To complete the zodiac set of 12 coins, San Marino issued the last 3 coins in 2021. The last set consists of the Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces -coins. Each of the 2021 coins has a mintage of 16000 brass coins. The Capricorn-coin (It: capricorno) Capricorn - coin 2021 RSM The Aquarius-coin (It: acquario) Aquarius - coin 2021 RSM The Pisces-coin (It: pesci) Pisces - coin 2021 RSM With these 3 coins, the set is of western zodiac sign coins is completed. to be continued ..read more

The set of Zodiac coins of San Marino, coninued in 2020 with 3 additional coins: Libra, Scorpio and Saggitarius. Each of the 2020 coins has a mintage of 16000 brass pieces The first coin dated 2020, is the Libra-coin (It: bilancia). 2020 Libra - coin  RSM The second coin, is the Scorpio-coin (It: scoprione) 2020 Scorpio - coin RSM The third and last coin for 2020 is the Sagittarius-coin (It: sagittario) 2020 Sagittarius - coin RSM At the moment of wrinting this article, the 2020-coins, were still available on the website of the San Marino post, at the price of t ..read more

In 2019, 4 coins were added to the set: Gemini, Cancer, Leo and Virgo. Similar to the 2018 coins, is the obverse side, with the sun, all zodiac symbols and the country's name. Gemini - coin 2019 RSM   Cancer - coin 2019 RSM The Gemini-coin (It: gemelli) shows two mirrored toddlers reaching for the stars, while the Cancer-coin (It: cancro) depicts a crab. Leo - coin 2019 RSM The fifth coin is the Leo-sign (It: leone) and the sixth coin is the Virgo-sign (It: vergine) Virgo - coin 2019 RSM All coins have a face value of € 5, but sinde they are no longer ..read more

When paying in Europe with cash, the chance of spending or receiving a commemorative € 2 - coin, is not that uncommon. Till 2023, about 610 (!) different € 2 coins, other than the regular ones, are in use. Also higher denominations are minted, but those coins are never seen in circulation. First of all because they are printed in very limited numbers, or sold at a higher price than the nominal value. One specific set of coins drew my attention. The set consists of 12 coins, issued over 4 years (in 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021). 12 coins, that sounds familiar ... indeed these 12 coins are dedicate ..read more

I have posted many nr 1's so far, but the absolute 1st number one is of course the famous 'black penny'. Issued on May 1, 1840, changed the whole postal system in use at that time. No longer the one who received the mail had to pay, but the sender could buy a 'stamp' to pay for sending a message over mail to another person. The first stamp did not bear any name of country, as it was issued in the UK only. This privilege is still valid until today, as the United Kingdom, is the only country in the world, that has no country name mentioned on it's stamps. 1840 Black Penny In the image w ..read more

This 'first issue' is a special one. Nepal 1885 What is on the cover? The stamps on the cover are genuine (Michel nrs 1Bc (light blue) - 2B (dull lilac) and 3B (yellowish green). The stamps were issued in 1881 on European paper. The cancels are genuine as well. But the back side has handwritten text speaks of 1885. We are talking about a registered mail with stamps from the 1st issue of Nepal (1881), and there are 3 different stamps on the cover, used in 1885... This is what the experts say (CH - October 2022): "The stamps are stuck at the bottom of an envelope with a handwritten depa ..read more

Zodiac signs will always be a popular topic on stamps. There are 12 (originally 13) zodiac signs in a year, according western astrology, and 12 animal signs in a 12-year cycle, according the eastern astrology. In 2023, Mongolia issued two sheetlets, with one stamp each. One is dedicated to western astrology, showing the 12 signs, around a circular stamp. 1st sheet - 12 western zodiac signs In the middle of the circle with the 12 western zodiac signs, we find a round stamp, where the symbol for each sign is placed under the according picture above. round shaped stamp with 12 zodi ..read more

5000 bef It was in 1982, when a new 5000 belgian francs banknote was issued. The fourth note in the 1978-1992 series. On the note, the portrait of the flemish (dutch part of Belgium) poet Guido Gezelle is depicted. Born and raised in Bruges in 1830, a few months before Belgium declared its independence. Birth house of Gezelle, now museum Since the split of 'the Netherlands' in Belgium and The Netherlands in 1830, Dutch was the official language in The Netherlands, but in the 19th century' Belgium, French was considered as the language for the 'educated' and Dutch as the language of t ..read more

1000 bef The third  note in the 1978-1992 series is a 1000 belgian frank note (€ 24.79). On this note we see the image of André Ernest Modeste Gretry (1741-1813). At the time of his birth (and death), Belgium was not yet created. He was born in Liège, currently Belgium, but at the era of life and work of Gretry, part of the French empire. Although he was born in 'Belgium', he spent most of his life in France. He was burried at Père-Lachaise (Paris) but according his last testemony, his heart was returned to Liège. André Ernest Modeste Gretry Gretry wrote not less than (comic) ope ..read more

In 1951, King Baldwin became the king of the Belgians, after the adbication of this father Leopold II. The first set of banknotes during his rule, were printed between 1961 and 1971. This set will be presented later. The second set under his rule, was introduced in 1978 and stayed in circulation till 1994. (see : http://rainbowstampsandcoins.blogspot.com/2021/01/belgian-notes-pre-euro-01a-series-1994.html) The set starts with a 100 belgian franks note. These notes (and all notes from 100 BEF and above) remain exchangable at the national bank of Belgium. 100 BEF = € 2.48. Therefore these notes ..read more