Gold’s glitter to last a few more years
BY ELAINE ANG - The Star - 01-08-2006
A somewhat lacklustre stock market last year and slowdown in the property sector have caused investors to look at other alternative investments to diversify their investment portfolio. StarBiz talks to the experts about investments in gold and foreign currency fixed deposits. POWERHOUSE Asset Management Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Tan Kok Kheng views gold as an asset class to look into in the next three years. “Investors should not miss out on this asset class. Gold is a sleeping giant, which has woken up from years of hibernation,” he said in an interview. .

Netizens decry ‘shame' of new 5,000 won bill
JoongAng Daily - 01-07-2006
After helping to uncover erstwhile national hero Hwang Woo-suk's trail of deceit in his stem cell research, Korea's ever-vigilant "netizens" have found even bigger fish to fry. This time, Korea's online community is up in arms at the decision to omit the definite article from the new 5,000-won ($5) bill, leaving "Bank of Korea" to stand alone "If the bank has omitted ‘the' by mistake," read one online posting, "then it has not only wasted taxpayers' money, but caused our national shame.".

Silver Market Update
by Clive Maund - 01-08-2006
Silver is now largely subject to the same dynamics as gold, and this is reflected in the current remarkable similarity between the silver and gold charts. The powerful uptrends in both metals are being driven by the same overriding forces, which are tending to make the fundamental differences in the supply and demand situation between gold and silver look like irrelevant detail. .

3-19 Feb 2006. Japanese government auctions gold coins on Internet
NewsAhead - 01-08-2006
TOKYO. 3-19 Feb 2006. Japan’s Ministry of Finance auctions gold coins from its collection to reduce the national debt. From a collection of 32,638 modern gold coins, 2,445 coins will be put up for auction. An auction of 1,037 coins from the collection in October brought in 561.82 million yen (US $4.83 million) for the public coffers..

Market changes, matures for State quarter dollars
By Mark Ferguson - COIN VALUES - 01-08-2006
As time has passed, the market has matured for State quarter dollars, which were introduced by the U.S. Mint in 1999. Zeroing in on the underlying market changes for these quarter dollars simply comes down to grading and their totals by grade per issue. As time has passed, populations of third-party certified State quarter dollars have grown immensely..

Alaska's design commission welcomes public suggestions for 2008 State quarter
By Michele Orzano - COIN WORLD - 01-08-2006
Another state is doing the right thing by its residents. Alaska has now joined Nebraska as two of the states that have posted minutes from their State quarter dollar design commission meetings. The 11-member Alaska Commemorative Coin Commission holds public meetings, as several other State quarter commissions have done, but the commission is doing more to inform the public of its deliberations..

Banks cannot refuse notes or coins of small denomination
The Hindu - S. Vydhinanathan - 01-08-2006
CHENNAI: If a bank refuses to accept small denomination notes / coins or charges commission for accepting the same, a customer can file a complaint against the bank concerned to the banking ombudsman. As per the Banking Regulation Act, banks cannot refuse to accept notes or coins of small denomination..

New Manat presented as currency denomination starts
AzerNews - 01-08-2006
Azerbaijan's new money to be released in January in light of the currency denomination was presented last Wednesday. Addressing the ceremony at the Excelsior Hotel, President Ilham Aliyev said the issuance of the new banknotes and coins into circulation will mark a new stage in the country's history. He recalled that after the release of the first national currency (Manat) in early 1990s, inflation reached critical levels..

ICA Aids In Passage of $1 Coin Act
moderncarcare.com - 01-08-2006
CHICAGO -- The International Carwash Association (ICA) recently announced the passage of the Presidential $1 Coin Act. According to the ICA, President Bush recently authorized the U.S. Mint to start production on a new $1 golden coin featuring all 37 deceased presidents, which will enter into circulation in 2007..

'O' Mint seeks help
Numismatic News - 01-08-2006
As officials prepare to start repairing the old mint building in New Orleans, there are ways to help the museum get back on its feet. Specifically, officials are asking for contributions to the Friends of the New Orleans Mint Exhibit fund..

Gold prices hit quarter-century high
NEW YORK, (UPI) - 01-08-2006
The price of gold on New York's futures market closed Friday at its highest level since 1981. Gold for February delivery settled at $541.20 an ounce on the New York Mercantile Exchange, MarketWatch said. .

36.2 percent more gold trades hands last year
shanghaidaily.com - 01-08-2006
THE Shanghai Gold Exchange traded 36.2 percent more gold last year compared to 2004. Analysts said the yellow metal may enjoy another bullish run this year. China's sole bourse for precious metals traded 906.4 tons of gold last year, up 241.11 tons from 2004, the exchange said on its Website..

