Nov 30, 2007 | ANA, coins
As I continue to catch up from my week off, I am going through my email and found a note from the American Numismatic Association saying that the deadline for submitting your theme idea for 2008 National Coin Week, April 20-26, is this Sunday. The ANA is looking for themes that focus on unity around the world and the role children and numismatics play in achieving this unity. The ANA is offering a one-half ounce gold American Eagle proof coin for the winning theme. Second place will receive a one-quarter ounce gold American Eagle proof coin. The third place selection will receive a one-tenth ounce gold American Eagle proof coin.
If you are an ANA member and interested in participating, send your theme idea, description of why it should be chosen, and ANA number to ncw@money.org.
Nov 27, 2007 | coins, quarter, US Mint
The US Mint announced the final designs for the 2008 50 State Quarters Program. If the Senate does not pass District of Columbia and United States Territories Circulating Quarter Dollar Program Act (H.R. 392), 2008 will be the last year of this program. H.R. 392 has been referred to the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. Contact the committee if you want to see this bill passed.
The following text and images are from the US Mint:
Oklahoma: “Scissortail Flycatcher,” features an image of the State bird, the Scissortail Flycatcher, in flight with its distinctive tail feathers spread. The bird is soaring over the State wildflower, the Indian Blanket, backed by a field of similar wildflowers. Engraver: Phebe Hemphill.
New Mexico: “Land of Enchantment,” features a Zia sun symbol over a topographical outline of the State with the inscription “Land of Enchantment.” Engraver: Don Everhart.
Arizona: “Grand Canyon State,” features an image of the Grand Canyon with a Saguaro cactus, Arizona’s state flower, in the foreground. A banner reading “Grand Canyon State&lrquo; separates the two images to signify that the Saguaro cactus does not grow in the Grand Canyon. Engraver: Joseph Menna.
Alaska: “The Great Land,” features a grizzly bear emerging from the waters clutching a salmon in its jaw. The coin’s design includes the North Star displayed above the inscription “The Great Land.” Engraver: Charles Vickers.
Hawaii: “King Kamehameha I,” features Hawaiian monarch King Kamehameha I stretching his hand toward the eight major Hawaiian Islands. The design includes the state motto “UA MAU KE EA O KA ‘AINA I KA PONO” (The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness). Engraver: Don Everhart.
Nov 27, 2007 | Baltimore, BEP, shows, US Mint
I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving and took some time off to relax and give thanks for what they have. I also hope that you would consider helping someone else who does not have the means to help themselves. It could be something as small as a donation to a food bank to a donation of your time to a shelter. Whatever you do, giving can be more satisfying as receiving.
My last entry was about my going to the Baltimore Coin and Currency Convention. I was to attend on Friday but circumstances prevented me from arriving in the morning. I was able to spend most of the afternoon walking around checking out the coins and visiting with people. This was Whitman’s third time running the show and it looks like they are really refining the way the show is being presented. A notable refinement was the placement of the Bowers and Merena table along the wall in Hall C was a very good idea. It allowed for more room to let potential bidders to view auction lots and interact with the Bowers and Merena staff.
Along that idea, Whitman placed their own booth in the same area between the Bowers tables and the exhibit from the Bureau of Engraving and Printing making it a good area to visit. BEP brought its “Billion Dollar Exhibit” with currency from past and present. BEP also had sheets of the new $5 Federal Reserve Notes to see the new designs. It was the first time the new notes were on display for the public. Although I am not a currency collector, I like how the BEP does their exhibit and makes their people available to ask questions. The US Mint should learn from the BEP how to put together an exhibit. After all, the Mint has one of the most extensive collections of US coins outside of the Smithsonian Institute. They should use shows like Baltimore to show off the collection.
As always, I enjoyed myself and purchased a few neat items. I will discuss my experiences in a few posts over the next week-or-so along with images of my purchases. What’s a good story without pictures, other than a fish story!
