Weekly World Numismatic News for February 27, 2022

2022 Maya Angelou Quarter

As Black History Month winds down, the numismatic community is part of history as Ventris Gibson is nominated to be the first African-American woman to be the Director of the United States Mint.

Another numismatic celebration came with the first American Women Quarters Program featuring writer, poet, performer, social activist, and teacher Maya Angelou.

These are two events that the numismatic community can use to demonstrate diversity and attract more collectors. With the national attention on the new quarters and Gibson’s appointment, it is an opportunity not seen since the 50 State Quarters Program over 20 years ago.

WRC, the NBC owned and operated station in Washington, DC, interviewed Ventris Gibson as part of their Black History Month series. Here is the interview they aired:

And now the news…

 February 21, 2022
Juneteenth Commemorative Coin 2021 by Juneteenth Unlmited Black owned Small Business Releases Historic Commemorative Coin for Juneteenth 2021  → Read more at einnews.com

 February 24, 2022
A Kirkcaldy man tried to pass off thousands of pounds worth of fake £2 coins as genuine at post offices across Fife in the hope of changing them into legitimate cash.  → Read more at thecourier.co.uk

 February 25, 2022
As the financial year of the temple treasury began on Rosh Chodesh Nisan from which date certain requirements of the sacrificial service could only be purchased with funds from that year, those proclamations were made to give a month’s notice to people to pay these annual dues required to be deposited in the temple Treasury.  → Read more at australianjewishnews.com
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Time for the ANA to wake up and EDUCATE against counterfeit scams

There was once a time that the American Numismatic Association worked with stakeholders to protect numismatic buyers. The ANA worked with eBay to create marketplace protection rules. They were involved with helping raise awareness to gain the passage of the Collectible Coin Protection Act. But where has the ANA been over the last eight years?

Since the passage of the Collectible Coin Protection Act 2014, the ANA has been silent on all aspects of counterfeit coins entering the United States, primarily from China. In the past, the ANA has partnered with China Gold Coin to manufacture Panda silver coins with the ANA logo for the World’s Fair of Money. China Gold Coin is a People’s Bank of China subsidiary that manufactures the Panda bullion coins.

According to the ANA’s website, its mission statement begins:

The American Numismatic Association is a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to educating and encouraging people to study and collect money and related items.

The education process has been lacking in the area of consumer awareness. While some of the topics are covered in their introductory collecting course, are no courses, statements, or seminars about the scams collectors face daily.

Previously, the ANA has used its position as a national organization to work with eBay to make the online marketplace safer for buyers. It is impossible to eliminate all problems, but the result has been a safer marketplace for eBay buyers. It is a program that the ANA can proudly take credit.

But when it comes to Chinese counterfeits, the ANA has been silent.

The ANA must develop a plan to educate the public to help the collecting and investing public how to protect themselves against the scammers.

While the ANA devises a plan, they can produce videos that teach collectors to avoid scams. The videos can feature the ANA President, prominent dealers, collectors, and anyone who can help deliver a message. Find someone who was scammed to talk about their experience. Two videos can include a guide to examining an American Silver Eagle to determine if it is a counterfeit coin.

The ANA must advertise the release of the videos nationally. While the numismatic press will promote these videos, the promotion must appear in the non-numismatic media. The promotion must go beyond the press release, and Spokespeople must be made available to media outlets catering to a broader audience.

The ANA can craft a plan to educate the collecting and investing public during the video production to protect against counterfeit coins. The plan must continue to educate the collecting public and educate law enforcement and politicians who can become involved with a scammed collector. The ANA can partner with the U.S. Mint, Bureau of Engraving and Printing, and the U.S. Secret Service to add depth to the public education program.

A plan must include working with Facebook to eliminate advertisements for counterfeit coins.

If the ANA Board of Governors does not know where to begin, consider the Ad Council’s campaign criteria to develop a plan. Even if the ANA cannot convince the Ad Council to work with the ANA, they are successful guidelines to publicize this issue.

