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Coin News for June 28, 2010
Sales End for D.C. & U.S. Territories First Day Coin Covers
Mint News Blog
On June 30, 2010 at 5:00 PM ET, the United States Mint will conclude sales of the 2009 District of Columbia & U.S. Territory Quarters First Day Coin Covers. All six of the covers are still available for sale currently, including the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands. Each cover is priced at $14.95 each. These products may be worth a look since they represent the last First Day Coin Covers produced for quarters for the foreseeable future. The US Mint previously confirmed that they will not be creating similar products for the new America the Beautiful Quarters Program. This final year of covers also marks an improvement in design from the somewhat bland template used for the State Quarter covers. Finally, the covers boast relatively low production runs, as compared to the Presidential Dollar and State Quarters Coin Covers.
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Obsolete Currency Proofs to be Auctioned
Stack’s
In early January 2010 I made the final decision to publicly auction my collection of United States obsolete currency proofs along with related engraving and financial items. I had been reorganizing my collections with this in mind for over a year. Over the two decades I have been blessed to make my career as a professional numismatist (that beats digging ditches last I read), I’ve often observed that some collections have been off the market for too long a time, effectively stymieing eager collector interest. With that in mind, Stack’s and I wanted to create an auction sale that revolved around not just a single owner collection, but one that would take full advantage of the amazing resources that abound within the numismatic community for additional and complementary consignments.
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David Lawrence Rare Coins Unveils New Website
David Lawrence
Thanks to my crack team of programmers (Greg Bradley and Adam Terhune), we have unveiled the all-new website design which has been programmed entirely in-house. We are making use of many of the new features available on the internet today, including a greatly enhanced search engine, cleaner graphics and faster load times. Most importantly, we hope you are finding our new web site easier to use. That’s the goal. Of course, it doesn’t matter how good the web site is if we don’t have the coins, so John Brush and I have been very active during the first 5 months of the year attending every major show in the country and buying great coins.
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The U.S. Branch Mint at Denver
The E-Sylum
Officially, the “United States Branch Mint at Denver, Colorado Territory” opened for business September 24, 1863. It was the intent of Henry Gruber and the Clark brothers when they sold their company to the Treasury department that the government use the facility and equipment to mint gold coins on site. The facility was NOT just to be the assay office it eventually became. So what happened? And even more intriguing, is it possible the first Denver facility actually did strike coins The proof the government originally intended to strike coins at the Denver mint is demonstrable on many levels, from conception by the Clarks through the legislation authorizing the facility through subsequent parliamentary correspondence all the way to the name of the building itself: “United States Branch Mint”; the “…and Assay Office” was added later to give name to reality.
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Stickers and Plus Signs
Coin Values
The advent of the “plus” grade, officially recognized by Professional Coin Grading Service and Numismatic Guaranty Corp., has thrown a wrinkle into a market already trying to figure out what premium to give to coins with a Certified Acceptance Corp. sticker. A CAC sticker on a slab means that the coin meets CAC’s “strict quality standards.” The acceptance that not all Mint State 63 or MS-64 coins are alike is well-received, and the market continues to discount gold coins with copper spots and decide what premiums to add to plus and CAC-stickered coins, while balancing what collectors think of PCGS Secure Plus evaluated coins that did not receive a “+” grade.
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Medals of the Man Who Saved Churchill to be Auctioned
Paul Fraser Collectibles
Early next month, coin and medal specialists Dix Noonan Webb are offering one of their medal auctions, which are completely unmissable for collectors. Amongst the many fine and fascinating pieces on offer, one stands out in particular: the Boer War Distinguished Conduct Medal group of five awarded to Warrant Officer 2nd Class C R Roberts. Clement Roberts was of Winston Churchill’s unit of Montmorency’s Scouts, and on hand when Churchill found himself in jeopardy at Dewetsdorp in April 1900. Dismounting to cut a wire fence to allow safe passage for the horses, Churchill was surprised by 12 Boers and the close gunfire startled his horse so much that it darted off which he was still trying to re-mount.
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About the Author
Tim Shuck is a life-long Midwestern resident, and started collecting coins after finding an Indian Head cent on the ground at his childhood farm home. Additional encouragement came from looking through a collection of well-worn late 19th and early 20th century coins kept by his grandfather in an old leather coin purse. Current collecting interests include U.S. types from the Civil War era through the early 1930's, and Colonial and Early American coins.