All That Is Gold Still Glisters As Jewelry Drives Market
By THOMSON DIALOG: NewsEdge - 01-08-2006
Rapaport...Independent Newspapers) Mark Twain had a warning for investors in gold. 'A gold mine is a hole in the ground with a liar on top,' he once wrote. But despite the shady characters that have been associated with the precious metal, its allure to collectors and investors has rarely been tarnished..

Man buys new Camry with quarters – lots of ’em
Maui News - 01-08-2006
All things considered, it was a pretty good deal. Jewelry shop owner Paul Stocking traded 800 pounds of quarters for a 2,000 pound 2006 Toyota Camry – covering a bill of $15,650 (plus a trade-in) to the penny . . . or quarter as the case may be. “It wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be,” said Maui Toyota Finance Manager Cee Morris. “All of it was in rolls and we basically agreed if it wasn’t all there, they would pay the difference.”.

Nigerians urged to invest in gold coins
Sunday Tribune - 01-08-2006
PHARMACIST, turned financial investor, Mrs. Afolabi Oluwatoyin Elizabeth, has called on Nigerians to expand their financial base by trading in gold coins. As CEO of Maranatha Goldlynk Network, the woman said she had been able to attract the attention of Nigerian elites because of the guaranteed returns that investment in gold has brought her over 2,500 clients..

Man robbed of rare coins at Waffle House
Herald-Today.com - 01-08-2006
MANATEE - MANATEE - After attending a coin show in Orlando, a man was robbed Saturday night of two metal cases of rare coins and gold bullion, authorities said.The man and his wife had gone to Waffle House in the 600 block of 67th Street Circle East, near Interstate 75 and State Road 64. The man stayed in the car while the woman went to get food, according to the Manatee County Sheriff's Office..

Ancient coins unearthed in Shaanxi
Xinhua - 01-09-2006
XI'AN, Jan. 9 (Xinhuanet) -- Archaeologists in northwest China's Shaanxi Province have unearthed large quantities of ancient coins dating back more than 1,700 years. During a recent excavation at a Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD) tomb in Pingli County, archaeologists found 259 Wuzhu coins, the common currency in wide circulation during the dynasty, one iron tripod, one pottery kitchen range and three pottery urns. .

Gold rises above $542, highest since March 1981
MSN Money - 01-09-2006
SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Gold rose to its highest level since March 1981 on Monday as funds poured money into the precious metal on worries about rising energy costs, uncertainty about the dollar's outlook and general security-related fears. Spot gold rose to $542.40/543.15 an ounce, its highest level since March 27, 1981. "I am probably looking at 548. Gold will retest the highs again and $550 is the big number. I think the main drive is the dollar," said a dealer in Singapore..

Numismatic Consumer Alliance Secures Refund
Press Release - 01-09-2006
Numismatic Consumer Alliance Inc. (NCA) is pleased to announce on December 30th of 2005 it was able to secure a refund of $11,354.00 on behalf of a New York City coin investor. The investor purchased seven (7) 2004 half-ounce bullion gold eagles graded ms70 for $1,622.00 per coin. All seven bullion coins were graded by a prominent third party grading service. Kevin Lipton, a prominent Beverly Hills coin dealer and one of NCA's Founding Members interceded on behalf of the client. Mr. Lipton's efforts resulted in a full refund in less than a twenty four hour period. .

Late arriving sales figures cause for concern
By Peter Lindblad Numismatic news - 01-09-2006
If this page feels wet, there’s a reason. It’s the sweat that’s pouring from my brow as I wait for the sales figures from the U.S. Mint. It’s just minutes till deadline and they have not arrived. Constant calling and harassment from me throughout the afternoon has proved fruitless.So, we have to face facts: they may not arrive in time for this issue. If not, this page will feel like a re-run of a television show you’ve already seen because the sales figures will be the same as they were in the Jan. 10 issue. .

Gold rockets to 25-year high
Mineweb.com - 01-09-2006
Spurred by good news from China, the gold price jumped over $10 this morning to start the week at $545,50, its highest level since March 1981. And unlike December’s spike to $540 which soon petered out, the latest move appears to be sustainable. The latest run for bullion follows Friday’s news that the Central Bank of China wants to diversify part of its record $769bn in reserves away from the US Dollar. Analysts believe gold is an obvious beneficiary of this changed approach. .

'T' Tokens To Become Currency Of Past
WCVB Boston - 01-09-2006
Transit tokens have jingled in the pockets of Bostonians since 1837 -- from the silver-colored coins of the horse-drawn Roxbury Coach, to the worn brass discs that have been plunked into MBTA turnstiles since 1951. But soon, in the city that is home to America's first subway, where folk singers have rhapsodized about public transportation, tokens won't be good for a ride..

