Portugal 2 euro 2012 - Guimarães

New circulating commemorative:

"Guimarães European capital of culture"



LINK: Casa da Moeda

SPECIFICATIONS
Diameter: 25.75 mm
Weight: 8.50 g
Mintage: 500 000
Artist: José de Guimarães

Lithuania 10 litas 2012 - Fine arts

New silver collectors issue:

"Lithuanian Culture series: Fine Arts"



(news by Pabitra Saha)

LINK: Bank of Lithuania

SPECIFICATIONS
Composition: Silver Ag 925
Quality: proof
Diameter: 28.70 mm
Weight: 12.44 g
Mintage: 4,000
Artist: Ruta Nicajiene and Giedrius Paulauskis

Spain 10 euro 2012 - Juan Gris

New silver collectors issue:

"European Artists: Juan Gris"



(image and data by Pabitra Saha)

SPECIFICATIONS
Composition: .925 Sterling Silver
Weight: 27.00 g
Diameter: 40.00 mm
Finish: proof
Mintage: 10 000

LINK: Spain Mint

Belarus 1 rouble 2012 - Belarus China friendship

New CuNi commemorative:

"20 Years of Diplomatic Relations between Belarus and China"



SPECIFICATIONS
Composition: CuNi
Weight: 13.16 g
Diameter: 32.00 mm
Artist: O. Novosiolova
Mintage: 2,000
Mint: Mint of Poland PLC

A silver 20 roubles has been minted also.

(news by Pabitra Saha)

LINK: National Bank of the Republic of Belarus

Romania 50 bani 2012 - Neagoe Basarab & Curtea de Arges Monastery

New circulating commemorative (also issued in gold proof):

"500 years since the enthronement of Saint Voivode Neagoe Basarab in Wallachia and since the initiation of construction works on the church of Curtea de Arges Monastery"



Classic portraits of Saint Voivode Neagoe Basarab:



Curtea de Arges Monastery:



(news from Pabitra Saha)

SPECIFICATIONS
Material: Brass
Weight: 6.10 g
Diameter: 23.75 mm
Edge: inscribed
Mintage: 1 000 000

LINK: Romania National Bank

Belize 1 dollar 2012 - Central Bank 30th Anniversary

New circulating commemorative:

"30th Anniversary of Central Bank of Belize"



(news and images from Pabitra Saha)

LINK: Central Bank of Belize

Germany 10 euro 2012 - Grimm Brothers

New CuNi commemorative:

"200th Anniversary of Grimm Brothers' First Publication"



(news and image from eurocoinland.wordpress.com)

SPECIFICATIONS
Composition: CuNi
Weight: 14.10 g
Diameter: 32.50 mm
Mint: F (Stuttgart)

Armenia 50 drams 2012 - 11 new types

New circulating commemoratives:

The Central Bank of Armenia released a new series of 11 commemorative coins of 50 drams, devoted to Yerevan and the administrative areas (provinces) of Armenia:

KM#212 Aragatsotn (capital: Ashtarak)
KM#213 Ararat (capital: Artashat)
KM#214 Armavir (capital: Armavir)
KM#215 Gegharkunik (capital: Gavar)
KM#216 Kotayk (capital: Hrazdan)
KM#217 Lori (capital: Vanadzor)
KM#218 Shirak (capital: Gyumri)
KM#219 Syunik (capital: Kapan)
KM#220 Tavush (capital: Ijevan)
KM#221 Vayots Dzor (capital: Yeghegnadzor)
KM#222 Yerevan



From top to bottom and left to righ:

Row 1: Common side, Yerevan (KM222), Vayots Dzor (KM221)
Row 2: Kotayk (KM216), Aragatsotn (KM212), Ararat (KM213)
Row 3: Gegharkunik (KM215), Shirak (KM218), Tavush (KM220)
Row 4: Syunik (KM219), Armavir (KM214), Lori (KM217)

(news by Guillermo Granados and Slava Gasparov)
(images by Guillermo Granados)

LINK: Central Bank of Armenia

Ukraine 2 hryvnia 2012 - Sydir Kovpak

New commemorative:



Sydir Artemovych Kovpak (7 Jun 1887 - 11 Dec 1967) was a prominent Soviet partisan leader in Ukraine.

(news by Pabitra Saha)

LINK: National Bank of Ukraine
LINK: Sydir Kovpak in Wikipedia
LINK: Sydir Kovpak in WWII database

Russia 5 roubles 2012 - Krasnoe Battle

New circulating commemorative:

This is a new coin from the series of Battles and Significant Events of 1812 and Foreign Campaigns of the Russian Army 1813-1814.



(news by Antony and Taneli Perätalo)

LINK: Bank of Russia
LINK: Krasnoe Battle in Wikipedia

Canada 2 dollars 2012 - War of 1812: HMS Shannon

New bimetallic commemorative:

This is the first of five pieces that will be released for 200th Anniversary of 1812 War. The other 4 pieces will be quarters.



