Hometown Collecting High School Edition
Hometown collecting now includes this medal from South Mecklenburg High School, where I went in the 1970s.
My family moved from New York to just outside of Charlotte in 1974. The area was outside of Charlotte, and Charlotte fueled its growth by annexing unincorporated parts of the county just over its borders. Within a few years, we were living in Charlotte.
I went to high school at South Mecklenburg High School. It was in one of the county’s unincorporated areas with a mailing address of nearby Pineville. Pineville is famous for being the birthplace of James K. Polk, the 18th President of the United States.
South Meck was the local basketball power. Future college and pro stars like Bobby Jones and Walter Davis played for South. After Jones and Davis graduated, they went to play for the University of North Carolina and then starred in the NBA. We won the State AAAA Championship my sophomore year.
While doing my hometown search for numismatics from Brooklyn and New York City, I had an idea to search for items from other times in my early life. I entered “South Mecklenburg” in the search bar to see what I could find.
After scrolling past old copies of the school yearbook, I found a bronze medal for the high school. I do not remember a medal like this. After I dug through a box to find an old yearbook, it resembles a school’s logo in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Since I collect numismatics of my past, I bought the medal and waited for it to be shipped.
The seller was from Europe and waited for the mail to swim across the pond. It was better looking in hand than in the picture online. The medal is 42mm in diameter with something to attach to a chain or a ribbon. It is one-sided, and Herff Jones is engraved on the reverse. I tried to contact Herff Jones and said they do not think they have records going that far back. Someone was going to look and see what they could find.
I graduated from South in 1978 then enrolled at the University of Georgia. Although I have found a few medals from Georgia, I may change my search criteria and see what else I can find.
Weekly World Numismatic News for March 17, 2019
Counterfeit American Gold Eagle found in Iowa
(Image courtesy of the Des Moines Register)
A lesson learned is that people do not pay attention or care, which is why the iodine pen is popular. This is why the story of the week is about a person in suburban Des Moine, Iowa is wanted for passing a counterfeit American Gold Eagle coin.
According to the story, the suspect, who has been identified, used the alleged gold coin to purchase $25 worth of merchandise from a gas station. The next day, the clerk who took the coin found it was fake after taking it to a local coin shop.
Although the story does not say why the employee accepted the coin as payment, I speculate there was a greed motive involved. The suspect probably convinced the clerk it was real and that worth more than the $50 face value but was low on cash and needed the merchandise. The clerk thought that the coin is worth more took it hoping to make a profit.
If the coin was worth more than face value, then why did the clerk not ask why the suspect did not take it to a coin shop himself?
Even if you do not know the price of gold, why would someone try to use a valuable coin in a gas station?
I have commented in the past about the perpetual hunt for “rare” 50 pence and £2 circulating commemorative coins in the United Kingdom. At least by publicizing the coins, Britons learn a little about the coins issued by the Royal Mint. In fact, if you are watching my Twitter feed (@coinsblog), I post stories about other countries that produce stories about coins put out by their country’s mints.
Unfortunately, the best we get in the United States outside of the numismatic media is an infrequent blurb in a local news source. The Washington Post’s new motto is “Democracy Dies in the Darkness.” It also dies with ignorance especially when movie money is mistaken for real.
And now the news…
October 14, 2016Worried about buying a fake when you shop online? Here's how you can keep counterfeits out of your shopping cart. David P. 
→ Read more at desmoinesregister.com
March 10, 2019Richard Masters’ work for the U.S. Mint is a marriage of his interest in art and his boyhood hobby of coin collecting. A former professor of art at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, Masters has designed 21 coins and five medals, including the 2009 Bicentennial Lincoln Cent (Log Cabin), the 2011 Sacajawea gold dollar reverse and the 2017 America the Beautiful Effigy Mounds (Iowa) quarter reverse. → Read more at legion.org
March 11, 2019Finance ministry had issued a notification on March 6 announcing the launch of 5 new coins in the country namely new One Rupee, Two Rupees, Five Rupees, Ten Rupees and Twenty Rupees. The new series of coins are visually impaired friendly and have enhanced design. → Read more at zeebiz.com
March 13, 2019Urbandale police are looking for a man who used a counterfeit $50 coin to make a purchase at an Casey’s General Store in February. → Read more at desmoinesregister.com
March 13, 2019Warwickshire County Council wants to raise £62,000 towards buying a hoard of Roman coins. → Read more at bbc.com
March 13, 2019More A lucky penny which deflected an enemy bullet during the First World War One – saving a soldier’s life – is set to be sold at auction. Private John Trickett would have been shot in the heart if the bullet – which still left him deaf – had not struck the coin in the breast pocket of his uniform. → Read more at uk.news.yahoo.com
Finally, a Cash Register Find
It has been eight months since I opened my shop of treasures. While I have had fun most of the time one thing that has not happened is a good cash draw find. That is until recently.
