An Interview with NGC’s David Lange
Collectors Weekly
I started collecting coins when I was about 7 years old. I took over my brother’s collection of Lincoln cents. At that time, the early 1960s, it seemed like every boy collected coins for a week or two and then got bored just like my brother did. I kept at it, collecting a little bit of everything over the years—from ancients to metals to tokens to paper money. I learn as much as I can, but usually my interest in a particular area runs out before I finish the collection. Very often I sell things to start something new. That said, I’ve retained a few things through the years. For example, I still have my circulated sets of all the 20th-century coins, from Lincoln cents through silver dollars. I have my type set, which is partial but fairly nice. And I’m still trying to put the finishing touches on my collection of circulated Barber silver coins. 
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An Urban Legend: The Counterfeit $2 ‘Toonie’
Numismaster
Urban legends have a nasty habit of spreading once their seed has been planted. It appears some carelessly made remarks from a local Toronto merchant that were followed by a report on a television station investigating those remarks may have initiated the latest concerns blossoming into a numismatic urban legend that Canada’s $2 “toonie” coin is being widely counterfeited. Not so, say the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Royal Canadian Mint. Each were downplaying the April 21 broadcast in which the station reported a downtown Toronto merchant claiming he “gets them by the truckload,” meaning counterfeit $2 coins. The broadcast included a comparison between two $2 Canadian coins, one of which depicts a larger portrait of Queen Elizabeth II on the obverse than on the other. The broaadcasters said the coin depicting the larger portrait was a counterfeit.
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Which Mint Sets Make the Best Investments?
Susan Headley
The U.S. Mint offers a bewildering variety of coin sets each year, ranging from the old stand-by’s such as Proof sets and Uncirculated (year) sets, to the special commemorative sets and coins that have limited mintages. Learn which ones typically skyrocket in value right away, and which ones are usually the duds. The answer, in a nutshell, is the limited mintage sets that have a unique coin in them that cannot be gotten in any other way are the sets that make the smartest buys. For example, the Twentieth Anniversary Silver Eagle 3-Coin Set that came out in late 2006 had a coin that could only be acquired as part of the set – the Reverse Proof Silver Eagle. This set had a mintage of 250,000 maximum sets, and the Reverse Proof immediately doubled the set’s value. As of January 2008, the set sells for around $400 in PR-68 (a low-end grade for the set.) The issue price was only $100.
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First Spouse Gold Coin Sales Figures
Mint News Blog
With this post, I wanted to summarize the last reported sales figures for each release of the First Spouse Gold Coin series. This now includes a total of fifteen different coins in proof and uncirculated versions. Eleven of the coins are no longer available for sale at the US Mint, and four coins remain currently available. The US Mint has not yet provided sales figures for the recently released 2010 Gold Buffalo Proof Coin, which many readers have been waiting for. Additionally, the last available sales figures for the Letitia Tyler and Julia Tyler First Spouse coins remain unchanged from the prior week. For a while now, the US Mint has not been reporting final updated sales figures for products which had sales end during the weekly reporting period.
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An Interview with U.S. Mint Director Edmund Moy
Coin Update News
American coins are known and loved throughout the world, and the United States Mint is arguably one of the most well known and respected Minting entities internationally. Ed Moy is the 38th Director of the United States Mint since 1792 and was appointed by former President George W Bush in September 2006. Moy was confirmed by the Senate for a five-year term and continues to serve at the pleasure of the current sitting President. I had the opportunity to sit down and speak with the charismatic US Mint Director while he was attending the 39th annual World Money Fair in Berlin, Germany. This year, the United States Mint received the COTY award for “Most Popular Coin” (American Silver Eagle), and Moy was on hand to receive the award personally.
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Rarities Highlight the San Francisco Mint
Numismatic News
There is a great deal to be said about any branch mint of the United States, but San Francisco is special. While there are important and interesting coins that have been produced at other mints, San Francisco stands alone for the number of important rarities and the number of coins that have had a real impact over the years. In addition, with its longevity, the story of the San Francisco Mint is a long and interesting one. It all comes together to make San Francisco a special facility with a very special place in the hearts of most collectors. It all started with gold. The bonanza discovered in the late 1840s saw the representatives from California and the West begin an immediate effort to have a branch mint. California became a state in 1850, just two years after the gold strike. It was natural to focus on the idea of a mint. Charlotte, N.C., Dahlonega, Ga., and New Orleans, La., all had mints and they were all much closer to Philadelphia than San Francisco was.
