Coin Collecting News

Rare California Bank Notes and 34-Ounce Gold Nugget in Auction
Coin Update News
A collection of more than 100 historic Orange County California bank notes and a 34-ounce gold nugget from the collection of the late William (“Willie”) Pannier will be among the highlights of the pre-Long Beach Expo auction to be conducted by Ira & Larry Goldberg Coins and Collectibles in Beverly Hills, California, January 31 – February 2, 2011.
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The Finest Known Wheat Cent
About.com
Have you ever wondered which Wheat Cent is considered to be the best one in the world? According to the grading service PCGS, the finest known wheatback penny was minted in 1919 by the Philadelphia Mint, and earns the astonishing grade of MS-69 on the 70-point coin grading scale. For a copper coin to merit such an ultra-high grade, several things have to line up just right.
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Rare coins auction journeys from Ancient Greece to Modern Rome
Paul Fraser Collectibles
Two rare and historic items set to star in the next Artemide Aste sale couldn’t be much further apart. The Artemide Aste sale of rare coins and medals on December 18 has two standout lots, with more than 2000 years between them. The highest-priced coin of the auction is a rare Greek Tetradrachm from the city of Agrigentum, dated 464-450 B.C.
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Gold Coin Premiums Begin to Go Higher
Numismaster
Gold is up 1.5 percent, silver 3.5 percent and platinum a paltry 1 percent. Platinum continues to react to oil pricing, which has been weaker on European economic woes from banking problems in Ireland and pending labor strikes in Portugal protesting the austerity needed to dig out of their debt mess. Gold is the safe haven and has reacted to the Korean military situation and news of miners unrest.
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Proofs in demand
Numismatic News
Collectors eagerly grabbed 273,212 proof silver American Eagle coins in the opening two days of sales. The 2010 pieces became available at noon Eastern Standard Time Nov. 19, and as expected, a crush of initial buyers, slowed response times on the U.S. Mint’s website and generated busy signals on the telephone order lines for the first several hours.
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Article Highlights Rare Oxford 1066 Penny
The E-Sylum
A rare coin made in Oxford in or around 1066 – the year of the Battle of Hastings – is set to fetch up to £1,500 at an auction next month. The 1,000 year-old silver penny was made in Oxford by a so-called moneyer named Aelfwig during the 10-month reign (January 5,1066, to October 14 1066) of King Harold II. Harold was killed after being shot in the eye with an arrow at the Battle of Hastings, which was won by William The Conqueror on October 14,1066, and which is recorded on the Bayeux Tapestry.
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More than 100 Orange County California bank notes from the collection of the late William (“Willie”) Pannier will be among the highlights of the pre-Long Beach Expo auction to be conducted by Ira & Larry Goldberg Coins and Collectibles in Beverly Hills, California, January 31 – February 2, 2011.

“These historic, Southern California large and small-size notes have been off the market for decades in his collection. There are several unique and serial number one examples,” said Larry Goldberg, partner with his cousin, Ira, in the auction firm.

Photo Caption: The First National Bank of Santa Ana, 1902 $10 Red Seal, PCGS Currency VG10, unique, the only known Red Seal from Orange County California, is one of the highlights of the William Pannier Collection to be offered in an auction by Ira & Larry Goldberg Coins & Collectibles, January 31 – February 2, 2011. Photo credit: Lyle Engelson for Ira & Larry Goldberg Coins & Collectibles

Pannier, who died in August at the age of 66, was the long-time owner of Fullerton Coin & Stamp Company, the oldest coin and stamp store in Orange County California. Well-known collector and real estate developer Dwight Manley worked at the shop on weekends as a teenager, and considers Pannier a beloved numismatic mentor.

Pannier began collecting silver certificate notes in the late 1960s and then became interested in Orange County currency, according to his brother David.
“We were second generation Orange County residents. Orange County was in our roots. Some of the notes were displayed at the store, but he kept the more pricey things at home. He always tried to upgrade the notes or get a lower serial number for his collection,” David Pannier recalled.

Highlights of the Orange County California bank notes in the Goldberg’s auction include:

• The First National Bank of Fullerton, 1882 $10 Value Back, graded PCGS Currency VF30, the finest of only three known Value Backs from the entire county;

• The Farmers & Merchants National Bank of Santa Ana, 1902 $20 Date Back, PCGS Currency VF20PPQ, one of only four known from the bank; Continued

Sedwick Treasure auction No. 8 realizes $1.3 million
Coin Values
All prices here reflect the 18 percent buyer’s fee, which is discounted to 15 percent for cash payments. The auction offered shipwreck-recovered coins and bars, as well as Mexican and other Spanish colonial coins, plus English, world, U.S. and ancient coins. The 2,789-lot auction was called the firm’s “biggest yet.” Three hundred thirty-six lots, or 12 percent, did not sell.
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Early coin from China’s first-ever modern mint is estimated at $60,000
Paul Fraser Collectibles
An historic piece of Chinese numismatic history is auctioning in Hong Kong, and online. A late-19th century Chinese coin is expected to sell for the equivalent of tens of thousands of dollars in Hong Kong, tomorrow (December 1), at Champion Hong Kong’s auction. The piece is question is an undated Hina-Kwangtung coin from 1889 from the first set of coins ever made at China’s first modern mint.
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Canadian 2010 Crystal Snowflake Silver Coins Near Sell Out
Silver Coins Today
Two recently released 99.99% pure silver coins featuring a unique crystal snowflake design are almost sold out, the Royal Canadian Mint advised customers late last week. Sales of the Mint’s $20 Blue Crystal Snowflake and $20 Tanzanite Crystal Snowflake have each passed 90% of their maximum mintage, which is 15,000 across both options. The two silver coins were released by the Royal Canadian Mint in October along with its other final 2010 issues.
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CFA Review of 2012 America the Beautiful Quarter Designs
Coin Update News
Although the America the Beautiful Quarters Program just completed its first year of release, design candidates have already been prepared and reviewed for the third year of the series. The 2012 America the Beautiful Quarters will feature El Yunque National Forest in Puerto Rico, Chaco Culture National Historic Park in New Mexico, Acadia National Park in Maine, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park in Hawaii, and Denali National Park in Alaska.
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New Coins from Latvia and France
The E-Sylum
Latvia has issued a coin containing a small piece of amber. The coin was issued on Nov. 15. The coin has a face value of 1 lat. France has issued 100 Euro circulating coin. It is being issued at face value hence it can be truly called a circulation coin. This is the third and last year for an innovative concept: renewing usage of precious metals as circulation coins. This tradition was started in 1960 with the silver 5 Franc coin, and was abandoned with the demise of the Franc.
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Micro Nations Prosper in Coins
Numismaster
Numismatic Guaranty Corporation ancient coin authenticator David Vagi has joked with me about a fictitious country he calls Gurkistan. World coin dealer Allen Berman is well known for promoting the mysterious kingdom of Bermania. There are more places than you might think that exist in someone’s mind, but their physical existence may be limited to fantasy coins or perhaps to some place that may only be visible at low tide.
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