(news and image by Pabitra Saha)

LINK: Royal Canadian Mint

Turkey 2012 - 2 new bimetallics

Turkey mint issued two new 1-lira bimetallics:

10th International Turkish Language Olympics
150 Years of the Court



(news and images by Pabitra Saha and Gijs Vlothuizen)

LINK: Turkish Mint

Colombia 2012 - Better coin images

50, 100 and 200 pesos:



500 pesos:



1000 pesos:



Technical details:



(images from monetastic.ning.com)

LINK: Banco de la República de Colombia
LINK: Colombia patterns and Krause corrections

Malawi 2012 - New coin family

New circulating types:



(news from Pabitra Saha)

Bangladesh 5 taka 2012 finally out

In august 2011 we announced the new design for Bangladesh 5 taka coin: Original Post

Now the first issues are seen, with year 2012 (not 2010):



(news and image from Pabitra Saha)

Slovenia 2 euro 2013 - Postojna Cave

New bimetallic circulating commemorative:

"800 years since the Discovery of Postojna Cave"

Postojna Cave is a network of 20 kilometres of passages, galleries and chambers into which experienced guides have accompanied more than 31 million visitors in the last 188 years. It is the largest cave in the "classic karst" and the most visited show cave in Europe. In 1872 railway lines were laid in the cave; electricity arrived in 1884.



Inside the cave:



(news by Pabitra Saha)

LINK: Postojna Cave site
LINK: Postojna Cave in Wikipedia
LINK: Bank of Slovenia

SPECIFICATIONS
External ring: CuNi
Center disc: 3 layers, Ni-Brass, Ni, Ni-brass
Diameter: 25.75 mm
Width: 2.20 mm
Weight: 8.50 g

Poland 2 zlotys 2012 - July items

Two new circulating commemoratives:

"Polish Olympic Team London 2012
"Monuments of Material Culture in Poland: Krzemionki Opatowskie"



SPECIFICATIONS
Composition: Nordic gold, CuAl5Zn5Sn1
Weight: 8.15 g
Diameter: 27.00 mm

LINK: National Bank of Poland
LINK: Polish State Mint

Colombia 2012 - New coin family

New circulating types:



(news from www.worldbcnews.com)

LINK: Banco de la República de Colombia
LINK: Colombia patterns and Krause corrections

Latvia 1 lats 2012 - Hedgehog

New circulating commemorative:



SPECIFICATIONS
Composition: CuNi
Diameter: 21.75 mm
Weight: 4.80 g
Edge: inscriptions
Mint: Staatliche Münzen Baden-Württemberg (Germany)
Artists: Andris Vitolins (graphic design) and Laura Medne (plaster model)

(news and image from monetastic.ning.com)

LINK: Bank of Latvia 1 lats pieces
LINK: Monetastic Numismatics Update News

Solomon Islands 2012 - Coin designs unveiled

The Royal Australian Mint has released a silver set where we can enjoy the definitive designs of the new Solomon Islands pieces:



LINK: Royal Australian Mint

Bulgaria 10 levs 2012 - Chudnite Mostove

New silver commemorative:

"Natural phenomena in Bulgaria: Chudnite Mostove (Marvelous Bridges)"

The Marvelous Bridges is a rock formation in the Rhodope Mountains in southern Bulgaria. It is located in the Karst valley of the Erkyupryia River in the Western Rhodopes at 1,450 metres above sea level, at the foot of Persenk Peak.



Two real images:



(images and news by Pabitra Saha)
(information taken from the Wikipedia and Bulgarian National Bank)

LINK: Bulgarian National Bank
LINK: Marvelous Bridges in Wikipedia

SPECIFICATIONS
Material: silver 0.925
Weight: 23.33 g
Diameter: 38.61 mm
Mintage: 4,000
Edge: plain
Mint: Sofia, Bulgaria
Artist: Plamen Chernev

Latvia 5 lats 2012 - 90th Anniversary of coinage

New silver commemorative:

To celebrate 90 years of the Latvian coinage, the 5 lats KM#9 is back with year 2012. A total mintage of just 4,000 pieces has been authorized by the Bank of Latvia.



The original silver coin was minted in three years, 1929, 1931 and 1932, in both normal and proof, with the following mintages:



Will this new item still be catalogued as KM#9? we'll wait and see...

LINK: Coin Update
LINK: Bank of Latvia

(news by Pabitra Saha and Coin Update)
(mintages taken from 2011 Standard Catalog of World Coins 1901-2000)

Russia 10 roubles 2012 - Polyarny

New circulating commemorative:

"Cities of military glory: Polyarny"



(information by Dmitry Petrov and Antony)

LINK: Bank of Russia