Modern Coins
News in Arabic about modern coins - Recent to 150 years old
British Pound 2017
One of the most important coins minted for circulation this year is the new British pound, which the Royal Mint has described as the most secure coin in the world. The 12-sided coin, easily distinguishable by touch, bears the fifth profile of Queen Elizabeth II and is one of the most complex coins in its design, containing…
January 4, 2017Ten piastres of Sultan Hussein
Ten piastres of Sultan Hussein, obtained by an Australian soldier who received his training in Egypt in 1917 and was perhaps one of the few survivors of the Battle of Gallipoli, were left as is on the obverse while the reverse was completely erased. The soldier (named Claude) then began to re-engrave them in the form of a medal as a memento for his mother in his homeland. This type of re-engraving art…
November 6, 2016Qubba Palace Auction Catalog
A copy of the Qubba Palace auction catalogue, featuring items belonging to the late King Farouk, sold for $7,051 TP4T at an auction held on October 21st and 22nd by Kolbe and Fanning Numismatic Booksellers, one of the most renowned auction houses specializing in books about coin collecting in Ohio.
November 4, 2016Egyptian pound exchange rate
The first image shows the exchange rate of the Egyptian pound against the British pound, the French franc, and the German mark in 1915. The second image shows the exchange rate of the Egyptian pound and smaller denominations against their equivalent in US dollars in 1943.
October 14, 2016King Farouk coin auction
In 1954, a rare auction featured a distinguished collection of King Farouk's coins in an elegant leather case. This unique collection included various sets of coins representing an entire era in the history of the Kingdom of Egypt. The auction box contained a diverse set consisting of: 13 gold coins, 17 silver coins, 10 cupronickel coins…
October 6, 2016Coin valuation and the difference between an Ancer and an Abbott Ancer
The difference between Uncirculated and Abbott Uncirculated: The term "Uncirculated" (UNC) describes the condition of a coin, meaning it has never been in circulation. It represents the highest degree of coin condition and also means a coin that has not been handled extensively or for a long period of time, and shows no signs of alteration, erasure, cleaning, or poor storage.
September 16, 2016Currency rating companies
What are the ratings of currency rating companies? Currency rating companies have ratings, just like hotels, airlines, and any service-oriented organization. We only need to examine the image attached to the post to realize the significant difference between 9 currencies, all of which received a rating of 65 from 9 different companies! The two best companies in the world in the field of rating are PCGS, the oldest…
August 7, 2016coins of Sultan Hussein Kamel
The recent discovery of the hidden signature on Sultan Hussein Kamel's coins piqued our curiosity, leading us to eagerly study everything related to the coins of Sultan Hussein Kamel, the Sultan of Egypt. What caught our attention and surprised us simultaneously was that while most collectors are aware of the letters HR on silver coins and half-millime coins, what puzzled us was the presence of the letters JR on a denomination…
June 16, 2016French money for the Suez Canal
The second issue of French coins for the Suez Canal, dated 1892, was minted for circulation in Port Said by the Suez Canal Cooperative Society (part of the Universal Company of the Suez Canal) – la Société Coopérative du Canal de Suez (the Cooperative Society of the Suez Canal) – la Compagnie Universelle du canal maritime de Suez. These were special coins minted in France and...
March 11, 2016Re-minting, Part Two
Continuing the discussion on the re-minting of coins and whether it's a common practice, I wanted to share a simple example from the history of Egyptian currency, supported by documents (I have many similar documents, but I've selected five that explain the topic briefly). I believe most of us weren't aware of this story. Attached are documents proving that 2,520,000 of the 10-millime coins from 1917 KN...
March 8, 2016Port Said's currency…the unknown history
Ahmed Abdullah – Researcher in Contemporary Egyptian History: Why was the Suez Canal the reason for the issuance of Port Said's currency? And how is this a part of Egyptian history largely unknown? The Suez Canal was established following a decision by the Khedive Said, the Viceroy of Egypt, to begin work on Port Said on Monday, April 25, 1859, and Ferdinand de Lesseps began digging the canal…
March 8, 2016Re-minting, Part 1
In recent days (and due to the FAO group), there has been much talk about reminting currency and whether it is a desirable or undesirable act. Therefore, I wanted to mention historical examples of coins that were officially reminted in their countries using the original dies: – 4 ducats of Emperor Franz Joseph, 1915 (still minted in Austria today!) – 100 kroner, 1908, Hungary – 100 kroner…
March 2, 2016The Indian rupee is a currency used in Egypt.
What circumstances led to the circulation of the Indian rupee in Egypt? The First World War, following a severe shortage of gold, silver, and nickel coins in Egypt after the outbreak of the war in 1914, was a major factor. This shortage was due to public fear of the war and its potential consequences, particularly after the price of silver rose.
February 23, 2016The Legend of Coin Collecting
The legendary coin collector John Jay Pittman is a name perhaps unfamiliar to many Arab collectors, yet he is truly a legend among collectors in the United States. Pittman didn't become famous solely because of his prominent presence at the King Farouk auction—many collectors traveled from the farthest corners of the earth to attend that prestigious event—nor because of his phenomenal collection…
November 12, 2015