October 2021 Numismatic Legislative Review
I have been following politics for many years. I trace my awakening to the news and politics to the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It was something in the news that we discussed in school, and I did not know or understand what my classmates were talking about. After school, I read the stories about MLK in the Daily News and Newsday that were delivered daily. When my father came home, he brought a copy of the New York Times.
I was so interested in public policy that I did a master’s in public policy late in life. Having the degree helped my career as a government contractor working with government executives and appointees. Unlike others who go into public policy, I was fascinated with policy compliance and implementation. It became helpful in trying to implement information security policies for the government.
After 40 years in computing and 25 years with the federal government, I burned out. Since then, I have followed numismatic-related policy because the U.S. Mint does not strike any legal tender coin without a law permitting them.
Since retiring in 2017, partisan politics has gone from bad to worse. Politicians and their constituents are no longer talking with each other but shouting at each other. It is no longer looking to accomplish something for the common good but who can score points.
Unfortunately, there is no such thing as the radical middle. Those of us in the center are willing to work together but are being shut out by the shouting coming from the extremes.
Numismatic-related bills are not immune to the policy divide. The bills get dumped into committees and are subject to the partisan scorecard review. These bills languish in committee until an end-of-session floor review.
Although following numismatic legislation is necessary to know what the U.S Mint strikes next, it is no longer fun. Therefore, this will be the last monthly report. In the future, I will post updates after the Government Printing Office reports them. The GPO is the official publisher of the U.S. government and they are responsible for publishing everything from congress.
For the last monthly report, Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-NY) introduced H.R. 5601, the Erie Canal Bicentennial Commemorative Coin Act. If passed, the bill will create a commemorative program to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the building of the Erie Canal.
In 2025, the bill would require the U.S. Mint to strike clad half-dollars, silver dollars, and gold $5 coins with the dual date 2017-2025. These dates would mark the 200th anniversary of the construction of the canal (1817-1825). The funds raised from the sale of these coins would be paid to the “Erie Canalway Heritage Fund, Inc., to support the historic preservation, conservation, recreation, interpretation, tourism, and community development of the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor and for educational and commemorative programs of the Erie Canal’s history and impact on our Nation’s history.”
H.R. 5601: Erie Canal Bicentennial Commemorative Coin Act
It would not be the first time the Erie Canal appears on a coin. The Erie Canal was the innovation celebrated on the 2021 New York American Innovation $1 Coin.
Call for Artist
On Monday, the U.S. Mint announced that on September 3, they will begin accepting applications for the Artistic Infusion Program. Judging by the last round of artwork submitted to the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee to review for the new American Innovation $1 Coin, they need the help.
For those who did not read the stories, the U.S. Mint submitted a design for the obverse that is supposed to be “a likeness of the Statue of Liberty extending to the rim of the coin and large enough to provide a dramatic representation of Liberty,” similar to the reverse of the Presidential $1 coins. According to reports, the U.S. Mint claimed that they could not work on a better design because of time constraints.
Time constraints are a legitimate issue. The bill was signed into law on July 20, 2018, leaving the U.S. Mint less than six months until the program begins in 2019. However, that does not mean that the program has to begin on January 2. In fact, the law does not specify at what point during the year that the coins are to be produced.
They also could have anticipated their responsibility. Once the bill was passed by the Senate on June 20, it was only a matter of time that the difference between the House and Senate versions were resolved before being signed by the president. It was not a surprise. They had two months to come up with something prior to the CCAC meeting.
Although U.S. Mint Director David Ryder has not been on the job long, he has to take responsibility for not providing the leadership necessary to impress on the artists and whoever directed them not to try to take the easy way out. If they have not learned by now, most of the CCAC members take their jobs much more seriously than previous committees (this is a good thing) and are very outspoken in a very constructive manner.
One person that should respond to this call for artists is current CCAC member Heidi Wastweet. An accomplished medalist and sculptor, her term with the CCAC is about to expire. She is well qualified since her work is phenomenal! You can see for yourself on her website. Imagine what an artist with her talent and knowing what the CCAC is looking for can add to the U.S. Mint.
