Japanese Canadian - Beaver - postage stamp ingots
dcarr
Posts: 8,000 ✭✭✭✭✭
Beavers seem to be a thing around here 
I hadn't seen these posted previously, so here they are.
In the 1970s an outfit called "99 Company" of San Clemente California produced various numismatic and philatelic items. They were a competitor to the Franklin Mint. Both entities produced a neat set of postage stamp ingots. The 99 Company issues were nicer, in my opinion. They were larger, thicker, heavier, had color, and had a hefty pure silver base (Franklin Mint issues were .925 fine sterling). One of the 99 Company issues was a representation of the first Canadian postage stamp which featured a Beaver. There were two types of ingots: "Jeweler's Bronze" and Silver. Both were die-struck like a coin and then had a cloisonné style translucent glass enamel overlaid on the relief. For the Beaver issue, I think the bronze one actually looks better (clearer image of the Beaver) because the color of the bronze metal allowed less (and clearer) enamel to be used to achieve the desired final color. The silver issues typically contain 15 to 20 grams (net) of pure silver. They are marked on the back "1000 FINE SILVER JAPAN". The "1000" designation seems odd compared to the usual "999", but Japanese and European items often used the "1000" or "1.000" markings for pure silver. Originally they were all mounted to a card with information about the particular postage stamp. The 99 Company produced other postage stamp ingots but I don't know how many different types there are. The last picture (below) shows some other ones that I am aware of.
Typical reverse-side marking:
Some other issues (removed from issue card at some point):
.
Comments
Nice now we just need Jabba here!
Dan we gonna make one? 
I recall those being sold quite some time ago ... late 1960s or 1970s perhaps? Didn't they come in an envelope with a see-through window that was postmarked on/in some date/country related to the stamp issue?
Those are collectively called "PNC" (Philatelic Numismatic Cover or Philatelic Numismatic Combined).
The ones you are thinking of had a government-issue paper postage stamp (cancelled on the envelope) with a window in the envelope that showed a government-issue coin or medal.
Here is one that is more interesting (to me) than most (this one also produced by 99 Company):
I don't have any immediate plans to make a "beaver" product.
But I am researching cloisonné.
All this is making me wanna go get knee deep in some beaver right now!
"Today the crumbs, tomorrow the
loaf. Perhaps someday the whole damn boulangerie." - fictional Jack Rackham
I have this PNC-
And here is something similar to the metal stamps above, although these are made of base metal. They were made circa 1972-73 and are called "Numistamps." A complete US type set of these was produced.
I learn something every day on this forum. Thanks Dan and the other posters.
An off thread question for you Dan while you are here. With the possible minting of Morgan and Peace dollars in 2021 (if the bill passes) will you be doing a couple in your own style?
If you decide to do a Peace dollar I will definitely be in for that one to go along with my Buff 5c, Merc 10c, Standing 25c, and Walking Lib 50c.
Yes, I expect to have several "1921" Morgan and Peace items.
Thank you Dan for sharing the other part of your passions
That is a nice one.
I like how they used a decent nickel and not some polished VG-details piece like you see in a lot of other "numismatic" packaged products.
Here is an image of the back of the envelope. The coin would grade somewhere around MS63. I've had this for over 20 years and have been looking for another one for that long but to no avail.
Those stamp ingots are really neat! Are they still available anywhere? I did an ebay search where there were plenty but none of the quality of those you show, dcarr.
I shall look forward to seeing how you deal with the fact that 1921 Morgan and Peace dollars DO exist, unlike 1964-D dollars which may or may not exist.
My reply moved to the "Dan Carr's latest" thread:
https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/970119/dan-carrs-latest/p113
That looks good, just so long as nobody ever trims away the outer ring down to coin size and artificially reeds whats left.
I recently bought off eBay most of the reasonably-priced ones that are of this type (produced by 99 Company).
I don't think there are many left there right now
PNC's, Numistamps, what a cool thread...I once thought about collecting stamps, even have a couple full sheets, but there were just way too many and it was overwhelming. As I keep finding out, there are more coins and related products than I was ever even aware of.
I collect stamps, too, since the late fifties, but with much less enthusiasm than coins. I particularly like stuff like this error with omitted color-