Early Registration for the WFM Ends Today!
Are you going to the World’s Fair of Money this year?
If you are, early registration ends TODAY, July 15, 2022.
If you register early, the ANA will mail your registration information so that you do not have to wait in long queues to register at the show. You can also purchase the convention medal, convention bar for those who collect the bars from each WFM they attend, and holders for those starting a new collection.
With life turning back towards normal, this show should have more opportunities to learn, see, and buy than last year. Although I did not attend last year’s WFM, the fact that the number of bourse tables available has returned to previous levels suggests that it has a making of an exciting experience.
There continues to be a problem with COVID, but not to the levels of the past. Some will be wearing masks, including me. Please be respectful of the mask wearers, and we can show that the numismatic community cares about each other and is supportive and friendly to everyone.
Are you going to the World's Fair of Money
Total Voters: 17
Loading ...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 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.
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- Two counterfeit American Silver Eagles purchased from LIACOO, a company based in China who advertised on Facebook.
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- The font for LIBERTY is too thin. Also, the stars in her flag draped over the shoulder are too small.
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- Aside from the rims being to thin, look at the U in United and the dash between SILVER and ONE. These are not correct for the 2020 ASE.
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.
SCAM ALERT: DO NOT BUY FROM RANTHY<dot>COM
RANTHY<dot>COM IS A SCAM
Two counterfeit American Silver Eagles purchased from a company based in China who advertised on Facebook.
NO LEGITIMATE DEALER IS SELLING BULLION COINS FOR BELOW THE SPOT PRICE!
The current price of silver is $23.86 per troy ounce. If anyone is selling American Silver Eagles for less, they are likely selling counterfeit coins.
Questions about the site sent today noted that the scammers advertised these coins on Facebook.
These scammers are not selling 2022 American Silver Eagle counterfeits because the Chinese manufacturers of the fakes have not created bogus Type 2 reverses. Remember, legitimate dealers will sell coins with the Type 1 reserve. They will also sell the coins with the Type 2 reverse.
IF YOU PURCHASED COINS FROM THESE SCAMMERS, contact your credit card company and dispute the charge. If you received the coins and they are counterfeit, contact your credit card company and dispute the charge.
IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT A WEBSITE, THEN DON’T PURCHASE FROM THEM!
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)
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)
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.
It is the same. Hope you got credit or gave a licence. pic.twitter.com/2VVx9jVChO
— Marko (@mlinka) February 4, 2022
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
→ Read more at wrexham.com
February 7, 2022 → Read more at uiargonaut.com
February 8, 2022 → Read more at mylondon.news
February 8, 2022 → Read more at netherlandsnewslive.com
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.
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- 1912-S Liberty Head Nickel
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- Reverse of the 1912-S Liberty Head Nickel
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- The “S” Mintmark of the 1912-S Liberty Head 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.
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- 1912-D Liberty Head Nickel
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- 1912-D Liberty Head Nickel reverse
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- The “D” Mintmark on the reverse of the 1912-D Liberty Head Nickel
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.
A Token of Radio City
Radio City Music Hall
(Photo by Ajay Suresh used under the CC by 2.0 license)
Radio City, called the Showplace of the Nation, was developed along with Rockefeller Center in 1930-32 for the Metropolitan Opera. The construction of Rockefeller Center was funded by the Rockefeller Foundation, headed by John D. Rockefeller, Jr. When the opera backed out, Rockefeller negotiated with RCA to continue the construction of Radio City as a multimedia showplace.
My first visit to Radio City and Rockefeller Center was in 1968 during the winter break from school. My (late) mother, who grew up on Coney Island, understood that New Yorkers did not take the time to see the sights in their own city. To make up for the time she lost as a child to see New York, she took her children to play tourist during school breaks.
The trip to Manhattan was to see Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, Rockefeller Center, including the ice rink, and then see a movie at Radio City. I do not remember the movie we saw, but my mother later told me that they showed three short movies, and it cost 25-cents for my brother and me (that’s $2 accounting for inflation).
Before going to the movie, we toured the main stage where the famous Rockettes performed. As part of the tour, we saw the Rockettes practice and visited with a few on stage. I remember being amazed at how long their legs were — which is not bad for an eight-year-old!
Many years later, I worked for NBC and visited Radio City often. When NBC was involved in a live production in Radio City, I used my connections within NBC Sports to watch the rehearsals from the production trucks. Before the final rehearsal, I was allowed into Radio City to see the performance. Later, I returned to my office on the 16th floor, two floors above David Letterman’s offices.
The aluminum medal is 40 mm in diameter. On the front is an image of Radio City and the reverse has a view of the main theater looking at the stage. It is a well-executed image that uses the unique design of the theater to give the image depth.
While taking another look at the medal, it reminds me of a Mardi Gras token.
As I keep finding these great collectibles, I have to develop a better way to store them. My current system cannot handle my recent expansion, especially when the tokens and medals are different sizes. I will report what I come up with.
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Are you going to the World's Fair of Money
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