Moneta, mars 2010 - Ottawa Numismatic Society

Also in this issue:
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Glossary | Lexique
Tools of the trade | Les outils du métier
Vancouver 2010 athlete medals
A chop-marked Spanish dollar |
Une piastre espagnole contremarquée
Prince Salim’s rebellion rupee
and more...
[March 2010]
– 41
is the official publication of the
Ottawa Coin Club.
It is published monthly and aims to
promote the hobby of coin collecting
and the science of numismatics
throughout the National Capital Region.
Submissions are welcomed. Please
submit text in Rich Text Format (.rtf)
separately from images. The images
must be of high resolution (minimum
300 dpi) and should be in colour. The
preferred file format for images is
jpeg (.jpg). Please consult the
publication
style
guide
at
<www.ottawacoinclub.com/style>
before submitting an article.
Les textes en français sont les
bienvenus. Ils seront traduits et publiés
dans les deux langues.
Editor:
Serge Pelletier
<[email protected]>
Assistant-Editors:
Ron Cheek
<[email protected]>
Steve Woodland
<[email protected]>
ISSN 1184-6798
2010 Program
April 26: To be determined
May 31 – 5th Monday: Travel with a Numismatic Flair
June (Saturday): Numismatic Rally
July 26: To be determined
August 23: To be determined
September 27: To be determined
October 25: Auction
November 22: Elections, Exhibits & Trivia
On the cover...
In the “O”, the reverse of the Cindy
Klassen 25-cents piece.
Reverse of the Vancouver 2010
25-dollar coin dedicated to curling.
French gold coin issued
for the Albertville Games.
Back of the 5-dollar note of the
Canadian Journey series.
42 –
[March 2010]
T
his month, we have an amazing issue! We had so many articles (with
interrelated material) that we had no choice but to put together a larger
issue. In addition to suggestions on how to build a winter sport-related
collection, we have Steve Woodland’s fantastic article on the production of the
Vancouver 2010 athlete medals, François Rufiange’s adventure with his Spanish
dollar, and Ron Cheek’s tale of the sad story (yet not entirely unusual) of a son’s
rebellion against his father. We hope you will enjoy this expanded issue.
Congratulations are due to Ron Cheek for winning the first “Frank Fresco
Literary Award” for his article entitled “A Ukrainian Credit Note: Short-Lived
Paper Money.” Peter Lithgow should also be congratulated for being the runnerup (or silver medal) for his article “My Twelve Caesars: A Collector’s Passion
for Ancient Coins,” as well as François Rufiange, the second runner-up (or bronze
medal) with his article entitled “Bank Notes of Afghanistan.” All articles were
published in our 2009 journal. It is thanks to contributors like them that we have
such a superb journal. We’re looking for new contributors as well so, don’t be
shy, if you have an idea for a story and are not quite sure how to approach it, just
contact us and the editorial team will be happy to help you.
The club executive moved ahead last month and decided that, for financial
reasons, the journal will henceforth only be distributed electronically. Given
this, you may be interested to know that we plan to make available, at the
beginning of next year, a CD-ROM with high-resolution (greater than that
available on the website) PDF copies of
, and possibly a hardcover
book in colour, both at a price to be determined. And now that the membership
dues have gone down to only $12 a year, who cannot afford to be a member? So,
please, go ahead and pass the word around to all your collector friends around
the world, have them visit our website and take a peek at our journal. We think
they might like what they see!
We’re lining up another great issue for next month with John D’s analysis of
a Canadian hoard, information on the French 2010 numismatic program, and
more.
See you at the meeting!
À NOS MEMBRES FRANCOPHONES
Serge
Bien que la langue principale du club (et donc de cette publication) soit l’anglais, nous ferons des efforts
concertés pour publier au moins un article en français dans chaque numéro. N’hésitez surtout pas à
poser des questions si vous ne comprenez pas un article publié qu’en anglais. Pour vous aider à
comprendre, nous inclurons un lexique bilingue lorsque ce sera jugé approprié.
More Canadian Tire tokens
Canadian Tire issued three new tokens
at the r a t e o f o n e a w e e k f r o m
February 12 to March 4. Since their themes
were hockey, tobogganing, and skating,
they would fit nicely into a “winter
sports”-themed collection! [hint]
François
I
OTTAWA COIN CLUB
P.O. Box 42004, R.P.O. St. Laurent,
Ottawa, ON K1K 4l8
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.ottawacoinclub.com
T
he club is embracing fast, reliable, and very affordable communication
tools and truly reaping the benefits. So it has taken a bold step by
reducing club annual dues from $20 to $12. I believe that many of us
have set up a comfy place in our homes (using a wireless laptop or not) where
we go at least once a day to read emails and all kinds of information delivered
electronically. Our fabulous
is no longer available in hard copy
because it is just too expensive to print. Our journal has grown from eight black
and white pages to over 20 pages with lots of beautiful colour photos that make
it so much more enjoyable. So, happy reading in your comfy den!
Our February meeting was simply incredible: four new members joined and
we had lots of excellent discussions and great participation by all. Steve’s
presentation on nuclear numismatics was excellent. I particularly enjoyed how
he explained the Manhattan project and how he linked it to numismatics. Thank
you Steve for putting together, again, a great show and sharing with us your
passion. You are on for Part III next year!
A reminder that two significant shows will be held close to Ottawa in the
coming months: Nuphilex in Montréal (March 26-29) and the Ontario
Numismatic Association Convention in Kingston (April 16-18). Speaking of
shows, Rod was instrumental in getting a table for the OCC at the RA Centre
monthly coin and stamp show. We will need a few volunteers to man that table
for a few hours on the third Sunday of every month. This is a great opportunity
for the club to recruit new members. Please let me know if you are interested.
In closing, I would like to apologize to Mr. Kuldeep Manhas from India who
attended our last meeting. I simply forgot to introduce him. He is in Ottawa to
visit his daughter and is an avid collector of Indian coins. I noticed at the end of
the meeting that Ron and John were having a side meeting with Mr. Manhas and
were also exchanging coins. That made me feel very good (and relieved) because
that is probably the warmest welcome Mr. Manhas could have received. Oh, by
the way, Mr. Manhas found out about our club through our website and just
decided to show up! Proof that our website is working well.
I hope we will continue to see you in great numbers. We are preparing one
awesome workshop for the March meeting! Bring a friend!
François
MAR
22
OCC
Meeting
Through several workshops François will
familiarize club members with various “tools
of the trade.” All are encouraged to bring
items they feel might be of interest. The
ge
is Rufian
o
ç
n
ra
F
workshops will cover:
Speaker: ls of the Trade”
oo
“T
1. The right measure – weigh scales and
:
ic
p
o
T
calipers. 2. Seeing the full picture – high
quality loupes and UV light. 3. The secrets
of the books– the advantages of digital books. 4. Eagle eye –
microscopes.
The club meets every month, usually
on the fourth Monday. The meetings
begin at 7:30 p.m. in the St. Peter
meeting room (on the 3rd floor) of the
Heron Road Multi-Service Centre,
1480 Heron Road, Ottawa.
Le club se réunit habituellement le
quatrième lundi de chaque mois.
La réunion ouvre à 19h30 dans la salle
St. Peter (au 3e étage) du
Heron Road Multi-Service Centre,
1480 chemin Heron, Ottawa.
Annual Dues:
Now only
$12.00
Your Club Executive:
President:
François Rufiange
<[email protected]>
Vice-President:
Steve Woodland
<[email protected]>
Secretary:
Kim Zbitnew
<[email protected]>
Treasurer:
Barry McIntyre
<[email protected]>
Appointed Officer:
Privacy Officer:
Jamie Flamenbaum
<[email protected]>
[March 2010]
– 43
A
U
glossary will be included in
whenever it
is judged appropriate. Its aim is to two-fold: 1) to assist
readers in understanding key numismatic terms related to
the articles in this issue, and 2) to foster bilingualism within the
numismatic community. A cross [†] following a term in the main texts
means that a definition is found below. The definitions are taken from
Serge Pelletier’s The Canadian Dictionary of Numismatics or from the
upcoming The Canadian Encyclopaedic Dictionary of Numismatics. The
expression in brackets [ ] is the translation in the other official language.
n lexique sera inclus dans
lorsque ce sera
jugé approprié. Son but est d’aider les lecteurs à mieux
comprendre pourquoi un terme a été favorisé plutôt qu’un autre
et il aide à promouvouir le bilinguisme. Il aide aussi les lecteurs
francophones puisqu’il donne les traductions, entre crochets [ ], des
différents termes. Une croix [†] après un terme dans le texte indique
qu’une définition vous est offerte ici. Les définitions sont issues du
Dictionnaire canadien de numismatique de Serge Pelletier ou du
Dictionnaire encyclopédique canadien de numismatique (en développement).
abrasion – [frai] The normal wear resulting from circulation.
annealing – [recuit] Process by which planchets and dies
are heated then slowly cooled, resulting in the softening of the
metal.
assay – [titrer] An analytical trial by which the fineness and
composition of a metal sample is determined.
assayer – [essayeur] An employee responsible for the assay
of metals in each of the mints.
cash – [sapèque] A bronze or brass coin with a square hole
in the centre from China, Vietnam, Korea, or Japan. It was used in
commerce for almost 2000 years. They were known in China as
ch’ien or li. Produced using the casting method, the pieces are
linked together when first removed from the mold, looking like a
tree, thus the expression cash tree. They were often strung together
in groups of 1000, which were equivalent to a silver tael. SYN.
banliang.
chop mark – [cachet] A counterstamp usually consisting of
a single character, applied by Chinese merchants and bankers to
precious metal coins and ingots as a guarantee of their weight and
fineness. Similiar marks in India are called shroff marks.
cob – [cob] Crude and irregularly shaped silver and gold
pieces produced in the Spanish- American mints during the 16th
century.
coloured – [coloriée] Said of a coin, medal or token to which
colour has been added through one of several processes.
countermark – [contremarque] An official punch mark
applied to an already struck piece. It can be political in nature
(new sovereign, change in government), or be economical in nature
(restriction of circulation, reissue of a decried coinage, assimilation
of a foreign coinage, modification of value). The terms
countermark and counterstamp have been used interchangeably
in North America for centuries.
counterstamp – [contremarque] A non-official punch mark
appliad to an already struck piece. The terms counterstamp and
countermark have been used interchangeably in North America
for centuries.
engrailed edge – [tranche engrélée] Edge showing a chain
or twisted rope design impressed in it.
fineness – [titre] The percentage of precious metal in an alloy.
It is usaly written in decimal form (e.g., .999 or even .99999).
Sterling silver , for instance, has a fineness of .925, which indicates
that is it composed of 92.5% silver.
hologram coin – [pièce à hologramme] Coin on which a
three-dimensional image has been reproduced through holography.
medalet – [petite médaille] A small medal, generally
cachet – [chop mark] Contremarque apposée sur une pièce
à l’aide d’un poinçon par un marchand ou un banquier après qu’il
eut vérifier l’autenticité, le titre et le poids de cette pièce.
cob – [cob] Pièce frustre et irrégulière d’argent ou d’or
produite par les ateliers monétaires hispano-américains au XVIe
siècle.
coloriée – [coloured] Se dit d’une pièce sur laquelle on a
appliqué des couleurs par l’un de plusieurs processus. Le terme
colorée est souvenet utilisé à sa place, incorrectement. SYN.
polychromé.
contremarque – Marque faite au moyen d’un poiçon sur
une monnaie déjà frappée. Une marque officielle [countermark]
est soit à caractère politique (nouveau souverain, changement de
gouvernement), soit à caractère économique (restriction de
circulation, remise en circulation de monnayage décrié,
assimilation d’un monnayage étranger, modification de la valeur).
Une marque non officielle [counterstamp] a des usages divers
dont celui de confirmer qu’une pièce est selon les paramètres
légaux.
essayeur – [assayer] Personne chargée, dans chaque atelier
monétaire, de l’essai (titrage) des métaux et de la vérification de
la conformité des monnaies aux prescriptions légales.
frai – [abrasion] L’usure naturelle causée par la circulation.
frappe non contrainte – [splash strike] Frappe effectuée
sans virole.
marque d’atelier – [mint mark] Marque sur une pièce
permettant d’identifier l’atelier monétaire qui l’a réalisée. La
pratique remonte au temps des Romains. Dans la nomenclature
numismatique, la marque d’atelier suit le millésime, e.g. « cent au
grand module 1876H » indique que cette pièce a été frappée (et
porte la marque d’atelier « H ») par l’atelier d’Heaton.
piastre espagnole – [Spanish dollar] Nom donné à la pièce
de 8 réaux frappée en Espagne. On appelle plutôt une pièce frappée
en Amérique une piastre hispano-américaine.
pièce à hologramme – [hologram coin] Pièce sur laquelle
on a reproduit une image à trois dimensions par holographie.
recuit– [annealing] Processus selon lequel les flans et les
coins sont chauffés puis refroidis lentement, résultant en un
amollissement du métal.
sapèque – [cash] Nom générique donné aux pièces rondes à
trou carré émises au fil des siècles par la Chine, le Viet Nâm, la
Corée et le Japon. En Chine, où on l’appelait ch’ien ou li, elle fut
utilisée dans le commerce pendant près de 2000 ans.Coulée plutôt
que frappée, lorsqu’on retire les pièces du moule elle sont reliées
entre elles et ont l’apparence d’un arbre. On en enfilait 1000
continued on page 74
suite à la page 76
44 –
[March 2010]
Tools of the “trade”
Les outils du « métier »
by François Rufiange
par François Rufiange
money collector requires a few basic tools for
all kinds of reasons. For example, someone that
has an interest in varieties will require a good
loupe.1 This article will present you the tools of the “trade”
broken down into three categories: must-haves, nice-tohaves, and fun-to-haves. My recommendations for these
tools are based on years of experience and on the sheer
pleasure they have brought me.
es collectionneurs de monnaie ont besoin d’outils
pour toutes sortes de raisons. Par exemple, quelqu’un
intéressé par les variétés aura besoin d’une bonne
loupe. Cet article vise à vous présenter les outils du
« métier » organisés en trois catégories : les essentiels, les
désirables et les « pour le plaisir ». Mes recommandations
sont fondées sur mes nombreuses années d’expérience et
sur le plaisir que m’a procuré chaque outil.
