Coin World Topical Articles and Photo Finish Pages, January 2020 to May 2023

I once subscribed to a relatively obscure but nevertheless wonderful magazine called WorldWide Coins published by Coin World (Amos Media). This now-defunct magazine existed briefly from 2007 to 2009 and delighted me with colorful coin photography and interesting articles about money from around the world. Later on, Coin World magazine started including a World Coins section, albeit only twenty or so pages rather than a whole magazine. Unfortunately since 2023, the World Coins section is now only about ten pages if that, and therefore I decided to cancel my magazine subscription.

Like many numismatists, I still learn about coins but mainly through websites and also printed literature. Intriguing former features of the World Coins section included “Topical” articles and “Photo Finish” pages. These features provided nice suggestions about world coin collecting possibilities. As you can read below, there were countless topics that can build an intriguing, informative collection. These topics were featured in Coin World magazines from January 2020 to May 2023.

2020 Coin Topics

January 2020 Topical: January 2020 Photo Finish: February 2020 Topical: February 2020 Photo Finish: March 2020 Topical: March 2020 Photo Finish: April 2020 Topical: April 2020 Photo Finish: May 2020 Topical: May 2020 Photo Finish: June 2020 Topical: June 2020 Photo Finish: July 2020 Topical: July 2020 Photo Finish: August 2020 Topical: August 2020 Photo Finish: September 2020 Topical: September 2020 Photo Finish: October 2020 Topical: October 2020 Photo Finish: November 2020 Topical: November 2020 Photo Finish: December 2020 Topical: December 2020 Photo Finish:

silver bullion coins dogs Pierre-Auguste Renoir fraction denominations cricket sport Sun Raffaello Santi (Raphael) epidemics and illnesses golf innovations and science Smartminting (high-relief coins) masks (“Hidden in Plain Sight”) fantasy coins heptagonal coins Vincent van Gogh Phrygian (liberty) caps nurses banks and financial institutions British musicians navies on circulation coins coats of arms and shields poppy Ludwig van Beethoven Gibraltar Christmas 50 penny coins

2021 Coin Topics

January 2021 Topical: January 2021 Photo Finish: February 2021 Topical: February 2021 Photo Finish: March 2021 Topical: March 2021 Photo Finish: April 2021 Topical: April 2021 Photo Finish: May 2021 Topical: May 2021 Photo Finish: June 2021 Topical: June 2021 Photo Finish: July 2021 Topical: July 2021 Photo Finish: August 2021 Topical: August 2021 Photo Finish: September 2021 Topical: September 2021 Photo Finish: October 2021 Topical: October 2021 Photo Finish: November 2021 Topical: November 2021 Photo Finish: December 2021 Topical: December 2021 Photo Finish:

women coronations, inaugurations, and other transitions Chinese New Year (Year of the Ox) Valentine’s Day coins minted in multiple years, inscribed with the same date/year lambs James Bond lions insects flowers French motifs non-circular coins Europa the goddess libraries sculptures sharks country name changes bridges pirates autumn small denominations triskeles Dante Alighieri Pearl Harbor

2022 Coin Topics

January 2022 Topical: January 2022 Photo Finish: February 2022 Topical: February 2022 Photo Finish: March 2022 Topical: March 2022 Photo Finish: April 2022 Topical: April 2022 Photo Finish: May 2022 Topical: May 2022 Photo Finish: June 2022 Topical: June 2022 Photo Finish: July 2022 Topical: July 2022 Photo Finish: August 2022 Topical: August 2022 Photo Finish: September 2022 Topical: September 2022 Photo Finish: October 2022 Topical: October 2022 Photo Finish: November 2022 Topical: November 2022 Photo Finish: December 2022 Topical: December 2022 Photo Finish:

flora petroleum Leaning Tower of Pisa’s 650th anniversary airplanes multiple languages on coins telephones Krugerrands doves and peace crowns on coins musical instruments French Mint and 20 years of the Euro D-Day (Normandy landings) Coinage of “far-flung nations” (remote island territories) historic heroes of American independence Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee Princess Diana laborers and workers lighthouses copper collector coins corn (maize) tyrants crustaceans and mollusks King Tut/Tutankhamun/Tutankhamen hippos/hippopotami

2023 Coin Topics

January 2023 Topical: January 2023 Photo Finish: February 2023 Topical: February 2023 Photo Finish: March 2023 Topical: March 2023 Photo Finish: April 2023 Topical: April 2023 Photo Finish: May 2023 Topical: May 2023 Photo Finish: June to December 2023:

rabbits (Year of the Rabbit) clocks and calendars Knight (Saint George) and the Dragon Cupid computerized and digital-like coins basketball Earth from space (and other space themes) hot air balloons agriculture and food crops tennis magazine reduced – no more Topical or Photo Finish sections

Mystery Coin Quiz #1

     

Question: Which Middle Eastern country issued this octagonal 250 Fils coin in the year 1981? The answer is listed further below!
A — EGYPT
B — AFGHANISTAN
C — IRAQ
D — KUWAIT



























ANSWER
C . . . . . Iraq

 Kazakhstan, Poland, and Ukraine are the most recent updates on the Odd Shaped Coins List (OSCL) Page!

