1976 Malaysia 25 Ringgit Conservation Commemorative, Rhinoceros Hornbill

I just happened to have a coin for @welshstacker’s Wonderful Wildlife challenge. My problem? I was a little tied up the last several days and finally getting a start on this.

” Blackbirds tend to like Shiny Things” ~ The Bloody Raven

This coin came from a decent sized Coin show out in the Oakridge Mall held by the newly Combined Coin club of the Vancouver Numismatic Society into the North Shore Numismatic society. In 2014, I was a rookie Stacker and @punkysdad was showing me the ropes. He was already familiar with all the Dealers and the Club officials assured the crowds that each Dealer present was indeed legit and have already been registered with the local clubs for years if not decades.

The Silver Coin

1976 Malaysia 25 Ringgit, Conservation, Rhinoceros Hornbill Reverse; Rhinoceros Hornbill bird and sprigs ENGGANG, 25 RINGGIT Sterling Silver 0.925, 35g Diameter 42mm, Thickness 3mmMintage: 40,000 BU, 8,008 Proof Cameo finish

Being my first show I felt excited with cash in my pocket and original my plan was to add an equivalent to a roll of junk Canadian Voyager silver dollars to my fledgling stack.

I’ve never seen such a variety of coins.
I’ve never seen so many EXPENSIVE coins.
A half hour into the show I’ve got my junk silver and I already needed to find an ATM.

The Hornbill

Hornbill by S. Kuveskar under CCO 3.0

While there is a variety of 60 different Hornbills that populate the natural subtropical and tropical rain forests of the south eastern Indonesian archipelago there is one that stands out.

Found only in the old lowland and mountain rain forests of Malaysia, Sumatra islands, Thailand, Java and Borneo the Rhinoceros Hornbill is a large black bird with the distinctive beak casque structure functioning as a resonator giving this bird a unique and loud call.

A long lived species known to live up to 35 years in captivity yet in a vulnerable state due loss of its natural primary forest habitat being turned to human use. They tend to avoid secondary growth forests which further reduce their long termed survival as a species.

The female is slightly smaller than the males and identifiable by the eye iris color, red/orange for the male, white for the females.

The breeding behavior is as distinct as the species itself they devised a strategy that assures survive ability of the young by sealing the Mother and chicks within the tree hollow with only a small access hole for food and waste. An effective defense but a system that relies on the Male bird supplying the food through a small hole into the nest until the chicks mature, the diet of mainly fruit, sometimes insects, rodents or smaller birds. 🐦

The big question, Is this bird suitable for life aboard a pirate ship? At an adult size of 90cms, weight of almost 3kg, and fussy housing requirements the Rhinoceros Hornbill will not be considered the position of Captain’s parrot of The StormCrow. We’re better off just having the bird on a silver coin.

1976 Malaysia 25 Ringgit Conservation, Rhinoceros HornbillObverse; Malaysian National Coat of ArmsText; MALAYSIA, 1976 Edge; Reeded Reference KM# 20, Schön# 59

This Malaysian 25 Ringgit coin is only one of a dozen we picked up on a group deal on that glorious day. He got himself a variety of Bird coins and banknotes to fill spots in his collection. We got a nice discount on the deal that didn’t require me to make a second trip to the ATM.

It’s a big coin and an official issue by the World Wildlife Fund. At 42 mm slightly larger than an American Silver Eagle, it has a weight of 35 g, at 0.925 fineness netting this coin at slightly over one (1.041 AWG) ounce of silver. The coin is slightly less than proof having been long removed from it’s original air-tight and 2 coin set. Distracting finger prints can be seen on both sides along with a faint milky film.

For my friends that are into those colorful Fiat Banknotes

1959 Indonesia 100 RupiahBack; 100, Rhinoceros Hornbill Birds, 100Lower Left Watermark Coat of ArmsReference; Indonesia p# 69a

1959 Indonesia 100 Rupiah Front; 100, BANK INDONESIA, SERATUS RUPIAH, 100Center; Giant Rafflessia Patma Flowers, Lower right Watermark Coat of ArmsSize: 157 x 80 mmPrinter: Thomas De LA RUE & Company Ltd.

Bonus Banknote

1953 Malaya and British Borneo One DollarFront;$1, BOARD OF COMMISSIONER OF CURRENCY, $1, ONE DOLLAR 1, Watermark of a Lion’s Head, Elizabeth II PortraitSize: 124 x 64 mmPrinter: Waterlow & Sons, Limited, London

1953 Malaya and British Borneo One Dollar Back: The coats of arms of the states in the Malay Federation Center: Watermark of a Lion’s HeadReference P# 1a

Looking back this silver coin at $30 CAD, Tax included ahem, it was slightly lower priced than a $5 Silver Maple Leaf. I don’t remember the total price within the context of the whole deal. However, I will remember this with satisfaction as one of the coins that came to me at a time when I was newly awakened to this flawed and corrupt monetary system and it’s eventual demise.

At the same time add some spicy variety to my Stack.
Keep on Stacking friends.

And a BIG Thank You to @punkysdad for loaning me these old banknotes. Really, you should get posting some of your coins.

As for the May 1st, 2023 #hpud!

I plan to power up 100 Hive after tomorrow.
And that will put me over the 15,000 Hive Power milestone! ⚡️
I'll post the result in the comments then.

Adding a feathered friend in Silver, to my Stack for the day the Banks get their Goose cooked!

The #piratesunday tag is the scurvy scheme of Captain @stokjockey for #silvergoldstackers pirates to proudly showcase their shiny booty and plunder for all to see. Landlubbers arrrh… welcomed to participate and be a Pirate at heart so open yer treasure chests an’ show us what booty yea got!

Related Wildlife Posts

1987 2 Pound Bailiwick of Jersey The Pink Pidgeon. 🕊
1974 Cayman Island $2 Blue Heron.
1975 50 Rupee Mauritius Kestrel.
1978 Papua New Guinea 5 Kina New Guinea Eagle. 🦅
1977 $5 Cook Islands Atiu Swiftlet.

References

My own pictures shot with a Samsung SM-A530W P. Image under PixabayW. Wiki Commons 💀 Page Dividers by thekittygirl 🎃

Sources

Notes Collector: 1953 Malaya and British Borneo One Dollar Notescollector.eu.
Notes Collector; 1959 Indonesia 100 Rupiah Notescollector.eu.
Real Banknotes; 1959 Indonesia 100 Rupiah Real Banknotes.com.
World Land Trust; Rhinoceros Hornbill.
Wiki; Hornbill.

"I’m just a gal in black, not a bloody Financial Advisor!"