12/31 Numismatic News

		Gold Prices Settle Lower, Silver Touches 30-Year High December 30, 2010 at 2:41 PM   Gold prices closed lower Thursday for the first time this week after better-than-expected U.S. jobs... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
		US Mint Sales: 2010 Silver Eagles Unchanged, Proof Sells Out December 30, 2010 at 10:57 AM   The most interesting aspect of the US Mint sales figures this week is the zero reported increase... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
		The Nosferatu Dollar – Thursday Kitcommentary From Kitco Metals Inc. December 30, 2010 at 7:40 AM   The precious metals complex bounced around within narrow price ranges and exhibited signs of some... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

12/30 Numismatic Collecting News » Featured

		Coin Rarities & Related Topics: The Ten Leading Topics of 2010 December 29, 2010 at 8:10 AM   News and Analysis on scarce coins, coin markets, and the coin collecting community #33 A Weekly Column by Greg Reynolds This is my last column of the year 2010. It seems appropriate to list the ten leading topics of the year, starting with number ten. Please note that I am referring to news relating to rare U.S. coins, not to coins actually minted in 2010 or to coins minted in recent years. In addition to often discussing rarities, I have written, and will write more, about classic coins that are not rare. Please see my two part series on why 1933/34 is the clear dividing line between classic and modern U.S. coins (part 1 – part 2), and my column on advice for beginning and intermediate collectors. I have recently written about modern coins as well. (As always, clickable links are in blue.) X. The Fate of 1933 $20 gold coins For decades, the U.S. Treasury Department has maintained that it is not legal for individuals to possess 1933 Double Eagles. Indeed, the Federal Government has allocated considerable funds to chase and seize 1933 Double Eagles ($20 gold coins). In 2002, Stephen Fenton, who owned a 1933 Double Eagle, and the U.S. Treasury reached a settlement that stipulated that the Fenton 1933 Double Eagle be sold at auction and the proceeds, after the auction house's commission, be split between Fenton and the U.S. Treasury Department, which granted title to the successful bidder. Sotheby's, in partnership with Stack's, auctioned the Fenton 1933 Double Eagle for $7.59 million on July 30, 2002. This result remains the auction record for a coin. The Switt-Langbord family acknowledges inheriting ten 1933 Double Eagles. The U.S. Treasury Department and the Langbord family are currently involved in litigation over the title to these ten 1933 Double Eagles. Although the Langbord case could have been more of a non-story than a story in 2010, as not much happened in Federal Court, it was discussed at length by innumerable collectors and received much attention in the media. Importantly, researcher Roger Burdette announced in 2010 that he unearthed government documents that demonstrate that the "first 1933 Double Eagles were struck March 2nd, during the Hoover administration." Before Burdette's recent find, the "assumed date was March 15 or shortly before, since that was the initial delivery date." Moreover, Burdette discovered that the Mint Cashier was provided with forty-three 1933 Double Eagles on March 4 and these "balanced" the accounting of the production of 1932 Double Eagles as some 1932 Double Eagles were earlier found to be defective. So, in my (this writer's) view, some or all of these 1933 Double Eagles that were counted, for bookkeeping purposes, as 1932 Double Eagles could certainly have been traded to collectors and dealers. Documents discovered by Burdette support the argument that collectors may have legally traded earlier dated Double Eagles for 1933 Double Eagles before President Roosevelt ordered the Treasury Department to stop 'paying out' gold coins. From the 1790s to the 1930s, there were many coins and other numismatic items that were released to collectors or dealers at the discretion of U.S. Mint personnel. For decades, as long as 'the books balanced' in that no gold or silver was missing, it was considered acceptable for collectors to obtain scarce or rare U.S. coins directly from U.S. Mint officials, provided that such collectors paid for the coins, often by trading relatively common coins for scarcer or rare coins. There are many privately owned U.S. coins and patterns for which no records survive, or for which records are incomplete, and these are generally regarded as being legitimately owned by collectors or dealers. IX. 1794 Silver Dollars In May, Steve Contursi privately sold his PCGS certified 'Specimen-66′ 1794 silver dollar to the Cardinal Educational Foundation for a price reported to be "$7.85 million." In August, the Boyd 1794 dollar was auctioned for $1,207,500. The