Coin or stamp?
Is this a coin or is it a stamp? Hm. Well, let's read the description from the eBay listing:This lot consists of:
- A COMPLETE set of the palladium coin stamps celebrating the 50th birthday of King Taufa'ahau IV on 4th July 1968.
- Scott 203 - 209, C40 - C46 & CO21 - CO24 / SG 243 - 256 + O29 - O32
All items are in excellent condition and are mounted mint unless stated.
Further information
The lot consists of real postage stamps from Tonga (A collection of Islands based in the South Pacific).
Each postage stamp design is embossed on palladium foil, backed with "sticky" paper inscribed overall with 'The Friendly Islands Tonga'.
Each circular postage stamp is imperforated and has a diameter ranging from 1.5 up to nearly 3 inches.
The design of each postage stamp features a coin that commemorates the 1967 Coronation of King Taufa'ahau IV.
The stamps in this lot were officially Overprinted by the government (i.e. an additional printing on a stamp that was not part of the original design) so that the stamps could also celebrating the 50th birthday of King Taufa'ahau IV on 4th July 1968.
The numbers Scott 203 - 209 and C40 - C46 / SG 243 - 256 refer to highly regarded stamp catalogue listings Scott being the USA norm and SG = Stanley Gibbons being the UK norm.
The total weight of these stamps is approximately 13g So, basically, it's a stamp of a coin, except it's made of actual palladium metal, except it's really only a thin foil of metal on a paper backing. And you'd be insane to stick one on an envelope since they are (a) way too valuable and (b) wouldn't work as postage anyway, except maybe in Tonga.
Concerning the value, the listing says the set weighs 13g, but that includes the paper backing, the weight of palladium is much less.
This is a set of 18 stamps of various sizes, I photographed two of the nicest ones (see following sample).
Source: eBay seller mattpeters1
Contributor: Theodore Gray
Acquired: 11 March, 2007
Text Updated: 12 March, 2007
Price: $20
Size: 3"
Purity: >99%
Sample Group: Coins
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