Now here's two oddball questions!

BillyKingsley · August 6, 2008 5:37PM

I'm wondering, what is the largest coin that was ever intended for circulation the world over? I know some medals can be pretty darn big but I'm specifically wondering what the largest coin intended for use was.

My other question, and here's the real oddball-have there ever been any coins, from any country, with a squirrel or squirrells on them? I love watching the squirrells in my back yard and I'm wondering if there's a coin that I could add that would reflect that.

Thanks!

Dawg144 · August 6, 2008 5:59PM

Does this count?

Stone money from the Pacific island of Yap. Wikipedia says they're still accepted today.

BillyKingsley · August 6, 2008 6:05PM

I guess that would! The coin that doubles as a table! LOL! I can't imagine carring them around in your pocket though-WOW!

lordmarcovan · August 6, 2008 8:23PM

Nah, you would stick a pole through that hole, and have your sons carry it over to the other guy's hut, I guess.

My paternal grandmother had a couple of pieces of (much smaller) Yap money in her front yard in Florida. They were about small-millstone-sized, I reckon. I guess she'd had friends who'd traveled in the Pacific.

I can't help but wonder if they are still in that yard. If anybody lives in Stuart, Florida, I would be interested to know.

I will try to summon up the address from the memory banks, or ask Dad. I would love to have Grammy's Yap money. She died in 1980, after moving here to Georgia. I strongly suspect she left the Yap "coins" back in her yard in Stuart when she moved. They were just big enough that a little old lady might not have wanted to move them when she left to live up here in a smaller condominium with no yard.

But that was more than 30 years ago.

And yet... there is a fair chance that they could still be out there in that front yard. I would love to buy them, for sentimental reasons, if they are still there.

lordmarcovan · August 6, 2008 8:38PM

This thread has been linked to the US Coin Forum, in case somebody from Stuart is there.

I seem to recall there being somebody from the area here on the forums.

If we could find my grandmother's lost Yap loot, not only would I buy it and give one of the pieces to the finder, but I would have a great story for my treasure hunting blog!

My grandmother's name was Jean Shinnick, and she lived in Stuart around 1973-74. I want to say the house was on Sixth Street, but I forget. There were a couple of 3s in the street address, I think. 933 East Sixth Street? Something like that. My Dad will know. I was just a scabby-kneed kid at the time.

tbirde56 · August 6, 2008 10:49PM

Norway 1 ore Squirrel.

ajaan · August 6, 2008 10:53PM

Some of the 17th and 18th Century German States silver 2 taler coins are pretty big.

lordmarcovan · August 7, 2008 12:59AM

Speaking of oddball, the quest for my grandmother's Yap coins is heating up over on the Liteside, and proving quite interesting.

Satellite photos of the house have now been obtained.