In a move that made the numismatic world notice, Rep. David Schweikert (R-AZ) introduced H.R. 2977, the Currency Optimization, Innovation, and National Savings Act (COINS Act). In short, the purpose of this bill is to transition the U.S. economy to using dollar coins. The bill is cosponsored by Reps. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX), Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-MO), Jim Renacci (R-OH), and Pat Tiberi (R-OH).
First provision of the bill is to remove the Susan B. Anthony Dollar from circulation. Under this provision, when a bank receives an Anthony Dollar, it is returned to the Federal Reserve and removed from circulation. The Federal Reserve then can sell the coins to dealers or to countries who are using the U.S. dollar as its primary currency. Removing the Anthony dollar from circulation will prevent the confusion between the golden colored dollars that would be in circulation. As part of this section of the bill, there are quarterly reporting requirements to congress that documents the progress of this bill.
As part of this first provision, the bill makes a subtle change to Section 5112(p)(2) of title 31, United States Code (31 U.S.C. 5112(p)(2)) to make the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve a partner in the publicity of using the dollar coin. After all, the coins are being stored in their facility and it is in their best interest to have them circulated.
But the key provision of the bill is in Section 3 that outlines the transition to the use of dollar coins. At the beginning, the section makes it clear that purpose of the bill is to create a transition environment so that the coin replaces the paper note:
It is the policy of the United States that after $1 coins achieve sufficient market penetration such that consumers and retailers are comfortable using $1 coins and are able to obtain adequate supplies of $1 coins, $1 coins should replace $1 Federal Reserve notes as the only $1 monetary unit issued and circulated by the Federal Reserve System.
If this bill passes, Federal Reserve banks may continue to place into circulation $1 Federal Reserve notes until the number of dollar coins placed into circulation exceeds 600 million annually or four years after the bill is enacted, which ever comes first. During this transition phase, Federal Reserve banks cannot order new paper notes but may continue to circulate notes on hand. They are also to continue to follow their unfit currency policies by removing notes that are torn or otherwise unfit for circulation. These notes will be replaced by coins.
After the introduction of H.R. 2977, Sens. Scott Brown (R-MA) and John Kerry (D-MA) introduced S. 1624, the Currency Efficiency Act of 2011 to place a “restriction on overproduction of $1 coins.” However, this is seen as the Massachusetts senators sponsoring a bill in an attempt to protect a constituent, Crane & Co., the exclusive supplier of currency paper to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing.
H.R. 2977 appears to be the first bill introduced that creates a transition plan rather than advocating an abrupt end to the paper note. Considering the emotional response when people are polled, a four year transition is a good idea. It will give people a chance to get used to the coins while both circulate together. But if it passes, I will make the immediate transition and exclusively use coins.
If you agree with the COINS Act, and I hope you do, contact your representative to express your support for H.R. 2977. If you want a few talking points, you can say:
The GAO reports that switching from paper to coins will save the government approximately $5.5 billion over 30 years
If voted into law, this bill will reduce the $1.1 billion stockpile of coins in the Federal Reserve coin rooms. In this economy, adding $1.1 billion to the economy is better than having it sitting on the shelf.
It will allow the United States to join the rest of the industrialized world, including the United Kingdom and the Eurozone whose currencies are worth more than ours, whose unit currency is represented as a coin
You can find out how to contact your representative at the House of Representatives website at house.gov.
On September 28, 2011, the American Numismatic Association issued a press release announcing that the association has “ended its employment arrangement with Larry Shepherd, as executive director, effective as of September 20, 2011. the vote of the Board to sever that relationship was unanimous.”
The ANA held a conference call early in the day a with members of the numismatic press. Unfortunately, your blog host, who is also an ANA member, was not invited to participate.
No reason was given as to the reason for Shepherd’s dismissal. However, those of us who make our living reading between the lines can speculate about the reason based on what was disclosed. The first clue comes when the press release says:
“We appreciate Shepherd’s past three years of contributions, but the Board determined the association needs to move in a different direction going forward, providing greater focus on its core educational mission,” said ANA President Tom Hallenbeck
This is the first that has been reported that the Board or anyone else felt that not enough emphasis was being placed on ANA’s educational efforts. But it appears that the Board is not happy with the increased attention to the shows. In the succeeding paragraph, Hallenbeck was quoted as saying:
The ANA is about more than just being a big coin show. It’s about our individual members and member clubs. It’s about educating our members and the general public, doing so by creating a positive numismatic experience for the many diverse segments of our organization and the greater hobby community.
