s imaginative storylines have brought fans on an incredible journey through time and space. Kirk, Scotty, Uhura, and Spock—they served as our fictional trailblazers in an exciting new frontier that seemed as boundless as our imaginations. Guided by the Prime Directive and a spirit of discovery, the adventures of the U.S.S. Enterprise and her crew introduced viewers to more than 70 different new worlds while encountering nearly as many alien species. Celebrate the 50th anniversary of Star Trek—a television series that is beloved…

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The Commonwealth of England, 1653

In 1649 Pierre Blondeau, a master engineer at the Paris mint, came to the Tower Mint in London. He was invited by a mint beset by forgers and clippers of its hammered coins and willing to look at milled coinage afresh (Milling had been tried a 100 years before under Elizabeth I). Despite the invitation and his capable machinery Blondeau had a fierce struggle against the MInt and its supporters who, frightened by technology, attacked the innovative Blondeau in pamphlets and accusations of high treason. But he succeeded, in the end, as luck and the Lord Protector favoured him. Blondeau…

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Our Coins, Stamps & Collectibles Show is this Saturday, April 2nd

Hi Everyone, This a a reminder that the next Coins, Stamps & Collectibles Show is this Saturday, April 2nd. The show is held at the Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre located at 6688 Southoaks Crescent at the intersection of Kingsway and Sperling (Sperling becomes Southoaks south of Kingsway). The show runs from 9 am to 3 pm.  Admission is $2, and free for those age 16 and under.  There is  free underground parking at the location, and there is also parking along Beresford Avenue behind the Centre.  We have three new dealers at this show. More information can be…

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King Philip II of Macedon

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Kingdom of Macedon, Philip II AR Tetradrachm

Philip II of Macedon is the powerful war-king who has taken Macedonia from barbarian obscurity to being the ascendant power in all of the lands from Thrace to the League of Corinth. Here he  is shown addressing the Army assembly at Pella. Zeus backs him.  The silver is good.  Who can withstand ? Thank you Paul Anderson at Praefectus Coins for our featured coin and attribution text. Praefectus coins will be at our Coins, Stamps & Collectables show on April 2nd at Nikkei centre in Burnaby     is        

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Royal Maundy Thursday Coinage

Maundy Coins - Mary Gillick effigy

The word ‘maundy’ derives from the latin ‘mandatum’ which was applied to Christ’s washing of his disciples feet on the day before Good Friday; ‘that ye love one another’ (John XIII 34) British Royalty have taken part in the Maundy ceremony since the 13th century; distributing money, gifts and washing the feet of the poor It was King John who started the Royal Maundy tradition in 1210 when he donated garments, forks, food, and other gifts to the poor of Knaresborough, Yorkshire. Henry IV, around 1400, related the number of Maundy recipients to the age of the Sovereign. And it…

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Reminder – our next Coins, Stamps, and Collectibles Show is on April 2nd, 2016

Hi everyone, This is a reminder that our next Coins, Stamps, and Collectibles Show is on April 2nd, 2016.   The show is held at the Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre located at 6688 Southoaks Crescent at the intersection of Kingsway and Sperling (Sperling becomes Southoaks south of Kingsway).   The show runs from 9 am to 3 pm.  Admission is $2, and free for those age 16 and under.  There is limited free underground parking at the location, and there is also parking along Beresford Avenue behind the Centre. More information can be obtained from our website: http://northshorenumismaticsociety.org/

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China 2016 silver Panda – now a metric ounce

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CHINA 10 YUAN 2016 SILVER PANDA,

China continued their popular silver Panda series with this attractive 2016 issue.  Each year features a different design featuring a cute giant Panda.  The 2016 issue depicts a Panda grasping a large tree branch.  The obverse features the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, a Taoist temple complex constructed in the early 1400’s. In keeping with what seems like a Chinese tradition of cutting corners, the 2016 Panda weighs 30 grams (.9645 oz) rather than 1 troy ounce (31.1035 grams).  The reasoning is that this will put the coin on the metric standard.  The coin is struck in .999 fine silver,…

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An Antarctic Orca

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BRITISH ANTARCTIC TERRITORY 2 POUNDS 2014 ORCA BU

This 2014 2 Pound coin from the British Antarctic Territory features an Orca (Killer Whale) with her calf swimming in the Antarctic waters with an iceberg in the background.  Orcas, also known as killer whales, are the largest existing members of the dolphin family, ranging in size up to 26 feet (8 meters) long.   They are highly social, often living together in matrilineal family groups. Their sophisticated hunting techniques and vocal behaviours are often passed across generations.  The copper-nickel coin is 38.6 mm in diameter, features the Ian Rank-Broadley portrait of Queen Elizabeth on the obverse and has a maximum…

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Aqua-Green malachite stone set in Celtic Mandala

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The Antique Finish 2016 Mandala Art Ultra High Relief $10 coin contains 3 ounces of .999 fine silver. Mintage of 500. The reverse of the coin, engraved to represent a mandala, features intricate detail rich with symbolism rooted in Celtic traditions, with an aqua-green malachite stone at the center.   The obverse of the coin carries the coat of arms of Fiji, the denomination and year of issue, 2016. Thank you coin world for image and text http://www.coinworld.com/news/world-coins/2016/03/silver-mandala-coin-from-fiji-blends-celtic-eastern-influence.html

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Meeting up Tuesday 15th March at Bonsor – Everyone welcome!

