Mountaineering Plans

Yes its the rainy season. Not really the season for mountaineering, but its a good time to prepare for the next big climb. The rainy season doesn't make mountaineering impossible here in the Philippines, it just makes it that much more dangerous. I remember climbing Mount Palali in Nueva Vizcaya earlier this year. It was hell. It rained before our climb, making the trail so muddy that it took us 14 hours to climb down without our bags. Sheesh! The again, that experience made me yearn to return to Palali for my revenge. Just to make sure my revenge will be successful, I'll do it next year during the summer.

For now, the main thing is to take care of my equipment and maybe add a few here and there. I need two more pieces of gear - a stove and a tent. Considering the fact that I wont be climbing alone in the next few years, i really need a tent of my own and not borrow from friends. For now i can make do with my hammock and tarp, or borrow a tent.

Mountains lined up are Apo, Kibungan, and Bakun. Apo and Kibungan will be return trips, but Bakun will be new for me. Of course there is still my revenge on Palali.

Projects that have been temporarily shelved are my DIY backpack, my DIY sleeping quilt, my DIY bivy bag, my DIY ground sheet, and my DIY 2 person tent. The tent can wait since i already have a tarp. All i need is a pole and some rope, plus a ground sheet and a bug protection of some sort. Come to think of it, i think i bit off more than i can chew, but then again, its fun.

Another thing i have lined up to do is the overnight survival training at JEST camp. Exciting and scary at the same time. Survive the jungle overnight with just a knife and a water bottle.

Wow! Looking at it now, that's a lot for a hobby. I wish someone would sponsor me. hehehe. It would be nice to have equipment and resources to make m projects. Hopefully someone will read this and be moved to sponsor (yeah right!).

Enjoy!

Inactivity

Its been a while since i last updated my blog. Its not that I have been busy or anything. Just a break from the chaotic yesterday. Anyway, while i was away i wasn't able to view my blog much and it seems i still get an average of 4 to 5 visitors a day. Yeah! 4-5 visitors kinda sucks, but its better than 0.

Summer time is nearing its end and i have to say summer was a blast for me. My friends and i went to the beach. I for one, went to 2 beaches this summer and i had a chance to climb Pulag for the 2nd time and with my sweetheart too. So proud of her. She did well in the hike. Also my friends got addicted to mountaineering like me so all of us went to Mount Batulao in Batangas. It was great. My first overnight at Batulao and my third time to climb that particular mountain. This time around i was the leader of the pack. Its really a privilege to be able to lead a group in a hike.

Anyway, I do have a lot to share regarding my banknote and coin collection. I have found a few recently that i want to share here. So stay tuned for more posts on Philippine banknotes and coins. Also, i might be adding a few entries not related to money, but about survival and mountaineering. Keep visiting!

Enjoy!

Banknotes: 500 Pesos ADB Overprint

May 2-5, 2012, Manila, Philippines. The 45th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors at ADB (Asian Development Bank). This banknote is the largest denomination in my collection so far. I hope I don't get tempted to take it and spend it when i am tight on the budget. So far its safely kept in my banknote album, away from me.

2012 500 Peso 45th Annual Meeting ADB Overprint
"Manila 2012"
"45th Annual Meeting of the"
"BOARD OF GOVERNORS"
"Asian Development Bank"
"Manila, Philippines 2-5 May 2012"

I don't recall exactly how I got this, but I think its from my change when I did my grocery last month. 10 million of these were printed so it shouldn't be that hard to find one in circulation.

Enjoy!

Mountaineering TIPS: Compilation 0

A compilation of the mountaineering tips i have posted in Facebook.

• Mountaineering TIPS: Instead of using a really fancy backpack liner to keep your stuff dry, use a thick gauge garbage bag. Keep your stuff dry and your money in your pocket.

• Mountaineering TIPS: Before embarking on a hike, make sure you know where the water sources are along the trail. If there are a lot of water sources along the way, you can get away with carrying just 1 liter and filling up as you get to the next water source. If water is scarce, you may need to carry at least 3 liters.

• Mountaineering TIPS: For overnighters or weekend hikes, you can get away with just 2 sets of clothes. 1) your hike clothes, 2) your dry clothes for sleeping. This way, you wont be lugging too many clothes. It is important to keep your 2nd set very dry. As for the first set, you can dry them while sleeping at night then wear them again the next morning as you continue your trek. For extended hikes, you may need to wash your hike clothes while in camp to remove nasty smells.

