Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) is offering a new service, the Roll Certification Program, for rolls of Brilliant Uncirculated coins. Certified rolls are encapsulated in a new PCGS product, the clear, durable CrystalVue™ holder, which enables easy viewing of the obverse and reverse designs as well as the coins’ edges.

“In 1986, PCGS revolutionized the coin market by establishing the standard for third-party grading of individual coins. Now, with so many people collecting coins such as Presidential dollars by the roll, PCGS is revolutionizing coin collecting again with the Roll Certification Program. It gives collectors a safe, effective method of protecting their coins for future generations while guaranteeing the authenticity and Brilliant Uncirculated grade of an entire roll,” said Ron Guth, PCGS President.

PCGS now is accepting for roll certification Presidential dollars submitted in Mint-sealed boxes of government-wrapped rolls, and American silver Eagles in Mint boxes. Acceptance of additional coin denominations and series will be announced in the coming weeks. (more…)

In the 2008 release of the “Insider’s Guide to U.S. Coin Values” Mike Fuljenz, President of Universal Coin & Bullion, once again assisted author Scott A. Travers in placing values on gold coins. This is a leading coin price guide published by Bantam Dell, a division of Random House, Inc. Collectors anxiously await this guide across the country considered “The most up-to-date comprehensive Coin Book in America” to evaluate their collections.

The most prestigious numismatic authorities in America assign the values to the coins covered in this guide. Mr. Travers is often sought by publications such as The Wall Street Journal and Business Week, and has served as a coin valuation consultant to the Federal Trade Commission. He has surrounded himself with other leading experts to provide coin collectors the most accurate coin values available. In his acknowledgements Travers give recognition to those numismatic experts he depends on to give him the values for his publication. His acknowledgement for Mike Fuljenz, read “Michael R Fuljenz” of Universal Coin & Bullion in Beaumont, Texas updated the values for gold eagles through double eagles. He is one of the Nation’s highest profiled and most esteemed gold coin authorities. His contributions, like the metal, itself, glitter.”

In past issues Fuljenz, the President of Universal Coin & Bullion has served as the gold coin price coordinator. Mr. Fuljenz is also a well-known numismatic author who has written numerous books relating to coin collecting, such as “The Collector’s Guide to Indian Head Quarter Eagles” and just recently, “The Collector’s Guide to $10 Indian Head Eagles.” Mike Fuljenz is also the recipient of a 2002 NLG Book of the Year Award for his “Type II Double Eagles: 1866-1876″ book.

The “Insider’s Guide to U.S. Coin Values 2008″ is available on Amazon.com and in most local bookstores.

It seems that I discovered the existence of Die Variety News #11 just in time, because reader Danny Chapman dropped me a line earlier this morning to tell me that Die Variety News #12 has just come out! Die Variety News is a bimonthly variety coin magazine published free of charge in PDF format by variety coin expert Billy Crawford. If you enjoy hunting through pocket change to find rare and valuable coins, you don’t want to miss Billy’s great magazine, which is loaded with photos showing you exactly what to look for.

The lead story in Die Variety News #12 is about the recently discovered 2000-P Lincoln Memorial Cent doubled die obverse which shows an extra section of Lincoln’s beard, rotated about 40 degrees and then offset a ways onto the neck. The doubling can be seen with the naked eye, which makes this variety an important type. Billy provides several photos that will help you find your own specimen in your pocket change (or you can just take the lazy man’s way and buy it on eBay.) Read Full Story

Christmas seems to have come early for the District of Columbia.

Yesterday we reported that a congressional ban on needle-exchange programs was finally lifted and that we were getting our D.C. postmark back. Today we find out that the District will join the other 50 states and get its own quarter.

Buried in a larger article in the Post on a $515.7 billion spending bill that allocates funds for the District, the announcement was made with almost no fanfare:

The legislation provides hundreds of millions of dollars for the District. It includes the annual federal payment for D.C. courts, almost $224 million, as well as almost $48 million for defender services in family courts, according to a statement from Norton. It makes available $190 million to assist former prison inmates returning home to the city. It also includes millions for schools, sewers, libraries and a new forensics lab, among other projects… The bill also will establish a quarter with an image representing the District, similar to coins commemorating the 50 states. Read Full Article

1oz HOLEY DOLLAR & DUMP SILVER PROOF COIN SET ANNIVERSARY RELEASE COMMEMORATES AUSTRALIA’S ONLY COUP D’ÉTAT

Exactly 20 years after the First Fleet dropped anchor in Sydney Cove on 26 January 1788, Australia experienced its first, and only, military insurrection – the Rum Rebellion.

The revolt was perpetrated against Governor William Bligh, forever remembered as the Captain of the mutinous crew aboard HMS Bounty. The perpetrators were the powerful officers of the NSW Corps – also known as the Rum Corps because of their control of the colony’s ‘rum’ trade.

In response to the Governor’s attempted reforms, which threatened the officers’ lucrative business, the Corps marched on Government House in Sydney to arrest Bligh, ignominiously dragging him from beneath his bed.

This spectacular Australian legal tender set commemorates the 200th anniversary of the extraordinary coup. Struck by The Perth Mint from 1oz of 99.9% pure silver in proof quality, it resembles Australia’s first official coinage – the Holey Dollar & Dump – which was introduced in the aftermath of the famous Rum Rebellion. (more…)