Currency Today : Morocco 02

In 2009, the company that prints and mints the banknotes, coins and security papers in Morocco, known as Dar As-Sikkah (in Rabat), celebrated its 25th anniversary.

A special banknote was put into cirulation, with a face value of 25 dirhams.
It was printed on -only- 4.2 million copies (of which 200,000 for exclusively for collectors).
On a population of over 36 million, only 1/8 of the population was able to get such a note.

25 dirham - 2012

This not is a hybrid note, made of paper, but with a polymere imprint on the top, and a mixed printed windown on the bottom of the note.

On the reverse side, the 25th anniversary of Dar As-Sikkah is celebrated with some coins and printed matter.

25 dirham - 2012 - reverse side

In 2019, another commemorative notes was issued.
This time as a completely polymere note (the first and only polymere note in Morocco so far).

With a face value of 20 dirhams, the note has the same value as the lowest banknote denomination still in circulation

2019 - 20 dirham
commemorative note

In 2019, King Mohammed VI, celebrated his 20th anniversary on the throne.
The 'modern' printing technique and the image of a modern bridge and high speed train symbolize the way Morocco is entering the future.

2019 commemorative 20 dirham note

The see-through window is in an octagonal window, with an image of the king in the centre.
When put against a dark background, the the image apears positive. When put against a white background, the image becomes negative.

positive image

 

image in negative

Non of these notes are found in circulation, but are still legal tender. 

to becontinued...

Commemorative coins - San Marino 4

To complete the zodiac set of 12 coins, San Marino issued the last 3 coins in 2021.
The last set consists of the Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces -coins.

Each of the 2021 coins has a mintage of 16000 brass coins.

The Capricorn-coin (It: capricorno)

Capricorn - coin 2021 RSM

The Aquarius-coin (It: acquario)

Aquarius - coin 2021 RSM

The Pisces-coin (It: pesci)

Pisces - coin 2021 RSM

With these 3 coins, the set is of western zodiac sign coins is completed.

to be continued...

Commemorative coins - San Marino 3

The set of Zodiac coins of San Marino, coninued in 2020 with 3 additional coins: Libra, Scorpio and Saggitarius. Each of the 2020 coins has a mintage of 16000 brass pieces

The first coin dated 2020, is the Libra-coin (It: bilancia).

2020 Libra - coin  RSM

The second coin, is the Scorpio-coin (It: scoprione)

2020 Scorpio - coin RSM

The third and last coin for 2020 is the Sagittarius-coin (It: sagittario)

2020 Sagittarius - coin RSM

At the moment of wrinting this article, the 2020-coins, were still available on the website of the San Marino post, at the price of the face value. Each of the coins were delivered in a hard plastic holder.

The 2019 and 2018 coins were already sold out.

to be continued...

Commemorative coins - San Marino 2

In 2019, 4 coins were added to the set: Gemini, Cancer, Leo and Virgo.

Similar to the 2018 coins, is the obverse side, with the sun, all zodiac symbols and the country's name.

Gemini - coin 2019 RSM

 

Cancer - coin 2019 RSM

The Gemini-coin (It: gemelli) shows two mirrored toddlers reaching for the stars, while the Cancer-coin (It: cancro) depicts a crab.

Leo - coin 2019 RSM

The fifth coin is the Leo-sign (It: leone) and the sixth coin is the Virgo-sign (It: vergine)

Virgo - coin 2019 RSM

All coins have a face value of € 5, but sinde they are no longer available on the San Marino Post website, prices start to go up.

to be continued ....

Commemorative coins - San Marino 1

When paying in Europe with cash, the chance of spending or receiving a commemorative € 2 - coin, is not that uncommon. Till 2023, about 610 (!) different € 2 coins, other than the regular ones, are in use.

Also higher denominations are minted, but those coins are never seen in circulation.
First of all because they are printed in very limited numbers, or sold at a higher price than the nominal value.

One specific set of coins drew my attention. The set consists of 12 coins, issued over 4 years (in 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021). 12 coins, that sounds familiar ... indeed these 12 coins are dedicated to the 12 western zodiac signs.

In 2018, the first two coins were issued.
Each coin has a face value of € 5 and the reverse side is common to all 12 coins.

reverse side of the coins

The outer circle, shows all 12 symbols of the western zodiac.
In the second circle, we see the issuing country : "Repubblica di San Marino", and the designer's name A. Masini. The third circle shows all lunar phases, around the sun in the centre of the coin.
Behind the sun we see a compass rose, and the sun is surrounded by 3 feathers, a symbol of the San Marino Republic.

On the front side of the first coin, the Aries (It: ariete) or Ram is shown

Aries issue 2018

The second coin of 2018 depicts the Taurus (It: toro) or Bull.