Reading between the lines, the ANA Board of Governors may have found some irregularities in Shepherd’s involvement in the expansion of shows and basing the flagship World’s Fair of Money in Chicago, a move questioned on this blog in May 2010. Has this been a simmering issue with the Board as well?
“Successful conventions and auction contracts are critical to our future,” Shepherd was quoted as saying during a time when the ANA recovering from an economic crisis created by the previous executive director. Not only did Shepherd turn around the ANA’s fiscal situation and found ways to expand revenues that would support expanded educational access to ANA members by creating additional shows as outlets for that eduction.
The last piece of the speculative puzzle was when the press release noted that the board repealed the fee instituted by Shepherd for ANA member clubs to occupy tables at the annual World’s Fair of Money convention and the National Money Show. It did not make sense to charge member clubs to participate at the show. It should have been a service, especially for all of the clubs local to the show, even if they are not a sponsoring club. Although this is something that the Board could have addressed without firing Shepherd, there must have been more.
Given the evidence, apparently, Shepherd may have overstepped his bounds during the contract negotiations regarding the shows and his attempt at management of the shows. Speculatively, Shepherd may have said something inappropriate to clubs and ANA staff involved in the shows that almost caused a revolt by those involved. The Board had taken the complaints and addressed them by saying “[Employer’s Resources of Colorado] has identified employment policy deficiencies, and provided recommendations for improving internal operational practices and positive motivational development as the ANA moves forward.”
We may never know the real reason for Shepherd’s firing, but it may boil down to his personality not meshing with the ANA employees in Colorado Springs more than anything else.
A few times a year, I am asked about how to sell your coins, currency, tokens, and other numismatic items on eBay. If you have not sold anything on eBay, there are a few good resources for you to learn the basics. But to be successful selling coins, you should include these extra steps:
Know what you are selling. In over 200 years, the U.S. Mint has produced many coins. It may not be enough to know the denomination and date to figure out the type of coin you are selling. On a few occasions, the Mint produced two types of coins in the same denomination in the same year. One example was in 1921 when the U.S. Mint produced both the Morgan and Peace Dollars. It is important to know the difference.
Understand the basics of grading. If you are selling coins that have been graded and encapsulated by a one of the grading services, then you do not have to worry about knowing the grade. But if you are selling ungraded coins, also known as “raw coins,” you should have an idea of the grade. You can estimate the grade by using the visual guide at PCGS Photograde™ Online. PCGS has created an app for iOS devices with the same pictures.
Set realistic pricing. Not every coin is worth hundreds or thousands of dollars. In order to set realistic pricing, you may want to look at recently closed auctions to see the prices realized. This is a good tool find an average price. If you are still unsure about the value of your coin, try looking up your coin in the Numismedia Fair Market Value Price Guide. There is a page for each coin type and the pricing is different for each grade.
Take clear pictures of the front and back of the coin. Even if the coin is encapsulated by a grading service, many collectors want to see what they are buying. Taking the time to take clear pictures will enhance your listing and entice interested bidders into bidding on your coin. Remember, if you are selling graded coins, you must have pictures of the grading service’s label on both sides of the slab.
Write a descriptive title. You may be selling a coin with great eye appeal, but collectors will not look at your auction if you do not tell them what your auction is for. Include the year, mintmark, and coin type in your title. If the coin is encapsulated, include the name of the grading company and the assigned grade. If the coin is not graded, use just the letters abbreviating your estimation of the grade (G, VG, F, EF, AU, and UNC for uncirculated). If the coin is a proof coin, make sure that is noted in the title.
When you list graded coins for sale on eBay, there is a rule that says you title may only include the names of four grading services: ANACS, ICG, NGC, and PCGS. If the coin was encapsulated by another service, you must remember to take a picture of the label and note the name of the service in the description. If you mention another service in the title, mention that the coin is graded, or include the grade assigned by another service, eBay may pull your auction for violating their listing policy.
As collectors progress in their collecting pursuits, we begin to think about the great collections and how we compare. To give you an idea of what some of the most famous and extensive collections are like, the following is a list of current, past, and two special government collections.
