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British Trade Dollars

I've developed an interest in GB Trade dollars. Are there any books that are available on them?

Stuff like rarity, how to tell genuine, etc.

Or is everything on the internet now?

Thanks

lchobbyco
ANA Life-Member

Comments

  • SapyxSapyx Posts: 1,977 ✭✭✭✭✭

    These coins sort of "fall between the cracks".

    They were commissioned by the British government, struck in branches of the Royal Mint in India and bear no indication of country of origin other than an image of Britannia, so the Krause catalogues file them under "Great Britain". However, because they weren't struck in Britain, were never intended for circulation in Britain and indeed never actually circulated in Britain in any significant way, collectors in Britain itself do not consider them to be "British coins". They are therefore not listed in any of the popular British coin catalogues (Spink, Coincraft, Rotographic).

    Friedberg, in his "Coins of the British World" books, filed them under "British Colonies", alongside the Anchor Money coinage.

    Because of their relatively low demand, there is little price difference between "rare dates" and "common dates" in the series; very, very few people are attempting to complete a "date set" of them.

    There's also the matter of counterfeits, both modern and contemporary. The most interesting of these, to me, are the ones where the words "ONE DOLLAR" have been replaced by the words "FOR JEWELLERY".

    Waste no more time arguing what a good man should be. Be one.
    Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius, "Meditations"

    Apparently I have been awarded one DPOTD. B)
  • TwoKopeikiTwoKopeiki Posts: 9,528 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Sapyx's reply just made me want to assemble a British Trade Dollars complete date set :)

  • LouisCampLouisCamp Posts: 468 ✭✭✭

    Thanks for the info.

    lchobbyco
    ANA Life-Member
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