Boyd 1794 is discussed in my column of June 23rd, and my analysis of the auction result is in my column of Aug. 11. The Boyd 1794 was NGC graded MS-64 and is now PCGS graded MS-63+. It is the fifth finest k! nown 1794 dollar, behind the Carter-Contursi, Rogers-Stellar, Jimmy Hayes, and Norweb pieces. The magnitude of the demand for 1794 silver dollars astonishes me. Yes, these are the first silver dollars minted by the United States. Even so, there are more than one hundred and thirty 1794 dollars in existence, including at least six that are truly uncirculated. Furthermore, there survive many naturally toned Very Fine or Extremely Fine grade 1794 dollars. Moreover, unlike 1796 quarters, 1796 'No Stars' Quarter Eagles, and 1808 Quarter Eagles, 1794 dollars are NOT a one-year type coins. The Flowing Hair design was also employed for the production of silver dollars in 1795, and thousands of 1795 Flowing Hair dollars survive. In any event, it is clear that collectors fervently demand 1794 dollars and regard these as being of tremendous importance. VIII. The sale of a 1943-D cent for $1.7 million Curiously, the collector known as Simpson paid $1.7 million for the only known 1943-D cent that was struck in copper, rather than on a zinc coated steel planchet (prepared blank.) Certainly, this is a private sale record for a Lincoln Cent of any kind and for a Mint Error of any kind. About this transaction, please see my column of Sept 29. Regarding off-metal strikings of World War II era cents, please click to read my two part series on ones that sold in 2008 (part 1 – part 2). VII. The Sale of Dr. Duckor's Barber Halves Among coin people who reveal their names and their viewpoints, Dr. Steven Duckor is the leading living collector. He is certainly one of the most sophisticated collectors of all time. Collectors and other experts were overwhelmed when Dr. Duckor's collection of Barber Halves was sold in the official ANA auction in Boston. Many auction records were set. More importantly, Duckor's Barber Half collection served a great educational purpose for those who cannot afford to buy them, as the showing and auctioning of these halves enabled collectors to learn about the meanings of quality, natural toning, and special striking characteristics in regard to Barber coins. Though I strongly attempt to convey, in writing, aspects of coins that sophisticated collectors' value, there is just no substitute for actually examining coins that are special. (Please read my articles on Duckor's Halves, Part 1 – Part 2, and my column of Aug. 4th.) Also, many of Dr. Duckor's halves were previously in other great collections, like those of the Norweb family and Emery-Nichols. Learning about choice and important coins that were in epic collections contributes to an understanding of the factors that determine greatness in U.S. coins and whole collections. VI. The Rage for Type One Double Eagles The year 2010 has been characterized by manic demand for, and increases in supply of, Type One Double Eagles ($20 gold coins), which were minted from 1850 to 1866. Though many collectors and speculators sold such coins during the year 2010, often to take advantage of relatively strong market levels for coins of this type, the demand not just 'held up,' the demand grew. My columns of May 19, of June 30, Aug. 11, and Sept. 22, cover specific, rare Type One Double Eagles t! hat traded this year. Of course, there are thousands of other Type One Double Eagles that I did not write about, though I did discuss 1857-S Double Eagles from the shipwreck of the S. S. Central America. (Remember that links in blue are clickable.) V. The Increasing Impact of the CAC The CAC was founded by John Albanese in Oct. 2007. In my column of June 16, I reported that the CAC surpassed the $150 million level in coin transactions. Undoubtedly, the CAC has accrued total revenues of more than $175 million by now. Not only does the CAC approve (or reject) submitted coins that have already been graded by the PCGS or the NGC, the CAC competitively buys CAC approved coins, usually for premium prices. Frequently, a coin with a CAC sticker will sell for substantially more than a coin of the same date, type and certified grad! e, but not CAC approved. The CAC has dramatically changed coin markets and has served an educational function, as a significant number of the coins that the CAC rejects have been doctored or have other serious problems. In 2007 and 2008, the CAC was just beginning to accelerate and was being tested in the marketplace. In the year 2010, the CAC became much more widely accepted and really began to mature. IV. The Combination of Stack's and B&M The news pertaining to B&M and Stack's is very recent that it is much too early to judge its impact. According to a press release issued by Spectrum on Dec. 22nd, the parent of B&M, Spectrum, will own "51%" of the combined Stack's-Bowers entity and Stack's will own the other "49%." Though the Anderson family, or entities they own, have a majority interest in Stack's, Chris Karstedt and QDB are shareholders in Stack's as well. If the new entity is 49% owned by Stack's, not 49% owned by the Andersons, then will Karstedt and QDB remain shareholders? It is has already been announced that veteran dealer Chris Napolitano will be the president of the combined entity. There are now just three auction firms that are widely recognized as specialists in rare U.S. coins, Heritage, Stack's-Bowers, and the Goldbergs. All three firms also auction world coins, as do many other firms in the U.S. and elsewhere. Some art auction firms sell coins, too. Art auction firms do not, however, have the same stature or command the same level of respect among coin collectors as the auction houses that specialize in coins. In 2005, there were seven auction houses that specialized in scarce or rare U.S. coins: Heritage, B&M-Spectrum, ANR, Stack's, the Goldbergs, Superior and DLRC. Before the end of that year, John Feigenbaum, the president of DLRC, had decided to stop conducting live auctions and focus instead on Internet-only sales. Less than two years after DGSE acquired Superior in 2007, DGSE shut down Superior's auction division. The Andersons bought a controlling interest in ANR, probably from Chris Karstedt, and then later acquired a controlling interest in Stack's. By late 2006, ANR and Stack's were awkwardly combining into one, and the ANR name was dropped. By May 2009, Harvey and Larry Stack had departed. Chris Karstedt and QDB seemed to be running Stack's from New Hampshire, subject to oversight from the Andersons, who operate media companies in the South. Presently, with just three U.S. coin-centered auction firms, there is much less competition in this field than there has been during the last four decades or so. Some accomplished economists contend that just two or three firms in an industry are sufficient for the benefits of competition to be actualized. I am, though, a little concerned by this lessening of competition. III. The auctioning of a nickel for $3,737,500 Yes, it is true that the Eliasberg 1913 Liberty Nickel sold privately for $5 million in 2007. So, why is it so spectacular that the Olsen-Hawn 1913 Liberty Nickel sold for $3,737,500? There is a tremendous difference between a private sale and an auction result. Before Jan. 7, 2010, a 1913 Liberty Nickel had not sold at auction since this Eliasberg 1913 realized $1,840,000 in March 2001. The Olsen-Hawn 1913 had last been auctioned for $962,500 in 1993. The $3,737,500 result is tied for the third highest price that a coin has ever realized at auction. The $7.59 million price for the Fenton 1933 Double Eagle is mentioned above. On Aug. 30, 1999, B&M, then managed by QDB and Karstedt, sold the Childs 1804 dollar for $4.14 million. In April 2008, Heritage auctioned the Mickley-Hawn-Queller 1804 dollar for this same price, $3,737,500. Also, Sotheby's auctioned a medal on Dec. 11, 2007 for $5,305,000; consider clicking to read my preview and auction report articles about this medal. No matter how auction data is analyzed, the $3,737,500 result for the Olsen-Hawn 1913 Liberty Nickel is extraordinarily significant. II. The PCGS Lawsuit Against Alleged Coin Doctors I have devoted two columns to the PCGS lawsuit against alleged coin doctors, those of June 2nd and Sept. 8th. I will write more about it. It would not make sense, however, to summarize this suit here. The most pressing issue facing the coin collecting community is the need to contain the coin doctoring problem. Every day, important rarities are harmed by coin doctors who seek to deceive the grading services and collectors into believing that doctored coins are of higher quality than these were before they were doctored. In reality, doctoring a coin reduces its quality, often to a terrible extent. I. The PCGS SecurePlus Program While lawsuits and exposure in general deter coin doctoring activities, the new technologies that the PCGS introduced (and continue to develop) as the central components of the SecurePlus program have tremendous potential to identify doctored coins and to curtail grade-inflation. If properly and fully implemented, the PCGS SecurePlus program may be miraculous. So far, it has been disappointing. Nonetheless, the technologies involved are wonderful and are just beginning to be appreciated. Please read my recent two part series on the PCGS SecurePlus program, part 1– part 2. ©2010 Greg Reynolds   Related posts: Coin Rarities & Related Topics: 1856-O Double Eagles and other Great Rarities that I have seen Coin Rarities & Related Topics: 1794 Silver Dollar sells for $1,207,500, and More Auction News Coin Rarities & Related Topics: Great Coins at the ANA Convention in Boston

