Games dollars for Japan

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33424, 4 January 1974, Page 1

Games dollars for Japan

The steady growth of interest in the Commonwealth Games commemorative dollar during the last few weeks was capped yesterday by a Japanese order for 2000 of the shiny, silver coins.

The order, from a coin and stamp dealer in Tokyo, was the first big non - Commonwealth request for the dollars, which cost SNZ2 each.

The Japanese interest in the coin came hard on the heels of brisk sales in New Zealand; in the last six weeks of 1973, 50,000 of the commemorative dollars were sold, boosting New Zealand sales to 195,000. In Australia the total sold has reached 101,000. The Games Information Officer (Mr L. W. Patterson) said he had approached several coin dealers in Japan after hearing of the popularity of a medal struck by the British Olympic Council to help with the expenses of its team for Munich. ORDER FOR MORE

He said that a call had been sent to the mint in Australia for a further 25,000 of the dollars to be struck.

“At present we have only 100,000 of the coins left in New Zealand, and we want to make sure that we have a good stock on hand at the time of the Games, when we plan to have unsold stocks from around the country available in Christchurch. “The silver dollar has been selling steadily here, especially since holiday-makers have been In the city, and

the demand is likely to be heavy during the Games.”