Nov 15, 2007 | coins, dollar, registry sets, shows
Rather than reviewing a document, I am day dreaming about what I will find in Baltimore tomorrow. My biggest concern is how the price of gold and silver will effect coin prices. As I type this, gold closed at $787.20—hovering around the magic $800 price for most of the week—and silver closed at $14.52—nudging towards $15. Precious metals price watching has not been a big financial sport since the boom in 1980. We have already seen where it has affected the price of coins from the US Mint.
But I could be just worrying since I am not in the market for anything significant. In fact, I may be selling more than buying! After thinking about it, I decided to sell my set of modern dollars. The only coins worth more than $100 are a 1971 Eisenhower Dollar graded MS-65 by NGC and a 1999-P Susan B. Anthony Dollar with the Narrow Rim graded MS-65 by NGC. I am considering consigning them to one of the online auction houses to see what happens.
Finally, before I get back to work, the US Mint released the James Madison dollar today. As our fourth president, Madison was forced into the War of 1812 when the British Royal Navy blocked American trade with France while Britain and France were at war. The captured seamen were forced into conscription on behalf of the British. It was during the Battle of Baltimore that Francis Scott Key wrote the poem “The Defense of Fort McHenry,“ which is known today as the Star Spangled Banner.
Nov 13, 2007 | ANA, Baltimore, BEP, coins, currency, shows
As I take my midday lunch break on Tuesday, I made sure that I posted my Friday day off on my company’s internal calendar and started to think about the Whitman Baltimore show. So I started to gather my email of announcements and news to bring together the scope of Whitman’s effort going into this show.
I previously wrote about the American Numismatic Association offering classes on Understanding Die Varieties and Coin Collecting 101. This is a great step for the ANA expand its education mission beyond its conventions and the summer seminars.
The Bureau of Engraving and Printing announced their 2008 Intaglio Print Subscription Program called the “Americana Series.” The first issue will be at the Baltimore Show. BEP will have a press on site in Baltimore. BEP announced that they will also display, for the first time ever, a sheet of the new $5 Federal Reserve Note as well as its “Billion Dollar Exhibit.”
David Lange announced on the Collectors’ Society Boards that he will presenting a slide show about coin boards of the 1930s-40s. This will be based on his book Coin Collecting Boards of the 1930s & 1940s. According to Dave, the program will be on Saturday at 2pm in Room 301. There will be a free drawing in which three attendees will each win a vintage coin board after the program.
With over 4,000 lots and a full currency session, Bowers and Merena Auctions will be holding their largest auction in company history. There are a number of interesting items for the rare coin and currency collector. See their online catalog for the lots that will be auctioned.
There will be coin grading by NGC, PCGS, ANACS, and ICG. The ANA and the folks from Florida United Numismatists will also be present.
It appears as if Whitman is looking to challenge FUN’s proclamation of being the “Largest Coin Show in America.” The only thing Baltimore is missing are the exhibits—maybe this is something they can include next year. But if it is Whitman’s goal to make their Baltimore show larger than FUN, I am sure those of us who live closer to Baltimore appreciates the opportunity to attend a premier show.
Nov 10, 2007 | dollar, US Mint
The US Mint has announced that the James Madison Dollar will be available to the public on Thursday, November 15. Madison, our fourth president, was called the “Father of the Constitution” as its primary author and chief advocate. Madison teamed with Alexander Hamilton and John Jay to author the Federalist Papers, a collection of essays in support of the new constitution.
The Madison Dollar is the last issue of the Presidential $1 Coin program for 2007. James Monroe will be the first president honored in 2008, followed by John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson, and Martin Van Buren. And remember, 2008 will mark the end of the 50 State Quarters program.
Nov 5, 2007 | fun, US Mint
My final coin find of the weekend is not a coin but a fantasy. As I was putting my collection in order and taking digital pictures of some coins, I found the image of my ultimate fantasy coin in my pictures folder. It is not a real picture—it is a Photoshop created image of my fantasy coin: the famous, and allegedly non-existent, 1964-D Peace Dollar.