• Mountaineering TIPS: For a lightweight water storage, use a 1L mineral water bottle or any plastic, resealable pet bottle. Its lighter than your average water bottle and is sturdy enough to withstand a few bumps and falls. Buy a liter of water before you travel to the trail and keep the bottle. You can reuse it many times for water storage. Its disposable if you don't need it anymore after the trek, but remember to dispose of it properly.

• Mountaineering TIPS: As much as possible, avoid wearing clothes made of cotton while trekking. Cotton is very absorbent and very hard to dry on the trail once it gets wet. Get clothes made of polyester because they dry fairly quickly and they don't smell as bad as cotton when wet. For pants, avoid denim. They are heavy and they will weigh you down especially when they get wet. You can get away with using polyester jogging pants for hiking.

• Mountaineering TIPS: If there is one gear you need to invest in, its footwear. For our ancestors, foot gear was not a problem, but for the modern man, to go trekking without a specialized footwear would mean hell. Our shoes protect our delicate feet and allow us to trek for extended periods of time. Choosing a trekking shoe depends on your preference, but make sure you get one from a reputable company. When purchasing, it is advisable to buy your shoes in the afternoon because your feet will expand a bit as you go through the day standing around or walking around. Buying your shoes in the afternoon will give you a a true fit for you shoes. Also, bring your hiking socks that you intend to use with the shoes. You may consider the following type of footwear.
• 1) Hiking sandals are the lightest and cheapest, but offer the least protection.
• 2) Trail runners and Ultralight trekkers. They are a bit expensive, but are very light and offer some protection for your feet. If you are an ultralight hiker who wants feet protection, these may be for you.
• 3) Mid-cut trekking shoes. These are more bulky and expensive. They offer great protection and great traction for any tropical terrain. In the Philippines, these are the most popular type of mountaineering shoes and you will often see Filipino mountaineers wearing this type.
• 4) Boots. These offer the most protection for your feet, but are the heaviest and most expensive of the types discussed here. These offer great ankle protection and will allow you to carry heavier loads at longer distances with minimal risk of ankle injury.

In the end, the preference for footwear will be up to you. Get one that is durable, reliable, and one that you can afford.

Coin Collection: Philippines New BSP Series Coins

The coins currently in circulation here in the Philippines ranges from 1 Sentimo to 10 Piso. All coins except for the 10 Piso were originally minted in 1995. The 10 Piso was minted in 2000 and is also a commemorative coin for the New Millennium. I have assembled the series with coins from the original minting years except for the 1 Sentimo. I may have been able to keep a 1995 1 Sentimo, but i currently don't have one in my album. I have yet to collate all the coins I have collected and kept into 1 album. For now, enjoy the current series coins of the Philippines.

2005 1 SENTIMO
OBVERSE:
"REPUBLIKA NG PILIPINAS"
"1 SENTIMO 2005"
Metal: Copper Plated Steel

2005 1 SENTIMO
REVERSE:
"BANGKO SENTRAL NG PILIPINAS"
BSP LOGO
1993
1993 is not the mintage year, its the year when BSP changed their logo.
Minting of this coin stopped in 2009

1995 5 SENTIMO
OBVERSE:
"REPUBLIKA NG PILIPINAS"
"5 SENTIMO 1995"
Metal: Copper Plated Steel

1995 5 SENTIMO
REVERSE:
"BANGKO SENTRAL NG PILIPINAS"
NO BSP LOGO
1993
1993 is not the mintage year, its the year when BSP changed their logo.
This is the only Philippine coin with a hole and there is no BSP logo.
The amount of metal in this coin is reportedly less than what is used in the 1 Sentimo because of the hole.

1995 10 SENTIMO
OBVERSE:
"REPUBLIKA NG PILIPINAS"
"10 SENTIMO 1995"
Metal: Copper Plated Steel

1995 10 SENTIMO
REVERSE:
"BANGKO SENTRAL NG PILIPINAS"
BSP LOGO
1993
1993 is not the mintage year, its the year when BSP changed their logo.

1995 25 SENTIMO
OBVERSE:
"REPUBLIKA NG PILIPINAS"
"25 SENTIMO 1995"
Coins minted from 1995 to 2003 were made of brass.
From 2004 to the present, it is made of brass plated steel.

