127. Bidor Tin Ingot

image 1: bidor ingots in 2 different sizes

image 2: comparison of size with a 10 sen coin

image 3: the hairpin end

image 4: the spiral end

image 4: the little brother

     Just bought these two Perak Tin Ingots from a local dealer. Apparently he do not know what are these. And I bought two of these for only RM5.

    He claimed that these were sold to him by an illegal sea divers a long time ago, and no one seems interested in them.

      Made of tin, I myself do not have much information about these items. Saran Singh did not published any reference about this hairpin type tin ingot.

    Whether these ingots were ever been used for currency or not, is still unclear.

126. Straits Settlements 20 Cent 1919 Clashed Die & Doubled Die Reverse Type VII (Modified Hub Doubling)

image 1: obverse and reverse of the coin

image 2: clashed die markings

image 3: a probably modified die marking?

image 4: tiny crack die

     Clashed die error and cracked die error are not too interesting especially for older coins. But something caught our eyes about the first number "one" and "nine" in the date of the coin (refer to image 3). Could it probably a Doubled Die Class IV, a Modified Hub Doubling?

   I believe so because the doubling shows as the difference between the normal hub and modified hub. Probably the earlier "19" was chiseled off from the hub because it ran off its track. This is an extract from an external source.

Modified hub doubling is caused when a normal master hub is used with a modified master hub to make a master die. Some part of the modified master hub was ground off to make it match the normal hub. During this process, not all the original item was completely ground off. One master hub could have the date set lower, so the date is ground off and it is hubbed with a normal master hub that has the date in the correct location. Since this occurs on the master hubs, a larger number of working dies could be affected. bakercoins.com

 
     Any discussion and opinions from fellow collectors are highly welcomed.

     The coin belongs to bonden.

    Could it be an unlisted SS 20 Cents 1919 Low 19/Level 19 DDR Type VII?

125. Malaysia 20 sen 1970

image 1: obverse and reverse of the coin

image 2: close up image

   Another keydate coin of Malaysia. With official population of only 1.054million, I bet that you need some real luck in finding this coin among your loose coins.

  Is this a die variety of 1970 20 sen coin? I notice that the G.C designer's initial is missing. My other pieces, which are circulated, show quite obvious designer's initial. Upon further investigation, I think I can see a part of "G' there, can you see it?

124. MALAYSIA 1 SEN 1988 CHIPPED DIE AND CLASHED DIE

image 1: obverse and reverse of the coin

image 2: cud on the moon

image 3: cud below the Parliament House

image 4: clashed die markings on both surface, obverse and reverse.

      I thought I have an eagle-eyes in spotting error coins, but I guess I am wrong. I missed this double errors coin! I only keep this coin as it still has luster on it, but soon after I scan it, I notice that there are some obvious die markings on its reverse. And after further inspection, the coin also has the popular extra-metal according to Malaysian coin collectors.

123. Malaysia 50 sen 200x

image 1: obverse and reverse of the coin

   

This is an indeed a genuine mint error coin, not a post mint damage. The letterings and part of the date cannot be seen because the incuse areas of the dies were filled with grease. Grainy surfaces is evident that perhaps the mint employees had forgotten to clear up the grease they used to the dies.

122. Malaysia $1 1982

image 1: obverse and reverse of the coin

Country of Origin: Malaysia

Date: 1982 

Denomination: 1 Ringgit

Shape: Round
Orientation: Coin Allignment

Weight: 17.99g

Diameter: 33.9mm

Thickness: -

Composition: Copper-Nickel

Population: 201,550 pieces

Reference: KN8

Mint: -

Category: Normal Circulation Coin

Demonetized: No

Engraver/Designer: -

Designer's Intial: -
Variety: -

Obverse: Parliament House of Malaysia and a crescent moon and start representing Malaysia's Concept of Parliamentary Democracy and Islam as the National Religion.

Reverse: The value "$1" in the middle, with hisbiscus flowers at the left and right of value. Word "Malaysia" and the year of minting and "SEN".

Edge: Lettering "BANK NEGARA MALAYSIA"

The lowest mintage for this series! Another keydate coin.

121. Johor Tin Katun - Dot with Rings unlisted

image 1: obverse and reverse of the coin

 
      Some says that cherrypicking is one of the skills in coin collecting. Well, I think this is the first cherry I have ever personally pick for myself.

