Coin Collecting News

By Diane Piret (ICTA) for Numismaster

In the Aug. 14 Numismatic News Letters section, a reader, John Matlick stated:

“How about the interstate sales tax issue? We have a law on our books prohibiting coin companies from charging local state sales tax to customers in other states.” He later adds “Why should I, in California, pay sales tax on say, a Heritage auction item in Texas, just because California and Texas signed a pact? Last I heard, the federal government trumps the state in this regard.”

It was obvious that there were some misconceptions on the subject, so I thought perhaps a Viewpoint could help clear things up. To set the record straight, it is the coin, currency and precious metals dealers who should be thanked for achieving sales and use tax exemptions.

Auction Sale 104: On November 1, 2007 George Frederick Kolbe/Fine Numismatic Books will conduct their 104th auction of rare and out of print numismatic literature, a remarkably important sale featuring works from the John J. Pittman Library and an extensive selection of classic numismatic reference works covering the numismatic spectrum. Printed catalogues will be available in early October and can be ordered by sending $15.00 to Kolbe at P. O. Drawer 3100, Crestline, CA 92325. The 1105 lot catalogue is also accessible free of charge at the firm’s web site (www.numislit.com). Continued

Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee gets into heated debate over 2009 Lincoln penny makeover.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A penny for your thoughts will have extra meaning in 2009 - the 200th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s birth and the 100th anniversary of the introduction of the Lincoln penny.

To commemorate the event, the U.S. Mint, at the direction of Congress, will introduce four rotating designs on the 1-cent coin for that year depicting different aspects of Lincoln’s life.

Those designs will replace the engraving of the Lincoln Memorial on the “tails” side of the coin. The famous profile of Lincoln will remain on the “heads” side of the coin. The Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee, which provides recommendations on such matters, met Tuesday and got into a lively debate over what those rotating images should be.

Newly Designed 28-Coin Set Includes Presidential $1 Coins

WASHINGTON - The United States Mint announced today that it will begin accepting orders for the 2007 United States Mint Uncirculated Coin Set® at 12 noon (ET) on October 9. Priced at $22.95, this year’s set is the first to include uncirculated versions of the new Presidential $1 Coins honoring the first four Presidents of the United States. The set also includes uncirculated versions of the five quarters issued in the United States Mint’s 50 State Quarters® Program, the Golden Dollar featuring Sacagawea, the Kennedy half-dollar, the Roosevelt dime, the Jefferson nickel and the Lincoln cent.

Continued

One of the great U.S. coin rarities, the 1894-S dime, will be offered in Stack’s 72nd anniversary auction Oct. 16-17 in New York City.

It is joined by several other rarities  such as the documented fourth double eagle struck at the Denver Mint, certified by Professional Coin Grading Service as SP-66, an 1876-CC 20-cent piece and an 1855 Kellogg and Co. $50 proof.

Stack’s 72nd anniversary sale is preceded on Oct. 16 by two offerings of material from the John J. Ford collection, Parts 20 and 21. The first, nearly 400 lots, holds paper money, including obsolete notes, greatest representation of these being from western states though notes from several other locations are offered. It also features patterns and medals from western assayers, as well as several assayer receipts.