1995 25 SENTIMO
REVERSE:
"BANGKO SENTRAL NG PILIPINAS"
BSP LOGO
1993
1993 is not the mintage year, its the year when BSP changed their logo.
You will notice that this particular coins reverse side is rather tilted at an angle.
It may have been an error during the minting. I have never seen one that has a very obvious tilt as this. 

1995 1 PISO
OBVERSE:
"REPUBLIKA NG PILIPINAS"
"1 PISO"
"JOSE RIZAL"
1995
Coins minted from 1995 to 2003 were made of copper-nickel.
From 2004 to the present, it is made of nickel plated steel.

1995 1 PISO
REVERSE:
"BANGKO SENTRAL NG PILIPINAS"
BSP LOGO
1993
1993 is not the mintage year, its the year when BSP changed their logo.
Its rather difficult to find a pristine 1 Piso coin from 1995 since this is the most circulated coin of the series.

1995 5 PISO
OBVERSE:
"REPUBLIKA NG PILIPINAS"
"5 PISO"
"EMILIO AGUINALDO"
1995
Metal: Nickel Brass

1995 5 PISO
REVERSE:
"BANGKO SENTRAL NG PILIPINAS"
BSP LOGO
1993
1993 is not the mintage year, its the year when BSP changed their logo.
Both sides of the coin feature a scalloped border.
I posted an interesting trivia about this coin here.

2000 10 PISO
OBVERSE:
"REPUBLIKA NG PILIPINAS"
"10 PISO"
"APOLINARIO MABINI"
"ANDRES BONIFACIO"
2000
Metal: Bi-Metallic Aluminium-bronze center in Copper-nickel ring
Year 2000 10 Piso coins are commemorative coins for the New Millennium.

2000 10 PISO
REVERSE:
"BANGKO SENTRAL NG PILIPINAS"
BSP LOGO
1993
1993 is not the mintage year, its the year when BSP changed their logo.
This is the first bi-metallic coin of the Philippines.
It was rumored that the center of this coin contained gold. Especially the ones minted in 2000 and 2001.
This is, however, just a rumor and BSP has denied any gold content in this coin.

These coins remain legal tender here in the Philippines, but the 1, 5, and 10 Sentimo coins are only accepted in Banks and shopping malls. It was suggested that the Sentimo denomination be demonetized and have the 1 Piso as the smallest denomination. The government has not made any action to demonetize the Sentimo yet. I came across some news that BSP is planning to make a new series of coins by 2014. If this is true, I have to find a way to get my hands on the new series as soon as they come out of the mint. This is exciting!

Enjoy!

Coin Collection: Phil-Am Commonwealth Coins

In 1937, the The Philippine American Commonwealth was well underway. A new set of coins were minted to replace the American Sovereignty coins. These coins, first minted in 1937, were considered unattractive, but like its predecessors, some of the coins contained silver. Nowadays, silver coins are limited to proof coins and collection set coins and not meant for circulation. These however were regular circulation coins yet were part silver. These were minted until 1945 and were replaced by the English Series coins in 1958. However no coins were minted in the years 1942 and 1943 because that was when the war broke out and I think we, The Philippine Islands, were then occupied by the Japanese at the time.

1944(s) 1 Centavo Coin
Obverse:
Man with a hammer sitting by an anvil with Mt Mayon in the background.
"ONE CENTAVO" "FILIPINAS"
Metal:  Bronze

1944(s) 1 Centavo Coin
Reverse:
Phil-Am Commonwealth coat of arms
"UNITED STATES OF AMERICA"
s 1944
Minted in San Francisco, USA

1937 5 Centavo Coin
Obverse:Man with a hammer sitting by an anvil with Mt Mayon in the background.
"FIVE CENTAVOS" "FILIPINAS"
Metal: Copper-Nickel
TRIVIA:
There were 2 metal types for this coin.
First, from 1937 to 1941. Coins from these years were minted in Manila and made from Copper-Nickel.
Second, from 1944 to 1945. Coins from these years were minted in the US.
These were made from copper-nickel-zinc.

1937 5 Centavo Coin
Reverse:
Phil-Am Commonwealth coat of arms
"UNITED STATES OF AMERICA"
1937
This is the oldest Philippine coin in my collection so far.

1945(D) 10 Centavo Coin
Obverse:
Lady Liberty striking an anvil with Mt Mayon in the background.
"TEN CENTAVOS" "FILIPINAS"
Metal:  Silver (.750)

1945 (D) 10 Centavo Coin
Reverse:
Phil-Am Commonwealth coat of arms
"UNITED STATES OF AMERICA"
D 1945
Coins from 1937 to 1941 were minted in Manila.
1944 to 1945 coins were minted in Denver, USA.