In short, there was a call to strike additional dollars during the early 1960s when there were general coin shortages specifically from western states. In 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson authorized the US Mint to strike new Peace Dollars. Even though it was not publicized, the Mint created new dies and 30 trial strikes. It was later reported that 316,076 business strikes were made at the Denver branch mint became an open secret. Once congress found out, all but two of the trial strikes were destroyed. The trial strikes were allegedly destroyed in 1970.
Like the 1933 Double Eagles and 1913 Liberty Head Nickels, the 1964-D Peace Dollar is not supposed to exist. And like the 1933 Double Eagles, the Department of the Treasury has declared these coins to be illegal and promised to prosecute any who possess one. However, rumors of the existence of at least five of these coins persist.
I hope everyone had a good weekend and enjoyed reading about these coins as much as I enjoyed writing about them!
Nov 4, 2007 | foreign, silver
An old axiom in show business says to never follow children or animals on stage. But with the world wide acceptance of other animals on silver coinage, who can fault the Perth Mint for trying. In the spirit of the updated designs of the Chinese Panda since 2001, the Perth Mint has entered the bullion collectible market in 2007 with the Australian Koala Silver Coin.
Minted in .999 pure silver with a legal tender face value of one dollar, the Koala features Ian Rank-Broadley effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on the obverse and an image “depicting Australia’s most endearing marsupial” on the reverse. The Perth Mint describes the reverse design featuring “a cuddly koala clinging tenaciously to the branch of a gum tree. The image appears on a ‘shimmer’ background, a remarkable new effect developed exclusively by The Perth Mint.”
In hand, it is a beautiful coin mounted on a collectible card. The design is very reminiscent of the style used to depict the Pandas but with an interesting background. The field is a series of a geometric shape that is shallow that gives the koala depth on the background. It is very difficult to image without over emphasizing the background.
This is the first issue and the Perth Mint has announced a new design for 2008. I think this fits into my “oh, neat” catagory for being part of my collection.
Nov 4, 2007 | Eagles, grading, US Mint
Although all that glitters may be gold, I like the look of silver. One of the most beautiful coin designs is the Walking Liberty motif by Adolph A. Weinman. From 1916 through 1947, this phenomenal design graced the US half-dollar before it was changed to honor Benjamin Franklin. When the American Eagle bullion program was started in 1986, the US Mint revived the Weinman design for the one dollar Silver Eagle and the Augustus Saint-Gaudens design for the Gold Eagles.
While the Saint-Gaudens design is wonderful, the Weinman Walking Liberty design is my favorite. So I have been collecting the Silver Eagles since their inception in 1986. When the Mint started to sell the collectible Silver Eagles with the satin finish, I decided to add these coins to my collection.
I purchased three satin Silver Eagle coins from the US Mint. One was removed from the holder and placed in an album. One was left in its package. The third was sent to NGC for grading. Last year, the coin I sent to NGC was returned graded MS-69. A nice coin but not quite perfect. But this year… that was a different story. I sent three coins to NGC and two of them came back graded MS-70 PERFECT!
PERFECTION! I have never owned a perfect coin until now. But this coin, and the one I sent to my father as a belated Father’s Day gift, were graded MS-70 PERFECT by NGC. Not only is it a beautiful coin, but it’s a PERFECTLY beautiful coin!
Stay tuned… there may be one more!
Nov 3, 2007 | fun, tokens
Although I had this token for a while, I was about to put it into an AirTite holder for storage. Since it was already imaged, I thought I would share it here. This is a token from the Trioboro Bridge and Tunnel Authority. The TBTA (now part of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority) is responsible for managing the bridges and tunnels that connect different areas of New York City. At one point in my life, I lived in New York and worked in New Jersey. To make the commute easier, I used to buy these token for $20 per roll to use in the exact change lanes. That lasted a week for crossing the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge into Staten Island.
With the introduction of EZ-Pass, tokens are no longer used. It is a relic of a bygone era of not so long ago when I commuted in and around New York City.
Let’s see if I can find more.
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