And the winner is....

newsman · January 21, 2009 6:09AM

Liberia, for making the first legal tender Barack Obama coin -- probably the first of many. A new collecting subspecialty is born.

farthing · January 21, 2009 7:30AM

I guess I can't say that I'm surprised that Liberia was the first

Doogy · January 21, 2009 7:34AM

<< I guess I can't say that I'm surprised that Liberia was the first

>>

I'll agree, as they seem to churn out lots of coins dedicated to US citizens and former US coin designs. Also, based on the fact that Liberia has the heritage of being founded by freed United States slaves, seems all the more likely that they would dedicate a coin to him.

Staircoins · January 21, 2009 8:12AM

Colorized, and "Layered with .999 Silver"

Flashy and shiny on the outside, with not much that is of substance beneath the surface.

(Edit: I'm referring to the coin!)

newsman · January 21, 2009 9:01AM

<< Colorized, and "Layered with .999 Silver"

Flashy and shiny on the outside, with not much that is of substance beneath the surface.

(Edit: I'm referring to the coin!) >>

Modern Liberian coins are junky, overpriced base-metal discs designed to attract foreign exchange from collectors. The real money in Liberia is the U.S. dollar.

Staircoins · January 21, 2009 9:18AM

<< Modern Liberian coins are junky, overpriced base-metal discs designed to attract foreign exchange from collectors. The real money in Liberia is the U.S. dollar. >>

Yes, like much NCLT produced for countries around the world in the last 40 years. (Marshall Islands, Niue, etc. - but that's a topic for another thread.)

I added my edit because I didn't want my "Colorized... flashy & shiny on the outside... no substance underneath" comment to turn this into a political discussion, no matter how much the coin and its subject have in common in this regard.

To keep the discussion on track, I suppose that you are correct about this becoming a new collecting subspecialty - just one more theme.

newsman · January 21, 2009 9:21AM

<< To keep the discussion on track, I suppose that you are correct about this becoming a new collecting subspecialty - just one more theme. >>

If there's money to be made from U.S. collectors, I'm sure there are at least a dozen countries ready to exploit the theme -- the usual NCLT suspects and then some. On a more positive note, I wouldn't be surprised if Kenya considers a more serious commemorative issue as well.

thelawnet · January 21, 2009 1:17PM

<< Liberia, for making the first legal tender Barack Obama coin -- probably the first of many. A new collecting subspecialty is born. >>

Meh. Not real coinage. I'd be surprised to see a real legal tender and CIRCULATING coin with him on.

mrfred · January 21, 2009 8:32PM

I am an avid collector of Liberian coinage, but NOT of the NCLT and commemoratives. Rather, I am building a collection of BU circulating material and of the 19th century patterns and proofs (which reflect the circulating coinage of that time). I agree it's best not to make this into a political thread, but I do want to express a concern. Very little -- if any -- of the modern NCLT Liberian proceeds actually help the Liberian people. They are lurching out of more that two decades of chaos, and in particular, are trying to rebuild after the insanity of Charles Taylor's regime. The new President is a strong-willed and effective person: Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, and among all her traits, she is first and foremost a pragmatist. She has bigger fish to fry and much worse problems to fix; for example, Monrovia still has no functioning power grid or stable piped water supply. How can she and her administration possibly be expected to put energy into controlling these (frankly) idiotic Liberian NCLT themed issues? Have a glance at the Standard Catalog. During the worst of the Taylor years, "Liberia" was issuing commemorative NCLT coins for...what? Star Trek?! PandaAmerica and others who have "licenses" to do this should be ashamed.

Staircoins · January 22, 2009 3:39AM

Is there a way to find out how much of the issue price for NCLT pieces like this actually ever gets to the issuing country?

(Setting aside for the moment what the corrupt dictator du jour may or may not do with the funds...

)

BCNumismatics · January 23, 2009 2:03PM

It is the Pobjoy Mint that has been striking a ton of medal-coins in the name of Liberia.I wouldn't be too surprised if they struck a Dollar-denominated medal-coin in the name of Sierra Leone depicting President Obama of America on it,or a 1 Crown medal-coin in the name of the Isle of Man as well.

Aidan.

And the winner is....

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