Having never met Ms. Wastweet, I am not in a position to try to talk her into applying. However, if you are acquainted with her, please let her know that not only would it be of great service to the U.S. Mint but that she has at least one endorsement—for whatever that is worth!
There are so many great medals on Heidi Wastweet’s site it is difficult to select one to highlight. But I always seem to focus on this one called a Zombuck.
Weekly World Numismatic News for August 26, 2018
News out of the United Kingdom was that the Bank of England was thinking about eliminating the copper 1 penny and 2 pence coins. The discussion came from a blog post on the website Bank Underground, an independent blog written by Bank of England staff commenting on the Bank’s policies. The post suggested that there would be “a negligible impact on inflation, with the average impact being negative but not statistically different from zero.”
The economists that wrote the blog post has used the same argument that many others have used: the rising cost of copper and the reduced purchasing power makes the coin not worth minting.
In response, the Bank of England said that it was not considering eliminating the 1p and 2p coins.
Unfortunately, the Bank of England economists’ post will become fodder for those that want to eliminate the one-cent coin in the United States. The argument will repeat the same themes that the blog post outline as proof that this could be done.
The problem is that regardless of the position, using the arguments generated from data that does not consider social and economic information from the United States makes the using this as an example irrelevant or spurious at best.
And now the news…
August 18, 2018A block below Central Park in Manhattan, an unassuming shop appears, from the vantage point of sidewalk passersby, old, dusty, and uninteresting. Yet it contains treasures. In billboard-laden New York City, the boutique’s beige awning barely snatches a glance. 
→ Read more at fortune.com
August 18, 2018AGARTALA: A commemorative gold coin to honour Maharaja Bir Bikram Manikya has been launched on the occasion of the 110th birth anniversary of 'Tripura's last king'. The coin was released at a special Independence Day function at Ujjayanta Palace – the seat of the Manikya dynasty – by chief minister Biplab Deb, who was accompanied at the event by deputy chief minister Jishnu Dev Varma, who is a member of the royal family, and the Maharaja's granddaughter Maharajkumari Pragya Deb Burman. → Read more at timesofindia.indiatimes.com
August 19, 2018RIGA — The whole mintage of the new silver collector coin dedicated to the Curonian Kings, a cultural group of free Latvian peasants that for many centuries inhabited seven villages in western Latvia, has been sold out at Bank of Latvia Cashier’s Offices, the central bank’s spokesman Janis Silakalns told LETA. → Read more at baltictimes.com
August 20, 2018The Royal Australian Mint is paying homage to a group of iconic Ford and Holden race cars from the likes of Peter Brock, Allan Moffat, Dick Johnson and Craig Lowndes in a new series. Two fresh collections feature seven, uncirculated 50cent coins each from Ford and Holden chronicling the success of the brands in Australian motorsport. → Read more at supercars.com
August 22, 2018Bank of England economists have reignited the debate over the future of 1p and 2p coins, arguing their removal from circulation would not stoke inflation. In a blog post on Wednesday the analysts said their work and the “overwhelming” evidence suggested the withdrawal of coppers would have “no significant impact on prices”. → Read more at theguardian.com
August 23, 2018THE Bank of England is considering plans to scrap the one and two pence coins. It comes after economists claimed that scrapping 1p and 2p coins would not push up inflation. Here’s the latest… → Read more at thesun.co.uk
Weekly World Numismatic News for August 19, 2018
The world of numismatic news of the week centers around theAmerican Numismatic Association’s World’s Fair of Money that was held in Philadelphia this past week. Here are the top news items from this past week?
- The Eliasberg 1913 Liberty Head nickel sold for $4.56 million at the Stack’s Bowers Auction to an undisclosed buyer. The coin graded PR-66 by PCGS is the finest of the five 1913 Liberty Head nickels. It is the highest price ever paid for a coin not struck from a precious metal.