National Numismatic Collection at the Smithsonian Institute The only way to start this list is with the National Numismatic Collection at the Smithsonian Institute, the world’s largest numismatic collection. With over 1.6 million coins, tokens, medals, and other numismatic objects, the collection includes United States, world, and ancient coins. The collection contains rare coins and patterns not seen anywhere else in the world. Amongst its holdings are famous rarities include all varieties of the 1804 Draped Bust Silver Dollar, a 1913 Liberty Head Nickel, and two 1933 Saint Gaudens $20 Double Eagle coins. Also in the collection is a Brasher Doubloon, sometimes called the United State’s first gold coin, and a 1974 aluminum Lincoln Cent created by the U.S Mint to try to convince congress to allow for its production.
Unfortunately, the Smithsonian Institute has taken the National Numismatic Collection off display. Curators are incorporating the coins into other displays and creating travel exhibitions that have appeared in other museums and at large coin shows. You can visit the Smithsonian’s online virtual coin exhibits and read more about the collection online.
Edward C. Rochette Money Museum The Edward C. Rochette Money Museum at the American Numismatic Association headquarters in Colorado Springs is the largest museum dedicated to the study of United States coins and currency that also covers the history of numismatics. With over 250,000 pieces, the collections contains famous rare coins including the George O. Walton specimen 1913 Liberty Head Nickel, an 1804 Draped Bust Silver Dollar, and one of the three known 1866 No Motto Seated Liberty Silver Dollars.
The Rochette Money Museum is the home of the Harry W. Bass, Jr. Collection. Bass was interested in United States gold coins and had built the most complete collection ever assembled, including many one-of-a-kind specimens, of gold coins from 1795 through 1933. Bass’s collection includes the only complete set of $3 gold pieces including the rare 1870-S, complete set of gold coins and patters from 1834-1933, and a set of 1896 “Educational Series” silver certificates including test printings and uncut sheets.
Read more about the Rochette Money Museum and all of their collection on the ANA’s website.
Coin and Currency Collections at the University of Notre Dame University of Notre Dame Libraries Department of Special Collections boasts one of the largest collections of colonial coins and currencies in the United States. The coin collection includes an Oak Tree one-shilling coin, a Continental dollar, and a 1792 half disme—the first coin-type struck by the newly established United States Mint. The colonial currency collection includes samples from nearly every emission (issue) from all thirteen colonies and lottery tickets that were used to raise money to pay the costs of the Revolutionary War.
The collection also includes Washington Tokens and Confederate Currency and our Nineteenth Century American tokens. You can visit the colonial collection on line at www.coins.nd.edu.
Penn Museum Archaeology and Anthropology Coin Collection The University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology has one of the most complete collections of ancient coins. But rather than display them as a coin collection, the curators at the museum keep the coins with the various sections. Visit the ancient Roman section, and you can see the coins that defined the rule of the Roman Empire and the ancient Greek collection is very impressive. All coins were found during archaeological visits to the regions of ancient civilizations. You can read more about the Penn Museum at www.penn.museum.
The Fitzwilliam Museum Coin Collection The Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, England has a nearly complete collection of ancient Roman coins issued after the murder of Nero. Amongst it collections are British and other Campaign and Gallantry Medals, European Renaissance medals, unique copper tokens handed out by the Cambridge chandler in 1668, and coins found casually and archaeological discoveries throughout England. The Fitzwilliam boasts of ongoing research into areas such as Indian and Islamic coinage. If you cannot visit The Fitzwilliam in Cambridge, you can see parts of their collection on line.
Staatliche Museen zu Berlin The collection at the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin (National Museums in Berlin) is well known as being very comprehensive and diverse covering the beginnings of coinage through the coins of today. With over 500,000, it is one of the largest collections in Europe. Staatliche Museen boasts large collections of Greek, Roman, and European coins from the Middle Ages to today. They also have an extensive collection of art medals dating from 1400.
In addition to the coins and medals, the collection also contains an extensive collection of paper currency primarily from Europe and items used as money from all over the world. The non-coin collection includes tools and dies that were used to strike coins in Berlin since the 17th century. The Staatliche Museen online English version of their online catalog can be found here.
