there's something about traveling abroad that brings out the numismatist in me. i generally prefer to collect coins that are in circulation; i mean, sure, it would be great to have a bunch of proof sets, but they seem so sterile - that, and i like the thrill of discovery when hunting them in the wild. or maybe it's because euros remind me so much of pokemon, "gotta catch 'em all."

for those amongst us who need a little background: 12 member states of the european union are participating in the common currency, the euro. the really fun part is, while having identical reverse sides, the euro coins have the different countries represented on the obverse, kind of like the 50 states quarters the us mint has been putting out since 1999.

most countries used designs based on their old coinage in order to ease the transition to the new currency... like this irish 1 euro coin ( left ) based on their old scilling ( right )

but enough with the erudition, let's talk coins...
"booty" highlights of this trip include:

2 euro from Italy ( completing my italian set... )

1 euro from Luxembourg ( first coin from luxembourg! )

France 1 euro cent ( 1 and 2 cents are hard to find... they tend to round to the nearest 5 or 10 cent point )

Austria 1 euro cent ( the one cents are just so little and cute! )

the United Kingdom is a member of the European Union but not currently participating in the single currency. i suspect that the british will give up the pound sterling only when pried from their cold, dead fingers.

even without the multinational flavor of the euro, british currency still has some fascinating collecting options.

the two pound coin has neen issued since 1997, a quote from Sir Isaac Newton is inscribed around its edge: standing on the shoulders of giants

the one pound coin runs through a 5 year cycle of designs, one for each kingdom of the united kingdom. shown here are the welsh dragon ( used in 1995 and 2000 ), as well as the "leek in coronet" symbol of Wales ( used in 1985 and 1990 ). the motto inscribed around the edge of each coin also varies with the cycle.

the british, english and northern ireland designs all have DECUS ET TUTAMEN, latin for 'an ornament and a safeguard'. the welsh designs have PLEIDOL WYF I'M GWLAD, meaning 'true am I to my country', which is taken from the welsh national anthem. on scottish designs, NEMO ME IMPUNE LACESSIT is inscribed, latin for 'no-one provokes me with impunity', which really says something about scottish culture.

occasionally an odd coin will find its way into a till, then from that till into your pocket. this last trip brought me these oddities from the Bailiwick of Jersey ( the largest and southernmost of the channel islands ). the motto inscribed around the edge of the pound is Insula Caesarea, latin for "island of jersey". go fig.

apparently, the treasurer of the states of jersey holds £1.10 in bank of england notes for each £1 issued - so the shop keep who inadvertently gave these coins as change lost themselves 10p. sucker.

	on a historical note: the pound went through a "decimilization" procedure in 1968, so starting in 1971, all pence ( the collective plural of penny ) were marked as "new", so as not to confuse the masses.
i personally find that 100 pence = 1 pound to be a lot less confusing than 4 farthings = 1 penny 12 pence = 1 shilling 20 shillings = 1 pound but no one asked my opinion.
i suppose that by 1982 they figured that the common folk would be okay without being reminded that the coins were "new" - so they went back to being just plain pence.

in an entirely meaningless coincidence, the old one penny coins are
exactly the same diameter ( 1.2" / 30.6mm ) as a kennedy half dollar...