WBCC Newsmail 211, Volume 5, August 26, 2000
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Composed with help from members of the
Worldwide Bi-metallic Collectors Club (WBCC)
and weekly published by Martin Peeters, Netherlands,
Focal Point of the WBCC, martinp@westbrabant.net
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Dear WBCC members and non WBCC members,

Back from the USA, I'm in the Bi-metallic "busines" again and at your
service. You can read some nice stories about Bi-metallics. I hope enjoy
reading it !!

1. New WBCC members..by Martin Peeters, WBCC Focal Point

We have 4 new members. Let me introduce them to you:

Name: John Fox (WBCC member #180), USA
Age: 82
Country: USA
No E-mail adress
Hobby: Collecting Bi-metallics

Name: Donald Curtis (WBCC member #181), USA
E-mail: donald.curtis@sbccom.apgea.army.mil
Age: 50
Profession: Mechanical Engineer
Hobby: Coin & Paper Money collecting
Goals: I have been interested in Bi-metallic coins, since they were
reintroduced as circulating and non-circulating tender. I have a number of
Bi-metallics

Name: James Lawniczak (WBCC member #182), USA
E-mail: Jamesm1565@aol.com
Age:48
Profession: Attorney
Hobby: Encased coins
Goal: Cataloging NY, Ohio and Michigan encased

Name: Curtis Judge (WBCC member #183), USA
E-mail: mailto:CHTOKEN@AOL.COM
Age: 50
Profession: Sales Executive
Hobby: Collecting Circulating Bi- and/or Tri-metallic coins of the world
Goal: To build a representative collection of circulating bi-metal coinage
from around the world, and to make new friends through the WBCC by trading,
buying and selling bi-metal coins.
Against: Excessive government intrusion in personal life

2. Bi-metallic 10$ Solomon Islands.........by Keith Beaumont, UK.

I have just received the above coin which is the first of a series of twelve
to be issued by the British Royal Mint in honour of the Queen Mother
reaching her hundredth birthday.They do mention that further issues will
include Bi-metal but as previously mentioned no indication as to which
countries they will be.This coin is full crown size 38.61mm.925 Sterling
silver (proof) with outer circle plated in fine gold. I am informed that
this is known as ringed bi-metal.10.000 is the striking limit and I am not
sure whether they can be purchased separately or one has to subscribe to the
whole set. Looking through the listings of our beloved coins it would appear
that this is the first Bi-metal to be issued by the Solomon Isles. I am not
100% sure what the term ringed means perhaps somebody can enlighten me and
maybe to the benefit of other members.

3. Bi-metallic future Euros from the Netherlands...by Martin Peeters

This year the Mintmaster of the Dutch has retired and it is known now we
will have a new Mintmaster (Mr. Robert Bruens) on Januari 1st 2001. Every
Mintmaster has his own Mintmaster sign. The last Mintmast had a Bow and
Arrow, because his retiment the Dutch Mint puts a Star with the sign. The
New Minmaster will have a Grapevine as his sgn. All this has some
concequences for the future (Bi-metallic) Euros. So the Dutch Bi-metallic 1
and 2 Euro will be made in 4 years (the Dutch Mint has to put on the year
in which the coins are struck) and with 3 Mintmaster signs, as in the below
overview:

1 and 2 Euro 1999 Mintmark Bow and Arrow
1 and 2 Euro 2000 Mintmark Bow and Arrow with a Star
1 and 2 Euro 2001 Mintmark Grapevine
1 and 2 Euro 2002 Mintmark Grapevine

I hope I made this confusion about the years and Mintmasters signs a little
bit clear. Please notice, on all Dutch Euros designs, the Dutch Queen will
be depicted.

4. WBCC and the ANA part 2......by Martin Peeters, Netherlands

In WBCC Newsmail 210 you could read a report of the WBCC at the ANA (World's
Fair of Money). Now you can read part 2. Next to the WBCC booth, the Elonged
Club had their booth with a hand operated Elonged machine. I ask the to put
in a Blank Bi-metallic piece from Schuler Pressen (with a Steanles Steal
ring). They did and the result you can see in the WBCC Homepage. The same I
ask the US Mint, they has also a coin press, but the guy did dear to put the
Steanless Steal ringed Bi-metallic in his machine. He was afraid of breaking
the die !!

A vey nice initiative at the ANA was the so called "World Mints Passport".
This is holder (empty it costs 12 US$) in which visitors of the ANA could
collect a coin of all the Mint were present at the ANA. In totall 22 coins
could be collected, by visiting all the Mints. Unfortunally only the Mexico
Mint had a Bi-metallic (1 Peso), the other 21 Mints had also a low mintage
(free) available.

At the ANA I met Karina Voggel from Basel of the World Money Fair
organisation. Karina invited me (the WBCC) to come Basel next year from
februari 2 to 4th, to join this event with a booth. Ofcourse I will be
there.

Further I had talks at several Mint booths and editors of several
coinpapers. Very interesting to see those people and talk about the WBCC.
When you look in the WBCC Homepage you can see some nice pictures of the
ANA.

