Coin Shopping Around The World

Another month gone by and no time to make a large report. I have been working on Mexico in my free time, but there's just too much to write and I simply don't have much time right now. So we'll settle for another country.


Botswana

Known in the earlier days as Bechuanaland until its independence from the British Empire in 1966, Botswana is a large and largely empty country in southern Africa. As such, it shares a lot with neighboring Namibia and especially South Africa. We're talking food, shops and habits here (and power outlets: bring your special South Africa adapter!) but not money (unfortunately, Botswana also took the HIV habits from its neighbors, with about 1 out of 4, maybe even more people being infected. Be very careful here). Where Namibia is in a monetary union with South Africa, Botswana has its independent currency, the Pula, nowadays. It's noteworthy though that the first coins issued by Botswana, in 1966, were commemorative coins and they were indeed Rand coins, like in South Africa, as the Rand was also adopted during the first decade of independence. 'Pula' is, for what I have learned, also a local word for 'rain'.

The capital of Botswana is Gaborone, or Gabs as the locals call it. It's on the border with South Africa. It's also by far the most populated place in this country. Gabs is a very modern town, founded as capital city after independence.

Most tourists come here for ecotourism, which is a very good choice, as there's nothing to see or do in the towns and cities. First of all, Botswana is sparsely populated and second, modern high-rise isn't generally that spectacular. Due to relative stability, a small population and a large diamond mining industry, Botswana actually can afford to invest in wildlife preservation. And so they do. There are a lot of game reserves here which make for a fantastic drive. I can especially recommend to visit the Okavango delta (just take a flight to Maun from Gabs) as there is really a huge amount of flora and fauna here to be found.

Now, for coins again... After 1966 and those first two commemorative coins, Botswana introduced the Pula in 1976 and divided it in 100 Thebe. Initially, coins of 1, 5, 10, 25 and 50 Thebe and 1 Pula. A commemorative 2 Thebe coin (FAO) was introduced in 1981. 1991 saw the first reform, where especially the alloys of the coins was changed, followed by a new round in 1998. This time the shape and size of coins was adjusted. Meanwhile, in 1994 a 2 Pula coin was introduced and in 2000 a 5 Pula coin followed. The latest round of coins was introduced in 2013 and saw indeed a few more adjustments to both alloy and size. As a result, no coins from before 2013 can be found in circulation nowadays.
Available coins for circulation nowadays are 5, 10, 25 and 50 Thebe and 1, 2 and 5 Pula. All of them are very easy to obtain and due to all the coins having been introduced at the same time, they all seem to be of almost equal quality: they all age equally good (or bad).

In addition to these circulation coins, Botwana has issued a very limited number of commemorative coins in silver and gold, usually also in limited quantities.

And now for the coin shopping question: I have absolutely no idea where to buy these.

Gabs has a huge amount of shops, market stalls and malls. It's incredible. However, none of these sells coins. The national post of Botswana has its own (tiny) philately museum (just in the government enclave, next to the main business district), but they don't even sell their stamps, and they haven't made the connection between stamps and coins as so many shops in the Western world have made. None of the market stalls (and trust me, there are thousands of them in this city) seem to sell coins. Lots of candy, watches, perfumes, and fresh fruit, but no coins. I even checked the gift shop of the Parliament (really, it's the only Parliament with a gift shop, for what I know), but they didn't have any either.

When you look at Google for a coin shop in Botswana, you probably get one hit with 'Old Coins Collectors BW'. First of all, there's no address, just a zip code which is used for a northeastern part of town. Second, the phone number is now in use by a doctor, who is also a Spell Caster (don't underestimate the power of magic here). I guess he's not much into coin collecting. I haven't asked.

If you find yourself in Botswana, then just take a relaxing vacation from numismatics and just enjoy all the good stuff that this country has to offer: friendly people, a safe and stable country, lots of wildlife and nature and excellent food. For coin shops you'll have to get just over the border with South Africa. Joburg is close to Gabs and has a few of them.

@ultrarant, I was recently in Scotland and couldn't help wondering why your post didn't include anything from this neck of the woods. I hope you don't mind a friendly addition to this thread...

While I didn't perform an exhaustive search of the highlands for coin shops, I did stumble upon an antique shop in Callander Scotland called Lady Kentmores. Most of the stuff they sell is kinda bizarre, but they did have some old British coins. I picked up three threepence: one from Queen Victoria, one from George V, and one from George VI. They are well worn, but it was nice to have some old silver jangling around in my pocket.