Three Iranians arrested in Greece on suspicion of antiquity smuggling
Middle East Times - 01-09-2006
ATHENS -- Greek authorities have arrested three Iranians attempting to sell three ancient Greek coins for €17,000 ($20,000), the finance ministry inspection squad said on Monday. The inspectors who conducted the arrest also confiscated pictures of hundreds of similar coins from the detainees, a ministry statement said. .

First coin in program struck Jan. 6
The Informer - 01-09-2006
What are the five state quarters that will be issued this year, and when will the first one be issued? - This year's crop of quarters — in order of release and admittance to the Union — comprises Nevada, Nebraska, Colorado, North Dakota and South Dakota. The first coin is scheduled to come out Jan. 31 — the first one was struck Thursday in Denver — and the others will follow in 10-week intervals. .

A Fool's Gold
By Jeremy MacNealy - Motley Fool - 01-09-2006
Chinese demand for oil and industrial metals has led to incredible returns for many investors. Another one of Earth's resources is getting in on the act -- gold. Fool contributor Jeremy MacNealy highlights various reasons the precious metal is gaining in popularity and outlines a few options for individual investors..

Coins from Saddam’s Treasury Aid Fallen US Heroes
Press Release - 01-10-2006
Charlotte, NC (PRWEB) January 9, 2006 -- Products for Good, a Charlotte based company, dedicated to supporting families of fallen United States soldiers in the War on Terror is excited to announce it has already donated more than $65,000 to families of fallen and wounded soldiers from the sale of patriotic shadowboxes. These shadowboxes contain coins secured from Saddam Hussein’s treasury by coalition soldiers. Founders Michael Crowder of Shelby, N.C. and Lane Ostrow of Charlotte, N.C., agree it’s through the generosity of people around the world – including Coalition Forces serving on the front lines – that Products for Good is able to provide much needed help..

California coin activists honored
Numismatic News - 01-10-2006
On Dec. 10, two northern California coin activists were honored with President’s Awards from American Numismatic Association president William H. Horton..

United States Mint Offers Final Nickel of Westward Journey Nickel Series™ in Two-Roll Sets & Bags
US Mint - 01-10-2006
WASHINGTON - The United States Mint announced today that the final 5-cent coin (nickel) of the Westward Journey Nickel Series™, featuring the new forward-looking obverse portrait of President Thomas Jefferson, entitled “Jefferson, 1800,” on the obverse (heads side), and “Monticello” on the reverse (tails side), will be available in two-roll sets and bags on January 12, 2006, beginning at 12:00 noon (ET)..

My New Hobby: Coin Collecting
Blog - 01-10-2006
I’ve decided to get back into collecting. When I was younger, I had a paper route. All the money from the paper route went into collecting cards - mainly baseball cards. At one point, my collection (through shrewd trading) was worth north of 10,000$. Not bad for a 13 year old..

2006 OUTLOOK: Gold sales to fall as value goes up
The Nation - 01-10-2006
Gold-trading in Thailand will drop by 20 per cent this year due mainly to the continued rise in gold prices since last year. Traders expect world prices to hit US$550-$600 (Bt22,049-Bt24,054) per ounce. “Increasing gold prices will reduce consumer demand,” said Kritcharat Hirunyasiri, president of MTS Group, a leading gold wholesaler and retailer of gold ornaments under the “Mae Thongsuk” brand..

Pyongyang Beefs Up Offensive
Korea Times - 01-10-2006
Upon the order of President George W. Bush, Washington imposed the punitive financial action against Pyongyang in October in its belief that the communist country was engaged in counterfeiting American banknotes and laundering money..

Gold falls from 25-year high as investors cash in
SINGAPORE (Reuters) - 01-10-2006
Gold fell more than $3 an ounce on Tuesday as investors booked profits after propelling the price above $550 to its highest level in 25 years the previous day. But dealers remained upbeat on gold, with investors diversifying into precious metals due to worries about the outlook for the dollar, global tension and rising energy costs.Physical trading was quiet in Southeast Asia due to holidays in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore but gains in Japan could offer some support..

Alaska Red Seal tops Whitford MSNS sale
From Bank Note Reporter by John and Nancy Wilson - 01-10-2006
A 1902 Red Seal National Bank Note from the First National Bank of Fairbanks, Alaska, charter number 7718, topped the paper money offerings in Craig A. Whitford Numismatic Auctions’ sale at the Nov. 25-27, 2005, Michigan State Numismatic Society convention..

