By David Ganz for Numismaster 

Battle of the learned societies has begun at the Hispanic Society of America launched a broadside against its former neighbor, the American Numismatic Society, seeking the return of 38,000 coins the ANS has been cataloging since the death of Arthur Milton Huntington in 1955 at age 85.

Huntington was a major benefactor, multimillionaire, and philanthropist who largely funded Audubon Terrace in New York City’s Washington Heights at the turn of the 20th century. Among the organizations that he sponsored were the American Numismatic Society, and Hispanic Society of America, the American Geographic Society, and other learned organizations dedicated to scholarly analysis of the arts and sciences.

In 1948, the Hispanic Society of America collection consisting of some 30,000 coins, many of which were hammer-struck, including many of the ancient world, was placed on deposit with the ANS, making it the finest collection of its kind in the Americas. That is the source of the 2008 legal controversy.

Founded in 1858, the American Numismatic Society celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2008, having recently moved to Fulton Street in the New York financial district. It is preparing to abandon the new building in favor of a downtown location on the west side of Manhattan.

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BY ERIC HERMAN Criminal Courts Reporter for the Sun Times

More than a year after the son of a Niles jewelry and coin dealer was shot dead in the dealer’s home, prosecutors have charged a Chicago man with the crime.

Frank Limardo, 25, faces first-degree murder and home-invasion charges in the slaying of Michael Childers, 28, during a robbery attempt on Feb. 21, 2007.

“We expect the evidence to show it was a home invasion, and that during the course of the struggle the victim was shot three times,” said Assistant State’s Attorney Diann Sheridan.

At a hearing Thursday, Judge Consuelo Bedoya-Witt set Limardo’s bond at $2 million.

Prosecutors say Limardo, of the 5700 block of West Wellington, went to the home of Leonard Bird — Childers’ father — armed with a handgun. During a struggle between Limbardo and Childers, Bird heard a voice yell, “Where’s the safe?” Sheridan said.

Limardo then allegedly fled to a van waiting in a cul de sac, where another person drove him away. A witness identified the van, Sheridan said. Read Full Sun Times Article

TAMPA, Fla. – (Business Wire) Odyssey Marine Exploration, Inc. (Nasdaq:OMEX), the world leader in the field of deep-ocean shipwreck exploration, announced today that Spain’s claim in Admiralty case number 8:07-CV-00616 has been dismissed pursuant to a motion filed on behalf of the Government of Spain. The shipwreck in this case is believed to be a 20th century passenger liner reported to be carrying valuable cargo.

Following Odyssey’s May 2007 announcement of the recovery of 17 tons of silver and gold coins from the “Black Swan” site, Spain filed claims with the U.S. District Court’s Tampa Division in three of the Company’s pending admiralty arrests. Odyssey made it clear that the Company was unaware of evidence suggesting any potential Spanish interest in the site, yet Spain pursued its claim without providing any information as to the basis for that claim.

“We are very pleased that Spain has acknowledged that its claim to this particular shipwreck is unfounded, and we are now looking forward to moving ahead in resolving all issues expeditiously with the other two cases,” said Greg Stemm, Odyssey’s Chief Executive Officer.

“Technically, Spain’s dismissal of its claim in this case has no bearing on the other two arrests, but this shows that just because Spain files a claim against a particular wreck site does not mean it has a valid basis, or as in this case, any evidence whatsoever to support that claim,” commented Melinda MacConnel, General Counsel for Odyssey. (more…)