New EU members quibble over how to spell euro
FRANKFURT - 01-13-2006
You say euro, we say eiro -- Latvia is thumbing its nose at the European Central Bank and insisting on using a different spelling for the European single currency. Government ministers last week voted to spell the euro, which Latvia hopes to adopt in 2008, the "eiro" in national law and translations of European Union law, although banknotes and coins would carry the "euro" spelling. .

A golden opportunity this year
Economic Times - 01-13-2006
It has been a traditional hedge against inflation. It is an investment that people here across all the economic sections have dabbled in. It has been an integral part of all auspicious occasions and most religious ceremonies. If you still haven’t guessed it, here is another clue. The demand for it is far higher (and is increasing with the same vigour) than the actual world production. Yes, we are talking about gold..

U.S. Mint worker turns 90
Numismatic News - 01-13-2006
Acting U.S. Mint Director David Lebryk (left) looks on as Mint Associate Director for Sales and Marketing Gloria Eskridge presents a birthday cake to Charles Krause at the Mint Sales Center at Union Station in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, Jan. 3. Krause, the Mint’s eldest employee, who was celebrating his 90th birthday, has been with the Mint for 16 years..

Tanaka Kikinzoku Forecasts Gold Demand Gain in Japan
Bloomberg.com - 01-13-2006
Tanaka Kikinzoku Kogyo K.K., Japan's largest seller of gold bullion, said jewelry sales are up 10 percent so far this month and expected investor demand for the precious metal may gain this year on inflation concern. Sales rose 3 percent last year, a second straight annual gain, as makers of electronic appliances bought more of the metal, said Osamu Ikeda, general manager of Tokyo-based Tanaka's precious metals division. In 2004, gold sales rose 1.7 percent. .

State Bank establishes anti-counterfeit office
VietNamNet - 01-13-2006
HA NOI — The State Bank of Viet Nam has set up an anti-counterfeit section to protect the value of currency and raise public awareness of how to recognise counterfeit money, according to a State Bank official. The examination of counterfeit money is a regular activity of the bank, said Nguyen Quoc Toan, deputy director of the bank’s Department of Banknote Issuance and Treasury, but the establishment of a dedicated section would help specialise the work and improve its effectiveness..

New 10-Won Coin to Debut
Korea Times - 01-13-2006
The Bank of Korea (BOK) said on Friday it is considering issuing new 10-won coins, using different material to the old ones. The bank uses copper and zinc to manufacture the 10-won coin. Since the coin was first released in 1966, manufacturing costs have soared 15 times because of surging copper and zinc prices. The bank now spends 38 won to make one 10-won coin..

Cyprus Official Rejects Euro Delay Calls
MSN Money - 01-13-2006
NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) - Cyprus' finance minister rejected calls Thursday to delay plans to adopt the euro currency in 2008 by one year. "Adopting the euro as soon as possible will serve the best interests of all Cypriots," Michalis Sarris said..

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..

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],.

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..

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.”.

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..

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..

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. .

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..

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..

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. .

Full auction activity fills NYINC schedule
World Coin News - 01-12-2006
Several auction companies will anchor the 2006 New York International Numismatic Convention, with lot viewing starting Saturday, Jan. 7, in advance of the public portion of the convention on Thursday, Jan. 12. All lot viewing and auctions will be held at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, 301 Park Ave., in New York City..

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..

$17 Million of Exhibits Highlight February 2006 Long Beach Expo
Press Release - 01-13-2006
(Long Beach, California) – Three numismatic exhibits with a combined value of more than $17 million will highlight the Long Beach Coin, Stamp & Collectibles Expo, Thursday to Saturday, February 9 to 11, 2006. The show will be conducted in the Long Beach, California Convention Center, 100 S. Pine Ave. “As part of their ‘World’s Most Valuable Coins Tour,’ Monaco Financial of Newport Beach, California will have an impressive, $5 million display entitled ‘Early Americana Rarities,’ and this will be the show’s featured exhibition. In addition to coins, it will include important, one-of-a-kind historical documents of the era, such as letters from the desk of George Washington,” said Ronald J. Gillio, Expo General Chairman. .