Charles II 1679 Three pence at auction at Bonsor: Hello everyone, Mark your calendars!!! This is a reminder that the next North Shore Numismatic Society meeting is Tuesday, March 15th. The meeting is held at the Bonsor Recreation Centre, in Multipurpose Room #2.  Doors open at 7 pm and the meeting starts at 7:30 pm.  The meeting is open to members and non-members, so everyone is welcome.  Program:  We are in the middle of tax filing season, so Michael Souza will present a PowerPoint on “Income Tax and Coin Collecting”.  As hobby collectors, it is important to understand how the income tax legislation affects you when you…

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Beginning Canada Coins – One Cent i

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1 Cent 2002 Elizabeth II

Today I took a bit of time out and sat down with a tub of old pennies. Bliss! We’d put it aside back in 2013. The earliest one was 1952 and the latest was the last – 2012. All of them saved from 2011/2012 circulation. Unfortunately there were a few  with severe bronze disease and it has now spread as it is wont. Tiny patches of bright green here and there.  There’s no time to treat it for a penny so they must go. There’s a fair few gaps in my ‘Date Run’ but there’re lots of Cents in reasonable and even extremely…

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Julius Caesar Elephant

Julius Caesar elephant

The Julius Caesar Elephant denarius was one of the 5 most common silver coin types at the time of the Claudian invasion of Britain (1). Crawford estimated 750 obverse dies and with each die producing perhaps 10,000 coin obverses we’re looking at  7.5 million Elephants. Or another estimate is 22.5 million elephants – enough to pay 8 legions.(2)   To mint all of these coins, to pay his troops, Caesar simply helped himself  to the vast  silver reserves in the Temple of Saturn in Rome; where it had been held in sacred trust for time immemorial. They are readily available to collectors but the…

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2016 Royal Canadian Mint Silver Proof Set

The 2016 Set commemorates the 150th anniversary of the Transatlantic Cable. Cost C$ 229.95 Specifications No.150180 Proof dollar Composition 99.99% pure silver with selective gold plating Finish proof Weight (g) 23.17 Diameter (mm) 36.07 Edgereeded ArtistYves Bérubé (reverse), Susanna Blunt (obverse) 2 dollars Composition 99.99% pure silver with gold-plated inner core Finish proof Weight (g) 9 Diameter (mm) 28 Edgeinterrupted serrations ArtistBrent Townsend (reverse), Susanna Blunt (obverse) 1 dollar Composition 99.99% pure silver, gold plated Finish proof Weight (g) 7.9 Diameter (mm) 26.5 Edgeplain ArtistRobert-Ralph Carmichael (reverse), Susanna Blunt (obverse) 50 cents Composition 99.99% pure silver Finish proof Weight (g)…

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North Shore Numismatic Society meeting Tuesday January 19th at Bonsor

1853 California Gold Dollar

Hello everyone, Happy New Year and all the best for 2016!!!  Mark your calendars!!!  This is a reminder that the next North Shore Numismatic Society meeting is Tuesday, January 19th. The meeting is held at the Bonsor Recreation Centre, in Multipurpose Room #2.  Doors open at 7 pm and the meeting starts at 7:30 pm.  The meeting is open to members and non-members, so everyone is welcome.    Program:  Michael Souza will present a PowerPoint on “United States – Private Gold Coinage”.  This PowerPoint, prepared by a member of the London Numismatic Society, provide a history of early US Gold Coins produced by…

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Happy New Year!

Canada 150 Dollars The Year Of The Monkey

The Chinese New Year is on February 8th 2016.  It’s the year of the Monkey! Most of the reverse images of monkeys I’ve seen so far have been ‘realistic’ in style and fairly poor works of design. But here’s a stylized monkey from Canada that bypasses ‘realistic’ fur for swirls and short lines and looks distinctly mischievous with the fruit of plenty in hand. Mintage 2500 Composition 18-karat gold Finish proof Weight (g) 11.84 Diameter (mm) 28 Edge serrated Certificate serialized Face value 150 dollars Artist Aries Cheung (reverse), Susanna Blunt (obverse) Thank you RCM for image and specification See more at…

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Token Talk: Albert Roper, Sherman House, Fargo, North Dakota

Albert Roper Token

  “The Sherman is rapidly acquiring the larger share of that energetic and particular class who are “known and read of men” as experts in the hotel line. The water supply is ample, extending to every apartment, and its system of sewerage the best of any hotel in the city. Appointments in the way of bathrooms with Turkish and all other lavatory processes as provided are most admirable. With respect to day boarders the custom of the house is exclusively transient. Under the management of Mr. Albert Roper, who has lately succeeded to the ownership of the property, the “Sherman”…

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