Garfield Presidential Dollar to be Unveiled

U.S. Rep. Steven C. LaTourette announced that the U.S. Mint has produced a $1 coin bearing the image of President James A. Garfield that will be unveiled during a special ceremony at 10 a.m. Nov. 17 in Mentor.

LaTourette, R-Bainbridge Township, said officials from the U.S. Mint will come to Lawnfield, Garfield's former home, to reveal the coin that will display the image of . . .

Read more at: The News-Herald

Hoard of 4,000 Roman Coins Found in Field by Metal Detector

A METAL-DETECTING enthusiast has uncovered a hoard of Roman coins in Mid Wales.

The exact location of the find, which is believed to include some 4,000 copper coins, is being kept a secret to protect the site.

The coins were discovered by metal-detecting enthusiast Adrian Simmons in a field in Montgomery a few miles from the site of a former Roman fort in the village of . . .

Read more at: WalesOnline.co.uk

U.S. Coin Making as an Art Form

In the rundown basement of Seattle's former Immigration and Customs Enforcement building is the studio of Heidi Wastweet, a 42-year-old sculptor who believes coins are exchangeable art.

Foot-long circular plaster casts of coins, etched with . . .

Full story at: The Seattle Times

Rare 1933 Double Eagles Ruled Property of the U.S.

U.S. Government Photo

Ten rare $20 gold coins that could have been worth more than $40 million to a Philadelphia family are the rightful property of the U.S. Treasury, a Philadelphia jury has ruled.

The "Double Eagles"—currently at Fort Knox-- had glistened for years in a safe deposit box belonging to Joan Langbord, 81, the daughter of jeweler Israel Switt, who the government contends illegally obtained the coins in the 1930s.

The coins were among . . .

Full story at: ABC News

Presidential Dollar Coin Series to Come to an Early End?

Lawmakers appeared optimistic when they enacted the 2005 Presidential Dollar Coin Act to honor all 44 U.S. chief executives on a $1 piece by 2016. But after a scathing news report on NPR this summer documented how few American consumers or collectors have warmed to the coins, a senator is proposing to halt production.

Sen. David Vitter, R-La., on Wednesday, introduced a bill (S.1385) to repeal the law and save taxpayers money just as the U.S. Mint is rolling out the edition of the coins honoring . . .

Full story at: Government Executive.com

U.S. Mint Ends Presidential Dollars for Airline Miles Coin Scam

It all started with the Presidential One Dollar Coin Act of 2005, an effort that was meant to save taxpayer money, by encouraging Americans to use dollar coins instead of paper bills. The theory was that coins have a longer circulation life, and hence, they would be the superior alternative.

Of course, that theory was flawed. Like most government programs, they forgot to address the basic question . . .

Full story at: Business Insider

Presidential Dollar Coins Cost Taxpayers Millions

In December of 2005, Rep. Carolyn Maloney told her fellow lawmakers they’d be fools not to support a bill creating dollar coins embossed with the faces of U.S. presidents. Maloney sponsored the Presidential $1 Coin Act, proclaiming it would be a net win for taxpayers.

“This bill earns money for the government, benefits small businesses and consumers, educates all users of American currency about . . .

Full story at: NBC News

Presidential Dollar Coin Schemers Rack Up Frequent-Flier Miles

Here’s the premise: You love to travel, especially for free, and your credit card company rewards your purchases with frequent-flier miles. Here’s the problem: Purchases aren’t cheap. Here’s the diabolically simple solution: Use your credit card to buy money, use the money to pay off the credit card bill, and see the world on the house.

Thanks to a persistent and mostly unsuccessful government effort to promote the everyday circulation of dollar coins . . .

Full story at: ThirdAge.com

UK Royal Mint's Silver Coin Sales Double in 2011

The UK's Royal Mint has said that its silver coin production in the first half of the current year has doubled to 324,421 ounces. This is much in line with reports from other mints around the world which have also seen a huge surge in silver coin sales over the period.

However, it should be noted . . .

Full story at: Mineweb.com

Coin Contest: Winner to Have Their Photograph Appear on a Canadian Coin

Ottawa, Ontario – July 4, 2011 – The Royal Canadian Mint is pleased to announce that it is partnering with Canadian Geographic to invite Canadians to participate in the fourth annual Canadian Wildlife Photography of the Year contest. Canada's best wildlife photograph to be selected among thousands of entries from across the country will be featured on a superbly-crafted collector coin, to be issued by the Mint in 2012.

