Description
With the attack on Poland on 1st September 1939, the Second World War began in Europe. In Asia, the fighting continued until Japan surrendered on 2nd September 1945. This collection contains 20 selected coins. It includes coins of the most important participants in the war, including from Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, France, the USSR and the USA. All coins were minted during the war years and are therefore historical artifacts that bear witness to the horrors of the devastating war. Four of the coins have unusual shapes or are holed coins. The Manchukuo coin is made of "red fiber”. The collection also includes one of the rarest coins of the era, 1/10 Penny of the British West Africa, a coin that has been acquired at a specialized fair more than 15 years ago.
Another rarity from the collection that has been included are the 4 Paisas from Nepal called "The Bullet Coins of the Gurkhas”. During World War II, Gurkha regiments fought together with the British and allied troops against the Japanese. The spent cartridge cases were gleaned from the battlefields. General Shamshek Rama discovered these empty cartridge cases in a government warehouse behind the Tangal Palace and the afore-mentioned suggested in 1955 that they should be minted into coins as a way of paying homage to the fallen and valiant Gurkha soldiers. As the number of empty shells was limited, the 4 Paisa coins were issued for a period of only 1 year. The hole in the centre was created through the elimination of the detonation plates of the cartridge cases.
History in Your Hands – Hold and study genuine WW2 Memorabilia that was there during one of humanity’s most trying times. 1, 2, 5, 5, 10 and 50 Reichpfennig (Third Reich) + 20 Centisimi (Italy) + 10 Sen (Japan) + 1 Cent (United States) + 1/2 Penny (United Kingdom) + 5 Cents (Canada) + 1 Kopek (Russia) + 50 Centimes (Free France) + 1/2 Penny (Australia) + 1/10 Penny (British West Africa) + 1 Anna (British India) + 4 Paisa (Nepal) + 10 Pennia (Finland) + 10 Leva (Bulgaria) + 1 Pengo (Hungary) + 5 Lei (Romania) + 1 Koruna (Slovakia) + 1 Franc (Tunisia) + 1 Cent (Netherlands) + 2 Groschen (Austria) + 20 Haleru (Bohemia) + 1 Franc (Vichy France) + 25 Centimes (Belgium) + 5 Koruna /Czechoslovakia) + 1 Santims (Latvia) + 2 Francs (Monaco) + 2 Dinara (Serbia) + 2 Francs (East Indies) + 1 Fen (Manchukuo) + 1 Cent (Malaya) + 10 Sen hole (Japan) + 50 Groszy (Poland) + 20 Cents (French Indochina) + 5 Öre (Sweden)