US Territorial/ Phillipine Coins

[shirohniichan]

I just finished a type set of Territorial and Commonwealth Philippino coins. Does anyone else here collect them?

 

I've noticed that they're getting more coverage in the Red Book than in past years. Do you think they will gain more interest from mainstream US collectors, or will they remain on the fringe?

 

I'd appreciate opinions on their future prospects for collector interest.

[chrisfuccione]

being in the Red book will help. They are in the grey area. Are they forien or US coins? CHRIS

[shirohniichan]

For now their dark . How long they will remain terra incognita will probably depend on how much press they get.

 

BTW, does anyone know of a good book about Philippino coins? I got one by Lyman, but it mostly deals with mintages, pops, and prices. I'd like to find out more about the production and circulation of the coins, the establishment of the Manila Mint, etc.

[gmarguli]

Many of the designs that I have seen are rather ugly, so I'd say that they are foreign coins.

[shirohniichan]

Many of the designs that I have seen are rather ugly, so I'd say that they are foreign coins.

 

If you really think they're ugly, shouldn't you consider them modern US coins?

[DWLange]

I'm a longtime (20+ years) collector of this series. The reason they were added to the Red Book by date and mint in 1998 is that I campaigned for it for many years. When space became available, Editor Ken Bressett asked me to write that chapter, and it's been included almost without change since that time. The plate coins in the Red Book are from my collection.

 

As for additional books that have more background information than Lyman Allen's, I recommend the following:

 

Shafer, Neil. UNITED STATES TERRITORIAL COINAGE FOR THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. This softcover monograph was published by Whitman in 1961 and has never been updated, but the historical and technical information is still valid. The book is out of print but not hard to find from dealers in numismatic literature. It sells for less than $10, typically.

 

de Legarda, Angelina Ganzon. PILONCITOS TO PESOS. This hardcover book includes a good history of all Philippines coinage through the early 1970s, with excellent photos, including some in color. Also out of print, it is a bit scarce and brings about $35-40, when available.

 

Happy collecting

[shirohniichan]

DWLange, I have you to thank for getting me interested in the series. My wife is mad at you for it, though.

 

I ran a search for Shafer's book, and the cheapest copy I could find was a damaged one for $14.95. Undamaged copies go from $17.95 to $36.95.

[shirohniichan]

I found both in the ANA library. Check out request sent! Thanks again.

[DWLange]

The Shafer book should not cost over $10. There are plenty of copies kicking around.

[shirohniichan]

I guess the people who have them think they're made of gold.

[keithdagen]

Shiroh,

 

Doing some commem research, I had read that the Phillipine commems of 1936 were legal tender in the US at the rate of 2 pesos to a dollar. Can you confirm this?

[shirohniichan]

DWLange may know, but I don't.

 

Here's an interesting tidbit I can provide: The Manila Mint was the only US branch mint not on Continental US soil.

[DWLange]

Keith,

 

The Philippine peso introduced in 1903 was legally exchangeable for the U.S. dollar at the rate of two pesos to the dollar, though it wasn't a legal tender within the United States proper. After the Philippines became an independent republic in 1946, America's financial obligations were assumed by the Central Bank of the Philippines, but the old USA/Philippines coinage was exchangeable for republic coinage until 1967. From that point onward its sole value has been to collectors.

[keithdagen]

Cool, kind of gives some validity to the Phillipine commems as being collectibles similar to the Norse medals, not quite a commem, but very close as such.

 

Also takes away from that Dark Side mystique that Shiroh will try to sell us on.

[paigow_johnny]

And now it's 52 p to the dollar

[shirohniichan]

The common point between the Norse medals and Philippine commemorative 50 centavos is that both have a good chance coming back from ACG slabbed "US Commemorative Half Dollar."

[davefperry]

Nice coins but too bad they went from coin to medal orientation after the U.S. mint there closed. It would still be a shame to see them relegated to those slabs. Nothing lower than MS-60 and might even be labeled as tokens.