Counterfeit money found in San Jacinto
By: Ami Hollingshead - 01-10-2006
The Pct. 4 Constables office and the United States Secret Service are investigating alleged counterfeit money that was found in Point Blank late last month. Constable Lou Rogers was contacted by a Point Blank resident, when the resident felt that the $100 bill he received as payment from another individual was not real currency. "The texture didn't feel quite right," said Rogers. .

Gold could hit $600/oz in 2006
iAfrica.com - 01-10-2006
Gold prices could rise substantially higher from current levels to around $600 a troy ounce during 2006, London-based analysts for Numis Securities wrote on Monday. Earlier on Monday, gold climbed to $545.46/oz, the highest level for gold in almost 25 years. .

Platinum surges to 26-year peak in Europe
LONDON - 01-10-2006
(Reuters) - Platinum prices surged in Europe on Tuesday to their highest level in almost 26 years, gathering support from gold which spiked to a 25-year peak the previous day, dealers said..

Crackdown on counterfeiters
Turkish Daily News - 01-10-2006
An undercover operation called "Operation Taxi," launched five months by the Ankara Smuggling and Organized Crime Office upon a taxi driver's complaint of a counterfeit fare, was completed on Wednesday with two raids. A printing house where counterfeit money was being produced was found together with a large amount of counterfeit foreign currency and new Turkish lira. Fourteen people have been taken into custody..

Battle of the sexes - Do State quarter designs feature more male human figures or female?
By Michele Orzano Coin World - 01-10-2006
Designs for 40 of the 50 State quarter dollars have been made public. Those designs are now part of U.S. coin history and open to discussion. As a State quarter collector, can you say how many of those designs include representations of male and female human figures?.

U.S. documentary crew to film N.S. shipwreck dive
Halifax - 01-10-2006
A dive team and a documentary film crew will scour the depths off Cape Breton this summer for the remains of an 18th-century ship laden with coins. HMS Tilbury went down in a hurricane in 1757 off St. Esprit, N.S., while on its way to help the British attack the French fortress of Louisburg. There were 500,000 Spanish pillar coins on board that are worth around $58 each today..

Ancient coins unearthed in NW China
Peoples Daily - 01-10-2006
Archaeologists in northwest China's Shaanxi Province have unearthed large quantities of ancient coins dating back more than 1,700 years. During a recent excavation at a Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD) tomb in Pingli County, archaeologists found 259 Wuzhu coins, the common currency in wide circulation during the dynasty, one iron tripod, one pottery kitchen range and three pottery urns. .

With Gold Over $500
by Gary North - 01-12-2006
In the October, 2001, issue of my subscription-based newsletter, Remnant Review, I began promoting gold. I was persuaded that the long decline, 1980–2001, was over. I was also convinced that the best way to make money was in North American gold shares. Those who took my advice have made well over 100% on their money. In the opening paragraph of the November 21, 2003, issue of Remnant Review, I wrote this: .

Gold's lure provides the inspiration for platinum
Financial Times - 01-12-2006
The glittering new year rally in metals prices continued yesterday with recent gains for gold providing inspiration for platinum which rose to a near 26-year peak.Helped by further investment and speculative buying, platinum rose 1.9 per cent to $1,020 a troy ounce, the highest since March 1980 before retreating to $1,008/$1,012. Demand for platinum could be supported by the development of new diesel-based hybrid cars with the French carmaker Peugeot set to unveil two demonstration models this month..

Corum re-introduces the Coin Watch
europa star - 01-12-2006
he year was 1965; the place was the Basel fair. Corum premiered its ‘Coin Watch’ along with the slogan Time is money, which would rapidly transform into Time in money. Some pocket watches, equipped with a protective cover, had already used coins in their design, and some watchmakers had tried to use coins in wristwatches..

The Sotheby's (Pre-Auction) Euphronios Transcript
by Suzan Mazur - 01-12-2006
One of my ancient coin clients had recently been defeated after a long stay in the U.S. Senate. John Tunney, a Democrat, was very interested in making money. When I asked him [in 1980] if he'd be interested in lobbying on Bunker [Hunt]'s behalf [for a Fed bailout following the Hunt brothers' attempt to corner the silver market which led to a price collapse and Wall Street brokers sinking along with their bankers who'd put up hundreds of millions of dollars in loans],.

Relics of Han dynasties unearthed in Beijing
Peoples Daily - 01-12-2006
Archaeologists have discovered 117 cultural relics and ancient tombs during the construction of the Beijing section of the south-to-north water diversion project. Teams have recently braved cold winds at farmland near Nanzheng Village in southwest Beijing's Fangshan District for the excavations. .

