Weekly World Numismatic News for September 8, 2019
Post Norman Conquest coins found in Sommerset, England (Pippa Pearce/© The Trustees of the British Museum via Smithsonian Magazine)
One of the people I spoke with regularly uses a metal detector around the Eastern Shore of Maryland and into Delaware. Although most of the coins found are from the 20th century, many of the finds include artifacts leftover from earlier settlers. They have found some older copper coins, buttons and bullets from the Civil War, and utensils dating to the colonial period.
The leader of a small group of enthusiasts travels the midwest along know migration trails. Some are now roads and highways, while others have returned to nature. They regularly find artifacts of life on the move. Although they rarely find money, the items they find have made their way into museums and university research centers that study the lives of the western migrants.
Finally, someone who has explored eastern Washington, Idaho, western Montana and Canada discovered artifacts that confirmed and expanded the stories of border disputes in that area. In that era, the disputes were not about security but about who claimed the profit from the resources.
Although metal detector finds in the United States may not find anything more valuable than a few coins, bullets, and buttons, they do find the evidence of history. Unless you stumble over another Saddle Ridge Hoard, finding history can be as gratifying.
And now the news…
August 29, 2019Shortly after the Battle of Hastings in 1066, a wealthy local buried a trove of 2,528 coins in what is now Somerset, England. Featuring the likenesses of both Harold II—the country’s last crowned Anglo-Saxon king—and his successor, William the Conqueror, the hoard is the largest collection of post-Norman Conquest coins found to date. 
→ Read more at smithsonianmag.com
August 30, 2019Manitoba lottery officials modify their machines to close a loophole exploited by gamblers. 1:32 When was the last time you saw a 50-cent piece? → Read more at cbc.ca
September 1, 2019In mid-September, Macquarie Mint will release 500 Red-Back Spider $1 coins as part of its aptly named 'Deadly & Dangerous' collection. There are six more in the series, ranging from the dingo to the great white shark. → Read more at lifehacker.com.au
September 2, 2019Better known for lagging, sagging, floundering and falling, Canadian currency now boasts a distinction both impressive and unique: It pulsates. Well, one $10 silver collector’s coin appears to do so thanks to a “numismatic breakthrough” that the Royal Canadian Mint heralds as a world-first. → Read more at resourceclips.com
September 2, 2019OTTAWA , Sept. 3, 2019 /CNW/ – The Royal Canadian Mint is proud to launch a numismatic breakthrough from its ambitious and creative Research and Development team. Working with the University of Ottawa's Centre for Research in Photonics, the R+D team has created the 2020 $10 Fine Silver Coin – Pulsating Maple Leaf, engraved with an array of sub-millimeter-scale mirrors in the shape of a maple leaf on the reverse of this 99.99% pure silver coin. → Read more at finance.yahoo.com
September 3, 2019As the 150th anniversary of the opening of the U.S. Branch Mint in Carson City draws closer, the Nevada State Museum is expanding the days it showcases one of the Mint’s most enduring artifacts. For much of the summer, the museum has been giving history lessons and minting medallions every Friday on Historic Coin Press 1 — the original coin press used when the Mint opened in February 1870. → Read more at carsonnow.org
September 4, 2019TORONTO, Sept. 4, 2019 /CNW/ – For the first time in three decades, Canada's rarest coin – the 1911 silver dollar – will be on public display in its home country. This weekend, on Sept. 7-8, the 108-year-old silver dollar will be displayed at the National Postage Stamp and Coin Show, to be held at the Hilton Mississauga/Meadowvale. → Read more at newswire.ca
September 5, 2019Rare currency expert Alfredo Cimino has never seen the 1911 silver dollar, but he’s heard of it. Everyone in the business has. Nicknamed the Emperor or Holy Grail of Canadian coins, it’s held many heavyweight titles in the world of numismatics, or professional coin collection and study, including the world’s most valuable coin, in 1965, and Canada’s rarest coin, which it retains to this day. → Read more at theglobeandmail.com
September 5, 2019A rare example of Bermuda “Hogge Money” — a coin which was produced in the early 1600s — sold for $96,000 when it was auctioned last night, with the coin one of only eight examples known to exist. “The Sommer Islands coinage was produced in England circa 1616 for use in the British colony now known as Bermuda,” the auction house noted, with the “Hogge Money” coins issued in four denominations: shilling, sixpence, threepence, and twopence. → Read more at bernews.com
September 6, 2019SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — As special as it is for those involved, a class of new members gets enshrined annually in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. That makes it somewhat less exclusive than the minting of a coin – which is part of this year’s ceremony as well. → Read more at nba.com
A Little Good News
To give commemorative collectors little good news, President Bush signed H.R. 3229, National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center Commemorative Coin Act, and H.R. 5872, Boy Scouts of America Centennial Commemorative Coin Act, into law today as Public Law 110-357 and P.L. 363, respectively.
