Chess Coins & Tokens Capture Numismatic Hearts

泉神贯注-大平

PCGS MS69 2002 Hungary Silver 500 Forint Chess Machine.

By Justin Meunier - July 30, 2024
Original link: https://www.pcgs.com/news/chess-coins-tokens-capture-numismatic-hearts

Frankly speaking, I am an atrocious chess player. It was not a game I learned early, and a passion for the game is something that is required to progress, something that I do not have. However, my childhood best friend had that passion, and ended up as the executive director of the prestigious Marshall Chess Club in New York City before pursuing a career in law, which exposed me to many exceptional chess talents whenever I would visit the club.

Over the years of getting to know many passionate chess players (some of whom were even numismatists themselves!), I learned that many of the things that make successful chess players also make successful numismatists. An attention to detail, focus, and passion for their hobby are all traits that many of the most accomplished chess players and numismatists share.

One of my favorite numismatic tokens is the 1891 issue from the Montreal Chess and Checkers Club. While the checkers club was founded in 1884, in 1891 it merged with the chess club in 1891. During the amalgamation, it was decided tokens would be issued to demonstrate that annual dues of $3 had been paid. Being from Montreal, its script is in French, and the obverse depicts a stylized Rook over a checkerboard. According to Illustrated History of the Coins and Tokens Relating to Canada, by P.N. Breton (the authoritative guide for Canadian tokens), there were 100 pieces issued and is listed as Breton 587. Despite this, they are not super expensive and generally remain in Mint State. The last PCGS-graded example in Mint State sold for a bit over $200.

PCGS MS69 2002 Hungary Silver 500 Forint Chess Machine.

There are also several neat chess issues from Armenia. Chess has been played in Armenia since the Middle Ages, but while Armenia was part of the Soviet Union, chess truly became a major part of Armenian culture. Even today, Armenia has among the most chess grandmasters per capita for any country. One of the strongest players of all time, Tigran Petrosian was from Soviet Armenia. He was the world champion from 1963 through 1969 and is renowned for his defensive style of play.

Petrosian is depicted on a 1999 5,000 dram silver commemorative issue. This coin depicts Petrosian’s bust facing left, overlooking a stylized bishop’s hat. Armenia has also issued several Chess Olympiad commemorative issues, ranging from a circulating base-metal 100 dram from 1996 to a gold 10,000 dram issue from 2006. The base-metal issue can be had for a couple of dollars, while the gold and silver issues generally sell for a bit more than their value in gold or silver.

PCGS MS69 2002 Hungary Silver 500 Forint Chess Machine.

Another neat series issued celebrating a famous chess player is the 1988 Jose Raul Capablanca commemoratives from Cuba. Capablanca is legendary in chess circles as one of the early greats, and propelled to fame as a victor in a match in 1909 over Frank Marshall, the United States champion and founder of the Marshall Chess Club in Manhattan. Capablanca is considered to have been the world champion from 1921 through 1927, and his style of chess play influenced many future legends, including Bobby Fischer.

This particular series was issued for the centenary of Capablanca's birth. There are two different one peso issues, one featuring Capablanca at a chess board, the other featuring a modernist design of a pawn, rook, knight, bishop, king, and queen all clustered together, ready to be placed on a board. Both of these types are copper-nickel. There are also five peso and 20 peso issues struck in .999-fine silver; these repeat the design of Capablanca at a chess board.

While none of these pieces are exceptionally expensive, the low mintages on these can make them difficult to find. Even if you are not a fan of chess, or a terrible player like myself, it is easy to see why so many chess players share our hobby!

进击的巨人

古钱里有不少，不过随着前几年的冲击，现在的各种棋类都差了一些感觉。