Astonishing

Issuance year - 2011, March

100th anniversary of the birth of Franc Rozman-Stane

Depicted in the image, all the coins (15) sent by Miguel, from Madrid, Spain, in exchange for the newest commemorative portuguese coins - Fernão Mendes Pinto, in our last swap last month. In the foreground, one of the commemorative ones, the original and astonishing Slovenian 2011 commemorative coin.

The inner part of the coin bears a stylised image of Franc Rozman-Stane, general in the High Command of the Slovene partisan army and a national hero of Slovenia.

Muchas Gracias, Miguel.

Issuing volume: 1.000.000

See next posts

2 and 1 roll (25)

Issued year - 2011, September

FERNÃO MENDES PINTO - 500th Anniversary of the birth

All the coins depicted in the image were brought today, from the Portugal Bank treasury. Fernão Mendes Pinto left Lisbon in 1537 and embarked on an extraordinary voyage around the coast of Africa, India, Sumatra, Zion, Cambodia, China and Japan, a feat that personified the spirit of the portuguese explorers who set sail on adventures to expand the horizons of the world. His book "Peregrinação" (pilgrimage), published posthumously in 1614, is the story of this exceptional journey through the lands of the Orient, during which Fernão Mendes Pinto was a trader, a chronicler, a Jesuit, a pirate and an ambassador «thirteen times captured and seventeen sold», in a succession of prodigies, marvels and adventures that combined reality and fantasy, dazzling a sixteenth century Europe thirsty for tales and stories about far-flung peoples and places.
The inner part of the coin depicts a sailing ship floating on a sea formed by a series of wave-shaped references to Portugal, Lisbon, his book and some of the destinations of his travels, With the country designation “Portugal” centred beneath them. His name flanked by the dates “1511” and “2011” form a semicircle around the upper edge of the inner part.


At the moment, several coins are available to swap
Issuing volume: 500.000

Portuguese Explorers...

Issued year - 2011, May

Hermenegildo Capelo and Roberto Ivens - European Explorers

Depicted in the image, one more coin that one good portuguese friend, Mr. Joaquim, gave me, last month, directly from the Bank of Portugal. The obverse of this original coin features the 2 famous portuguese explorers, Hermenegildo Capelo and Roberto Ivens, legend "Exploradores Europeus" and the Logotip from Europe serie. The Reverse shows one Africa tree, the facial value, National arms and date. In the last quarter of the 19th century, under the auspices of the Lisbon Geographical Society, Hermenegildo Capelo (1847-1917) and Roberto Ivens (1850-1898) embarked on two of the most notable expeditions in the history of humanity; first from Benguela to the lands of Laca, and then from Angola to Contracosta. Their intention was to explore the African interior, more specifically the territories lying between the provinces of Angola and Mozambique, showing that the Portuguese will to "bring new worlds to the World" did not dry up after the Voyages of Discovery.During these expeditions, Hermenegildo Capelo and Roberto Ivens performed geographical and cartographic surveys and collected meteorological data and many natural history specimens that contributed a lot to increasing scientific knowledge at the time.

See also last Post

Historic and military coin

Issued year - 2011, May

100th anniversary of the pupils of the Army College

A portuguese friend, Mr. Joaquim, got me this original coin (and the one from next Post) directly from the Bank of Portugal. Only 100.000 of this magnificent 2,5 € coin have been issued. The Pupilos do Exército (Pupils of the Army) institute was created in May 1911. Throughout its 100 years of existence it has been part of the history and evolution of education in Portugal, in its role as an institute dedicated to the physical and intellectual training of citizens, in accordance with its motto - "Where there's a will there's a way".Its excellence in education, marked by the characteristic strictness, methods and discipline of a military institution, is universally acknowledged and has received several decorations, specifically that of Commander of the Military Order of Christ.The Portuguese Mint and Official Printing Office is joining the celebrations for the centenary of the Pupilos do Exército Institute by minting this commemorative coin bearing the barretina and the sword, symbols of the school and of its links to the Military Academy.


See also next post

Charming "military" coin

Issued year - 2010, November

Bicentenary of Linhas de Torres defensive line

Only 120.000 of this 2,5 € coin have been issued. Once again, Alexandra Vieira, a work mate, gave me this coin, still in 2010. This issue celebrates the bicentenary of the Linhas de Torres defensive line. The Peninsular War was a war between France and the allied powers of Spain, the United Kingdom, and Portugal for control of the Iberian Peninsula during the Napoleonic Wars. The war began when French armies crossed Spain and invaded Portugal in 1807 and then in 1808 turned on its ally, Spain. The war lasted until the Sixth Coalition defeated Napoleon in 1814. British and Portuguese forces secured Portugal - with last-line fortifications known as Linhas de Torres (the fortress line) - using it as a secure position from which to launch campaigns against the French army. Combined, the regular and irregular allied forces prevented Napoleon's marshals from subduing the rebellious provinces.

2011 - GREAT

Issued year - 2011, January

2Oth Anniversary of the Foundation of the Visegrad Group

One more coin sent by Noora, from Finland, as the result of our last coin swap. This original 2011 Slovakia coin design shows the map of the member states Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary, the logo of the Visegrad Group, the inscriptions "Vysehradská Skupina" and "Visegrad Group" as well as the date of the founding "15-02-1991".

The Visegrad Group, also called the Visegrad Four or V4, is an alliance of these 4 central European States, for the purposes of cooperation and furthering their Europe integration.

Issuing volume: 981.000

See last posts

Finnish collector, finnish fabulous coins...

