Union Fiber coins

[Bellcoin 10]

Some help please.

 

I have a 1930 George V fiber penny, as I understand the earliest dated fiber penny is 1931(could be very wrong!)

 

What's the history behind these coins and are they classed as coins,tokens or just of interest, and of course lastly are they worth something?

 

Help would be appreciated.

 

Regards

[ZARBOY 10]

Hi John

 

"School Money"

 

The coins was minted from various types of sturdy cardboard and were issued to schools as a teaching aid. The story is that money was so scarce in the depression years that it was indeed necessary to make this fibre "school" money available, since many pupils simply did not know what money looked like.

 

The coins was struck between 1930 - 1939 and bear the heads of both George V and George VI. The denominations from a half-crown to a farthing were actually struck with Official Mint Dies. The 10/- piece and the pound were gold-coloured discs. Mintages is unknown, but one can guess that most meduim to upper class schools received issues during those years.

 

The values differs tremendously and some people pay high prices for a few pieces of "fibre". Also interesting to note is that these fibre pieces have the same scarce dates seen in the real Union Coins.

 

Hope it is of some help.

 

Regards,

 

Thomas

[Pierre_Henri 35]

Fibre Coins ...

 

I just had a long talk with my father who was born a few years before South Africa established its own mint in 1923. His mind is still OK and he can still play bowls everyday.

 

He was in his 40s when I was born so luckily I have quite a resource back to numismatic times gone by.

 

He can remember nothing of fibre coins being introduced at schools in the Cape Colony (he matriculated in 1936 at the small town of Willowmore in the now Eastern Cape) so these fibre coins where probably only used at schools in the bigger towns or cities?

 

Maybe some of our other forum members have family that is (like my father) very old and can remember something about these facinating series?

 

Pierre

[Rare NotesCoins 11]

Will Ask Father Christmas but will only see him in December. Sorry

[dstorm 10]

Hello Pierre Henri

 

Please beg your father to stop playing bowls - we have been waiting patiently for more than TEN years for his latest autobiography.

 

Regards

 

Jacques

[moppies 10]

Will Ask Father Christmas but will only see him in December. Sorry

 

This kind of reply makes me addicted to bob and the forum. You just made my day!!