12/29 Numismatic coin collecting news

Coin Rarities & Related Topics: The Ten Leading Topics of 2010 CoinLink The most pressing issue facing the coin collecting community is the need to contain the coin doctoring problem. Every day, important rarities are harmed by ... See all stories on this topic » CoinLink

Are Rare Coins Investments? : Coin Collecting News By Steve Roach It's a collection of coins that tracks the high end of the market, with a diverse group of rare U.S. coins in high grades. Coin World's rare coin index gained 15.8 percent in 2006, registered a 31.9 percent gain in 2007, ... Coin Collecting News - http://www.coinlink.com/News/

US Mint 2011 Schedule of Coin Product Release Dates | Collecting News By United States Mint Collectors and gift-givers, mark your calendars! The 2011 Scheduled Products Listing is also available online at http://usmint.gov/catalog. The list will be updated as products are added and/or on-sale dates ... Coin Collecting News - http://www.coincollectingnews.org/

Coin Collecting News: United States Mint Releases 2011 Scheduled ... By A.C. Dwyer Coin Collecting News. The latest news in the world of numismatics. Also visit A.C. Dwyer's Website. Wednesday, December 29, 2010. United States Mint Releases 2011 Scheduled Products Listing. (US Mint Press Release) WASHINGTON ... Coin Collecting News - http://coincollectingnews.blogspot.com/

Details on Business in Asia, Africa | Coin Collecting By admin Related Items: business destination coin collecting, Goznak coin collecting, liquefied natural gas coin collecting, prime business destination coin collecting, Renova coin collecting, Russia coin collecting ... Coin Collecting - http://www.mycoincollector.com/

Washington Quarter | coin collecting By Martin It is true that USC would lose to Washington in the fourth quarter. 4? Late in the game and USC is not as good as you think. Pray, come back late? Oh, 16-13. coin collecting - http://www.coincollecting101.com/

The Last Tuesday Trivia - Coin Collecting - The Hobby of Kings Back in August 2006 I wrote the first Tuesday Trivia post. I've been posting them ever since for over three years. I've decided tomorrow's Tuesday trivia ... coincollector.org/archives/006289.html

12/28 Numismatic coin collecting news

How to Get an 83% Discount on a Rare Silver Coin DailyWealth By Tom Dyson, publisher, Common Sense Investing Back then, coin collecting was a tough business. You had to be an expert, or you'd get ripped off. ... See all stories on this topic »

Royal Australian Mint Releases Ashes Cricket Series Coin CoinNews.net (press release) Assistant Treasurer Bill Shorten said "Aussie coin collecting is a pastime that is even older than the Ashes themselves, so I think this is a terrific move ... See all stories on this topic » CoinNews.net (press release)

