Welcome back to Something About Coins! Paul Hollis will be giving away 40,000 Lincoln cents in Louisiana. Other copper coins in the news have been Bar coppers, half cents, the 1795 reeded edge cent known as the Holy Grail of Sheldon Cents, pre-1982 cents, and a gigantic replica of a cent made out of 84,000 cents. Enjoy!
10,000 Free Lincoln Four-Coin Sets in Sesquicentennial Promotion, coinnews.net
To mark the 150th anniversary of President Abraham Lincoln’s 1861 inauguration, 10,000 specially-produced Lincoln cent kits will be given away free by rare coin dealer Paul Hollis of Mandeville, Louisiana. Each kit contains an illustrated brochure accompanied by four coins, one each of the commemorative Lincoln cent reverse designs issued for circulation by the United States Mint in 2009. "March 4 is the sesquicentennial of Lincoln’s first inauguration on the eve of the Civil War. The giveaway ..." Click for coin article
Crime Alert, numismaticcrimes.org
A collection of Spanish Colonial Coinage was stolen from a part-time dealer in Port St. Lucie, FL on February 18, 2011. The collection comprises 136 Spanish coins, mostly cobs from early Potosí through the late 1700s. Some Mexico mint. Also included were several Pillar Dollars, Portraits, Old World cobs, and a few smaller denomination cobs and Old World milled coins. The only gold coins in the collection (quantity 5) were not genuine. The collection was in a safe and the entire safe was taken. The safe also contained a quantity of gold jewelry including a string of antique pearls, a large man's ring with a ½ carat diamond, a 2-real 1711 Lima cob bezeled in 14 K, and numerous other necklaces, rings, and a ladies watch with bracelet / band in 14 K. There is a $2000 cash reward for information leading to the recovery of the contents of the safe. Anyone having information on this offense please contact; Doug Davis 817-705-4450 Doug@numismaticcrimes.org
The Mysterious Bar Copper, news.stacks.com
One of the simplest designs for an American coin is that of the so-called Bar copper—bearing on the obverse USA as a monogram, and on the reverse a series of 13 parallel bars, each representing one of the early states. These began to appear in New York City in 1785, but their origin is not known. The earliest mention of the Bar copper in documentation of the time appeared on November 12, 1785, in the New Jersey Gazette: “A new and curious kind of coppers have lately made their ..." Click for coin article
Conservation Showcase: 1855 Half Cent, ncscoin.com
A recent example from our conservation laboratory. Copper coins can show the evidence of improper long-term storage in particular ways and the effects of improper storage can be quick to show. Of the commonly used coin metals, copper will react most rapidly with the outside environment. A residue can turn into corrosion and irreversible environmental damage on a copper coin much faster than it would with, say, a silver coin. This 1855 Half Cent arrived at NCS covered with a dark ... Click for coin article
Fabled 1795 Reeded Edge Cent Has New Home, New Holder, pcgs.com
Described as "the Holy Grail of Sheldon Cents" and recently purchased by noted collector Pete Miller at public auction, a 1795 Reeded Edge Flowing Hair large cent (S-79) now has been certified PCGS G4 by Professional Coin Grading Service. Only eight of these coins are known to exist, and the reason for the reeded edge instead of a plain edge is not known. "It may be an experimental piece the Mint produced to combat clipping or shaving off copper, similar to reeded edges on silver and gold ... "Click for coin article
Copper chase not as rewarding, blog.numismaticnews.net/buzz
With the value of the metal in the pre-1982 cents now at a nice round 3 cents, give or take. How much longer will we continue to see the old coins in our change? True, it is still illegal to melt them. It is illegal to export them. But will this deter individuals from deciding that they would rather swap paper money or coins of lesser intrinsic value to set them aside? Good question. Perhaps the larger question is whether it is worth the bother at all. I have been saving the 95-percent copper cents for the last ... Click for coin article
It Took 84,000 Pennies, But Mom's Giant Coin Really Makes Cents, aolnews.com
Make a penny, leave a penny. That's how one cash-strapped Michigan woman obtained the 84,000 pennies she used to construct a gigantic replica of a 1-cent coin, which won her artistic acclaim and allowed her to share her inspirational story. Wander Martich says she only started building her massive coin after she was forced to pinch pennies when she went through a divorce, lost her home to foreclosure and lost her job in 2006. That's when Martich's daughters -- ages 6 and 9 -- gave their mom ... Click for coin article
Thanks for reading!
