Weekly World Numismatic News for May 15, 2022
It has been an interesting week. I tried to keep up with the news and the collecting world, but a health issue sidelined me. Unfortunately, I was diagnosed with COVID. I am feeling better, but it does affect my breathing. I am glad I am fully vaccinated.
I was not completely sidelined. While trying to breathe, I was able to go online and find some interesting items online. The purchase taught me something about an area of numismatics that I did not know existed. It will be something I write about when I receive the new purchase.
During the week, the U.S. Mint mailed a package that arrived in my mailbox containing the Negro Leagues Baseball Commemorative Proof Set. The coins look better in hand than the U.S. Mint’s website images.
As the Paxlovid works to get me back in the game, it will take a few days to get everything back together, and I will be ready to get back to collecting.
Life is short. Have fun collecting.
And now the news…
May 10, 2022
→ Read more at cottagelife.com
May 14, 2022 → Read more at worldakkam.com
POLL: What do you use to find information?
I am getting ready to open the next chapter of my life, and I was thinking about how I can leverage my knowledge and experience to enhance the collecting community. As an experienced collector of all types and a dealer in areas other than numismatics, I learned a lot about collectors and their habits that could benefit a general audience.
As I was thinking about sharing my experiences, I wondered where most people learned about their collectibles. But the resources I had are different than those available today. Even the way we take in and understand knowledge is different. I thought it would be interesting to ask the numismatic community how they learn about collecting.
So let’s ask the question:
Loading ...Weekly World Numismatic News for May 8, 2022
Reverse of the Royal Canadian Mint 2015 Superman $20 for $20 coin featuring “The Man of Steel”
After reading yesterday’s blog post, the comics dealer asked me how to become a coin dealer to sell comics-themed coins.
My reader knows that the comics industry is exploding and that the publishers are dabbling in non-fungible tokens (NFT) to see if they can extend the market. Those skeptical of the NFT market are looking for alternatives. A comics dealer that expanded to other publications, toys, and other collectibles understands that extending his market with coins will be profitable.
Walk into any hobby shop and see how every hobby has evolved. Comics, sports, and antiques have seen a rise in collecting, and all have seen the benefit of cross-collecting. A sports dealer is also selling comics and other collectibles with sports themes. Comics dealers are collectible cards and souvenirs from the ComicCons, the same as the sports dealers are selling game tickets.
Coin dealers extend their business into metals and jewelry, and their stores look the same as they did 10 years ago. The dealers may be making a living, but it is not expanding the hobby. But is it their job to expand the hobby or make a living? Unfortunately, this attitude is typical with the dealers trying to set ANA policy and is not helping the hobby’s growth.
And now the news…
May 4, 2022 → Read more at croatiaweek.com
May 5, 2022 → Read more at smithsonianmag.com
It’s Free Comic Book Day!
Cover with the 2015 $20 Canada Superman coin
Free Comic Book Day is more than an effort to get people into the stores to buy comics. The publisher will take the opportunity to tweak a story, start a new story arc, or introduce new characters. They spend a few pages in the free comic book to enhance their stories or introduce new characters. The free comic book may also have an existing story that can summarize the story to convince readers to start reading the series.
Free Comic Book Day is more than a giveaway day. It is a marketing tool for the story writers to interact with the readers and get them attracted to the stories. The publishers and store owners use the giveaway to keep current customers interested and lure in new customers.
Although the publishers will introduce many new stories and characters, almost 90-percent will not last more than a few issues. The publishers know this and are willing to try whatever it takes to ensure that the readers come back for more. Once the readers are hooked, the publishers extend the brand into movies and other collectibles where collectors can purchase the merchandise anywhere.
The comic book industry accomplishes more in one day than the numismatic industry accomplishes in one week. Considering how ubiquitous money is in society, It is any wonder that we can raise new collectors.
2016 Canada Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice $20 silver coin
There is nothing wrong with comics and the comics culture. Comics readers love their characters, especially the superheroes, that they extend their buying beyond the comic book. Why not invite them into your shop to add comic book character coins to their collection.
You may not find coins with Superman, Batman, Captain America, or Spider-man exciting coins, but they are legal tender coins made of silver or gold that excite this crowd. Contact the publishers and see if you can source material to supplement the coins. It could create a partnership that could benefit both collectibles.
It might not be selling rare proof-like Morgans, but it will get people in your shop to look at your other inventory. Maybe they will see the Buffalo nickels and think those Type 1 coins are so cool that they might start a collection.
I have an idea… on Free Comic Book Day, the numismatic community can work with Marvel and DC to create a brass token that would be available to the collecting public. Some to the coin store, get the token for free. Let the publishers work on tokens and medals associated with their comics and sell them through coin stores. Then the coin stores can contact the New Zealand Mint or the Royal Canadian Mint to purchase a supply of comic book character coins and join the fun.
Sally Ride Has Landed
The current quarter in the American Women Quarters Program honors Dr. Sally Ride. These coins are showing up in change in an increasing number, with several landing in my pocket this week.
Dr. Ride was a physicist, astronaut, educator, and the first American woman to rocket into space aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger in 1983. At 32, Ride was also the youngest American in space.
On STS-41G in 1984, also on the Challenger, Ride was joined by Dr. Kathryn Sullivan, a geologist, making it the first space mission with two female crew members.
Following her retirement from NASA, Ride and Tam O’Shaughnessy teamed up to write science books for young people. They also started an educational company to inspire young people, especially girls, in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).
Ride received many honors during her life, including induction into the Astronaut Hall of Fame, National Women’s Hall of Fame, and Aviation Hall of Fame.
The reserve depicts Dr. Sally Ride next to a window on the space shuttle. It was designed by Elana Hagler of the Artistic Infusion Program and sculpted by U.S. Mint Medallic Artist Phebe Hemphill.
Numismatic Legislation Update
James Weldon Johnson (Photographed by Carl Van Vechten, 1932)
James Weldon Johnson was a writer and civil rights activist who was a leader of the NAACP. In 1920, Johnson was chosen as the first African-American executive secretary of the NAACP, effectively becoming its chief operating officer.
Johnson was known for his writing about black culture during the Harlem Renaissance. His work includes the lyrics for “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” which later became known as the Negro National Anthem. The music was written by his younger brother, J. Rosamond Johnson.
Johnson’s other accomplishments include his appointment as the U.S. consul in Venezuela and Nicaragua by Theodore Roosevelt, the first African-American professor hired by New York University, and later became a professor at Fisk University.
If this bill becomes law, 85-percent of the surcharges will be divided equally between the Marshall-Motley Scholars Program, the Stanton College Preparatory School, and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). The rest of the money will be given to the James Weldon Johnson Foundation.
H.R. 7469: James Weldon Johnson Commemorative Coin Act
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