The Boy Scouts of America Centennial Commemorative Coin Act will begin in 2010 to honor the 100th anniversary of the founding of scouting in the United States. National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center Commemorative Coin Act is scheduled for 2012. Read my previous article, Infantry and Boy Scouts, for more information about these commemoratives.
Want Gold? Buy Canadian
Showing that the management of the US Mint does not understand how to manage a specialized manufacturing facility, it was reported that the Mint is not going to try to maintain the supply to meet the demand for precious metals. In a letter to authorized dealers, the Mint blames the fluctuating market and high demand for this decision.
For the rest of the year, the Mint will continue to strike gold and platinum coins until supplies of blanks are depleted. The supply of 24-karat Gold Buffaloes have been depleted. Silver and one-ounce gold American Eagles will continue to be available as they can be struck.
Those wanting to purchase gold may want to consider previous years or Canada Gold Maple Leafs. It is being reported that the Royal Canadian Mint continues to strike gold but has been having problems keeping up with the demand. Alex Reeves, a spokesperson with the Royal Canadian Mint, said, “[Distributors] would like more gold than we can produce but we’re supplying the best we can. Look at that as good news. We’re able to keep producing gold while the U.S. Mint has to throw up their hands and say, ‘we’re out.’ ”
Fasten your seat belts, it’s going to be a bumpy ride!
More Countries Move to Eliminate Paper Currency
While the United States continues to be one of the few countries to circulate its unit currency in paper, two countries have recently announced that they are going to replace their lowest denomination notes with coin.
The Czech Republic will begin to circulate their 50-koruna banknote with a coin. While both the coin and banknote will circulate simultaneously, the Ceska Narodni Banka (Czech National Bank) expects to discontinue the circulation of banknotes. No decision has been made as to the design of the new coin.
Earlier this year, the Banco Central de Nicaragua (Central Bank of Nicaragua) announced the new issue of a 10 cordobas coin. These coins will co-circulate with their banknote counterparts until the paper money wears out. The bank will soon begin to circulate a 500 cordoba note.
Central banks across the world are beginning to look into replacing lower denomination currency with coins. In Canada, a friend reports that he was involved with a survey that asked about replacing the Canadian 5-dollar note with a coin.
In the mean time, the paper dollar continues to circulate in the United States even though it would be economically beneficial to replace the paper with coin. Politics will remain in the way of the government doing the right thing.
House Passes Army Museum Commem
The House of Representatives passed the “Stimulus Package” yesterday, and went into their “clean up” mode. As part of that exercise, the house passed H.R. 5714, their version of the United States Army Commemorative Coin Act of 2008. This came one day after the Senate passed S. 2579.
Before the bill was passed, one amendment was offered. Although the text of the amendment was not available at the time I write this, it may have been offered to synchronize this bill with its Senate ounterpart. In these cases, a conference committee will pick one bill and send it back to both chambers for an up or down vote. This will probably be done during the lame duck session that follows the election.
Army History Commem Passes Senate
After the Senate passed their version of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act (H.R. 1424, commonly known as the “Wall Street Bailout Bill”), the upper house went into “clean up” mode. Clean up mode is when congress pushes lesser, non-controversial bills through the body. As part of that clean up, the Senate passed S. 2579, United States Army Commemorative Coin Act of 2008.
The bill calls $5 gold coins with a limit of 100,000 minted, 500,000 $1 silver coins, and 750,000 clad half-dollars commemoratives in 2011 to recognize the founding of the United States Army in 1775. “The design of the coins minted under this Act shall be emblematic of the traditions, history, and heritage of the United States Army, and its role in American society from the Colonial period to today.”
Coins will include a $35 surcharge on the gold coin, $10 for the silver dollar, and $5 for the clad half-dollar will be paid “ to the Foundation to help finance the National Museum of the United States Army.”
Before the can become law, it must pass in the House of Representatives and signed by the president. Even though it is the same bill as H.R. 5714 that has 348 cosponsors, there is no guarantee that the lame duck session that will meet after the election will take up this measure.
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