Weekly World Numismatic News for February 13, 2022

The controversial Croatian 1 Euro coin with the marten design (Image courtesy of the Croatian National Bank)

This week’s entertaining news comes from Croatia, where their proposed euro coins have been under attack for misappropriation and plagiarism.

Although Croatia became a member of the European Union in 2013, the country that used to be part of Yugoslavia became eligible to become a member of the European Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM) II and must convert to the euro by January 1, 2023.

Croatia is getting ready by updating its minting processes to produce euro coins. The process includes a nationwide contest to create new designs for the side of the euro coins they can customize.

Croatia 50 euro cent design featuring Nikola Tesla (Image courtesy of the Croatian National Bank)

First, the Croats upset Serbia by selecting Nikola Tesla to feature on the 50-cent coin. Tesla, the inventor of alternating current (AC) electricity transmission, is ethnically a Serb buried in Belgrade, Serbia. Throughout his life, Tesla identified himself as Serbian. However, he was born in 1856 in the village of Smiljan, which is part of Croatia today. Serbia does not believe that Tesla should be on a Croatian coin. Croatia disagrees, and the design will stay.

This past week, Croatia introduced the design of the 1 euro coin featuring an image of a Pine Marten that may have been copied from a photograph. The marten is a weasel-like animal that lives in many northern climates, including the two species that live in North America. Its prevalence in Croatia led to its selection during the design competition.

However, it appears that the marten image is a “copy” of a photograph by Scottish photographer Iain H. Leach. Leach was told about the design by others who claimed plagiarism. One user on Twitter posted a video comparing the two images by overlapping the designs.

Play the following clip and you decide.

According to one report, a search for “side view marten” will return Leach’s image as one of the first few results fueling the plagiarism charges. Since Google searches use many customizing factors, the only way to force a search to return Leach’s image was to search for “side view marten leach.”

If the artist copied Leach’s photograph, the design would violate his copyright. The Croatian National Bank decided to not use the design.

And now the news…

 February 7, 2022
Six treasure finds dating from the Bronze Age to post-medieval periods were declared treasure on Friday by John Gittins coroner for North Wales east and central. The objects were all discovered by metal detectorists and include a Bronze Age hoard, three medieval coin groups, a post-medieval bodkin and seal matrix.  → Read more at wrexham.com

 February 7, 2022
It is time to retire the penny from circulation. All of them. In this expensive modern age we no longer have a need for something as worthless as a penny. They are expensive to mint, a waste of time for everyone using them, bad at being money and get less valuable every single year. I hope by the end of this column you will be, at the very least, sympathetic to the idea of letting the penny go and relinquishing it to history books and coin collections.  → Read more at uiargonaut.com

 February 8, 2022
The extremely rare Edward VIII penny was never even officially released (Image: Showpiece.com/PA Wire) A rare coin marking the reign of King Edward VIII has been valued at a whopping £200,000.  → Read more at mylondon.news

 February 8, 2022
The euro has not even been introduced in Croatia yet, but the single currency is already causing the second scandal.  → Read more at netherlandsnewslive.com
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V for Victory

Instead of posting the next article in my exonumia tour of New York City, I decided to show you that I am still collecting United States legal tender coins.

Two of the most important coins of the circulated Liberty Head “V” Nickels are the 1912-D and 1912-S, the only two Liberty Head Nickels not struck in Philadelphia. Even though the restriction to strike nickels in Philadelphia was lifted in 1906, many other political factors prevented the U.S. Mint from striking them in Denver and San Francisco until 1912.

Delays in obtaining planchets and preparing dies prevented the San Francisco Mint from striking nickels until Christmas Eve in 1912. After four business days at the end of the year, the San Francisco Mint struck only 238,000 coins, the lowest of the series and any business strike nickel.

When you collect a series, some people say first to find the key and semi-key date coins. The keys are the most difficult to find and the most expensive of the series. If you have a limited budget but want to have fun, you might as well hunt for all of the coins in the series. When you have more money to spend, go after the higher-priced coins.

Another strategy is to collect a series in a grade that is challenging. For the Liberty Head Nickels, you can collect the series in uncirculated and lower grades are easier than most people think. The problem is that the soft nickel wears easily, and most of the examples we see are in lower grades. A dealer once told me that finding a mint state (uncirculated) Liberty Head Nickel is easier than finding one in Very Fine or Extra Fine condition.