Background And Advantages Of Quarter Coin Collecting | Currency ... By admin Article by Christopher S. Norwood Collecting coins has been a long-standing hobby which has been. Currency Trading Exchange Guide - http://currencytradingexchangeguide.com/

More News at a Glance – December 28, 2010 : Coin Collecting News By CoinLink Heritage Auctions' World & Ancient Coins sale on January 3-4 is billed as being its "largest" World Coin auction to date – and one of the most hotly anticipated lots in the auction is also one of the largest gold coins in the world. ... Coin Collecting News - http://www.coinlink.com/News/

Cool Coin Collecting Books images-Coin Collecting Book: Handbook ... By Antique Clocks Most of the expert coin collectors advise that every "newbie" in coin collecting should buy a book before he buys a coin. Engaging in this activity is not merely a "finder's keepers" type of game. The argument of this concept is based ... Antique Clocks Grand Father Clocks... - http://www.antiqueclockdeals.com/

Buy American Eagle Gold Coins | Coin Collecting By admin Related Items: Buy American Eagle coin collecting, good returns coin collecting, market investment coin collecting, numismatics coin collecting, small amounts coin collecting, stock markets coin collecting ... Coin Collecting - http://www.mycoincollector.com/

Coin Trivia for 28 December 2010 - Coin Collecting - The Hobby of ... By dan 1. During what years were Standing Liberty quarters struck only at the Philadelphia Mint? 2. When did the first Philadelphia Mint's major fire occur? 3 . Who designed the $50 pattern of 1877? 4. What is... Coin Collecting - The Hobby of Kings - http://coincollector.org/

Web 5 new results for coin collecting

All Coin Grading Companies Are Not The Same - Coin Collecting Slabbed coins graded by a third party grading service are supposed to be a guarantee that the slabbed coin has been accurately graded and certified. www.bellaonline.com/articles/art70056.asp

YouTube - Coin Collecting Is Sexy - Brothel Token Paris 1890s ... Here's another quirkly token video. Sexy Coin Collecting - Brothel Token Paris 1890s-1900s 25 Rue Sainte Apolline Lots more tokens reviewed at: ... www.youtube.com/watch?v=FU0Qpylpi0Y&feature...

How much is my £2 coin worth with 2 dates on it which are 1707 and... Coin Collecting Question: How much is my £2 coin worth with 2 dates on it which ... How Much Money Does My 2 Pound Coin Worth, As Its Got 2 Dates On It An.. ... www.blurtit.com/q1340218.html

5 Tips For Handling An Estate Collection Of Coins - The Fun Times ... Handling an estate collection of coins can be a difficult task, but these 5 tips may help make that daunting task much easier. coins.thefuntimesguide.com/2010/12/estate_collection.php

old coin prices Coin collecting is a fascinating endeavor as long as you know what you\'re ... Coin collectors, old and new, have always wondered whether the coin or coins ... ezinemark.com/a/old-coin-prices/

12/27 Numismatic collecting news

Benefits of Owning Certified Coins Burbank.com News If you are in to coin collecting for investment purposes, you immediately know the worth. The complete worth might not mean as much to you if you are a ... See all stories on this topic »

United States Mint 2011 Presidential Dollar Coin Designs ... By United States Mint The United States Mint announced the designs for the 2011 Presidential $1 Coins. The obverse (heads side) of next year's coins will bear the dramatic portraits of former Presidents Andrew ... Coin Collecting News - http://www.coincollectingnews.org/

Coin Collecting: A Great Hob For Anyone | Currency Trading ... By admin Article by Jeremy Smith There are myriad reasons that one might think of for beginning their own. Currency Trading Exchange Guide - http://currencytradingexchangeguide.com/

No Comments - Coin Collecting By admin Related Items: common silver dollar coin collecting, coyote coin collecting, Engelhard coin collecting, helpful.silver rounds coin collecting, silver coins coin collecting, Silver Philharmonics coin collecting ... Coin Collecting - http://www.mycoincollector.com/