1944(D) 20 Centavo Coin
Obverse:
Lady Liberty striking an anvil with Mt Mayon in the background.
"TWENTY CENTAVOS" "FILIPINAS"
Metal:  Silver (.750)

1944(D) 20 Centavo Coin
Reverse:
Phil-Am Commonwealth coat of arms
"UNITED STATES OF AMERICA"
D 1944
Coins from 1937 to 1941 were minted in Manila.
1944 to 1945 coins were minted in Denver, USA.

There is one coin missing from this series and that is the Fifty Centavo coin. I posted a blog about it here.

My Cousin owns this one.

It is quite difficult to find coins from 1937. They are either in really bad shape or rather expensive in fine condition and even more expensive in UNC (uncirculated) condition. For now i am satisfied that at least i have almost completed the Philippine Commonwealth coins. Now lets see if someone is willing to donate a coin to complete this series. :P

A better close up view of the 1 Centavo coin. I have 4 of these.

These coins have a dark patina to them, They are well worn, but most details still show.

Enjoy!

Coin Collection: 1997 5 Peso Coin (BSP)

A few posts back, I posted a trivia about the Philippines 5 Peso coins minted 1997 and 1998. Most of the coins from these years were minted in the Royal Canadian Mint. However, some were also minted here in the Philippines.

A friend of mine dared me to look for one that was made locally, and since the 5 peso coin is currently in circulation, it didn't take long for me to find one. Worthy, here is proof that Manila Mint made 5 Peso coins in 1997.

5 Piso PHILIPPINES
Notice the mint mark of BSP below Emilio Aguinaldo's shoulder.

My friends and I had dinner at McDonald's and I was fortunate to find this coin in my change. Only thing left is to wait for a 1998 to turn up in my change.

Enjoy!

Coin Collection: People Power Revolution Commemorative Coin

The people of the Philippines know very well the story of the People Power Revolution or EDSA revolution. The movement that ended the dictatorship of the former Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos in 1986. To commemorate this event, the Banko Sentral ng Pilipinas minted a one of a kind coin in 1988. Its a large, rather thick, coin made of pure nickel. I'm a proud owner of this coin. This was given to me back in college. Back then it was a beautiful coin, someone played around with it and dropped the thing. It has a rather ugly dent on its edge, but the coin remains uncirculated and its one of the coins i have that i am sure is UNC grade.

OBVERSE

Symbolisms of prayer, courage, and love

Lettering:

PEOPLE POWER REVOLUTION

PHILIPPINES FEBRUARY 22-25, 1986

See the dent on the lower left edge of the coin?

REVERSE
Seal of the Republic of the Philippines
Lettering:
REPUBLIKA NG PILIPINAS
10 Piso

According to the site http://en.numista.com, the rarity index for this coin is 74 on a scale of 0 to 100 where 0 is very common and 100 is very rare making this coin rather rare.

This coin commemorates the courage of the Filipino People who fought against tyranny and injustice. When liberty is threatened, the people are always ready to fight and defend that freedom. This revolution is one of a kind in that it was a non violent revolt against the Marcos regime.

Enjoy!

Ready for the climb

All my stuff are packed and ready to go. I hope i didnt forget any important gear. I still have to go to work tomorrow until 6 PM. Bus leaves for Aritao at 9:00 PM. I hope there is no traffic or else i will miss the bus. My companions have already taken their leave tomorrow so they have a lot of time to prep. As for me, if I happen to forget something tomorrow, i will have to buy it.

The mountain we will be climbing is called Palali. It is in the heart of my home province of Nueva Vizcaya. The mountain is not very well known. Unlike its neighbors, Pulag and Ugo, Palali is seldom climbed by recreational mountaineers and its forests remain pristine and its flora and fauna largely unexplored. We are set to climb it on the morning of Feb 2. The plan is to have breakfast at our house in Aritao, prep our stuff, and leave that which isnt needed, then go to Solano, then to Quezon.

Members of team Palali are, Mike, Joy, Worthy, and Anne. Plus our guide Roldan Mina. That makes 5 of us. Of course in this climb i will be taking the lead role. I am excited and nervous at the same time. Nervous in the sense that I can never account for the unknown. If something bad happens, its all on me. Excited, because i can finally climb the mountain of my dreams.

