MELVILLE, N.Y. — Newsday’s newsroom got an interesting tip last week: Its three gold medals for public service journalism had been listed on eBay and sold at a California auction for a total of $15,500.

The online listing had photographs of three gold medals that certainly looked like the ones won by the paper in 1954, 1970 and 1974, along with an extensive description of the medals as “three fabulously rare and never before offered gold Pulitzer Prize medals,” obtained “through an unlikely confluence of events” originating with a 2001 estate sale on Long Island.

This jolted Newsday officials and staff members. Their medals, they believed, had long been locked away in a safe at the paper’s headquarters (the medals mounted on a plaque in the executive offices were reproductions)……. Read Full Story

Fifty-five Western assayer’s ingots that made up Part XXI of Stack’s John J. Ford Jr. Collection Auction (held on Oct. 16 in New York City) realized $1,571,075 . Sixty lots were cateloged to have been auctioned, but five of the ingots from the collection were reported to have been stolen in transit. The photographs and descriptions of the “missing” ingots were however included in the auction catalog.

Some highlights:
* 1866 Conrad Wiegand, Gold Hill, Virginia City, Nev., gold and silver, 33.7 grams, $100,625.
* [1849] Meyers & Co., San Francisco, $18 gold, $86,250.
* 1864 Harvey Harris, Gold Hill, Nev., silver and gold, 12.2 ounces, $43,125.
* Edward Posen, Denver, gold and silver, 108.2 grams, $31,625. (more…)

by Greg Reynolds for CoinLink

Of the twenty-four dimes that were reportedly minted in San Francisco in 1894, only ten are believed to exist today. On Oct. 17, Stack’s auctioned a Proof-64 1894-S dime, for $1,552,500. The auction was held at the Parker Meridien Hotel in midtown Manhattan. The consignor wishes to remain completely anonymous. As the new owner of this 1894-S dime is a “new player” in the game of acquiring really great rare coins, I will refer to this dime as the “New Player’s” 1894-S.

An understanding of this auction record involves more than just a description of the bidding activity. It is necessary to discuss the two other 1894-S dimes that have sold at auction for more than $1 million each. Furthermore, there is the pertinent point that higher grade pieces are often worth multiples of lower grade coins. In addition, the demand for extremely rare coins has increased markedly over the past ten years, particularly since 2003. Moreover, 1894-S dimes are more highly demanded than several other Great Rarities. The aesthetic characteristics of this particular 1894-S dime are also an important factor

This ‘New Player’s’ 1894-S has a nice overall look. It is not very bright, but it is not dark. It is somewhat brilliant. The hair and headband of Miss Liberty, and much of the wreath, feature a cameo contrast. The white glow of these areas contrasts really well with the fields, which feature blends of blue and gray, with purplish overtones. There is a light blue tone about UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. The fields on the obverse (front) are partly covered with a neat, pale orange overtone. The reverse fields are more gray than blue, though appear very purplish when the coin is tilted at certain angles. (more…)

Ottawa, Ontario, October 19, 2007- The Royal Canadian Mint (RCM) today issued 10 new 2007 collector coins, including an elegantly painted 25-cent coin celebrating the 60th wedding anniversary of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and a $15 sterling silver coin of Queen Victoria, the first of a five-coin series featuring royal effigies from Canada’s past coinage. The RCM is also introducing gift products to please fans of timeless coin designs and classic winter sports alike.

“The Royal Canadian Mint is proud to complete a very exciting 2007 with an array of collector coins and gift products which are appealing in both their quality and significance to Canadians,” said President and CEO of the Royal Canadian Mint, Ian E. Bennett. “These newest Mint products are innovative and attractive choices for the discerning gift giver.”

Here are the highlights of the Mint’s newest selection of products:

2008 VIGNETTES OF ROYALTY SERIES – $15 STERLING SILVER QUEEN VICTORIA
Another design first for the Royal Canadian Mint, this new series features royal effigies on both the obverse and the reverse of these elegant sterling silver coins. The reverse of the first of these coins features an ultra-high relief effigy of Her Majesty Queen Victoria, which appeared on the 1-, 25- and 50-cent coins which were issued in Canada from 1870 to 1901. Future issues from this five-coin series will include King Edward VII and King George V (2008), as well as King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II (2009). All these designs were approved by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Bearing a $15 denomination, this visually impressive, frosted effigy is set against a proof-like field. These coins were struck four times and hand polished in order to achieve their dramatic appearance. Limited to a world-wide mintage of 10,000, the first coin in this series retails for $99.95 CDN.

View the whole article here - on CoinLink Mints Section

(Edina, Minnesota) – The new President of the Professional Numismatists Guild (PNG) is calling for PNG and the American Numismatic Association (ANA) to adopt a “unified code of conduct” in the buying and selling of numismatic merchandise.

“PNG will take a key role in consumer protection by working with key organizations, such as the ANA, to define criteria for a unified code of conduct and to devise ways to enforce the code,” said Gary Adkins of Edina, Minnesota who became PNG President in August.

PNG member-dealers and their employees already must adhere to a strict 17-point PNG Code of Ethics. Violation of the code can result in censure, suspension or expulsion. In the past three years, two PNG members were suspended from membership, and a third resigned prior to being suspended or expelled.

“PNG also has a 10-point Collector’s Bill of Rights that outlines what every collector should expect from the dealers they do business with,” said Adkins. “It forbids high pressure sales tactics or misrepresenting the value, quality or investment potential of numismatic items.” (more…)