Taurus issue 2018

Each coin shows the year of issuing (here 2018), the face value of 5 euro, and the name of the constellation. Also the stars are depicted, and the related symbol is repeated 10 times on the perimeter of the coin.

The set of 2018 coins have a mintage of 15000 coins (brass).
They are sold out on the official website of the San Marino postal services.

to be continued...

Currency Today : Azerbaijan 8

The last notes of the Azerbaijan banknote series, are a 200 manat note (in circulation), and the high value 500 manat note (commemorative note).
500 manat represents nearly $300 / €265, and is rarely seen.

the 200 manat note:

This note, is in design similar to the in between type of the 10 manat note.
We see left and right in the border the hook-style markings. Here we see 7 hooks.
Presuming that 1 manat should have had one hook, 5 manat 2 hooks, 10 has 3 hooks, 20 manat would mean 4 hooks, 50 manat 5 hooks, 100 manat 6 hooks, and so we end with 7 hooks on this note.

200 manat (not in my collection)

the 500 manat note:

On the 500 manat note, the second Nagorno-Karabakh war (ended in 2020) is commemorated.
Although the area is still highly disputed, it is recognized as Azerbaijani territory. (3 countries however recognize the area as an independent state).

500 manat commemorative note - not in my collection

In the margins, we find the lines as in the new style notes.
As the one manat note has 1 line, the 5 has 3 lines, 10 (5), the 20 manat note have 7 lines, there arer 9 lines on the 50 manat note, 100 was supposed to have 11 lines and 200 manat 13 lines...
So we end up with 15 lines (/) on this 500 manat note.

500 manat reverse

On the reverse side, we see the mausoleum of the poet and diplomat Molla Panah (named Vaqif), the 'learned one'. His mausoleum was destroyed in the first Nagorno-Karabakh war, when the city of Shusha was devastated.

Molla Panah Vaqif on stamp

to be continued...

0-euro notes : 1 h. Belgium : Antwerp - 2

Walking down from the trainstation in Antwerp (Belgium) trough the main shoppingstreet, towards the market square with the cathedral (see : https://rainbowstampsandcoins.blogspot.com/2020/07/0-euro-notes-1-f-belgium-antwerp.html), a hidden treasure can be found.

Like all mayor cities, Antwerp had a big event hall in the centre, to host meetings, concerts, ...
The 'stadsfeestzaal' (city party hall) was a monumental project to glorify the appearance of Antwerp at the end of the 19th century. It took about 8 years and 400,000 belgian francs (app. 10,000 euro nowadays), to complete the majestic hall.

'Stadsfeestzaal' in  1908

This pearl in the heart of Antwerp, was used as event hall, concert hall, .... throughout the years. In the last days of the 20th century, an urgent upgrade and renovation was mandatory.
Although the 'stadsfeestzaal' survived two world wars, renovation works turned out to be a greater trial, as the hall set fire in december 2000.

The inferno destroyed nearly the whole place, and only the exterior walls and the metal roof construction survived.

'Stadsfeestzaal' in 2001

But aren't the belgians the bravest of all the gauls....  The planned renovation works took longer than foreseen, and no expense was spared to return the hall into its former glory.

'Stadsfeestzaal' in 2006

The result of the restauration works, was shown to the people in 2007, when the renewed 'feestzaal' was inaugurated again. The sides on the ground floor were turned into fancy shops and the balcony on the first floor became a walkway to newly created shops.

'Stadsfeestzaal' in 2020

In 2021, a 0-euro note was issued to commemorate the 'stadsfeestzaal'. The amazing interior however, is not depiced, but we see the - original - entrance gate at the 'Meir-street'.

Entrance of the 'stadsfeestzaal' (Meir)

0-euro note 'Stadsfeestzaal'

0-euro note 'stadsfeestzaal' - detail

 
The note can be bought inside the hall.

The design of this note ( + common design on the back side) - has some new features, compared to the 'older' notes.

The 2021-note has 5 stars on the right hand side, and the watermark is visually printed in the left corner.
Additional text is added on both left and right side border 'Euro Souvenir'.
On the back side, the € - sign is slightly lighter printed, but the Belem tower, the Brandenburger Tower and the Colloseum, are printed more clearly.
A remarkable change is the statue of 'Manneke Pis' which turned from purple to olive brown.

some changes in the 2021 - design

0-euro notes : 1 h. Belgium : Antwerp

As a kid, I travelled to London with school, I remember in the old days, we visited the usual tourist  attractions, and near the entrance of most buildings, there was the possibility to buy a souvenir coin of that specific building.
Many years later, I still have those 'medals' and some of them shifted colour over the years.

