The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History will showcase 21 numismatic rarities from its National Numismatic Collection at the World’s Fair of Money convention hosted by the American Numismatic Association from July 30 to Aug. 3 at the Baltimore Convention Center. “Historic Rarities: Early United States Proof Coins,” will include the 1860 double eagle proof pattern with the Paquet reverse, a special design made by its engraver, Anthony Paquet, and a previously unknown variety of an 1818 proof half dollar as part of the traveling display.

Initially, the Philadelphia Mint made proof coins as showpieces to demonstrate American talent and innovation. These early proofs are recognized by their mirror finish and feature sharper relief than found on coins made for circulation. The coins in the “Historic Rarities” display are part of a larger collection transferred to the Smithsonian by the U.S. Mint in the 1920s.

“This traveling display provides an opportunity to showcase extraordinary and rare proof coins, including an 1818 silver half-dollar proof which our curator recently reclassified as unique as it is the only one made at the time,” said Brent D. Glass, director of the National Museum of American History. This display represents the museum’s second appearance at the Baltimore convention.

“NGC and NCS are immensely proud to be presenting sponsors of this exhibition; proof coinage and Paquet’s pattern demonstrate first hand the beauty of coinage and the active human role of designers and engravers. Showcasing these rarities is a wonderful opportunity for the numismatic community,” said Mark Salzberg, chairman of the Numismatic Guaranty Corporation.

The display is divided into four sections: Early Proofs, 1843 Proofs, the Anthony Paquet double eagle pattern and Baltimore national currency proofs.The objects in the group of early proofs include coins of several denominations dating from 1818 to 1821. The coins were minted in several different metals, including copper, silver and gold. The group dated 1821 is likely the only such grouping in existence. (more…)

The complete NumisMedia FMV Price Guide is now available on NGC’s Web site. The price guide compiled and edited by NumisMedia is an independent report of prices for US coins offered by dealers to collectors. It will be available for free to all site users and updated monthly.

NumisMedia is a leading independent and impartial source for U.S. rare coin values. Since 2005, NumisMedia has served as the official price guide of NGC and the Collectors Society. NumisMedia provides comprehensive pricing available for US coins, including prices for the full range of AU and MS grades, as well as prices for a broad number of modern issues.

To see the price guide, click on the Census & Price Guide tab, select a coin type, and then select the NumisMedia Price Guide tab. [Note: Access requires a FREE Pass Key account, a Collectors Society account, or NGC Authorized Dealer account.]

“Collectors have come to expect the highest quality resources from NGC. Along these lines, we’re very pleased to provide pricing information from NumisMedia. As a truly independent source, NumisMedia is widely acclaimed for the accuracy of its unbiased report of US coin values. By making price information of this caliber more readily accessible, we can enhance the hobby for countless collectors,” said NGC Chairman, Mark Salzberg.

The price guide is part of a suite of collecting resources available on NGC’s Web site, including a coin encyclopedia and variety attribution guide. To access NumisMedia values and other site resources, a login account is required. NGC Authorized Dealers and Collectors Society members should use their existing account login information, and new members can quickly create a free Pass Key account. (more…)

By Scott Purvis for CoinLink

NGC announced in a From the Grading Room article  that it has graded a “previously unreported” Matte Proof 1925-S California Half Dollar.

In 1925, California celebrated its diamond jubilee as a State in the Union. It was California’s gold rush of 1849 that assured its statehood in 1850. On the occasion of this 75th anniversary of its admission Congress authorized a special half dollar to commemorate the event .

The obverse features a “Forty-Niner”, as these gold hunters were known, panning for gold. The coin’s reverse displays the image of a fearsome looking grizzly hear. In 1953, the bear was adopted as the state’s official animal. The coin was designed by California artist Jo Mora.

The California half dollar had an authorized mintage of 300,000. A number approaching 150,000 were produced, and more than 60,000 were later melted, leaving a net mintage of 86,594. The coin has an extremely high relief design and sharp detail, and it sometimes comes with a semi-prooflike surface on the obverse.

However proofs are a different matter.

 As NGC Sates: “Matte proof commemorative half dollars were specially prepared for presentation although in most cases very little documentation exists to illuminate their true purpose. The design, rim, and notably the legends on this coin are very crisply struck, much more so than on a business-strike example of the issue. Inherent of proof coinage of this type, it does not possess reflective luster; rather the entire design has a very uniform appearance. Matte proofs allowed designers to showcase the design elements of the coin, and were “fashionable” during the early Twentieth Century. “

Interestingly, Q David Bowers in his book Commemorative Coins of the United States; A Complete Encyclopedia, makes no mention of the existance of any Matte Proof 1925-S California Half Dollars. He does state that “Matte Proofs were struck of certain early (1892-1954 era) commemoratives…. the best documented being the 50 or so 1928 Hawaiian Half dollars” however he cautions that “numerous questionable ‘Matte Proof’ Half Dollars have been made outside of the Mint by pickling or sandblasting normal business strikes” (more…)

By Paul Gilkes for COIN WORLD

In 1949, Dr. William H. Sheldon introduced the numismatic term “condition census” in his book Early American Cents, later renamed Penny Whimsy.

Condition census, according to Sheldon, denoted the finest example and average condition of the next five finest known of a given variety of large cents dated from 1793 through 1814.

Catalogers have gradually extended the use of condition census to other U.S. coin series. According to numismatic writer Q. David Bowers, the term has been used indiscriminately, sometimes to describe any coin that was in a particularly high grade category for its variety, regardless of how many others might share that category.

Growing from the condition census concept are the set registries for certified coins initiated by Professional Coin Grading Service and Numismatic Guaranty Corp. at the end of the 20th century.

The set registry concept was the brainchild of PCGS co-founder David Hall, currently the president of Collectors Universe, PCGS’s parent company. It began when Hall published in 1998 a printed booklet providing lists of the finest PCGS-certified coin collections and almost complete collections by denomination.

BJ Searls, the PCGS Set Registry manager, launched the registry online in February 2001. NGC followed suit in August 2001 with the NGC Registry.

Read Full CoinWorld Article Here