US Mint to Unveil Abraham Lincoln Commemorative Coin Designs on 145th Anniversary of the Gettysburg Address
US Mint
United States Mint Deputy Director Andy Brunhart will unveil the 2009 Abraham Lincoln Commemorative Coin designs on Wednesday, November 19, 2009, at 10:30 a.m. (ET), during the Dedication Day Ceremony at Soldiers’ National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The ceremony and unveiling will take place on the 145th anniversary of the day that Abraham Lincoln delivered his famous Gettysburg Address. Surcharges from sales of the coins are authorized to be paid to the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission to further its work.
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Tour of Errors Shows Interesting Problems
By Ken Potter, Numismatic News
John Rising of Missouri sent in a No Date Wheat cent with a very interesting, rarely seen, error type. At first glance, I knew it was a Brockage-Counter-Brockage strike, but not exactly how it occurred. According to Alan Herbert, even just a Counter-Brockage is one of those error types that you have try to visualize the sequence of what happened step by step to fully comprehend the cause.
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Ancient Chinese coins on display at Eretz Israel Museum
JERUSALEM POST
Some 3,000 years ago, the Shang Dynasty (1700-1027 BCE) in China was using cowries as money. Toward the end of that era, the first coins appeared, except that they weren’t the round coins we’re familiar with. Those only made their appearance around the fourth century BCE. No, those first Chinese coins looked like spades and knives and made their appearance around the eighth century BCE.
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Collecting quarters is fun, but don’t expect a big payout
Herald Net
Time is up, folks. Some of us who dawdled along for 10 years, tossing state quarters in big jars, have to get the lead out. Actually, it’s time to get the nickel-copper-clad out. That’s what state quarters are made from. Hawaii is on the streets. It’s the 50th and last coin in the United States Mint’s 50 State Quarters Program.
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Seated Liberty 50¢s rise
By Mark Ferguson for COIN VALUES
Values for Seated Liberty half dollars, in all grades, are continuing their steady climb higher. With a few exceptions, this rising trend in values is gradual with no substantial jumps. The Seated Liberty design type stretches from 1837 through 1891 and constitutes the largest design series in U.S. coins, because it encompasses six denominations from half dimes through dollars.
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Coins struck from rusted dies show corrosion detail
Coin World
Among coinage struck in the first century of the U.S. Mint’s full-scale operations, beginning in 1793, it is not uncommon to encounter coins struck from dies that rusted because of improper storage.Some coins were struck for circulation from those rusted dies. Other pieces exhibiting rust contamination were struck as restrikes at dates later than the date on the coin, using uncanceled dies sold by the Mint as scrap metal.
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New Zealand Series Honors Iconic Bird
By Kerry Rodgers, World Coin News
New Zealand has announced a new annual series of legal tender coins to be issued over the next three years to both celebrate and promote conservation of New Zealand’s iconic kiwi - that chicken-sized, endangered, half-blind bird that can’t fly, has hairy feathers, nostrils in the end of its nose and lays the largest egg in the world for its body size.
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Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee Meets November 24
US Mint
The Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee (CCAC) will hold a public meeting at noon (ET) on Monday, November 24, 2008, at the Thayer Hotel, 674 Thayer Road, West Point, New York, 10996. The purpose of the meeting is to conduct business related to the CCAC’s responsibility to advise the Secretary of the Treasury on themes and designs pertaining to United States coinage.
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Timothy K. Torpin (1951-2008)
PCGS
On Monday, November 3, 2008, Tim Torpin, fellow coin dealer and beloved friend, husband, and father, died of heart failure following open-heart surgery. Tim is survived by his wife, Mary Jane, son Carleton, and daughter Jane. Tim was well-known within the numismatic community and greatly respected for his extensive knowledge of American numismatics, his honesty, and especially his goodnature.
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Problem-free coins reign
By Mark Ferguson for COIN VALUES
Coin buying continues and there is no en masse panic selling, although there are individual quick sellers. Long want lists are still in collectors’ and dealers’ hands – still going unfulfilled for months and sometimes years. Pent up demand continues for certain scarce coins and is found for some very common coins. Although many circulated coins retail for $5 or $10, dealers don’t have large inventories of such coins. In particular, problem-free examples of many of these coins are difficult to find.
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Where Do We Go from Here?
NGC
While major economic fluctuations continue to take center stage, NumisMedia reports that this all could be playing right into the hands of the coin market and the future growth of numismatics. The current economy continues to be the main focus for most Americans. Bank failures and bailouts, an underachieving stock market with growing fears of total crash, talks of recession and a political race in the foreground has most of us struggling to maintain a balance in this current financial atmosphere.
