Coin Collecting at the Safir House Dutch Architecture Coin

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I was attracted to this coin because I believed that the design might be truly a breakthrough in the use of digital technology and minting processes to put forth an outstanding design. However, now that I have the coin in hand, its a bit of a disappointment.

The coin is too small for the ambitions of this design. Smaller than a nornmal sized silver dollar of the Morgan or Peace size, it rolls in at a 33 millimeter diameter and at a weight of only 15.5g, a bit more than half an ounce, substantially less than an ASE. It has a very detailed design but the design is flat, even looking etched instead of minted.

Lets look at some photos of the coin itself:




Above is a set of 4 images, 2 of the reverse and the obverse.

The reverse is an image of books written by Dutch Architects arraigned in such a way as to form a map of Netherlands in the center and the birds representing regional capitals.






The Obverse is a picture of the Monarch, Queen Beatrix, created with lines and shadow from the names of maybe a hundred or more important Dutch Architects.

Obverse Details

Looking at the Obverse image of the Queen Beatrix several good pictures are needed to appreciate the details of this design and how the aesthetics of the coin functions.

Here is a 5.2 megabyte image of the obverse which is absolutely worth taking the time to download and view.

http://www.mrbrklyn.com/coins/12012...8_silver_1.png

Here is a detail of the center of the coin and one can see the names clearer than perhaps with your naked eye.



Here is a view of the top:



some of the bottom



and a complete view:


The use of the text inside of the imagery was all accomplished with Free Software and how the light hits the coin changes dramatically how the coin looks to the eye. In this regard, this coin is a unique work.


Some differences in angles and photographic qualities can help on understand the delicacy of this coin and its play with light and environment.

Here is a very sharp JPEG of the coin head on, with great detail of the names.



Generally I try not to use JPEG graphics because they remove visual information from the picture and ech time you manipulate it and resave it, you lose more detail. So generally I save files as PNGs which are larger, but still very compressed.

Here is a look under the glass:

http://www.mrbrklyn.com/coins/12012...ver_4_magn.jpg



This is a must look of the coin on a different light and angle

http://www.mrbrklyn.com/coins/12012...8_silver_6.png



http://www.mrbrklyn.com/coins/12012...8_silver_7.jpg

This is one of the sharpest images of the coin that I took, very crisp and detailed. A great archival recording of the work of art.

http://www.mrbrklyn.com/coins/12012...8_silver_8.png


This visual gives a more composite look and shows how the image pulls together as a single whole.




http://www.mrbrklyn.com/coins/12012...8_silver_8.jpg

http://www.mrbrklyn.com/coins/12012...lver_9_400.png
http://www.mrbrklyn.com/coins/12012...lver_9_400.jpg
http://www.mrbrklyn.com/coins/12012...8_silver_9.jpg


A look into the magnifying glass

http://www.mrbrklyn.com/coins/12012...ver_12_mag.jpg


A more silvery look at the obverse with great detail

http://www.mrbrklyn.com/coins/12012..._silver_13.png




In these last two you can compare JPEGS and PNGs back to back.

http://www.mrbrklyn.com/coins/12012...ver_10_400.png

Upside Down - different light and details shown

Avoid Gijs Henzen, owner of Munthandel G. Henzen - Antisemetic Facists

The Safir Family Internet Coin Library. Nearly all the coins here have been stolen. If you have any information on the theft, please contact us at mrbrklyn@panix.com Click to see these examples show below including photography: note to lawyer: most of the good stuff is gone Section I: US Coints Large Cent Coppers Flying Eagle Cents Lincoln Cents and Wheat Backs Buffalo Nickels Jefferson Nickels Jefferson Silver War Nickels Bust Half Dimes Mercury (Liberrty Head) Dimes Roosevelt Dime Barber Quarter Dollars Standing Libery Quarter Washington and Washington State Quarters Cap Bust Half Dollars 1813 o.108 AU58 Cap Bust Half Providence Powell. 1818 MS63 Cap Bust Half 1833 MS63 Cap Bust Half Seated Half Dollars Barber Half Dollars Walking Liberty Half Dollars Franklin Half Dollars Kennedy Half Dollars Morgan Silver Dollars Peace Silver Dollars Eisenhower Clad and Silver Dollars Sacawagea Golden Dollars Modern Silver and Clad Proof Sets Modern American Silver Eagle uncirculated mint coins and proofs Modern Silver and Clad 2008 Commorative Bald Eagle Series Gold Coins - Not too many Circulated US Silver Coins prior to 1964 Go To Section II: Modern and Ancient Foreign Coins from Outside The United States Go To Section III: Mandy's 25th Anniversary World Wildlife Fund Silver Coins Unsorted Extra stuff: Bust US Coinage From the coin Show at Melville Long Island Article on Numismatics and Lobbying

The Safir Family Internet Coin Library: Foriegn Coins. Several mints from around the world make exciting coin designs in circulating alloys, silver and gold. Among my favorites are the Perth Mint in Austrailia which produces a variety of coins for nations mostly through out the Pacific Rim. The Neatherlands has also produced some interesting designs, and several private US based mints have produced foreign currency on contract, include the Franklin Mint which has produced many Israeli Coins. Our interest in foreign coins has been nominal but rapidly growing as it seems that US designs are so stuck in the mud. Also, foreign mints are creating bold new designs with color and bimetal designs that are both eye catching and fun. Dutch Scheepjesschelling Biblical Coins overview Australian Silver Koala Australian Kookaburra Silver Australian Perth Mint Reef II Sea Life Silver Hawkbill Turtle Australian Perth Mint Reef II Sea Life Series Octopus Australian Perth Mint Reef II Sea Life Series Starfish Australian Perth Mint Reef II Sea Life Series Surgeon Fish Australian Perth Mint Reef II Sea Life Series Manta Ray Australian Perth Mint Silver Cockatoo Parrot Australian Perth Mint Dollar Silver Dugong Britain Churchill Crown 1965 British Wren Type Farthings Britain Virgin Island $25 Golden Osprey Cayman Islands Cuban Amazon Parrot: 25 Anniversity World Wifelife Fund Chinese Silver Panda Easter Islands Fiji Island Turtle Bullion minted in New Zealand German 10 Euro Archeopteryx Coin Indo-Sassanian Gadhaya Paisa Saurastrat - Silver Coin Israeli Coins Japanese Aomori Coin Judean Roman Wars Judean Herodian Coinage Kashmir Kurdistan Macabean Coins Netherlands Architecture Commemerative Euro Netherlands 400 years since the discovery of Manhattan Commem Netherlands Predecimal Steivers New Zealand 1963 One Florin New Zealand 1996 Kaka Parrot $5 Silver Dollar Niue Island Artist Series: Van Gogh Niue Island Cave of Chauvet Portugal Coa Valley Archeological Site Coin Polish Food for All Commemerative - First Food Slovakia Chatam Sofer Commem Tuvalu Deadly and Dangerous Silver Blue Ringed Octopus Tuvalu Deadly and Dangerous Silver Funnel-Web Spider Uraguay 1969 FAO Pattern Coins Western Satraps 1st Century - 2nd Centry India -R-Drachm Israeli Akko, Birds, Red Sea and Elijah Coins. Perth Minti Kookabura and Koalas, and Van Gogh Coin from Niue Island More Birds and some half dimes half dimes More International Birds

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