Shapeless silver coins

A Sweden term “klippe” means “to cut with scissors”. As the first tecnology of coinage was so elementary and as a result coins had nonround form, this term was used for such coins. First klippe-coins were minted in Scandinavia and Poland in 16th sentury. They had form of polygon with the round stamp inside.

Shapeless silver coins in ancient Russia

In ancient Russia the technology of minting was: the pieces of silver wire were hammered out by the stamp. Silver was flowing in accidental form; often an oval one. For this blurred shape they got a tricky name: “scale coins”. They were minted from 1534 for a century and had a stable weight 0,68 grams at face value one copeck. Russian tsar Ivan the Terrible minted “scale coins” with the rider on obverse. But notwithstanding the low face value of droll coins they were made of good hallmark silver. Russia had so barbaric method of coinage but colonial America went ahead. Spanish conquistadors had much annoyance with transportation silver bullion from America; so they came to decision to carry silver in ready coins and made the colonial people to mint pieces. There the ghasty miracle has appeared. The solid flat piece of silver was cut into bits by hand and stamped. There was not any clue of shape, it was random as masterpiece of nature. For this special feature the coin was called “mackukin”, in Arabic that means “anomalous”.

From 16th century the european silver thaler slips in Russia. It was called “ephimka” on Russian way. As the independence of Russian market was resolute, the coin was meant for remelting as the silver feedstock. Those which avoid death in melting furnace were just cut for three pieces. Thereby three three-cornered coins appeared instead of one. They had one sharp corner and two rounded. Later Russia minted triangle coins itself.

Triangle memorial coin

In 2007 British Isle of Man released triangle memorial coin in honour of …Tutankhamun! On the both sides of coin the portraits of pharaon and Elizabeth the 2nd. At the end of last century Bermuda Islands minted triangle coins with Bermudas on obverse. The coin at face value 3 dollars had 5 thousand speciments edition and 925 silver hallmark. The set of coins devoted to the sacrifices of Bermudas.

Settling with precious metall for good was conceived as far back as ancient Egypt times. The preference here was given to silver and it was used for manufacturing weight money. In Egypt the weight money in a form of silver ring was in circulation.

The Australians could be accused of imitation of Egyptians. Their first coin was the “holed dollar”. The way of its invention was simple plain: there is a wide hole was perforated in the middle of Spanish dollar. And this punched out middles were in circulation too.

Chinese coins

Chinese coins with round or square holes in the middle are well-known all over the world. Firstly this coin was mentioned in Chinese sources in 947 B.C. It’s considered that it takes its shape from the ring-coins which were widespread in circulation on that days. But the first coins were made of metal; later China decided to issue silver bullion without fixed weight. The bullions had form of the boat or backet. The English call them ingots, also “boat money” and “shoe money” because of their form similar to shoes. At 19th century General Czo Czuntan ordered to issue the standart silver coin. It was “silver czyan’” in a rounded form with square hole in the middle and it had 4 grams weight. It’s very precious piece of work in numismatic world nowadays. But China still heading ahead. While the world hunting after the czyan’ China issues memorial square and fan-shaped coins in gold and silver 999 hallmark. On obverse it has the image of some Chinese architectural masterpiece and on reverse there is surely an animal. For instance the monkey, the hen, the horse or dragon… indeed.

Their neighbours, the Japanese, have something to surprise too. Besides silver square coins with high hallmark they ussied square-holed oval coins. It’s worth to point out that such holes is not the whim of the ancients but the reasonable event. Holed coins were convenient to be strung together on a chain or cord for carrying in one’s pocket. The holed coins are still issued nowadays in Japan and Denmark.

The modern world shapeless silver coins

The modern world is rich with fantasy. Turkey gladdens us with collection set of coins with square and oval shape devoted birds and flowers. Heart-shaped coins devoted love and Princess Diana at face value 10 dollars issues Mariana Islands; Somalia and Japan issue octaherdal illusion coins; Liberia invented sundial coin and Congo did the compass coin and even the spoon-coin. On the spoon engraved the country and year of issue and the face of value is on the handle. But Liberia and Spain made a step forward and issued puzzle coin. It looks like the ordinary silver coin with 7 cm diameter surrounded with 12 silver puzzle pieces fit to each other. They have 12 zodiacal symbols on obverse. Inside coin is at face value 40 Liberian dollars and each puzzle piece is 5. The coin made of silver 999 hallmark; it has 1 kg weight and it’s at general face value 100 dollars. The initial selling price established at bank release is 50 000 rubles.