Just a few of the coins that I gave away from the cash register
National Coin Week has come and gone, and I did not find anything in my change. Even though I purposely carried one and five dollar bills to create change, there was nothing to be found.
In my shop, I advertised that I would trade a 40-percent silver half-dollar for a W mint quarter. Most of the people who came by did not know about the quarter.
While the lack of interest seems disheartening, there appears to be a growing problem with the coverage of these stories. Aside from a few local accounts, there were few reports from the national news media. Even with Congress being out of town this week, all of the national press seems to be buried in their respective corners looking for red meat to chew.
No wonder the public does not trust the media.
And where was the numismatic community? Last week, I was busy posting a lot of news releases from the numismatic industry (news.coinsblog.ws). This week, the only post was a found video from a few years ago. Where were the national or regional organizations?
If nobody knows the numismatic industry is here and cares then why should anyone care?
It might be time for the numismatic industry to have a lesson in public relations because if they think what they are doing now is working, the foot traffic into my shop where collectors of all type visit tell me it is not!
Archaeologists have been researching interesting findings in the Liptov region. A married couple during a hike to the Choč mountain near Likavka made a great discovery of silver and two golden coins from the turn of 15th and 16th century, My Liptov wrote. → Read more at spectator.sme.sk
A group of amateur treasure hunters in England found a horde of gold and silver coins from the 14th-century that could be worth nearly $200,000 according to experts. → Read more at foxnews.com
Collectors are expected to place millions of vintage coins and paper money back into circulation as part of a nationwide event. → Read more at mercurynews.com
A man bought a box of Milk Duds in Tiburon this week with a handful of Indian Head cents. “We’re trying to do something here,” said Don Kagin, just before using an 1876 quarter to help pay for a pound of butter. → Read more at sfchronicle.com
CLAREMORE, OK. – An Oklahoma man is offering $10,000 in exchange for one penny. Richard McPheeters is a coin dealer and collector in Claremore, and he is looking for a rare penny to complete a set. This isn’t your average penny. The particular penny he is searching for is a certified 1982 Small Date Denver mint penny made of copper. 1982 was the last year pennies were made from copper. McPheeters has 7 of these pennies out of 8 from the Denver mint and he is looking for the 8th one. → Read more at whnt.com
National Park Service officials at Glen Canyon National Recreation Area are puzzling over an apparent discovery of old Spanish coins — do they represent a remark → Read more at lakepowelllife.com
Challenge coins are handed out to commemorate American military campaigns. But the trinkets carry different weight when displayed beside tokens from earlier wars that failed. → Read more at nytimes.com
A Fort Mill, South Carolina man got a call from Tennessee about an unusual penny with his father’s information on it. Sgt. Clifford Wilford served the Army in Europe from D-Day to liberation during WWII. → Read more at heraldonline.com
NUR-SULTAN — Kazakhstan’s National Bank has issued freshly minted coins with engraved texts in the country's new Latin-based alphabet. The new tenge coins were issued on April 26 in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 tenges, the bank said in a statement. → Read more at rferl.org
Since Sunday was a holiday, today is really the first full day of National Coin Week and the Great American Coin Hunt. As you go to work and buy your morning coffee, breakfast, lunch, or anything else during the day, check the change you receive. There could be a surprise.
For those who come into my shop this week, I will be adding some older coins to the cash register and have a few giveaways for the young numismatists who visit.
I will do what I can in support of the hobby, but what about you.
Since I have not posted a poll in a while, I thought this would be a good way to start the week.
Are you joining the Great American Coin Hunt?
Yes, I am! I am even going to bank to buy rolls of coins. (26%, 5 Votes)
Yes, I am! I may not be searching rolls, but I am spending more cash to look for coins. (16%, 3 Votes)
I am, but it is a casual pursuit. (16%, 3 Votes)
I am not searching but I did add some coins into circulation. (11%, 2 Votes)
No, I cannot be bothered. (11%, 2 Votes)
What is the Great American Coin Hunt? (11%, 2 Votes)
Not only am I searching for coins but I have added some for other people to find. (5%, 1 Votes)
No, I use credit or debit cards for all of my purchases. (5%, 1 Votes)
National Coin Week is celebrated every third week of April to bring awareness to those neat little metal items jingling in your pocket as something that makes a fun collectible. This year the numismatic community is going all out to get you to look at your change with the Great American Coin Hunt. Why? Because change hunting is how many of us started. While finding silver coins may be rare (or is it?), there are still collectible coins in circulation.
