Coin news round-up

Mint of Finland to produce Mozambique coins

Bank of Mozambique and Mint of Finland have signed a three-year contract for the production and supply of Mozambique coins. The contract contains minting of five different denominations of the Mozambique Metical coins, a total of 97,7 million pieces, during 2021-2023.

Banknote of the Year

The nominations for the 2020 Banknote of the Year have been revealed by the International Banknote Society (IBNS). Notes which have artistic merit, an imaginative design, or a new security feature, include:

• The Bank of England’s £20 note introduced in February 2020
• The Royal Bank of Scotland’s £20 note featuring a portrait of Glasgow entrepreneur Kate Cranston
• Thailand’s 1,000 baht note which features a depiction of the King of Thailand in the uniform of the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces (shown below).

Find out more about the competition at: www.theibns.org

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Plans progressing for York Coin Fair

The organisers of the hugely popular York Stamp & Coin fair are hopeful that the event will go ahead as normal on 16 and 17 July.

Organiser Kate Puleston told Coin Collector: ‘We are very excited about getting the fair up and running again after its eighteen-month break. We’ve begun contacting our regular dealers to invite them back and have been really pleased by the positive response we have received from them. Everyone seems raring to go! We are also welcoming enquiries from dealers new to the fair.'

Visit the website www.stampshows.net for opening times and a list of dealers attending.

Rolling Stones coins issued in Gibraltar

The Crown Mint has produced a set of unusual coins to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the Rolling Stones' 'Tongue and Lips' logo, which was first used in 1971.

If you happen to be in Gibraltar and come across an unfriendly sales assistant (we're not sure you would in this lovely, sunny country!) you can now stick your tongue out whilst paying for your goods with the special coins, which carry a denomination of £1 and retail for $69.95.

No more detecting…

A man has been ordered to destroy his metal detector after finding over 900 Iron Age coins and keeping 23 of them as a memento. 

Shane Wood, 62, found the treasure in Chelmsford, Essex, in September last year, but failed to notify the coroner of the find, something which is necessary under the Treasure Act 1996. He is said to have kept 22 staters and one quarter stater – worth as much as £12,000 – for himself. He was ordered to pay £200 to the court, take on 200 hours' unpaid work… and his metal detector will be destroyed as punishment.

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