Our Hobby Corner

Category: Uncategorized

  • Currency Note: French Indochina 1 piastre

    This banknote is from French Indochina, specifically issued by the Institut d’Émission des États du Cambodge, du Laos et du Vietnam. It represents 1 piastre, the official currency of French Indochina before these countries gained independence.

    French Indochina was a federation of French colonial territories in Southeast Asia, including modern-day Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia.

    The piastre was introduced in the late 19th century and remained in circulation until the dissolution of French Indochina in the mid-20th century.After the independence of these countries, new currencies were introduced: the riel in Cambodia, the kip in Laos, and the dong in Vietnam.

    Key details about the note:

    1. Design Elements: The note features tropical trees and foliage, reflecting the natural environment of the region.

  • Notgeld: WW Era

     

    Notgeld: WW time emergency money… and, even in those times, people had a sense of humor, to come out with money depicting scenes such as the above one.

    Featured: An example of Notgeld (emergency money) from Germany, specifically from the town of Papenburg. Notgeld was used during periods of economic instability, particularly in the early 20th century, such as during or after World War I and during the hyperinflation of the 1920s.

    Key Features of the Image:

    1. Denomination:

      • The note is marked with “75 Pfennig,” which indicates its value.

    2. Artwork and Humor:

      • Notgeld often featured unique and sometimes humorous artwork, as seen here.
      • This particular note illustrates a scene likely intended to be satirical or reflective of social or economic conditions of the time.

    3. Text and Context:

      • The text at the bottom is in Low German (“Plattdeutsch”), a regional dialect. It roughly translates to:
        “The money must be taken from the people. You can’t shake it from the trees.”
      • This likely comments on taxation or economic hardship.

    4. Historical Context:

      • Issued in Papenburg in 1921, this aligns with the period when local municipalities or businesses issued Notgeld due to shortages of official currency.
      • Notgeld often became collectible due to its artistic and regional significance.

    Additional Background on Notgeld:

    • Materials: While some Notgeld was paper-based, others were made of materials like metal, porcelain, or even fabric.
    • Designs: They often featured local landmarks, folklore, or political commentary.

    This specific note from Papenburg reflects the creative and practical approaches communities took to cope with economic crises while also providing a fascinating glimpse into local culture and humor of the time.

  • Telephone Cards : Another nice collectible

     


    We first came to know about phone cards when I came abroad back in 1997 for a short while, and then in year 2002. At that time , mobiles were not very popular, and, there were many phone booths everywhere, from where we could call our friends and relatives.

    These are prepaid telephone cards, used to access public telecommunication services by inserting them into compatible payphones.

    The phone cards, in their varying designs, would come out regularly, and, occasionally we would have ‘jigsaw’ kind of cards, as depicted below.

    Some of the cards are from UAE, some from China and around the world. If you see closely, they are like a jigsaw, each of 4(butterfly) or 6(tiger) cards and so on.

    Since then, telephone cards have been deemed obsolete with mobile phones taking over, yet, they make a fascinating hobby, just like matchbox labels and the like. As time goes by, they will continue to get rarer.

    #telephonecards #hobby #jigsaw #cards

  • Currency Note: UAE Currency Board 1 Dirham

     

    Currency Notes :
    Denomination: One Dirham (1 AED).
    Issuer: This note was issued by the United Arab Emirates Currency Board, which was responsible for issuing the UAE’s currency before the Central Bank of the UAE was established.
    Design Highlights (Front Side):
    It depicts significant landmarks, with intricate artwork showcasing the cultural and architectural elements of the UAE.
    The text is written in Arabic, with the denomination and other details visible.
    Design Highlights (Back Side):
    The back features more designs with the denomination written in English.
    The background illustrates an important architectural or symbolic representation of UAE culture.
    Historical Relevance:
    Such notes were issued in the earlier phase of UAE’s currency history, potentially between the late 1970s and early 1980s.
    These notes are no longer in circulation but hold historical and collector value.

  • Matchbox Labels: Themed

     


    Themed Matchbox Labels…such a wide variety of these labels exist.. and each set tells a story of it’s own.