Next World's Fair of Money (ANA) will be in 2001 in the City Atlanta from 8
to 12 August. For this event Ray Lockwood is the WBCC Focal Point ANA
Convention 2001. So if you have any question about this event, E-mail Ray
at: sunray@comteck.com

5. The WBCC Bi-metallic Quiz Game (#211)...by Jack Hepler, USA

A type of Grouse is featured on a circulating Bi-metallic coin. In Russian,
the bird is called Glukhar because it cannot hear during a short period
during its mating call. When hunted, it is during this brief period when the
bird can't hear that it can be successfully stalked. From which country is
this coin issued?
a. Czech Republic
b. Finland
c. Poland
d. Hungary
Please send your answer to me:mailto:eplerl@saic.com Next week you can read the
correct answer.
Answer to Bi-metallic Quiz Game question #210.
In 2000, Poland issued a 2 Zloty bi-metallic coin containing security
measures on the reverse. The center portion shows 2000 interchangeable with
2001 depending on lighting and orientation. The ring is also security
engraved. How many stars show on the reverse security ring of the Poland 2
Zloty, 2000?
a. 3
b. 4
c. 5
d. 6
The correct answer is b. 4 Stars
Summary of answers to Quiz Game Question #209: 100% Correct

6. Bi-metallic MTT from Switzerland...by Martin Peeters, Netherlands

Paul Baker of the UK pointed me at a new Bi-metallic which was on the
Homepage of Huguenin and Kramer Medailleurs from Switzerland. I ask them
about it and received the following answer:

--Quote
Dear Mr. Peeters,
Many thanks for your interest for the new bi-metallic coin Le Promo; here it
is the history:

As you know we have been very successful with emissions of local currency
commemorating important events in the history of the Swiss Cantons. We
always wanted to test the same kind of emission on a local level.

Le Locle is the name of the town where our factory is located, a small city
in the Jura Mountains of Switzerland, one of the centre of the Swiss watch
industry. The big event in this town is the "promotion", the end of school
year celebration for all the children of the town. It is a two days event
when the full population of the town celebrates in the street and many
concerts and shows take place.

Le Promo was the official currency of the town during this celebration,
actually from June 1st to July 14. Many shops, restaurants and cafes used
the coin as well as the local banks. The full emission of 2’500 pieces was
put in circulation; collectors kept around 2’000. The action resulted in a
significant financial contribution for the organisers of the event.

The obverse of the coin presents the emblem of the town; the reverse is a
design by a local artist named Zaline. Only the bi-metallic circulation coin
(CuNi25, CuAl6Ni2) was struck.

The coin can be ordered on the Internet shop at http://www.huguenin.ch/
We consider this emission a success and we will certainly do the same for
other local events and also each year a new coin for the Le Locle.

Best regards.
Ch. Chammartin
Bellevue 32
P.O. Box 186
CH - 2400 Le Locle
Switzerland
E-mail : info@huguenin.ch
--Unquote

--Remark WBCC Focal Point: The price of the Le Promo Swiss MTT is 10 Swiss
Franken, about 5.84 US$.

7. Bi-metallic from Austria...by Martin Peeters, Netherlands

By the end of October this year Austria will issue the 8th Bi-metallic 50
Shilling. It will commemorate the famous Ferdinand Porsche. It will be
issued in circulation quality (600,000 pieces) and in a Blisterpack (100,000
pieces)

8. Bi-metallic 10 Rubels 2000 from Russia...by Martin Peeters, Netherlands

About the new 10 Rubels 2000, commemorates the 55th Anniversary of the
Soviet Union’s War 1941-1945, made at the Moscow Mint and the St. Petersburg
Mint. I ask the Bank of Russie how much each Mint did struck. The following
anwser I received:

--Quote
Dear Mr. Martin Peeters,
Please be informed that 10 Rubels Bi-metallic coin from the commemorative
series "The 55-th Anniversary of the Victory Day" issued be the Bank of
Russia on May  4, 2000  was struck by Moscow Mint and Saint Petersburg Mint
in equal proportions: 10 Millions each.
Yours truly
V. Gerasimov
Bank of Russia
--Unquote

9. New Bi- or Tri-metallic images....by Rod Sell, WBCC Homepage Provider

This weeks new pictures in the WBCC Homepage:
http://www.geocities.com/RodeoDrive/7513/wbcc/wbcc.html

* Several pictures of ANA convention
* Elongated Schuler Blank
* Gibraltar 2000 2 Pounds The Cattle of Geryon" and "The Girdle of
* Solomon Islands $10 for Queen Mothers Centenary
 
 

"See" you next weeks,
Martin Peeters, Focal Point of the
Worldwide Bi-metallic Collectors Club
martinp@westbrabant.net
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The Worldwide Bi-metallic Collectors Club
was established September 14, 1996 and is the very first Worldwide
Collectors Club using the Internet. Goal of the WBCC is exchange
Bi-metallics and exchange knowledge about Bi-metallics
WBCC Organisation:
WBCC Homepage Provider: Rod Sell, Australia, Rod.Sell@elderwyn.com
WBCC DoCu-Centre: Frans Dubois, Netherlands, dubois.f@wxs.nl
WBCC Public Relations: Cliff Anderson, USA, chander@mciworld.com
WBCC Research Centre: Paul Baker, UK, 113076.167@compuserve.com
WBCC Developement Centre, Jack Hepler, USA, leslie.j.hepler@saic.com
WBCC Focal Point ANA 2001 Convention, Ray Lockwood, USA, sunray@comteck.com
WBCC Focal Point: Martin Peeters, Netherlands, martinp@westbrabant.net