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‘Waffle’ Eisenhower Discovered
Numismatic News
The first known 1976 Bicentennial design Eisenhower dollar “waffle coin” has been reported by Brian Hendelson, president of Waffle Coin Co. of Bridgewater, N.J. It was discovered during the continuing examination of Mint-canceled coins obtained by Classic Coin in 2003, each with the distinctive corrugated, waffle-like pattern left by the Mint’s cancellation process, “It is a Variety Two, dual-dated 1776-1976 Philadelphia Mint Ike dollar, and the first Bicentennial Ike discovered as a Mint-canceled coin.
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PVC contamination can plague coins, but it can be removed
Coin World
PVC, or polyvinyl chloride, has wreaked havoc to immeasurable amounts of coins through the years, leaving its sticky, slimy mark on many a “Mercury” dime and a bevy of “Buffalo nickels,” just to name a few. The bad news is that PVC is a surface contaminant, an unwelcome gift from the wrong kind of coin holder. But, the good news is that PVC can be detected and removed.
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Nearly All Gold and Platinum Products No Longer Available at US Mint Site
Mint News Blog
Currently nearly every gold and platinum product in the US Mint’s online store is listed as “Product is not available.”The only gold or platinum coin actually still available for purchase is the Dolley Madison First Spouse Gold Coin. It does not appear that all of the unavailable coins are sold out. The only coins that are actually sold out are likely the following, which appear on the US Mint’s “No Longer Available” section which lists Sold Out products:
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Eighth Presidential $1 Coin Released Into Circulation November 13
US Mint
Who was the first President born in the United States? The answer may surprise you. It was Martin Van Buren, and on November 13, 2008, the United States Mint will release into circulation a Presidential $1 Coin in his honor. Martin Van Buren, our Nation’s eighth President, was of Dutch descent and was the first President born a United States citizen.
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700-year-old coins found in Wales field declared as ‘treasure’
New Kerala
A coroner has declared three 700-year-old coins, which were found in a field in Flintshire, north-east Wales, as treasure. John Gittins, Deputy Coroner for North East Wales, declared the coins treasure under the Treasure Act 1996. According to a report by BBC News, the silver pennies date back to between 1307 and 1314, to the reigns of both Edward I and his son Edward II.
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What Old Coins Are Worth
iantiqueonline.com
I collect old coins. I remember it was a hobby of my grandparents when I was younger. They started sending my siblings and I coins at our birthdays and Christmases. Slowly my brothers and I began to take on the hobby ourselves. Now, after several years, I’ve started wondering: what are all my old coins worth?
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Labourers unearth gold coins in Maharashtra school
Calcutta News
Labourers digging at a school campus in Maharashtra stumbled upon a minor treasure — a cache of 847 gold coins of an unknown period, bearing inscriptions in Greek and Urdu, and worth roughly Rs.4.2 million, the police said Saturday. The labourers tried to keep secret their find but were apprehended. The treasure trove weighs 2.47 kg and is worth about Rs.4.20 million, an investigating officer told IANS.
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Numismatic Bibliography Set to Go Digital
By World Coin News
Plans are being made to release a digital version of the definitive research work on Canadian numismatics. The print edition of the Canadian Numismatic Bibliography is in short supply, and the CD version will be made available to buyers of the hard copy of the compilation that debuted in 2007, according to its authors.
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The Proof Condition
Posted by Skip Fazzari, Authentication Consultant to NGCCoins
Skip Fazzari delves into the complicated task of grading Proof coins, and narrows down the mystery to one major factor. A majority of collectors are familiar with modern US Proof coins that are seen with highly reflective, mirror-like fields and frosty devices. While the Mint issued Proofs with other finishes in the past, for the sake of simplicity, I’ll deal with the mirror-surfaced examples here. Proof coins are special in that they are carefully struck, more than once, on polished planchets in order to bring out the utmost beauty of each coin’s design. Proofs represent the high point of the minter’s art. As they leave the coining press, they are generally as perfect as humanly possible.
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2008-W One-Quarter Ounce Platinum Eagle Sold Out
MintNewsBlog
The second of the re-offered 2008-W Platinum Eagles has sold out at the US Mint. The sold out coin is the 2008-W One-Quarter Ounce Uncirculated Platinum Eagle. This joins the one-tenth ounce version of the coin as one of this year’s early sell outs. After more than two and a half months of suspension, the 2008-W Platinum Eagles went back on sale October 17 at reduced prices.
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Mint Shoots for the Stars with 2009 Coins
Royal Australian Mint
Alongside telescopes looking up into the night sky, the Royal Australian Mint launched its newest collectible coins at a unique event on Friday 7 November 2008. The Mint joined with the Canberra Astronomical Society to create a night of star-gazing in celebration of the 2009 year set theme which commemorates the International Year of Astronomy (IYA). An amazing light show of local astronomer’s photography was also projected across the walls of the Mint building. “In 2009 the world celebrates the exploration of our universe. It marks the 400th anniversary of Galileo Galilei’s first use of the telescope and recognises his revolutionary discoveries that began modern astronomy,” said Janine Murphy, Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Australian Mint.
