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Platinum coins are a form of currency. Platinum has an international currency symbol under ISO 4217 of XPT. The issues of legitimate platinum coins were initiated by Spain in Spanish-colonized America in the 18th century and continued by the Russian Empire in the 19th century. As a form of currency, these coins proved to be impractical: platinum resembles many less expensive metals, and, unlike the more malleable and ductile silver and gold, it is very difficult to work. Several commemorative coin sets have been issued starting from 1978 and became popular among coin collectors. The major platinum bullion coins include the American Platinum Eagle, the Canadian Platinum Maple Leaf, the Australian Platinum Koala, the Isle of Man Noble, the Chinese Platinum Panda and several series by the Soviet Union and later by the Russian Federation. ==History== Platinum was first used for minting coins in Spanish-colonized America. Following the discovery of platinum in gold rocks, the Spaniards were unable to use it for a long time because they had no technology for processing this metal. The then-cheap platinum was used for various kinds of frauds, such as substituting it for the more expensive silver. After the discovery that platinum alloys with gold, counterfeiters began to add it to gold coins. The platinum confiscated from counterfeiters was then thrown into the sea, in accordance with the royal decree of 1735. Later, the practice of adding platinum to gold as a ligature was adopted by the authorities in Spain in order to lower the gold content of coins.〔 Also in Spain, in the mid-19th century, counterfeiters began producing British Sovereigns out of a gold-plated alloy of platinum and copper, relying on a similar specific weight of platinum and gold.〔(【引用サイトリンク】Information about platinum coins )〕 In the late 1820s, the British Royal Mint produced several trial coins as part of experiments on the use of platinum in coins. One of these coins has the same diameter as a farthing and a weak relief owing to the high hardness of platinum. The 1812 Pattern 9 Pence Bank Token (S3773A) was used for the obverse and the farthing of 1825 for the reverse parts of this coin. No dies were manufactured for these experiments, so expired dies of the corresponding coins were used instead. Coins minted using dies from two different coins are called mules. The coin bears the year of 1825, but was likely printed at a later date. Like all test coins, the platinum farthing has a high historic and numismatic value. This coin is also interesting because it features the portrait of the already deceased monarch George III (1738–1820).〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=From the Grading Room: 1825 Great Britain Pattern Farthing Mule, Struck in Platinum )〕 The first and only case when platinum coins were used as a regular national currency〔 was in Russia, where coins were circulated between 1828 and 1845. These coins proved to be impractical: platinum resembles many less expensive metals, and, unlike the more malleable and ductile silver and gold, it is very difficult to work. However, merchants valued platinum coins because it did not melt in fires like gold or silver. The minting of platinum coins resumed only after 130 years. Between 1977 and 1980, in preparation for the 1980 Summer Olympics, the Soviet Union produced five commemorative coin sets, and since 1988 commemorative platinum coins were issued every year. The practice of regularly issuing platinum coins has continued in modern Russia, and since 1992 the Central Bank of Russia has released 16 sets of platinum coins. Since 1983, other countries have begun regular minting of platinum coins.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Platinmünze – Noble )〕 The most notable examples are the Platinum cat,〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Isle of Man Brilliant Uncirculated Platinum Cats )〕 and Platinum Noble by the Isle of Man, Canadian Platinum Maple Leaf,〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Platinum Bullion, Platinum Coins, & Platinum Bars )〕 Chinese Platinum Panda and Australian Platinum Koala. Since 1997, the hundred-dollar American Platinum Eagle became the most notable platinum coin among the collectors, named for the bald eagle depicted on the coin.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=American Platinum Eagle Coin )〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Platinum coin」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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