Fourth Coin in Coin Series Honors Woman Who Saved Famous Portrait

Photos used with permission and courtesy of The US Mint

WASHINGTON The United States Mint announced today that sales of the Dolley Madison First Spouse Gold Coins will begin on November 19 at 12 noon (ET). This is the fourth coin released in the multi-year program featuring women on a consecutive series of coins.Mintage of the 24-karat gold coin-offered in 1/2-ounce proof and uncirculated versions-will be limited to 20,000 per product option. Orders will be limited to one per option per household for the first week of sales. The United States Mint will reevaluate this limit following the initial sales period and either extend, adjust, or eliminate it.

The obverse of the Dolley Madison First Spouse Gold Coin bears a portrait designed and sculpted by United States Mint Sculptor-Engraver Don Everhart. Included on the coin are the inscriptions “Dolley Madison” and “1809-1817″-the years she served as First Spouse.Additional inscriptions include “In God We Trust,” “Liberty” and “2007.”

The image on the coin’s reverse, which was designed by Artistic Infusion Program (AIP) Master Designer Joel Iskowitz and sculpted by United States Mint Sculptor-Engraver Don Everhart, depicts Dolley Madison saving the Cabinet papers and the renowned Gilbert Stuart portrait of George Washington, as she was forced to flee the White House in advance of approaching British troops in August 1814. Inscriptions on the coin’s reverse include “United States of America,” “E Pluribus Unum,” “$10,” “1/2 oz.” and “.9999 Fine Gold.” (more…)

By Michael Fazzari

It’s almost 2008 and there is still no “little black box” to grade coins, but some have tried. This weekend, while looking through some old clippings, I came across an article about “The Expert.”

The subject of the article called to mind a joke I’d heard from a former associate, Charlie Hoskins. He used to say that the word “expert” came from two roots, “ex” meaning from or out of and “pert” a little drip under pressure. In this case, “The Expert” in the article was neither a drip nor a human. Read on.

About 20 years ago, one of the grading services developed an expensive gadget to grade coins called “The Expert.” Apparently, it was a video camera surrounded by a bank of high intensity lights set up to record the surface of a coin. The coin’s image was digitalized as each light flashed in sequence and the resulting image was stored in a computer. Read Full Story

The ACCG is joined by IAPN and PNG in a complaint filed against the U.S. State Department

GAINESVILLE, Mo., Nov. 15 - The Ancient Coin Collectors Guild (ACCG), an advocacy group for private collectors and independent scholars, announced the filing today of a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit against the U. S. State Department (DOS).

According to Wayne G. Sayles, executive director of the guild, this action became unavoidable due to persistent refusal of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) to provide the guild and others with information relating to requests for import restrictions.

The DOS recently imposed unprecedented import restrictions on ancient coins from Cyprus, requiring importers of even a single common coin of Cypriot type to provide unfair, unworkable and unnecessary documentation.

The ACCG seeks information relating to requests from Cyprus, China and Italy. In each case, apparent irregularities in the way these requests were handled led to significant concerns. Members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives also requested similar information on behalf of the ACCG and others. “None of these avenues produced responsive replies,” said Peter K. Tompa, ACCG president. “The reason for this lawsuit is that the DOS has refused to provide meaningful information. We seek transparency and fairness of the process by which decisions affecting the American people are made.” (more…)

The future of an Evansville-based company that produces a “private voluntary barter currency” known as the Liberty Dollar is in question after federal agents raided the facility this week, according to an e-mail sent by its founder.

Federal officials reportedly raided the group’s headquarters, located in a strip mall at 225 N. Stockwell Road, early Wednesday morning and seized documents and precious metals.

FBI Agent Wendy Osborne, a spokeswoman for the FBI’s Indianapolis office, directed all questions on the raid to the Western District of North Carolina U.S. Attorney’s Office. A spokeswoman there said she had no information on the investigation.

Bernard von NotHaus, the group’s monetary architect and the author of the e-mail, did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment.

Von NotHaus developed the Liberty Dollar in 1998 as an “inflation-proof” alternative currency to the U.S. Dollar, which he has claimed has devalued since the Federal Reserve was established in 1913. The silver medallions are produced by a private mint in Idaho on behalf of Evansville-based Liberty Services, which also issues paper notes which the group says are backed by silver reserves. (more…)