Must-haves
Les essentiels
All right, let us start with the tools you really need to
appreciate your collection.
Magnifier. There are magnifiers and then there are
magnifiers. Over the years, I have purchased more than 15
magnifiers of all kinds (some might call it a collection), so
trust me when I say you need a good quality magnifier with
a glass lens, not with a plastic or an acrylic one. Expect to
spend about $20 for a good 5X magnifier. Bausch & Lomb
produces an excellent 5X magnifier with a very nice lens
that retracts into its handle. Some local dealers may carry
it, but if you cannot find one, visit Wizard Coin Supply’s
website at www.wizardcoinsupply.com/products/bauschlomb-magnifiers. You will also be able to see a variety of
magnifiers and loupes on that site.
Books. You may have heard the expression: “buy the
book before you buy the coin.” A good reference book that
is specific to what you aim to collect is essential because
you should be well-informed before you spend any money.
There are a number of excellent references for Canadian
and US coins, tokens or banknotes, available for about $20$30 from local bookstores. For world coins, you might have
to procure a more expensive reference book (between
US$60-$90) like the Standard Catalog of World Coins (a.k.a.
the “Krause”). This book may also be available at your local
library. Portions of the book are also available as downloads,
which might come in handy if you are focusing on a
particular country.
There may also be books specialized in the specific
country you are interested in. The Canadian Dictionary of
Numismatics | Le dictionnaire canadien de numismatique
is also a must have. This fully bilingual and well illustrated
book not only explains numismatic terms, but also gives
you their translation. It can be procured from Serge for $30
or from www.canadabooksonline.com.
Commençons avec les outils qui sont essentiels à tout
collectionneur.
Loupe. Il y a des loupes et puis il y a des loupes! Au fil
des ans, j’ai acheté plus de 15 loupes différentes (certains
diraient que c’est une collection), faites-moi donc confiance
lorsque j’affirme qu’il vous faut une loupe de haute qualité
avec une lentille de verre, et non de plastique ou d’acrylique.
Prévoyez payer environ 20 $ pour une bonne loupe 5X.
Bausch & Lomb fabrique une excellente loupe 5X dont la
lentille s’escamote dans la poignée. Vous serez peut-être en
mesure d’en trouver une dans la région sinon, visitez
l e s i t e We b d e Wi z a r d C o i n S u p p l y a u
www.wizardcoinsupply.com/products/bausch-lombmagnifiers. Vous y verrez un grand choix de loupes.
Livres. Vous avez déjà sans doute entendu le dicton
« achetez le livre avant la pièce ». Un bon livre de référence
sur le sujet qui vous intéresse est essentiel car vous devez
être bien informé afin de faire des achats judicieux. Il y a
plusieurs bons ouvrages sur les monnaies, les jetons et le
papier-monnaie canadiens et états-uniens disponibles dans
la région pour environ 20 $-30 $. Pour la monnaie du monde,
vous devrez peut-être vous procurer un livre plus cher (entre
60 $US et 90$ US) comme le Standard Catalog of World
Coins (communément appelé le « Krause »). Ce livre est
parfois disponible à la bibliothèque. Certaines portions sont
disponibles pour téléchargement, ce qui peut être pratique
si vous vous spécialisez dans la collection des pièces d’un
pays en particulier. Un livre essentiel est Le dictionnaire
canadien de numismatique | The Canadian Dictionary of
Numismatics de Serge Pelletier. Ce livre, entièrement
bilingue et bien illustré, ne fait pas qu’expliquer les divers
termes numismatiques, il en donne également la traduction.
Vous pouvez vous en procurer une copie directement de
Serge à 30 $ ou de www.canadabooksonline.com.
A
1
L
A small, powerful magnifying glass, usually 10X or better.
[March 2010]
– 45
Magnifiers and loupes. (left to right) 10X Belomo,
5X Bausch & Lomb, Zeiss D36 (3X, 6X, 9X),
Eschenbach 11869 (3X, 6X, 9X).
Light source. You cannot properly examine coins without
good lighting. While a standard tungsten 60W light bulb is
fine at 6-12 inches. I prefer compact fluorescent light (CFL)
bulbs with a rating of 5000 kelvin. These CFLs produce
1400 lumens, which is equivalent to a 100-watt conventional
light bulb, but do not generate as much heat, and consume
only 23 watts. The light they produce is more natural, closer
to daylight. A Panasonic GenIV 23W CFL bulb will cost
you about $25. High-power halogen lights are compact, but
are not as good because they are too bright. They tire your
eyes very quickly. They also generate a lot of heat.
Directional, focussed lighting is required when examining
dark, toned coins. Ikea sells these sealed LED micro lights
good for 25,000 hours. They generate little heat, provide
great directional lighting, and have a long flexible goose
neck. (www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/10128734).
Gloves. Gloves are really only required when handling
uncirculated coins or very expensive coins. For example, if
you just bought a new roll of Canadian coins, I suggest that
you put on cotton gloves to handle them. Cotton gloves can
be procured at any drug store for just a few dollars. Latex
gloves are also fine as long as they have not been covered
in powder to ease their wearing, but you hand gets very
sweaty very quickly in them!
Cloth. One can never be too careful when examining
coins and it is highly recommended to cover your working
area with a soft cloth. Coins will escape your grasp. Be
careful what you use; some fabrics, like velvet, contain dyes
that may actually affect coins. A soft cloth, like the one
used to buff shoes, is really the best.
Nice-to-haves
Loupe. To examine your piece in more detail, I suggest
that you buy a high quality 10X loupe. The benefit you get
from a loupe is the optical quality: crystal clear, sharp across
the field of view, and no trace of chromatic aberration in
46 –
[March 2010]
Loupes. (gauche à droite) Belomo 10X, Bausch &
Lomb 5X, Zeiss D36 (3X, 6X, 9X), Eschenbach
11869 (3X, 6X, 9X).
Source lumineuse. Il est impossible de bien examiner
une pièce de monnaie sans un bon éclairage. Une ampoule
électrique normale de 60 W, au tungstène, convient à une
distance de 15 à 30 cm. Je préfère les ampoules fluorescentes
compactes (dites « CFL » en anglais) de 5000 kelvins. Ces
ampoules CFL émettent 1400 lumens, ce qui est équivalent
à une ampoule conventionnelle de 100 W, mais ne génèrent
que peu chaleur et ne consomment que 23 W. La lumière
qu’elles émet est plus naturelle, plus près de la lumière du
jour. Une ampoule CFL de 23 W de marque Panasonic
GenIV se vend environ 25 $. Les lumières halogènes sont
compactes mais ne sont pas recommandées parce qu’elles
sont trop éclatantes ce qui fatigue rapidement les yeux. Elles
dégagent aussi beaucoup de chaleur. L’examen de pièces
foncées requiert une lumière directionnelle concentrée. Ikea
vend une lampe à lumière DEL d’une durée de vie de
25 000 heures. Elle dégage peu de chaleur, a un faisceau
directionnel et un long col-de-cygne flexible
(www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/10128734).
Gants. Des gants ne sont requis que lorsque vous
manipulez une pièce non circulée ou de haute valeur. Par
exemple, si vous venez tout juste d’acheter un rouleau de
pièces canadiennes il est préférable d’enfiler des gants de
coton avant de les manipuler. Vous pouvez vous procurer
des gants de coton chez tout pharmacien pour quelques
dollars. Les gants de latex sont également acceptable en
autant qu’ils ne soient pas couverts de poudre pour en
faciliter le port.
Étoffe. On n’est jamais assez prudent lorsque l’on
manipule des pièces. Je recommande donc de couvrir la
surface de travail d’une étoffe douce. Les pièces échapperont
à votre étreinte. Attention, certaines étoffes, comme le
velours, contiennent des teintures qui peuvent avoir un effet
sur vos pièces. Un linge doux, comme celui utilisé dans le
polissage des chaussures, est idéal.
the corners. Loupes made by either Bausch & Lomb,
Eschenbach, Zeiss or Nikon are all of great quality. These
are available on-line and can cost up to US$100. There are
also loupes that have two or more lenses. This offers the
versatility of using each lens individually or in combination
to yield several different magnification ratios. One of my
favourite loupes is a 10X from BelOMO (Belarus Optiko
Mechanichesckoye Obyedinenie - the Belarus Optical &
Mechanical Enterprise). The construction is excellent, since
it is made of glass, metal, and screws. This loupe is available
on-line for less than US$30. This factory was originally set
up to make high-quality optics for military use.
Calipers. This tool is used to measure the diameter and
thickness of coins accurately. Available in both analog and
digital (electronic) formats, they are very easy to use and
calibrate. Armed with the information it provides, one can
easily verify the authenticity of a coin. Lee Valley offers
various types, but for the additional cost, I suggest an
electronic caliper. Prices vary from $30 to $50. Most are
accurate to 0.03 mm.
Precision scale. This tool allows a collector to verify the
mass of a coin with great accuracy. Counterfeit coins can
easily be spotted using this technique. Digital Scales Canada
(www.canadianweigh.com/scales/list/my-weigh) offers a
wide range of scales. I recommend a mini-scale with a 100
or 200 g capacity. These scales will typically give you a
0.01 g accuracy and can be purchased for less than $30.
Krause catalogues in DVD format. The paper versions
of these world coin catalogues are voluminous and
expensive. I recently bought, for US$99, a set of five DVDs.
This set includes comprehensive and current prices, photos,
and listings for world coins from 1600 to the present, more
than four centuries! There are DVDs available for the
banknote and token catalogues too. You can buy these online
Les désirables
Loupe. Une loupe de qualité supérieure et de plus grande
puissance, comme 10X, est idéale pour examiner vos pièces
de plus près. Celles-ci ont habituellement une qualité
accrue : transparente, acuité sur le champ visuel entier, et
aucune aberration chromatique dans les coins. Les
manufacturiers recommandés sont Bausch & Lomb,
Eschenbach, Zeiss et Nikon. On peut se procurer une loupe
de qualité de l’un de ces manufacturiers sur Internet pour
environ 100 $US. Il y a aussi des loupes qui ont deux lentilles
et plus. Ceci est avantageux puisque vous pouvez utiliser
chaque lentille individuellement ou avec d’autres ce qui offre
plus de rapports d’agrandissement. Une de mes loupes
préférées, manufacturée par BELOMO (Belarus Optiko
Mechanichesckoye Obyedinenie – Entreprise optique et
mécanique bélarusse), est de construction solide puisqu’elle
est faite de verre et de métal. Cette loupe est disponible sur
Internet pour environ 30 $US. Ce manufacturier ce
spécialisait, à l’origine, dans le matériel optique militaire
de haute qualité.
Pied à coulisse. Cet outil est utilisé pour mesurer le
diamètre et l’épaisseur d’une pièce. Disponible tant manuel
qu’électronique, un pied de coulisse est facile à calibrer.
L’information qu’il vous permet de recueillir peut servir à
la vérification de l’authenticité d’une pièce. Lee Valley en
offre plusieurs à des prix variant de 30 $ à 50 $. Je vous
suggère l’achat d’un électronique qui est précis à 0,03 mm.
Balance. Cet outil vous permet de peser une pièce avec
précision, ce qui aide aussi à la détection des faux. Digital
Scales Canada (www.canadianweigh.com/scales/list/myweigh) offre une grande variété. Je recommande une petite
balance électronique de capacité de 100 à 200 g. Elles sont
habituellement précise à 0,01 g et se vendent pour moins de
30 $.
Les catalogues Krause en DVD. Les catalogues Krause
sur les monnaies du monde sont volumineux et dispendieux.
Weigh scale | Balance.
MY WEIGH MX-200.
[March 2010]
– 47
A UV lamp reveals the secrets of a Canadian 5-dollar note and of a coloured Armistice 25-cent coin.
La lampe UV révèle les secrets d’un billet canadien de 5 dollars et d’une pièce coloriée de 25 cents type Armistice.
directly from Krause at www.krausebooks.com. For faster
search results, I suggest that you copy these DVDs to your
hard disk. Now I have room in my bookshelf for more
numismatic reference books! By the way, if you already
own the paper version of any of these catalogues and think
about buying the digital version, do not throw them away,
offer them to your local library, or give them to another
collector.
Magnet. Magnets are inexpensive. They are used to
determine whether a coin contains ferrous material. An
example of the use of this tool is the identification of a
Canadian 1-cent coin dated 2009 struck on a planchet with
a zinc core (and therefore non-magnetic). I recommend that
you do not use a powerful rare earth magnet because you
could easily scratch your coin when trying to remove it from
the magnet. A simple fridge magnet works well. The Dollar
Store also sells a pen-like telescopic device that has a
magnetic tip to retrieve metal objects in difficult places to
reach. Just make sure you cover the retrieving surface with
duct tape to make sure you do not damage your coin.
For fun!
UV light. An ultraviolet light allows you to verify quickly
the authenticity of bank notes, as most modern bank notes
contain security features only visible under UV light. Even
our new Canadian coloured 25-cent coins have a UV
48 –
[March 2010]
J’ai récemment acheté un ensemble de cinq DVD, pour
99 $US, qui comprend les valeurs, photos et données
technique des pièces émise depuis 1600, soit plus de quatre
siècles! Des DVD sur le papier-monnaie et sur les jetons
américains sont également disponibles. Pour vous les
procurer, visitez le site Web de Krause au
www.krausebooks.com. Je vous suggère de copier les
disques sur votre disque dur, ceci réduira considérable le
temps de recherche. Maintenant j’ai plus de place dans ma
bibliothèque numismatique! En passant, si vous avez déjà
ces catalogues en papier et que vous vous procurez ces
disques, ne jeter pas les livres, offrez-les plutôt à votre
bibliothèque locale ou, mieux encore, à un autre
collectionneur.
Aimant. Très abordable, les aimants sont utilisés pour
déterminer la signature magnétique des pièces. Un exemple
de son utilité est la recherche d’une pièce canadienne de
1 cent millésimée 2009 frappée sur un flan à âme de zinc
(et donc non magnétique). Attention! N’achetez pas un
aimant si puissant que vous aurez de la difficulté à décoller
la pièce car vous pourriez l’endommager. Un « aimant de
frigo » fait souvent l’affaire. Le Dollar Store offre un aimant
sur manche télescopique (normalement utilisé pour
récupérer un objet dans un endroit difficile à rejoindre).
