September 11, 2014 – Here we pool two communications regarding thefts of coins which have reached us in the last days.
Switzerland
On August 29, 2014 a money transporter was raided in the Swiss Canton of Geneva. The police informed us that 650 1-ounce gold coins were stolen.
The coins were stored in plastic tubes locked in boxes. In addition the police specified that the boxes were not stolen during the raid.
Those who have information regarding these gold coins are asked to contact the Geneva police:
08h00 to 18h00: Brigade de répression du banditisme (groupe 1), +41 22 427 73 80.
18h00 to 08h00: Centrale d’engagement police, en demandant le piquet BRB, 117.
You can also write an email: brb@police.ge.ch
Fedex shipment
A Fedex shipment containing rare Cypress coins along with 40 other scarce world coins have been reported stolen while being shipped from Athens Greece to Paris.
The rare Cyprus coins are the following:
- Cyprus ¼ Piastre 1880 of Queen Victoria. This coin looks like Proof but we believe that it would have been graded as MS65BN PL according the USA standards or Brown Uncirculated (Prooflike) according to the UK standards. The coin has a mirror surface and brown color both sides which makes it looks proof but we believe it is an early strike.
- Cyprus ½ Piastre 1908 of King Edward VII. We believe that this coin would have been graded as MS63BN or MS64BN according to the USA standards or Brown Uncirculated according to the UK standards. This coin has some red luster on reverse and light brown color both sides. This is the weakly struck variety (King’s portrait on obverse and the line from ½ on reverse are weakly stuck).
- Cyprus Proof set of 3 silver coins dated 1921 of King George V. The coins are 4 ½ Piastres, 9 Piastres and 18 Piastres all dated 1921. These coins have dark grey and blue patina and we believe that they would have been graded as follows: 18 Piastres PF64-65, 9 Piastres PF64-65 and 4 ½ Piastres PF63-64. The 4 ½ Piastres has a few light hairlines from an old cleaning which are under the deep grey and purple patina. All coins have a matching dark grey and blue toning except the 4 ½ Piastres which has also a light purple color mixed with grey.
Other coins stolen include 20 Gem Uncirculated Malaya & British Borneo 20 Cents 1961 of Queen Elizabeth II (MS65-MS67) and 20 modern Greek coins from King Paul I and King Constantine II.
Any dealer or collector with information on this offense should contact:
Doug Davis from the Numismatic Crime Information Center