(Littleton, NH) – Frederick Maynard Sundman, who transformed his boyhood love of stamp collecting and his goodwill faith in customers into creation of two of the world’s largest stamp and coin companies, died Wednesday, October 31, 2007, peacefully at Littleton Regional Hospital, of natural causes. He was 92 years old and had resided with his wife Dorothy in Littleton.

Maynard Sundman was born in New Britain, Connecticut on October 17, 1915, only child of Frederick William Sundman and Floy Rae Maynard. He graduated from Bristol (CT) High School, class of 1935. He started his first postage stamps for collector business in Bristol, Connecticut the same year, working from his parent’s home with a staff of six. He married Fannie Kasper of Terryville, Connecticut in April of 1941.

Following service in the Fifth Army in North Africa and Italy, he returned to Connecticut in the fall of 1945, when he and Fannie moved to Littleton. Together they founded Littleton Stamp Company and its successor Littleton Coin Company. Their marriage endured for 52 years, until Fannie’s death in 1993. Maynard and Fannie Sundman raised three sons, David M. Sundman, Frederick W. Sundman and Donald J. Sundman. On October 15, 1994 Maynard married Dorothy Joslin of Littleton and they enjoyed 13 years of marriage together. (more…)

After a 27-year hiatus, gold returned to the lofty price of $800 an ounce yesterday. But that number was unlikely to shock anyone — investors or even consumers hankering for a 14-karat necklace.

Gold has surged more than $100 an ounce in two months as a weak dollar, high oil prices and concerns about world tensions have increased the allure of precious metals as a safe investment. The Federal Reserve’s decision to lower its benchmark interest rate for the second time in as many months helped vault gold futures yesterday.

The sharp rise in prices hasn’t scared off investors — quite the opposite, according to George Milling-Stanley, spokesman for the World Gold Council. (more…)

The Royal Australian Mint launched a range of 2008 collector coin products at a gala movie themed event in Canberra last night.

The highlight of the evening was the announcement that the theme for the 2008 Year Set is the International Year of Plant Earth (IYPE). “The Royal Australian Mint has developed this stunning year set in partnership with Geoscience Australia. It recognises the important environmental and geological issues that currently affect Australia” noted Royal Australian Mint Chief Executive Officer, Janine Murphy. “The aim of the Year Set is to help raise awareness of these environmental issues, and is the Royal Australian Mint’s contribution to the International Year of Planet Earth” continued Ms Murphy. (more…)

Authenticators in the past relied heavily on a coin’s physical properties such as weight, diameter, thickness, color, and specific gravity to determine its authenticity. Today, our task has become more difficult. This is because counterfeits in general have become more sophisticated and deceptive. Many modern die-struck fakes are made within the tolerances of genuine Mint products, so measurements are of less help than they were in the past. At the same time, more “problem” coins are being sent to grading service providers.

Among the greatest challenges to coin authenticators are eighteenth and nineteenth century gold or silver type coins with no original surface remaining. The measurement of coins in this condition is seldom useful, due to the metal loss associated with them. Additionally, whizzed coins and coins that have been harshly cleaned, repaired, or recovered from the ground present special problems because, in many instances, they can look similar to counterfeits.  Read Full Story