Dalai Lama Bronze Medal 3” (918)

The obverse design depicts a portrait of the Dalai Lama with the Himalayan Mountains of Tibet in the background. Three inscriptions accompany the portrait: “TENZIN GYATSO” is inscribed on the upper left just above the mountains, “14TH DALAI LAMA OF TIBET” adorns the top edge, and “ACT of CONGRESS 2006” appears to the left of the Dalai Lama’s hands.

The reverse design features a stylized lotus flower, considered to be a symbol of purity. The inscriptions include quoted remarks of the 14th Dalai Lama: “WORLD PEACE MUST DEVELOP FROM INNER PEACE. PEACE IS NOT THE ABSENCE OF VIOLENCE. PEACE IS THE MANIFESTATION OF HUMAN COMPASSION.” Price $38.00

LONDON, England (CNN) — A sunken galleon, modern-day treasure hunters, a fortune in silver coins and the Spanish navy.

It sounds like the recipe for a great swashbuckling yarn, but is actually the cast and crew of a real-life struggle for millions of dollars worth of lost treasure currently being played out on the high seas.

Rather than cut-throat pirates following maps to mysterious coordinates, these days the search for undiscovered riches beneath the waves is being led by well-funded private companies.

This week a Spanish warship held an American treasure hunting vessel, the Odyssey Explorer at gunpoint, ordering it to return to port in Algeciras, Spain, where it was searched for clues as to the whereabouts of a shipwreck that has uncovered a fortune in treasure.

It was the latest episode in a battle between the salvage vessel’s owners, Odyssey Marine Exploration, and the Spanish authorities, sparked by Odyssey’s recovery of 17 tons of silver Spanish coins worth an estimated $500 million in May this year.

The Professional Numismatists Guild (PNG)  announced that it will continue its agreement with Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) as the official grading service of the PNG. This extends an agreement that was first established in 2004.

The PNG is a nonprofit organization comprised of the world’s top rare coin and paper money experts. As numismatic professionals, their primary mission is to make the hobby safe for collectors and investors by maintaining rigid standards of excellence for their member dealers. The average PNG dealer has more than 25 years of experience.

“These past few years have proven the NGC and PNG partnership to be an unbeatable formula,” said PNG Executive Director Robert Brueggeman. “NGC has confirmed their commitment to the hobby through a standard of consistent and accurate coin grading, as evidenced by the consistent “superior” rating received in the grading service survey published on the PNG Web site. This combined with PNG’s dedication to consumer protection and education has created a resource that offers enormous benefits to both the collector and dealer communities.” (more…)

WASHINGTON - Are you searching for a unique holiday gift? The United States Mint may be able to help. Scheduled for release on October 25, the United States Mint 2007 Gift Catalog features a variety of attractive products that are sure to appeal to novice and seasoned collectors alike.

“Our catalog features beautifully crafted products that embody the spirit of America,” said United States Mint Director Ed Moy. “The women and men of the United States Mint are proud to offer them to the public.”

Featured in this year’s catalog are the first four Presidential $1 Coins packaged in assorted sets, including the Presidential $1 Coin Proof SetTM, United States Mint Proof Set®, United States Mint Silver Proof SetTM, and the redesigned United States Mint Uncirculated Coin Set®. Also featured is the 2007 United States Mint American Legacy CollectionTM, which includes a proof silver dollar from both the Jamestown 400th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Program and the Little Rock Central High School Desegregation 50th Anniversary Coin Program, along with 14 coins from the United States Mint Proof Set. (more…)