Issued year - 2010, October

"Currency Decree of 1860 granting Finland the right to issue banknotes and coins"

Due to our last swap, Noora, from Finland, also sent me these two fabulous and rare Finnish coins. The original design of the coin shows a stylised lion figure from the coat of arms of Finland on the left side and a set of numbers on the right side. Thanks, Noora.

Issuing volume: 1.600.000
See last and the next post

17th member - Estonia

One new collector, Noora from Finland, sent me all the depicted coins in the image, in exchange for a trade. Among others she sent me this magnificent and new 2 € 2011 Estonian currency coin. My first coin of the 17th country of the Euro zone.

Thanks Noora.
The Baltic state of Estonia has become the 17th member of the eurozone, since 1 January 2011. It is the first former Soviet republic to join the single currency club. This beautiful coin features a silhouette map of Estonia together with the word Eesti (Estonia) and twelve stars, symbolic of the European Union, surrounding the map.

See next posts.

Alleluia, alleluia!

Issued year - 2009, January

Finally the last missing EMU coin. This finnish EMU (economic and monetary union) coin and the other depicted in the image were sent by George from Greece, in our last swap at the end of 2010.

In January 2009, the sixteen euro-area countries jointly issued a commemorative euro coin to celebrate ten years of Economic and Monetary Union and the launch of the euro.

See the last post

Issuing volume: 1.400.000

Finish coins....

Issued year - 2005, October

60th anniversary of the United Nations and 50th anniversary of Finland's membership of the UN

These 2 finnish commemorative coins depicted in the image were sent by George from Greece, in our last swap in 2010.

In the centre of this original coin are parts of a jigsaw puzzle showing a dove of peace.

See the next post.

Issuing volume: 2.000.000

General de Gaulle - The call

Issuance year - 2010, June

70th anniversary of the Appeal of June 18

Not a nice photo of the General de Gaulle coin, but... It commemorates the 70th anniversary of the appeal (“Appel du 18 juin”) made by General de Gaulle – the leader of the Free French Forces – on the BBC in London on 18 June 1940, after the fall of France. Addressing the French people, de Gaulle declared that the war was not yet over. The speech is considered to mark the birth of the French Resistance and the beginning of its fight against the occupation of France during World War II.

This coin was sent by Miguel C., from Madrid, in our last swap. See last post.

Issuing volume: 20.000.000

Botanical garden

Issuance year - 2010, May200th anniversary of the botanical garden in Ljubljana

2 commemorative and 2 currency coins were what Miguel C. from Madrid, Spain, sent me in our last swap this month. Depicted in the image is probably the nicest coin of 2010, which as a very original design (it features the Rebrincevolistna Hladnikija plant and on the left, under the plant, it's scientific name, Hladnikia Pastinacifolia, is written in an arc).

The Botanical garden of Ljubljana, established in 1810, is our oldest cultural, scientific and educational institution which has been functioning uninterruptedly ever since its foundation. Its plant collection includes more than 4500 species, subspecies and form, one third of which are autochthonous, while two thirds came from various parts of Europe and other continents. The garden has been maintaining exchange contacts with more than 270 botanical gardens world-wide.

See next post to discover what is the coin in the background.

Issuing volume: 1.000.000

Newest portuguese coin

Issued year - 2010, September

Finally the fabulous commemorative portuguese coin. To celebrate 100 years of the Portuguese Republic, (1910-2010), Portugal issued last month, this beautiful 2 € coin. The inner part of the coin shows in the centre the Portuguese coat of arms and the República effigy, two of the most representative symbols of the Portuguese Republic, surrounded by the legend República Portuguesa — 1910–2010, the mint mark and the name of the designer JOSE CÂNDIDO. The twelve stars of the European Union surround the design on the outer ring of the coin.

At the moment, several coins are available to swap

Issuing volume: 2.035.000

Rare and precious...

Issued year - 2010, March

Once again, Alexandra Vieira, a workmate, gave me these two rare and precious portuguese coins.

The "Justo de D. João II", with a face value of 5 euros, is the second of five coins being issued by the Portuguese Mint and Official Printing Office, that initiates, in 2009, the minting of a series of collection coins called «Tesouros Numismáticos Portugueses» (Portuguese Numismatic Treasures) recreating five of the most beautiful and rare examples of Portuguese coins. They are the «Morabitino de D. Sancho II» (last year), «Justo de D. João II» (2010), the «Português de D. Manuell», the «Peça 1722 – Lisboa», of D. João V, and the «Peça 1833 – Degolada», of D. Maria II.

The Justo D. John II King centralizing par excellence, who fought for this, the aristocracy, even beheaded some of its key figures, the king was then the center of everything, as the currency shows us: a king in the center of the coin, seated on the throne, with mantle, crown and sword.

Face Value: 5,00 Euro
Diameter: 30 mm
Weight: 14 g in copper nickel

One for me and the other is not available for swap.

Issuing volume: 150.000

Fabulous 4 "2010" coins

Issued year - 2010, JanuaryStill without my camera (not any more), so no image of the 4 different mintmarks 2010 German "Bremen" coins, sent by Bernard, from Netherlands, in our last swap. Now, only one mintmark, "D" is missing. The inner part of this coin features the Town Hall of Bremen, with the Roland statue in the foreground.

Germany started the commemorative coin series "Die 16 Bundesländer der Bundesrepublik Deutschland" (The 16 States of the Federal Republic of Germany) in 2006. One coin representing a German state will be issued per year between 2006 and 2021 and will coincide with that state's presidency of the 'Bundesrat'.

A = Berlin Mint; D = Munich Mint; F = Stuttgart Mint;G = Karslruhe Mint; J = Hamburg Mint

Issuing volume: 30.000.000