Assurez-vous de couvrir la surface de tout aimant de ruban
adhésif entoilé pour éviter d’endommager vos pièces.
protective stamp! Check it out.
Look at your passport under UV
light for a surprise too.
Microscope. I recently bought
a stereo microscope. Why would a
collector buy a microscope? As I said
in my opening remarks, it is just for fun. It is
no longer an issue to determine if a coin has
traces of wear or not or if the fibres on the
crease of a bank note have been broken or not.
After much research and consultation with many
numismatists, I recommend that you
purchase a 20-40X dissection type of
microscope. The lower magnification
(20X) produces a larger field of view
and is also ideal for viewing coins and
bank notes. Higher magnification (40X)
is better for close-ups and more detailed
examination. These types of microscope
are available for as little as $140 to
$250. The more expensive
model includes an easy-toinstall digital camera. The
larger working distance
is particularly important to
allow the flexibility to
adjust, as required, the
amount of light hitting the
item you are examining. Digital
versions that connect to your
computer are readily available for as
low as $100. Just a word of caution about
the small digital microscope: at least for
the one that I have seen, the LED lights cannot be turned
off and they often create an annoying glare. By far, the
best Canadian supplier of microscopes and accessories
is www.microscopenet.com.
Helping Hand. This clamping device (looks like a
Transformer) allows you to position your coin for the perfect
picture. Using your fingers works well, but this device is
the way to go. For less than $20, you can easily position
your coin to photograph the edge or its surface at a specific
angle. Just make sure you cover the alligator clips with plain
duct tape (silicone tubing would be best) to protect your
numismatic items. The Helping Hand is available on-line
and at any hobby store.
In closing, I hope that this article provided you with the
necessary information to acquire some of these tools for
your own tool kit. I assure you, in the long run, they will
increase your enjoyment of the hobby and save you money.
If you have any difficulties finding any of these products,
please feel free to contact me.
Pour le plaisir!
Lampe UV. Une lampe ultraviolette vous permet
d’authentifier un billet de banque moderne rapidement,
puisque la plupart utilise de l’encre invisible comme
élément de sécurité. Elle peut également être utilisée
pour voir le timbre ultraviolet sur les pièces
canadiennes de 25 cents coloriées. Pour
d’autres surprises, regardez votre passeport
à l’aide d’une telle lampe.
Microscope. Je me suis récemment
offert un microscope binoculaire.
Comment un microscope peut-il être
utile à un collectionneur? Comme je l’ai
dit plus tôt, pour le plaisir! Ce n’est plus
pour aider à déterminer si une pièce a des
traces d’usure ou voir si les fibres sur le pli
d’un billet ont été brisées ou non. Après
de nombreuses consultations, je
recommande l’achat d’un microscope
de dissection de puissance 20 à 40X.
La basse résolution (20X) vous
permet de voir un plus grand
champ et est donc pratique pour
observer une pièce ou un billet.
La haute résolution (40X) aide à
l’examen des détails. Ce genre de
microscope est disponible pour aussi
peu que 140 $ à 250 $. Le modèle le plus
onéreux comprend une caméra numérique facile à
installer. Il est important d’avoir un bon espace de travail
entre la lentille et l’objet observé, ceci permet un meilleur
éclairage. Un microscope numérique, qui se branche
directement à votre ordinateur, est disponible pour une
centaine de dollars. Mais attention, ce genre de microscope
peut avoir des lumières DEL qui ne peuvent être fermées et
qui peuvent occasionner des reflets ennuyeux. La meilleure
source canadienne est www.microscopenet.com.
Troisième main. Ce dispositif de serrage (qui ressemble
à un Transformer) vous aide à bien placer une pièce pour la
photographie. Vous pouvez toujours le faire avec vos doigts,
mais une troisième main est souvent plus pratique! À moins
de 20 $, pourquoi sans passer? Assurez-vous, encore une
fois, de bien couvrir les pinces afin qu’elles ne marquent
pas les pièces. La troisième main (« helping hand » en
anglais) est disponible en ligne et dans les boutiques de
passe-temps.
Alors voilà! J’espère vous avoir donné assez
d’information pour que vous puissiez assembler votre propre
« boîte à outils ». Soyez assuré que, à longue haleine, ces
outils vous aideront à apprécier votre passe-temps
davantage. N’hésitez pas à me contacter si vous avec des
questions.
[March 2010]
– 49
Les sports d’hiver
par Serge Pelletier
« Mon pays ce n’est pas un pays, c’est l’hiver
Mon jardin ce n’est pas un jardin, c’est la plaine
Mon chemin ce n’est pas un chemin, c’est la neige
Mon pays ce n’est pas un pays, c’est l’hiver »
C
e refrain de la célèbre chanson « Mon pays » du poète
québécois Gilles Vigneault, va droit au cœur de tout
Canadien et sans doute de tout habitant d’un pays
nordique. Comme l’indique une vieille expression
anglaise « if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em » (si
vous ne pouvez les vaincre, joignez-vous à
eux), les habitants des pays nordiques ont
appris à composer avec l’hiver, voire
même à l’apprivoiser, grâce à la
pratique des sports d’hiver.
Comme mars est au plus
profond de notre hiver, nous
avons pensé qu’il serait
approprié d’explorer cette
thématique de collection.
Les sports d’hiver
Parlons donc d’abord des
sports d’hiver. Quels sont-ils ? Il
y a le ski et ses dérivés (ski alpin,
ski de fond, ski acrobatique, saut
à ski, biathlon, surf des neiges);
le patin à glace (patinage artistique,
patinage de vitesse, patinage
synchronisé); les sports à traîneau
(bobsleigh, luge, skeleton); le hockey
sur glace et le curling, pour ne nommer
qu’eux. Sport individuel ou sport d’équipe,
chacun se caractérise du fait qu’il est pratiqué
à l’extérieur (ou l’était à l’origine comme le
hockey et le curling) et tire avantage des sousproduits de l’hiver : la neige et la glace. Voyons maintenant
un petit historique de chacun.
Le ski
Le ski remonte aux temps préhistoriques. En effet, on a retrouvé
dans une grotte de Rødøy, en Norvège, un dessin montrant un homme
sur ce qui est clairement des skis (identifiés grâce aux bouts avant
suite à la page 52
50 –
[March 2010]
Figure 1
Une des rares pièces sur lesquelles on retrouve plus d’un sport
d’hiver, cette pièce de 75 dollars 2009 de la collection Vancouver
2010 montre le surf des neiges, le saut à ski, le patinnage de
vitesse, le ski acrobatique et le ski alpin.
One of the rare pieces to feature more than one winter sport, this
75-dollar coin dated 2009 is part of the Vancouver 2010 collection
and depicts: snowboarding, ski jumping, speed skating, acrobatic
skiing and Alpine skiing.
Winter sports
by Serge Pelletier
“ My country is not a country, it’s winter
My garden is not a garden, it’s the plain
My road is not a road , it’s snow
My country is not a country, it’s winter”
T
his verse from “Mon pays” a famous song by
Quebec poet Gilles Vigneault, hits a sensitive chord
in the heart of every Canadian or of any inhabitant
of a Nordic country. These folks have learned to live with
winter, after all, “if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em,” and to
make the most of it by practising winter sports.
Since March is the depth of our winter, I thought it
appropriate to explore winter sports as a collecting topic.
Winter sports
Well, what are the winter sports? There are the skiing
events (alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, freestyle skiing,
ski jumping, biathlon, and snowboarding), skating events
(figure skating, speed skating, and synchronized skating),
sleigh sports (bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton), ice hockey,
and curling. Whether an individual sport or a team sport,
they are all characterized by the fact that they are practised
outside (the way hockey and curling used to be) and that
they make the best of the subproducts of winter: snow and
ice. Let us briefly examine the history of each one.
Skiing
Skiing can be traced back to prehistoric times. Indeed, a
drawing found in a cave in Rødøy, Norway, shows a man
on skis (identified by their curved front) (fig. 3). The
“Rødøy Man,” as the drawing is known, is over 5000 years
old! Additionally a set of old skis, dating to 2500 B.C., has
also been found. This “mode of transportation” is actually
cross-country skiing, which is essential to travel in a Nordic
country and, therefore, is essential to defence. It is therefore
not surprising that the Norwegian Army is the first to hold
cross-country skiing competitions in 1670. That an army is
able to move around is all well and good, but it must also be
able to fight, so the biathlon is born, with the first biathlon
competition held some hundred years later, in 1767. It takes
continued on page 53
L’amour des Canadiens envers les sports d’hiver est nettement démontré au
The Canadian love of winter sports is clearly demonstrated on the back of the
dos du billet de 5 dollars de la série l’Épopée canadienne.
5-dollar note of the Canadian Journey series.
Figure 2
[March 2010]
– 51
Ski de fond : Castlegar (Colombie-Britannique), jeton muinicpal, 1 dollar
1989, montrant le célèbre « homme de Rødøy » [3]
Biathlon : Canada, 25 dollars 2007 [4].
Ski alpin : Italie, 2 euro 2006, Jeux de Turin [5].
Ski acrobatique : France, 500 francs 1990, Jeux d’Albertville (1992) [6].
Surf des neiges : Autriche, 5 euro 2010 [7].
Saut à ski : Japon, 10 000 yen 1998 [8].
Cross-country skiing: Castlegar (British Columbia), municipal trade
token, 1 dollar 1989, featuring the famous “Rødøy man” [3].
Biathlon: Canada, 25 dollars 2007 [4].
Alpine skiing: Italy, 2 euro 2006, Torino Games [5].
Acrobatic skking: France, 500 francs 1990, Albertville Games (1992), [6].
Snowboarding: Austria, 5 euro 2010 [7].
Ski jumping: Japon, 10 000 yen 1998 [8].
suite de la page 50
courbés). L’« homme de Rødøy », comme on le nomme,
date d’il y a plus de 5000 ans (fig. 3)! On a également
retrouvé de vieux skis qui ont été homologués à l’an 2500
av. J.-C.
Ce « mode de transport » est en fait le ski de fond, et il
est essentiel aux déplacements dans les pays nordiques et
par conséquent à la défense. Il n’est donc pas surprenant
que ce soit l’Armée norvégienne qui tienne les premières
compétitions en 1670.
C’est bien beau que l’armée soit en mesure de se
déplacée, mais elle doit aussi se battre, ainsi est né le
biathlon. C’est en 1767 que l’Armée norvégienne tient la
première compétition de biathlon. Mais ce n’est qu’en 1960
que ce sport est accepté comme discipline olympique.
Tranquillement, ce que l’on appelle aujourd’hui le ski
alpin prend forme. La première course sur pente a lieu à
Tromsø, toujours en Norvège, en 1843. Un an plus tôt, on
y avait sauté à ski. Une vingtaine d’années plus tard, Sir
Arnold Lunn, organise officiellement une course de ski alpin
pour les Championnats nationaux britanniques. Le sport
s’organise tranquillement et la Fédération internationale de
ski (FIS) est fondée à Chamonix (France) en 1924.
Il est surprenant d’apprendre que le ski acrobatique voit
le jour en Norvège au cours des années 1930, mais ce n’est
qu’en 1979 qu’il est reconnu par la FIS. Il est un sport de
démonstration aux Jeux de Calgary en 1988 et est ajouté
officiellement au tableau aux Jeux d’Albertville en 1992.
Les Américains, maître du surf, développent, au fil des
années 1960 et1970 le surf des neiges, qui devient une
discipline olympique aux Jeux de Nagano, en 1998.
Voilà pour le ski, passons maintenant à un autre sport
très ancien.
suite à la page 54
52 –
[March 2010]
continued from page 51
nearly 200 more years before the biathlon becomes an
Olympic discipline in 1960.
Slowly, what we now call alpine skiing takes form. The
first race occurs in Tromsø, still in Norway, in 1843,
followed there a year later by ski jumping. Some 20 years
after this, Sir Arnold Lunn arranges an official alpine ski
race for the British National Championships. The sport
organizes itself slowly and the International Ski Federation
(ISF) is founded in Chamonix, France, in 1924.
Surprisingly, acrobatic skiing is born in Norway in the
1930s, but the ISF only recognizes it in 1979. It is a
demonstration sport at the Calgary Olympics in 1988 and
becomes an official Olympic sport at the Albertville Games
in 1992.
Snowboarding is the newborn in the ski family, first
appearing in the 1960s and 1970s. Despite being a “baby
boomer,” it is only added as an official Olympic sport at the
Nagano Games in 1998.
There we have it for skiing. Let us now look at another
ancient sport.
Figure skating: China, 100 yuan 1991 [9], Canada, 25 dollars 2008 [10],
Russia, 200 roubles 2009 [11].
Speed Skating: China, 50 yuan 1990 [12], France, 500 francs 1990 [13],
Canada, coloured 25 cents 2009, Cindy Klassen [14].
Ice skating
It is believed the Vikings invent ice skating, as a mode
of transport, circa 50 B.C. The first “blades” are made of
oxen or reindeer bones, polished to flatten them, and then
tied to the feet with leather. Since these blades are not that
effective, a long wooden pole is used to push oneself
forward.
Figure skating comes along in the mid-19th century. The
International Skating Union (ISU) is founded in 1892 in
Scheveningen, the Netherlands, and the first competitions
take place in 1896, for men only. While women are initially
allowed to compete with the men, they are subsequently
banished from the men’s competitions when a woman places
second in 1902. Competitions for women are finally
established in 1906, and couples in 1908, the same year the
sport is included in the Olympic Games. Speed Skating is
slightly older since the first competition is held in the
Netherlands in 1893.
continued on page 55
Patinage artisitque : Chine, 100 yuan 1991 [9], Canada, 25 dollars 2008 [10],
Russie, 20 roubles 2009 [11].
Patinage de vitesse : China, 50 yuan 1990 [12], France, 500 francs 1990 [13],
Canada, 25 cents 2009 colorié, Cindy Klassen [14].