Happy Earth Day! 🌎 🌍 🌏

2024 Solar Eclipse Trivia Quiz

In commemoration of the upcoming total solar eclipse in the upper Western Hemisphere, the Amazing Astronomy Blog features a celestial trivia quiz involving this solar spectacle! Click the image above to access the quiz, and good luck!

Cameroon, Canada, Chad, China, Djibouti, Fiji, and Singapore are the most recent updates on the Odd Shaped Coins List (OSCL) Page!

Solomon Islands and Spain are the most recent updates on the Odd Shaped Coins List (OSCL) Page!

Queen Elizabeth II Coins

This post is in loving memory of Queen Elizabeth II (1926-2022), an undoubtedly courageous and lovable leader who will be remembered for decades and centuries to come. Billions of coins around the world have depicted Queen Elizabeth II since the beginning of her extraordinary reign in the 1950s onward. According to the Guiness Book of World Records and its associated website, 33 is the highest number of “currencies featuring the same individual” — the individual being Queen Elizabeth II. Below is a list of coins in my collection with her portrait gracing the obverse side. There are thousands of more examples and coin types — feel free to comment if you have any “queen coins” not listed below! Thanks to the timeless quality of past, present, and hopefully future coinage, her legendary legacy will surely continue for many years.

👑 AUSTRALIA 50 Cents, 1970
👑 AUSTRALIA 1 Dollar, 1993
👑 BAHAMAS 25 Cents, 1970
👑 BERMUDA 1 Cent, 1977 and 1997
👑 BERMUDA 5 Cents, 1975
👑 BERMUDA 25 Cents, 1981
👑 BRITISH HONDURAS 25 Cents, 1964
👑 CANADA 1 Cent, 5 Cents, 10 Cents, and 25 Cents, various years
👑 CANADA 50 Cents, 2016
👑 CANADA 1 Dollar, various years
👑 CANADA 2 Dollars, 2015
👑 COOK ISLANDS 5 Cents, 2000
👑 COOK ISLANDS 2 Dollars, 1987
👑 COOK ISLANDS 5 Dollars, 1987
👑 EAST CARIBBEAN STATES 2 Cents, 2002
👑 FALKLAND ISLANDS 1 Penny, 1998
👑 GIBRALTAR 1 Penny, 2000
👑 GUERNSEY 1 Penny, 1998
👑 ISLE OF MAN 1 Penny, 2002
👑 ISLE OF MAN 50 Pence, 1986
👑 MALAYA AND BRITISH BORNEO 1 Cent, 1961
👑 NEW ZEALAND 1 Penny and 3 Pence, 1961
👑 NEW ZEALAND 20 Cents, 1967
👑 SAINT HELENA AND ASCENSION ISLANDS 1 Penny, 1997
👑 SEYCHELLES 5 Cents, 1972
👑 UNITED KINGDOM 5 Pence, 1983 and 1999
👑 UNITED KINGDOM 10 Pence, 1983 and 1992

Two New Tables on Coins Page

Hello there! I added two new tables to the Odd and Unusual Shaped Coins List (↗): CHAD and TUNISIA! Do you know of non-circular coin(s) that are not listed yet? Your comments and suggestions are always welcome. Thank you so much for visiting the Money & Geography Blog!

Sri Lanka and Vanuatu Coins Update

Greetings! This blog's Odd Shaped Coins List (↗) has a new entry for SRI LANKA. The raindrop-shaped country in South Asia has several designs of the rounded heptagon (seven-sided) 20 Rupees commemorative coins of 2020 and 2021. I wrote down "2021-present" to account for relevant coins that may be dated 2022 or 2023 as well as possible coins in the future. In the year 1999, the Oceanic island country of VANUATU issued an octagon-shaped 50 Vatu coin that is now listed on the page. Thanks for visiting the Money & Geography Blog!