1979-P Susan B Anthony Dollar and 2000-P Sacagawea Dollar found in the cash draw
I think the patron was surprised I took the coins without question. I threw the coins in the far left slot and counted out his change. With a quick tear of the receipt and a nod, I thanked the customer for his business and he left.
Later, I was telling someone about the transaction and was told the customer was testing me. Apparently, some people use dollar coins, half dollars and two dollars bills to test the store to see if the store knows enough to take the coins. I was told that the “pass rate” for this test is under 20-percent. I guess I passed!
Earlier today, I passed one of the Sacagawea dollars out for change.
2013 British 10p coin. It looks better in hand!
It’s a cool find and worth 13-cents, but what is it doing in my cash drawer?
I cannot blame anyone because my assistant was not in and I was the only one operating the cash register. I didn’t open a roll taking the blame off the bank. No, this is my fault and I lost 12-cents on the transaction!
I thought I would find a loose Canadian cent or a Jamaican penny mixed in with the copper. Nope! Apparently, I didn’t pay enough attention and was handed 10 pence.
After counting the coins, I replaced the British coin with a U.S. quarter that was in my pocket. My drawer balances but now I have my own lesson to pay attention!
Weekly World Numismatic News for March 10, 2019
2018 Peter Rabbit 50p Uncirculated Coin
(Image courtesy of the Royal Mint)
Both men were familiar with each other from local coin club meetings.
Over the last few years, the English tabloids have been publishing stories about how low-mintage, modern circulating 50p commemorative coins were being sold for hundreds or thousands of pounds on eBay. This has awakened the public about the potential for collecting these coins.
The Royal Mint has been producing 50p coins commemorating the animals featured in Beatrix Potter’s stories since 2016 including Peter Rabbit. By the time the country caught on to their value, the limited edition 2016 and 2017 coins were being hoarded and becoming more difficult to find. People who wanted a complete collection turned to the secondary market.
Of course, where there is a demand the person who can provide a supply can make money.
According to news reports, Bostock snuck into McGhee’s flat to steal his collection of Beatrix Potter coins while McGhee was not home. Unfortunately, McGhee returned home and found Bostock in the act. Bostock stabbed McGhee 17 times and tried to set the place on fire to cover up the crime.
Police were able to track the trail of blood Bostock made with his shoes to Bostock’s home. Bostock was convicted after using the defense that someone else wore his shoes after a drinking party even though the police found the shoes, coins, and the murder weapon in his possession.
Although this type of situation may not happen over the National Parks quarters, we did see the greed of dealers put the public in danger for the release of the 2014 50th Anniversary Kennedy Half-Dollar Gold Proof Coin. Dealers handed out cash to needy people who did not conduct themselves in a manner that is consistent with the ANA Code of Ethics so they could buy the coins first without having to worry about U.S. Mint purchasing limits.
In this case, nothing happened to the dealers who should have been dealt with by the ANA. They could have lost money since the release was not a sellout and the price of gold dropped, but we will never know.
And now the news…
February 27, 2019The demand for U.S. cash is skyrocketing — an indicator that’s leaving some economists sounding the alarm. → Read more at cnbc.com
March 2, 2019Charlotte is known for its banks but in some circles, it's known for its actual money. The gold coins that Charlotte's mint produced in the mid-19th century are desirable. "When you're a coin collector, you don't worry sometimes the value. → Read more at wfae.org
March 7, 2019Before immigrating to the United States in 2001, Paul Balan worked as a painter and sculptor in his native Philippines. Now he is pushing his artistic talents in new directions, doing coin and medal designs for the U.S. → Read more at legion.org
March 7, 2019Last August, 90-year-old pensioner Miroslav Jurníček harvested onions from his garden, when he noticed a small golden coin lying on the ground. He started rummaging around and eventually unearthed a vessel full of gold and silver coins. → Read more at radio.cz
March 8, 2019A coin enthusiast has been convicted of murder after stabbing a fellow collector 17 times while trying to steal a rare set of Beatrix Potter 50ps. Danny Bostock, 33, attacked 52-year-old Gordon McGhee in his bedroom before turning on the gas cooker and lighting a dishcloth, seemingly to cause an explosion and destroy evidence of the killing. → Read more at telegraph.co.uk
March 8, 2019From Kew Gardens to Paddington bear, there are a number of rare and collectible 50p coins and the Royal Mint will be releasing a Stephen Hawking coin later this month. The late Cambridge University physics professor died in March last year and the coin will feature a black hole and the scientist himself. → Read more at manchestereveningnews.co.uk
Weekly World Numismatic News for March 3, 2019
Royal Mint’s 26 Alphabet 10p Coins
Image courtesy of the Royal Mint
This is not to say these publications are wrong, but they are prone to hyperbole and exaggeration. Take for example the story “Two million RARE 10p coins enter circulation – get one here” that was posted to the Daily Star’s website this past week.