But when the opportunity comes to find a key date coin priced less than the price guides, you do what it takes to buy the coin. The 1912-S Liberty Head Nickel is now part of my collection, probably grade VG-10. It was a nicely struck coin with an almost full “LIBERTY” visible in the headband. The “S” mintmark is visible on the reverse but looks a little like a blob.

The 1912-D Liberty Head Nickel I purchased at the same time is closer to F-12 condition, and it sports a full “LIBERTY” in the headband and a strong “D” mintmark on the reverse.

I started collecting Liberty Head “V” Nickels in 2009, and it is now complete. I may try to upgrade a few coins, but the sense of accomplishment now has me thinking about my next challenge.

Weekly World Numismatic News for February 6, 2022

There was a lot of numismatic-related news this week that collectors should note.

Negro Leagues Baseball Proof Silver Dollar Coin and Jackie Robinson Silver Medal Set \
(Image courtesy of the U.S. Mint)

The U.S. Mint announced that the end of the pre-sale of the Negro Baseball Leagues Commemorative Coins is on Monday. As part of the reminder, they announced that the proof silver dollar with the 100th Anniversary Privy Mark has sold out, and other options are reaching their sales limit.

At the same time, the U.S. Mint announced the pre-sale for the Negro Leagues Baseball 2022 Proof Silver Dollar Coin and Jackie Robinson Silver Medal Set. The Jackie Robinson 1 ounce silver medal is currently only available as part of this set.

In a separate announcement, the U.S. Mint also declared that they reached the limit on the number of pre-sale coins for the proof and uncirculated American Silver Eagle collector coins. The announcement shows that the American Silver Eagle continues to be the U.S. Mint’s most popular collector coin.

On February 6, Queen Elizabeth II celebrates the 70th anniversary of her ascension to the throne of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth Relm. While the country celebrates the Platinum Jubilee, it is a solemn day for the Queen because it marks the 70th anniversary of the death of her father, King George VI.

While Queen Elizabeth took private time to remember her father, the Royal Mint released a good deal of coins to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee. The current lineup includes gold and silver coins ranging from one-ounce to 10-kilo gold coins.

The Royal Mint and Royal Canadian Mint announced a two-coin silver set with coins designed to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee earlier today. The Royal Canadian Mint will sell the set.

At some point, the U.S. Mint will release the 2022 National Purple Heart Hall of Honor that will include a colorized silver dollar. That will be exciting.

And now the news…

 January 28, 2022
What happened to money if a European country went broke in the 17th century? And how did a bizarre coin lead to the introduction of paper bills, as well as central banking systems?   → Read more at scandinavianarchaeology.com

 January 31, 2022
The Underground Railroad, the famous network of safe houses and secret routes that helped enslaved people of African descent escape to freedom in Canada, is the subject of the Royal Canadian Mint's latest issue in its ongoing Commemorating Black History coin series.  → Read more at prnewswire.com

 February 1, 2022
The year 1776 was obviously a big year for the United States. But before the Declaration of Independence was signed, another sign of freedom was created by Continental Congress.  → Read more at wearethemighty.com

 February 4, 2022
THE Fugio cent minted in 1787 has long been enjoyed by coin collectors. We explain what you need to know about the rare coin, which is also called the Franklin cent.  → Read more at the-sun.com
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Weekly World Numismatic News for January 30, 2022

Several news stories touted the collecting of coins and said that coins are a great teaching tool.

A Chicago Sun-Times article suggested that parents use national coin storage to teach their kids history and economics. Coins have images of presidents, and presidents represent history. For example, the 50 State Quarters and America the Beautiful Quarters can help teach geography and history. Even though the Ohio quarter has a hanging astronaut, a parent can use it to explain aviation history.

From Ghent, New York, Ralph Gardner Jr. asks if coin collecting is making a comeback? Gardner admits that regular coin collecting is not a good investment. The opportunity for change hunting is limited, and the regular collector market is dominated by graded coins that are out of the reach of ordinary collectors. But there continue to be opportunities for someone who likes coins to find something interesting to collect.

