Welcome to Something About Coins! The rising price of metals in nickels and cents has the U.S. Mint concerned, per our first article, and the second one describes the new 2010 Mint Proof Set. Remaining articles dive into the big coin show coming to Boston, like the educational programs, the three major auctions, and the coins that will be there. The final article picks up an old coin auction catalog from 1786, so enjoy!
US Coin Composition Debate Returns with High Penny and Nickel Costs, CoinNews.net
The recent hearing on "The State of U.S. Coins and Currency" by the House Subcommittee on Domestic Monetary Policy and Technology yielded another interesting sub-topic aside from the increased chance for 2010 Silver Eagle proofs previously mentioned on CoinNews. In fact, this topic proved to be a bit more contentious than the eagles as it invoked a miniature power struggle between the executive branch of the United States and Congress. At the heart of the matter is the makeup of American circulating coinage — its composition ... Click for coin article
US Mint Releases 2010 United States Mint Proof Set®, WorldMintCoins.com
Launched last week on July 22 was the 2010 United States Mint Proof Set®. This set includes a total of fourteen coins representing the circulating coinage from the US Mint for the year, but these coins are struck to proof quality at the mint's facility in San Francisco. As such, each coin carries the appropriate 'S' mintmark. Proof Sets have proven to be extremely popular with collectors in the past. Typically, more of these sets are sold each year by the Mint than any other set offered. According to unaudited figures from the Mint for last year ... Click for coin article
Numismatic Theatre Schedule Set for Boston, WorldsFairOfMoney.com
Numismatic Theatre, a popular part of the American Numismatic Association's convention education programs, has been finalized for the 2010 ANA World's Fair of Money, Aug. 10-14 in Boston. Numismatic Theatre consists of 30-40 minute presentations given by ANA members on a wide range of topics. Presentations will be held Aug. 11 and Aug. 13-14 in Room 209 of the Hynes Convention Center. A highlight of the presentations will be "The Development and Use of the Screw Press for Coin Production," a two-hour panel discussion ... Click for coin article
'Buzz' loud before show, CoinValuesOnline.com
The buzz before the American Numismatic Association World's Fair of Money in Boston, Aug. 10 to 14, is fantastic, and enough rarities are being offered in the related auctions to get any collector's blood pumping. In more than a week of auctions, more than 10,000 lots will be offered, testing the depth of the current market and the reach of collectors and investors to go after top rarities. Three major auctions highlight the week. At the Bowers and Merena Rarities auction, scheduled before the ANA convention, top lots include a bright 1794 ... Click for coin article
Coin Monday: The Quantum Pedigree, HeritageAuctions.blogspot.com
There were two Plain Edge, Wire Rim Saint-Gaudens ten dollar pattern coins made in 1907. Heritage has one of them, the only one known to have survived, in its upcoming Official ANA U.S. Coin auction in Boston. The known history of this particular coin goes back only a few years. Yet recent numismatic research has revealed what happened to the two Plain Edge, Wire Rim tens immediately after they were struck: In mid-July 1907, one was sent to then-Secretary of the Treasury George B. Cortelyou, who forwarded the coin to ... Click for coin article
1796 Bust Quarter from the Norweb Collection in Heritage Coin Auction, CoinLink.com
In his 1796 Mint report, dated November 29, Elias Boudinot discussed some of the problems that faced the fledgling Mint in Philadelphia: "He has seen, with regret, an opinion generally prevailing, that the establishment is unnecessarily expensive, and less productive than was rationally expected by its advocates and friends." Among the problems was free coinage, meaning that the government paid the cost of refining silver and gold deposits, including the cost of copper that was necessary for alloy purposes. Boudinot continued ... Click for coin article
The World’s First Coin Auction?, PCGS.com
A number of years ago, I came across into a tiny booklet in a bookstore. Opening the cover, I discovered it was a coin auction catalog... from 1786! I don't know how long coin auctions have been taking place, but this surely is among the first auctions dedicated only to coins. The auction was the property of the late Sir Charles Frederick, Knight of the Bath, and was sold by Mr. Gerard at his House in Litchfield Street, St. Anne's Soho. It consisted of Greek, Roman, Saxon, English, Anglo-Gallic and other coins and medals. While it was a ... Click for coin article
Thanks for reading!
