COLUMBUS (AP) — The sale of rare coins and other memorabilia should bring more than the $50 million the state gave a coin dealer convicted of stealing from the funds he managed for the workers compensation bureau, the broker handling the collection’s liquidation said today.

Tom Noe, a Republican fundraiser who was given the funds in 1998 and 2001 to invest in the coins and other items, was convicted of theft and other crimes and sentenced in November to 18 years in prison.

So far, the state has recovered about $42 million through sales of the investments, said Bill Brandt, president and CEO of Chicago-based Development Specialists Inc.

Great Britain experienced a shortage of small change coins during the 18th and 19th centuries when the Royal Mint chose to concentrate on production of higher denomination gold and silver coins. Likewise, during the Civil War the United States experienced a critical shortage of small change coins, although much of this was due to hoarding. In both situations merchants took matters into their own hands and began making tradesman’s tokens that were the right diameter, weight, and metal content as was the real thing, but with iconography sufficiently different to avoid facing the hangman’s noose for counterfeiting.

The American Numismatic Association board of governors has deferred action on proposed new bylaws. On a 6-2 vote, the board decided to let the newly elected board vote on the bylaws. Voting against deferring the matter were Don Kagin and Remy Bourne. The action was taken Tuesday morning, Aug. 7, when the board met in Milwaukee at the World’s Fair of Money.

Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries’ September 2007 Long Beach Signature Auction of World Coins contains an extraordinary offering of Russian coins and medals, led by a spectacular proof example of the 1836 1-1/2 Family Rouble. The rarity features the portrait of Nicholas I on the obverse, while the reverse features eight smaller cameos of the Imperial family: the bust of Empress Alexandra in the center, surrounded by busts of the royal children with no circles. The auction will be held September 26-29 at the Long Beach Convention Center in southern California (for more details visit www.HA.com