The Coin Doc's Answers

Return to the Coin Doc's Answer Archive Menu

From: Matthew Engle
Subject: Currency from VietNam
------------------------------------------------------
I found at a garage sale some Vietnamese currency brought back from a soldier in the late 1960's.  It is wriiten in Vietnamese, however, I can see it was printed by Thomas De La Rue & Company Limited. I have a "one", 2 "fives" and a "10". The "one" has blue ink, while the five and ten have a brown colored ink.  All the currency show a young man with glasses and three medals pinned to his left breast. I have not been able to gain any information on this, could you help me? Matt Engle

Your notes are from Thailand, not Vietnam, and were issued between 1953 and 1955. The notes show a King Rama IX (Bhumiphol Adulyadej) in a Field Marshall's uniform with collar insignia and three decorations. The issue was printed by Thomas De La Rue in London. This series was in use until replaced by the 1969 commemorative issue printed by Thai Banknote Printing Works, 24 June 2512 (1969). The denominations you have are 1, 5 and 10 Baht. During the Vietnam war Thailand was a common R&R destination for United States troops and left over currency from a good time there was a common souvenir.

Value range for average circulated specimens: 5 cents to 25 cents per note.

This is a puzzle as by 1852 Moffat & Co. were minting coins in $5 and $10 denominations. Moffat had received a federal subcontract to make $50 ingots under Augustus Humbert in January of 1851. This establishment eventually became the U.S. Assay office.

The first Moffat issues, in 1849, were bars and characteristically they were denominated in dollars. (at $20/oz a six ounce gold ingot would say $180. There were ingots as high in face value as $256.24.   Moffat bars also have the Carat (sic) fineness listed on the bars.

The most available of the Moffats is the rectangular $16 ingot.   Value range about $25,000+ . Though a Moffat six ounce gold ingot could be genuine, you should have the it authenticated by the American Numismatic Association (see the CoinSite Links Page). Value Range if genuine: $50,000 -$100,000+.

You have  an 1889 Great Britain crown. The coin is slightly larger than a United States silver dollar.  The obverse shows the Jubilee head of Queen Victoria (1837-1901) and the abbreviated Latin legend VICTORIA D.G. BRITT. REG. F.D. (Victoria by the Grace of G-d, Queen of Britain, Defender of the Faith). The reverse shows St. George slaying a dragon, and in exergue , the date.  This portrait of Queen Victoria was used on the crown from 1887-1892.

Stats for this coin and date:
mintage in 1889: 1,807,000
weight: 28.2759 grams of .925 silver (sterling). 
Actual silver content is .8409 troy ounce pure). 
Value depends on condition (grade). Value Range: US$10 - $200.

For more information about coins from Great Britain and its interesting pre-decimal monetary system, please use CoinSite's >Search and search for "Great Britain" (please keep the quotes or click exact phrase).

Sigismund III (1587-1632) was prince of the royal Swedish house of Vasa and ruled Poland after the successful reign of Stephen Batory. You have a poltoraki or 3 kreuzer piece issued under the reign of Sigismund III.  This coinage became debased soon after it was issued. Value Range: $10-$35.

The Latin motto Vtra Que Vnum (V= U) appears onthe Spanish Milled Dollar (Pillar dollar or 8 reales) and refers to the two hemispheres of the earth that appear as a design element on the coin.  It translates as "Both Are One". The concept emphasizes the role that the 8 reales enjoyed in world trade in the 18th century.

You have a 1857 Great Britain penny. The obverse shows a portrait of a young head Queen Victoria (1837-1901) facing left.  The abbreviated Latin legend around is VICTORIA D.G. BRITT. REG. F.D. (Victoria, by the grace of G-d, Queen of Britain and Defender of the Faith).  The reverse shows Britannia seated on a rock, her right hand on the shield of Britain and holding a trident in her left hand.  There is a lighthouse at left and a sailing ship in the right in the background. The legend ONE PENNY is around, the date is below. Value Range depends on condition and variety: US$1 - $150. Use CoinSite's Search and search for "Britannia" for more information.

See What's it worth? to find the value of U.S. common date large cents.

You can't.  The redemption period ended in June 1968.  The note might have collector value if it is in high enough condition. Check out What's it worth?  for the approximate current value. In the worst case it is still spendable as 10 bucks.