    This theme today: Animals

  • Coins: Errors: Off Minting, Double Strike, and so on

     Error coins.. what fun it was to go through a set of coins and see if we could find any errors.

    Dad found these over the years… and what errors these are.. just see..

    Coins shifted to left, off minting, double strike, an extra growth on the side of a 25 P coin, a coin with the head and tail at 90 deg to each other. Wow.

    (Note: The handwriting in all these , is Dad’s.. neat, precise, clear).

    Some more of these coins coming up in a future post.

  • Matchbox Labels: Themed: Unique

     


    Stamps, Coins, Notgelds… now, for an intro to Matchbox Labels:

    This was a hobby that started long back – when we were kids – Dad encouraged me to write to the matchbox factories – the owners were so nice, they would reply back with a ‘God bless you’ and send matchbox labels in mint condition.(I think there will be some at home still with the handwritten notes).
    From the giant collection, these are some of the key ones…so uniquely themed – Laurel and Hardy, Elvis, old movies….I wrote to the guy who would send them to us, as he sent us whole matchboxes with the matches.. he said he personally creates each matchbox .. amazing, indeed.
    Some more on the topic in the coming days.

  • Currency Notes : Grading

     Explanation of grading of notes, for those who are new to the topic:

    Grading of Currency Notes is done by a pro agency.
    The highest grading in PMG (Paper Money Guaranty) is 70 EPQ. Here’s what it means:
    PMG 70 EPQ
    Grade Description: “Gem Uncirculated 70 Exceptional Paper Quality (EPQ).”
    Characteristics:
    A perfectly preserved note, as fresh and crisp as the day it was printed.
    No evidence of handling under magnification.
    Perfectly centered margins and registration.
    Bright colors and flawless paper quality.
    PMG Grading Scale
    PMG uses a 70-point numerical grading scale:
    60 to 70: Uncirculated grades (no signs of wear, with higher grades representing better centering, color, and visual appeal).
    50 to 58: About Uncirculated (AU) grades (minimal signs of handling).
    40 to 45: Extremely Fine (light folds, minor handling).
    20 to 35: Very Fine (moderate handling and wear).
    4 to 15: Good to Fine (significant wear and possible damage).
    1 to 3: Poor condition.
    EPQ (Exceptional Paper Quality) is an additional designation that indicates the note has original, undisturbed paper quality, enhancing its value among collectors.

  • Currency Notes: Polymer: First Polymer Note: Australia: Commemorative

     


    Polymer notes.. such a fascinating change from the traditional paper notes.

    Featured: the world’s first polymer note, (Year 1988) from Australia, designed to improve durability and security against counterfeiting. It was great to get this one finally, and with a good grade of 65.
    Obverse (Front Side):
    Design: Features an Aboriginal man in ceremonial body paint alongside traditional Indigenous Australian artwork and motifs, symbolizing the culture and heritage of the original inhabitants of Australia.
    Hologram Window: Includes a distinctive see-through holographic window, a pioneering feature in banknotes at the time.
    Reverse (Back Side)
    Design: Displays the First Fleet ships, which brought the first European settlers to Australia in 1788. It also depicts colonial settlers and landscapes, showcasing the historical arrival of Europeans and their interaction with the land.
    #Polymernote #Currency #Australia #Commemorative

  • Currency Notes: French India One Rupee : 1945

     We got this one recently- one of the rare one Re notes. Note that this is relatively better condition than the previous ones we had come across while searching… and, it’s graded.

    Description:
    Year : 1945
    A French India 1 Rupee banknote issued by the Banque de l’Indochine during the French colonial period in India. Here are the key details about it:
    Issuing Authority:
    The note was issued by the Banque de l’Indochine, a French colonial bank established to manage currency and financial activities in French colonies.
    Region:
    This specific note is from Pondichéry (Pondicherry), a key French territory in India. The date “8 Septembre 1945” indicates the issuance or circulation period during the later part of French colonial rule.
    Denomination:
    The denomination is 1 Roupie (Rupee)
    #Currency #FrenchIndia #OneRupee