Numismatic Museum, Athens One of Greece’s oldest museums, the Numismatic Museum located in the Heinrich Schliemann mansion in downtown Athens, Greece. The Numismatic Museum collections has over 500.000 pieces of mostly coins but includes medals, lead seals, gems, weights, and minting objects dating from the 14th century BC until today. The collection includes a remarkable display of Greek coinages from Athens, Macedonia and Alexandria, Magna Graecia, and other Greek leagues and alliances. Modern coin galleries include coins from the Ottoman Empire through Greece joining the European Union. Read about their collection online at www.nma.gr.
State Hermitage Museum Located in Saint Petersburg, Russia, the collection at the Sate Hermitage Museum is one of the most popular coin exhibits in Europe. With over 1.2 million pieces, it is the largest collection known outside of the United States. The largest segment of their collection tracks this history of money in Russia from the ninth century through today.
The Hermitage Museums’ Oriental collection boasts of coins, money ingots, dies, coin-shaped amulets and primitive currency of Asia, Africa, and neighboring Atlantic and Pacific islands. The collection includes a collection of very rate Sassanian coins and the 19th century Chinese silver money ingots that are considered amongst the finest collection in the world.
The Coin Room is in the main museum building at Palace Square in Saint Petersburg, which is closed on Mondays. Discover more about their collection on their website at www.hermitagemuseum.org.
Louis E. Eliasberg, Sr. Collection One of the most famous coin in United States numismatic history belonged to Louis E. Eliasberg. Eliasberg was a Baltimore financier who is the only person ever to build a complete set of United States coins. In 1950, he achieved his goal of building a collection of regular issue United States coins comprising all then-known dates and mintmarks when he purchased the last US gold coin and silver dime missing in his collection.
Eliasberg continued to collect turning his attention to rare world coins and medals. When he died in 1976, his collection was divided between his two children. The coins were sold in three auctions in 1982, 1996, and 1997 realizing nearly $44.9 million. Recently, the Eliasberg Collection of World Coins and Medals was auctioned in 2005 for more than $10.1 million.
The John J. Ford, Jr. Collection John J. Ford, Jr. was a controversial figure in the world of numismatics, but his collection was legendary. Ford’s collection include colonial coins and currency from all 13 colonies, rare confederate pennies, and one of a kind tokens from the earliest days of colonial North America through the Great Depression. As a partner in the New Netherlands Coin Company, the auction catalogs Ford wrote became industry references.
Ford began selling his collection via auction in 2003. It was fitting that Stack’s of New York City handled the auction since Ford started his numismatic career as a youngster delivering coins for the famed company. Ford’s collection was sold in 10,855 lots during 21 auctions over five years bringing in over $56 million in sales. The auction catalogs were so meticulously written using Ford’s previous writings that they have become references.
John J. Ford, Jr. died in 2006 at the age of 81 leaving a numismatic legacy befitting a great collection, but leaving questions as to whether there were other pieces and writings hidden somewhere.
King Farouk I of Egypt Saying that King Farouk I of Egypt lived in excess would be an understatement. From the time he took the throne in 1936 until his overthrow in 1952, Farouk used the Egyptian treasury to acquire rare works of art, gold, and a phenomenal coin collection. Farouk regularly worked with dealers in the United States and Great Britain to buy the best of the best from around the world.
After his overthrow in 1952, the new military government worked with Sotheby’s of London to sell Farouk’s collections. Farouk had accumulated the finest gold coins and many rarities from around the world. Notably, the collection included 8,500 gold United States coins including the only known complete set of Saint Gaudens $20 Double Eagle coins.
The auction caught the eye of the United States government who noticed that Lot 333 contained a 1933 Double Eagle that was considered illegal to own. The government convinced Egyptian authorities to remove the coin from the auction but it was never returned to the United States government as requested. The entire auction of King Farouk’s items sold for over $150 million.
The 1933 Saint Gaudens Double Eagle turned up again in 1996 when British coin dealer Stephen Fenton tried to sell the coin at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York to an American dealer. Fenton was arrested. This set off a legal battle for the next five years over the coin. The case was settled in 2001 and the coin was removed from its holding place in the World Trade Center, a few weeks before the attack.
In an astonishing one-lot auction on July 30, 2002, Sotheby’s sold what is now called the Farouk-Fenton Specimen for $7.59 million to an anonymous bidder. The auction price was increased by $20 that was paid to the United State Treasury since it issued the coin and had to ensure their books are balanced. To date, that is the highest price spent on one coin.