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U.S. Mint Announces America the Beautiful Quarters Bulk Purchase Program
U.S. Mint
The United States Mint today announced the America the Beautiful Quarters Bulk Purchase Program.  The minimum purchase requirement under the program is one (1) bulk bag, which contains 200,000 coins with a total value of $50,000.  A three percent processing fee of $1,500 per bulk bag will be applied to each order to offset the cost of the program.  In addition to the processing fee, purchasers must arrange for pickup from either the United States Mint at Philadelphia or at Denver.  A properly licensed commercial carrier is required to retrieve the coins. The United States Mint accepts payment for bulk purchases only through bank wire transfer.  Once the funds are transferred to, and confirmed by, the United States Mint, instructions for transportation will be provided.  The coins will be provided to bulk purchasers on or after the Federal Reserve Bank’s release date.  Orders will be processed up to one week prior to the release of each quarter in the United States Mint America the Beautiful Quarters Program. 
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Thoughts About Gold … and a Vermont ‘Cent’
Stack’s
Some years ago I embarked on forming a collection of the early copper coins of Vermont—the issues of 1785 and 1786. These were made in Rupert, Vermont, in a private mint operated by Reuben Harmon, Jr., who had obtained a contract from the would-be state (statehood would not be accomplished until 1791). There are only about a dozen different die varieties among that early coinage. One of the most curious is the so-called Baby Head, classified as Ryder-Richardson No. 9. A particularly nice one was offered in Stack’s sale of the Minot Collection slightly over two years ago, on May 21, 2008. Here is the description: “Lot 51: 1786 Vermont copper. Ryder-9. Rarity-4. Baby Head. AU-53 (PCGS). 123.8 grains. A simply jaw-dropping survivor of the most distinct bust type in the entire Vermont coppers series. Major auctions are rife with claims of ‘condition census’ for high quality survivors of Ryder-9, but the present example is one of the few that would be able to live up to that claim.
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Chile To Issue 20,000-Peso Note
Banknote News
According to a press release dated 8 June 2010, the Central Bank of Chile intends to issue a new 20,000-peso (US$36.50) note on 28 July 2010. Coppery orange in color and measuring 148 x 70 mm, this cotton-based note is the third denomination in a new family of notes, all of which feature representations of the country’s natural beauty. The front of the note features a portrait of Andres Bello based on a painting by French artist Raymond Monvoisin (1790-1870) belonging to the University of Chile. Next to him is the heart of Copihue, the national flower, and Antu, a Mapuche symbol representing the sun that fertilizes the soil. The back depicts Salar de Surire Monument, located in northern Chile in the region of Arica and Parinacota. It also contains the image of a Chilean Flamingo, a bird that lives in shallow water areas, fresh or salt over the whole country.
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Coin Shows Offer a World of Opportunity
Numismatic News
Every numismatist, collector, or anyone who is interested in coins should go to a major convention. There’s something to offer for everyone, from the beginner to the advanced hobbyist. No matter who you are or how much experience you have, you could see items you have never seen or have only dreamed about. You could learn something new, find another collecting interest, or meet a favorite dealer in person. Schedules of major conventions can be found at the sponsoring organization’s website. Dates, times and locations are given, so you can plan accordingly. Often, an alphabetical list of dealers can also be found on the convention information page, so you could look up your favorite dealers and see if they will attend.
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More On the 1794 Dollars
The E-Sylum
I had the pleasure of closely examining the Neil-Carter-Terranova -Milas/Browder-Lustig-Contursi 1794 dollar back when it was for sale at Ed Milas’ ANA bourse table for $375,000 perhaps three decades ago. I understand it did sell at that show and that co-owner Marv Browder was unhappy it sold and wanted to buy it back he was so enamored of the coin. I don’t blame him! But, I don’t know where the tale started that this was the 1st silver dollar struck at the US Mint and was struck for presentation or specimen purposes. Perhaps it started with B. Max Mehl’s often overblown cataloguing descriptions. But the coin’s planchet is heavily and prominently adjusted to the point where a significant amount of the reverse peripheral inscription is very weak and obscured. There are a number of high grade 1794 dollars (AU and better) that have considerably fewer adjustment marks and much stronger reverse legends although admittedly not the original toning and prooflike surfaces of this now-Logies /”Cardinal” specimen.