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..

New EU members quibble over how to spell euro
FRANKFURT - 01-13-2006
You say euro, we say eiro -- Latvia is thumbing its nose at the European Central Bank and insisting on using a different spelling for the European single currency. Government ministers last week voted to spell the euro, which Latvia hopes to adopt in 2008, the "eiro" in national law and translations of European Union law, although banknotes and coins would carry the "euro" spelling. .

A golden opportunity this year
Economic Times - 01-13-2006
It has been a traditional hedge against inflation. It is an investment that people here across all the economic sections have dabbled in. It has been an integral part of all auspicious occasions and most religious ceremonies. If you still haven’t guessed it, here is another clue. The demand for it is far higher (and is increasing with the same vigour) than the actual world production. Yes, we are talking about gold..

U.S. Mint worker turns 90
Numismatic News - 01-13-2006
Acting U.S. Mint Director David Lebryk (left) looks on as Mint Associate Director for Sales and Marketing Gloria Eskridge presents a birthday cake to Charles Krause at the Mint Sales Center at Union Station in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, Jan. 3. Krause, the Mint’s eldest employee, who was celebrating his 90th birthday, has been with the Mint for 16 years..

Tanaka Kikinzoku Forecasts Gold Demand Gain in Japan
Bloomberg.com - 01-13-2006
Tanaka Kikinzoku Kogyo K.K., Japan's largest seller of gold bullion, said jewelry sales are up 10 percent so far this month and expected investor demand for the precious metal may gain this year on inflation concern. Sales rose 3 percent last year, a second straight annual gain, as makers of electronic appliances bought more of the metal, said Osamu Ikeda, general manager of Tokyo-based Tanaka's precious metals division. In 2004, gold sales rose 1.7 percent. .

State Bank establishes anti-counterfeit office
VietNamNet - 01-13-2006
HA NOI — The State Bank of Viet Nam has set up an anti-counterfeit section to protect the value of currency and raise public awareness of how to recognise counterfeit money, according to a State Bank official. The examination of counterfeit money is a regular activity of the bank, said Nguyen Quoc Toan, deputy director of the bank’s Department of Banknote Issuance and Treasury, but the establishment of a dedicated section would help specialise the work and improve its effectiveness..

New 10-Won Coin to Debut
Korea Times - 01-13-2006
The Bank of Korea (BOK) said on Friday it is considering issuing new 10-won coins, using different material to the old ones. The bank uses copper and zinc to manufacture the 10-won coin. Since the coin was first released in 1966, manufacturing costs have soared 15 times because of surging copper and zinc prices. The bank now spends 38 won to make one 10-won coin..

Cyprus Official Rejects Euro Delay Calls
MSN Money - 01-13-2006
NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) - Cyprus' finance minister rejected calls Thursday to delay plans to adopt the euro currency in 2008 by one year. "Adopting the euro as soon as possible will serve the best interests of all Cypriots," Michalis Sarris said..

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..

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.”.

Gold-dollar inverse correlation starts to reappear
Reuters - 01-15-2006
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Gold prices have traditionally moved in the opposite direction to the U.S. dollar, but that inverse correlation broke down last year. However, in recent weeks, gold and the dollar have again begun to diverge. Investors have long used the precious metal as insurance against the dollar's losses or gains..

Tomb of ancient coin collector unearthed
Xinuha - 01-15-2006
Archaeologists in northwest China's Shaanxi Province have discovered an ancient tomb, possibly of a coin collector, dating back more than 600 years. During a recent excavation at a Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) tomb in the suburb of Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi, archaeologists found over 150 coins of different dynasties, together with 60 ceramic utensils. .