     Recently there are many katuns coin, especially in Johor. I have heard rumors that a public agency is doing some excavation works to unearth treasures in the area of Johor Lama. So it seems that some of those katun escaped and finally rest peacefully in my collection.

    This is a katun of Johor - a petty money which served as small changes in bazaar or wet market among the ordinary people. Perhaps it holds a value of equal to 1sen nowadays.

    I notice that there are rings surrounding the central raised dot.Currently unlisted in the only reference for Malay coinage - Mr Saran Singh's book. This specimen thrills me and now I am thinking to go on journey of collecting Johor katuns.

       How much did I pay for this coin? I did not pay a single sen, I just swapped it with a 1 cent Malaya 1962. Quite a good deal isn't?

120. Malaysia 10 SEN 1994 Semi Keydate

image 1: obverse and reverse of the coin

     Another semi keydate coin. Collecting semi keydate coin is a good way to start collecting. It requires only checkings through your loose coins, and sometime cracking your piggy bank.

    This coin was given to me by my junior, Aini Yusnira. I did not expect her to remember what years are to be collected, but still she manage to find one.

    She asked me why do I want this coin? The reason I want this coin is because this coin is hard to get. It is as simple as that. The degree of rarity of coins usually is being termed with words such as scarce, rare or unique. This is because the mintage of 1994 10 sen coins is only about 7millions, whereas the highest mintage of 10 sen coin is about 132million of year 1990 and 32million for year 1989.

   I hope I will receive more keydate coins from my fellow friend, perhaps a 1971 10 cent! Who knows?

119. Malaysia 50 sen 2010 Clashed Die Error

image 1: obverse and reverse of the coin

image 2: clashed die markings on obverse

image 3: clashed die markings on reverse

      At last I discovered this clashed die error coin. This is her sister, discovered by Mr. Dickson. It seems that his specimen has more obvious clashed die markings.

118. 50 sen 1981 Clashed Die Error

image 1: obverse and reverse of the coin

    This is another specimen of my die clashed error coin which I discovered recently. Die clashed error happens when both dies are struck without a planchet between them, which makes the term 'clash'. The die clashed marking can be seen in both obverse and reverse.

    Clashed die error can be found easily among our 10 sen Parliament Series, but quite scarce for other higher denominations.

    These are my other clashed die error coins.

• 10 sen 1992 reverse
• 50 sen 1988 obverse and reverse

117. Cleaning Your Coins

image 1: coin A

image 2: coin B

image 3: coin C

image 4: coin D

     I guess today is my lucky day! Sorry, not today, but yesterday to be precise. I found these 4 pieces of 1970 coins from my balance of only RM2 balance. Wonderful isn't?

    All four coins in a circulated condition, so I decided to make experiment onto these coins. I bought a bottle of Brasso and I cleaned 2 of the coins!

    For those who still do not know, cleaning coins is a very bad towards your collecting ethics. Cleaning your coins alters your coins original condition, particularly removing their wonderful lustre. And if the cleaning is proceeded with vigorous rub, then some details will be corroded or grinded by the polishers.

   So, if cleaning the coin is bad, why I did it? This is an experiment, so I want to see myself  what are the differences between cleaned coins and non-cleaned coins. In this case, I assume that cleaning coins is bad because of two major reason. First, it removes the lustre of the coins, particularly the high-graded coins. Second, it alters the looks of the coin, particularly old and rare coin. Collectors would like to keep a coin in their original state, whether it is in high-grade or low-grade.

    So, I guess it is okay to clean these coins because these coins are in low grade, not very rare and has lost all its lustre. And for the time being, it enhance the appearance of the coin.

    I cleaned these coins by using cotton-bud with Brasso, rubbing it onto the coins very gently with minimal forces are exerted onto the coins.

   So, as you can see in the images, the first two images (coin A and coin B) are the cleaned coins and the latter coin C and coin D are the uncleaned coin.

   What do you think of cleaning coin?

116. Malaysia 20 Sen Second Series Varieties

image 1: obverse and reverse of variety A

image 2: obverse and reverse of variety B

     There are varieties among our circulation coins. Some of them are highly distinct, such as the Bunga Raya on 2001 20 Sen coin, and some of them are quite indistinct. Shown here is the varieties of Malaysia 20 Sen 1998.

Variety A:

•  rounded rim's edge.

•  same font size in the date "1998" of about 2.67mm.

•  letterings have longer serif.

Variety B:

•  squared rim's edge. 

•  different font size in the date "1998" with a bigger "8" of about 2.82mm and  2.58mm for "1", and "9".