I may have to re-visit Scotland first to create a new list of experiences. My notes from my last trip got lost, unfortunately. I'll post a new update (of any country where I still find my notes) when I have time again. Right now, times are turbulent.

Anyway, I fully agree with you on having a great souvenir from the trip there! That's also what I do when abroad: take some coins as souvenir, be it just from circulation or a few extra additions if applicable.

It seems that my traveling life may be over soon... due to big trouble with the employer. The company isn't doing well and everyone is keeping distance from every other colleague, fearing that sharing knowledge or being a good colleague will miss you your job, as another round of downsizing is announced. That means that soon over 40% of all staff will be laid off.

I do have a small update, though.

Philippines, Manila

So I had a chance a while back to get through the horrible traffic in Manila and to reach the Greenhills shopping center. This is like a combination of a mall and a bazaar, with areas regular shops and market stalls in different areas. It's huge and even includes a church and I think I saw a police station and hotel there as well.

Anyway, on the second floor of the bazaar, next to the cell phone stalls and with the furniture stalls, is the most professional coins dealer I found in the Philippines so far. He has had a lot of nice stuff (until I came along), and it's perfectly fine to negotiate the prices a bit, especially if you're buying bigger quantities or higher end coins. You should get about 10 to 20% off, I think. I'm not sure if the stall has a name, as there's no sign. But it's easy to find if you enter via the south entrance, walk past the food stalls and restaurants, then up the stairs at food plaza, turn left and then right. Can't miss it.

What you can could find there are were Philippine coins, also older silver and gold, commemorative coins, a lot of American coins, also older, and some 'world coins', especially Spain. Or maybe you can find it again if he's gotten new stock.

ps. Have I already told about the Money Museum here? More information on the webiste: http://www.bsp.gov.ph/about/facilities_money.asp

Thanks, but I guess it's part of life. Some you win, some you lose, right? I have three job interviews scheduled next week, so that's something.

I recovered a few more notes.

Philippines, Cauayan City (Isabela)
What brought me to Cauayan City? A dead cat, as curiosity killed it. I had a weekend off when in Manila and Cebu Pacific just started operations to this city at bargain prices (just over $10 per one way ticket, all taxes included), and I am very bad at resisting such temptations. Good luck on booking a hotel here, as most sites just have hotels for one of the many other Cauayans in this country, the one in Negros Occidental being the best known one.
It's actually situated in the second largest (by area) province of Philippines, and in practice it's just a bunch of commerce gathered around the Pan Philippines Highway. The airport is about downtown (30 minute walk or a $0.80 ride in a motorcycle side car). What I remember most of this place is that it's dominated by a mall called the SM Mall, which has an SM Supermarket, an SM Shop and also something called 'SM Appliance' can be found there. As if this isn't bad enough, there's also a street in that city called 'Golden Shower Avenue'. I kid thou not... Photo will be posted on request. It's all in all quite understandable why they call themselves 'the perfect city in the North'. Good thing I knew that SM stood for SaveMore, a chain of hypermarkets, supermarkets and malls...

Anyway, despite being a provincial stronghold with an airport and having over 100.000 citizens, it's also pretty small in physical size and pretty poor. It's literally in the middle of nowhere and has no industry nowadays anymore. It used to have coffee, but now it's just services... And believe it or not, I actually found a few places which sell coins. Or... more specific... advertise having coins.

First, on the corner of (I think) Roxas and Rizal is a 1 sq m (10 sq foot) floor inhabited by and old, toothless man who has some cheap jewelry and three plateaus of 'world coins'. Most is in F or below, nothing is of any collectible value. But he likes his collection and he's happy to sell it.
Second, in a market stall near the McDonald's at the Highway, in a center called Talavera, is a man with a large sign saying 'old coins'. He had 2: an authentic 1988 10 Piso commemorative coin and a Chinese fake with a Spanish Philippine design on one side and George III of England on the other. It was already a bit rusty.
Third, in a street called Consuelo Lucas Street (between Talavera and the aforementioned McDonald's), is a large number of pawn shops housed. All but one can be forgotten: they don't sell anything of interest, if anything at all. One, pretty close to the Highway, had a few glass shelves with actually very interesting coins: Spanish and American Philippine silver, American silver and a few 'world coins'. I asked the shop attendant how much, and she said that she didn't know if the coins were for sale. Her manager should be back next day to tell, it's just that he wasn't.
Finally, a bit further down the street, is a regular market hall. One tiny stall fixes watches and sells batteries and has a sign about 'old coins'. He had one Morgan dollar (looked very authentic), and three Piso coins from the 1980s. And he assured me that it'd be profitable to visit him on a regular basis, because he had had an American Philippines 50 cent coin in a few months earlier. I think I can wait.
So that's every numismatic nook and cranny of this city!