Finally, a New York Times print edition published an editorial cartoon that compared coin collecting to cryptocurrency. The gist of the cartoon was to show that while there may be investment opportunities in the cryptocurrency market, if something happens in either market, the coins are a tangible asset.

Recently, I received emails from people looking for information about buying collectible coins. Most have said they were participating in the crypto markets but were worried about its volatility. The number of messages increased this past week during a decline in the crypto market. The crypto investors with the capital are looking for a safe haven and choosing collector coins for their investment.

As a result, the collector and investor market appears to be strong. The only problem is understanding what everyone wants to collect.

And now the news…

 January 25, 2022
My children’s questions were about the monetary value coins hold, and the American values our country has branded onto coins’ heads and tails for centuries — both values now becoming outdated.  → Read more at chicago.suntimes.com

 January 27, 2022
This is just one of the stories from our “I’ve Always Wondered” series, where we tackle all of your questions about the world of business, no matter how big or small. Ever wondered if recycling is worth it?  → Read more at marketplace.org

 January 28, 2022
A DOLLAR coin said to be the first ever struck by the US Mint has sold for a whopping $12million. The silver dollar coin features the year of 1794 with Liberty’s head staring towards the top right on the obverse.  → Read more at the-sun.com

 January 29, 2022
A small part of the writer’s wheat penny collection. Wheat pennies, Buffalo nickels and silver quarters still bring a thrill when discoved in ordinary pocket change.   → Read more at berkshireeagle.com
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What 2022 Coins are you Collecting?

2022 Maya Angelou Quarter

In the past two weeks, the U.S. Mint announced the presale of the Negro Leagues Baseball Commemorative Coin program. The program is a belated celebration of the centennial of the Negro Leagues, with the proceeds paid to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City.

They also announced that they began to ship the first coins in the American Women Quarters Program. The first quarter honors Maya Angelou. Angelou was a writer, performer, and social activist who rose to prominence by the publishing of her autobiography I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings in 1969.

These releases are only the beginning. The U.S. Mint will be releasing four additional quarters, American Innovation Dollars, American Eagle coins, the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor Commemorative Coins, and others. Do not forget about the continuing of the Morgan and Peace Dollar programs.

With all of the new releases available, I ask…
 

What 2022 US Mint coins are you going to add to your collection?

Morgan and/or Peace Dollars (23%, 23 Votes)
American Eagle Coins (21%, 21 Votes)
National Purple Heart Hall of Honor Commemorative Coin (12%, 12 Votes)
American Women Quarters (11%, 11 Votes)
American Innovation Dollars (9%, 9 Votes)
Negro Leagues Baseball Commemorative Coins (9%, 9 Votes)
Native American Dollar (8%, 8 Votes)
Something else (5%, 5 Votes)

Total Voters: 35

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Weekly World Numismatic News for January 16, 2022

The late Harvey G. Stack and Muriel Eymery, both inspirations in numismatics

The deaths of Harvey G. Stack and Muriel Eymery and other events in my life have me thinking about our legacy on the hobby. All of us will leave a legacy, and whether it is with our family or the hobby in general, sometimes we need to take stock in what that legacy will be.

Although they were of different ages, Stack and Eymery had similar philosophies. Both wanted to bring advancement to the hobby by expanding what people collected. Stack was one of the people who advocated for the 50 State Quarters program, and Eymery was an advocate for international collecting for collectors from all over the world.

It was not enough for both to look beyond their primary interests. Stack could have made a good living from his New York City store selling rare coins, holding auctions, and serving a high-end community without being involved in areas that would help the average collector. Eymery took her passion and made a career in several countries, including the United States and Hong Kong. She became an ANA Governor overcoming xenophobia because she spoke with an accent even though she was a U.S. citizen.

Both stepped beyond their comfort zone to help the hobby and should be role models for all of us. Stack and Eymery went beyond their self-interests to grow the hobby. They had their business interests, but they could think beyond an alleged correct way to collect for the sake of the hobby.