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On Second Thought
Ancient Coin Collecting Blog by Wayne Sayles
After reading the latest Elkins and Barford blog posts, I was inclined to consider the source and ignore them. But, having slept on it, I have to ask myself WHY? Why should I have spent more than 40 years of my life learning about ancient coins, and the cultures that produced them, just to have some star-gazer with a fixation on academic supremacy characterize me personally as a rank amateur with nothing but $$$ for a motivation?
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The Reality of Presidential Dollars at Banks
By Susan Headley - About.com
I just read an essay on the NumisMaster.com Web site that I wanted to share with you. A 20 year-old coin collector by the name of Jarrett Briscoe has a part-time job working in a bank, and he provides some interesting facts about the reality of what banks face when dealing with Presidential Dollars. For example, unlike the State Quarters, which are popular and move out the door very quickly (in part because the bank can distribute them in normal transactions), the Presidential Dollars are not very popular at all.
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CAC will offer free services at Coinfest
Numismatic News
Collectors attending a Connecticut coin show will be able to get their certified coins evaluated and stickered at no charge by the Certified Acceptance Corp. (CAC). The company will provide the free service at the second annual Coinfest on Nov. 8 at the Hilton Stamford in Stamford, Conn. The show is a three-day event, from Nov. 7-9, but CAC’s special offer is available on just the middle day. Showgoers will be allowed to submit up to 20 coins apiece for review by CAC grading evaluators, and CAC stickers will be affixed when this is deemed appropriate.
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Quantify Corporation Launches Registry Collector Service for Coin Collectors
Marketwatch
RegistryCollector.com is the first service to be launched by Quantify Corporation. Registry Collector enables PCGS Set Registry(TM) coin collectors to automatically find the coins on eBay they need to complete their registry collections. Powered by an eBay certified application, Registry Collector finds only those certified coins with valid certification numbers matching them with the coins collectors need.
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Uncirculated How to invest in coins
This Is Money
Ancient coins can fetch tens of thousands of pounds each at auction – we tell you how to invest in them and make the most out of your pennies. International buyers have lifted the market. The cheapest Roman and ancient British coins trade for less than £5, but investors generally make their profits at the top end of the market. Ian Goldbart, managing director of coin dealer AH Baldwin, also in central London, says: ‘There is more wealth in India, Russia and Arab nations and collectors there are spending some of this repatriating their coin heritage.
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The First Nickels
By Tom LaMarre, Coins
On April 11, 1866, the 39th Congress passed an act authorizing the first five-cent nickel. President Andrew Johnson, Abraham Lincoln’s successor, signed the bill on May 19, 1866. It had only been a year since Lincoln’s death, which might explain the gloomy imagery on the nickel’s obverse. One critic said the shield and branches resembled a tombstone surmounted by a cross and weeping willows.
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Several auctions strong
By Mark Ferguson - COIN VALUES
Analysis of numismatic auctions conducted during the last two weeks of October points to several trends. First, prices for many coins are holding up beautifully, as though there’s no reason to be concerned with the economic storm the world is experiencing. Many people keep much of their money in areas they understand, like stocks, real estate and coins, and often they don’t venture into multiple investment types.
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New Coins Released- The Crown of the Holy Roman Empire
Austrian Mint
On 5th November, 2008, the Austrian Mint in Vienna launched its new gold commemorative series “Crowns of the House of Habsburg”. The five coin series begins this year with the 1,000 year old crown of the Holy Roman Empire. The coin is struck in 986 fine gold and in proof quality only. The maximum mintage is 30,000 pieces world wide.
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The U.S. Mint’s Ultra-High Relief Coins Virtual Tour
Susan Headley - About.com
The U.S. Mint is producing a very special coin for one year in 2009, the Ultra-High Relief Saint-Gaudens Gold Double Eagle. 2009 Ultra-High Relief Saint-GaudensTo help educate coin collectors about the importance of this coin and why it is being produced, the Mint set up a special four-booth exhibit for the ANA World’s Fair of Money in Baltimore this past summer.
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More on Storage
By Mike Thorne, Coins Magazine
Last month I ended my discussion of coin storage methods with a discussion of Capital Plastics holders, their advantages and disadvantages. This month I’m going to give you a bottom line on coin storage methods.To this point, I’ve mainly highlighted some of the drawbacks of commonly used coin storage methods. The key question in this column is: What is the best storage method for your coins? The answer is going to sound like a cop-out, but here it is: It all depend.
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