I've recovered more of my notes on Manila. Which is a good thing.

Update on Manila
There's another antiques shop which also sells coins. It's in the SM Megamall, A-Wing (no, not StarWars), 4th floor. It's called World Treasures. They have a few big junk bins, one with 'world coins', one with large Philippine coins and one with small Philippine coins. They also have a few older, silver coins and some modern NCLT. The offer is smaller than what the other shop offers, but they have more high end stuff. Most are Philippine, a few American there too. Some real treasures, like 1 Peso coins from the Spanish era. If my note here is correct, then it says here that it's a one year type of a 1 Peso coin from 1897, and the asked price is 10.000 ($200), but it's in AU condition. 10.000 is a huge sum in the Philippines, I believe it's as much as a taxi driver makes per month, after costs. That's also one of the things I wrote down here: steep prices. I also wrote down that it's ok to haggle a bit and get 20% to 25% off. That's what I liked better about the other place in Greenhills, their prices are lower to start with.

Now for a new country. Grab your sombrero and climbing gear, as we have to get over a huge wall. Indeed, it's time for

The United States... of Mexico

Ok, first of all, I guess that I might be making a fool out of myself here and that most participants on this forum actually know much better what's going on than I do. Mexico is very close to the US and with hundreds of flights a day between the countries... oh well. Just feel free to correct me where I'm wrong. I've only been to Mexico a few times. Always to Ciudad de Mexico (Mexico City), and once for a long weekend break to Guadalajara (the second city of Mexico). So that's where I'll be focusing on here.

Modern day Mexico has been a colony of Spain for a long time, until independence was declared in 1821 and finally the Spaniards were kicked out 15 years later. After that, it's been a republic, an empire and a few other things at least once. The modern day republic is about a century and a half old. It really has a turbulent modern day history.

When it comes to the so-called pre-Columbian era, Mexico also has a wealth of cultural heritage and richness. I've seen (and climbed) the pyramids at Teotihuacan and trust me, that place is really impressive, an absolute must-see. Put it on your bucket list, you won't regret.

So, now that you decided to travel there, the first tip I can give you is to learn a bit of basic Spanish. In the office, everyone speaks English (but that's also a job requirement), but outside, on the streets? No one. Hands and feet also can be of help, but won't always lead to the wanted result. Don't worry too much, as Mexicans are very friendly people, really willing to help, and also very honest, I found out. They're generally hard workers and also love a good party every now and then (or quite often, actually). I never felt unsafe when in Mexico, just saying.

Unfortunately, I don't know much about pre-Columbian Mexican/mesoamerican coinage, but I managed to learn quite a bit about their coins from the colonial days. Spain introduced a colonial Real there, which was followed by the real of the Empire of Iturbide, the Peso of the Empire of Maximiliano, revolutionary money, the Peso of the United States of Mexico and the Nuevo Peso about 25 years ago. And then I probably forget a few things in the mean time. As said, a turbulent, violent and very interesting history.

In addition to all that, I guess that it must also have a very rich past, as literally hundreds of historical coins are minted in gold, and at least as many in silver. And given that Mexico suffers from 'commemorative diarrhea' (it issues loads and loads of commemorative coins, dozens per year) and also has some interesting bullion series ongoing, I guess that we can conclude that Mexico is a very, very interesting numismatic place.

Now, one could expect that, given such a history, and given the current relative poverty, coin collecting might not be a thing here. one can also expect that a lot of historical coins got lost over time, during revolution and war. Well, guess again, it's a numismatists paradise. It's true. It is! And not just coins, but also bullion. And as if that isn't enough, also a lot in very good condition for very reasonable prices.

Now when it comes to the offerings, I don't think anyone will be surprised to learn that the majority of the coins to be found here is Mexican. I think about 80% or so. US coins are second, with about 10 to 15% or so. The rest consists of 'world coins', most from Latin America and some well-known European countries. And Canada, eh?

Before getting to the shops, here's a few tips. First some local lingo: 'moneda' is coin, 'oro' is gold and 'plata' is silver. 'Cuánto cuesta' means 'how much is it'.

Now let me walk you through some of my findings in the two mentioned cities.

