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 Replies: 18 / Views: 4,166 |
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New Member
United States
39 Posts |
As of this year, Maldives has revamped the 5 and 10 laari coin denominations. The scalloped shapes are no more, from now on they will be round, with the 5 laari having reeded edges and the 10 having plain. The coins will continue to be made from aluminum and older 5 and 10 laari will still remain legal tender according to their national bank... though one may wonder why they still bother making those denominations considering the somewhat low value of their currency?  Recently, in 2011, Swaziland also redid their coins excluding the scallops, even though the new coin series has very unique rims to help make them look a lot like the old styles from even a close distance. It seems "shaped" coins are slowly being discontinued. Currently, no country is issuing square shaped coins for circulation purposes, even though they were once still quite ubiquitous 20 years ago and were once considered the wave of the future. Australia even toyed with the concept of a square penny in the early twenties, for which prototypes and reproductions still exist. There are some exceptions, of course. England has no intention of altering the seven equilaterally sided 50 pence in any way anytime soon. Malawi recently came out with a new coin set which still includes such seven sided pieces, and Samoa's newest coin denomination is a scallop edge, but by and large the polygons and scallops of the world are disappearing. At one time, square shaped and scalloped coins were very popular, particularly in the developing world where they provided a practical function in helping the blind and illiterate identify each piece with little trouble. In British colonies, it also discouraged trying to pass off one commonwealth's currency for another elsewhere that might be valued differently. In India, another part of the objective was also to get people to recognize the new coinage because India had already been circulating squared and unevenly edged coins for hundreds of years. In fact, most of the milled coin shapes we've seen are actually British innovations, not the least the unique seven sided 50p shape. By and large the practice is dying though. Metal prices keep rising, so more cost effective production alternatives are coming into use. Electroplating, a cheap but durable method for coin production, doesn't allow for many shapes because during the electroplating process the metals won't distribute and bond properly to many shapes other than circular. Another factor is many more countries which used to have few coin vending technologies are now seeing them become mainstream, and many shapes aren't compatible to these machines. I have a fondness for these coins, and I admit I'm kind of sad to see them disappearing. I'm beginning to think that the many different coin shapes of the world are part of an era, something that will be uniquely identified with the 20th century in particular. |
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21788 Posts |
The heptagonal Brit 50p and 20P as well as the 12 sided Aussie 50Cents are still current
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
2893 Posts |
Do the square and scalloped coins of Bangladesh still circulate? The 5 and 10 Poisha?
Also the scalloped 1 cent from Belize?
Edited by Bacchus2
11/18/2012 04:57 am
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Pillar of the Community
Thailand
1509 Posts |
An interesting thought and analysis Riverbreak.
I suppose that only time will tell and, like you, I would be sorry to see their passing.
Then again such 'novelty' coinage may eventually go up in value. Every cloud etc.
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New Member
Canada
16 Posts |
Quote:
doesn't allow for many shapes because during the electroplating process the metals won't distribute and bond properly to many shapes other than circular . electroplating is happening on a molecular level, effectiveness has nothing to do with shape. you could plate something as intricate as a snowflake as easily as a circular coin. |
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
1324 Posts |
Cook Islands still have their triangular coin (which doesn't work in vending machines.)
Can't think of any current square ones since the ECT 2 Cents went in 2002 - The Bangladesh and Indian ones are gone from circulation for some years - at least according to collector friends of mine there.
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
2180 Posts |
Does the Cook Islands triangular $2 still circulate though? I thought that they used the New Zealand dollar exclusively and have done since 1994 or 1995.
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
7096 Posts |
Quote:
The heptagonal Brit 50p and 20P as well as the 12 sided Aussie 50Cents are still current
I can add to that list Sel, there are the square,oblong and map shaped coins from the Perth Mint also the 14 sided 50 cent coin from 2012 and 2013. |
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
1324 Posts |
>> Does the Cook Islands triangular $2 still circulate though? I thought that they used the New Zealand dollar exclusively and have done since 1994 or 1995.
The $1, $2 and $5 dollar coins are still current as is the $3 dollar note.
Last issue for the coins was 2003, I believe they still circulate alongside the NZ issues.
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
1411 Posts |
the Canadian 11 sided Dollar is still current
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Moderator
 Australia
16868 Posts |
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Another factor is many more countries which used to have few coin vending technologies are now seeing them become mainstream, and many shapes aren't compatible to these machines. Here is the main reason why funky shapes are becoming extinct. Quote:
There are some exceptions, of course. England has no intention of altering the seven equilaterally sided 50 pence in any way anytime soon. Malawi recently came out with a new coin set which still includes such seven sided pieces, This is related to the vending machine issue, too. The British chose the equilaterally-curved heptagon specifically because, like all Reuleaux polygons, it could roll just as easily as a round coin, and also that it would maintain a fixed diameter, no matter which way it is rotated. Vending machines can cope with strange shapes - the Australian 50 cent coin is accepted in pretty much any vending machine that accepts coins here - but it all adds to complexity, which adds to cost. Quote:
doesn't allow for many shapes because during the electroplating process the metals won't distribute and bond properly to many shapes other than circular
electroplating is happening on a molecular level, effectiveness has nothing to do with shape. you could plate something as intricate as a snowflake as easily as a circular coin.The plating itself is not be the main reason why plated coins are almost always round. There are two other factors involved. First, a non-round shape has, by definition, some pointy bits sticking out somewhere. Those pointy bits attract wear, and wear on a plated object is bad, because if the plating wears completely away at that point, it allows corrosion through to the underlying metal. This is also one reason why plated coins are always struck in appallingly low relief. Second, the underlying metal for most cheap modern coins is steel. Steel is cheap, so long as you don't want to do anything fancy with it. Making strange shapes adds to the cost, eliminating much of the savings made from switching to steel in the first place. Quote:
At one time, square shaped and scalloped coins were very popular, particularly in the developing world where they provided a practical function in helping the blind and illiterate identify each piece with little trouble. And here's the final reason why strange shaped coins are becoming unpopular with governments. What modern, sophisticated country wants to advertise the fact that most of their population is still illiterate? Of course, increasing literacy worldwide throughout the 20th century and up to today means that very few countries these days actually have such low literacy rates anymore. Wikipedia 2011 world literacy map. Most of those that do, places like Afghanistan and South Sudan, have war, disorder and other things that are distracting them from making circulating coinage of any kind. Don't say "infinitely" when you mean "very"; otherwise, you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite. - C. S. Lewis
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
2180 Posts |
Quote:
The $1, $2 and $5 dollar coins are still current as is the $3 dollar note.
Last issue for the coins was 2003, I believe they still circulate alongside the NZ issues. Ah, thanks. I believe some $1 and $2 coins were struck in 2010 as well but I wasn't sure whether they were actually used or not. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1088 Posts |
I am a fan of the shaped coins. Wether it be scalloped, square, triangle, etc they add variety to my collection. I hope some will continue. I know of a few countries that still issue non circulating coins that are square such as the canadian $3 beaver
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
1324 Posts |
>> Ah, thanks. I believe some $1 and $2 coins were struck in 2010 as well but I wasn't sure whether they were actually used or not.
Do you mean the two metal $1 issued as part of a set in 2010?
If so these were collectors sets only and didn't circulate - although I believe they had sanction from the government there.
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
2180 Posts |
I'm not sure. According to the 2011 Royal Australian Mint annual report 24,000 $1 coins and 200,000 $2 were struck and dated 2010.
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
1324 Posts |
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Replies: 18 / Views: 4,166 |
Posted 11/18/2012 04:46 am