[March 2010]
– 53
suite de la page 52
Le patin à glace
On croit que ce sont les Vikings qui ont
inventé le patin à glace, comme mode de
transport dû aux rivières gelées, vers
l’an 50 av. J.-C. Les premières
« lames » étaient constituées d’os de
bœuf ou de renne, polis pour leur
donner une surface plate, que l’on
attachait aux pieds à l’aide de
lanières de cuir. Comme ils
n’étaient que peu efficaces, on
utilisait une longue perche de bois
pour s’aider à avancer.
Le patinage artistique voit le jour
au milieu du XIX e siècle. L’Union
internationale de patinage (UIP) est
fondée à Scheveningen (Pays-Bas) en
1892. Les premières compétitions ont lieu
en 1896 pour hommes seulement. En 1902,
une femme se classe au second rang.
Les femmes sont alors bannies des
compétitions masculines. On introduit des
compétitions strictement féminines en
1906 et des compétitions de couples en
1908, l’année même de l’entrée de cette
discipline aux Jeux olympiques. Le
patinage de vitesse est légèrement plus
vieux puisque les premières compétitions
sont tenues aux Pays-Bas en 1893.
Les sports à traîneau
C’est à Albany (New York) qu’est
inventé le bobsleigh dans les années
1880. Introduit par la suite en
Suisse, on y tient les premières
courses en 1884, à St-Moritz, sur
des routes enneigées. C’est à la
même époque que la luge et le
skeleton voient également le jour.
Notons que la différence entre ces
deux derniers sports est qu’en luge
on descend sur le dos, pieds premiers
alors qu’en skeleton on descend à plat
ventre, tête première.
Le hockey sur glace et le
curling
Les origines du hockey sont sans
l’ombre d’un doute les plus contestés
du monde. Les Canadiens disent
l’avoir inventé à la fin des années
54 –
[March 2010]
1800. Toutefois, un tableau néerlandais du XVI e siècle
semble montrer un groupe de gens sur un canal gelé
s’adonnant à une activité qui ressemble
étrangement au hockey. Certains prétendent
également que le nom vient du vieux
n é e r l a n d a i s « hokkie » qui
signifiait « but » (fig. 18). Les
origines du curling sont également
contestées. Bien qu’attribuées à
l’Écosse du XVIe siècle, il existe
également un tableau néerlandais
de cette période montrant des gens
en train de jouer à un sport
similaire. Mais ce n’est qu’en 1998
que le curling devient un sport
olympique.
Les handisports d’hiver
Un handisport est un sport dont les règles
ont été aménagées pour qu’il puisse être pratiqué
par des personnes ayant un handicap physique
ou sensoriel. On nomme « sport adapté »
les sports pratiqués par les personnes ayant
un handicap mental. On compte cinq
handisports d’hiver : le ski alpin, le ski de
fond, le biathlon, le hockey sur luge, et le
curling.
Une collection thématique
Vous avez déjà constitué, sans doute, une
belle petite collection sur le thème des sports
d’hiver (les pièces de 25 cents des
Olympiques 2010), il ne vous reste plus
qu’à ajouter à ce noyau. Voyons
maintenant où vous pouvez trouver
du matériel numismatique sur les
sports d’hiver.
Le Canada est sans contredit
le pays le plus prolifique sur le
sujet. Commençons par le reste
des pièces de la collection
Vancouver 2010. Toutes ne se
« qualifie » pas puisque certaines
arborent des motifs aborigènes ou
autres sujets. Mais de nombreux sports
y sont représentés.
Prenons la collection de pièces
holographiques † de 25 dollars par
Bobsleigh : Canada, 20 dollars 1987 [15].
Luge : Russie, 200 roubles 2009 [16].
exemple, 12 des 15 pièces arborent un
Skeleton : Canada, 25 dollars 2009 [17].
sport : biathlon, bobsleigh, curling,
hockey, patinage artistique, patinage de
Bobsleigh: Canada, 20 dollars 1987 [15].
vitesse, saut à ski, skeleton, ski
Luge: Russia, 200 roubles 2009 [16].
Skeleton: Canada, 25 dollars 2009 [17].
suite à la page 56
Hockey: This watercolour entitled “A Scene on the Ice” by Dutch artist Hendrick Avercamp (1585-1634) shows
men engaged in something that looks a lot like hockey [18]. Kingston (Ontario), municipal trade token,
1 dollar 1980, commemorates the “first hockey game” held in 1886 between Queen’s University and Royal
Military College of Canada [19]. Canada, 200 dollars 1991 [20]. Switzerland, 20 francs 2008 [21].
Hockey : Cette aquarelle, intitulée « Une scène sur la glace », de l’artiste néerlandais Hendrick Avercamp
(1585-1634) montre des hommes qui jouent à ce qui peut ressembler au hockey [18] . Kingston (Ontario),
jeton municipal, 1 dollar 1980, souligne la « première partie de hockey » tenue en 1886 et opposant
Queen’s University au Royal Military College of Canada [19]. Canada, 200 dollars 1991 [20].
Suisse, 20 francs 2008 [21].
continued from page 53
Sleigh sports
Bobsleigh, the first sleigh sport, is
invented in Albany, New York, in the
1880s and introduced thereafter in
Switzerland, where the first race is held
on a snowy road in St. Moritz in 1884.
Luge and skeleton are introduced at
about the same time as bobsleigh. It
must be noted that the difference
between these last two sports is that
luge competitors go down the track feet
first and face up, while in skeleton
riders race head first and face down.
Hockey and curling
The origins of hockey (surprisingly
to Canadians) are highly contested
around the world. While we say we
invented the sport in the 1800s, a 16thcentury Dutch painting (fig. 18) shows
a group of people on an icy canal doing
something that sure looks like hockey.
Some even say that the name comes
from the old Dutch word “hokkie,”
which means “goal.” The origins of
curling are also contested. While they
are generally attributed to 16th-century
Scotland, there is also a 16th-century
Dutch painting that shows people
playing something similar. Curling is
only added as an Olympic sport in
1998.
continued on page 57
[March 2010]
– 55
Ces deux pièces de 25 cents sont parmi les rares à montrer des handisports
d’hiver : le curling [22] et le hockey sur luge [23].
suite de la page 54
acrobatique, ski alpin, ski de fond et surf des neiges. Les
pièces de cette collection sont frappées d’argent sterling
(925‰), font 40 mm de diamètre, pèsent 27,78 g et ont
une tranche cannelée. Le tirage est limité à 45 000
exemplaires de chaque type. Un hologramme en
forme de croissant de lune est à la gauche de la
pièce. Il montre le logo de Vancouver 2010 à 9
heures, accompagné de flocons de neige de
p a r t e t d ’ a u t r e . Une treizième pièce,
intitulée « ferveur olympique », montre
plusieurs sports, une chose assez rare. On
retrouve également ce dessin sur une pièce
d’or de 75 dollars sur laquelle la flamme a
été coloriée (fig. 1). Une autre pièce d’or,
celle-ci de 300 dollars, montre également
plusieurs sports (patinage de vitesse, ski
acrobatique et ski alpin) autour d’une flamme
olympique. Cette gigantesque pièce fait 50 mm
de diamètre et pèse 60,00 g.
Si le cœur vous en dit, vous
pouvez même ajouter une
pointe d’humour en
incorporant
certaines d e s
pièces de
50 c e n t s
polychromées†
d
e
s
mascottes
(fig. 24 à
26). E n
e f f e t ,
quelques
p i è c e s
montrent
M i g a ,
Quatchi et
S u m i q u i
pratiquent le
bobsleigh, l e
h o c k e y, le hockey
sur luge, le patinage artistique, le patinage de vitesse, le ski
acrobatique, le ski alpin, le ski alpin paralympique, le slalom
géant parallèle pour surf des neiges, le snowboard cross et
le skeleton (fig. 24 à 26).
À ce noyau élargis, vous pouvez ajouter des pièces de
la collection des Olympiques de 1988 qui est constituée de
pièces de 20 dollars en argent.
Rappelons-nous qu’il y a deux types de pièces reliées
aux Jeux olympiques d’hiver : celles émises par les pays
hôtes et celles émises par des pays non-hôtes. Les pièces
56 –
[March 2010]
These two 25-cent are among the rare pieces to portray winter
handisports: curling [22] and sledge hockey [23].
émises par les pays
hôtes le sont dans le
but d’amasser
des fonds pour
le comité
organisateur
tout en
subvenant
aux besoins
de souvenirs
uniques
pour les
nombreux
visiteurs et
participants.
Les pièces
émises par l e s
p a y s non-hôtes
s e r v e n t
habituellement à
a m a s s e r d e s f o n d s mais pour le comité
olympique du pays émetteur.
Quelques pays ont émis des pièces pour les
Olympiques de Vancouver, notons entreautre, l’Australie, la France et l’Autriche.
Naturellement, vous pouvez choisir de
former une collection sur un seul sport,
comme le hockey par exemple. Le Canada
offre une source incroyable de pièces sur le
sujet, entre autres : les dollars en argent de
1993 et de 1997, le 100 dollars en or 2006 et
le 200 dollars en or 1991. Ceci est sans
compter les nombreuses pièces émises aux
couleurs des équipes professionnelles.
Il est intéressant de noter qu’outre au Canada, il
n’y a que peu de pièces de sports d’hiver qui ne soient
reliées à des Jeux olympiques. On remarque toutefois qu’il
est possible de déterminer les goûts des différents pays (à
toute fin pratique) selon les sujets d’émission. Ainsi en fait
foi les émissions de la Finlande, de la Norvège, de la
Pologne, de la Russie, de la Suède, de la Tchécoslovaquie
(et maintenant de la République tchèque et de la Slovaquie),
pays très bien connus pour leur amour du hockey. Il n’est
également pas surprenant de voir que l’Andorre, l’Autriche,
la Bulgarie, la France, la Norvège, Saint-Marin et la
Yougoslavie ont émis des pièces sur le ski alpin.
suite à la page 76
continued from page 55
Winter handisports
A handisport is a sport whose rules have been adjusted
so it can be played by people with physical and sensorial
handicaps. T h e r e a r e
five
winter
handisports:
alpine skiing,
cross-country
skiing,
biathlon,
s l e d g e
hockey, and
curling.
A topical
collection
The recent
series of 12
Canadian 25-cent
p i e c e s
commemorating the
2010 Olympics features ten Olympic and two
Paralympic winter sports. As these are all circulation
pieces, one can easily and inexpensively put
together a nice little theme collection on the topic
of winter sports. With this as a nucleus, let us see
where you could find some more pieces to expand
the collection.
Canada is by far the most prolific country on the
subject. Let us start with the other pieces of
the Vancouver 2010 collection. Not all
pieces “qualify” since many bear
Native designs and other subjects,
but many sports are represented.
Ta k e t h e h o l o g r a m †
25-dollar pieces for example,
12 of the 15 pieces feature a
sport: acrobatic skiing, alpine
skiing, biathlon, bobsleigh,
cross-country skiing, curling,
figure skating, hockey,
skeleton, ski jumping,
snowboarding, and speed
skating. The coins from this group
are struck on sterling silver (.925)
planchets, are 40 mm in diameter,
weigh 27.78 g, and have a reeded edge.
A crescent-shaped hologram has been added to the left side
of the coins. It bears the Vancouver 2010 logo at 9 o’clock,
with snowflakes above and below it. A thirteenth piece,
entitled “Olympic Spirit,” shows several sports, which is
relatively rare on a coin. The same design was also used for
a gold 75-dollar piece on which the flame has been
coloured (fig. 1). Another gold piece, a 300-dollar one, also
shows several sports (speed skating, acrobatic skiing, and
alpine skiing) around an Olympic flame. This huge
piece is 50 mm in diameter and weighs 60.00 g.
You can even add a touch of humour by including certain
of the coloured† 50-cent mascot pieces. Indeed, these show
Miga, Quatchi, and Sumi doing acrobatic skiing, alpine
skiing, alpine paralympic skiing, bobsleigh, figure skating,
hockey, sledge hockey, skeleton, snowboard cross,
snowboard parallel giant slalom, and speed skating
(fig. 24 to 26).
To this enlarged collection, you can then add the ten
silver 20-dollar pieces of the 1988 Calgary Olympics.
One must also remember that
there are two types of
Olympic pieces: those
issued
by
host
countries and those
issued by non-host
countries. The
host-country pieces
are issued as a
fundraising activity
for the Games and
the athletes, as well
as unique souvenirs
for visitors and
competitors. Non-hostcountry pieces are issued
to raise funds for that
country’s
Olympic
committee in support of their athletes.
Several countries have issued pieces to
mark the Vancouver 2010 Games, among
them Australia, Austria, and France.
One can also choose a single sport as
a theme, hockey for example. Canada has
quite a few hockey-themed pieces like:
the 1993 and 1997 silver dollars, the gold
2006 100-dollar, and the 1991 gold 200dollar coin (fig. 20). There are also
numerous pieces that have been issued with
continued on page 76
These coloured 50-cent pieces, available in colllector cards, feature
the mascots: Sumi playing sledge hochey [24], Quatchi palying hockey [25],
and Miga doing some aerial acrobatics [26].
Ces pièces de 50 cents polychromées, disponibles dans des cartes de
collection, montre les mascottes des jeux : Sumi jouant au hockey sur luge
[24], Quatchi jouant au hockey [25] et Miga faisant un saut acrobatique [26].
[March 2010]
– 57
Beauty – Quality – Pride
The Royal Canadian Mint strikes the Vancouver 2010
Olympic and Paralympic athlete medals
by Steve Woodland
W
hen the Vancouver Olympic
examples for both the
Committee (VANOC)
Olympic and the
published its news
Paralympic medals,
release on October 15, 2009, the
each hanging on
entire world learned that
specially designed
Canada’s Royal Canadian Mint
stands. Viewers were
(RCM) would strike the athlete
able to take pictures of
medals for the XXI Winter
the medals from closeO l y m p i c s a n d X Winter
up and to pose behind
Paralympics. VANOC then
the table for a photo
added to the excitement
with these unique and
surrounding the medals when,
beautiful works of art.
in a special, never before held
Despite the number
event, it granted permission to
of people present,
the RCM to
everyone was polite
host public
and courteous,
viewings of
allowing each viewer
the medals in
the opportunity to look
advance of
at the medals closely
the sporting
and to take their
events. On
pictures without
Saturday and
feeling rushed.