What will your legacy be? Are you going to leave the hobby static or grow it by creating a legacy that collecting is fun and does not have to be limited by plastic-encased coins or printed albums? Or will you embrace everything that the hobby offers, including areas you do not collect?

For the memory of Harvey Stack and Muriel Eymery, we should commit to leaving a legacy of progress and inclusion in the hobby that all of us want to grow and thrive.

And now the news…

 January 11, 2022
Famous author and noted civil rights leader Maya Angelou became the first African American woman featured on the 25-cent coin. The U.S. Mint began shipping the quarters on January 10. Reportedly, the Angelou coin is the first in a series designed to celebrate the accomplishments of American women.  → Read more at spokesman-recorder.com

 January 13, 2022
A coin collector shows the commemorative coin, released by the Colombian Central Bank, to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Colombian independence.  → Read more at marketwatch.com

 January 14, 2022
Being called “two-faced” by someone today would most likely “breed a quarrel,” as the old saying goes. However, if one were to go back just two centuries to classical Rome, that same depiction might elicit a very different response.  → Read more at theday.com

 January 14, 2022
A hoard of 337 silver Roman coins, discovered in a field, have been declared as treasure.  → Read more at bbc.com

 January 14, 2022
A badger has led archaeologists to a hoard of more than 200 Roman coins that had been hidden in a cave in Spain for centuries. The animal had burrowed into a crack in the rock inside the La Cuesta cave in the Asturias region of northwest Spain, and dug out coins that were later discovered by a local man, Roberto García, according to a paper on the find published in December.  → Read more at cnn.com
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Weekly World Numismatic News for January 9, 2022

Royal Canadian Mint’s Mental Heath Medal and Magnet Set (Royal Canadian Mint Image)

Mints all over the world are releasing new coins. The U.S. Mint opened the sale of the Negro Leagues Commemorative coins. Across the pond, the Royal Mint announced the coins they would issue in honor of Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee. She is the longest-reigning monarch in British history. The world’s longest-reigning monarch is Louis XIV of France (over 72 years).

The Royal Canadian Mint has released its precious metals variation on the Maple Leaf but has issued a commemorative Metal and Magnet set promoting Mental Health. Proceeds from the sale of the set will be donated to Kids Health Phone, a 24-hour support service for Canadian children.

The Perth Mint, New Zealand Mint, and the Pobjoy Mint announced several non-circulating legal tender coins that will upset traditionalist collectors.

With the American Women Quarters program, there should be a lot of exciting coins to collect.

And now the news…

 January 6, 2022
Combo photo shows an ancient coin seized at Cairo International Airport in Cairo, Egypt, on Jan. 5, 2022. Egypt’s archeological unit and the police at Cairo International Airport seized on Wednesday nine ancient coins and a yellow copper-made candlestick, which a passenger attempted to smuggle abroad.  → Read more at africa.cgtn.com

 January 7, 2022
The Astronauts Memorial Foundation is now selling coin sets signed by members of the last Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission, STS-125 in 2009  → Read more at space.com

 January 7, 2022
Welcome to Kitco News' 2022 outlook series. The new year will be filled with uncertainty as the Federal Reserve looks to pivot and tighten its monetary policies. At the same time, the inflation threat continues to grow, which means real rates will remain in low to negative territory.  → Read more at kitco.com

 January 7, 2022
Among those who support the end of government fiat money, it’s not uncommon to hear and see claims that gold is “the best money” or “natural money” or the only substance that’s really suited to be commodity money.  → Read more at wallstreetwindow.com
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A Numismatic Look Forward to 2022

Bullion

The year will start with the U.S. Mint shipping 2022 American Silver Eagle bullion coins to authorized resellers. The first bullion coins will likely hit the streets within a week, and graded coins will take about a month to be processed by the grading services. Bullion dealers are selling these coins in advance of receiving inventory.

In 2022, the American Silver Eagles and American Gold Eagles will feature Type II reverses introduced in 2021.

