Welcome to Something About Coins! The U.S. Mint perked up coin news with a few noteworthy actions, and auction news is prevalent. Below are short summaries for a few of those articles.
The U.S. Mint's 2010 product schedule posted last week. The new Native American $1 coins are set to release on January 22nd, and the commemorative American Veterans Disabled for Life silver dollar will come out sometime in February. One interesting note from an online article on the subject was the tentative release of the commemorative Boy Scouts of America silver dollar. The Mint says it will launch the coin in March, but the 100th anniversary of the BSA's founding is February 8th.
2010 First Spouse designs were unveiled in a press release by the U.S. Mint just before Christmas. The new coins will feature Abigail Fillmore, Jane Pierce, and Mary Todd Lincoln. Since James Buchanan, the 15th President, wasn't married, his corresponding First Spouse coin will feature Gobrecht's Liberty Head Quarter Eagle design, which was circulating between 1840 and 1907, on the obverse. The reverse will be an image of Buchanan as a young man writing in a book.
Heritage's January FUN U.S. coin auction is fast approaching, and so we're hearing more about some of the special lots. Lot # 2383 is a rare double denomination mule, a 1993-D cent with a dime reverse, graded MS-65 by PCGS. This unique error coin was recently described in CoinLink's "Unusual Items" category.
Mike Thorne examined 2009's coin auction prices in an article today for NumisMaster.com. He wanted to know whether the depressed economy affected the coin industry. He listed example after example of high dollar auction pieces, million dollar coins, and key date coins that sold this year. In the end he concluded desirable coins did well, but not as well as in recent years.
If you like odd news, here's a story about silver coins served in dessert. In London, diners had to sign a waiver before getting their Christmas pudding, since coins could be hidden in the mixture. The owner of High Timber said some of her customers are lawyers, and they suggested she protect herself from lawsuits. Receiving a serving of Christmas pudding with a coin or charm is supposed to attract luck, but it could also chip a tooth.
That's it for now. See you tomorrow!
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