Sunday,
Several members of
January 23
the project team were
and 24, the
available to talk about the
medals were
design, development, and
on display for
production processes. I was
all to see at the
fortunate to be able to spend
Mint’s Ottawa and Winnipeg
time with Stéphane Ouellette,
Figure 1
facilities (Saturday o n l y i n Reverse of the 2010 Winter Paralympics gold medal with "Vancouver who was intimately involved in
Winnipeg). As announced in
2010" in Braille - an historic first for games medals
the development of the initial
various local media, on the
prototypes, and with Vince
Mint’s website, and via email from the RCM, this once-in- Falsetto, who worked on the design specifications and the
a-lifetime opportunity enabled Canadians to see and take engraving of the Paralympic medals. Overall design
pictures of these unique and beautiful creations by a world coordinator, Renato Romozzi, participated in the Winnipeg
leader in numismatic strikes.
event. Also on hand was the RCM’s Communications
I was fortunate to attend the Ottawa viewing on the Director, Christine Aquino, answering questions and
Saturday morning. Upon entering the Boutique, I was creating a welcoming atmosphere. Boutique staff members
greeted by a mass of people who had turned out to view the were busy exchanging Olympic and Paralympic 25-cent
medals and to partake in guided tours of the Mint’s Ottawa coins, selling RCM products, and providing tours.
production facility. One entire wall of the Boutique and a
The 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic medals are
corner display unit were dedicated to the exhibit. The main nothing short of spectacular. Each features an innovative
display table included six medals: gold, silver, and bronze undulating design, reflective of the ocean waves, snowdrifts,
58 –
[March 2010]
and mountains of Canada’s western coast. The Olympic
specimens are disc-shaped with a diameter of 100 mm, while
the Paralympic medals are square with rounded corners
95 mm on each side. The obverse of all the medals
features a unique laser-etched First Nation design
along with either the Olympic or Paralympic logo.
On the reverse of all medals are the name of the
sport and the event for which the medal was
awarded; in addition, Olympic medals have
the Vancouver 2010 Olympics logo and the
text XXI OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES / XXIES JEUX
OLYMPIQUES D ’ HIVER , while Paralympic
medals have the Vancouver 2010
Paralympics logo, the text VANCOUVER 2010
PARALYMPIC WINTER GAMES / JEUX
PARALYMPQIES D’HIVER DE 2010 À VANCOUVER
and “Vancouver 2010” in Braille. Each medal
is treated with a special clear, protective coating
to protect it from tarnishing and scratching. The
blue and green ribbon, or lanyard, contains the
words VANCOUVER 2010 and the games motto WITH
GLOWING HEARTS / DES PLUS BRILLANTS EXPLOITS in
white letters.
In addition to the medals, the exhibit included displays
of the artwork and the tools used in the 30-step production
process, examples of the medals from the various stages of
production, and a video that also explained the overall
process. I was particularly intrigued with a display that
showed how each medal went from a roughly 125 mmsquare, 9.5 mm-thick blank, to a “pancake” resulting from
a splash strike*, to a finished medal with a specially designed
clasp attaching it to a lanyard. During this transformation,
each medal was struck nine separate times, by three different
dies (forming, coining, and finishing). The medals required
annealing† after each three strikes to keep the metal soft.
Not all steps were done by machine. After the splash strike,
the “pancakes” were trimmed to size with a special lathe
and the extremely sharp edges of each medal were filed by
hand. This was done to reduce the risk of scratching.
In speaking with Stéphane Ouellette, he explained that
the Mint used six obverse-reverse pairs of dies (fig. 4) to
strike each series (Olympic and Paralympic), with one pair
specially made and dedicated for the final (finishing) strike
on each medal. He also took the time to talk about the close
liaison between the Mint and VANOC during each step of
the prototyping and the designing phases, including approval
of the shape of the clasp that holds the medal to its lanyard.
The project was not without its casualties either: one die
cracked early on during prototype development, resulting
in a redesign of the base of the dies to correct the problem.
Figure 2
Obverse of the 2010 Winter Olympics silver medal with
unique laser-etched portion of the orca master design
Other items, including an anvil and a table top, also fell
victim to the enormous 1900-ton pressure used to create
the undulating shape of the medals.
Design of the medals started with VANOC’s selection
of two large master artworks submitted by designer/artist
Corinne Hunt: an orca (killer whale) for the Olympic theme
and a raven for the Paralympic theme. Based in Vancouver,
British Columbia, Hunt is of Komoyue and Tlingit heritage;
her design of the raven, in the form of a totem rising, was
done to honour her uncle who is a paraplegic.
Hunt teamed up with designer/architect Omer Arbel, who
brought his skills and knowledge of material fabrication to
create the innovative undulating design of the medals, a
first in Olympic and Paralympic medal design. As he states
in an online video on the Vancouver 2010 website, “My
role [...] was to work on conceptualizing how the artwork
would be applied to a metal surface and also the shape of
the medal itself.”
During my discussions with Vince Falsetto, he
highlighted the complexities and challenges associated with
getting all the artwork designs and text engraved on the
medals to meet the desires of Hunt and Arbel, as well as the
* The first strike of the blank was a splash strike†, imposing the initial shape (i.e., undulated) of the medal upon the blank before trimming to final
form and further striking. This was required to ensure proper metal flow and to achieve the required medal thickness for the undulating shape
of the medal.
[March 2010]
– 59
Facts & Figures
Olympic Medals
• Quantity struck – 615 (205 in each of gold, silver,
bronze)
• Shape – undulating disc
• Size – 100 mm diameter
• Thickness – 6 mm
• Mass – 500 to 576 g, among the heaviest in Olympic
history
Paralympic Medals
• Quantity struck – 399 (133 in each of gold, silver, bronze)
• Shape – undulating square with rounded corners
• Size – 95 mm square
• Thickness – 6 mm
• Mass – 500 to 576 g, among the heaviest in Paralympic
history
Miscellaneous
• Number of steps in fabrication process – 30
• Amount of metal needed –
• Gold – 2.05 kg (gold medals are plated)
• Silver – 1950 kg
• Copper – 903 kg
• Previous year RCM struck Olympic medals – 1976
• Each medal has a unique design, which is a portion of one
of Corinne Hunt’s master designs: the orca (Olympic
medals) or the raven (Paralympic medals)
• Each medal’s design was laser etched onto the
undulating surface
• Over a year of planning and prototype development was
required to produce the innovative designs, prior to
beginning production.
• 34 Mint engineers, engravers, die technicians, machinists
and production experts combined their talents to produce
the medals
exacting standards of VANOC. The task was accomplished
using a sophisticated 3-D software application called Catia
V5 and a great deal of detail work from all involved. He
went on to explain that each medal was unique, containing
a portion of Corinne Hunt’s two artworks. Hunt and Arbel,
along with VANOC, determined what portion of each design
would be featured on the medals to be awarded for each
Olympic and Paralympic event. In other words, the various
individual designs on the Olympic medals form a mosaic,
which is the orca, while those of the Paralympic medals
combine to create the raven. Each individual medal was
laser-engraved at the Mint’s Ottawa facility to etch its unique
design on its undulating surface.
Secrecy was a huge concern throughout the design,
development, and production periods. Understandably,
VANOC wanted to keep the medal designs and producer
under its hat. Royal Canadian Mint employees were under
60 –
[March 2010]
strict rules, contained in a confidentiality agreement signed
by each person working on the medals, not to reveal any
details about their work. Restrictions were so severe that
employees could not even discuss their work on the medals
with their supervisor if the supervisor had not been “cleared”
to know. Ongoing work was kept covered continually to
avoid accidental viewing, and anyone outside the Mint
(contractors, spouses, friends, media representatives, etc.)
was strictly forbidden to know anything about the project
or even that the project existed. For both Ouellette and
Falsetto, being unable to discuss what they were doing,
knowing they were producing a unique and beautiful
product, was highly stressful. However, now that the news
is public, they feel the secrecy was worth it and both are
very proud to have been a part of the medal project.
Designing and producing the medals for the 2010 Winter
Olympics and Paralympics has been a 100% Canadian
effort: VANOC supplied direction and guidance, Canadian
artists Corinne Hunt and Omer Arbel created the
magnificent design and artwork, Vancouver-based Teck
Resources Ltd. provided Canadian-mined metal ore, and
the Royal Canadian Mint combined innovation, quality, and
technology to strike these pieces of Canadian beauty and
culture.
The result of everyone’s efforts is a series of absolutely
stunning medals that will delight the athletes and awe
anyone who sees them. As Corinne Hunt states in the online
video, “we have succeeded in creating something that shows
the beauty of First Nations artwork, but also the newness
and the freshness of the culture.” Everyone involved can
be justifiably proud of what they have accomplished—
Olympic and Paralympic medals that the world will
recognize for their cultural beauty, technical excellence,
and uniqueness. All Canadians can be proud and can cheer
for our athletes as Canada hosts the 2010 Winter Olympics
and Paralympics.
Sources
Royal Canadian Mint Website: www.mint.ca (English),
www.monnaie.ca (French)
Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics Website:
www.vancouver2010.com (English) www.vancouver2010.com/fr/
(French)
VANOC news release “Vancouver 2010 medals each one-of-a-kind
work of contemporary Aboriginal Art” October 15, 2009 (Vancouver,
BC)
Interviews/discussions with Christine Aquino, Stéphane Ouellette,
and Vince Falsetto, January 23, 2010, Ottawa, ON
Figure 3
Royal Canadian Mint employees Vince Falsetto (left) and Stéphane Ouellette (right) with 2010 Winter Olympics and Paralympics medals display at
the Mint's Ottawa facility. Both were tremendously proud and excited at having been a part of the team to produce the medals.
Figure 4
Coining dies for Olympic medals: obverse (left) and reverse (right).
The flat portions of the base keep the dies from rotating during striking.
[March 2010]
– 61
We thought we would show you a few pieces that would be of interest to those that wish to “round out” their
Vancouver 2010 collection. Mind you, one may have enough with the Royal Canadian Mint Vancouver 2010
collection that is composed of 160 differents items.
Coca-Cola’s “Go Canada!” medalets
Coca-Cola, a worldwide partner of the International Olympic
Committee, issued three medalets† during the Games. These were
available exclusively at Mac’s/Couche-Tard stores, free of charge, when
you purchased two Coca-Cola 591-ml drinks (one for every two drinks).
Each medalet is struck on brass-plated blanks, is 25.34 mm in diameter,
and weighs 7.5 g. Three sports are featured on the uniface† pieces: freestyle
skiing, hockey, and snowboarding. A card, cut with three slots to facilitate the display of
the pieces, was also available free of charge.
Austrian Winter Games Set
The Austrian Mint has issued two silver 5-euro coins to mark the
Games, which are available in a set or individually. The reverse of
the first piece, designed by Thomas Pesendorfer, shows a female
snowboarder as she performs a hair-raising air trick, flipping her
snowboard up over the rim of the half-pipe. The second piece,
designed by Helmut Andexlinger, features a helmeted ski-jumper
captured in his flight from the end of the steep ramp against a
background of trees in an alpine forest. Like all Austrian 5-euro
pieces these have been struck from .900 silver, are nine-sided,
have a diameter of 28.5 mm, and weigh 10.0 g. Mintage is
225,000 circulation pieces and 50,000 sets.
> FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT WWW.AUSTRIAN-MINT.AT <
Australia strikes silver
Australia competing at the Winter Olympics may sound like a paradox, but it has
competed at every Olympic Winter Games since 1936, and has won medals at every
games since Lillehammer 1994. It is also the only Southern Hemisphere nation to
have won gold. The Perth Mint released a silver 1-dollar coin in support of the
Australian Olympic Winter Team. It features, on the reverse, a downhill skier,
geometric patterns symbolising snowflakes, and the Australian Olympic Committee’s
official Olympic “Flag and Rings” logo in colour. Only 5,000 of the 1-ounce pure
silver pieces have been struck. They are 40.6 mm in diameter and weigh 31.135 g.
> FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT WWW.PERTHMINT.COM.AU <
62 –
[March 2010]
Slovakia issues special sets
The Kremnica Mint (the Mint of Slovakia) has issued two sets for the
Vancouver Games: a proof one and a proof-like one. Each set contains all
Slovakian euro-denominated circulating coins as well as a
specially designed medal that features, on the reverse, a
hockey player, an alpine skier and a cross-country skier,
while the obverse shows the logo of the Slovak Olympic
Committee. The medal in the proof set is in silver while
the one on the proof-like set is in cupro-nickel. Only
5000 proof sets were produced while the mintage of
proof-like set is 25,000. Their price is 36 and 18 euro.
> FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT WWW.MINT.SK <
First gold medal on Canadian
soil commemoratives
The day after Alexandre Bilodeau’s gold-medal win
on February 14, the Royal Canadian Mint issued a
gold 200-dollar piece to mark the historic event. The
reverse design, by Bonnie Ross, shows four athletes
in various celebratory poses. Struck of .917 gold (22
karat), this beautiful coin is 29 mm in diameter and
weighs 16.0 g. Only 2010 pieces were struck and they
were sold out in less than two days, even at their high
$989.95 issue price. Definitely a coin that is likely to
increase in value.
The Mint also
issued a souvenir
folder containing a
gold-plated medallion
[sic] and three gold-plated
silver “nuggets” [more like
pellets]. The later are “guaranteed residual
metal from the making of the Vancouver 2010 athlete medals.” The medal is 35 mm
in diameter, has a plain edge and is non-magnetic. Very little else is known about this
piece that appears to have been produced by casting. The set sells for $24.95.
> FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT WWW.MINT.CA <
[March 2010]
– 63
A chop-marked Spanish dollar:
counterfeit or genuine?
by François Rufiange
I
love numismatics. I really do. The main
reason is that it often takes you down a
path that you never anticipated it would… like
when you are researching a coin. I hope you will
enjoy my most recent adventure!