The United States Mint Little is publically known about the collection at the United State Mint since the collection is not on display to the public. We do know that each of the U.S. Mint’s branches has a collection of material used at the branch and that this material contains trial pieces, dies, galvanos (artists proofs of coin designs), and medals. In a video recently released by the U.S. Mint, viewers are shown a collection of assay medals. These medals were created for the Assay Commission that used to verify that the coins struck by the U.S. Mint contained the proper metal content.
The U.S. Mint has rarely displayed their collection. At times, parts have been on display in the lobby of the U.S. Mint branches and at national coin shows, but only the employees at the U.S. Mint know the extent of this collection.
The Bureau of Engraving and Printing Unlike the their counterparts at the U.S. Mint, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP), the agency responsible for printing our currency, regularly displays parts of their collection when they can. Pieces can be seen in the tour areas of the BEP facility in Washington, DC and at major coin shows. In recent years, BEP has brought its “Billion Dollar Exhibit” to many shows. The exhibit features more than $1 billion of rare U.S. paper currency that includes sheets of $100,000 notes, Treasury bonds and Gold and Silver Certificates.
The BEP collection dates back to the founding of the bureau in 1862. The collection reportedly contains notes, sheets, vignettes, test printings, and printing plates of every note and stamp every printed by the BEP. It is an extraordinary collection that very few have seen.
In the world of collecting, collecting coins with errors is a relatively new specialty. The specialty can be traced to the discovery of the famous 1955 Lincoln Cent Doubled Die Obverse (DDO), known as The King of Errors. Finding this coin lead to collectors to search for errors, varieties, and anything out of the ordinary.
What is a “Doubled Die?” In order to strike coins, the U.S. Mint creates dies from hubs that contain the engraved image of the coins. The hubs are pressed into the dies to transfer the image. In years past, the U.S. Mint used to use what they called a two-squeeze process to make sure the die had a full image. This meant that when pressing the hubs into the dies, the die makers squeezed the two parts twice.
Sometimes, the process does not go smoothly and mistakes are embedded in the dies. In the case of the 1955 DDO Lincoln Cent, the hub and die did not line up correctly on the second squeeze. The result was lettering that appeared shifted or doubled.
Initial Reaction to the Coin When the coin was discovered, there were two reactions. One group of people saw the coin as an exciting find and wondered whether it happened on any other coins. Another group was not as happy. They referred to the coin as “spoiled” and refused to acknowledge it as a valid collectible. Some considered the coin so unremarkable that one club publication wrote how they were having a hard time selling the coins for one dollar each.
A New Hobby Segment is Born Those who were excited by the new find began to form clubs dedicated to the finding and education of errors and other variety in U.S. coins. They started the Collectors of Mint Errors (COME) club in 1956. As the nascent club tried to find its footing in the hobby, two factions began to form around different error and variety types. COME disbanded in 1960 because of the in fighting between the two organizations.
Some former members of COME came together again in 1963 to form the Collectors of Numismatic Errors (CONE). The people who formed CONE focused mostly on die varieties such as doubled dies, repunched mintmarks, major die breaks, die cracks, and die chips. Other collectors who were more interested in major minting errors like the 1955 DDO Lincoln Cent formed the Numismatic Error Collectors of America (NECA).
The two clubs existed for many years as rivals believing their form of collecting errors was better than the other. During this time, both clubs provided a lot of research into errors and varieties and how they could have occurred. The publications from both clubs continue to be the basis of the knowledge still used today.
Combining Forces In 1980, the two organizations began to find common ground and discovered that it was better to work together than against each other. As the two clubs started to work together, many collectors became members of both clubs. To strengthen the hobby, both clubs voted to merge in 1983 to form the Combined Organizations of Numismatic Error Collectors of America (CONECA).
Finding Errors and Varieties Today you can find error coins at your local coin store or by contacting a dealer specializing in errors and varieties. CONECA members will tell you that the thrill of finding errors is in the hunt. Error collectors use magnifying loupes, a good light source, and a lot of patience to examine coins to find something out of the ordinary. While there are some errors that are as visible as the 1955 DDO Lincoln Cent, others can be as subtle as outline of a small crack in the die, imperfections caused by two dies striking because the machine did not place a blank planchet properly between the dies, or the wrong die was used to strike the coin.
Errors can be found on any type of coin from any era. The error collecting community became excited when the processing of the new Presidential Dollars did not include the edge lettering; the edge letters were not aligned properly or doubled. While the U.S. Mint has improved the minting process, error collectors continue to find errors every time new coins are issued.
