IndoHound

Just read an article the other day from a Malaysian blogger who said that there is quite a re-juvenification of the numismatic trade going on in Malaysia. Much of the dealing goes on in the social media though people are also opening shops in cities besides Kuala Lumpur and Penang. Philately in Malaysia appears dead, however. There is a terrific flea market in Amcorp Mall on Sunday. Great for buying and selling! All this action draws people into the hobby as average earnings are not terrific in Malaysia and with a bit of intellingence a good supplemental income can be made at varying demographical levels. Also, income taxes are low and not overly complicated and duties as well are not prohibitive. This also helps residents to accumulate spare cash which can be invested into collectibles not only real estate or the equity markets. Lastly, an important quantity of books have been published concerning numismatics in Malaysia. Some of them are collectibles in their own right. In Malaysia many collectors buy both the coin (or banknote) AND the book.

As a resident of Indonesia, from personal experience, I would say that there is interest in numismatics across the board. This ranges from the mundane: one coin or banknote from every country to the obscure such as buying common coins and paper money to be incorporated into collages and other artwork to the bizarre like using British, Australian and other pennies, pouring some type of Acryl on them in order to renovate the floor of a bathroom. Generally serious collectors here are those with money and educated to a greater rather than lesser extent. There is a market for items ranging from 1¢ to multiples of $1000 Dollars. The passion albeit oftentimes hidden is invigorating.

WOW, interesting that there is a market still developing for these items. I picked up ten of each of these denominations on a visit to the Reserve Bank, Harare in 2003. UNC condition was no problem except for the Z$1000 as only five examples were available a consecutive pair in UNC and the others were ranging from XF to aUNC. I sold every note as close by as South Africa where I was rushed by collectors and later elsewhere around the planet. For my own collection, I kept the consecutive pair and a single. Was not planning to have these graded as no difference was made between stamped/marked ones and ones which did not go through the process. I remember that the counter staff at the Reserve Bank was not that keen that I did not sign the notes in front of them. I had to provide an acceptable explanation to be able to do so. Please have a look at my examples below.