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…)

Available in January 2008 from Zyrus Press, Investment Strategies for U.S. Gold Coins, by Jeff Ambio, offers advice on how to successfully and profitably invest in United States gold coins.

Ambio is a well-known numismatic expert and auction cataloger. His professional career spans the nation’s top auction houses: Heritage Auction Galleries, Superior Galleries, Bowers & Merena. Recently, Ambio served as Vice President of Numismatics at Rare Coin Wholesalers. As one of the industry’s most highly trained numismatic scholars, Ambio brings first-hand experience and expertise together to offer exclusive insider tips for the collector and investor – What do I look for? Which coin should I buy next? Is the coin available on the market? How much can I expect to pay? And how do I make the most of my investment?

This book covers regular-issue gold series from 1795 through 1933 and informs the reader on a number of investing strategies, including collecting by type, variety, or rarer issues. The book includes over 150 high-resolution gold coin images, graphs, and vital pricing data. Each chapter begins with a brief history of a gold type, then goes on to describe various tactics or “game plans” to help the investor build his or her collection. (more…)