I hope i can document the hike. The goal is to establish the trail and put it on the map. As for the hidden gems in Palali, i plan to let them be hidden. I already have a vague idea of the general direction we will be taking in climbing Palali. General direction would be Southeast. The terrain can be seen on google maps and i can somewhat figure out where the campsite will be and where it is possible to pass with least resistance and shorter distance. I will find out on Saturday if indeed i was able to plot the trail correctly. I still have to print a map.

I'll be posting updates and hopefully pictures by Monday next week. I was joking a while ago about updating my last will and testament. I dont plan on dying up there, but you never know, but there is one thing i know, God will keep us safe. He will be our guide, and He will allow us to enjoy the wonder and beauty of His creation.

Banknotes: Overprint Commemorative Notes

Its not just coins that have commemorative versions, banknotes also have commemorative issues. Unlike coins, commemorative banknotes are usually ordinary banknotes with additional prints on them. These prints, called overprints, makes the note a collector's item. For Philippine banknotes, the overprint is usually found in the unprinted portion. Its usually commemorates and events, anniversaries or institutions, and notable meetings.

Below are some of the overprint banknotes I have collected recently. Some of my other overprint banknotes are in the province.

The Philippines
Founding member of ASEAN

ASEAN Commemorative 50 peso bill

"GRAND LODGE OF FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS"
100 YEARS
"IN THE LORD IS ALL OUR TRUST"

Free Masons Commemorative 100 Peso Bill

And of course we all know of this one.

So there you have it. Commemorative banknotes. I'll update this entry once I get my other overprint bills.

Enjoy!

Coin Collection: Trivia about the Philippine 5 Peso Coin

The current Philippine 5 peso coin was first minted in 1995. This replaced the 5 peso bill and the 5 Peso coin of the Improved Flora and Fauna Series. It has a rather simple design and its not a very fancy coin.

 



One interesting fact about the current 5 peso coin is that during 1997 and 1998, some of the 5 peso coins were minted in the Royal Canadian Mint. Oh yes. That would mean that our coins with the year mark 1997 and 1998 are imported. However, not all 1997 and 1998 5 peso coins were minted at the RCM. How can you tell whether or not a 5 peso coin from 1997 or 1998 was made in RCM? Look at the following photos.

The 1997 coin in this photo was minted at the RCM.
Aside from the year mark, what else is different between the two coins?
If you will notice, the 2005 coin has Bangko Sentral's mint mark below Aguinaldo's shoulder.
The 1997 coin has no mint mark.

1997 coins minted at the Royal Canadian Mint (RCM).
These coins are very common and can be easily found in circulation.

A 1998 5 peso coin from RCM surrounded by new, 2011, 1 peso coins.
This is another very common coin in circulation  that is plentiful.

Isn't it cool? The next time you spend a 5 peso coin, check the year mark. You never know, you could be spending an imported coin.

Enjoy!

Coin Collection: Updated Philippines English Series Coins

Finally my Philippine English series coins from 1958 is complete. I have finally put together coins from the year 1958, the first minting year of these coins. My first post regarding these coins can be found in the link below.

Philippine Coins: English Series

Now some photos of the all 1958 Philippine English Series coins.

I did not include the reverse photos anymore since you can view that in my previous entry about the English Series coins.

Enjoy!

GEAR hunting: A day with my fiance

My fiance and I went on our gear hunting today. We went looking for gear we can use in our upcoming hike this weekend in my home province. While waiting for her at farmers plaza, she sent me a text telling me she forgot her wallet. She asked if she could go back to get her wallet at her apartment, but I convinced her not to. That would mean that i would be spending for all our purchases, but I didn't mind. She is after all my fiance.

We checked out the thrift stores beside farmers and gateway mall. The first store we went into was huge. Lots of clothes and shoes, bags and accessories all over the place. We spent our time there until 12:30. We checked almost every line of clothes. Eventually we found ourselves in the jacket section and we saw lots of great finds. Joy, my fiance, was so frustrated when she found a really cool jacket that couldn't fit her. We eventually found 3 really nice jackets that fit her, but then again she wanted all three jackets. I was able to convince her to just get one. Whew! that was close. Even though the jackets are affordable, its would have been unwise to buy a lot of jackets. Then we moved on to the jogging pants section and she got 2 pairs for herself. Lunch was next in order as it was already past 12 noon.