Mexico City
Mexico City is a huge city. The city itself has well over 9 million citizens, and the total metropolitan area well over 20 million. Yet, it doesn't feel as if you're walking through a huge human warehouse. The Centro Historico (historical center) is a cozy place, with a lot to see and do. And the same goes for a lot of other districts.

As mentioned, coin collecting and bullion trade are a big thing here. If you fill out 'numismatico ciudad de mexico' on google, you probably get about 40 hits for the whole city. In reality, I think the amount of coin shops and dealers for the historical center alone lies at about 75 to 100, if not more. Now I have to say that this also includes money changers with a side job, jewelers and bullion traders with an extra department and also some people who try to sell their change from vacation. Nevertheless, there are also quite a few large, fully stocked shops around. I did find that prices differ quite a bit between shops, so it's recommended to explore a bit first. I managed to get hold of an almost complete Mexican Peso and Nuevo Peso circulation coin set (including commemorative circulation coins, including all silver, but excluding all gold, except the 2 peso) for spot or less. And in good quality. With just a few exceptions, all of them are XF or better.

Here's a small overview of interesting coin places, all in the very center of town.

First, there's a shop on 27 Uruguay Street. I think it's called El Baron. The owners aren't the most talkative in the world and you really have to jump on them to get attention. It's a tiny shack they have there, and it's almost exclusively filled with Mexican coins. Not much old Mexican silver or gold, but with a lot of commemorative coins. Think the 5, 50 and 100 peso. Prices are decent, but not low.

Second, there's a big coin shop on av. 5. de Mayo. It's on the north side of the street, I think halfway the street. It's a very long and narrow shop, and they sell a lot of old Mexican silver and a few American coins in addition. Good prices.

Third, there's a shop on 25 Palma street. They speak English and have a lot of Mexican silver and gold, as well as 'world coins', like American coins. Prices are ok, not very cheap but the quality of their wares is very high. I got a lot of UNC coins here.

Now there is a passage, I wrote down at Calle de Motolino, which houses at least 5 to 10 stalls which trade coins. Quality and assortment differ quite a bit, as does the price. Look out for some good deals here.

There are more passages like that. Basically just look for the yellow signs reading monedas and you'll be on to something. A lot of them are centered around Francisco I Madero and Isabella la Catolica. For most of the stalls, coins are just a by-product.

A final side note is for a market stall at the very south of Isabella La Catolica, near Teresa De Mier Street. Every now and then a market is held there and there is one guy selling coins for very low prices. The quality is also like that: F or VF, nothing better, some stuff below. But also a huge assortment of non-silver coins.

Also note that the bigger coin shops have Dansco-like albums for sale for Mexican coins.

I do believe that Mexico City also houses a numismatic museum. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to visit.

I also believe that there's more outside the city center, but I didn't have time to visit those. Not that I needed them, as I still have the feeling that I haven't discovered all the center has to offer.

Guadalajara
Guadalajara is the second city of Mexico and just an hour away (by plane) from Mexico City. It has a lot to offer for the numismatist and also a lot for the foodie, culture lover, architecture lover and Mexico lover in general. It's the city of Hidalgo, the leader in the battle for Mexican independence. He got killed by the Spaniards before independence was gained though, but he's still remembered here, with for example statues and a larger-than-life painting in the Jalisco Governmental Palace.

Coin shoppers will have a good time here. There are dozens of coin shops and all are centered in the same area. It's very easy to get there:
When you stand in front of the entrance of the cathedral, turn right and walk south over Av 16. de Septiembre. Cross Av. Juarez until you reach Calle Mauel Lopez Cotilla. Turn left (eastward) and enjoy. Also check out any side streets there, as there may be more hidden there.

The principle here is very simple: there are coin dealers, bullion traders and exchange offices with a few side businesses, like coin dealing. Most shops have all they have for sale in a shopping window. But do keep in mind that some shops only use the display for show, not for sale. Most of what's for sale is modern commemoratives, libertads (also older ones at bullion price!) and a few old silvers.

I found one coins show which also sells albums. It's on the north side of the street and it's a bit of a dark shack. It reminded me more or less of a blacksmith's hideout or so. He also has albums and older copper coins for very reasonable prices: he has small plastic baskets containing all the older copper, stacked onto each other (feel free to look what's inside). If you buy a 'bulk', like I did, then you can just ignore the price per piece. I got about 30 AU or UNC copper coins there for 60 Pesos, or 2 pesos each (about $0.11).

