Monday, October 31, 2011

Malaysia 2003 Proof Set Of 3 Islamic Summit Conference (OIC)







***And from the store-room of my former dormitory mate, here comes the seldom-seen Proof Set Of 3 coins issued 8 years back commemorating the 10th Session Of The Islamic Summit Conference, with, of course, the 8.6gm Proof gold coin as its pivotal centre piece.

Apparently, only 250 boxes were issued for this set by the, then, Royal Mint Of Malaysia, and by the way, where have they all gone now as this set is now rarely seen?

Don't tell us that the delegates of the conference had taken them back to the countries where they came from!

With the recent surge in prices for everthing that is Proof & comes with a box & a cert, the open market value for this elusive Set Of 3 must also have shot up, if one were to be invited to take a wild guess....

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Malaysia 1983 10 Sen Coin Brilliant Uncirculated



***And from the monetary vault of low-profile Datuk Raymond Chang, here comes the common Malaysian 10 Sen coin dated 1983 but in golden-toned lustrous Brilliant Uncirculated condition.

Vis-a-vis the 1971 10 Sen coin issue, the 1983 one seems to belong to the usual big mintage group but trying to look for a nicely struck one in BU condition is not easy, esp. if it carries a golden lustrous patina. Most, if not all of the 1971 10 Sen coins are in BU condition; try looking for a few in VF condition and see, if you can get any.
The motto among many Pakar Numis' today seems to be to accumulate as many as possible the nice BU Parliament Series. It's not that these Pakar Numis' want to ignore the Hibiscus series but how many of these Hibiscus coins are actually in BU condition, tell me?

Monday, October 24, 2011

Malaya & British Borneo 1961 $10 Buffalo Note Choice Uncirculated



***What a gorgeous note in Choice Uncirculated condition in the form of this ever-popular & very popularly known Buffalo Note from British Malaya!

Definitely a very fresh looking buffalo rather than the overworked tired-looking ones that one sees so often being offered for sale online.

This banknote actually is the consecutive piece to another one already featured over here a month or two ago.

And this gorgeous note is now on the way to the US so that PMG can do its usual good job by independently and professionally grading this note, & I am very cocksure that this note will come back graded at least with PMG 66 EPQ, no matter how strict PMG grading criteria will be as this is a banknote a few notches up against many others in terms of freshness, sharpness of the corners & the exceptional paper quality..........



Friday, October 21, 2011

Malaysia 2011 $1 ZAC Replacement Banknotes Uncirculated



***This is a consecutive pair of the RM1 ZAC Replacement banknotes which I believe were issued this year and which I have managed to buy during my recent trip down south to Singapore, while attending the recent Singapore's Monetarium auction.

As I don't have a piece of this 'rare' Replacement issue I thought acquiring them would be a good idea as after all, I was an underbidder through & through at the Monetarium Auction as my pockets weren't enough deep enough vis-a-vis the big players present there.

Yes, I felt like a squeezed anchovy all the way through.

Thus, getting these 2 notes back home was some sort like the 4D's Consolation prize, I suppose.

But the freaking question running through the back of my mind for these past several nights is will there be a ZAD Replacement, or better still, why not, a ZAE?! The more, the merrier, I suppose!

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Malaysia 1981 50 Cents Coin Brilliant Uncirculated



***Never have I seen a 50 Sen coin from the Parliamant Series as lustrous and as beautifully struck as this one from the year of 1981.

This is definitely what all Pakar Numis' will label as a Choice BU type of coin, so lustrous, very few or hardly any bagmarks & so well & sharply struck, despite the fast passage of 30 years.

And of course, that can't be said for the current Hibiscus Series as coins from this series seem to be poorly struck, perhaps due to worn-out dies or even lousy planchets & they seem 'invaded' with lots of bagmarks.

As such, there is a feeling that coins from the Hibiscus Series that exhibit the traits of BU condition would command very high prices in the numis market in the not too distant future.

Actually, that's not what I have opined. That's the expresed opinion of a few Pakar Numis' during our recent alfresco tea-tarik session. And this speculation should hold water as after all they came from the mouths of an esteemed group of numis folks.