You are probably referring to the 1915 Austria 4 Ducats which contains 14 grams of .986 fine gold. The date 1915 is a "restrike" date and is used so as not to confuse it with the original coin whose last date was 1914.

The restrikes are still being made and are nothing more than gold bullion. To determine the approximate current value multiply the actual gold content, .4438 against the world gold price.

Baldwin & Company was one of many private issuers that provided very much need coinage during the California gold rush period (1849-1857). $20 gold pieces were struck on gold flans, weigh close to a troy ounce and exhibit a bright yellow color. These coins are very valuable and are popular among collectors of United States territorial gold. Examples with edge seams are cast copies, usually in base metal, and have no specific value.

If you wish, you can send your coin for inspection to the American Numismatic Association who will issue a certificate if the coin is genuine.  You can find their link on the CoinSite Links Page .

You have a Masonic Chapter "penny" actually a kind of membership card in the chapter that is listed on the token.  The Masons are an old and venerable organization that has its roots in the time of the Crusades in the Middle Ages.  There is a good collector market for Masonic Chapter Pennies. Value range: $5-$25. See the Coin Doc's Archive #4 and search for "Masons" for more information.

U.S. coins without mint marks were struck in Philadelphia (coins with "D"enver or "S"an Francisco will have their mint mark on the reverse at 7:00 near the rim). The "AW" monogram on the Winged Liberty dime (1916-1945) is the designer's initials Adolph A. Weinman. For prices of common date U.S. coins see the What's it Worth?  feature available from the lower menu or Home Page .

Lundy is an island near Devonshire England.  It has an area of 4.22 square km and a population less than 50.  There are two lighthouses and a bird sanctuary on the island.

Martin Coles Harman bought the island in 1925 for £16,000 and about four years later struck a token coinage called "puffins" after the birds that lived there.  Though the courts ruled the coinage illegal, there is a great deal of sentimental value associated with this private issue.  Wealthy businessman Jack Haywood purchased Lundy in 1965 for £150,000 and gave it to the British people.

The tokens consist of the following: (prices are for uncirculated pieces)

• bronze 1/2 puffin dated 1929 mintage: 50,000 -  Value range: $15-$20.
• bronze 1/2 puffin dated 1965 (proof only) Value range: less than $10.
• Nickel-brass 1/2 puffin dated 1965 -mintage: 3,000 (proof only) $10 or less.
• gold 1/2 puffin dated 1965 -mintage:50 (proof only) $1,000 - $1,500
• bronze puffin dated 1929 - mintage: 50,000 $10-$20.
• bronze puffin dated 1965 - mintage: 3,000 (proof only) -less than $10
• nickel-brass puffin dated 1965 - mintage: 3,000 (proof only) - less than $10.
• gold puffin dated 1965 - mintage: 50 (proof only) - $2,000 - $2,500

There also exists an 1929 Puffin pattern in bronze with a plain edge on a large flan. Value range about $150+.

You have a penny from Great Britain. Edward VII was king in 1910.  The reverse shows an image of "Britannia" seated on a rock holding a trident ( 3 prongs on a pole) which represents the sea (Neptune, the sea god is always shown holding a trident). Worn pieces are common: value: less than US$1.

You have a 1928 $5 Federal Reserve Note.  The obligation printed on the note at that time was for redemption for $5 in gold coins at a Federal Reserve or member bank. The convertibility of currency for gold ended, by Presidential decree, in 1933. (see the FAQ for more information about obligations and how they pertain to paper money.)

  The note does have collector value.  Please see the What's it Worth? feature to learn the current market value.

This error is caused by a jammed counter.  Collectors pay about $150-$175 for uncirculated examples.

The 1845 James K. Polk Peace medals were struck in only silver and bronze.  The medals were available for sale to the public after 1861 and continued to be struck after 1892.

There are two sizes 51 mm and 61 mm. The larger size is most often encountered. Modern gold colored brass versions may still be available from the Mint's medals catalog.

You may be confusing this bullion round with the Texas Centennial half dollar issued by the United States Mint in 1934-1938.  There are no U.S. issues commemorating the Texas Sesquicentennial in 1986. The 1934 U.S. mint issue has the same standards as a half dollar of the time (1934) 12.5 grams of .900 fine silver. Your medal was privately produced as a one ounce bullion round.  Its value is the price of one ounce of silver.

A 1927 cent with no mint mark was struck at the Philadelphia Mint. United States cents have never had a reeded edge. All cents have a plain edge.

