Dallas, TX: Heritage’s 36th Official ANA Auction was a resounding success, with current prices realized for the 3,500 lots of $27,386,314. Held August 8-10 at the 2007 Milwaukee World’s Fair of Money, the auction was highlighted by a Platinum Night session of important coins which realized $19.4 million by itself. The auction sessions took place at the Midwest Airlines Center, 400 West Wisconsin Ave in Milwaukee. Continuing Post Auction Buys , combined with the results of an exciting Dallas Final Session that was viewed in Milwaukee, are expected to bring total prices realized for all auctions to nearly $29 million. Individual prices realized, lot descriptions, and full color images can be viewed in the Permanent Auction Archives at www.HA.com.

“Heritage’s Official ANA Auction was a marvelous event,” noted Heritage President Greg Rohan. “Some 350 consignors participated, as did more than six thousand bidders. Among the $27 million of numismatic treasures sold in Milwaukee were coins in all price ranges. Star performers were four coins each realizing more than a quarter million dollars each, plus the auction contained dozen of coins valued into six-figures. With the overall quality of significant rarities so high, this was a really great event for Registry buying.”

I went to this summer’s ANA Convention expecting a good but not great show. I left the show having had one of my better ANA’s in many years and I think most other dealers can honestly say the same. On the DWN grading scale, I’d have to give the 2007 ANA a solid A-.

I decided not to do any of the pre-show activity. In my opinion, doing the extra three or four days leaves me too tired during the regular ANA week and this isn’t fair to my customers who are anxious to meet with me. Plus, to be perfectly honest, I just don’t have the unlimited energy I had when I was in my 30’s and could work for days at a time at an ANA level of intensity.

Crusty old gold miners in Hollywood Westerns bit into gold to see if they’d found the real thing, but biting down on a possibly rare gold coin is no way to determine if it is genuine or counterfeit. Gold is softer than teeth, so sinking incisors into the precious metal can reveal the real thing, but coins are generally harder and teeth marks damage their value. The bite test also can deceive: Lead is even softer than gold. One of the 2,372 Brigham Young University students graduating this week is wrapping up his senior thesis on new methods for testing coins purported to be rare finds. Jeff Brown, who is completing a bachelor’s degree in physics, used a specialized X-ray machine and an electron microscope to study about 50 coins.

The United States Mint announced today the opening of sales for Thomas Jefferson’s Liberty First Spouse Gold Coin on August 30 at 12:00 noon (ET). Orders for both the ½-ounce proof and uncirculated versions of the 24-karat gold coin will be limited to one per option, per household for the first week of sales. The United States Mint will reevaluate this limit after the first week, and either extend, adjust, or remove it. Mintage of Thomas Jefferson’s Liberty First Spouse Gold Coins is limited to 20,000 for each product option.