Until September 2, 2011, Canadians can submit a maximum of ten photographs of Canadian wildlife in any of the five contest categories: Amphibians, Reptiles and Insects; Birds; Mammals; People and Pets; and Junior Photographer (ages 15 and under). In addition to featuring the grand prize winner's entry on a collector coin, the Mint will also award prizes to the contest's five category winners, 10 runner-ups and 15 honourable mentions.

“The Royal Canadian Mint is always proud to showcase wildlife through the work of talented Canadians on coins whose designs and craftsmanship captivate collectors, in Canada and . . .

Full story at: Royal Canadian Mint

Treasure Trove of Jewels and Coins Worth Billions Unearthed

A treasure trove of coins, jewels and precious stones thought to be worth over $11bn has been unearthed at a Hindu temple in Southern India.

The stash of valuables was discovered in five underground vaults at the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Trivandrum, Kerala, which is renowned for its intricate scupltures.

And the Temple's chief secretary K. Jayakumar said that the find - worth an estimated . . .

Full story at: Daily Mail

Move Over Ulysses: Julia Grant Gold Spouse Coin Makes Its Debut

When the U.S. Mint unveiled a coin in May to memorialize our 18th President, Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, the Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site at Grantwood Village threw a big party and 500 people attended.

However, when the U.S. Mint unveiled a special coin on June 23 to memorialize our 18th President's lovely wife, Julia Dent Grant, the National Park Service (NPS) historic museum site did nothing.

So what gives? Are women simply . . .

Full story at: Webster-Kirkwood Times

Rare Spanish Colonial Gold and Silver Coins Found in Florida Shipwreck

A team of Florida "treasure finders" said they found more than 50 Spanish colonial coins in the wreckage of a 17th century ship.

The Jupiter-based crew of the Seahunter said they found the coins in the wreckage of a 350-year-old ship that sank off the Jupiter Inlet, WPTV, West Palm Beach, Fla., reported Wednesday.

Scott Thomson, captain of the Seahunter, said the ship is the . . .

Full story at: UPI.com

Coin Collection Turns Up Rare Carson City $20 Double Eagle

The coin collection once owned by Reno casino owner Charles Mapes has turned up a real gem, so to speak.

Among the 10 coins being auctioned by Bonhams & Butterfields on Sept. 4 in Los Angeles is a high-grade 1870 Liberty double-eagle coin made in the Carson City Mint.

Bonhams & Butterfields expects the coin will fetch . . .

Full story at: Gannett

$200 Gold Kate Middleton and Prince William Royal Wedding Coin Issued by Canada

Ottawa, Ontario, June 29, 2011 – Exactly two months after the historic wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the Royal Canadian Mint is joining the celebration of the visit of their royal highnesses to Canada by issuing a limited-edition gold coin and crystal collector coin.

Crafted of 22-Karat gold and bearing a $200 face value, this exclusive coin captures the same design of the silver royal wedding coin issued by the Mint in April 2011. It is enhanced by a white crystal and is limited to a mintage of only 2,000 coins. This precious keepsake is available for . . .

Full story at: Royal Canadian Mint

Is There Really Gold in Ft. Knox?



Library of Congress Photo

 Ron Paul has doubts about whether the U.S. reserve exists, and he's aiming to find out the truth.

I'm quite fond of Ron Paul. I enjoyed spending time with him for this Atlantic profile. I liked learning about Austrian economics. I like the fact that he thinks differently than other Republicans and has the courage of his convictions. Washington is a more interesting place because of him. And he makes good copy. That's especially true now that he has become . . .

Full story at: The Atlantic

Lifting Gold's Veil of Secrecy

Chris Wood, of brokerage firm CLSA Asia-Pacific Markets, broke a significant story recently when he reported that Belgium's central bank admitted to having loaned out 41% of bank's gold reserves as of the end of 2010.

The bank reportedly earned only 0.3% on those loans -- which also raises legitimate questions about why it made them. More importantly, we now have proof . . .

Full story at: The Motley Fool