Eisenhower dollars dated 1776-1976 were struck in copper-nickel and were struck with a unique reverse to mark the Bicentennial celebration in 1976. The Dollar, half dollar and quarter had unique reverse designs and were struck with dual dates for two years.  There are no quarters, half dollars or dollars dated 1975.

These coins are a pattern medallic issue for a proposed universal European coinage. The 2 1/2 Europinos was struck by the Hamburg Mint, Germany in 1952.  Many other issues with the Europa theme were struck by both private and official European mints. interestingly, a real European coinage is now about to become an reality.

This medal is usually found in uncirculated condition.  it is unusual to find it in VF (after all they weren't really used). Uncirculated examples are probably worth $20-$30.  A VF piece $5???

 Coin blanks that show up in circulation are simply planchets that missed the coin press entirely.  See the What's it Worth? feature and see "Prices for U.S. Error Coins" and look for "Blank Planchets" for more information.

You have a privately made medal imitating a Lincoln cent. This is not a Mint product but simply a promotional device. There is also the thinly veiled reference that this is somehow an "official" issue. The value is the gold content of the medal. The genuine Lincoln Memorial cents included in this set are worth face value.

The United States Mint has recently begun to stop imitators from creating bogus items using Mint designs.  The U.S. Mint now copyrights all its designs and has filed suites against private companies that plagiarize Mint designs. Among recent cases was one involving an issuer that created a medallic copy of the new Sacagawea dollar.

There is a doubled die error on some 1995 cents struck from particular die. Note that hundreds of dies are used to strike cents and only one die was made improperly and only coins struck from this die shows a strong doubling on the word "LIBERTY". Gem, red, uncirculated examples bring about $35.

1941 cents were made from copper flans.  No other materials were used.  A possible error is a cent struck on a silver dime planchet; the outer parts of the design will be missing and the "cent" will weigh 2.5 grams instead of 3.11 grams.

Coins are often found plated with various metals including gold.  These are not Mint products but advertising gimmicks or High School experiments in electrolysis.  Plated coins have no additional value.

As a date, 1941 cents are common in circulated grades and are essentially worth face value. They were struck at the Philadelphia, San Francisco and Denver Mints.  Red, uncirculated examples still exist in rolls and individual coins bring from 50 cents to $2 depending on mint mark.

You have a 1914 Italy 5 Lira.(.900 fine silver, .7234 asw) It shows King Vittorio Emmanule III King of Italy facing right.  On the reverse is a "quadriga", or four horse chariot, a reference to the "renaissance of the Roman Empire" that Mussolini would eventually use to further his policies. Below to the left is the date "1914" and in exergue is L5 or five lira. "D. Calandra" is the name of the designer.

The coin is a one year issue and quite rare and desirable because of its beautiful design. There are other 5 Liras, 10 Liras, 20 Liras, 50 Lira and 100 lira designs that are as beautiful and rare with similar "Roman" themes. Value range for a genuine 1914 5 Lira, depending on grade, is between $1,000 - $5,000.  Note that deceptive counterfeits abound.  Authentication is obviously important.  You can send your coin to the American Numismatic Association for authentication, or to PCGS or NGC for authentication and grading.  See their links on the CoinSite Links page.

The term "Caesar" originates with Julius Caesar c. 40 BC but after his death and the civil war that followed, all subsequent emperors used the word "Caesar" to describe their office. Based on your description, Coins bearing the likeness of who ever was the current emperor of the Western Roman Empire were minted for almost 500 years.  Just like our coinage today, there were more than a single denomination (imagine having only dimes to spend).  So, denomination is important as well as type, quality of the dies that struck the coin and the condition.

Note also that it is illegal to remove antiquities from Israel as well as from other Middle-East countries, especially from excavations.  The penalties are severe.  Also, sellers of these coins aren't unaware that their finds are worth money and rarely take the chance of selling them on street corners. An entire cottage industry has arisen in these countries to make replicas of ancient (and modern) coins for sale to tourists.

Age is also not an indicator of value.  Many common ancient bronzes are found by the thousands and sell for only a few dollars a coin.  Really valuable ancient coins are usually in uncommon condition, a rare variety or type.  It takes expertise to know the difference. If you wish, you can send your coins to the American Numismatic Association for authentication and attribution, that is, they will tell you what your coin are.  (See the CoinSite Links  page for information).