Coin Collecting News

By Henry T. Hettger on Numismatic News

I was the underbidder on a raw unidentified 1796 U.S. large cent. It was advertised on eBay and closed Oct. 19. It was advertised as very fine, not mentioning the corrosion, and for Early American copper purposes, it might grade good or AG, depending on removal of crud and verdigris.

The very fine details help to clearly identify the variety as 1796 NC-7 Stemless Wreath. The date position seemed to match, and the lowest point of the “7” appeared to point directly to a dentil below. The reverse was clearly of the stemless type, first seen, although extremely rare on the 1796 cent. It is believed this 1796 large cent was actually coined in 1797 as it is paired with the stemless reverse die of 1797 S-143, a scarce number in 1797-dated cents. The S-143 stemless reverse appeared to match precisely in the eBay auction photograph. Read Full Story

By Mark Ferguson for COIN VALUES

While more experienced collectors may scoff at the idea of third-party grading for recently issued United States coins, the concept is clearly popular with the general public.

If this year’s Christmas catalogs from mail-order coin businesses are any indicator, a growing segment of the marketplace is willing to pay the price for “slabbed” moderns.

How about a graded and encapsulated Mint State 68 1982-D Washington commemorative half dollar for $29? Why would a person pay such a lofty premium for a coin that sells for well less than $10 as a “raw” or unslabbed item? Read Full Story

The Austrian Mint’s four coin gold series “Vienna Jugendstil” concludes with the issue of the coin “House No. 38 in the Linke Wienzeile” on 7th November, 2007.

The series began in 2004 with a coin for the Vienna “Secession”, the exhibition hall in which the “Jugendstil” school of art had its origins. 2005 saw a work of sacral art, the “Church am Steinhof” with its golden dome. 2006 brought the “Vienna River Gate” to the City Park, a monumental work for public use. The series now is rounded off with an apartment house designed by the great Jugenstil architect Otto Wagner, who even took an apartment for himself in this building on the street bordering the Vienna River, the “Linke Wienzeile”.

The house was built in 1898-99 and is one of the best known examples of the Jugendstil in Vienna. Occupying a corner block, its cream façade decorated in gold is a prominent sight in the Linke Wienzeile. The rounded corner of the house itself is flanked on top by two female half-figures who, with hands raised to their mouths, trumpet out their joy to all Vienna. These figures are the work of the sculptor Othmar Schimkowitz, who also created the angels on Wagner’s Church am Steinhof. The façade is decorated with gold medallions of women’s heads, designed by the great Jugendstil artist Koloman Moser. Wagner had hoped to create a row of Jugenstil houses along the Wienzeile; a dream that was not to be realised. Continued

“Crossroads of the West” Quarter Launched in Ceremony at Rio Grande Depot”

The public and media are invited to join United States Mint Director Ed Moy and Governor Jon M. Huntsman, Jr., at a ceremony celebrating the Utah quarter at the Rio Grande Depot in Utah’s capital city at 10:00 a.m., Friday, November 9. Following the ceremony, the crowd may exchange paper currency for $10 rolls of newly minted Utah quarters. Children attending the event will receive a free Utah quarter.

The United States Mint will also host a Coin Collectors Forum featuring Director Ed Moy on Thursday, November 8, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Discovery Gateway. The public is invited to tell the United States Mint what they’d like to see on their coins. The event is free and news media are welcome. Continued