After a hearty meal, we went to this other thrift store. Not very big, but they had better selections. I was able to get pants for my friend Worthy. I just hope it fits him. On to another thrift store where i got myself a jacket and a dry fit shirt. At this point i was beginning to tire. It was almost 5 PM. We dropped by cubao expo next and we found these stores selling really old stuff and now we were in coin hunting mode. Unfortunately, only one store sold old coins. We rummaged through their collection of really beat up coins. They were not that old, but i was able to find a coin to complete my 1958 Philippines English series coins. It was the fifty centavo coin. Joy, however, collected old tokens that were used in the arcade during the past decade. She was very delighted to see an LRT token. All in all she got 8 token and 1 coin, while i just got 1 coin. I paid 20 pesos per piece which was a relatively fair price.

The sun was setting and my fiance already noticed i was tired. We stopped by a convenience store for some water then we headed into the mall to check out backpacks. I was able to get her a new mountaineering backpack for a relatively affordable price, but its the most expensive item we bought today. She was very happy which made me very happy. She said she enjoyed hunting with me, which made my heart melt. Awww!

Eventually it was time to go home and we parted ways. I am now currently entering this blog as i wait for my coin to get cleaned. I soaked the coin in soapy water to get rid if the dirt and grime it had accumulated over the years. After posting this, i will go check on my coin, clean it up and get it in my album.

It was a great day! Man! it beats those movie dates me and my fiance usually have. Maybe next time we can go look for new hunting grounds.

Thanks for a great day sweetheart! Next time we can go hunting in Las Pinas. Love you!

GEAR Hunting

As a mountaineer, i want my apparel to be really durable, but i also dont want to spend over 1000 pesos for a pair of pants or leggings. Come on! My alternative in acquiring really nice, branded, and almost new mountaineering gear is the Ukay-Ukay.

Tomorrow, my fiance and I will be trolling the streets of cubao for ukay-ukay shops to look for those elusive mountaineering apparel for a fraction of the price. I have had quite a bit of luck in ukay-ukay shops before. I found mountaineering pants, a long sleeve top, a fleece jacket, and a shirt. They are all branded, but i will not mention their brands here for secrecy purposes. If the sellers knew we were after specific brands, they would jack up the prices and they will once again become elusive items.

My hunting list for tomorrow,

1. Pants/convertibles
2. Long sleeve hiking top
3. Jacket/lightweight, packable, and provides good insulation for its weight.
4. Gloves

Wish us luck. In case we get any, I'll try to post an update and probably show you some pics with the brand names edited off the pictures. Woohoo! Cant wait!

Coin Collecting: How I got started.

It was sometime during the late 80's, I don't recall the exact year, when i started collecting coins. I was a little boy then and had no knowledge of proper coin storage and handling. Now I have gained more knowledge in handling and storing coins because of the ready info online. I have just recently rekindled this hobby of mine having stopped for many years since going to college back in 1998. When i look back, i can still remember how it all started. How one coin would start me on a road to collecting currencies and other stuff.

I remember one afternoon sometime during the late 80's that I got my very first coin. My grandmother's friend came by the house. I don't recall why she was there, but I do recall her reaching into her purse for money and out came a piece of cloth. She unwrapped the cloth and there was the largest coin I have ever seen. With eyes wide open, I stared at this round metal disc with images alien to me. When my parents saw my reaction, they knew that i had to have the coin. They asked of they can trade for the coin. As they were talking, i heard the word USA and i knew the coin was American. The prevailing exchange rate back then was 20 pesos to a dollar. My parents exchanged 20 pesos for me to have that huge US dollar coin. As i held  the coin in my hand the first thing i saw was an eagle apparently landing on the moon. The other side was the head of a man. I wasn't well versed with American history so i didn't know who that was. The year on the coin was 1972. From then on, i started collecting coins. Old local coins, foreign coins, old bills, etc. My collection grew, but i didn't know of proper way to store and handle coins so i kept them in one box. As time passed by, of course the coins that were shiny became dull and scratched. My first coins covered by new additions and stayed under the pile for a long time.

A decade down the road and I would stop collecting. Another decade would pass by until my interest in coin collecting would be rekindled. Whenever i get home to the province, i rummage through my old box of coins and look for my very first coin. I would hold it in my hand, do a couple of coin tosses, and put it back in the box. Its now a dull coin with lots of scratches, but its still my very first coin which started me on coin collecting

I will be going back to the province next weekend. This time, i wont be leaving my collection behind like i use to whenever i came back to the city. This time, i will be bringing them all with me. Its time I treated my collection properly.