Round Table Trading is a nationwide organization of coin dealers. Members of the Round Table have committed to placing collectible coins into circulation. Coins will range from Indian Head Cents to Morgan Dollars and everything in between. You may want to examine that dime you just received in change carefully because it could be a Mercury Dime that was struck by the U.S. Mint from 1916-1946.
I already own a 1909-S VDB Lincoln Cent, but I will be looking, too!
One dealer said he placed a 1909-S VDB Lincoln Cent in circulation. When the Lincoln Cent was introduced in 1909, there was an outcry because the designer of the coin, Victor David Brenner, put his initials at the bottom of the coin’s reverse. After producing 484,000 of the coins in San Francisco, production was interrupted so that new dies can be made without the “V.D.B” initials (the lack of a period after the B is not a typo). If you find a 1909-S VDB cent in your change, it will be worth about $2,000! Although I own one of these coveted coins, I will also be looking!
Also, look for coins with silver and gold stickers on them. If you find one, bring it to a coin dealer and redeem it for something worth more. Silver stickers can be traded for silver coins, and gold stickers will get you a gold coin. There are rumors that some dealers will redeem a gold sticker for a Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle ($20) gold coin worth more than $2,500.
The U.S. Mint is also participating by releasing the first-ever circulating coins with the “W” mint mark to indicate that the coins were minted at the facility in West Point, New York. In 2019, the U.S. Mint will add 10 million quarters, two million for each of the 2019 America the Beautiful Quarter Series coins, into circulation. After being struck at West Point, 1 million of each quarter will be sent to the mints at Philadelphia and Denver to be mixed in with the circulating coins that will be delivered to the Federal Reserve.
Although you might think that producing 10 million coins is not rare, consider that the U.S. Mint will produce nearly 1 BILLION quarters in a year making it about 1-percent of the Mint’s quarters production.
GREENWICH – A high school senior from Greenwich is bringing a very modern approach to the ancient pastime of coin collection. Christian Hartch, 18, was given a small collector's book for pennies by his father, Greg, when he was 5. He's been obsessed with numismatics, the study of coins, ever since, and brought his enthusiasm to thousands of followers on YouTube. → Read more at greenwichtime.com
Byzantine ruler created the 438 Theodosian law code, which collected the thousands of imperial laws of the sprawling empire and officially made Jews second-class citizens → Read more at timesofisrael.com
A new dollar coin designed to commemorate 50 years of homosexual rights has sparked a dual backlash — from both members of Canada’s LGBT community and from a social conservative group. → Read more at cbc.ca
A gold and silver coins hoard was found by four treasure hunters with a metal detector in a field in Buckinghamshire and includes 12 rare full gold coins from the time of the Black Death. → Read more at dailymail.co.uk
EASTON — Take a moment to really count your change next week, you might be surprised to find some unusual and collectible coins.As part of National → Read more at tauntongazette.com
Today I was able to see a West Point Mint struck Lowell National Historical Park quarter. The problem was that it was not my coin.
One of my regular customers came into the shop to ask about the quarter. He had heard that there was a bounty issued to find the first quarter and wanted to know if I could help claim the prize.
I was surprised when he dropped five 2019-W quarters in my hands. After I explained that the first-find bounty was claimed, I asked how he found five coins. The answer was obvious: roll hunting.
My customer works in the Baltimore area and stopped in a few banks to buy a few rolls. He said that he could buy two rolls at each bank without the tellers complaining that he is not a customer. When he searched through the rolls, he found the five coins.
I do not know why I was surprised by the coin roll response. It would make sense that if the U.S. Mint were sending the bags directly to the Federal Reserve for circulation, the rolls would be at the banks rather than in circulation. Large retailers usually get their change from logistics companies who specialize in transporting large sums of money. Small retailers may have a small batch of coins that are just stored and not circulated. Both situations are not conducive to forcing coins into circulation.
