UNDER SECRETARY BURNS: … The reason we’re here today, ladies and gentlemen, and I want thank you all for being here, is because Cyprus and the United States have a joint mission. Well, let me put it another way, the United States has an obligation to help a friend preserve its cultural and archeological and religious heritage. And the Ambassador and I have signed an extension of the Memorandum of Understanding which will help Cyprus to battle those who would plunder its heritage and seek to sell that heritage illegally in the United States and in other countries of the world.

The most valuable coin ever offered in an online-only auction will be available in the Teletrade® Premier Plus auction #2409 on August 16, 2007. It will be the first auction of the world’s largest gold coin, a 100 kilogram $1 million (Canadian) denomination coin recently produced by the Royal Canadian Mint.

“This is an exciting, two-fold event for us and the entire numismatic community,” said Ian Russell, President of Teletrade of Irvine, California, a division of Spectrum Numismatics International. “This is the first 100 kilo coin that is available for sale to the public. It contains more than $2 million of gold bullion. It will be the most valuable coin ever offered in an online-only auction. And we’re launching TeletradeDirect®, a new service for collectors and investors who want to purchase gold, silver or platinum bullion coins.”

The United States Mint displayed for the first time 12 gold proof Sacagawea Golden Dollars that flew aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia in July 1999. United States Mint Director Ed Moy unveiled the coins at the American Numismatic Association’s World’s Fair of Money® in Milwaukee, Wisconsin today. The coins traveled nearly two million miles as the shuttle orbited the Earth. They will remain on display at the United States Mint booth # 1201 through Sunday, August 12.

Dallas, TX: In a signing ceremony held at the ANA’s 2007 Milwaukee World’s Fair of Money, Heritage Auction Galleries and the Central States Numismatic Society have contracted to continue their incredibly successful auction relationship. Heritage has been selected to remain as the Official Auctioneer of CSNS conventions at least through 2011.

“Heritage has been the Official Auctioneer of the Central States organization since 1993,” summarized Heritage Co-Chairman Steve Ivy. “Since then, close cooperation with Central States has built this venue into one of the most important auction events held every year. During those 15 years, Heritage has auctioned more than $125 million of rare coins and currency.”