Starting an Error Collection Anyone who wants to start searching for errors and varieties might want to buy a copy of Strike It Rich With Pocket Change by Brian Allen and Ken Potter published by Krause Publications (e-reader versions available). Now in its third edition, Strike it Rich will show you what to look for when you examine the coins in your pocket. According to the authors, a collector found a double die cast 1969 Lincoln cent in a roll of coins. When it was auctioned in 2008, it sold for $126,500.
Another great resource is Cherrypicker’s Guide by Bill Fivas and J.T. Stanton published by Whitman Publications. The fifth edition published in 2008 has more pictures, better descriptions, and a more complete resource with additional prices realized from various auction sources. A new edition is due later this year and should be available in e-reader formats.
Do not forget the resources of CONECA, which could be found on their website at conecaonline.org.
The 1955 DDO Lincoln Cent Today As a coin desired by all types of collectors, a mid-grade coin you could have bought for $1 in 1960 is worth around $1,500 today. It is a coin that has held its value even during the current economic downturn but has not seen significant appreciation in the last ten years. Collectors will be happy the one they own will maintain its value. Investors should look to the highest graded coins that are designated as Red (full mint luster) or Red-Brown (some light copper oxidation) for better future returns.
I am still here. I had to take time off to take care of something personal.
Over the next few days, I will post a few articles I started but did not have a chance to finish before having to take time off. I also have ideas about alternative collection options—one given to me by a member of my local coin club.
Having some time off, I had time to think about the blog and what to do in the future. I really like writing this blog and appreciate the feedback from those who read these articles. But it’s time to do more and make it more interesting. It’s time to go beyond the blog!
Over the next few months, I will be transitioning this blog off of Google’s Blogger to another hosting platform. Moving will allow me to offer more information in way that I can better manage from a central location. The new platform will include the blog, a podcast, and more. The “more” will be announced in the future.
To my advertisers: I sincerely THANK YOU for your support and I guarentee you will be transitioned to the new platform with the same terms and placement options as you have today. Eventually, there will be additional options to reach what I hope is a larger audience.
To my readers: Please patronize my advertisers. Keeping them happy will convince them to continue their support which will help with my new plans.
I promise you that my plans will be fun and different from what everyone else is doing.
Thank you for hanging out with me on the Coin Collector’s Blog. It has been a fun (almost) six years and I hope we can do many more together!
Over the last few weeks I have been receiving questions in some very odd places. Someone sent a question via Twitter about a coin that was made part of their avatar. Another person invited me onto Facebook wanting to ask a question. And recently, an anonymous person left a question as a comment to one of my posts.
I do not mind answering questions. In fact, I like the attention! And once I get past my ego loving the attention, I think I do a pretty good job answering questions. If I cannot answer your question, I have a few contact I can ask. A lot of times I learn something in the process, which satisfies my curiosity.
If you send questions asking about the identification of an item, I ask that you please send clear images of the front and back. These are great questions. Some of the images I have seen has lead to interesting stories including one about prohibition.
Please do not send offers to purchase or invest in anything. I will not respond to those requests.
Also, I treat all email as private communications. Private means that it will stay between you and me and will not appear on the blog. I will not publish anything we discuss on the blog without asking your permission. I promise!
You can click the link above to contact me or the Email Me link in the left column. Go ahead… make me learn something new!
My earliest memory of learning about Theodore Roosevelt was going with the Cub Scouts to visit Sagamore Hill, his estate in Oyster Bay, New York. Roaming through Sagamore Hill with my fellow Scouts brought fascinating images of Roosevelt’s trophies from his various hunts. The skins, heads, and an ashtray made from an elephant’s hoof made quite an impression on this group of 7-8 year olds.
A special memory was of the bathrooms. Aside from looking very primitive compared to what we have in our homes even in the mid-1960s, but our Cub Master, who was also my best friend’s father, was a plumber. At times, he was worked for New York City as a plumbing inspector. We had fun poking fun at him using the facilities at Sagamore Hill as a background!
When I learned more about United States history in high school, I read more about the life and presidency of Teddy Roosevelt. I was impressed with his background of working through his health issues, was fascinated to read of his life in the Badlands in South Dakota, and interested to read about his political life as someone who demonstrated a great regard for the law and someone who wanted to make things better. Although I was not as physical as Roosevelt, his principled stance made an impression on me.