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Malaysia 1986 $20 Banknotes Last Prefix TH Uncirculated

***As most collectors are aware, the $20 deno will be making a comeback next year & apparently, this time, it will be in yellow color, compared to the previous brown color.
The $20 banknotes signed by Jaffar Hussein have always been underpriced & 2 years ago was selling for just around RM40 a piece in UNC condition, perhaps, due to slavish following of the numismatic catalogues which for one reason or another assigned a low reference price to this issue even though the total quantity printed for this issue was less than half that of its predecessor of the same denomination.
But, since this year, this $20 banknote has been on the uptrend and that too, depends on its prefixes.
Its TH prefix commands the highest price as only less than 2 million pieces were printed & those in Choice UNC mostly, as you may notice, bear the Serial NOs starting with TH 149xxxx.
Featured today is the seldom yet seen in Choice UNC condition with the serial numbers that start with TH05xxxxx.
Many numis Smart Alecs are predicting that this TH prefixed banknote will hit way above the RM300 mark by next year.
They should be correct with their guess or rather prediction I suppose, as after all, these are the Smart Alecs who should be in-the-know compared to a layman like, who else, but yours truly.

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Malaysia $50 Solid Numbers 8888888 Uncirculated



***Another banknote that's worth crowing about & this piece is in the form of the RM50 deno from the previous series & of course, bearing the ever desirable Serial Numbers of 8888888.

A note that used to appear in abundant form but altogether disappeared from the scene and at the same time had its price spiked upwards.

I suppose that's what is being meant when words like 'Today's The Crapper, Tomorrow's The World" were uttered.

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Malaysia 1986 $10 Solid Numbers 8888888 Uncirculated

***This banknote which was issued more than 20 donkey years ago is worth crowing about as it bears the ever desirable & universally popular as well as prosperous Serial Numbers of 8888888.
It's never easy to get such serial numbers from banknotes from the 'days of yore' compared to those issued these days but even recent banknotes these days with such serial numbers do not c0me cheap but put it this way, this hobby doesn't come cheap or should I say, this is not a cheap hobby.
It's quite hard to build a respectable collection if one's pocket is too shallow & ya, this, indeed, is a 'cruel hobby', as someone not so famous recently put it to yours truly.
These days, it's imperative that one buys ahead and not as an idiotic slave to what have been quoted in various numismatic catalogues, pricewise.
Why? Because these catalogues are all wrong always. Either the prices quoted are way too low or are too high.
So, you collectors need extra input, input that cannot be acquired in a day, input that cannot be bought but input that can only be acquired through & through by 'turun padang', & by also mingling with the various Pakar Numis Malaysia and there are quite a number of these Pakar Numis' around, mind you.....

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Malaysia 1979 50 Cents With Extra Dot Brilliant Uncirculated









***Of course, by now you all should know that this variety of the 1979 Malaysian 50 Sen coin that has an extra Dot at the bottom of the Parliament House was discovered by none other than our highly esteemed friend, Pakar Numis Malaysia, Steven Tan.

Actually, there are tonnes of this coin around, esp. those in Fine or VF conditions, & many more that have been chemically cleaned & which some collectors proudly claimed to be 'EF' or even 'AU!'

What we desire most today will be those in BU condition, which are never easy to find and never cheap to acquire obviously.

Here is a nice specimen thats worth gloating about to those who like this so-called 'Extra Dot' variety or rather those who like dot or dots on the Malaysian coins.

However, just because of this 1979 variety, I have noticed that many amateur collectors have been very busy getting down & looking for so-called 'dots' for the Hibiscus series & believe it or not, some even proclaimed that they have discovered those with not just 1 dot but oh God, 2 'dots'.....Good luck to these pioneering folks who are obviously 'dots hunting'....

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Malaysia 1973 1 Sen Brilliant Uncirculated













***Besides the 1976 Malaysian 1 Sen coins which were struck in 2 different metal planchets, the 1973 1 sen coins too were struck in 2 variations, ie, copper & copper-clad steel planchets, with the latter being magnet friendly.

Of course, by, now, every Tom, Dick & Harry know that the 1 Sen 1976 copper can command more than RM3 grand a piece, which means in terms of weight, this coin costs more than its weight in gold & as usual, if anything sounds too good to be true, most probably, it is!

I still prefer to stick to gold as after all, gold is forever! Of course, the fairer sex would prefer diamonds, I am told.

And of course, people can claim that there are ONLY roughly 100 pieces of this copper variation being available & but how accurate can that be?!

