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 Replies: 8 / Views: 1,195 |
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New Member
United States
49 Posts |
I have a coin from Saudi Arabia that I'm trying to identify. I've been directed in the past to the numista.com website for international coin identification and for the most part it has worked wonderfully. In this case however, I cannot read the lettering on the coin with enough confidence to determine which coin I have. I have narrowed it down to 2 possibilities:
1. 1408 (1987) 100 Halala - Fahd bin Abd Al-Aziz
2. 1408 (1988) 100 Halala - Fahd bin Abd Al-Aziz
The first is listed on the numista website as a proof, with only 5000 minted. The second is listed on the same site as not a proof with 40,000,000 minted. Drastic differences from a collector's standpoint. Unfortunately, the site only has a single image for both types so I have no way to visually inspect the details to try and determine the difference that way.
Any suggestions on how I can tell which coin I have?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3402 Posts |
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New Member
 United States
49 Posts |
I don't have a way to post pics of my actual coin, unfortunately. The two links below are to the numista website images that I mentioned earlier. I have studies both the obverse and reverse as well as my untrained eye can do, and I've been able to spot no differences between these images and my coin ... however I also don't know which of the two coins this is an image of ... or if I would even be able to tell just from the appearance. http://en.numista.com/catalogue/pho...ite/g108.jpghttp://en.numista.com/catalogue/pho...ite/g107.jpg |
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
1610 Posts |
I think this is an auction for a 1987 proof set with the 100 halala: http://www.ma-shops.com/sesambestco...php5?id=8623I believe the image you posted would be the common business strike and the one in this link would be the proof. You can see the differences between the two. The proof has a reflective field and very pronounced lines, while the common one is just like a normal cupro-nickel coin. |
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New Member
United States
49 Posts |
Is that going to be the only way to tell? By the quality of the strike? I was hoping for some design difference. If I'm reading correctly on the numista website, they actually have different years, 1987 and 1988, I was hoping I could tell that way (but I cant read Arabic numbers) is that not the case? Did I misunderstand something on that website? Or is the website itself incorrect?
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
1610 Posts |
Yeah, I think that could be the only way to tell. Proofs are almost always exactly the same as the normal ones, they just have the differences that I described: the mirrored field and the frosted appearance. I think the best way for us, would be if you could find a camera or even a phone, and take a good photo and post it here. Another choice would be to bring it to a local coin dealer or coin show, they could help see if it's a proof. Also, could you post the Numista link with the info.
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New Member
United States
49 Posts |
I guess I'll start trying to find a way to get some pics on here. Any suggestions for lighting / angles / etc. ?
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
1610 Posts |
I'm not really the best at photography but take the best you can with the most pronounced detail and we'll try and see if it's a proof or not.
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Valued Member
United States
230 Posts |
Both the business and proof versions of this coin are absolutely identical in design with the same date of AH1408. My guess is that the proofs were issued later in the 1408 year, which corresponded to the year 1988 on our calendar. So the only way to tell which version you have is by the strike, as Apollo said. With that in mind...  |
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Replies: 8 / Views: 1,195 |
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Posted 07/31/2012 11:02 am
