Weekly World Numismatic News for August 30, 2020
Hoard of 9th Century Gold Dinars found during an excavation in Israel (Credit: Robert Kool/Israel Antiquities Authority via CNN)
The jar of coins found consists of 425 24-karat gold coins weighing 845 grams (1.86 pounds). Most of the coins are cut to that were once used as change.
The Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) says that the area was under the rule of the Abbasid Caliphate. Their rule spread from modern-day Algeria in the east to Afghanistan in the west from 750–953 when Shia opponents overthrow the caliphate. There were many successors to the Abbasid Caliphate. They joined together in 1157 to create a cooperative empire that was eventually overthrown by 1258 by Mongol forces.
Finding a hoard of gold coins and the surrounding artifacts will help archeologists learn more about the region’s commerce. Once again, numismatics helps scientists better understand our history.
The following video from the IAA talks about the project and finding the coins.
The other news is the conclusion of what was a successful Newman Numismatic Portal Symposium 2020. The symposium, held online using Zoom, had several interesting speakers and presentations. Although NNP has yet to publish its final statistics, the sessions I attended were well done and seemed to be well attended.
My session, “How to Identify a Potential Scammer BEFORE Buying Coins Online,” was attended by more than 60 people and generated about a dozen questions. It was a great experience.
I will have more to say about the NNP Symposium in the next few days.
And now the news…
August 24, 2020
→ Read more at edition.cnn.com
August 26, 2020 → Read more at gainesvillecoins.com
August 28, 2020 → Read more at atlasobscura.com
August 28, 2020 → Read more at unian.info
August 28, 2020 → Read more at usatoday.com
Summary of October 2012 Coin-Related Legislation
Public Law 112-181: Lions Clubs International Century of Service Commemorative Coin Act
Sponsor: Rep. Peter Roskam (R-IL)
Signed by the President on October 5, 2012
See this bill at http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/112/hr2139
H.R. 6571: Korean Immigration Commemorative Coin Act
Sponsor: Rep. Robert Andrews (D-NJ)
To require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the beginning of Korean immigration into the United States.
Introduced and referred to the House Committee on Financial Services 10/12/12
Track this bill at: http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/112/hr6571
Keeping it Light Today
Before I begin with today’s post, to help the victims of Hurricane Sandy, I urge my readers to donate what they can to the American Red Cross. You can donate online or you can Text REDCROSS to 90999 to donate $10 to the Red Cross Disaster Relief fund. Charges will appear on your wireless bill, or be deducted from your prepaid balance.
Those of us in the D.C. metropolitan area dodged the wrath of Sandy for the most part. There are power outages, trees down, and flooding, but not to the extent north and east of here. It may take a day or two for what passes as normalcy to return to the area but we are in better shape than the coastal areas from the Delmarva Peninsula north to Connecticut and Rhode Island. I wish all of those in the effected areas well and hope their recovery goes as smoothly as possible.
Today’s post is lighter than planned. I rather than do a 2012 version of the numismatic trick or treat as I did last year, I will show off a pocket change find was not found in pocket change and not even change, per se. At our last coin club meeting someone paid for their auction lots with this Series 1953 $2 Federal Reserve Note. Although it is not in good shape and there is a tear in the bottom corner, I decided to take it as part of payment for the lots I sold.
Sec. George M. Humphrey
Thomas Edgar Stephens (1957)–Oil on canvas
Priest Pictured with a hat of money when she announced her candidacy for treasurer of California (circa 1966)
Humphrey was the 55th Secretary of the Treasury serving during Eisenhower’s first term. It was reported that Humphrey gave up a $300,000 annual salary as president of the steel manufacturer M.A. Hanna Company to accept a Cabinet position that paid only $22,500. After retiring from government service, Humphrey returned to Hanna Company and later became chairman of National Steel Corporation.
Long time readers will remember that Priest was the mystery guest on the television game show “What’s my Line” that aired on August 29, 1954. If you forgot, you can go back and watch the video.
Aside from being a political leader in Utah and the 30th Treasurer of the United States, Priest is also the mother of Pat Priest who is better known for playing Marilyn Munster on the 1960’s sitcom “The Munsters.”
Pocket Change Find: Obverse of a Series 1953 $2 Federal Reserve Note signed by Treasurer Ivy Baker Priest and Secretary of the Treasury George M. Humphrey
Pocket Change Find: Reverse of a Series 1953 $2 Federal Reserve Note featuring image of Jefferson’s Monticello.
Image of Ivy Baker Priest courtesy of findgrave.com.
ANA to Spring in Atlanta and Portland
The American Numismatic Association announced that the 2014 National Money Show will be held in Atlanta and the 2015 show will be in Portland, Oregon.
Aside from moving the spring show back to March, the Atlanta show will be held February 27 to March 1, 2014 at the Cobb Galleria Centre in northwest Atlanta. For 2015, the show will run March 5-7 at the Oregon Convention Center.
For those interested in the 2013 National Money Show, it will be held May 9-11 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans. This will be a little more than three months after the Super Bowl is played at the Superdome and slightly less than two months after Mardi Gras. N’awlins is a heckova party town and I am looking forward to making another visit to the Crescent City!
In other ANA news…
The board approved a $5.8 million operating budget that includes a surplus of $6,650 based on revenue projections. I hope that the projections are sound since that leaves a one-tenth of one percent margin of error. This year’s budget will allow the ANA to have greater presence at regional shows, increase the number of field trips offered to the Money Museum from area schools, and expand course offerings at Summer Seminar.
Improvements continue to money.org including the introduction of The Exchange, a blog to exchange comments and ideas amongst ANA members. If you are interested in posting, see the information at the top of the page for more information.
