Mar 5, 2012 | Baltimore, celebration, commemorative, news, US Mint
Today, March 5, 2012, the 2012 Star-Spangled Banner Commemorative Coins will go on sale with a launch ceremony at the the Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine. Program is scheduled to begin at 11:00 A.M. at the Visitor Center and sales to begin at 11:30 A.M.
According to the media release from Maryland War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission, the group organizing the bicentennial of what historians consider America’s second revolutionary war against the British, “Those who purchase a coin that day will receive a Certificate of Authenticity from the United States Mint and a special acknowledgement from the Maryland War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission.”
In addition to the coin sales, specially made chocolate versions of the coins will be offered by Kirchmayr Chocolatiers, a Baltimore company specializing in fine European chocolate.
If you cannot make it to Baltimore for the launch, fear not! Your intrepid blogger will be making the trip, camera and iPhone in hand. As part of the trip, I will be live tweeting on Twitter from Baltimore. Follow me @coinsblog to read about the ceremony and see some the pictures I take. I plan to shoot video of the ceremony and will post an edited version later this week.
Did You Know?
Fort McHenry was built prior to the War of 1812. The fort is named for
James McHenry, Secretary of War, 1796-1800.
Fort McHenry aerial image and nugget courtesy of the National Park Service.
Dec 30, 2011 | history, news
Why do you collect? Around here we collect coins, currency, exonumia, and other forms of numismatics. In addition to coins, I collect post cards with subjects that are meaningful to me—such as the little village on Long Island where I first grew up. I also collect lapel pins that I have either picked up over the years or have some other meaning to me. For me, my collection has a meaning to me, including the set to New York City Subway tokens.
Those of us who are collectors knows that along with the thrill of the chase, there are times when we can take it too far. When does it become too much?
The New York Times opinion section, Room for Debate, asked seven experts in various areas of collecting to try to answer these questions. One of the experts that were invited to write a short item for the December 30th discussion, “Why We Collect Stuff” is your favorite blog host.
Besides, if you are curious as to what I look like, there is a current picture (a head shot taken last Sunday) associated with the article.
All of the articles are well written and add value to the discussion about collecting and hoarding. I invite my readers to read the discussion. You can either comment on The New York Times website or you can return here—or both!
May 2, 2011 | commemorative, medals, news
We learned from President Barack Obama that the Joint Special Operations Command found Osama Bin Laden in a compound outside of Islamabad, Pakistan and killed him during a raid. A grateful nation thanks the members of JSOC for your successful operation and we are glad that none of your members were injured in the process.
With the death of Osama Bin Laden nearly ten years after the attacks on September 11, 2001, we should remember all of those that died in those attacks on U.S. soil at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and Shanksville, Pennsylvania. We should also honor the sacrifices made by the members of the United States military and their families who gave of themselves and lives in the war on terrorism.
As numismatists, we can show our support in many ways. One way is to remember that later this year, the U.S. Mint will issue a silver commemorative medal whose surcharge of $10 per medal will be paid to the National September 11 Memorial & Museum at the World Trade Center to support the operations and maintenance. The bill, National September 11 Memorial & Museum Commemorative Medal Act of 2010, was signed into law on August 6, 2010 (Public Law No. 111-221 [Text] [PDF]) authorizes the production of 2 million one-ounce proof silver medals.
According to the law, the “design of the medals struck under this Act shall be emblematic of the courage, sacrifice, and strength of those individuals who perished in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the bravery of those who risked their lives to save others that day, and the endurance, resilience, and hope of those who survived.” Each medal must include the inscription of the years “2001-2011” and “Always Remember.” Medals can only be struck at the U.S. Mint facility at West Point and at Philadelphia.
At last report, the images in this post are those that have been recommended by the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts and the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee. The U.S. Mint has not announced the whether they accepted the recommendations or when the medals will be available for purchase. Although I am not a medal collector, this is one medal I will purchase!
As for my feelings, I think the great jurist Clarence Darrow summed it up best: “I never wanted to see anybody die, but there are a few obituary notices I have read with pleasure.”
Did You Know?
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