Kazakhstan and Mexico Coins Update

Greetings! I just updated the Odd Shaped Coins List (↗) with several additional entries. The KAZAKHSTAN table is updated with seven additional coins, all with the 100 Tenge denomination. They are the 1) 100 Tenge horizontal oval of 2014, 2) 100 Tenge horizontal rectangle of 2014-2016, 3) 100 Tenge vertical rectangle of 2016, 4) 100 Tenge horseshoe of 2016, 5) 100 Tenge of 2017 with an abstract shape surrounding a turtle design (not quite a turtle-shaped coin), 6) 100 Tenge triangle of 2017, and 7) 100 Tenge octagon of 2018. The 2018 octagon entry pertains to a 12-coin Zodiac series. Finally, the MEXICO table is updated with the slightly dodecagonal 20 Pesos of 2019-present. If you know of any coins not listed on the page, please let me know with a comment or email; thanks!

Mali 10 Francs (1976) Coin

● Country: MALI
● Denomination: 10 Francs
● Year: 1976

● KM (Krause-Mishler) number: KM #E3

● Diameter or dimension: 23.5 mm

● Metallic content: aluminum

● NGC coin values: 16 US Dollars in uncirculated grade

● Numista link: https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces133998.html

● NGC World Coin Price Guide link: https://www.ngccoin.com/price-guide/world/mali-10-francs-km-e3-1976-cuid-1126575-duid-1436346

● Obverse: country’s bank and name in French, denomination, and year

● Reverse: sorghum plant with a vertical line of text, ESSAI, to the right between the “4:00” (four o’clock) and “5:00” (five o’clock) positions of the coin; essai indicates that this coin is a pattern/trial/test coin

● Original image credit: National Guaranty Corporation (NGC) and NumisMaster

December Coin of the Month: Panama

● Country: PANAMA
● Denomination: 500 Balboas
● Year: 1978

● KM (Krause-Mishler) number: KM 57

● Weight: 41.7 grams

● Metallic content: 90% gold

● Mintage: only 10 with the M mint mark!

● NGC coin values: NGC coin values: $2 US Dollars in extra fine (XF) grade, $3 mint state 60, $5 MS 63, and $8 MS 65; $20 in proof 63

● NGC World Coin Price Guide link: https://www.ngccoin.com/price-guide/world/panama-500-balboas-km-57-1978-cuid-1081488-duid-1514223

November Coin of the Month: Belgium

● Country: BELGIUM
● Denomination: 500 Francs
● Year: 1980

● KM (Krause-Mishler) number: KM 162

● Diameter or dimension: 37 mm

● Metallic content: silver clad copper-nickel (cupronickel)

● Mintage: 1,000,000 non-proof (this coin), 52,000 proof (KM 162a)

● NGC coin values: NGC coin values: $2 US Dollars in extra fine (XF) grade, $3 mint state 60, $5 MS 63, and $8 MS 65; $20 in proof 63

● NGC World Coin Price Guide link: https://www.ngccoin.com/price-guide/world/belgium-500-francs-km-162-nd1980-cuid-1043009-duid-1309161

● Obverse: five circular portraits of monarchs, country name, 1830 and 1980 dates signifying the 150th year anniversary of Belgium’s independence, country name divided in two lines (BEL— and GIË), and crown above 1980
       KM 161 French language coin depicts the crown to the left of the country name’s first line (BEL—), which is shifted to the right to be centered above the second line (GIQUE)

● Reverse: outline map of the country containing the Dutch text “150 Jaar Onafhankelijkheid van Belgie” (English translation: “150 years of Belgian Independence”) in all caps, with the bottom denomination flanked by two privy marks
       KM 161 French language coin also has an outline map but contains the following all caps text: 150 Ans d’Independance de la Belgique (English translation: “150 Years of Belgian Independence”)

● Original image credit: World Coin Gallery

October Coin of the Month: Croatia

● Country: CROATIA
● Denomination: 25 Kuna
● Year: 1997

● Diameter or dimension: 32 mm

● Metallic content: outer ring with cupronickel and center core with brass

● Mintage: 300,000 non-proof (this coin), 2,000 proof

● NGC coin values: $7 USD in mint state 60, $8 MS 63, and $9 MS 65

● NGC World Coin Price Guide link: https://www.ngccoin.com/price-guide/world/croatia-25-kuna-km-48-1997-cuid-1040445-duid-1301814

● Description: Map of Croatia superimposed over a world outline map in commemoration of Croatia’s five-year membership in the United Nations. Official and native country name (REPUBLIKA HRVATSKA) encircling the denomination and stylized marten; olive branch and leaves, coat of arms, and acorns and oak leaves along the bottom half

● Shape: dodecagon (12-sided)

● Original image credit: World Coin Gallery