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Coin News for March 10, 2010
In the Hunt for Commemorative Gold?
Numismaster
You would also know that there is always some form of premium on these coins, with the highest premium usually being on the lowest weight and denomination. When it comes to commemorative gold—or at least modern commemoratives in gold—you might need a calculator for exact gold values, since the gold $10 pieces and the gold $5s of the past few decades have gold weights of 0.4837 ounces and 0.2418 ounces, respectively. At $1,100 per ounce, the gold in a $10 commemorative has a value of $532.07, and in a $5 it has $265.98.
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Collecting the Civil War: Southern States Confederate Money
Coin World
The question of monetary policy was at the forefront as the Confederate States of America came together in the winter and spring of 1861. Initially, the Confederacy issued high-denomination interest-bearing notes, mostly $50 and $100 notes with a few $500 and $1000 notes. Some of the Southern states issued smaller denomination notes designed for everyday commerce. Mississippi, North Carolina and Virginia led the way, issuing a range of notes from 5 cents through $500. Texas and Arkansas issued state Treasury warrants with Texas first issuing these in early 1861. Local towns and counties across the South added issues of their own. Despite these efforts and the Confederacy ramping up national paper money production, money remained scarce until 1862, particularly issues of less than $5.
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Royal Mint Announces London Capital Cities Coin
The Royal Mint
Today, the Royal Mint announces its new limited edition £1 London coin in gold and silver, which is part of the new series of four £1 coins representing the UK’s capital cities. The series has been designed with a contemporary twist by the famous international coin designer Stuart Devlin, Goldsmith and Jeweller to the Queen. In spite of having designed coins for many countries throughout the world, this is the first time he has designed for the UK.
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The Search for the Guggenheim Treasure
Smithsonian
The most intriguing of these is the tale of the silver ingot that once snagged in the eel trident of the old Indian fisherman named Blood. From there, conversation invariably turns to the Lost Guggenheim Treasure. On the still, moonlit night of September 26, 1903, a tug urged the barge Harold out of what’s today the South Street Seaport and south past the Statue of Liberty. The Harold’s load that night was nearly 7,700 silver-and-lead bars. They were destined for the glowing Asarco smelters of Perth Amboy, New Jersey. The silver, and the smelters, belonged to the Guggenheim family, which had made its fortune in mining and smelting.
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Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) Medals from the U.S. Mint
U.S. Mint
Authorized by Public Law 111-40, this medal is a bronze duplicate of the Congressional Gold Medal awarded to the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) in recognition of their pioneering military service and exemplary record, which forged revolutionary reform in the U.S. Armed Forces. The obverse, designed by United States Mint Artistic Infusion Program Master Designer Joel Iskowitz and sculpted by United States Mint Sculptor-Engraver Phebe Hemphill, depicts the portrait of a WASP with three pilots in the foreground in period uniforms walking toward their aircrafts at Avenger Field. An airborne AT-6 is featured in the background breaking through the inner rim of the medal.
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The Most Hyped Coin in History
Susan’s Coins Blog
Once the 3-legged Buffalo Nickel got listed in the Red Book as a recognized variety, its fame was assured, because back then additions to the Red Book canon were very rare. Despite this intriguing history, the 3-legged Buffalo is far from being the most hyped coin in history. That honor goes to a coin with an error so egregious that debate about it continues to this day: How did the coin get struck in the first place?! Thanks to the promotional efforts of legendary numismatic showman B. Max Mehl, average Americans across the country were searching their pocket change for a 1913 Liberty Head Nickel, hoping to sell it for an astonishing 1,000 times face value ($50.00)!
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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.