Maltese face for euro
Sunday Times Malta - 01-15-2006
Government yesterday announced a public consultation on the design of the Malta euro coin set, amid pledges of strict policing to stave off inflation once the European currency comes into circulation. Parliamentary Secretary Tonio Fenech hinted that the European currency will be known as "euro" in all legal texts, though there is nothing stopping people or the media from referring to it as "ewro", as proposed by the Council for the Maltese Language..

Johnbrier new Ambassador
Numismatic News - 01-15-2006
A Numismatic Ambassador Award was given to Joann Johnbrier Jan. 6 at the annual awards dinner of the National Silver Dollar Roundtable at Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse in Orlando, Fla..

December bullion comparisons are revealed
Numismatic News - 01-15-2006
New Year’s Eve is just a distant, cloudy memory by now. Even the hangover is finally gone. But here’s something to help you ring in the new year: it’s the first sales figures for a 2006 product from the Mint.Let me be the first to inform you that 92,065 2006 five-quarter clad proof sets had been sold as of Jan. 10. Let the confetti and balloons fall from the ceiling..

Atlanta ANA show on tap
Numismatic News - 01-15-2006
Special hotel rates are available for those attending the American Numismatic Association National Money Show April 7-9 in Atlanta. The Renaissance Waverly on Galleria Parkway is the headquarters hotel for the show and the Sheraton Suites Galleria on Cobb Parkway is the secondary hotel..

Gold has regained its luster
Scripps Howard - 01-16-2006
Can there be a more sparkling investment these days than gold? The precious metal soared through the $500 an ounce barrier on Nov. 29 and just keeps moving up. It's now trading at a 25-year high of nearly $550 an ounce. The steady climb in the price of gold comes as no surprise to James DiGeorgia, president of 21st Century Investor and author of "The New Bull Market in Gold.".

Gold Bugs Get Little Respect from Platinum
Gold$eek - 01-16-2006
As illustrated previously, we know that the PLAT/GOLD Ratio has turned up - favoring platinum - meaning that you will be able to acquire more gold ozs for your platinum when the ratio turns back down. Big deal. So what does this mean in terms of the dollar price of gold? There are two graphs below. The top graph plots the Ratio from 2003 to present. The bottom chart shows the ascendancy of both metals with the ratio plots as overlays..

Sculpting the Art of Money
American Profile - 01-16-2006
Donna Weaver sits huddled over a table in a windowless cubicle at the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia. With an artist’s eye, she painstakingly brings an Oregon landscape to life on a dinner plate-size disk covered with a smooth surface of wax. “Trying to sculpt within 60,000ths of an inch is a challenge,” says Weaver, whose tools include crochet hooks and sewing needles pounded flat. “So you use whatever tools work.”.

CURRENCY TOPS NT$1.043 TRILLION AS LUNAR NEW YEAR APPROACHES
Central Bank of China - 01-16-2006
Taipei, Jan. 16 (CNA) Banknotes and coins worth more than NT$1.0434 trillion were circulating Monday, as the lunar New Year holiday is approaching. Lunar New Year's Day falls on Jan. 29.Last year, currency in circulation reached a record NT$1.2365 trillion on the day before lunar New Year holiday began, according to the Central Bank of China (CBC) in Taipei.CBC estimated that the record would be broken this year as the NT$1-trillion mark was reached on Jan. 11, hitting NT$1.0434 trillion on Jan. 16. .

ANS 53rd Graduate Summer Seminar in Numismatics
Press Release - 01-16-2006
For over half a century the American Numismatic Society, a museum of coins, money and economic history, has offered select graduate students and junior faculty the opportunity to work hands-on with one of the world’s preeminent numismatic collections. With over three-quarters of a million objects, the museum’s collection is particularly strong in Greek, Roman, Islamic, and Far Eastern coinages, as well as medallic art. The rigorous eight-week course taught by the museum staff, guest lecturers and a visiting scholar introduces students to the methods, theories and history of the discipline..

Chief Executive and Deputy Master of the Royal Mint Leaving
Press Release - 01-16-2006
As of today, the Chief Executive and Deputy Master of the Royal Mint, Gerald Sheehan, is leaving after four years in order to pursue other interests. Gerald has been instrumental in introducing changes to enable the Royal Mint to face its future challenges..

