2018 BERLIN WORLD MONEY FAIR: the coin collector MECCA
- February 11, 2018
- by
- Pierre
From February 2nd to February 4th, the Berlin World Money Fair took place in Estrel Convention Center. For those who do not know this event, it is the most important coinshow in Europe and maybe in the world.
This event counts between 13,000 and 14,000 visitors each year. In 2018, the fair will still remain on a peak of frequentation. It is in particular on Saturday, February 3rd, in the morning that the strongest frequentation was perceptible.
In addition to the number of visitors, the number of exhibitors is also impressive. Approximately 300 professional dealers rent a booth during this event. You could see dealers of numismatic products, the National Mints, Mint’s suppliers such as blanks producers, coin press manufacturers, etc…
The National Mints usually present, during this event, their annual numismatic program. You could discover the numismatic programs of Italy, Portugal, France, Lithuania or Canada. Italian ZECCA (Italian mint) presented the 2018 second two euro commemorative coin commemorating the Italian health ministry. France presented on its booth 2€ Cornflower coin which should be issued at the end of february in its UNC quality version. The BU colourized version should be issued in March and proof version in May. The colors of coin are slightly different from the pictures which were circulating on Internet to date.
The Netherlands and Spain issued, as well, a BU coin set in limited edition dedicated to numismatic BERLIN WORLD MONEY FAIR. Numismag team met representatives of several european and non-european mints during the fair. The KNM (dutch Mint) representative, Sander KNOLL, confirmed us that KNM had gained the market for the strike of belgian circulation and collectors coins. The Mint of Belgium closed down January 1rst 2018. The KNM will be also in charge of the marketing of the belgian collectors coin.
Moreover, the KNM should leave next year his facility downtown UTRECHT for another one in its suburb.
We also questioned Lithuania and Portugal mints on the possibility of manufacturing stop concerning 1 and 2 eurocents coins. These two countries indicated to intend to continue at time the manufacturing these two coins. Currently european 6 countries stopped the manufacturing of these two coins, the latest one being Italy. Estonia launched a study on that topic. Manufacturing of these two coins generate a negative “seigneuriage” income for the country who strikes them. The manufacturing process costs money to the state. In addition, a persistent rumor mentions strong incentives on behalf of the European Commission to push the european states having adopted the euro to standardize the national side of their circulation coins, in order to reduce design and manufacturing costs of the euro circulation coins series. Only the €2 commemorative coins would have a specific national side for each country and each numismatic issue, according to the commemorated topic.
You could also admire an ingot with disproportionate dimensions. Unfortunately, it was a fake ingot! BAMA, a coin industry supplier, presented on its booth coin production tools and invited a main engraver, Arthur SZULKOWSKI, to work on its booth, in front of the public, often fascinated by the talent of the artist. The coin blanks suppliers were also represented by the south korean POONG SAN company which produces for various european states coin blanks, including euro coin blanks.
Arthur SZULKOWSKI
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Lastly, there are surprising things like these bitcoin medals struck by Mint of Berlin, one of the five german mints. On the obverse of the medal the words “In ECB we trust is reproduced” we engraved. The reciprocal statement is certainly not true for the ECB concerning bitcoin and other crypto currencies.
If you are a coin collector, it is necessary for you to fly or drive at least once to Berlin in your collector lifetime because an event of such a width is unique, in the numismatic world.
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It is also the occasion to make tourism in Berlin, a very accessible city, a “bubbling” city on the artistic and cultural level.
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Source: NUMISMAG©
