Thursday, July 31, 2014

1913 Canadian Arctic Expedition

Canadian Arctic Expedition

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Royal Canadian Mint President Ian Bennett, at left, and Dr. David Gray, a Research Associate at the Canadian Museum of Nature in Ottawa,unveil a model of one of two new quarters at the Nellie McClung branch of the Greater Victoria Public Library on Cedar Hill Road. The quarters celebrate the 100 year anniversary of the first official Canadian Arctic expedition and life in the Canadian North. The expedition departed from Esquimalt harbour. Dr. David Gray, a Research Associate at the Canadian Museum of Nature in Ottawa, is an expert on the Arctic expedition and a native of Esquimalt.— Image Credit: Don Denton/News Staff

New coins celebrate Victoria's role in Arctic expedition

by Don Denton - Victoria News

posted Nov 22, 2013 at 12:00 PM— updated Nov 22, 2013 at 5:13 PM
The president of the Royal Canadian Mint, Ian Bennett, was on hand Friday morning to help unveil Canada's latest quarter coins at the Nellie McClung branch of the Greater Victoria Public Library.

Helping to unveil the coins were Nanaimo-Alberni MP James Lunney and David Gray, a research associate with the Canadian Museum of Nature. Twenty-five million of the 25 cent commemorative coins will begin to be distributed into circulation today.

The coins celebrate the 100th anniversary of Canada's first official Arctic expedition as well as life in the north. The expedition set out from Victoria, sailing from Esquimalt harbour. The Prime Minister at the time Sir Robert Borden sent the expedition to map the western Arctic and to study the peoples, wildlife and geology.

Gray, who was born in Esquimalt, is an expert on the 1913 expedition and has made several trips to the sites visited by the original explorers.


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2009 Louis Braille Bicentennial Coins

Coins Honoring Louis Braille

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Louis Braille

Louis Braille (4 January 1809 – 6 January 1852) was a French educator and inventor of a system of reading and writing for use by the blind or visually impaired. His system remains known worldwide simply as braille.

Blinded in both eyes as a result of an early childhood accident, Braille mastered his disability while still a boy. He excelled in his education and received scholarship to France's Royal Institute for Blind Youth. While still a student there, he began developing a system of tactile code that could allow blind persons to read and write quickly and efficiently. Inspired by the military cryptography of Charles Barbier, Braille constructed a new method built specifically for the needs of the blind. He presented his work to his peers for the first time in 1824.[1]




2009 Louis Braille Coins


1. Belgian 2-euro commemorative coin

The newest Belgian 2-euro commemorative coin is dedicated to Louis Braille (1809 – 1852) and the 200th anniversary of his birthday.

Louis Braille is the inventor of braille, the world-wide system used by blind and visually impaired people for reading and writing. The inner part of the coin features his portrait between his initials L and B, in the alphabet that he designed.[2]

2. Italy 2-euro commemorative coin

The coin depicts a hand reading an open book by touch. The index finger points at a vertical inscription ‘LOUIS BRAILLE 1809-2009’ and two birds in flight above the hand symbolise freedom of knowledge. The monogram of the Italian Republic, ‘RI’, is at the top right, while the mint mark ‘R’ is at the bottom right. Braille’s name is written under the book in the alphabet that he invented. At the very bottom are the initials ‘MCC’ of the artist Maria Carmela Colaneri. The 12 stars of the European Union are shown on the outer ring.[3]

3. India 2 Rupee Coin

Obverse : The face of coin is divided into three portions with two horizontal lines. The left centre portion shall bear the Lion Capitol of Ashoka Pillar with the legend सत्यमेव जयते inscribed below, and right centre portion denominational value "2" in International Numeral. In the upper portion the word भारत in Hindi and "INDIA" in English and lower portion the word रूपये in Hindi and "Rupees" in English.
Reverse : The face of the coin shall contain the portrait of "LOUIS BRAILLE" in the centre. Left upper periphery the word लुई ब्रेल in Hindi and right upper periphery the word " LOUIS BRAILLE "in English. In centre Left side of the portraits, the year '1809 and right side '2009' in International Numerals. Below the portrait the word "LOUIS BRAILLE" in Braille Language.[4]

4. US Commemorative Silver Dollar

Now, for the first time in history, a United States coin features readable Braille. It is available in both proof and uncirculated versions. The obverse (heads) features a portrait of Louis Braille designed by United States Mint Artistic Infusion Program (AIP) Master Designer Joel Iskowitz and sculpted by United States Mint Sculptor/Engraver Phebe Hemphill. It is also inscribed with LIBERTY, IN GOD WE TRUST, LOUIS BRAILLE, 1809 and 2009.