All Coin Grading Companies Are Not The Same – Coin Collecting ... By Antique Clocks Slabbed coins graded by a third party grading service are supposed to be a guarantee that the slabbed coin has been accurately graded and certified. Lately there has been a proliferation of substandard third party coin grading services. ... Antique Clocks Grand Father Clocks... - http://www.antiqueclockdeals.com/

"The Numbers" and Diligent Research Show that Coin Elves Really Do ... By Paul Barford In the comments to an old post, one NormanW has joined the discussion on looting and coin collecting. As is typical this is a fresh profile giving no information about the poster, so we really do not know who this Norman "W." is though ... Portable Antiquity Collecting... - http://paul-barford.blogspot.com/

12/25 Numismatic News

The Value of Having the Contemporary Coin Collecting Guide | Coin ... By admin These coin collecting guides list a range of coins and their prices. why is this relevant? well, if you are at a coin collecting show and you have your eye on a coin that would be wonderful for your collection, would not you like to ... Coin Collecting - http://www.mycoincollector.com/

How To Begin Numismatic Coin Collecting | By Mark Freeman by woody1778a How To Begin Numismatic Coin Collecting Originally the province of royalty and privileged classes, numismatic coin collecting was. - http://www.silverandgoldexplosion.com/

GTI Club Supermini Festa! (Wii) Multiplayer Gameplay: Coin ... By admin www.thesportsgamer.com Coin Collecting Online Multiplayer gameplay from GTI Club Supermini Festa! for the Nintendo Wii. Currency Trading Exchange Guide - http://currencytradingexchangeguide.com/

Ancient Coin Collecting: Merry Christmas By Wayne G. Sayles Ancient Coin Collecting. Comments related to issues of cultural property management and other topics of personal interest. Saturday, December 25, 2010. Merry Christmas. To those celebrating Christmas today, my wife Doris and I wish the ... Ancient Coin Collecting - http://ancientcoincollecting.blogspot.com/

Morgan Dollars: How to Build a Quality Collection | APS Online ... By APS The current level of interest in coin collecting and investing in precious metals is at a peak, and Morgan Silver Dollar Coins are some of the most beloved and highly-collected American coins that were ever produced by the U.S. Mint. ... APS Online Articles Directory - http://www.askpetroshore.com/

Coin Collecting Coin collecting is the collecting or trading of coins or other forms of minted legal tender.Coins of interest to collectors often include those that ... www.docstoc.com/docs/67928915/Coin-Collecting

I have a 2 pound coin that has the bill of rights on the edge and... Coin Collecting Question: I have a 2 pound coin that has the bill of rights on the edge and then has two dates 1689 and 1989? www.blurtit.com/q6561091.html

12/24 Numismatic News

		Gold, Silver and Platinum Prices Decline, Palladium Edges Higher December 23, 2010 at 2:24 PM   U.S. gold prices fell slightly Thursday in another session of low-volume trading and year-end... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
		Lincoln Presidential $1 Coin & First Spouse Medal Set Issued December 23, 2010 at 12:07 PM   The United States Mint on Thursday issued the Lincoln Presidential $1 Coin & First Spouse... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
		US Mint Sales: 2010 Proof Gold Eagles Take Lead, Half Ounce Sells Out December 23, 2010 at 9:50 AM   US Mint sales were mixed. 2010 Proof Gold Eagles shined the brightest as a group, rebounding from... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
		Thursday Kitcommentary From Kitco Metals Inc. – Top THAT Tree December 23, 2010 at 8:08 AM   Gold prices opened lower this morning, falling for a second session as the yellow metal came under... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
		Bowers and Merena to Merge with Stack's, Create Stack's-Bowers Numismatics December 22, 2010 at 10:08 PM   Spectrum Group International, Inc. (SPGZ.PK) announced today that its subsidiary Bowers and Merena... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]