by Jay Turner
Collecting varieties in coins has long been a popular pastime in the United States. However, in many other nations around the world variety collecting is still in its infancy. As the popularity of collecting grows in different countries, varieties often neglected before now become recognized by and collectors who didn’t previously know about such issues. Here we will look at Thailand as one such country in which significant doubled dies are starting to be discovered and PCGS is recognizing them for the benefit of the hobby.
Thailand (1860) Baht
Listed as Y-11 in Krause, a significant doubled die has been noted on the Rama IV seal side. A fully doubled design can be found in parts of the seal as well as on the flowers.
nd(1860) Baht Y-11 DDR, Thailand, PCGS MS64. Click image to enlarge.
Close up of reverse of coin. Click image to enlarge.
Thailand (1869) Fuang
Listed as Y-28 in Krause and as A019-04, a significant doubled die was recently noted by PCGS. This doubled die on the elephant side shows significant doubling on the chakra, the elephant’s trunk and tail, and on the denticle design.
nd(1869) Fuang A-019-04 Y-28 DDO, Thailand, PCGS AU58. Click image to enlarge.
Close up of elephant on obverse of coin. Click image to enlarge.
Close up of design around elephant on obverse of coin. Click image to enlarge.
Left: Close up of elephant on obverse of coin. Right: Close up of design around elephant on obverse of coin. Click images to enlarge.
Thailand (1876-1900) Baht
Listed as Y-34 in Krause, PCGS has noted two major doubled dies for this coin. The first shows significant doubling on both the obverse and reverse of the coin. The doubling on the obverse is most visible on the lettering from 9-12. On the reverse, incredible doubling is found on all of the lettering, especially from 4-10 as well as on the arms. The coin was also noted as having rotated dies and an obverse die break or cud at about 4 o’clock.
Image courtesy of PCGS TrueView. Click image to enlarge.
Close up of rim of obverse of coin. Click image to enlarge.
Close up of reverse of coin. Click image to enlarge.
Left: Close up of rim of obverse of coin. Right: Close up of reverse of coin. Click images to enlarge.
Thailand (1876-1900) Baht
The second major doubled die is on the obverse. The doubling can be noted on the lettering and on the bust.
Image courtesy of PCGS TrueView. Click image to enlarge.
Close up of obverse of coin. Click image to enlarge.
Thailand RS119 (1900) 2 Att
A massive doubled die obverse has been noted showing incredible doubling on all of the lettering the bust, and decorations on the bust.
Image courtesy of PCGS TrueView. Click image to enlarge.
Obverse coin design. Click image to enlarge.
Thailand RS124 (1905) Baht
This doubled die is most evident on the lettering and the nose and lips of the bust.
Image courtesy of PCGS TrueView. Click image to enlarge.
Close up on obverse lettering. Click image to enlarge.
Thailand RS125 (1906) Saluang
This doubled die is found on the reverse most evident on the lettering.
Image courtesy of PCGS TrueView. Click image to enlarge.
Close up of reverse edge lettering. Click image to enlarge.
All of these varieties have been found and noted by PCGS in just the past few years. For collectors of variety coins, looking to regions across the world can yield incredible discoveries. For people who collect the coinage of Thailand, these discoveries can enrich and diversify their collections. You never know what you may discover with a sharp eye and the willingness to look at your coins a little closer!