The reverse (tails), showing a child reading a book in Braille, was designed by United States Mint AIP Master Designer Susan Gamble and sculpted by United States Mint Sculptor/Engraver Joseph Menna. The word Braille (abbreviated Brl in Braille code) is depicted in the upper field. The word INDEPENDENCE is featured on a bookshelf behind the child, in addition to the inscriptions UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ONE DOLLAR and E PLURIBUS UNUM.[5]

[1] en.wikipedia.org REF
[2] nbbmuseum.be REF
[3] ecb.europa.eu REF
[4] rbi.org.in REF
[5] usmint.gov REF
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Monday, July 28, 2014

Lyndall Bass Obverse Desinger Shield Cent


2010_shield_cent.jpg2010 LINCOLN PENNY REVERSE: THE UNION SHIELD CENT

Lyndall Bass (born July 5, 1952) is an American realist painter and teacher who primarily paints still lifes, flower paintings and symbolist figure paintings. She lives and works in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She is the designer of the 2010 penny known as the Union Shield Penny.

Awards and honors

Lyndall Bass’ design for the new 2010 Penny has been selected as the winning image in a Federal competition as one of eighteen finalists. Her initials, LB, can be found on the reverse under the left side of the scroll. The intials JFM on the right side belong to Joseph F. Mennna, the staff medalist who sculpted the design. The coin entered circulation in 2010 and will be ongoing each year for at least the next fifty years.

The design is emblematic of President Lincoln’s preservation of the United States of America as a single and united country. The penny features a Civil War era shield with vertical stripes symbolizing the thirteen original states joined in a single compact union. The E Pluribus Unum above them is Latin for “Out of Many One”. The scroll across the shield bears a One Cent curved letter design meant by the artist to stand for the re-establishment of trust in the economic flow of currency after the Civil War. Without the resolve of President Lincoln to win the Civil War, establishing peace and cooperation, we would not be the fifty United States we are today.

Lyndall Bass Autograph special issue PCGS graded Shield Cent slabs can be ordered from CoinFame.com

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Sunday, July 27, 2014

1950-2001 1 Pfennig Deutscher Lander FACT

Currency reform of June 1948

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The Deutsche Mark was introduced on Sunday, June 20, 1948 by Ludwig Erhard. The old Reichsmark and Rentenmark were exchanged for the new currency at a rate of DM 1 = RM 1 for the essential currency such as wages, payment of rents etc., and DM 1 = RM 10 for the remainder in private non-bank credit balances, with half frozen. Large amounts were exchanged for RM 10 to 65 Pfennig. In addition, each person received a per capita allowance of DM 60 in two parts, the first being DM 40 and the second DM 20.

A few weeks later Erhard, acting against orders, issued an edict abolishing many economic controls which had been originally implemented by the Nazis, and which the Allies had not removed. He did this, as he often confessed, on Sunday because the offices of the American, British, and French occupation authorities were closed that day. He was sure that if he had done it when they were open, they would have countermanded the order.

The introduction of the new currency was intended to protect western Germany from a second wave of hyperinflation and to stop the rampant barter and black market trade (where American cigarettes acted as currency). Although the new currency was initially only distributed in the three western occupation zones outside Berlin, the move angered the Soviet authorities, who regarded it as a threat. The Soviets promptly cut off all road, rail and canal links between the three western zones and West Berlin, starting the Berlin Blockade. In response, the U.S. and Britain launched an airlift of food and coal and distributed the new currency in West Berlin as well.