This story began while at Universal Coins
on Saturday, November 14, 2009. I
mentioned to Frank Rossi that Serge would
be doing a presentation on the types of
marks on coins at the November
meeting. Frank remembered that he had
a coin with a lot of chop marks† and he
agreed to lend it to me as a show-andtell item. So, on November 16, at lunch
time, I drove to Universal Coins and
picked up the coin: a beautiful 1803
Spanish dollar† with many chop marks.
This coin is so worn that even some of the
chop marks show signs of wear.
I had a chance to show the coin during
our OCC Executive meeting on November
16 and both David and Kim thought it was a
fake. I must admit that the coin looked and felt
fine to me and Frank certainly had not cautioned
me about its authenticity.
At the OCC meeting on November 23, Serge made his
presentation and the Spanish dollar was passed around. At
the end of the meeting, John came to me saying he felt there
was nothing wrong with this coin, that it looked authentic
to him. He further advised me to weigh the coin and compare
it with the description in the Krause catalogue. At home, as
suggested by John, I determined the weight of the coin was
26.4 g. I checked the Krause catalogue under Spain, but
could not find a matching coin. I concluded that this was
indeed a fake because this coin design never existed and it
weighed less than other Spanish dollars of the time.
At the OCC Christmas dinner on December 7, I spoke
with John and told him of my findings. He looked again at
the coin and said that I should look under Peru not Spain
because the coin was struck at the Lima mint in Peru. John
also said that he felt the coin was authentic for three reasons:
1. The edge is engrailed† while fakes are usually reeded
2. It is normal for these coins to weigh less because of
wear, sometimes by as much as 1.0 g
64 –
[March 2010]
Figure 1
The obverse of this Spanish dollar bears 19 chop marks.
L’avers de cette piastre espagnole a été contremarquée 19 fois.
3. One chop mark was struck so hard that it protrudes
on the other side of the coin by the date
John’s conclusion was very clear to me, the coin was
real! John further offered to provide me with additional
details about this coin. All I had to do was send him a few
good pictures of it.
At home, I did find the exact coin design in the Krause
catalogue under Peru. I took a few pictures of the coin,
including the edge and forwarded them to John, who very
promptly provided me with a mountain of information.
Thanks to this information, I was now able to understand
this fascinating piece in much more detail.
continued on page 66
Une piastre espagnole contremarquée :
pièce authentique ou fausse?
par François Rufiange
J
’adore la numismatique. J’adore la numismatique
parce qu’elle vous amène constamment des
surprises… comme lorsque vous faites une recherche
sur une pièce. J’espère que vous aimerez le récit de ma plus
récente aventure!
L’histoire commence lors d’une visite chez Universal
Coins le 14 novembre 2009, alors que je mentionne à Frank
Rossi que Serge allait parler des différentes marques
retrouvées sur les monnaies à la réunion du club de
novembre. Frank se rappelle alors qu’il a une pièce qui a
été contremarquée† plusieurs fois et il accepte de me la prêter
pour que je puisse la montrer à la réunion. Je rends donc
visite à Frank à l’heure du dîner le 16 novembre. La pièce
en question est une piastre espagnole† millésimée 1803
couverte de cachets† chinois. Cette pièce a été tant utilisée
que même certains des cachets montrent des signes d’usure!
Ce soir-là, je montre la pièce à David et à Kim lors de la
réunion du conseil d’administration du club. Tous deux
croient qu’elle est fausse. Je dois avouer qu’elle m’apparait
authentique en ce qui a trait à son apparence et à sa masse,
et que Frank n’a aucunement soulevé de doute par rapport
à son authenticité.
Serge fait donc sa conférence le 23 novembre et la piastre
est montrée à tous. Après la réunion, John m’approche pour
m’aviser que, selon lui, la pièce est authentique. Il me
suggère de la peser et de comparer mes résultats avec les
données du catalogue Krause. Ce que je fais. La pièce pèse
26,4 g et lorsque je regarde dans le catalogue sous l’Espagne,
je ne trouve aucune pièce correspondante. Voilà! C’est bien
une fausse pièce, puisque sa masse ne corresponde pas et
que ce type n’apparait pas.
C’est lors du souper de Noël du club du 7 décembre que
je partage mes résultats avec John. Il regarde de nouveau
la pièce et dit que je devrais plutôt regarder dans le Krause
sous le Pérou, pas l’Espagne, parce qu’elle a été
frappée à Lima. John réitère qu’il juge cette pièce
authentique parce que :
1. sa tranche est engrêlée † alors que l’on
retrouve habituellement une tranche cannelée
sur les fausses
2. Une pièce du genre peut facilement perdre
jusqu’à 1,0 g par frai†
3. L’un des cachets a été apposé avec tant
de force qu’il a difformé la surface opposée
près du millésime!
Figure 2
Le revers est orné d’un écu couronné, flanqué des piliers d’Hercules.
The reverse features a crowned shield flanked by the pillers of hercules.
Ses conclusions sont évidentes : il s’agit
d’une pièce authentique! John offre alors de
me donner plus d’information sur cette pièce,
en autant que je lui envois quelques bonnes
photos.
De retour à la maison, je trouve bel et bien la
pièce dans le Krause sous le Pérou. Je prends
quelques photos, y compris une de la tranche, et les
fais suivre à John. Il me répond promptement avec une
foule de données qui me permettent de mieux comprendre
cette pièce.
suite à la page 67
[March 2010]
– 65
Figure 3
The engrailed edge, the evidence that led to the conclusion
that this piece was genuine.
La tranche engrêlée, la preuve qui a mené à la
conclusion qu’il s’agissait d’une pièce
authentique.
a ocho or the eight-real coin) is a silver coin, worth eight reales,
that was minted in the Spanish Empire after a Spanish currency
reform in 1497. Because it was widely used in Europe, the
Americas, and the Far East, it became the first world currency by
the late 18th century. Many existing currencies, such as the
Canadian dollar, United States dollar, and the Chinese yuan, as
well as currencies in Latin America and the Philippine peso, were
initially based on the Spanish dollar and other 8-reales [sic] coins.1
Chinese chop marks
continued from page 64
Coin markings, design and specifications:
• Metal: 0.8960 Silver, 0.7797 oz. ASW.
• Weight of actual coin: 26.4 g .
• Typical weight as per Krause catalogue: 27.0 g.
• Inscription – obverse: • CAROLUS • IIII • DEI •
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
GRATIA • 1803 (Charles IV by the Grace of God
1803).
Design – obverse: Right profile of Charles IV in
uniform with laurel wreath.
Inscription – reverse: • HISPAN • ET IND • REX • (limae
monogram) • 8R • J • P • (King of Spain and the Indies,
Lima [Lima Mint], 8 reales, J P [see assayers
below]).
Design – reverse: Crowned arms, Pillars of Hercules.
Date: 1803.
Denomination: 8 reales.
Mint: Lima (Peru).
Assayers†: J – Juan Martínez de Roxas and P – Pablo
Cano Melgarejo.
Edge: engrailed - chain of circles and rectangles in
relief.
Diameter: approximately 39 mm.
Chop marks: 19 on the obverse and 8 on the reverse.
Spanish dollar description
Like many collectors, I have heard and read about the
Spanish dollar, but I have never really taken the time to
learn about it and appreciate why it became the first
worldwide currency. As you can imagine, a lot of
information is available on the web. I would like to start
with this very succinct description of the Spanish dollar
that I found on Wikipedia:
The Spanish dollar (also known as the piece of eight, the real de
66 –
[March 2010]
The chop-marked Spanish dollar was counterstamped†
by Chinese bankers or merchants to certify it as genuine.
Apparently there were many counterfeits even in those days,
and bankers were more likely to accept a coin without
testing if they had already verified and marked it.
Because each assayer used a unique mark, it is
possible to trace the locations these dollars visited.
There is some controversy in the collecting
community about chop marks. Most third-party grading
services do not consider chop marks when grading, since
they are part of the history of the coin. Some collectors are
like me, and appreciate the character and interest those marks
add; others regard them as “damage” and avoid them
whenever possible.
Stephen Tai’s website (www.sycee-on-line.com) is an
incredible source of information on Chinese coins and chop
marks. It confirmed that chop marks were not only used to
confirm that the coin was genuine, they were also used to
physically verify that the coin was not plated. The website
states:
[The] Chinese chop-marked foreign silver coins to:
1. Identify the payers who handed out the coin as payment.
The payers, most of the time a merchant or local bank,
used their chopmarks [sic] as a symbol of assayed or
testified fineness†
2. Guarantee the fineness of the coins by the merchant or
local bank who chopped.
3. Assay the coin for its silver fineness and authenticate it
by deep chopping, drilling or other destructive means to
look inside of the coin, in order to assure the consistency
of its quality.2
The Lima mint
Lima was the capital of the Spanish Viceroyalty of Peru.
Its mint was one of the three most active in Spanish America,
along with Mexico and Potosi. The three provided the dollars
that were the main circulating currency of the early United
States and Canada as well as Australia and China.
Lima minted silver from the great silver mines of Potosi
(now in Bolivia). The coins of all three mints travelled to
continued on page 68
suite de la page 65
Données techniques
• Métal : argent titré† à 896‰,
masse d’argent réel –
0,7797 oz.
• Masse réel de la pièce : 26,4 g.
• Masse de convention selon le catalogue : 27,0 g.
• Légende, avers : • CAROLUS • IIII • DEI • GRATIA • 1803
(Charles IV par la grâce de Dieu, 1803).
• Dessin, avers : profil droit de Charles IV en uniforme,
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
couronné de laurier.
Légende, revers : • HISPAN • ET IND •REX •
(marque de l’atelier† de Lima) •8R •J •P • (Roi
d’Espagne et des Indes, , Lima [atelier], 8 reales, J P
[voir essayeur†]).
Dessin, revers : écu couronné flanqué par les piliers
d’Hercules.
Millésime : 1803.
Dénomination : 8 réaux.
Atelier : Lima (Pérou). Notez que la marque d’atelier
est un monogramme composé des lettres L-I-M-AE.
Essayeurs : J – Juan Martínez de Roxas et P – Pablo
Cano Melgarejo.
Tranche : engrêlée - chaîne de cercles et de rectangles.
Diamètre : environ 39 mm.
Cachets : Il y a 19 cachets à l’avers et 8 au revers.
La piastre espagnole
Comme de nombreux collectionneurs, j’ai beaucoup
entendu parler et lu au sujet de la piastre espagnole, mais je
n’avais jamais pris le temps de l’étudier ou de comprendre
pourquoi elle était devenue la première ‘monnaie mondiale’.
On retrouve beaucoup d’information à son sujet sur Internet.
Commençons d’abord avec l’information trouvée sur
Wikipedia (version anglaise) :
La piastre espagnole (aussi connue sous le nom de ‘pièce
de huit’, de ‘real de a ocho’, et de ‘8 réaux’) est une pièce
d’argent de 8 reales frappée dans tout l’Empire espagnol
après la réforme monétaire de 1497. Son utilisation en
Europe, en Amérique et en Extrême-Orient était telle,
qu’elle devint, à la fin du XVIIIe siècle, la première ‘monnaie
mondiale’. De nombreuses monnaies d’aujourd’hui,
comme le dollar canadien, le dollar américain, le yuan
chinois, les monnaies d’Amérique latine et le peso des
Philippines, tire leur souche de la piastre espagnole et
d’autres pièces de 8 réaux1. [traduction libre]
Les cachets chinois
Les contremarques† trouvées sur cette piastre sont des
cachets apposés par des banquiers chinois qui confirment
l’authenticité de la pièce. Il semble qu’il y avait beaucoup
Figure 4
La marque de l’atelier de Lima est un monogramme
composé des lettres L - I - M - A - E.
The Lima mint mark is a monogram composed
of the letters L - I - M - A - E.
de faux à l’époque. Il était donc monnaie courante de peser
et titrer une pièce avant de l’accepter. Comme chaque
essayeur avait son propre cachet, il est possible de retracer
le chemin parcouru par ces piastres.
Les cachets sont sujets de controverse au sein de la
communauté des collectionneurs. La majorité des services
indépendant d’évaluation d’état de conservation et de
certification ne tiennent pas compte des cachets lorsqu’ils
déterminent l’état de conservation d’une pièce parce qu’ils
considèrent les cachets comme partie intégrante de l’histoire
de la pièce. De nombreux collectionneurs, comme moi, sont
d’accord et ils trouvent que ces cachets donnent du
‘caractère’ à la pièce. D’autres, considèrent ces cachets
comme des défauts et les évitent.
Le site Web que je site maintenant est une source
incroyable d’information sur les monnaies chinoises et sur
les cachets. Il confirme que les cachets étaient non seulement
utilisés pour déterminer l’authenticité de la pièce, ils
servaient aussi à vérifier si la pièce était plaquée.
Les Chinois contremarquaient l’argent [métal]
étranger pour :
1. Identifier le payeur qui l’avait utilisé. Ces payeurs, pour
la plupart des marchands ou banques locales, utilisaient
leurs cachets comme certification qu’ils avaient titré la
pièce.
2. Garantir le titre de la pièce.
3. Titrer la pièce et l’authentifier en apposant le cachet
avec force, en perforant la pièce, ou en utilisant toute autre
méthode destructive afin de s’assurer de la cohérence de
sa qualité [confirmer qu’elle n’était pas plaquée] 2.
[traduction libre]
L’atelier de Lima
Lima était la capitale de la Vice-royauté espagnole du
Pérou. Son atelier était l’un des plus actifs en Amérique
espagnole, avec Mexico et Potosi. Ces trois ateliers
produisirent les piastres qui servirent comme monnaie
courante aux États-Unis, au Canada, en Australie et en
suite à la page 69
[March 2010]
– 67
Final verification
continued from page 66
China via Manila in the Philippines (then under Spanish
control). Manila was a trade market where Chinese
merchants sold their luxury goods for Spanish dollars.
The Manila galleon trade was one of the most persistent,
perilous, and profitable commercial enterprises in European
colonial history. Between 1565 and 1815, it carried the
treasures of the Orient to the West via Mexico in exchange
for New World silver and the manufactured goods of Europe.
