composition and shape sets, just for fun

[*smedley*]

one set i don't think i've ever mentioned is my composition type set... no precious metals in it, just one of each of 39 different compositions pulled when i dropped my world set years ago...

they range from aluminum to zinc, with many types of coated, plated, clad, and bonded... those are the descriptions from Krause...

for example, there is a bronze plated steel, a copper coated iron, nickel bonded steel, etc...

one is copper-nickel clad nickel, and another is nickel clad copper-nickel... all sorts of combinations...

nothing extremely interesting in it, just something i did for fun while breaking up the huge set... but a couple kind of stand out... the copper example is a Turkey 40 para from 1859, and a 1992 20 francs from France with an outer ring of copper-aluminum-nickel, an inner ring of nickel, and a center plug of copper-aluminum-nickel... kinda/sorta a trimetal coin, but not really...

included in the same binder is a shape set... only 6 coins in it... triangle, diamond, hexagon, heptagon, octagon, and a dodecagon...

i haven't worked on building either one up... maybe some day...

[elheron-grande]

22 Nov 2020: Heron researched the scalloped edge token with the F-C-U and bean onnit.

Nothing found for F-C-U + bean.   Found many tokens issued by the United Fruit Company and marked U-F-C.    Heron believes that his scalloped edge token is actually a token from

the United Fruit Company.

During Heron's search for information regarding the scalloped edge token he 'found' on eBay (and acquired) a neat token dated 1911.   It is 27mm dia.  Octagonal.  And Brass.

Side one:                  Guatimoc

                                           1911

Side two:             Maltese cross.

This token is mentioned in Rulau catalog as Chp #47.  (Chp = Chiapas State).

This token grades a nice VF+.  

Note:  The Rulau catalog states that these Guatimoc tokens do not have denominations

mentioned on the tokens.  It is mentioned in Rulau that most of the Guatimoc tokens have

a depiction of some object, such as a tree or the Maltese cross.  It is mentioned that these

'objects' probably represented a denomination of some kind.   This is all the info Heron has

been able to find at this time.  

(Shipping time from the East was 4 days.  Not bad during this time of plague.  This cafe

  plantation token will fit nicely in Heron's small batch of coffee plantation tokens.  Plus

  having the date of 1911, it was almost impossible for Heron to 'pass' on this token).

Note: This token is NOT being offered for sale.  The acquisition of this token is mentioned

here to share token information with other token collectors.  Token collecting is fun.

[john9112001]

What about other materials, such a, plastic, ceramic or fibers?

[*smedley*]

---

@john9112001 wrote:

What about other materials, such a, plastic, ceramic or fibers?

---

i have a few ceramic notgeld, and some plastic and fiber tax tokens, but i don't know of any coins made with those materials...

[elheron-grande]

Heron has several Costa Rican coffee plantation tokens that are made of what appears to 

be 'bakelite'.   Not sure about that composition.  It could be a very early type of 'plastic'.   

And Heron has a coin/token from Ulm Germany (dated 1880s) that

is made of sintered copper.   That sintered metal coin/token is a one of a kind category

in Heron's accumulation of odd stuff.  Acquired about 35 years ago.  Never found any

information about the Ulm 'sintered copper' coin/token.   Do not know why it was 

manufactured.  (Perhaps a type of 'notgeld' made after WWI?).   Anyone having information

about this 'sintered coin' please share.   

[*smedley*]

i believe bakelite IS plastic...

[elheron-grande]

Yes, that is absolutely correcto!  Heron finally found the time to use Googly.  Bakelite was patented in 1907.   First 'plastic' to be made from synthetic components.  (Well, the Costa

Rica plantation tokens used in the 1920s and 1930s ARE indeed 'plastic'.  Interesting!)

[gacooke]

 "And Heron has a coin/token from Ulm Germany (dated 1880s) that is made of sintered copper.   That sintered metal coin/token is a one of a kind category"

Is it the Ulm cathedral restoration medal? The copper version was minted from copper removed from the cathedral roof during restoration.

[agathetyche]

For shapes- Nauru issued a coin marking the issue of the Euro, in the shape of the European Euro zone. Cyprus issued a coin shaped like an ancient copper ingot, used as currency in Cyprus before the introduction of coinage. 

For composition- Japanese-occupied Manchukuo issued coins made of pressed fiber. Japan itself experimented with porcelain coins as its resources dwindled in WWII. A couple countries in Africa have issued coins made of lucite. 

And the US during WWII considered using glass coins. The idea didn't work out, and the few surviving specimens are among the rarest American pattern coins. 

[elheron-grande]

27 Nov 2020: Thanks for the response GAC.   Heron apologizes for not writing more detail.

Heron has no excuse except that he placed the Ulm item into a different 'box' (did not return

it to the Costa Rica coffee plantation box of tokens) and then forgot where he put it.  Just

old age!   (Found the Ulm item this morning after 35 minute 'search'). 

Here are details:              Ulm item is 22mm dia and 3mm thickness.

Obverse:                   ULM.

                              Coat of Arms

Reverse:                 EIN

                            KREUTZER

                                  1773

                                    G

  Note: there is a 'dot' after the word ULM.

Almost the same as the Kreutzer shown in KM Catalog of German Coins 1600 >

Note: Coin shown in catalog is listed as C-3. 

Note: Spelling of Kreutzer with the "T" is same as on the coin.

Note: Purchased from an Austrian numismatics dealer (in person).

            This was purchased at a numismatics 'expo' at the Jack Tarr Hotel San Fran Cal.

[gacooke]

To call the japanese 1945 baked clay 1 sen coins porcelain is too generous. Here's what they look like. My dad's example spent a too many years in a non-temp/humidity controlled attic and turned to dust. Apparantly they never circulated. Diameter is 14mm.

 

 

[gacooke]

Hmm. Maybe I should change the grade on the 2x2 from EF to BU.

[gacooke]

In 1944 the Japanese still had access to surplus tin from South Asia. The 1 sen coin minted that year was a tin-zinc alloy. Also 14mm diameter.

 

 

[daveydempsey]

Hi Cookie,

I have all these shapes 3 of which are from my pocket change

The two below are Concave

[gacooke]

Hey Davey. Good to hear from you. I hate seeing the schilling. I have 2 of them. Both fakes. I thought british India might be the type set with the most shapes.

 round with round hole

 lozenge or diamond

 dodecahedron

 and, of course round. 

But your pile shows other countries that could beat 4 shapes in a type set. 

[gacooke]

For composition,  was Leyden the first to issue paper money in Europe? 

 

 I was told the 5 stuiver siege coinage from 1574 was made from the covers of the church missiles. When William of Orange helped lift the siege,  he validated the coinage with his counterstamp.