Mary Todd Lincoln First Spouse Gold Coin
Mint News Blog
The US Mint will begin sales of the Mary Todd Lincoln First Spouse Gold Coins today, December 2, 2010 at 12:00 Noon ET. This will represent the final release of the year for the 24 karat series and one of the most well known First Ladies. The obverse of the Mary Todd Lincoln Gold Coin features her portrait, as designed and sculpted by Phebe Hemphill. Inscriptions include “Mary Todd Lincoln”, the motto “In God We Trust”, “Liberty”, order of the Presidency “16th”, years served “1861-1865″, and the date and mint mark.
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Ancient, English and Foreign coins shatter their pre-sale estimates at Spink
Paul Fraser Collectibles
Collectors and investors gathered in London to see a number of coins exceed all expectations, this week. The Spink ‘Ancient, English and Foreign Coins and Commemorative Medals’ auction ended in London yesterday, with some very impressive figures and a few surprises for numismatists. The sale made a total of £3,206,472 and amongst the lots were many that greatly exceeded expectations, with some selling for up to ten times their pre-sale estimates.
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Who Are We and How Do We Collect?
Numismaster
In all my years of collecting coins, reading and writing about coins and learning about coins, I have often wondered what exactly is a coin collection and what makes up a coin collector, or as those in the hobby like say, a numismatist. Does a coin collection have to be many coins, or can it be just one or two? Does it take years of study and collecting to be a numismatist, or do you instantly become one the first time you put away a few coins that you like and enjoy?
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Search for value buying opportunities
Numismatic News
I am a value buyer. When at shows, dealers will come by with boxes/sets of coins to offer. I mention this really as an indication of the opportunity that exists in the current coin market with the strong rise in precious metals. As a value buyer, I look at anything in terms of what it will bring at current prices and whether it is interesting and salable in a reasonable time.
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Mint Revises $1 Coin Design For 2011
Vending Times
The U.S. Mint said it will update the design of the Native American $1 coin next year, leaving the familiar portrait of Sacagawea on the obverse (heads) side while replacing the reverse with a new image of a peace pipe being passed from one hand to another. The Native American $1 Coin Program, mandated by Congress, requires the U.S. Mint to issue $1 coins featuring designs celebrating the important contributions made by Indian tribes and individual Native Americans to the history and development of the United States.
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A Steady Market in an Uncertain World
Stack’s
The market has remained relatively unchanged during the past week or so. Demand for choice and rare coins of all kinds remains strong, with investors competing for high grade issues, MS-65 and Proof-65 and higher, especially for items priced from a few hundred dollars up to several thousand dollars. There is, of course, continuing demand for higher priced coins, but the number of newcomers coming into the field and dropping hundreds of thousands of dollars as a start have been fewer.
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Gold coins among discovery of ancient artifacts
International Business Times
Gold coins were among the relics unearthed from the capital of an ancient Buddhist Kingdom in Northwest Pakistan, according to published reports. Also found in Taxila, the seat of the Kingdom of Gandhara and a learning center, were in excess of 100 seals of ancient Buddhist Kingdom, the rare Red Stone, and sculptures of Buddha, according to People’s Daily online. Officials believe the find dates to a time period between the first century BC and the fifth century AD.
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Collectors Usually Prefer the Proofs
Numismaster
People have been collecting proof sets and proof singles for a long time. Just consider the 1886 sale of the J. Colvin Randall collection offered by W. Elliot Woodward. The proofs included three-piece proof sets of 1878 (10 sets), 1879 (82 sets) and 76 of the 1880. The listing was not clear, but it is thought the 35 additional 1880 sets were full going up to the Trade dollar and the same might have been true of the 32 1882 sets.
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American Palladium Eagle Coins with Silver Mercury Dime Design Approved
Silver Coins Today
Legislation authorizing the US Mint to strike American Palladium Eagle coins was approved Tuesday by the U.S. Senate and has been sent to the desk of President Barack Obama to await his expected signature. The coin legislation was originally introduced by United States House of Representative member Denny Rehberg (R) from Montana to add bullion and collector proof and uncirculated Palladium Eagle coins to the US Mint’s product offerings.
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The Forged Roman Silver Denarius
The E-Sylum
Roman coin discovered by a cleaner was struck at the time of Christ by a forger who couldn’t spell and didn’t know one emperor from another. Experts at the British Museum say the coin is a mystery because it is made from solid silver and probably cost the forger as much to make as he received in profit.
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5 Ounce America the Beautiful Silver Bullion Coins
Coin Update News
Today, the United States Mint provided the release details for the America the Beautiful Silver Bullion Coins. The maximum mintages for these eagerly awaited coins will be lower than expected and numismatic versions will be available. The new bullion program was authorized under Public Law 110-456. This is the same law that authorized the America the Beautiful Quarters series.
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Multi-coloured Lebanese banknote could float to $93,300 in London
Paul Fraser Collectibles
The auctioneer has announced a second day of selling collectible currency next week. As we’ve reported Spink is offering a full private collection, the Pestrello collection, of rare collectible banknotes on December 9, based on banknotes from the Bank of Portugal. There are two 50 million reis notes from 1889 available; each expected to fetch up to €16,000 ($20,900).
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Rare California Bank Notes and 34-Ounce Gold Nugget in Auction
Coin Update News
A collection of more than 100 historic Orange County California bank notes and a 34-ounce gold nugget from the collection of the late William (“Willie”) Pannier will be among the highlights of the pre-Long Beach Expo auction to be conducted by Ira & Larry Goldberg Coins and Collectibles in Beverly Hills, California, January 31 – February 2, 2011.
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The Finest Known Wheat Cent
About.com
Have you ever wondered which Wheat Cent is considered to be the best one in the world? According to the grading service PCGS, the finest known wheatback penny was minted in 1919 by the Philadelphia Mint, and earns the astonishing grade of MS-69 on the 70-point coin grading scale. For a copper coin to merit such an ultra-high grade, several things have to line up just right.
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Rare coins auction journeys from Ancient Greece to Modern Rome
Paul Fraser Collectibles
Two rare and historic items set to star in the next Artemide Aste sale couldn’t be much further apart. The Artemide Aste sale of rare coins and medals on December 18 has two standout lots, with more than 2000 years between them. The highest-priced coin of the auction is a rare Greek Tetradrachm from the city of Agrigentum, dated 464-450 B.C.
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Gold Coin Premiums Begin to Go Higher
Numismaster
Gold is up 1.5 percent, silver 3.5 percent and platinum a paltry 1 percent. Platinum continues to react to oil pricing, which has been weaker on European economic woes from banking problems in Ireland and pending labor strikes in Portugal protesting the austerity needed to dig out of their debt mess. Gold is the safe haven and has reacted to the Korean military situation and news of miners unrest.
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Proofs in demand
Numismatic News
Collectors eagerly grabbed 273,212 proof silver American Eagle coins in the opening two days of sales. The 2010 pieces became available at noon Eastern Standard Time Nov. 19, and as expected, a crush of initial buyers, slowed response times on the U.S. Mint’s website and generated busy signals on the telephone order lines for the first several hours.
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Article Highlights Rare Oxford 1066 Penny
The E-Sylum
A rare coin made in Oxford in or around 1066 – the year of the Battle of Hastings – is set to fetch up to £1,500 at an auction next month. The 1,000 year-old silver penny was made in Oxford by a so-called moneyer named Aelfwig during the 10-month reign (January 5,1066, to October 14 1066) of King Harold II. Harold was killed after being shot in the eye with an arrow at the Battle of Hastings, which was won by William The Conqueror on October 14,1066, and which is recorded on the Bayeux Tapestry.
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