2022 American Platinum Eagle Proof reverse celebrating the First Amendment right of Freedom of Speech

The first American Eagle coins will be the Platinum proof coins. American Platinum Eagle proof coins will continue the First Amendment to the United States Constitution Platinum Proof Coin Series with Freedom of Speech.

During some press briefings, the U.S. Mint has suggested that American Eagle coins will be released with different finishes. There has been no formal announcement for these options.

Commemorative Coins

The U.S. Mint will release two commemorative coin sets starting at the beginning of January. Both sets will consist of a $5 gold coin, silver dollar, and clad half-dollar.

The Negro Leagues Baseball Commemorative Coin Program celebrates the Negro Baseball League. Money raised from the sale of the coins will be paid to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City.

The other commemorative three-coin set will be the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor Commemorative Coin Program. The museum honors the recipients of the oldest medal in the United States. General George Washington created the medal to honor the service of those injured in battle. Money raised by the sale of the coins will benefit the Purple Heart Hall of Honor in New Windsor, New York. As part of the museum’s mission, they are trying to reconstruct records destroyed in a fire several years ago.

American Women Quarters Program

The American Women Quarters Program starts in 2022 and will run for four years. Each year will feature the accomplishments and contributions made by women to the nation’s development. In 2022, the five women that will be honored are as follows:

  • Maya Angelou – celebrated writer, performer, and social activist
  • Dr. Sally Ride – physicist, astronaut, educator, and the first American woman in space
  • Wilma Mankiller – first female principal chief of the Cherokee Nation
  • Nina Otero-Warren – a leader in New Mexico’s suffrage movement and the first female superintendent of Santa Fe public schools
  • Anna May Wong – first Chinese American film star in Hollywood

2022 Quarter Obverse design by Laura Gardin Fraser

George Washington will continue to be featured on the obverse but with a new design. The U.S. Mint will use the original design recommended by the Committee for Fine Arts created by Laura Gardin Frasier. LGF, the wife of James Earle Frasier, created an acclaimed design that the CFA picked twice in a competition of artists. Unfortunately, Treasury Secretary Andrew Mellon, a known misogynist, rejected the design and selected the art of John Flannigan instead. Gardin’s design will take its rightful place on the coin’s obverse.

The authorizing law (Public Law 116-330) allows the U.S. Mint to produce the quarters as five-ounce bullion coins, nicknamed the “hockey puck.” The law also allows the U.S. Mint to issue fractional bullion coins. Although some media outlets announced the possibility of a smaller 2.5-ounce puck, the U.S. Mint has not announced new products.

The law allows the U.S. Mint to create five-ounce bullion coins of half-dollars that feature new designs in future programs.

Morgan and Peace Dollars

The U.S. Mint announced that they plan to continue the Morgan and Peace dollar programs in 2022 and beyond. Although the products have not been finalized, there may be different finishes and the production of the coins at other mint facilities.

Dollars

2022 Native American Dollar featuring Ely Samuel Parker

The two underrated dollar programs will continue into 2022. The Native American Dollar will feature Ely Samuel Parker, a U.S. Army officer, engineer, and tribal diplomat who served as military secretary to Ulysses S. Grant during the U.S. Civil War.

Also continuing is the American Innovation $1 Coin Program that features the contributions from the following states:

  • Rhode Island – Reliance yacht naval innovation
  • Vermont – Snowboarding
  • Kentucky – Bluegrass music
  • Tennessee – Tennessee Valley Authority and rural electrification

New U.S. Mint Director?

U.S. Mint Director David J. Ryder resigned as of September 30, 2021. After being appointed by two different administrations, Ryder served as the 34th and 39th Director. His confirmation came the position was vacant for over seven years following the resignation of Edmund Moy.

In October, Ventris Gibson was appointed as Deputy Director of the U.S. Mint. Gibson will also serve as Acting Director. By law, Gibson can serve as Acting Director for 180 days. It will be up to the president to appoint a new director for senate confirmation. Given the state of politics, it is fair to question whether the president will make an appointment and if he does, will it be confirmed by the Senate.

Hopefully, the U.S. Mint will have a little better 2022!

All coin images courtesy of the U.S. Mint.

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