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World Money Systems and Coins in Circulation
Susan Headley
This Gallery of Circulating World Coins will show you what the current circulating coins are for money systems around the world. Each country will have an entry, depicting the current coinage used in that nation’s monetary system. Although I provide the names of the circulating coinages and their relative values to each other, I don’t have current currency conversion rates for these countries because they are constantly changing. This Gallery of Circulating World Coins is a partnership between myself and Don’s World Coin Gallery. Don has provided nearly all of the images in this Gallery from coins in his own world coins collection! If you are looking for World Coin Values for collectible coins, rather than just learning about the money systems around the world, there is absolutely nothing else on the internet that compares with Don’s World Coin Gallery.
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First Collector Euro Coin Made of Finnish Gold
Mint of Finland
Finnish currency 150 years is the first collector euro coin that is made of Finnish gold. To mark this, the coin is minted with the domestic gold’s symbol of a reindeer horn. When Finland was joined to Russia, the silver rouble was declared as the only legal means of payment. Nevertheless, Russia had to leave the silver standard almost immediately and paper roubles with varying values were being used. The situation became even more difficult because according to the old practice, the Swedish riksdaler was the most common currency. The return to the silver standard was carried out in 1840 but the stable situation thereafter lasted for only 15 years. After the Crimean War, Russia and Finland – that was tied to Russia’s system – had to leave the metal standard.
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Unusual Paper Money
Numismaster
Once during our years working together in the Whitman Coin Products Division of Western Publishing Co. in Racine, Wis., my boss Ken Bressett regaled me with this question: “You’ve heard of salt being used as money, but have you ever heard of a Pepper Mint?” At that particular moment I had no reply, nor was one expected because it was all in fun, obviously. But now I do have the answer as found in a new book by well-known Chicago collector and researcher Bob Leonard. He says, “yes!” In fact, salt and pepper are included as unusual money forms in his brand new tome, Curious Currency, The Story of Money From the Stone Age to the Internet Age. Bob was an attendee at the recent Chicago International Coin Fair, and that was where I obtained a signed copy of his volume. It is a very attractive and well illustrated work. Page size is 6 by 9 inches, with a total of 152 pages.
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Life Without the Cent
Dave Harper’s Buzz
If I asked a poll question, “Should people be able to take four cents out of the dish for a $1 transaction?” I would expect a sizable number would say no, feeling uneasy taking what amounts to four percent of the amount tendered. Had I purchased gasoline and the bill was something like $22.04, that would be a different story. Perhaps the take-a-penny dishes are more than just conveniences for those of us who need an odd cent from time to time. Perhaps they are a back-door way of training us all how rounding would work in practice. After all, what difference does it make if the merchant rounds the purchase price down by two cents or whether the clerk grabs two cents out of a dish?
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World War II U.S. Steel Cents
Heritage Blog
While the Man of Steel dates to 1938, America’s “cents of steel” date to 1943—the vast majority of them, anyway. Comic book superheroes, Superman included, were influenced by World War II, and so too was America’s coinage. The steel cents of 1943, such as this 1943-D/D variety cent in the upcoming July Summer FUN Auction, came about this way, with bronze (and its scarce component copper) taken out and more plentiful steel substituted. The switch didn’t work out so well; circulated steel cents became dull quickly and were easily confused with dimes. In 1944, the coinage metal for cents reverted to a copper-based alloy, not strictly bronze but similar.
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Royal Australian Mint to Hold Mint Directors Conference
Royal Australian Mint
In September 2010 the Royal Australian Mint will host the International Mint Directors Conference (MDC 2010) in Canberra. A $30,000 grant from Tourism Australia will facilitate the participation of delegates from regional countries such as Tonga, Papua New Guinea and Bangladesh. The funding, which was secured in partnership with the Canberra Convention Bureau, will assist in showcasing Australia to its international delegates and further boost tourism dollars in the Australian economy. Delegates are scheduled to visit Perth, Canberra, Sydney and Cairns. “As the host of MDC 2010, we are excited by the opportunity to invite these international industry representatives to Australia to take part in the conference,” said Ms Marlene McClelland, Acting Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Australian Mint.
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2011 Medal of Honor Commemorative Coin Designs
Mint News Blog
The United States Mint recently provided design candidates for the upcoming 2011 Medal of Honor Commemorative Coins to the Commission of Fine Arts (CFA) and Citizens Coinage Advisory (CCAC) for review and comment. The program includes a $5 gold coin with a maximum authorized mintage of 100,000 and a silver dollar with maximum authorized mintage of 500,000. The Medal of Honor Commemorative coins are issued in recognition and celebration of the establishment of the Medal of Honor in 1861. This is America’s highest award for valor in action against an enemy force that can be bestowed to an individual in the Armed Service of the United States. The coin designs are intended to be emblematic of the traditions, legacy, and heritage of the Medal of Honor and the distinguished service of its recipients.
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