Japan to Sell Gold Coins on Yahoo!
Bloomberg - 01-16-2006
Japan's government plans to auction late 19th and 20th century gold coins from the national treasury next month via Yahoo! Japan Corp. to help reduce the public debt. The finance ministry will sell 2,445 coins from Feb. 3 to Feb. 19 on Yahoo! Auctions Japan.

Like the collectibles it sells, stamp and coin shop is a rarity
Asbury Park Press - 01-16-2006
Jules E. Topfer's resume is about as rare these days as the collectibles he has handled in his career. It reads something like this: 1978-present: Monmouth Stamp and Coin Shop owner. 1963-1978: Monmouth Stamp and Coin Shop employee. "I knew before I was in high school this would be my avocation," the 52-year-old Fair Haven resident said. "I loved it.".

T.R. Fehrenbach: Gathering stuff a collective trait
MySA.com - 01-16-2006
Today it seems that everybody collects something. The people who research such things claim that one in three adult citizens are collectors. We know that most children collect things. The objects vary over the years. Marbles were always popular, but I recall a mania over milk bottle tops and matchbooks. The bottle tops were rather unsanitary, but I had a fine collection of matches from famous restaurants and nightclubs..

Make our currency more current
Albany Democrat Herald - 01-16-2006
In the 179th year after his death, Thomas Jefferson has had another facelift. At least on the nickel, where his image has appeared in profile since 1938. Last year, the U.S. Mint issued a three-quarter view of Jefferson’s face on the nickel. I thought he looked sort of like “Alias” actress Jennifer Garner, with those famous dimples. Someone else thought he looked like he was reflecting fondly on his days in Paris — and smirking..

Odyssey Marine spurns Spanish government
Tampa Bay Business Journal - 01-16-2006
Odyssey Marine Exploration Inc. turned down Spain's request for the company to make a statement regarding its ongoing exploration of the site believed to be HMS Sussex. It was Odyssey's legal counsel's opinion that Odyssey doesn't fall under Spain's jurisdiction. The Odyssey Explorer, Odyssey's 251' deep-ocean archaeological platform, continues to work on the site believed to be HMS Sussex pursuant to the project plan.

Stories of scams, crimes fascinating but sobering
The Post and Courier - 01-16-2006
FAKES & FORGERIES: The True Crime Stories of History's Greatest Deceptions. The Criminals, the Scams, and the Victims. By Brian Innes. Reader's Digest Books. 256 pages. $26.95. "Fakes & Forgeries" is a fascinating coffee-table book that takes a close look at crimes involving fraud, counterfeiting and identity theft..

2006 FUN Convention
Pinnacle Rarities Review - 01-16-2006
The Auction Rooms - For many dealers and serious collectors, the FUN show actually started weeks ago when the auction catalogues started arriving. The amount of coins being traded through the auction companies these days continues to be staggering - and it requires a significant amount of time and energy to sort through all the mediocre pieces that people consign to get to the truly special items that deserve spirited bidding. Its no wonder an increasing number of collectors are turning to trusted dealers to help navigate the plethora of coins in each sale. .

Figure from MPC on FMA card
Banknote Reporter - 01-16-2006
The members of Chapter 216 of the Federal Managers Association, Bureau of Engraving and Printing, is now offering the latest issue in its series of intaglio souvenir cards. “Man of Peace” cards feature two vignettes, a portrait of Chief Ouray and and “end piece” depicting an American Indian sitting in front of a teepee and in the foreground a settler plowing a field. .

The developing world should abandon parochial currencies
Author: Benn Steil, Senior Fellow, Director of International Economics - 01-18-2006
Of all the objections that have been raised against globalisation—including its alleged damage to income equality, workers’ rights, democracy and the environment—none is even remotely as compelling as the devastating periodic havoc wreaked by currency crises in developing countries. Economists with the most impeccable pro-globalisation credentials, such as the Financial Times’ Martin Wolf and my colleague, Jagdish Bhagwati, acknowledge capital flows as theAchilles heel of globalisation. .

