Argentina. Provincia de Buenos Aires. 1881. 50 Pesos (not listed in Pick).

H istoric, intricately engraved printing press plates from the fabled archives of the American Bank Note Company and used in the process of producing 19th and early 20th century world bank notes will be offered to the public for the first time. A dozen paper money plates and dies will be in the auction conducted on March 20 and 21, 2007 in Baltimore, Maryland by Stack's (www.Stacks.com) of New York City and Wolfeboro, New Hampshire.

The plates were used for producing bank notes for Argentina, Bolivia, China, Colombia, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Paraguay and Russia.

The one-of-a-kind artistic pieces of history were consigned to the auction by Archival Collectibles of Far Hills, New Jersey, which acquired the legendary American Bank Note Company archives in 2005.

"This is art in its original form by some of America's most skilled and famous engravers," said Steve Blum, President of Archival Collectibles.

Now located near Philadelphia in Trevose, Pennsylvania, American Bank Note Company was formed in 1858 in New York City by a consolidation of eight leading bank note engravers and printers. Over the years, the firm acquired other companies and their archives.

Lot: 29 - 1872 Norman Medal, Julian AM-9

Heritage Auction Galleries' Long Beach U.S. Coins Signature Auction is scheduled for February 14-17 in Long Beach, California. The event will mark Heritage's 59th Official Auction at the Long Beach Coin Expo.

"Several outstanding collections of gold,? noted Heritage President Greg Rohan, "are presenting some incredible buying opportunities, with exceptional rarities throughout. We are also dedicating one entire session of the Signature Auction to some 800 lots of outstanding medals and tokens. This catalog contains a wide range of numismatic opportunities within more than 4,400 lots, plus an additional 3,600+ lots are in the Long Beach OnLine Session. More than 250 consignors have contributed their coins to this auction. The list of highlights just goes on and on.

Consignors highlighted in the Long Beach catalog include: The Matt & Susan Brown Family Collection of Saint-Gaudens Double Eagles; The Great Falls Collection; The Dale A. Konigsburg Collection, Part Two; The Lanterman's Mill Collection, Part Two; The Frank J. McCarthy Jr. Collection; The Rocky Top Collection of Bust Half Dollars; The Edward Sacks Collection; The Southern Collection; and The Twin Hollows Collection, Part Two.

It's simply human nature. The majority of people who buy coins want to make a profit on them when they sell them, although some collectors and dealers think differently. Many of them don't like to think of coins as investments.Actually, collecting coins is about money, meaning capital. We all know what we see in today's change can be collected for face value, but anything earlier will cost money. Even collecting coins from change ties up capital in the coins that are saved.


So, while you're thinking of how to make money in coins, here are a few ideas that have worked for other people that may spark your own imagination.

Study current sales figures of Mint products: As reported in the Jan. 22 issue of Coin World, a customer of SilverTowne of Winchester, Ind., recognized that Uncirculated 2006-W American Eagle 10-ounce platinum coins were being purchased in very small quantities. Toward the end of the year, he purchased 300 of the coins from the Mint at $180 each, at a total cost of $54,000.

1200 Oz .99999 Pure Gold

In a move some see as downright loonie, the federal cabinet has authorized the Royal Canadian Mint to produce $1 million gold coins for collectors with deep pockets."I've heard of 10-ounce coins, I've heard of kilo coins, but I've never heard of this," said Bill Haynes, the owner of a major retail gold bullion trading house in Arizona. The bold gold plan, confirmed by a Canadian Mint spokesman who said the idea was still "under development," would take Canada's collector coin production to astronomical heights.

Currently, the most expensive non-circulation coin offered by the mint is the 2007 Gold Maple Leaf, a $1,900 memento with gold content so pure its vulnerability to marks and scratches has generated negative reviews among collectors.

Mint spokesman Alex Reeves was coy about the scheme.

"All we have, by way of this order in council (cabinet) from government, is a green light to produce it. The very least I can say is it's not something that's in the cards for 2007."

Rare gold highlights Long Beach sale
posted 02/09/07 - Numismatic News - By Greg Reynolds

1854-S quarter eagle

Two rare gold quarter eagles will highlight the Feb. 14-17 Heritage Auction Galleries official Long Beach Coin, Stamp and Collectibles Expo sale. The two rarest quarter eagles ($2.50 gold coins) are the 1841 and the 1854-S. Examples of both will come on the block in this auction. They are both authenticated and graded by the Professional Coin Grading Service.

The cataloger for Heritage details a roster of 12 1854-S quarter eagles. When the newly discovered C.L. Lee coin was auctioned by American Numismatic Rarities in 2005, it was then believed that it was the 10th. In his encyclopedia published in 1988, researcher Walter Breen listed nine and said that there “are probably at least two others around.”

The Dannreuther-Garrett compilation of auction records, 1994-2004, lists five auction appearances, a total that does not include the C.L. Lee coin. Two listings are of the same coin, the finest known Harry Bass example, PCGS graded AU-50, and, more recently graded AU-53 by the Numismatic Guaranty Corp. Jay Parrino bought it when Bowers and Merena (New Hampshire) auctioned it in New York City in October 1999.