• letterings have shorter serif.

    I hope to develop a list of variety for Malaysian coins. If you are happen to have discovered new varieties, kindly inform me so that I can list it here. And correct me if I am using inaccurate terms or explaination. Thank you in advance and let us together build this list.


Ref: http://nucoinsandnotes.blogspot.com/2010/12/malaysia-1998-20-sen.html

115. Malaysia 50 Sen 2000 Die Crack Error

image 1: obverse and reverse of the coin

image 2: crack line on the obverse

image 3: crack line on the reverse

   A minor crack line on the obverse of the coin. Perhaps there are more lines due to cracks that cannot be seen with naked eyes. I need a microscope!

   Wait! From the scanned image of the coin, I notice there is a crack line on the reverse too! See image 3.

    After being pointed up by Mr Dickson, I now realized that the crack is in radial form. Most die cracks that I have encountered before is either radially inward or outward.

114. Malaysia 50 Sen 2007 Strike Through Error

image 1: obverse and reverse of the coin

image 2: close up image 

   This is a piece of strike through error coin. This error is given to a coin where there is an incuse marking on the coin, that looks as there was something on the coin surface during striking. This might be a wire, metal, even a piece of cloth has been reported being found stuck on the coin surface.

   For my specimen here, I have no idea what was the object that form the incuse marking.

113. Malaysia 50 Sen 2005 Rotated Die Error

image 1: obverse and reverse of the coin

image 2: comparison with a normal coin (right)

      This is a rotated die error coin, which caused by one of the dies was not aligned correctly. The degree of rotation is about 115 degree clockwise.

112. Malaysia 50 Sen 1990 Die Break Error

image 1: obverse and reverse of the coin

image 2: cud on the coin

    A minor die break, that forms a cud just on top of the alphabet R. I bet the cud is putting some stress, due to excess metal, or extra metal to many collectors. Poor R.

111. Straits Settlements 20 Cent 1897

image 1: obverse and reverse of the coin

Country of Origin: Straits Settlements

Date: 1897 

Denomination: 20 Cents

Shape: Round
Orientation: Medal Allignment

Weight: 5.43g

Diameter: 18.0mm

Thickness: -

Composition: 0.8 Silver

Population: 185,000

Reference: KN12, KM12

Mint: Ralph Heaton & Son Ltd. Birmingham

Category: Normal Circulation Coin

Demonetized: Yes

Engraver/Designer: -
Variety: -

Edge: Milled

    A heavily cleaned coin, and probably once has been mounted. There is a trace of mounting in 2 o'clock and 8 o'clock position on reverse.

110. Malaysia 5 sen 1997 Semi Key-date Coin

image 1: obverse and reverse of the coin

    I was having my lunch at McDonalds today. The order was a large set of Big N' Tasty. Being an environmental friendly person, I just love green and a Coca-Cola "Can" glass of green color lured me to add an icecream so that I can have that glass. The total amount was RM14.95 so I handed RM15 to the cashier. She returned back my balance of 5 sen. To her, the 5 sen is a mere 5 sen worth piece of metal, but to me, in a collector perspective, the 5 sen worths ... at least 50sen. So did I just having a McDonald Lunch Set at a lower price?

    Actually, this 5 Sen coin dated 1997 is a semi key-date coin for Malaysia Bunga Raya Series. About 7million had been minted, and the 7million is quite low compared to 83million of year 1994, the highest mintage, and 20million of year 1989, the second lowest mintage. So, this coin is just a little bit harder to get compared to her other siblings.

    Happy coins-checking!

109. Malaysia 50 Sen 2009 Doubled Die

image 1: obverse and reverse of the coin

image 2: doubling of the A

      I try to put some distance between me and error coins, but apparently error coins miss me too much! Haha. Found this doubled die in my loose coins. Now I am only need to find a 1 sen and 10 sen to complete my Malaysia Bunga Raya series doubled die coins!

    In my opinion, this is a Type V doubled die. A pivoted hub doubling, which occurs when the working hub is not properly aligned with the working die during the hubbing process. It is quite similar with Class I (Rotated Hub Doubling) but with the pivot point is located around the rim.

    The doubling on this coin is strongest on one side of the coin, which is in this coin's case is at the 1 o'clock position, and having no doubling at the opposite direction, the 6 o'clock direction.

   Looking at the strength of the doubling, I think this is quite a monster!

   Click here to see my other DD coins.