I think that you'll find about 40 to 50 shops in this street with coin business.

Anyway, that concludes my impressions here. I'm sure that there must be many more interesting places to discover in Mexico and even in these two cities and I certainly do hope that I'll get a chance to do so in the future. I really like Mexico.

As today is a Sunday and life stands still here, I think I can already write another episode on this country.

Uganda

Uganda is a country in Central Africa, situated on the equator. In fact, the airport in Entebbe, which is the entry point for everyone entering by flight, is almost situated on it. Getting in shouldn't be a big hassle, but may cause a few issues. In case you get motivated to visit, here's what you can expect:

First, you'll need a passport with a validity of 6 months. You'll also need a yellow passport with a valid yellow fever notation in it. If you don't have it or if you forgot it, then report to medical services and you'll get a new vaccine and yellow pass. It'll cost you $40. Then proceed to the line for foreigners and pay $50 for a visa on arrival. You can also order one online. Euros are also accepted, at a 1:1 ratio with the US dollar. So 90 dollars and you're in. Count on another 40 to get you to Kampala (and a one hour drive, at least).

You'll notice that Uganda is both a very poor country and that you'll be the only white person around. When Uganda was made into a colony by the Brits, it was decided that no whites could settle here and start plantations or so, and after independence, some 50-something years ago, this didn't change. As such, the only white people around are either tourists or UN employee, as Uganda serves as basis for many of the UN activities in war-torn Central Africa. Uganda is perfectly safe, though. You'll also notice that the locals will have a nickname for those lacking abundant amounts of pigment: mzungu. It literally means 'aimless wanderer', as the first explorers looked like that according to the locals and they just kept the word. In practice, it's the white equivalent of 'the N word', combined with 'walking naive cash cow'. People are very friendly and interested to say hello or just shout 'mzungu!' to you. Especially children believe that the latter is very exciting. Don't make anything of it, it's just a local habit. Just for the record, I do know demographics of coin collectors: most are white and male. Anyone else may experience something slightly different. Especially white women will need to bring a male companion, or it's not entirely safe. Much safer than other countries in the region, though: the days of Idi Amin are long gone. It's just that the poverty remains. And the AIDS problem is here to stay, nowadays: Uganda has a huge percentage of infected people...

Uganda has a lot to see and do, actually. Apart from the completely different culture and food, there are quite some museums, sites and monuments worth visiting. One odd trip will be to the equator line, along the Masaka highway. It's a cool thought to be standing equally far from the north as from the south pole. For food, you'd be surprised to find that Indian food is currently a big thing here. Otherwise, everything seems to be served with bananas: I encountered (deep) fried, cooked, raw, grilled and mashed banana so far. Usually with a sauce or anything else. They use it like we use a potato.

As mentioned the country is very, very poor. You'll note the many, many poorly dressed people, the huge amount of slums and the complete lack of upper class or luxury facilities. As such, the country is also very, very cheap. You can get a tasty pint of local beer in a restaurant for $0.50, and add $2 or $3 and you'll have a full meal. The bigger challenge is to actually find a restaurant first, preferably with good hygiene standards. Uganda also has a substantial inflation, which doesn't really help.

The currency of the place is the New Shilling, just called Shilling in every day life. After independence, the shilling was introduced and replaced by the New Shilling in the 1980s. The New shilling started with coins of 1 shilling, but nowadays the smallest coin you'll find is 100 shilling, where most restaurants just round to the nearest 1000. That makes that 4 coin types are still in use: 100, 200, 500 and 1000 Shilling. Coins aren't issued every year but are used intensely, so most are well worn. The 1000 Shilling coin is actually a commemorative one-year type, but it circulates freely. Strange enough, despite prices being rounded to the nearest 1000 at a lot of places, a lot of shops kindly refuse a 50.000 note (about US $14) as it's too big.

Uganda has issued a lot of commemorative coins in the last decades. Most in steel, some in precious metal. Most coins are quite nice and actually can be related to the country. Others seem quite pointless, really. For example a coin commemorating Michael Schumacher or the introduction of the Euro (including stickers to depict the euro coins on the local coin...). I haven't seen any of those coins around, and honestly, I haven't seen any coin shop around either. In fact, the country is just too poor to have coin collectors: every shilling is needed to survive. And the UN staff doesn't make for a large enough population to start a coin shop either.

So if you come to Uganda, then do so for a relatively safe central African experience, with a lot of friendly people, interesting cuisine, lasting impressions and to renew your yellow fever vaccine, of course.