Work continues to improve the website and extend its capabilities is ongoing.
PCGS Grades its 25 Millionth Coin
Professional Coin Grading Service announced that they certified their 25 Millionth coin. The coin is a rare 1871 (Meiji 4) 10 Yen With Border on the Reverse variety. It was among a group of 33 coins recently submitted by a PCGS Collectors Club member in Toyko. On October 24, 2012 it was certified PCGS Secure Plus™ MS65.
As a gift of appreciation to mark the milestone submission, PCGS is awarding the Japanese collector a Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle gold coin graded PCGS Secure Plus MS65 and valued today at $2,500.
The 1871 10 Yen is an important coin in Japanese numismatic history, according to PCGS. During the fourth year of the reign of Emperor Meiji, Japan adopted a gold standard under the New Currency Act of 1871, and it marked the start of the modern era of Japanese decimal coinage.
The 1871 10 Yen contains 16.6 grams of .900 fine gold, and 1,867,032 of the coins were minted that first year. The obverse design features a dragon and a pearl representing the sun. The reverse includes a mirror, sunburst and military banners with a raised line border around some of the design elements.
PCGS estimates the value of this particular coin at $6,000 or more.
Congratulations to PCGS on this milestone!
Image courtesy of PCGS.
Go Have Fun at an Auction in Penna.
How many of you look at the online auctions from the auction houses dedicated to numismatics and feel intimidated?
I can see quite a few virtual hands raised. You probably like coins shows but find the large crowds at some of those shows may also be intimidating. After all, you’re a collector, not an investor or a professional. Sometimes, you can find gems at smaller shows and even smaller auctions.
This is why I was intrigued by an auction notice sent by Stephenson’s Auctioneers and Appraisers from Southampton (Bucks County), Pennsylvania. Judging by their website, Stephenson’s is a local auction company that mainly serves buyers and sellers in its region with and probably has some clientele outside the eastern Pennsylvania area where they are located.
The nice thing about these local auction houses is that they are more accessible than the big houses and they usually have items that are affordable to the average collector. While high-end auctions are fun, if you are buying for yourself, you may not be the type looking to spend six-figures or higher on a coin.
If that is the case and you are in the Bucks County, Pennsylvania area on Friday, November 2, you may want to stop by Stephenson’s and check out their more than 200-lot coin auction that may include “some nice last-minute surprises.”
These are estate auction from the eastern Pennsylvania area. According to the information sent to me, the auction includes a wealth of Morgan silver dollars will be offered, with no fewer than 15 lots comprised of three Morgans each. An uncirculated 1882 Carson City Morgan silver dollar is one of the highlights, and another early example is a trade silver dollar dated 1877. Other antique American coins include Capped Bust half dollars from 1809 and 1838; an 1806 Draped Bust half dollar, and a Seated Liberty half dollar from 1843.
The auction includes two gold pieces. One is a 1914 Indian Head quarter eagle ($2½) and a 1917 $1 gold coin commemorating the slain U.S. President William McKinley.
There are many collectors’ books of coins, including a Washington quarter book (1932-1945) with 24 silver quarters, a Liberty Head nickel book (1883-1912) with 25 nickels, a Standing Liberty book with 10 silver half dollars, a Mercury dime book with 74 silver dimes, including 1921 and 1921-D; and a book consisting of 60 Buffalo nickels. Also included are a Walking Liberty half dollar book with 14 half dollars, a Barber dime book, Roosevelt dime book and Kennedy half dollar book with 59 Kennedy halves, including three 1964 and nine 1965 through 1970 coins. Flying Eagle and Indian Head penny sets will be available, as well as many other books, too numerous to mention.
Desirable non-monetary gold and silver items with both intrinsic and historical value include a boxed set of three 24K gold over .999 silver ingots commemorating the 1973 Triple Crown Winner Secretariat, and a framed sterling silver set titled “The Official Bicentennial Medals of the Thirteen Original States.”
Other lots of interest include two California Gold tokens (1852 and 1853) and an 1860 $5 note issued by the Miners and Planters Bank of North Carolina. Fractional currency, and U.S. Prestige and Olympic Prestige sets.
Auction will be held on Friday, November 2, 2012 at Stephenson’s gallery located at 1005 Industrial Blvd., Southampton, PA 18966. Auction preview is on the auction day from 2-4 p.m. The auction starts at 4 p.m.
For additional information, call Cindy Stephenson at 215-322-6182 or e-mail info@stephensonsauction.com. There will be no Internet bidding for this sale; it is exclusively for gallery, phone and absentee bidders. Visit Stephenson’s online at www.stephensonsauction.com.
If you are in the area, go and have some fun. Who knows, you may find something interesting to bid on!
Some of the items in this auction
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- 1882 Carson City uncirculated Morgan silver dollar with original GSA box and paperwork. You do not see too many CC Morgans with the original box and paperwork!
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- 1860 $5 note, Miners and Planters Bank of North Carolina.
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- Three 24K gold over .999 silver ingots Commemorative of Secretariat.
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- Thirteen sterling silver “Official Bicentennial Medals of the Thirteen Original States.”
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- Early US coins, including 1809 and 1838 Capped Bust half dollars, 1806 Draped Bust silver dollar, and a, 1843 Seated Liberty half dollar.
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- Flying Eagle and Indian Head Cent set in a Whitman Album
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- 1914 Indian Head Quarter Eagle ($2½) gold coin and McKinley Commemorative “Dollar” gold piece.
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- 1852 and 1853 California Gold Rush tokens
All images courtesy of Stephenson’s Auctioneers.
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