Italian Mint - 2009 Coins

Dr. Amalia Travaglini, General and Foreign Services Manager for the Italian Mint began her portion of the program with a set of coins honoring the 100th Anniversary of Nobel Prize winner Guglielmo Marconi. They will be proofs struck in silver 10 Euro and gold 20 Euro. Also well known to the numismatic audience will be a bimetallic 2 Euro coin celebrating the advances of Louis Braille and a 50 Euro for the developing Barcelona La Sagrada Familia Cathedral which has remained under construction for more years than almost any structure in the world.

The 2009 FINA World Championships will have a 10 Euro coin for the Aquatic champions and the Italian Mint will also be striking the silver and gold medals for FINA winners in swimming, diving, water polo and all other water sports.

Also on schedule for 2009 release will be coins for the International year of Astronomy, 100th Anniversary of the founding of Futurism, 300th Anniversary of the discovery of Herculaneum, 400th Anniversary of the death of Annibale Carracci and the world famous Tour of Italy bicycle race set for May to June of this year.

Royal Dutch Mint - 2009 Coins

As J. Rene van Dijk Commercial Director for the Royal Dutch Mint emphasized, they do few commemoratives each year, but they do them very well. This year the Royal Dutch Mint has hit on a subject of great interest to several pockets of the coin market. The 400 Years of the Dutch VOC Company Manhattan commemoratives show an ariel view of the island then and now on obverse and reverse. It’s a design you can’t help but admire and most who view it, will want to own this either it’s 5 Euro proof silver, 5 Euro silver plated or 10 Euro proof gold version.

The history depicted on these coins involves a European countries search for a passage to the Far East, a classic exploration company, a commander of great renoun and an island destined to become a central depot between an old and a new world. The Manhattan coins honor all these elements and by doing so, garner cross interest from several collecting areas. So if you are interested in The Netherlands explorations of 1609, the Dutch East India Company, Henry Hudson, the ship - Half Moon, New York City or Mahnattan, then keep an eye out in April for the release of the 5 Euro proof silver commemorative coin celebrating the 400th Anniversary of the Dutch in Manhattan.

The second type the Royal Dutch Mint will issue in 2009 commemorates 400 Years of Trade between Netherlands and Japan and is being struck in a joint effort with the Japan Mint. The design is not yet complete, but given this mints track record, we can expect something great.

The Royal Dutch Mint will be continuing their Ducat series in 2009 with gold one and two ducat issues. Also planned for the mint is a special 2009 Benelux coin set containing coins from Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg with special packaging. This is all in addition to the mints other annual BU set offerings.

Netherlands Antillies and Aruba BU sets with 2009 dates will be issued from the Royal Dutch Mint this year, plus a special 10 Florin proof gold coin will be struck commemorating the 55th Carnaval on Aruba.

Aside from the Dutch Royal Mint website, most all Dutch Royal Mint coins are available from The Coin & Currency Institute, Inc., P.O. Box 1057, Clifton, NJ 07014, email - mail@coin-currency.com and tell them you heard about it while reading Big Ideas, little world!