Then I read that one of the PCGS $5,000 First Discover winners found the coin at the end of a roll.
When I closed the shop earlier today, I opened the five rolls of quarters I purchased from my bank on Thursday. To put it in baseball terms, I am oh-for-200 with a batting average of .000! That is definitely below the Mendoza Line!
Although I am still searching for a quarter with a W mintmark in my change, it does not mean I am not finding anything. Today’s find was not in change but from the bottom of a box.
Peering inside the little purse we see the coin
Little Pink Doll Purse found in a box
I picked up a box that someone used to bring in a consignment, dumped the packing peanuts into another box, and began to prepare to fill the box for shipping. When I checked the box, I found a little pink purse stuck to the bottom.
A few months ago, a client delivered dolls and other collectibles they did not want to take on their move across the country. We sold most of the collectibles and moved on. But this little purse found something in the box to attach itself to and stayed behind.
I opened the purse to find a little handkerchief and a penny. How cute, I thought, they put a penny in the doll’s handbag. The edge of the coin showed a distinctive red color and wondered about the year. Considering that most of the toys were from the 1990s, I was expecting to see a period coin.
Imagine my surprise when I removed the coin and found it was a 1907 Indian Head cent. The red colored coin has signs of toning on the obverse, likely from being stored in the purse with a little cotton hankie. The coin looks like it has never been in circulation.
I am not a fan of toned coins, but this one is light enough to enhance the red coloring of the coin rather than being a different color.
The images of the coin do not do it justice. I should have taken the picture on a white background and away from fluorescent lights. But I wanted to send the picture to someone who might be interested in the coin.
If that person does not buy the coin, I may take the chance to send it to a grading service. I think it could probably grade MS64-RD. It is such a pretty coin that it is worth the risk. After all, mint state Indian Head cents graded as red-brown start at $40. I cannot lose!
Fifty cents = $5,000: The two Quarter Quest-winning PCGS First Discovery 2019-W Lowell quarter dollars side-by-side. (Photo credit: Professional Coin Grading Service www.PCGS.com.)
During the week, I had two occasions to go to the bank and purchase rolls of quarters. Even though I asked for new rolls, most of the quarters I received were either from 2018 or non-W mint quarters from 2019. In the shop, I checked every quarter received for payment and when I received quarters in change.
The competitive side of me wanted to be the first, or amongst the first to find one of these quarters. Even after running errands earlier today, I did not find any coin struck in 2019.
When you rifle around in your purse for some change soon, you might be lucky enough to pull out a new 50 cent coin, launched today by the Royal Australian Mint to celebrate the International Year of Indigenous Languages. → Read more at theconversation.com
Australia has issued a new coin celebrating some of the country’s indigenous languages, many of which are at risk of extinction. → Read more at cnn.com
Why is gold valuable? For thousands of years, gold has functioned as a store of wealth that sees its value climb in times of economic or societal unrest. Gold jewelry has been a sought-after luxury good since before the dawn of the first civilizations. → Read more at gainesvillecoins.com
SARANAC LAKE — Stephen Krupka’s metal detector beeped and wailed as he passed it over the soft ground Tuesday afternoon. “Looks like we’ve got a nickel signal here,” he said. Kneeling down, he took out a serrated hand trowel and cut a plug of grass from Denny Park on the corner of Pine Street and Bloomingdale Avenue. → Read more at adirondackdailyenterprise.com
A treasure hunter has struck it rich after digging up a 500-year-old gold coin that could be worth more than £4,000 ($5,200), but refuses to part with his rare find. Gareth Millward unearthed the coin in a field near Ashbourne, Derbyshire, and says it is the highlight of his four-year hobby. → Read more at dailymail.co.uk
(Kitco News) – Wall Street is split on the near-term direction of gold prices, while Main Street remains bullish, according to the weekly Kitco News gold survey. → Read more at kitco.com
This evening I was loading my truck to make a delivery. At least once per week am running out the door after closing to deliver items when my cell phone rang. After lifting a large desk into the bed of my pickup truck, I was initially dreading the call. This customer has canceled before after I loaded the truck.