Manager eyes Escala Group, Credicorp
MSN Money - 01-18-2006
Until recently, the “sweet spot” in the market was occupied by international and mid-cap growth stocks, said Eric Barden. But it’s becoming increasingly important for investors to select stocks across a broad range of categories. “There is no single style box that has a monopoly on the best stocks to own,” Barden told CNBC’s “Closing Bell” on Wednesday. “Since there are very attractive stocks in all of the style boxes, we have a very diversified portfolio of more than 200 positions, with stocks from every style box.” .

And Now For The One Million Dollar Question...
AIR Daily - 01-18-2006
Gold: not so long ago you couldn’t give the stuff away. But now that the metal has sought to re-establish itself as the safe investment of choice, and now that US dollar stability comes increasingly into question, one has to ask: what if China decided to stop accumulating US treasuries and started buying gold?.

Pure gold RMB miniatures first issued in Beijing
Xinhua - 01-18-2006
EIJING, Jan. 18 -- Pure gold miniatures representing the third series of RMB were issued at the Cishikou Department Store in Beijing on January 13, attracting many buying customers. They are China's first RMB collectibles made of pure gold. Each set is composed of seven pure gold miniature RMB, seven third series banknotes and four coins..

Sacagawea, I'd Like You to Meet . . . Zachary Taylor
Washington Post - 01-18-2006
Money makes more money, or at least that's the intention of a bill President Bush recently signed to create dollar coins featuring the nation's dead presidents. Lawmakers hope the coins -- and an accompanying $10 gold piece for collectors that will feature former first ladies -- will be a big money-raiser for the government, like the 50-state quarter program..

Doolittle: We Must Protect 'In God We Trust'
Americanchronicle.com - 01-18-2006
WASHINGTON, D.C. - House Republican Conference Secretary John T. Doolittle (R-Roseville) has co-sponsored a resolution (H. Con. Res. 302) supporting the national motto of the United States, "In God We Trust," in response to recent attempts to strip the motto and all things pertaining to "God" from our national heritage. .

First, consider bullion as currency, not commodity
Financial Express - 01-18-2006
Gold banking in India has been through various phases—from being highly regulated to partly liberalised to the current phase, where a few banks and designated government agencies handle its operations. However, opening operations through the open general license route is fraught with risk. Complexities of size, value, quality and need for close monitoring underline this risk..

New study raises questions about sustainability of metal resources
Physorg.com - 01-18-2006
Researchers studying supplies of copper, zinc and other metals have determined that these finite resources, even if recycled, may not meet the needs of the global population forever. According to the study, if all nations were to use the same services enjoyed in developed nations, even the full extraction of metals from the Earth's crust and extensive recycling programs may not meet future demand..

United States Mint Offers Nevada Quarters in Two-Roll Sets & Bags
US MINT - 01-19-2006
WASHINGTON -- The United States Mint announced today that commemorative quarter-dollar coins honoring Nevada, the first coin in the United States Mint’s 50 State Quarters® Program to be released in 2006, will go on sale beginning January 30, 2006, at 12:00 noon (ET), and will be available for approximately 10 weeks. The Nevada quarter-dollars are available in two-roll sets (40 coins per roll), including one roll each from the United States Mint at Philadelphia and Denver, and in bags of 100 and 1,000 coins..

Utah Commemorative Quarter Designs
(KUTV) SALT LAKE CITY - 01-19-2006
Pigtails flying as she catches big air, a girl snowboarder is taking on Utah's traditional symbols of a beehive and golden spike in the competition for a design on the state's commemorative quarter. The three designs, unveiled Thursday morning, were selected from more than 5,000 entries. The U.S. Mint will now review the options before sending them back to Utah for public comment and a decision by Gov. Jon Huntsman..