Yes, I know the John Adams Dollar was released this week. But Real Life™ got in the way and I was not able to go downtown Washington to buy first day of issue coins. For now, I will by pass talk of the Adams Dollar in favor of some fun.
The Futures Channel is an online video service that creates multimedia content to bridge the gap between the Real World™ and the subjects students are learning in school. It is a great idea with interesting results. Two videos that I thought would be of interest to numismatists, collectors, and hobbyists are First American Coins and Printing Money.
Although First American Coins does not mention where it was taped, there are mentions of the ANA World’s Fair of Money that was held in Denver the Summer of 2006. Amongst the video’s vignettes is a picture and discussion of the Brasher Doubloon as the first US gold coin and the half dismes as the first silver coins made from George and Martha Washington’s silver.
Printing Money also has images from the ANA World’s Fair of Money in 2006, but also has what appears to be stock footage that is rumored to have been provided by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. Still, it is an interesting video.
Both videos make an attempt to tie the content back to mathematics in order to provide benefits for the students. For the rest of us, it just interesting.