- The Unique 1792 Washington President Gold Eagle pattern coin was sold for $1.74 million by Heritage Auctions. The coin, graded XF-45★ by NGC, is from the Eric P. Newman Educational Society collection. Proceeds from the sale will benefit the Society. The coin was acquired by Newman from the Col. E.H.R. Green Collection in 1942. Aside from being one of Newman’s favorite coins, it was also believed to be Washington’s pocket piece.
- Director of the U.S. Mint David Ryder announced that the Mint will introduce a gold coin series promoting the “Virtues of Liberty” starting in 2019. The announcement was given to Coin World who has not published the details of the program. One would think that an agency of the federal government would make this information generally available to the public and not exclusively to one publication.
- The U.S. Mint publicly introduced the designs that will appear on the reverse of the 2019 America the Beautiful Quarters. National treasures being featured in 2019 include Lowell National Historical Park (Massachusetts), American Memorial Park (Northern Mariana Islands), War in the Pacific National Historical Park (Guam), San Antonio Missions National Historical Park (Texas), and the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness (Idaho).
Eliasberg 1913 Liberty Head Nickel (Image courtesy of PCGS
1792 Washington President Gold Eagle Pattern (Image courtesy of NGC)
David J. Ryder, Director of the U.S. Mint.
2019 Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness Quarter (Idaho)
My report on my time in Philadelphia is coming soon.
And now the news…
August 13, 2018Michael Turrini, a memer of the Fairfield Coin Club, holds different types of currency from Africa, Sunday, Aug. 12, 2018. The cowry shells and iron cross are both used as money. (Susan Hiland/Daily Republic) FAIRFIELD — Treasure hunters came out Sunday to find the rare coin, and they brought their → Read more at dailyrepublic.com
August 13, 2018Never miss a story or breaking news alert! Listen at work or while you surf. → Read more at kywnewsradio.radio.com
August 15, 2018The World's Fair of Money is "an opportunity for our members and the general public to see a lot of coins they could never see otherwise […] plus, an opportunity to see some of the largest, most successful [coin] dealers in the country," said Douglas Mudd, Curator and Director of the American Numismatic Association Money Museum. The World's Fair will feature millions of dollars worth of rare coins- coins whose values were once less than a dollar. → Read more at philly.com
August 15, 2018A Navy veteran recalls a sacred tradition for warships. → Read more at navytimes.com
August 17, 2018Rs. 1 coins also hit; rumours about their discontinuation have been doing the rounds for over a year now → Read more at thehindu.com
August 17, 2018The one of a kind George Washington gold coin, dating back to the 18th century, was sold for $1.7 million this week with all the proceeds going to charity, according to Heritage Auctions. → Read more at kitco.com
August 17, 2018https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/730083/1943_Bronze_Cent.jpg?p=facebook → Read more at prnewswire.com
NLG AWARD WINNER!
I would like to thank the Numismatic Literary Guild for recognizing the power of social media as a medium for spreading the greatness of numismatics.
I want to thank you, my readers and followers on social media that gives me the motivation to provide the best numismatic information to the community.
This is an honor, a shock, and motivation to continue. Than you!
If it’s Thursday it must be Philadelphia
Good morning from the Pennsylvania Convention Center in beautiful downtown Philadelphia where the American Numismatic Association World’s Fair of Money is being held. I made to Philly last night after closing shop and will be spending the day here. Tomorrow morning I will be attending the Board of Governors meeting as Chair or the Technology Committee and then will head back to the D.C. area.
First on the agenda this morning is the e-Learning Platform Presentations. For those who do not know, the ANA is looking to expand its educational mission by offering courses online, something that has been on my agenda for many years.
It is an open session in Room 122A of the Convention Center. While it might not be the most exciting of the sessions, it is important to the future of the ANA. The presenter will be Blackboard, D2L, and eINNOV8. I have heard and used Blackboard when I was an adjunct professor with the University of Maryland System. For me, it will be interesting to see what has changed. The others I have never heard of until this exercise. Seeing how they differentiate themselves will makes it interesting.
For the rest of the day, I will be live Tweeting @coinsblog from the Convention Center. I will try to post a summary tonight. Stay tuned!
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