One (1) galleon a year would embark on the trip.3
In the early 19th century, Spanish dollars were the
mainstay of China’s financial system. Although the
copper cash† coin, in strings of 1000, was China’s basic
market currency, all major accounts were settled in silver
– either Chinese silver taels (shoe-shaped bullion ingots)
or Spanish dollars.
Modern Chinese fakes of Spanish dollars exist and
invariably have a reeded edge, whereas genuine Spanish
dollars have a distinctive raised or relief pattern that has
not yet been copied. As well, the weight of modern copies
differs wildly from that of an original, while genuine
coins will be at or slightly below the strike weight
specified in reputable coin reference catalogues.
Austria’s latest bimetallic coin
promotes renewable energy
On December 23, I had the opportunity to meet once more
with David, a curator at the Bank of Canada Currency Museum.
David looked at the coin again, but this time, he had seven
well-tarnished Spanish dollars from the National Collection
with which to compare. At first, again, David thought that the
coin was a reproduction. He mentioned that these coins were
typically well struck, with the strike properly centered, as was
demonstrated by the seven examples he showed me. By
comparison, my coin was much worn, particularly the rim, and
was struck off-centre. Ultimately, it was by comparing the edge
that we concluded with certainty that the coin was not a
reproduction. The chain of circles and rectangles matched
perfectly with the confirmed genuine examples in the National
Collection.
While researching this, I knew that I would eventually have
to return this fascinating Spanish pillar dollar to its owner, but
I was also seriously thinking about buying it. On
December 31, I visited Universal Coins and made Frank an
offer he could not refuse. And he did not.
I would like to offer my sincere thanks to John and David
for their expert advice and guidance, and to Frank for the loan
and eventual sale of the coin.
In conclusion: the coin is genuine... and I get to admire it
whenever I want.
Notes
1
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pieces_of_eight [2009-12-30]
2
http://www.sycee-on-line.com/Foreign_silver_coins.htm [2009-12-29]
3
http://ns.gov.gu/galleon/index.html [2009-12-13]
CANADIAN SPANISH DOLLARS – continued from page 70
• And so on, as shown in the following table
Austria’s 2010 25-euro coin salutes renewable
energy. The latest addition to the Austrian popular silverniobium bimetallic series depicts, on the obverse, a
design composed of various renewable energy sources
such as solar panels, wind mills, etc., while the reverse
features a fully grown tree in front of a sun. This
beautiful piece is 34 mm in diameter and weighs 16.5 g.
Mintage is set at 65,000. It has a ring made of .900 silver
and a centre of light blue-coloured niobium. Niobium
has the particularity of changing colour when it is heated.
In this collection, which started in 2003, the niobium
centre has been various shades of blue and green, purple,
brown, and yellow.
> FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT WWW.AUSTRIAN-MINT.AT <
68 –
[March 2010]
These so-marked dollars were to be replaced by French
silver coins, weight for weight, and it seems that they were
because there are no known survivors or what is often called
“Canada first coinage.”
Sources
Amandry, Michel et al. Dictionnaire de numismatique. Larousse, Paris,
2001.
Lecompte, Jean. Monnaies et jetons des colonies françaises. Éditions
Victor Gadoury, Monaco, 2007.
Migne, Abbé (ed). Dictionnaire de numismatique et de sigillographie
religieuses. J.-P. Migne, Paris, 1852.
suite de la page 67
Chine.
L’argent frappé par l’atelier de Lima provenait des mines
de Potosi (aujourd’hui en Bolivie). Les pièces frappées par
les trois ateliers voyageaient vers la Chine en passant par
Manille dans les Philippines (alors sous le contrôle de
l’Espagne). C’est à Manille que les marchands chinois
vendaient leurs biens de luxe et étaient payés en piastres
espagnoles.
Le commerce des galions à Manille était l’entreprise
commerciale la plus constante, périlleuse et payante de
l’histoire coloniale européenne. De 1565 à 1815, il emmena
les trésors de l’Orient à l’Occident en passant par le Mexique
où ils étaient échangés pour de l’argent [métal] du NouveauMonde et des produits manufacturés d’Europe. Un (1) galion
faisait
ce
voyage
chaque
année 3 .
[traduction libre]
Au début du XIXe siècle, les piastres espagnoles constituaient
la base du système financier chinois. Bien que les sapèques†
de cuivre, en boudin de 1000, étaient la monnaie courante de
Chine, tous les comptes étaient régler en argent [métal] – soit
avec des taëls chinois ou des piastres espagnoles.
Des fausses piastres espagnoles de la Chine moderne
PIASTRE CANADIENNE – suite de la page 71
• Une pièce faisant 4 livres (= 80 sous ou 33,40 g6)
vaudra 4 livre et sera contremarquée d’une fleur-delys
• Une pièce pesant entre 4 livres et 3 livres 15 sous
(= 75 sous ou 31,31 g) vaudra 3 livres 15 sous et sera
contremarquée d’une fleur-de-lys et du chiffre
romain I
• Ainsi de suite, tel qu’indiqué ci-dessous
existent, mais ils ont toujours une tranche cannelée tandis
que les piastres authentiques ont une tranche ornée (en
relief) d’un motif qui n’a pas encore été copié. Le poids
des faux varie considérablement de ceux des originaux.
Une dernière vérification
Le 23 décembre, je rencontre de nouveau David qui,
comme vous le savez, est conservateur au Musée de la
monnaie de la Banque du Canada. David jette un nouveau
coup d’œil à la pièce et la compare à sept exemplaires
de piastres espagnoles de la Collection nationale. Il croit,
au début, que ‘ma’ piastre est une reproduction du fait
que ces pièces sont habituellement bien frappées (comme
toutes celles de la Collection) alors que la mienne est
décentrée. Ma piastre est beaucoup plus usée en
comparaison aux autres, particulièrement sur la tranche.
Ultimement, c’est en comparant les tranches que nous
avons conclu avec certitude qu’il ne s’agissait pas d’une
reproduction. Les chaînes de cercles et rectangles sur
les tranches sont identiques.
Tout au long de ces recherches, je sais que j’aurai à
retourner cette pièce fascinante à son propriétaire, mais
je pense sérieusement à l’acheter. Le 31 décembre, je
visite Frank chez Universal et lui fait une offre qu’il ne
peut refuser! Et il ne la refuse pas!
Je tiens à remercier sincèrement John et David pour
leur expertise et précieux conseils.
En conclusion : la pièce est authentique et elle est
mienne!
Notes
1
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pieces_of_eight [2009-12-30]
2
http://www.sycee-on-line.com/Foreign_silver_coins.htm [200912-29]
3
http://ns.gov.gu/galleon/index.html [2009-12-13]
Received from a
peacekeeper in Africa!
Les piastres ainsi marquées devaient être remplacées par
des pièces d’argent françaises, poids pour poids, ce qui semble
avoir eu lieu puisque aucune de ces piastres, souvent appelées
les « premières monnaies canadiennes », n’ont survécues.
Sources
Amandry, Michel et al. Dictionnaire de numismatique. Larousse, Paris,
2001.
Lecompte, Jean. Monnaies et jetons des colonies françaises. Éditions
Victor Gadoury, Monaco, 2007.
Migne, Abbé (ed). Dictionnaire de numismatique et de sigillographie
[March 2010]
– 69
Were there Spanish dollars “chop-marked” in Canada?
by Serge Pelletier
W
e learned in François’ article1 that Spanish
dollars (or more correctly and more often
referred to as Spanish-American dollars)
were used in commerce throughout the world and that,
in China, they were often authenticated and weighed
by merchants and bankers to determine their value.
It is also well-known that several chop marks
(Chinese characters) often combined to indicate
the value of the piece, e.g. “Received as a silver
with a premium of 2.6 taels on each 50 taels.”2 We
know that this was also common practice in India
where the counterstamps are called “shroff marks.”
But was anything like this ever done in Canada?
Well, yes and no. Yes, Spanish dollars were weighed
and marked in what is today Canada, and no because
this was done by officials, not merchants or bankers.
To begin our discovery, we have to go back to 17thcentury New France, where the availability of coinage was
always an issue. Despite repeated requests, year after year,
from the Superior Council of Québec, the French king
refused to send more coinage to the colony. The Council
had no choice but to issue a decree on September 17, 1681,
and again on December 15 of the same year to give forced
tender to Spanish dollars,3 which were more readily available
because they were used extensively in the English and Dutch
colonies, and this despite the fact that
… His Majesty has prohibited the circulation of said dollars
in all the provinces of his kingdom, even in the seaports
with foreign commerce …4 [unofficial translation]
A bit over a year later, on January 13, 1683, the Council
issued a new decree:
The said council, […], has ordered and orders that the said dollars
will be legal tender in this country to wit: the full ones, of correct
weight, for 4 livres, and the halves, quarters and half-quarters, in
proportion; and that to distinguish those of correct weight from
those that are not, and to know the value for which it is to be
accepted, those of correct weight will be marked with a fleur-de-
The Spanish dollars countermarked in New France were likely cobs†
like this 8-real piece of Felipe III struck in Mexico between 1618-1621.
> stacks.com <
lys for 4 livres, and the lighter weight ones, whether the full
ones, halves, quarters and half-quarters, will be marked with a
fleur-de-lys with a Roman numeral I, II, III, and IIII, that will be
placed underneath the fleur-de-lys, …5 [unofficial translation]
The decree goes on to specify the value of the dollars
depending on their weight, and the countermarks to be put
on them, as follows:
• A piece weighing 4 livres (= 80 sous or 33.40 g6)
will be worth 4 livres and be countermarked with a
fleur-de-lys
• A piece weighing between 4 livres and 3 livres
15 sous (= 75 sous or 31.31 g) will be worth 3 livres
15 sous and be countermarked with a fleur-de-lys and
the Roman numeral I
continued on page 68
“A chop-marked Spanish dollar: counterfeit of genuine?” in Moneta, March 2010.
“Foreign Service Coins as ‘Quasi Sycee’ ” page of <www.sycee-on-line.com> website [2010-02-01].
3
December 15, 1681 Decree of the Superior Council of Québec, cited in Jean Lecompte, Monnaies et jetons des colonies françaises, p. 146.
4
January 13, 1683 Decree of the Superior Council of Québec, cited in Jean Lecompte, Monnaies et jetons des colonies françaises,
p. 147.
5
Idem, p.148.
6
According to Father Migne, the Spanish dollars weighed 506 grains of France, which is approximately 33.40 grams.
70 –
[March 2010]
1
2
Est-ce que des piastres espagnoles ont été contremarquées
au Canada?
par Serge Pelletier
L
’article de François1 nous apprend que les piastres
espagnoles (ou plus correctement les piastres
hispano-américaines) étaient utilisées dans le
commerce partout dans le monde et qu’en Chine les
marchands et banquiers les expertisaient pour en déterminer
l’authenticité et la valeur. On sait également qu’on apposait
des cachets sur les pièces et que certains de ceux-ci (surtout
des caractères chinois) combinés ensembles indiquait la
valeur spécifique de la pièce, par exemple « Reçu à titre
d’argent avec une prime de 2,6 taels sur chaque 50 taels. »2
Nous savons qu’une pratique semblable se faisait aux Indes.
Mais est-ce qu’on a fait la même chose au Canada? Eh
bien, oui et non. Oui, des piastres espagnoles ont été pesées
et marquées dans ce qui est aujorud’hui le Canada. Non,
parce que ceci était fait par des représentants du
gouvernement et non des marchands ou banquiers.
Nos recherches nous emmènent en Nouvelle-France du
XVIIe siècle, où la disponibilité de numéraire était toujours
un problème. Bien que le Conseil supérieur de Québec eut
fait des demandes répétées (et ce d’année en année) auprès
du roi de France, celui-ci se refusa à envoyer plus de
monnaies à la colonie. Le Conseil n’eut d’autre choix que
d’émettre, le 17 septembre 1681, puis de nouveau le
15 décembre de la même année, des décrets donnant cours
forcé aux piastres espagnoles3, qui était disponibles parce
que les colonies anglaises et néerlandaises les utilisaient
couramment. Et ce, malgré le fait que
… quoique Sa Majesté en ait défendu le cours dans toutes
les provinces de son royaume, même dans les ports de mer
qui ont commerce avec les pays étrangers pour les dites
piastres…4
Un peu plus d’un an plus tard, le 13 janvier 1683,
le Conseil émis un nouveau décret :
Le dit conseil, […], a ordonné et ordonne que les
dites piastres auront cours en ce pays à savoir : les
entières, pesantes, pour 4 livres, et les demies, quarts
et demi-quarts, à proportion; et que pour distinguer
celles qui seront de poids d’avec les autres qui ne le
seront pas, et en connoître [sic] la valeur pour laquelle
la cour trouve à propos qu’elles passent, celles qui
seront de poids seront marquées d’une fleur de lis
pour valoir 4 livres, et ce qui seront légères, tant les
entières, demies, que quarts et demi-quarts, seront
marquées d’une fleur de lis accompagnée de ce chifre [sic]
romain, I, II, II, et III, qui sera mis au-dessous de la fleur
de lis…5
Les piastres cotnremarquées en Nouvelle-France étaient sans
doute des cobs† comme cette pièce de 8 réaux de Felipe III frappée
à Mexico entre 1618-1621.
> stacks.com <
1
2
3
4
5
6
Le décret se poursuit en précisant la valeur qui devra
être attribuée aux piastres selon leur poids et les
contremarques à être utilisées :
suite à la page 69
« Une piastre espagnole contremarquée : pièce authetique ou fausse? » dans Moneta, mars 2010.
Page « Foreign Service Coins as ‘Quasi Sycee’ » du site Web <www.sycee-on-line.com> [2010-02-01].
Décret du Conseil supérieur de Québec du 15 décembre 1681, cité dans Jean Lecompte, Monnaies et jetons des colonies françaises, p. 146.
Décret du Conseil supérieur de Québec du 13 janvier 1683, cité dans Jean Lecompte, Monnaies et jetons des colonies françaises, p. 147.
Idem, p.148.
Selon l’abbé Migne, la piastre espagnole pesait 506 grains de France, c’est-à-dire environ 33,40 grammes.
[March 2010]
– 71
Prince Salim’s rebellion rupee
by Ron Cheek
T
his elegant silver rupee, minted between
AD 1600 and 1605 at Allahabad,
India, was a few years premature.