Before returning to collecting, I read The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt by Edmund Morris. It was not the easiest read because Morris used the late Victorian writing style that was popular during Roosevelt’s life. Once I became used to the style, Morris brings the reader along with Roosevelt into the mud of the Badlands, the halls of the New York legislature, as one of the police chiefs of New York City, Governor of New York, Secretary of the Navy, and Vice President. Through Morris’s words, it was like riding that freight train what was Theodore Roosevelt.
I returned to collecting in 2001 following the death of my first wife. During a particular spending spree, I bought Morris’s second volume, Theodore Rex. Although I never finished this book—only because of timing—my interest in Roosevelt continued to grow.
Then I learned about Roosevelt’s “Pet Crime.” I learned how Roosevelt conspired with Augustus Saint Gaudens to improve U.S. coin design. I learned how Roosevelt was influenced by immigrant Victor David Brenner to have the U.S. Mint issue the Lincoln Cent. I learned how the seeds of his “Pet Crime” lead to what has been called a renaissance of U.S. coinage.
To say I am a sucker for Theodore Roosevelt memorabilia would be an understatement. Although I do not have many pieces, finding cool items is always a thrill. Imagine how my eyes lit up when I found a Theodore Roosevelt card with a 1919 Buffalo Nickel. I did not know much about it, but I had to buy it. The final cost was not that expensive, but it was so cool that I did not care.
When the card arrived, I was a little disappointed in that the card was modern and the nickel was very worn. I can change the nickel since 1919 Buffaloes are not that expensive. But I had to find out more about the card.
After asking around, I found that the company, Authenticated Ink, is an autograph collecting company that issued these cards in 2008 as a promotion. Authenticated Ink printed cards of sports and historical figures that included coins from the era of the person depicted on the card. I have had problems contacting Authenticated Ink (emails have not been returned), but sources tell me that there were not many of these cards issued.
It is a very cool collectible and has been added to my “oh neat” collection.
For those of us who lived through these events, the only marker we’ll ever need is the tick of a clock at the 46th minute of the eighth hour of the 11th day.
—President George W. Bush
Thousands of lives were suddenly ended by evil, despicable acts of terror. The pictures of airplanes flying into buildings, fires burning, huge structures collapsing, have filled us with disbelief, terrible sadness and a quiet, unyielding anger.
—President George W. Bush
Our enemies have made the mistake that America’s enemies always make. They saw liberty and thought they saw weakness. And now, they see defeat.
—President George W. Bush
The attacks of September 11th were intended to break our spirit. Instead we have emerged stronger and more unified. We feel renewed devotion to the principles of political, economic and religious freedom, the rule of law and respect for human life. We are more determined than ever to live our lives in freedom.
—Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, December 31, 2001
Now, we have inscribed a new memory alongside those others. It’s a memory of tragedy and shock, of loss and mourning. But not only of loss and mourning. It’s also a memory of bravery and self-sacrifice, and the love that lays down its life for a friend–even a friend whose name it never knew.”
—President George W. Bush, December 11, 2001
This is a day when all Americans from every walk of life unite in our resolve for justice and peace. America has stood down enemies before, and we will do so this time. None of us will ever forget this day. Yet, we go forward to defend freedom and all that is good and just in our world. Thank you. Good night, and God bless America.
William H. (W.H.) Brett was born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1893. Brett was the son of William Howard Brett who introduced the “open shelf” concept to libraries allowing books to be more freely accessed. The senior Brett’s work in Cleveland became a model for other library systems throughout the country.
W.H. Brett served in the Army during World War I and attended Dartmouth College before returning to Cleveland as a businessman. He was appointed as the 29th Director of the U.S. Mint by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1954. Brett succeeded Nellie Tayloe Ross after her retirement from the U.S. Mint serving five full terms.
W.H. Brett was a guest on the television game show “What’s My Line” that aired on November 25. 1956. Making this episode interesting is the reference to Ivy Baker Priest who also previously appeared on the show.
Appearing on the show as a panelist is Burgess Meredith who was on Sen. Joseph McCarthy’s “Red List” accused of being a communist sympathizer because of Meridith’s support of labor unions.
Actor and director Charles Laughton was the mystery guest on this episode.
A few times a year, I am asked about how to sell your coins, currency, tokens, and other numismatic items on 
Loading ...