The title refers to the release of Royal Mint’s “The Great British Coin Hunt of 2019.” Using the same designs as last year, the Royal Mint will place into circulation 10 pence coins with 26 designs representing the letters of the alphabet.
The Great British Coin Hunt started last October with the weekly release of several coins at a time until 2.4 million were placed into circulation. As part of the program, collectors can purchase a special folder from the Royal Mint (£9.90 or about $13.10) or other items to help people collect the coins. The Royal Mint also sells uncirculated 10p coins for £2 each.
If you think that the U.S. Mint overcharges for their products, 10p is worth about 13-cents at the current exchange rate and £2 is about $2.65. Does packaging and other expenses cost $2.52 per coin?
But to call 2.4 million coins rare may a bit of an exaggeration.
Or is it?
If each coin has the same circulation, that means there will be about 92,000 coins per letter. Since the United Kingdom’s population is around 66 million people, that means only one-tenth of one percent of the people can collect these coins.
Maybe the tabloids are not wrong calling 2 million coins “rare!”
And now the news…
February 25, 2019From dark designs mourning the dead, to figures celebrating military accomplishments and well-known buildings, Roman coins held by the Otago Museum… → Read more at odt.co.nz
February 26, 2019Originally posted on http://www.1007sandiego.com/story/40029522/a-story-of-honor-the-curious-history-of-military-challenge-coins If you’re a member of the United States military,… → Read more at kxxv.com
February 26, 2019FRESHLY minted collectable 10p coins are being released this month — and they have a “quintessentially British” theme including tea and fish and chips. → Read more at dailystar.co.uk
February 27, 2019THE ROYAL MINT have announced that they are set to release 26 new designs of 10 pence coins, for its 2019 Great British Coin Hunt collection. → Read more at express.co.uk
February 28, 2019If you lost a coin in Montreal’s west end, there’s a good chance it was picked up by Young S. New. But he didn’t slip that coin in his pocket with the intent of spending it on himself — he picked it up so he could give it away. → Read more at cbc.ca
February 28, 2019The nine British bullion coins were discovered by chance after being hidden near Allington Castle in Kent. Detectives have launched an appeal to return the hoard to its rightful owner. → Read more at dailymail.co.uk
February 2019 Numismatic Legislation Review
While the mainstream media has mostly been distracted by other activities in Congress, those of us who watch numismatic-related legislation have had our own action.
First, the House of Representatives passed Route 66 Centennial Commission Act (H.R. 66) to create a commission to celebrate the centennial of the famous Route 66 in 2026. Although this is not a numismatic-related bill per se, if passed, the bill says that the centennial commission will recommend commemorative coins for this event. The bill has been referred to the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee waiting further action.
The other legislation of note is the Monetary Metals Tax Neutrality Act of 2019 (H.R. 1089) that removes all tax considerations for the sale of “gold, silver, platinum, or palladium coins minted and issued by the Secretary at any time.” It also exempts “refined gold or silver bullion, coins, bars, rounds, or ingots which are valued primarily based on their metal content and not their form.” This means that no capital gains on the sale of these items will be taxed and no losses can be written off by the taxpayer.
An interesting side effect of this bill would be that the gains realized when rare coins auctioned for millions of dollars will not be taxed. This means if an 1804 Silver Dollar sells for more than the $3.8 million it sold for in 2013, the seller will not pay capital gains tax on the sale. However, if it sells for less, the seller will not be able to write-off the loss.
For those keeping score at home, this law will not help the sale of a 1913 Liberty Head Nickel since its composition is copper and nickel.
Of course, this will only be an issue if H.R. 1089 passes and the president signs it into law.
H.R. 66: Route 66 Centennial Commission Act
H.R. 1089: Monetary Metals Tax Neutrality Act of 2019
S. 457: President George H.W. Bush and Barbara Bush Coin Act
H.R. 1173: President George H.W. Bush and Barbara Bush Dollar Coin Act
H.R. 1257: To require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration of the United States Coast Guard.
S. 509: A bill to require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration of the United States Coast Guard.
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