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 Replies: 21 / Views: 3,524 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1454 Posts |
I purchased this coin a few months ago on ebay and I had never seen one before or since. Does anyone know if it's in any of the coin books? I didn't find it in Standard Book of World Coin 1901-2000. The coin is silver (I think?), weighs about 22 grams and is 39mm in diameter. I'd really like to know the mintage and if any book lists the value, in case I decide to sell it someday. Thanks, guys! Jen   Edited by traevin
09/05/2009 02:06 am
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2669 Posts |
Hi Jen.. The red flag with the white cross and "Confoederatio Helvetica" mark the coin as Switzerland - but I don't think they've gone to the Euro yet.. not even sure they've applied. They are still issuing the Franc. The coin might be a private pattern (apparently there were a few created by private companies/individuals in other countries before a design for that country was decided upon). I'm hoping someone else with more knowledge chimes in, though. Whatever it is, it's an interesting coin  Here's the train on the Swiss mint web site: http://www.swissmint.ch/de-aktuell.html |
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Pillar of the Community
Thailand
1509 Posts |
It certainly is a very interesting coin, especially the reverse.
It's a very modern representation of the female form. Now tell me if I'm wrong, but is that a jewel implanted on the right nipple or is it just the scan. Well the swiss are certainly adept at that kind of work.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2669 Posts |
I thought it was glare, but you could be right.
The way she is seated, and with the ocean, ship(s) and lighthouse, she looks like a modern (or futuristic) Brittania. Beautiful and very well done.
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
2830 Posts |
I don't collect NCLT, but I might have to make an exception for this neo-Brittania.
No trident, and the shield is different, but the other elements are apparent: ship, lighthouse, and floral display.
Peter in Oz
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Moderator
 United States
23731 Posts |
Very nice private issue, could have even been a design in-case they went to the euro. I also think the figure represents Europa not Britannia.
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
1248 Posts |
NOTE: the ultra-ultra conservative Swiss would NEVER issue a medal or coin like this!!  |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
1454 Posts |
thai-vic
No jewel, just a very nicely shaped nipple; at least that's what my boyfriend claims ;)
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1454 Posts |
echizento,
You're correct. It's a beautiful, somewhat modern likeness of classical Europa.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1454 Posts |
hhbkiddo,
Guess they took a vacation from their prim and proper ways that year. From what I was told, around the mid-90's, a few EU countries developed a trial coin with the Euro, perhaps under the assumption that they would be switching out of their own currency, I suppose. In the case of the Swiss, that obviously didn't happen. I don't know for sure but I believe few examples of this coin are in existence. I'd love to know just how many and its approximate value. Not that I plan to sell, mind you. I'm just a collector.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1454 Posts |
Did anyone happen to notice if the Europa is in Unusual Coins? I think its Swiss- Yr. 1997 25 Euros
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New Member
Germany
6 Posts |
It is definitely no coin, no usual coin and no unusual coin, even if any medal catalogue of KM calls them so. It was never currency in Switzerland nor in Europe or elsewhere. There exist no regular patterns of a Swiss Euro. So long as I live I am very sure Switzerland will never be a Euro country. Europa is never in history pictured this way. She shall be it, but Britannia is not such a bad guess for this kind of depicting ...
It is a private medal with a picture of a nice girl. Nothing more.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10045 Posts |
The figure almost distracts from that awful map of Europe  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2669 Posts |
There are a few "Fantasy Euro Patterns" listed in Unusual World Coins, but I do not see this one. Denominations appear to be CEROS and EUROP and are all dated 2003. There is a steam locomotive depicted on the 20 Ceros with a sail boat on the reverse, but that's the closest. (this is the 5th edition)
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
2490 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2669 Posts |
I ran across that URL earlier, and although they show some nice patterns for other countries, they don't show any for Switzerland at all. It seems they are on the lookout for them, at least, but if the OP's coin is dated 1997 one would think they would know about it by now if it was actually from that country.
Maybe sending them a query and picture of the coin in question would help, as they could look into it and perhaps find more information.
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Replies: 21 / Views: 3,524 |
Posted 09/05/2009 04:05 am
