Blog Archives

Coin Story: Isle of Man - Siamese Cat

5/28/2023

Coin from Isle of Man, featuring the Siamese Cat

This coin is part of a coin series issued by the Isle of Man from 1988 to 2016. Each year they featured a different cat breed, and it became popular coins to collect by cat lovers around the world. The 1992 year featured the Siamese Cat.

There are lots of interesting facts about Siamese cats:

They were unique to Thailand's temples and Royal Palaces for centuries. At the time, no commoner was allowed to own one.
About 100 years ago, the Siamese cat reached the USA. It was given to the wife of President Rutherford Hayes.
Most Siamese cats are born all white, and as they age they develop their darker points on their nose, ears, tails, and paws.
Siamese cats are considered big talkers. Their loud and low pitch tones are used to talk to their humans, and they are the most vocal of all cat breeds. (I have had Siamese cats and they followed me around the house in constant conversation. I loved it, but some people might not)
They don't see well in the dark due to their light blue eyes.

Fun Fact:
Siamese cats are very intelligent, and with very little training they love to play fetch! They are regarded as the "dogs" of the cat world.

0 Comments

Coin Story - Newfoundland Dog

5/21/2023

0 Comments

The coin is from Newfoundland, Canada, and features one of their official dogs, the Newfoundland Dog. The dogs originated in this area and were initially used as working dogs for fisherman. The Chamber of Commerce issued the coin or "trade dollar" in 1981 for the Corner Brook Silver Jubilee.

The dog has a muscular build, large size, thick double coat, webbed paws and excellent swimming skills. They are known for their natural water rescue abilities.
A Newfoundland dog named Seaman accompanied Lewis and Clark on their expedition, which took 3 years.
An unnamed Newfoundland is credited for saving Napoleon Bonaparte in 1815 when rough seas knocked him overboard. The dog jumped into the sea and kept him afloat until he could reach safety.
And there are many other recorded rescues by these amazing dogs.

0 Comments

Coin Story: Israel - Roaring Lion

5/7/2023

0 Comments

This coin from Israel is filled with history from the region. They issued them only in 1978 and 1979. Most of the writing on the coin is written in Hebrew, including the date, which reads from right to left. With the help of the internet, here is what the dates look like on the other side of the coin:

I love the lion design, so I did a little research to find out why it would be important enough to be on their coins. Every circulated coin that year included the countries rich history. The Lion symbol came from a famous archeological find. The Roaring Lion was found on a signet-ring traceable to Shema. Shema was a servant or slave of King Jeroboam II (782 - 741 BC). His reign saw the "greatest success and outward prosperity that Israel had known since the days of Solomon."

About that time in history, lions lived from North Africa to India and into Europe, and King Solomon was enamored with them. His ivory throne featured 14 gold lions.

Israel has interesting facts that are fun to learn:

Israel is small, or only 1/6 of 1% of the landmass of the Middle East. It is roughly half the size of Lake Michigan, or about the same size as New Jersey. They have a population of over 8 million people.
The National animal of Israel is the Gazelle, the flower is the Anemone, and the tree is the Olive Tree.
The Dead Sea in Israel is the lowest elevation on Earth. It is about 1,358 feet below sea level. That is an estimate and tends to fluctuate.
The Dead Sea in Israel is also the saltiest water on Earth. PS -Floating in salty water is much easier!
Israeli postage stamps use Kosher glue.

0 Comments

AnimalCoin Blog

Hand Painted Coins by Ann Nolen. Each coin has a story, and this blog shares the stories of the coins that I have painted.
Use the Search Box below to look for posts on a particular subject.

Shop