By Skip Fazzari, Authentication Consultant to NGC

Fingerprints are like a cancer to a coin, and can become irreparable if they are ignored for too long. Skip Fazzari describes the different types of fingerprints and what you can do to correct them.

For most of you, habit and experience have lessened the odds of marring the surface of your coins with fingerprints. You hold a coin properly — by its edges and close to a soft surface. Occasionally, there might be a lapse in this protocol but in most cases, we can assume that any fingerprints found on your coins resulted from carelessness or mishandling by non-collectors.
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It is difficult to know how long a fingerprint has been on a coin. Sometimes, especially in the case of Proof coins, they are easy to see the moment they occur; however, in most cases, fingerprints are not detected when they are fresh. Fingerprints are like a cancer to a coin. If ignored for too long, the chemicals in our body oils will actually etch the coinage metal. Over a period of time, and depending on their chemical makeup and the environment, they will “set” on a coin’s surface, making them difficult to remove. Copper and silver coins are the most likely to be permanently damaged in this way. Once this happens, the traces of fingerprints are virtually impossible to remove without abrasive cleaning that ruins more of the coin’s original surface. For the most part, gold is not susceptible to any type of permanent damage from fingerprints; however, on a few occasions, I have encountered a print pattern on gold that cannot be removed.  Read Full Article

NGC has launched a beta version of its expanded online catalog for coins recognized under VarietyPlus™, NGC’s attribution service. Included are descriptive detail photographs, diagnostic cues and general explanatory comments for many of the coin varieties described with a VarietyPlus™ number (e.g. VP-001). The catalog can be seen on NGC’s Web site.

In this catalog, only varieties described with a VarietyPlus™ number have detailed descriptions. This launch corresponds with the completion of the online technical platform, and a series of future content releases are forthcoming. During the beta review period, however, the catalog is available for free to all viewers. Users are also invited to send comments concerning the catalog to NGC’s researchers at varietyplus@ngccoin.com.

VarietyPlus™ includes the most popularly collected and most desirable die-specific coin varieties. For inclusion in VarietyPlus™ and to be attributed by NGC a coin must meet several specific criteria, including the following: (more…)

NGC designs custom holder to house the 200 most rare, unique and famous American coins in the Smithsonian’s National Numismatic Collection.

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History today announced a pilot project to assess the use of protective coin holders for the National Numismatic Collection housed at the museum. The 200 most rare, unique and famous American coins in the collection will be placed into customized plastic holders that will allow greater access to coins while improving their protection.

This initial group of coins was chosen because they are the most frequently handled. The project is a collaboration between the museum, the Numismatic Guaranty Corporation and the Numismatic Conservation Services, which donated their services and developed the holders to meet museum specifications. NGC also provided the materials necessary to re-house the coins, along with two storage cabinets which will offer enhanced security for these numismatic treasures.

“We are pleased to be able to provide superb protection for these rare objects while at the same time extending access to the research community,” said Brent D. Glass, museum director. “The coins are popular for scholarly study and now they can be handled safely.”

“NGC is privileged to work with the museum to help solve a collections management challenge. We are honored to make the full breadth of our expertise and our services available to the NNC and the greater numismatic community,” said Mark Salzberg, chairman of NGC.

David J. Camire, president of NCS, added “The focus that the museum has put on the long-term preservation of the NNC should be strongly commended. It’s a great privilege to commit our resources and energy to this important initiative.”

The holder is made of inert mold-injected resin and the label, identifying the coin in it, is printed on acid-free paper. Its overall size is roughly 60 mm wide by 85 mm tall. It can accommodate coins up to 45 mm in diameter and nearly 5 mm thick. Coins are placed in pre-molded cores that are semi-rigid which is then encapsulated in a clear outer shell. (more…)

This world-class collection of Ancient and World coins will be auctioned by Ira and Larry Goldberg on May 24-28, 2008 at the Crowne Plaza Beverly Hills and on Ebay Live.

Catalogues prices will be $15 US each, $30 International, or $40 US, $60 Int. for the entire set of 3. Catalogues: Ancient Coins, European Coins, and New World Coins (including Africa, Asia, and Oceana). Tentative date for catalogue availability is April 1, 2008. Call 1-800-978-2646 to place your order. (Subscriptions will include this catalogue.)

Because of the intense worldwide interest in this collection, we strongly suggest you make your hotel arrangements and bidding arrangements as soon as possible.

The Millennia Collection is now a featured gallery on the NGC website. Click here to view the gallery.

This gallery presents just a small sampling of the variety and extraordinary rarities that are included. Many predictions suggest that when the Millennia Collection sells, it will become the most valuable collection of world coins ever sold.

Selected examples from the collection formed the raison d’etre for Whitman’s recent award winning Money of the World: Coins That Made History, a gorgeous, full-color coffee table book co-edited by Ira and Larry Goldberg. The National Literary Guild awarded “Best World Coin Book” for 2007. This book presents coins as objects of purpose and importance, as well as having a fascinating history attached to them. The entire Millennia Collection far exceeds the hundred or so coins presented within this book, however; it is with nearly a century’s worth of cumulative collecting effort and skill that this astonishing array of over a thousand numismatic treasures have come to light.