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1 Crown - Elizabeth II Ballpoint Pen
| Issuer | Isle of Man |
|---|---|
| Year | 1995 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | 38.5 mm |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
| Obverse lettering | ELIZABETH II ISLE OF MAN 1995 |
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| Additional information |
The Isle of Man's Treasury has long operated with unusual freedom to authorize novelty commemoratives, and the mid-1990s produced some of its most idiosyncratic output. This crown marks the centenary of the ballpoint pen, credited to László Bíró, whose 1938 Hungarian patent preceded a wartime British government contract — the RAF needed a pen that wouldn't leak at altitude.
Bíró never profited significantly from the invention he effectively gave away.