The Japan Mint is proud to release a silver medallion featuring Himeji Castle (designated as National Treasure of Japan). We have started National Treasure Medallion Series last year with the Horyuji Medallion.

The obverse side of the medal features Himeji Castle and flying white herons, while the reverse side features swallowtail (emblem of the Ikeda family), square, triangle and circle-shaped small holes (known as “Sama”) through which soldiers would shoot arrows and guns to enemies attacking the castle, and designs of castle roof tiles.

Himeji Castle
Himeji Castle was registered as the first Japanese National Cultural Treasure by UNESCO World Heritage Site and a Japanese National Cultural Treasure in December, 1993. Along with Matsumoto Castle and Kumamoto Castle, it is one of Japan’s “Three Famous Castles”, and is the most visited castle in Japan. It was constructed in its present form in the early 17th century by Terumasa Ikeda. The castle was also called “Shirasagi Castle (White Heron Castle),” because the castle tower, consisting of five levels and seven floors, and its other features such as white walls, remind of a white heron with its wings spread. Although the castle is full preparation for attack by “Sama,” etc, it has no record of being under attack.

Himeji serves as an excellent example of the prototypical Japanese castle, containing many of the defensive and architectural features most associated with Japanese castles. The tall stone foundations, whitewash walls, and organization of the buildings within the complex are standard elements of any Japanese castle, and the site also features many other examples of typical castle design, including gun emplacements and stone-dropping holes.

One of Himeji’s most important defensive elements, and perhaps its most famous, is the confusing maze of paths leading to the main keep. The gates, baileys, and outer walls of the complex are organized so as to cause an approaching force to travel in a spiral pattern around the castle on their way into the keep, facing many dead ends. This allowed the intruders to be watched and fired upon from the keep during their entire approach. However, Himeji was never attacked in this manner, and so the system remains untested. (more…)

The United States Mint today released the four new portraits that will appear on the obverse (heads side) of Presidential $1 Coins in 2009. The coins honor former Presidents William Henry Harrison, John Tyler, James K. Polk and Zachary Taylor.

“We hope Americans not only appreciate the aesthetic qualities of the Presidential $1 Coins, but also remember each President’s legacy every time they use the coins in their daily transactions,” said United States Mint Director Ed Moy. “Presidential $1 Coins are convenient to use, save the taxpayers money, and are durable and last for decades.”

Beginning with the William Henry Harrison Presidential $1 Coin next year, “In God We Trust” will appear on the obverse of all Presidential $1 Coins. As a result, the edge lettering of the 2009 Presidential $1 Coins will be slightly different from that of 2007 and 2008. Where currently there are single dots (delimiters) between the inscriptions, in 2009 there will be three stars between “E Pluribus Unum” and the mint mark and 10 stars between the year of minting and “E Pluribus Unum.”

The Presidential $1 Coin Act of 2005 directed the United States Mint to inscribe the year of minting or issuance, and the national mottos “E Pluribus Unum” and “In God We Trust” on the edge of the Presidential $1 Coin. In 2008, Congress passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act, which included a provision directing the Secretary of the Treasury to move the inscription “In God We Trust” from the edge of the Presidential $1 Coin to the obverse (heads side) or reverse (tails side) of the coin. (more…)

The Stacks 73rd Anniversary Sale upcoming on October 22nd has an items in the Patterns” section that many people may never have seen before: 1759 (1965) dime-sized die trial of Martha Washington

Reeded edge. Cupro-nickel and copper “sandwich” composition. Head of Martha Custis Washington to right, VIRGINIA arcs above, name low in right field, date below. Mount Vernon at reverse center, HOME OF THE WASHINGTON FAMILY around. NGC MS-65 Finest Known

This coin is the finest of two examples certified thus far by NGC, the other called AU-58 by that firm, the PCGS population report does not show any with this Judd number. This design also saw the light of day in larger sized “denominations” which are eagerly sought by specialists in today’s pattern series and related areas. The present “dime” sized issue is seen far less often than the other “denominations.”

In May of this year Coin World had an article on Pattern and Experimental coins. Experimental coins are struck from any convenient dies to test a new metal, new alloy or new denomination; those testing a new shape; those testing a standard metal for a new denomination; and those representing changes in planchets for the purposes of combating counterfeiting.

Often the Mint tests compositions with what officials call “nonsense dies.” These dies may bear designs similar in format to designs used for circulating coinage but the designs are not being considered for regular production use, such as a pattern might be. Nonsence Dies are useful in testing things as metal flow and die wear, and the Mint has used various designs for decades. The Martha Washington Design is one of these Nonsence Dies.

Martha Washington “nonsense dies” were used to strike experimental pieces on a number of planchets including on a copper-plated zinc cent planchet; on a copper-nickel clad quarter dollar planchet; on a manganese-brass clad dollar planchet; and of course the above Cupro-nickel dime planchet. (more…)

Coin series including the Chinese Lunar Zodiac, Vignettes of Royalty, Playing Card Money and Crystal Snowflakes and new NHL© coin and gift products join the team

The Royal Canadian Mint today issued its latest release of collector coins and gift products for 2008—just in time for the holiday season. Examples from this impressive selection include: gold and silver coins celebrating the Year of the Ox; new gold and silver Moon Mask coins; an ultra-high relief King George V Vignettes of Royalty $15 silver coin; a new 99.99% pure silver Holiday Carols coin; as well as innovative keepsakes honouring Canada’s beloved NHL© teams, featuring team jerseys, dual image logos and goalie masks. The public can purchase these new products as of today.

“As the Royal Canadian Mint continues to celebrate its centennial year, we are proud to issue new products showcasing the creativity, quality and innovation which have been our hallmarks since 1908,” said President and CEO of the Royal Canadian Mint, Ian E. Bennett. “Collectors and gift givers alike will find many exciting choices among the collector coins and gift products offered just in time for the holiday and hockey seasons.”

Here are the highlights of the Mint’s newest selection of products:

2009 LUNAR HOLOGRAM GOLD AND LUNAR CAMEO SILVER COINS – YEAR OF THE OX
The annual tradition of celebrating the Chinese Lunar Zodiac with gold and silver commemorative coin releases is alive and well as the Mint pays tribute to the Year of the Ox in 2009.

Both Year of the Ox coins are designed by Canadian artist Harvey Chan. The Lunar Cameo Coin is sterling silver and bears a face value of 15 dollars. It is the final instalment of the 12-coin series begun by the Mint in 1998. It features an octagon– shaped gold-plated cameo of a stylized ox surrounded by the 12 animals of the Chinese lunar calendar. This coin is the only 2009 issue bearing the former effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, which graced Canada’s coinage from 1990 to 2003. Limited to a worldwide mintage of 48,888, it retails for $88.88 CDN. (more…)