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1968-1999 - Elizabeth II - Canadian Quarter FACT

1973 Canadian 25 Cent Small vs Large Bust

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1973 Canadian 25 Cent
Small Bust vs Large Bust
(The Mountie Quarter)


There are very slight variations between them. These variations are somewhat noticeable in the Queen's hair. The hair on the (small bust) piece shows more detail than the hair on the (large bust) piece.
Referenced From CoinQuest.com


Coin Varieties:

Being a 1 year type coin one would not expect any major varieties to exist but one does. These varieties exist due to two different obverse dies that were used. A new design with a smaller bust of Queen Elizabeth II was to be used but some coins were minted with an older obverse die giving way to a large bust variety.

One way to tell them apart is by the circle of beads surrounding the design. Some reference books may refer to them as Large Bust (132 beads) and Small Bust (120 beads). But, to count the number of beads will make you cross-eyed after awhile so we highly recommend that you not do this! Instead, the easier way to identify the difference is by simply looking at how close the beading is to the edge or rim of the coin. Large bust beading is extremely close to the rim while small bust design has beading that is further away from the rim.

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Saturday, July 26, 2014

HOW DOES THE OFCC GRADE ITS COINS???


The simple answer is the OFCC DOES NOT GRADE COINS.
Do to the subjective nature and overall attitude towards coin grading standards, 
OFCC has opted to classify all the numismatic items in our coin collection catalog as one of the following:

UNGRADED
UNCIRCULATED (Only given as described below)
Trusted 3rd party Grade (e.g. PCGS, NGC) (As described below)

Some basic OFCC clarification guidelines are listed below:

Slabbed Coins From (NGC, PCGS) :
Coins Slabbed by PCGS or NGC are completely trusted minus counterfeited attempts. 

Slabbed Coins From (ANACS, ICG) :
Coins Slabbed by ANACS or ICG are trusted minus counterfeited attempts but are generally less desirable to most collectors. 

Slabbed Coins From (ANY ONE ELSE) :
Coins Slabbed by ANY ONE ELSE are not trusted fully and are judged on a case by case basis. In the occurrence that OFCC disagrees with the grade on a slabbed coin we note it and display the grade as UNGRADED in our database. 

Government Mint/Bank Issues Coins:
Sets, Rolls, or individual coins issued by the US Mint, Royal Canadian Mint, Royal Australian Mint, or Perth Mint are trusted after a simple spot check and marked in our database as UNCIRCULATED
Sets, Rolls, or individual coins issued by other banks or mints are judged on a case by case basis this includes non government coin manufactures such as American Mint. 

Cardboard flip, mylar flips or lose coin capsules:
Previous owners grading marks on these types of coin holders are marked as UNGRADED in our database. 
NOTE: If the OFCC has personally visited the brick and mortar coin shop as well as done business with them, and it was a great experience on top of good prices and fair grades, OFFC will reflect the grade given by that verified business and reflect the contact information for that specific coin bought by OFFC from the hands of that verified business. 

Loose coins, pocket change and other shrapnel remains:
OFFC will only show a grade of UNGRADED


- See more at: http://coins.obscurefinds.com/

Welcome To Obscure Finds Numismatic Coin Collection Database

Welcome To Obscure Finds Numismatic Coin Collection Database
*** This projects full scope is still an open debate, have an idea/offer? Let us know! ***

Obscure Finds Numismatic Coin Collection 
is a hobby...
Type Set Coin Collections are where pocket change and slabbed coins unite!
This website is a great example of just that type of collection.

Obscure Finds is a collection of quirky items I have collected over the years. 

coins.obscurefinds.com is one of those collections. 
If you enjoy our website like us on facebook or Google+.
If you like our website/application it was hand developed by Mindlock Innovations
Terms that need to be defined for future reference throughout our website and blog:
- Numismatic Coin Collection Database (NCCD)
- Obscure Finds Coin Collection (OFCC)

All coin's and coin images on our website are or at one time were owned by OFCC.
OFCC collects, researches, and photographs every coin displayed on our website.
Coin Data is complied/referenced from around the web. Linked references within.
- See more at: Obscure Finds Numismatic Coin Collection database