Unnamed and undated, it is one of
Mughal Prince Salim’s coins struck
during his rebellion against his
father, the Emperor Akbar.
Salim’s attempt to seize supreme
power over the Mughal Empire
was a sad chapter at the end of
Akbar’s long, illustrious reign
(1556-1605). That Prince Salim
and his father reconciled before
Akbar died and Akbar, on his
deathbed, confirmed Salim as his
successor could not have
overcome Akbar’s disappointment
in his beloved son. But Prince
Salim, who became Emperor
Jahangir, carried on in the manner of
his father’s adroit rule and he expanded
the empire his father had built.
Prince Salim and the rebellion
Akbar, the third and greatest Mughal Emperor,
extended the conquests of his father, Humayun, and
grandfather, Babur, into an empire that stretched from
Afghanistan across Northern India to Bengal. Akbar realized
that he was ruling a multinational, multireligious empire
and that the best way to stabilize it was to be equitable.
Land reforms and fair taxation were implemented. The
destruction of Hindu temples was halted and the
discriminatory tax on non-Muslims was ended. He
encouraged and supported arts and writing, both Muslim
and Hindu. He brought conquered Hindu leaders into his
system of government. He married many of their daughters.
Prince Salim was the son of his union with Jodhabai, the
Rajput Princess of Amber.
Prince Muhammad Salim was Akbar’s eldest surviving
son. His elder twin brothers had died in infancy and Akbar
prayed for another son and heir. Akbar’s prayers were
answered on September 20, 1569 at Fatehpur Sikri, near
Agra, the abode of an Islamic mystic. The emperor became
devoted to this mystic, Shaikh Salim Chishti, whose
blessing, he was convinced, had brought about the birth of
his son. The child was named Salim.
72 –
[March 2010]
A biography of Jahangir¹ summarizes his early years as
Prince Salim.
The boy was brought up with all possible care and affection
and when he grew up, arrangements were made for his
education at the new capital, Fatehur-Sikri. Expert tutors
taught the prince Persian, Turki, Arabic, Hindi, arithmetic,
to the rank of an army officer, commanding 12,000 men.
Unfortunately, he was familiar with wine at an early age
and became addicted to the good life [other accounts
tell of his addiction to opium as well]. He was
also impatient. An estrangement developed
between father and son due to the prince’s
scheming ambition to succeed to his
father’s throne without the customary
death of his father. When Akbar was
persuaded by his favourite courtier,
Abul Fazl, to develop a
brotherhood of “seekers” who
viewed the emperor as divinely
inspired and hailed him with
the phrase “allahu akbar,” in
1602 the prince had Abul Fazl
murdered. Akbar was so
depressed by the death of his
friend that he did not appear in
public for three days. But there
was no other reliable successor.
Desperate to keep the dynasty
alive, in 1605, a dying Akbar […]
reluctantly had his imperial turban
placed on the head of his eldest son.
A week later, Salim succeeded to the
throne at Agra at the age of 36, assuming
the name Nur-ud-din Muhammad Jahangir.
There are many detailed accounts of Prince
Salim’s unworthy conduct and his rebellion between
the years 1599 and 1605. As governor of Allahabad
Province, Salim stayed at Allahabad and in an open rebellion
against his father declared himself emperor. As part of his
assertion as self-declared emperor he had coins struck.
The coin
history, and geography, but he was most influenced by
Abdur Rahim Khan Khanan, a versatile genius, soldier,
and successful diplomat. Under his guidance, Prince Salim
(Jahangir) also mastered the technique of composing verses.
[…]
In compliance with the time, the prince was also given
training in civil and military administration. During the
Kabul expedition of 1581, he was placed in charge of a
regiment of troops and subsequently conducted
independent military expeditions. In 1585, he was elevated
The introductory pages of The Standard Guide to South
Asian Coins and Paper Money Since 1556 AD² tell us that
Jahangir’s “great sensitivity to art is reflected in the fine
calligraphy, visual appeal and superb execution of his
coinage.” One would have to agree that such is also the
case with Prince Salim’s coinage struck during his rebellion.
Let us look at the particular coin illustrated. The Standard
Guide lists it as KM # 97.1 and states that “the silver coins
of Allahabad of this period were issued anonymously
without following the imperial style, but with a Persian
couplet giving mint name and date.”
I was fortunate to turn up a detailed interpretation of a
coin of my exact type on the “Coin People” website.³ Adding
to the Standard Guide description of KM # 97.1 we are
told that some of Salim’s rupees have both the Ilahi month
and date. While coins bearing the Ilahi years 44 to 49 are
known, there is also an undated variety. Mine is of the latter
type. The coin design has the Bagharb-wa-Sharq (In the
West and the East) couplet:
[March 2010]
– 73
Hamesha Hamchu Z’re Mihir Wa Mah Raij Bad
Bagharb-wa-SharqJahan Sikka Allahabad
(Like the Gold of Sun and the Moon,
May Always be Current, In the West
and the East of the World, the Coin of Allahabad)
Elegant indeed.
The first line of the couplet is on the obverse of
the rupee. The second line is on the reverse. Sketches
showing the Persian wording and translation, taken
directly from the website,³ are reproduced here. The
date, when present, is located towards the centre of
the obverse, between the two horizontal field
dividers. It is strange that, although rebelling against
his father, Salim issued his anonymous rupees using
Akbar’s reign year as the date, when it did appear
on these coins. As such, he was, in a way,
acknowledging his father was still emperor.
Emperor Jahangir reigned from 1605 to 1627. He
began his reign with a grand display of justice. He
enacted twelve decrees that are remarkable for their
liberalism and foresight. He significantly increased
the size of the Mughal Empire, crushed many
rebellions and saw that the work of his father
continued to flourish. Jahangir was generally
considered to have a good disposition although he
was quickly driven to rage in his younger years.
While he was successful in expanding the empire
by conquest, he was nevertheless not the brilliant
military commander that Akbar was. An aesthete,
he preferred the comforts and pleasures of the
Extract of “Jahangir Preferring a Sufi Sheikh to Kings”
imperial
court to the battlefield. His main interests were
by Mughal artist Bichitr ca. 1620
appreciation and patronage of great works of art,
> wikipedia commons <
architecture, hunting, constructing gardens, and
painting. However, he apparently was equally interested in strong drink and opium. He died in his early fifties of his
addictions.
The beautiful rupees of the rebellion years when Jahangir was Prince Salim reflect the nature of the complex man
who created them.
GLOSSARY – continued from page 44
Endnotes.
¹ http://www.answers.com/topic/jahangir, [2010-01-25]
² Bruce, Colin R. and John S. Deyell, et al. The Standard Guide to South Asian
Coins and Paper Money Since 1556 AD. Krause Publications, Inc., Iola WI,
1981, page 18.
³ http://www.coinpeople.com/index.php?showtopic=24321, [2010-01-24]
I am indebted to knowledgeable South-Asian numismatist and fellow O.C.C.
member, John Deyell, for reviewing this article and suggesting a number of
improvements. Additionally, John provided the following list of authoritative
sources on Salim’s rebellion:
Majumdar, R.C. “Revolt of Salim”, The Mughal Empire. Bombay, 1974. pp. 166168.
Ricahrds, John F. “Rebellion of Salim”, The Mughal Empire. Cambridge, 1993.
pp.55-56.
Tuzuk-i-Jahangiri or Memoirs of Jahangir, A. Rogers (tr.), reprinted Delhi 2003.
74 –
[March 2010]
25 mm or less in diameter.
mint mark – [marque d’atelier] A device appearing
on a coin, medal, or token to denote the place of minting.
The practice goes back to the Roman times. In
numismatic nomenclature, the mintmark follows the date,
e.g. “large cent 1876H”, meaning that the piece bears
the H mintmark of the Heaton mint. ABBREV. mm.
Spanish dollar – [piastre espagnole] The name
commonly given to an 8 reales struck in Spain. A piece
struck in America is usually called a SpanishAmerican dollar.
splash strike – [frappe non contrainte] Strike
done without a collar.
uniface – [uniface] Piece with a device on one side
only.
Pastrone, Francesco. Monnaies françaises 17892009, 19e éd. Éditions Victor Gadoury, Monaco,
2009.
Pastrone, Francesco. Monnaies françaises 17892009, 19th ed. Éditions Victor Gadoury, Monaco,
2009.
Français, illustré (noir et blanc), 15 x 21 cm, 448 pages,
couverture rigide (ISBN 2-906602-34-5), 29 euro.
French language, fully illustrated (black and white), 15 x 21 cm,
448 pages, hardbound (ISBN 2-906602-34-5), 29 euro.
Monnaies françaises est la « bible »
en matière de pièces françaises
républicaines depuis la parution de la
première édition en 1973 par Victor
Gadoury, un militaire canadien devenu
numismate professionnel après avoir pris
sa retraite en Allemagne. Il s’établit
éventuellement à Monaco. Suite à son
décès, en 1994, sa maison d’édition est
reprise par deux de ses collaborateurs de
longue date : Francesco Pastrone et
Romolo Vescovi.
Le Gadoury rouge, comme on
l’appelle, contient des informations sur
toutes les monnaies françaises depuis
1789. Les pièces sont présentées en ordre
de dénomination (de la plus petite à la
plus élevée). On retrouve pour chaque
type : la composition, le titre, le poids,
le diamètre, la tranche, le graveur et les
marques de graveurs. Le tirage et la
valeur (en euro) pour cinq états de conservation sont offerts
pour chaque millésime et marque d’atelier.
Parmi les pièces répertoriées on retrouve les monnaies
obsidionales des sièges de Mayence et d’Anvers. Il y a
également des sections sur les pièces commémoratives, sur
les monnaies de Monaco (1819-2009), de Corse (1736,
1762-68), de la Sarre (1954-55) et un guide détaillé pour
les marques de graveur.
Publié les années impaires, ce catalogue de haute qualité
en vaut l’investissement pour tout collectionneur intéressé
par le sujet.
Pour de plus amples information ou pour commander
contactez les Éditions Victor Gadoury au 57, rue Grimaldi,
98000 Monaco. Courriel : [email protected]. Site
Web : www.gadoury.com.
– S. PELLETIER
M o n n a i e s f r a n ç a i s e s has
b e e n F r a n c e ’s b i b l e o n
republican French coins since it
was first published in 1973
by Victor Gadoury, a Canadian
military man that became
a professional numismatist
following his discharge in
Germany and who would
ultimately set up shop in Monaco.
Gadoury passed away in 1994 and
the publishing firm w a s
p u r c h a s e d b y t w o o f his
long-time contributors:
Francesco Pastrone and Romolo
Vescovi.
Le Gadoury rouge as it is
called, contains information of all
French coins since 1789 presented
in chronological order by
denomination (smallest to largest).
This information includes: metal, fineness, weight,
diameter, edge, engraver and privy marks. Mintage figures
are provided by date and mint mark for each denomination,
with the current values, in euro, for five grades.
It also includes obsidional coinage for the sieges of
Mainz and Antwerp and special sections on commemorative
coins, coins of Monaco (1819-2009), coins of Corsica
(1736, 1762-68), coins of Saarland (1954-55), and a detailed
illustrated guide for all privy marks.
Published in odd years, this high quality book is well
worth the investment for anyone interested in the subject.
For more information or to order, please contact the
Éditions Victor Gadoury at 57, rue Grimaldi, 98000
Monaco. Email: [email protected]. Website:
www.gadoury.com.
– S. PELLETIER
[March 2010]
– 75
SPORTS D’HIVER – suite dela page 56
Nous vous offrons ici en images des petits noyaux de
collection sur les différents sports.
En terminant, notez, qu’outre les pièces, on peut
retrouver des médailles, des jetons municipaux (fig. 3) et
du papier-monnaie (fig. 2) qui portent sur les sports d’hiver.
La recherche des pièces appropriées ne fera qu’ajouter à
votre plaisir. Bonne chasse!
Sources
Site Web de la Monnaie royale canadienne < www.monnaie.ca>
[2009-01-29]
CUHAJ, George (ed). 2010 Standard Catalog of World Coins 19012000, 37th ed. Krause Publications, Iola (USA), 2009.
CUHAJ, George (ed). 2010 Standard Catalog of World Coins 2001date, 4th ed. Krause Publications, Iola (USA), 2009.
LEXIQUE – suite de la page 44
ensembles pour faire un tael d’argent. SYN. banliang.
titre – [fineness] Proportion de métal précieux contenu dans
un alliage. Elle est habituellement exprime en « pour mille » (‰)
ou en fraction décimale (e.g., .999). L’argent sterling, par exemple,
a un tire de 925 ‰, ce qui signifie qu’il est composé de 92,5 %
d’argent.
titrer – [assay] Déterminer le titre d’un alliage. En faire l’essai.
tranche engrêlée – [engrailed edge] Tranche sur laquelle
on retrouve une chaîne ou corde tordue.
uniface – [uniface] Se dit d’une pièce ornée d’un motif sur
un seul côté.
76 –
[March 2010]
WINTER SPORTS – continued from page 57
the colours of the professional teams.
Interestingly, other than Canada, few winter-sportthemed pieces not related to the Olympic Games have been
issued. One can easily tell the issuing country’s favourite
winter sport by considering their coins: Czechoslovakia (and
now as the Czech Republic and Slovakia), Finland, Norway,
Poland, Russia, and Sweden, all prove their love of hockey;
while Andorra, Austria, Bulgaria, France, Norway, San
Marino, and Yugoslavia demonstrate their fondness for
alpine skiing.
We offer you here, in photos, small nuclei of collections
on different sports.
Finally, you can look further among medals, municipal
trade tokens (fig. 3), and paper money (fig. 2) for potential
additions to your collection on winter sports, making it even
more interesting. Happy hunting!
Sources
Royal Canadian Mint’s website <www.mint.ca> [2009-01-29]
CUHAJ, George (ed). 2010 Standard Catalog of World Coins 19012000, 37th ed. Krause Publications, Iola (USA), 2009.
CUHAJ, George (ed). 2010 Standard Catalog of World Coins 2001date, 4th ed. Krause Publications, Iola (USA), 2009