A common phenomenon, shared by dealers and collectors alike, has been growing in the market during the past several years – a shortage of the right coins. This is true for circulated coins and gem quality coins.

In the past, at least five to 10 years ago, almost any kind of coin could be bought for a price, if one were willing to pay enough for it. Owners would usually sell if they believed they could get more money than a coin was considered worth in the marketplace. This was usually true for trophy coins, like 1804 Draped Bust dollars and 1913 Liberty Head 5-cent coins, and especially true for much more inexpensive coins.

Bowers and Merena Auctions, America’s leading rare coin auction house, announces the extraordinary success of their Milwaukee Rarities Sale, held August 4, 2007, prior to the ANA World’s Fair of Money. The two-session auction offered more than 1,800 lots and realized an exceptional $6.5 million in sales.

“There were so many amazing lots in this auction, true rarities,” said Steve Deeds, Bowers and Merena President. “This sale generated a lot of excitement going in to the auction, and there was great energy and camaraderie on the auction floor – good, friendly competition among bidders.”

The theme for this year’s AuDITIONS is ‘Trendsetting Gold’ which aims to bring about a range of new designs in gold jewellery and ideas with a completely fresh design aesthetic that appeal to the new age Indian woman. World Gold Council and AngloGold Ashanti in association with Tanishq and Rand Refinery today announced the launch of their unique initiative ‘AuDITIONS’. Hailed as the Oscars of Gold Jewellery Designing worldwide, AuDITIONS is India’s first and only Gold Jewellery Design Competition. The second edition of this All India competition was announced by the ace designer Raghavendra Rathore who is the ‘Concept Carrier’ of AuDITIONS.

Copenhagen - A small fortune in coins has proved worthless for the Danish branch of joint Scandinavian airline SAS, reports said Tuesday. SAS Denmark has an estimated 750 million kroner (137 million dollars) in various coins but the carrier has been unable to find a bank where it can cash in the coins - the banks cite high costs for sorting and counting the coins.