But this was different. The call was from American Numismatic Association Executive Director Kim Kiick. As chair of the Technology Committee, or I think we are now called the money.org committee, we discuss issues that arise making a call from Colorado Springs not surprising. After securing the desk, I did not listen to the message. I just called her back.
Today’s call was different. Kim was not calling me to discuss an issue but to give me the news that the ANA Board of Governors has selected me to be the 2019 recipient of the Glenn Smedley Memorial Award!
WOW!
I was and am still SHOCKED! And very honored!!!
First, from the ANA’s website: “The Glenn Smedley Memorial Award was created in memory of Glenn B. Smedley, a collector’s collector, to recognize individuals who have devoted their efforts to the betterment of the ANA.”
I became a member of the Technolgy Committee a few years ago after publishing many articles on this blog about how far behind the ANA was in the use of technology. It was a chance to put-up or shut-up.
When the chair of the committee resigned, I was asked to succeed him. That was not a problem. I continue to believe in the mission of the ANA, and I believe that the only way to bring in younger members is to find ways of making the ANA more technology aware. I was not doing this for awards–especially now that I am trying to run a business.
I am rarely overwhelmed. Then I went to the website to see the list of past recipients and I am in absolute awe of the decision.
The award will be presented at the World’s Fair of Money this August. I should probably make arrangements to be there!
THANK YOU TO THE ANA BOARD OF GOVERNORS FOR THIS HONOR!
A few weeks ago, I wrote that when the U.S. Mint issues new coins into circulation, the U.S. media does not say much. Again, other than the American Legion promoting their commemorative coin, finding news in the non-numismatic press is rare.
Imagine my surprise when perusing my search of numismatic-related news in the media comes up with an article about the upcoming “W” mint quarters! The story appears on al.com, the website of The Birmingham News dedicated to cover the news for Alabama.
For those who did not see the news, last week, the U.S. Mint announced that for the first time, they would be adding the current War in the Pacific (Northern Mariana Islands) quarter America the Beautiful Quarter Series to bags of coins in Philadelphia and Denver. It will take a few weeks before these quarters will appear in circulation.
The article was a summary of the U.S. Mint press release with additional information about the America the Beautiful Quarters.
Kudos to the reporter, Leada Gore, and al.com for publishing this story!
SPRINGFIELD — Heads up, artists. The United States Mint is hosting a design competition looking for artists capable of creating the obverse, or heads, side of new commemorative U.S. Coins celebrating the game of basketball and benefitting the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. → Read more at masslive.com
Often it isn’t until a recession or times of economic/financial panic occur that middle-class Americans and conservative investors truly consider the impact of gold on their portfolio. While diversifying into precious metals shouldn’t be a decision you make without research, there are opportunities to invest lightly so you can begin to understand the potential that certain metals might have for your financial future when the dollar dips, but gold and silver stay stable, perhaps even growing. → Read more at topnewsgazette.com
Two metal detectorists who discovered an unprecedented treasure trove of coins after searching for 30 years may be wishing that finders were indeed keepers. Richard Miles, 56, and Reg Mead, 77, are at odds with officials over the valuation of their discovery in Jersey that is recognised as the world’s largest hoard of Celtic coins. → Read more at thetimes.co.uk
An amateur metal detectorist scouring the grounds of a field in Kent has discovered a perfectly preserved gold coin dating back almost 2,000 years. It is emblazoned with the face of Emperor Allectu who is being touted as the first Brexiteer after he took Britain out of the Roman Empire during his reign around 293AD. → Read more at dailymail.co.uk
The owner of a Vancouver coin shop who defrauded customers out of $1.4 million was sentenced in federal court Friday to four years in prison. → Read more at columbian.com
I found out in one of their multiple daily email blasts that Coin World is producing a podcast starring Chris Bulfinch and Jeff Starck.
A professionally produced podcast that is regularly published for the hobby is a good idea. I would become a listener but it is not possible. The podcast is not in the Apple Podcast directory and only available on directories other than Apple including Spotify, Stitcher, or TuneIn.
Aside from not having enough room on my iPhone for another app, I have a lot of time invested in my chosen podcast app that is configured to work with my weird listening schedule.