In case you were wondering, my 1972 coin, is the "Dwight D. Eisenhower Dollar".

Enjoy!

Update:
I recently found out that there are three types of Eisenhower Dollars. The typing has something to do with the earth on the reverse of the coin. I am now very much excited to get back to the province and check my Ike Dollar. I am hoping its type 2. And if it is, it just became the most expensive coin in my collection.

The Journey To Skyworld

"Four would be "maharlikas" are about to embark on a journey to scale the heights and try to catch a glimpse of the skyworld. The journey will only take but a few hours, but it will be the hardest journey. Little is known about this window to skyworld known as Palali. The steps will be treacherous, the way will be riddled with innumerable dangers, led by the keeper of the path known only as Roldan, will the four "maharlikas" reach their destination? Will they really catch a glimpse of the skyworld?"

Nice intro to an epic myth right? Not! I'm just really excited to finally be able to climb one of the mountains I have been longing to climb for three years. I cant wait to experience the trail, the forest, the flora and fauna of the little known mountain in my home province. They say the weather is unpredictable, and they are right. I should know because i have lived in that province for most of my life. The weather there is somewhat close to Baguio at this time of year.

I will be bringing along my fiance, a friend of mine and his friend. Together we will tread the trail not often trod to get to the top of a mountain most people haven't climbed. Its a privilege to climb this mountain and i consider it an honor as a Novo Vizcayano to be able to stand atop its peak.

"Wait for us skyworld, you sons and daughters long to see your golden gates!"

Coin Grading

For the professional coin collector, coin grading is an indispensable part of collecting and keeping numismatic items. Coin grading allows one to gauge the condition of the coin and determine the worth of the coin and its collectability factor. A graded coin is more expensive than an ungraded coin of the same quality. Coin grading takes skill, years of practice, and lots of experience in looking at coins and related materials. 

Various companies offer grading service. Among the most famous in the world are PCGS and NGS in the United States. I do not know if there are any local coin grading services here in the Philippines so all of my coins are ungraded. I could grade them on my own, but my grade would be biased since the coins are personally mine and being objective about the grade would be difficult. However, coin grading is a rather relative art. The same coin may be graded differently depending on who is grading the coin.

In my search for a guide on how to grade coins, I found a video on YouTube that gives a simple overview on how one can grade coins based on the international scale of coin grading. Please note that I do not own this video and I am posting this for information only.

This video is owned by Silveragecoins.com.

Enjoy!

ASEAN Commemorative 50 peso bill

I found this 50 peso bill in our change when my friends and I had lunch at KFC yesterday. Its the old 50 peso design with the seal of ASEAN on it. A friend of mine commented that I am quick to notice these things and I just smiled in satisfaction for finding this bill.

This bill commemorates the Philippines being one of the founding members of ASEAN.

Close up of ASEAN logo.
(Association of Southeast Asian Nations)

I wont be spending this bill anymore and its been added to my collection. OK maybe I'll spend it when i am in a dire financial situation, but for now, its safely stored in my collection.

Enjoy!

Coin Collecting: The Hobby of Kings

During the renaissance, coin collecting was not for everyone. During these times, only the privileged had the means to collect monetary items such as coins. The ordinary citizen didn't have the luxury to keep coins as a collection. One would rather spend it on food and other necessities. The probable reason why coin collecting back then was only for the rich is the content of the coins themselves. Gold and silver were the metals used for very early coins which meant they were rather few and had great value for its relative size. The value of the coin was dictated by its weight in gold or silver. even in today's standards, one would have to be very rich to be able to collect gold.

Today, coin collecting has become a hobby, not only for kings, but for the ordinary people as well. Now, everyone can be a collector of currencies because much has changed in how coins are  made and how they are used. Today, coins are made from cheap metals like aluminum, brass, nickel, and stainless steel for those in normal circulation. The metals used are not very valuable themselves. You cant melt our coins today to make higher value coins. These have a numerical value equivalent or what is called face value and has nothing to do with the value of the metal used to make them. The introduction of paper money was also a game changer in collecting coins and currencies because paper, compared to gold and other metals, is relatively cheap to produce. When currencies get demonetized, they would lose their value and just become useless pieces of metals and paper. Unlike if we still used gold for coins, our money would never get demonetized because gold in itself, coin or not, is very valuable.