Interview: DiGenova started coin dealing early
Numismatic News - 01-12-2006
Even in high school, Silvano DiGenova knew how to make a buck by buying and selling coins. “The year I graduated high school, I made $50,000 to $75,000,” said DiGenova, now the CEO of Superior Galleries, in Beverly Hills, Calif. “That was a fortune for a kid. I think I was making more than my father did.”.

Relics of Han dynasties unearthed in Beijing
Peoples Daily - 01-12-2006
Archaeologists have discovered 117 cultural relics and ancient tombs during the construction of the Beijing section of the south-to-north water diversion project. Teams have recently braved cold winds at farmland near Nanzheng Village in southwest Beijing's Fangshan District for the excavations. .

New Nickel Launches With Smiling Jefferson
Fox News - 01-12-2006
WASHINGTON — Coming soon to a cash register near you — a smiling Thomas Jefferson looking straight at you from a new nickel that will end nearly a century of tradition for U.S. coins. The Mint plans to begin shipping 80 million of the new five-cent coins on Thursday to the 12 regional Federal Reserve Banks..

TREASURE HUNTERS STRIKE GOLD
By Martin Neville - 01-12-2006
THE IW Metal Detecting Club has had a gold start to the new year with the discovery of a hammered gold angel coin. The coin, which has the inscription of either Henri VIII or possibly Henri VII, dating it to around 1500-1520, was found by Gavin Leng while out on a club dig in the Chale area. It features a golden angel and the inscription on one side and a ship and coat of arms on the reverse..

UNCC Professor Designs Face Of New Nickel
WSOCTV.com - 01-13-2006
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The face of a new nickel being shipped on Thursday to Federal Reserve Banks was designed by University of North Carolina Professor Jamie Franki. The smiling Thomas Jefferson will be looking straight at you from a new nickel that will end nearly a century of tradition for U.S. coins..

Museum buys Civil War hoard of coins
EDP-24 - 01-13-2006
A hoard of historic coins discovered when a builder stepped on them getting out of his Land Rover on Haddiscoe Island, near Yarmouth, has been bought by a Norfolk museum. The 300 silver half-crowns, shillings and sixpences, dating back to the reign of Edward VI, will be cleaned and put on show at Yarmouth's Elizabethan House Museum from the summer..

NH Historical Society preserves the newly retired piece of transportation history
Neighborhood News - 01-13-2006
How does a society embrace new ways of doing things while preserving cultural history? Is it possible to change to cutting edge technology that makes daily life less complicated while still celebrating and recognizing what came before? These are the questions faced by the New Hampshire Historical Society with their current preservation project. On Jan. 1, the New Hampshire Department of Transportation officially stopped accepting tokens at all state tollbooths, leaving only two alternatives – cash or the EZ Pass..

Auction of Historic Memorabilia Offers Fascinating Insights into the Past
Maine Antique Digest - 01-13-2006
History in a variety of forms comes up for bids every month in impressive absentee sales staged by Early American History Auctions, Inc., Rancho Santa Fe, California. EAHA president Dana Linett has been in the historical collectibles field for over 22 years. He started by collecting rare coins while he was in college studying marketing with a minor in history. .

ODYSSEY PROVIDES HMS SUSSEX PROJECT UPDATE, SUSSEX PROJECT PROCEEDS AS PLANNED
Press Release - 01-13-2006
TAMPA, FL - January 12, 2006 - Odyssey Marine Exploration, Inc. (AMEX: OMR), a leader in the field of deep-ocean shipwreck exploration, confirmed the Company had marine radio communications yesterday with the Guardia Civil based in Andalucia, Spain, while conducting archaeological operations on the site believed to be HMS Sussex. .

Craftsmen Make a Mint from ‘Worthless’ Coins
chosun.com - 01-13-2006
The Bank of Korea has decided to step in after finding that some enterprising citizens are melting down W10 coins to make necklaces or other accessories they can sell for many times the value. W10 is about a U.S. cent. “An investigation has confirmed that in the area near the business district of downtown Daejon, bracelets and necklaces made of melted-down W10 coins are being sold,” the central bank said Friday..

Bank stops the presses on two currency notes
JoongAng Daily - 01-13-2006
January 14, 2006 ㅡ The Bank of Korea stopped printing the current design of 1,000-won and 10,000-won bills late last year, the bank said yesterday, and will depend on the stock on hand to carry it through until early next year when redesigned banknotes in those denominations will hit the market. According to officials at the Bank of Korea and the Korea Minting & Security Printing Corp., the central bank is planning to announce the designs of the new banknotes to the public by the end of this month, and will begin printing the bills soon after that..