World copper minors collection.

[coppercoins]

I had an idea at one time that Robert helped me with to an extent, and I am considering working on it again, and would like some feedback...

What I wanted to do is collect one minor (small size) copper from "every country" - the main problem with that is that some countries don't have minor coppers, others existed as one thing at one time and something else at another time (only example that comes to mind is Persia-Iran or maybe Ceylon-Sri Lanka) and I was wondering what the "every country" should compose of. Should it be all newer coins or should I go back to the beginning of the 20th century? Should I look for something from Belgian-Congo, the Straits Settlements, etc. or should I just bother with the "newer" named countries?

Additionally, there is the display...I don't want to stick them in an album and be done with it, I want to show them off. I had a couple of ideas, and was wondering what the general concensus would be for their display...

1. Get a large frame, stick a world map in the middle of the frame, and hole the mat for the coins around the map.

2. Use a few frames and use felt or a velvet mat and hole it for the coins, and put the coins in an artistic configuration and hang the frames in a deco-like configuration on the wall.

3. Use a mirror and repeat #1 with the coins.

Whaddya think?

[tbirde56]

You might focus the theme to something like "copper coins of 1900" or a particular decade or era.

[coppercoins]

That was pretty much what I was thinking, but it would have an addition to the title - copper colored coins of the 1900s...there are many that are copper plated, brass, brass plated, etc. The point would be that they are of small denomination and are brassy/copper in color. I forgot to mention that I plan on collecting only one from each country, and only in BU or close to it. I want the collection to basically match in color and condition - and nicely enough, many of the smaller coppers of the world didn't circulate much, were produced in pretty large quantities, or are otherwise easy to obtain thus aren't very expensive....which is good for my purposes.

Any good suggestion on how they should be displayed on a dark-color painted wall?

[tbirde56]

A dark background with readable labels would be good. If you could position a magnifying lens over each one... but that's not practical. Maybe attach a mag glass or two on a chain, like the pens at the bank for viewers to use. Small coins will be hard to make out in a public display especially if there are are more than two dozen coins in it. People will look at the ones easiest to see and lose interest on the others. That's why I suggested a display for just one year or decade. Perhaps coppers that are 25 millimeters or larger also. Lighting would be important too but size DOES matter in a display. In a collection or home display, though, lots of small coins are great because you have plenty of time and no crowd behind you.

[Robert]

How about a do-it-yourself Capitol holder? One piece of dark blue plexiglas (2 feet tall x 3 feet wide) with all the holes cut out via laser (very clean). Put an old-style world map... the kind that look like they were drawn in the 1500s with North/South America ill-defined... in the center. Sandwich that between 2 pieces of clear plexiglass with screws holding the whole thing together.

Probably cost less than $200. And maybe less than $100.

[coppercoins]

Laser cut plexiglass? I wouldn't have the first clue where to have something like that done. I dunno, everything suggested sounds REALLY complicated, like it's something I'm not sure I could ever do or afford to have done. Sounds to me like the framing would be more expenseive by far than the coins themselves.

My idea included the antique type map, but the "holder" for the coins would simply be a double mat with a hole cut in the top mat for each coin. Still unsure how to cut the holes, but it would work something like a whitman folder....just a press-in hole that's the same size in diameter as the coin. Since this would hang on the wall I would have no need to expose the "other" side of the coins, I would just pick a side that was most appealing to me and show that side. Perhaps I have the wrong idea entirely, and perhaps the right way to do this is too complicated for my abilities in engineering something like this.

I'm having to guess that this piece would need to be at least 3X5 feet to accomodate holes for 100+ minor coppers from around the world, and the position of the holes would have to be carefully planned. Marking the holes with a small label wouldn't be a problem, I excel in graphic ability - I just stink at machinery and making stuff.

[Robert]

There's a local shop in OKC called Eaton-Quade. They do one-off jobs like that. Their specialty is trophies and signs done in plastic. They do a good job. I'm sure there's a similar company in Spgfld or Tulsa that does the same. You might try looking in the yellow pages under plastic fabrication or retail.

You understand my concept, right? Sort of like a big Capitol plastic holder for a 1958 proof set. The only drawback (besides price) I see is it might flex on you if you handle it incorrectly. The holes may have to be "finished" by light, careful sanding to make them a little larger.

As for the Whitman idea, those look like the cardboard was punched through and then the paper backing was applied. One problem with that is getting the right type of cardboard. Maybe a paper supplier can help? Also, how do you cut out the holes? If the coins are all the same diameter you could make a punch. But that's not feasible for a "one each" collection of foreign coins. The next best soluiton seems to me to be to fabricate many punches. That would make nice, clean holes. Cutting them by hand seems difficult (to me anyway).

Perhaps you could attach a blade to a drafting compass? Never tried that but paper dulls blades very fast.

[Steve]

Thanks for the idea, Robert. I've been looking at different ways to display and store my foreign coin sets and I like the Capitol Plastics style holders. CP wants too much for custom holders, though. It was like $75-$80 just for a double mint set holder. That would end up costing me around $1500 for all of the US struck sets.
I'll bet with the computer controlled laser cutters only costing around $10K, that I can find someone who will do it more reasonably...

Btw... Chuck, would you want this one for your set? I still have the 61D rpm 39 to send, also.

[coppercoins]

Yes, I believe I actually could use that one. I don't believe I have a coin from the Netherlands, and I know I wouldn't have one that old. Odd thing, that - considering all the times I've been there and never ended up carrying home any coins..LOL.

Thanks for the addition. I believe I will end up having to post a list of what I do have so people will know what I need by subtraction. I don't have the time or energy to research through all the books to find out what's available.

[SteveAZ]

In regards to the display case, I have had to purchase different types of display cases in the past and almost every shop I went to carried the smaller cases for jewelry and gemstones. These cases have a convex area built into the plexiglass to magnify the gems underneath. the lenses are generally round and about 1.5" diameter but they make both smaller and larger lenses. If you know of someone locally that either makes or sells displays or cases, ask them who is the manufacturer of the smaller gemstone holders. contact them and see if the can make the plexiglass cover custom to your needs. I would not be surprised if either they could or would know who to contact.

SteveAZ