Even the leading Malaysian numismatic catalogue makes no reference as to its presumed quantity & never gave a reference price to this particular coin struck in copper.

If 100 pieces is something to really, really, really, really, really gloat about, what about the Malaysian commemorative proof gold coins which only had 150 pieces struck?

Shouldn't these gold coins cost more than RM8 grand a piece if a miserable 1 sen copper with a presumed quantity of 100 pieces is commanding more than RM3 grand?

After all, how much does an oz of gold costs vis-a-vis copper you tell me? Every dungu knows how much gold costs today compared to copper!

Anyway, you folks don't have to break your balls for you can own a set of these 1973 Malaysian 1 sen coins also struck in both copper & copper-clad steel in Brilliant Uncirculated condition for just a miserable RM47, postage already thrown in.
I have several sets of these 1973 ones in very sassy BU condition for sale, do contact me if you want any & you can, thus,now join the league of collectors collecting high grade Malaysian 1 sen coins!

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Malaysia 2011 $100 ZE 0010000 Replacement Banknote Uncirculated

***A rather cute banknote in the form of the current RM100 Replacement Series but with the cute Serial Numbers of ZE0010000.
The moment I saw this banknote I really wanted it as I find the serial numbers cute. Maybe you don't but I do! The more zeroes the better. 6 zeroes make a million & that means the more zeroes the richer you are.
I am lucky to have got this banknote from a well-known Pakar Numis Malaysia during the latest MNS auction held at the Museum Negara.
For that, I am hereby, thanking you again profusely but as per your wish to remain anonymous, I swear in the name of heaven that I will never mention your name to anyone. And you know my word is as good as anything!
I think it's better to send this banknote to the PMG folks for grading as I am sure it will be returned as at least PMG 65 or 66, but you'll never know....One clown told me that this banknote is a PMG 68 candidate...

Monday, October 3, 2011

Malaysia 2011 $50 ZC Replacement Banknotes Uncirculated




***I still remember how my backside got burnt thru the RM1 'rare' ZD Replacement banknotes and since then, I have promised my grandma that I wouldn't want to put good money into these Replacements crap.

Once burnt, twice shy, as they so aptly put it!

But, as usual, I never seem to be able to keep my word when an old runner with a gift of gab this morning convinced me to buy these freaking RM50 ZC Replacements, saying, there is 'future' in these.

What the fuck was this old fox talking about, what bloody future,heaven knows?

And I almost pissed thru my khaki pants when he showed me 4 stacks of these notes starting from the Serial Nos of ZC 0000001 to ZC 0000400.

There could be hundreds of stacks of these all over the place!

Anyway, since he was only offering these to me at a mere RM55 each, I decided to take these 3 pieces as these 3 numbers are the lucky numbers of my pussycats & who knows, these might bring me truckloads of prosperity soon.

By the way, the above runner has already sent the ZC0000001 banknote to PMG to be graded & he is praying that it will be tagged PMG 68, as after all, the PMG folks are the undisputable experts as far as banknotes grading is concerned.

Apparently, he wants to put this banknote for auction thru the coming Spink Auction as he is a bit miffed that despite the low numbers, nobody locally is willing to pay him at least a thousand Ringgit for it.

Saturday, October 1, 2011

Malaysia 1998 Paperweight $2 AA0000000













***A unique paperweight issued more than 10 years ago by the Central Bank Of Malaysia featuring an unissued RM2 note bearing the all-desirable Serial Numbers of AA0000000.

This paperweight comes with a box & a blue-colored velvet cover. However, most similar paperweights being sold online & offline don't come with these.
The banknote encased in the paperweight is a rather unique one as it's not available in any other form & as such, there have been contemplated attempts to crack open one & retrieve the very much desirable note.

Apparently, one well-known Pakar Numis Malaysia has tried doing so but made a mess of it big time!

And now, the Venerable One, the low-profile Malaysian numismatic market leader, Datuk Raymond Chang, is planning to crack open a similar paperweight in order to get that bloody encased note out, apparently, so that he can crow & gloat about it all to you & me obviously.

I am waiting to see the outcome of Datuk Raymond Chang's attempt to do so & if he could, I will get mine cracked open too & that way I too can gloat & crow like him!

But guys, do you know that Datuk Raymond Chang wants to charge me a professional fees of RM200 just to crack open this lousy paperweight?