The New Thai 10 Baht Coin
I’m a numismatist and I admit it! When I heard that a new series of Thai coins were released April 6, coinciding with the 236th anniversary of the Chakri dynasty’s foundation, I was excited. The new coins feature a portrait of His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun in the uniform of the Royal guards at the reign of King Chulalongkorn on the front. The backs of the coins show the Royal Cypher (ว.ป.ร.: มหาวชิราลงกรณ์ ปรมราชาธิราช: Mahavajiralongkorn Paramarajadhiraja (Thai equivalent to Vajiralongkorn Rex), topped by the Great Crown of Victory, with a Thai symbol for Om in between.
Today, we’ll take a look at my favorite coin, the 10 Baht. Other than the artwork featured on the new 10 Baht coins, the size, weight, etc. remain the same as the older coins that we covered in our blog, HERE. The first thing you’ll notice is how the beautiful relief stands out on a newly issued coin. I used studio lighting to bring out every nuance of detail on the coins and the results were stunning! I have to give a shout-out to the car photographers I apprenticed with and my former demanding jewelry clients for helping me develop this lighting technique.
!0 Baht Coin (Front)
Thai 10 Baht Coin (Reverse)
If you’ve read this far on our blog, you probably already know this, but please remind a friend: Thai money is to be treated with respect as it bears the images of Thai Kings. Defacing any of the coins or banknotes is a serious crime and if you happen to accidentally drop one on the ground, Do Not Step On It, even if it’s a windy day.
Speaking of banknotes, some new ones have already been released and the ฿500 and ฿1000 denominations will be released on July 28, which marks King Vajiralongkorn’s birthday. All of the coins are available for exchange at the Treasury Department’s offices on Soi Areesamphan in Bangkok, and in Klong Luang district of Pathumthani, and at offices in six provinces namely Khon Kaen, Ubon Ratchathani, Chiang Mai, Nakhon Sawan, Songkhla and Surat Thani. I’m sure I’ll purchase a new uncirculated set someday soon, but it’s fun to receive them as change. For me, obtaining beautiful coins by serendipity are an added bonus to shopping and spending money.
Note: Sources for this blog include http://www.khaosodenglish.com/, Bank of Thailand, and Wiki. If you see any mistakes please let me know at once!
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Blog : Thai by Apisatha Hussadee Giunca
Blog : English by George Edward Giunca
About the Authors
Photographer George Edward Giunca, and his Thai wife, Apisatha, have traveled around Thailand armed with a circular fisheye lens to create a photo essay on the rich cultural diversity, and abundant natural beauty of the Kingdom of Thailand. Fleeing from angry water buffaloes, slapping huge mosquitoes, watching exotic festivals and religious rituals, gorging on delicious spicy food, applying aloe vera cream to sunburned skin, wading through rice paddies, getting drenched to the bone by heavy monsoon rains, and gawking at breath-taking scenery; made it a journey of epic proportions! The result is the book, THAILAND 180º. Later, they traveled extensively through Myanmar, Malaysia, and India, gathering a massive collections of 180º photos. They currently live in Chiang Mai where they continue to blog and are now working on a CHIANG MAI 180º book.
Here’s How to Order Your Copy of THAILAND 180º Collectors EditionToday!
In Thailand —>>>http://www.thailand180.com/thaiorder.html
The Rest of the world: We are offering our book on Amazon.com, below list price and I’ll pay for the shipping within the United States! http://amzn.to/1knDPRR
Not Familiar with Our Book???
This show details the origin of 180 Books, a series of art/travel books illustrated with a circular fisheye lens. By using infographics, pictures from our THAILAND 180º book, and never seen before images from our vault, we’ll demonstrate this unique lens and present our unique books.
Also, because there’s nothing to watch on TV, here’s a trailer about our book, “THAILAND 180”