Why did Coin World make this decision? Shouldn’t they want to reach as many people as possible? After all, there are approximately 97.2 million iPhone users in the United States. That is approximately 47-percent of the smartphone market. And some research suggests that approximately two-thirds of podcast listeners use an Apple device. That is a lot of people to exclude!
Time and again it seems that when numismatics does something to try to reach beyond its borders using technology, the attempt reminds me of the 1971 kitschy movie The Gang that Couldn’t Shoot Straight. In this case, Coin World shot itself in the foot.
ADDENDUM: After I wrote this and queued it for posting, I went back to the announcement page on Coin World’s website and looked at the HTML source behind the page. I found the URL of the RSS feed that my podcast app could use to subscribe.
Even though I found the URL, I deconstructed the page to find where the link was hiding. Yes, it is hidden.
To find the link, you have to hover your mouse over the embedded podcast player on their webpage so that the controls appear. Click on the share button to the far right to bring up a share panel. There is a button that says “Get the RSS Feed.” Clicking on that will bring you to the feed.
Click on the share button? Really? Now that’s really intuitive!
Coin World is using Buzzsprout as their hosting service. There is nothing wrong with Buzzsprout although its embedded podcast player’s UX (user experience) leaves much to be desired. However, Buzzsprout is a well-rated service for podcast hosting.
Then again, Coin World should have read Buzzsprout’s “How to Make a Podcast” guide. Step 6 on their list is “Get listed in Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Spotify.” After all, it says “Listing your podcast in these directories will ensure that people can find your podcast when they search for it. Getting into these directories is the most important step in marketing your podcast.”
Coin World should have considered their overall UX when doing this. It’s an amateur’s mistake!
There once was a time that Coin World’s parent company, Amos, had a good technical group that was there to help the Amos properties but was also doing consulting. These were the people who were brought in to help get the improved money.org off the ground. The people we worked with were very intelligent.
Unfortunately, Amos did not retain this group following the issuing of the money.org request for proposal (RFP). These smart people went their separate ways. I hope they all have had a lot of success after leaving Amos. But for Coin World, it is too bad because this is a time when it seems that this they could have used expert assistance.
When it comes to numismatic-related legislation, proposing commemorative coin programs can look like a pastime to the members of Congress. At the prompting of constituent groups, members will submit bills that have everyone excited but does not deliver on its promise.
For now, the only commemorative coin program that has become law is the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2020.
In March, members of Congress have introduced bills to create five more commemorative coin programs. All have merit but the reality is that most of these bills will not pass Congress.
For the 116th Congress, there have been 16 numismatic-related bills submitted covering 13 different commemoratives (some are introduced in both the House and Senate to increase its chance of passage). One bill, Route 66 Centennial Commission Act (H.R. 66), was added to the watch list because the bill recommends a possible commemorative coin for the celebration.
Maybe there will be something more exciting to report next month.
S. 639: Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Centennial Commemorative Coin Act
Sponsor: Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR)
Introduced: March 4, 2019
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. — Mar 4, 2019
H.R. 1805: To require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration of the centennial of the establishment of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
Sponsor: Rep. Brad R. Wenstrup (R-OH)
Introduced: March 14, 2019
Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services. — Mar 14, 2019
H.R. 1865: To require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint a coin in commemoration of the opening of the National Law Enforcement Museum in the District of Columbia, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. William J. Pascrell (D-NJ)
Introduced: March 25, 2019
Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services. — Mar 25, 2019
H.R. 1923: To amend title 31, United States Code, to require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue quarter dollars in commemoration of the Nineteenth Amendment, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA)
Introduced: March 27, 2019
Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services. — Mar 27, 2019
H.R. 1982: To require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in recognition and celebration of the National Women’s Hall of Fame.
Sponsor: Rep. Joseph D. Morelle (D-NY)
Introduced: March 28, 2019
Referred to the Committee on Financial Services, and in addition to the Committee on the Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned. — Mar 28, 2019
April 11, 2019
→ Read more at spectator.sme.sk
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Did you hear? Coin World started a 
When it comes to numismatic-related legislation, proposing commemorative coin programs can look like a pastime to the members of Congress. At the prompting of constituent groups, members will submit bills that have everyone excited but does not deliver on its promise.