If you want to start you own coin collection, start with what you have in your pocket. Check your old piggy banks and forgotten nooks and crannies of your grandparents' house. More often than not you will find old collectibles in these places. Ask friends and family members for old demonetized currencies they don't want anymore. Go to coin trader shops and rummage through their bargain bins. Ask experts and do some research. You can specify your collection to only local coins, or coins of a specific year or a specific series.

 Despite coin collecting becoming an ordinary mans hobby, it has become more complex. Collecting now goes beyond just keeping the coins, it means maintaining the coins condition and appeal, protecting them from the environment, and having to spend a small fortune in albums and display cases for your coins. The coins may have been demonetized, but their collectors value will become higher just because the bank doesn't make them anymore. Prices for out of production coins, especially the old ones, depend more on how much you are willing to pay to have one in your collection rather than how valuable the metal content is. I remember buying a Pilipino series 1 peso coin (1972), for 50 pesos. That's 50 times its face value just because they don't make them anymore. It would have bee much more expensive of the coin was in mint condition. Coin collecting is a great hobby, you cant beat the satisfaction you get when you find that elusive coin you've always wanted.

It may have been a hobby of the kings in the past, but today, anyone can be a king of this hobby.

Enjoy!

Coin Collection: Improved Flora and Fauna

I remember back in the 90's, there was a time when we started opening all our coin banks and started depositing our savings in the bank. During this time the coins in our "piggy banks" were the Philippine Flora and Fauna series coins. It made me curious why we started opening all our coin banks so I asked my parents why we were counting all our money and they just told me that the government is going to change our money. Initially, I thought that the government was really going around changing peoples money to new and shiny ones. Little did I know that the government was going to demonetize the current series.

It was 1991 when Banko Sentral ng Pilipinas started minting the new series. I don't recall the first time I saw the new coins, but I do remember commenting that the government shrunk our coins. The 5 peso coin was reintroduced in this series and I remember liking this coin because it was thick and heavy. It was also made of brass so the color intrigued me during the time. I even thought it was made of gold. I wasn't particularly fond of the new series of coins and it wasn't long until the government again changed the coins, back in 1995, to a new series which we still use to this day.

I have completed the Improved flora and fauna series thanks to my cousins donation. He gave me his 1991, 5 peso coin and 25 centavo coin. All my coins in this series are from the original minting year of 1991. These coins were minted until 1994. The 1, 5, and 10 centavos were retained from the original flora and fauna series so I didn't include them here.

25 SENTIMO
This was really small compared to the original. One can easily lose this coin.

25 SENTIMO REVERSE
It retained its original design it was just smaller.
This was donated by my cousin, Darryll Biscaro.

50 SENTIMO OBVERSE
The original was nickel. This one is made of brass. The size is almost the same as the 25 sentimo.
People sometimes accidentally interchange the two coins when giving out change.

50 SENTIMO REVERSE
The eagle is still there. Same design. No mint errors this time around.

1 PISO OBVERSE
Same design just smaller in size.

1 PISO REVERSE
The tamaraw is still there. One thing I observed when this came out was that it sticks to magnets.
Apparently, the metal was changed to stainless steel. I don't know if it was really stainless,
because I remember seeing rusted coins at home.

2 PISO OBVERSE
This one had a major change. Its no longer the decagon shaped coin we once knew.
It was changed to round and size was reduced, but the design remains the same.

2 PISO REVERSE
Yup! this is the coconut where you can tie the tamaraw from the 1 PISO to make 3 PISO.
If you didn't find that funny, you have no sense of humor.
Even though the size was reduced, the detail on the coconut is still amazing.

5 PISO OBVERSE
This was the new coin of the series. Of the coins in this series, this has to be my favorite.
It looked like a shiny gold coin to me back then. I even had the idea that it might be made
out of real gold. It turns out there is 0 gold in this coin.

5 PISO REVERSE
It took me a while to finally realize that the plant on this coin our national tree, the Nara.
Those are its leaves and seed pods on the coin.
Thanks to my cousin, Darryll, for donating this coin to my collection.

There you have it. The Improved Flora and Fauna series coins of the Philippines. Personally, the only improvement in this series is the 5 Peso coin. These coins are not rare. They can be easily acquired from coin shops at a very cheap price. In my set, none of the coins were purchased because they are still common that one can find these in old coin banks. Check your old coin banks, you may even have a complete 1991 series in pristine condition. As time goes by, of course these will eventually become rare. So if you have one that looks new, keep it. Or you can donate it to my collection. I would gladly accept it.

Enjoy!