Those items are not that fancy anymore, and in the end also heavy and big to collect.
The 0-euro notes remind me of that time.
I'm still a collector and the wide variety of 0-euro notes, and the availability of a catalogue, makes collecting fun again.

Today's topic is about Antwerp (or Antwerpen in dutch). A Belgian city in the flemish (dutch speaking area of Belgium). Antwerp is know as one of the largest harbour cities in Europe, it's diamond industry, and his rich history, especially in the 17th and 18th century.
It is the home city of Pieter Paul Rubens, the famous baroque painter.

The first 0 € note of today, represents the square 'Groenplaats' near the cathedral.
Although the note is titled 'Cathedral of Our Lady', the central image on the note, is the statue of P.P. Rubens.

0 euro note 'Cathedral of Antwerp'

Rubens was born in Siegen (Germany in 1577) and moved to Antwerp where he also died in 1640.
A bit odd is the date mentionned on the top of the note : 'anno 1518'.

Antwerp anno 1518 ?

The cathedral as depicted, was finished around 1521. In 1518 the square might have looked like depicted, but at that time, Rubens was not born yet. The date can refer to the cathedral at that time, but certainly not to the square view in 1518.

Rubens is world wide know for his paintings of religious scenes, but as well for his portraits.
He often depicted volumtious women, a sign of wealth and beauty at that time. Also famous, is his 'selfie', or auto-portrait, with wide hat.

Rubens auto-portrait, on various stamps.

The cathedral was ment to have two towers, but the plans of 1565 were never executed. A fire in 1533 and the costs for the renovation,  as wel as the rise of protestantism, which led to less income for the church, resulted that the secodnd tower never was built.

  

plans for a second tower 1565

Cathedral now

to be continued ...

0-euro notes : 0 d. Introduction

Some extra remarks on the serial numbers:

Austria has Euro notes starting with N. The 0-euro notes therefore also start with NE.
In 2017 a 0-euro note was emitted with XELH.... X is the letter for Germany

From 2018 on, new notes get a serial number with a logic sequence, for example Finand: L(E)...
Notes start with LE AA, LE AB, LE AC, ...
I's and O's are not used to avoid confusion with 1's and 0's, so it goes from LE AH to LE AJ and from LE AN to LE AP.
This is often the case, for example Mexican  notes don't have I's and O's in serial numbers either.

Before 2018, Seral numbers start with rather random codes (Finland 2017 : LE PZ...)

Most notes were printed on 5,000 or 10,000 copies.
In few exceptions, there are less, sometimes there are 20,000 30,000 or even 35,000 copies.
If a design is reprinted, the date will show 2019 - 2 (second printing).
Some French notes were reprinted 6 times so far.

In some cases the numbering adds up, despites the fact that the design is not the same.
One example is a set of notes issued by the Zoo of Duisburg (Germany).
The title of each note is : ZOO DUISBURG, therfore the numbering adds up (since the depicted theme remains the same), on the note however, we see different animals on the different notes in the set.

Zoo Duisbrug 2017 - 3

Zoo Duisbrug 2017 - 4

Zoo Duisburg 2017 - 5

Another remark goes for some special sets, like the set that was issued for the Wold Soccer championship in 2018.
Several counties which participated at the Soccer Worl Cup, issued a 0-euro note.
In the titel we see the country name (so each note has a different 'title)' and a different image of a player and a typical artefact from the home country.
The code next to the flag adds up :

2018 - 7 - DK

2018 - 8 - JP

2018 - 31 - TN

This is a special edition of the 0-euro note.

To be complete, some notes were also issued on polymere paper.
These are issued in different amounts (2017 copies) and all have a serial number starting with UE ...CO... regardless the country.

Polymere note : marked 'collector 2017'

serial numbers UE ... CO ......

And finally, some blank or perforated notes exist too.
These notes are issued with 'specimen' as perforation, and don't bare an image at the front side.

To be continued...

0-euro notes : 0 c. Introduction

As last part of my 'introduction' to 0-euro notes, I can show you the 2018 catalog of those notes.

The 1st edition of the catalogue was issued in 2018, and has over 400 pages in colour.
Each note has a description of what is depicted, serial number and issue number is mentioned, and explained.

The catalogue 'value' of each note is an indication of the rarity and the demand on the market for each note.
A 2019 issue of a Turkish 0-euro note with the image of Kemal Attatürk and his mausoleum, was sold out so fast, that prices reach up to € 60 - € 70 per copy!
Luckily, most notes are available for € 3 / € 4 / € 5 each (3.5 - 5.5 USD)

A list of 0-euro issuing countries (situation end 2019) :

to be continued...